US 2021/0172264 A1 · HYBRID DRILL BIT GAUGE CONFIGURATION

Abstract

A rotary drill bit is operable for forming a wellbore in a geologic formation, and includes a hybrid gauge pad thereon. The hybrid gauge pad includes movable gauge elements biased to protrude radially from a circumferential engagement surface of the gauge pad to define a full gauge of the of the drill bit. The movable gauge elements retract and become flush with the circumferential engagement surface of the gauge pad in response to the application of a steering force to the drill bit, and thus, the circumferential engagement surface of the gauge pad may define the full gauge of the drill bit in a second configuration. The gauge elements are axially spaced from one another and are arranged to provide either uniform engagement forces, or decreasing engagement forces in an axial direction of the drill bit.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A drill bit, comprising:

a bit body defining a leading end, a trailing end and a rotational bit axis extending between the leading end and the trailing end;
at least one cutting element defined at the leading end of the bit body;
a drill string connector defined at the trailing end of the bit body;
at least one gauge pad defined on the bit body axially between the at least one cutting element and the drill string connector, the at least one gauge pad defining a circumferential engagement surface thereon;
and
a plurality of movable gauge elements extending through the engagement surface, each movable gauge element biased to a radially extended position wherein a radial face of the movable gauge element protrudes radially outward from the engagement surface, and movable to a retracted position wherein the radial face of the movable gauge element is flush with the engagement surface.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hybrid drill bit gauge configuration

Life of this patent

Hybrid drill bit gauge configuration

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20