# US 2017/0254150 A1 · Drill bits, rotatable cutting structures, cutting structures having adjustable rotational resistance, and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0254150 A1 - Document ID: US20170254150A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/060,991 - Filed: 2016-03-04 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-04 - Assignees: Baker Hughes Incorporated - Applicants: Baker Hughes Incorporated - Inventors: David A. Stockey; Reed W. Spencer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170254150A1 ## CPC - E21B 10/14: combined with non-rolling cutters other than of leading-portion type - E21B 7/064: {specially adapted drill bits therefor} - E21B 10/20: characterised by detachable or adjustable parts, e.g. legs or axles - E21B 3/04: Rotary tables - E21B 44/00: Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract An earth-boring tool may include a body and at least one rotatable cutting structure assembly. The rotatable cutting structure assembly may include a leg, a rotatable cutting structure rotatably coupled to the leg, and a resistance actuator configured to impose rotational resistance on the rotatable cutting structure relative to the leg. An earth-boring to may include a plurality of rotatable cutting structure assemblies coupled to the bit body and a plurality of blades coupled to the body. A method of drilling a borehole may include rotating an earth-boring tool within the borehole, causing rotational resistance to be imposed on at least one rotatable cutting structure of the earth-boring tool, causing a blade of the earth-boring tool to be pushed into a sidewall of the borehole, and side cutting the sidewall of the borehole with the blade. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An earth-boring tool, comprising: a body; and at least one rotatable cutting structure assembly coupled to the body and comprising: a leg extending from the body; a rotatable cutting structure rotatably coupled to the leg; and a resistance actuator configured to impose rotational resistance on the rotatable cutting structure relative to the leg. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The earth-boring tool of claim 1, further comprising at least one blade coupled to the body of the earth-boring tool. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the leg of the at least one rotatable cutting structure assembly further comprises: a leg portion extending from body; and a head for rotatably coupling the rotatable cutting structure to the leg and extending from the leg portion, a longitudinal axis of the head forming an acute angle with a longitudinal axis of the leg portion of the leg. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The earth-boring tool of claim 3, wherein the resistance actuator is disposed within a body of the rotatable cutting structure and at an interface of the body of the rotatable cutting structure and the head of the leg. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The earth-boring tool of claim 3, wherein the resistance actuator is disposed within the head at an interface of a body of the rotatable cutting structure and the head of the leg. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the resistance actuator comprises: a shaft extending from a radially innermost end of the rotatable cutting structure of the at least one rotatable cutting structure assembly; and a braking mechanism coupled to the shaft and configured to impose rotational resistance to the shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the resistance actuator is disposed at an interface of the leg of the at least one rotatable cutting structure assembly and the rotatable cutting structure of the at least one rotatable cutting structure assembly. ### Claim 8 An earth-boring tool, comprising: a body; a plurality of rotatable cutting structure assemblies coupled to the body, each rotatable cutting structure assembly of the plurality of rotatable cutting structure assemblies comprising: a leg extending from the body; a rotatable cutting structure rotatably coupled to the leg; and a resistance actuator configured to impose rotational resistance on the rotatable cutting structure relative to the leg; and a plurality of blades coupled to the bit body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The earth-boring tool of claim 8, wherein at least one blade of the plurality of blades is located between adjacent rotatable cutting structure assemblies of the plurality of rotatable cutting structure assemblies. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The earth-boring tool of claim 8, wherein a rotational axis of a first rotatable cutting structure of the plurality of rotatable cutting structure assemblies is spaced apart from a rotational axis of a second adjacent rotatable cutting structure of the plurality of rotatable cutting structure assemblies by about 180°. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The earth-boring tool of claim 8, wherein a rotational axis of a first rotatable cutting structure of the plurality of rotatable cutting structure assemblies is spaced apart from a rotational axis of a second adjacent rotatable cutting structure of the plurality of rotatable cutting structure assemblies by about 120°. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The earth-boring tool of claim 8, wherein a rotational axis of a rotatable cutting structure of a rotatable cutting structure assembly of the plurality of rotatable cutting structure assemblies is spaced apart from a leading face of a blade of the plurality of blades trailing the rotatable cutting structure by about 120°. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The earth-boring tool of claim 8, wherein a rotational axis of a rotatable cutting structure of a rotatable cutting structure assembly of the plurality of rotatable cutting structure assemblies is spaced apart from a leading face of a blade of the plurality of blades trailing the rotatable cutting structure by about 90°. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The earth-boring tool of claim 8, wherein the resistance actuator is configured to impose rotational resistance on the rotatable cutting structure for a portion of each full rotation of the earth-boring tool within a borehole. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The earth-boring tool of claim 8, further comprising a controller unit operably coupled to the resistance actuator of each rotatable cutting structure assembly of the plurality of rotatable cutting structure assemblies and configured to operate each resistance actuator. ### Claim 16 A method of drilling a borehole, comprising: rotating an earth-boring tool within the borehole; causing rotational resistance to be imposed on at least one rotatable cutting structure of the earth-boring tool to alter a speed of rotation of the at least one rotatable cutting structure; causing a portion of the earth-boring tool to be pushed into a sidewall of the borehole responsive to the rotational resistance imposed on the at least one rotatable cutting structure; and side cutting the sidewall of the borehole with the portion of the earth-boring tool. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein causing a portion of the earth-boring tool to be pushed into a sidewall of the borehole comprises causing a blade of the earth-boring tool to be pushed into the sidewall of the borehole. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein causing a blade of the earth-boring tool to be pushed into a sidewall of the borehole comprises causing a blade having a leading face trailing a rotational axis of the at least one rotatable cutting structure upon which rotational resistance is imposed by about 120° to be pushed into the sidewall of the borehole. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein causing a portion of the earth-boring tool to be pushed into a sidewall of the borehole comprises causing another rotatable cutting structure of the earth-boring tool to be pushed into the sidewall of the borehole. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, causing rotational resistance to be imposed on at least one rotatable cutting structure of the earth-boring tool comprises causing rotational resistance to be imposed on the at least one rotatable cutting structure of the earth-boring tool for about 120° of a full rotation of the earth-boring tool.