Low friction subterranean drill bit and related methods

A subterranean drill bit operable with a rotational drive source for drilling in subterranean earthen materials to create a borehole having a borehole wall, the drill bit comprising:

• a drill bit body having,
• a base portion disposed about a longitudinal bit axis for receiving the rotational drive source,
• a gauge portion disposed about the longitudinal bit axis and extending from the base portion, and
• a face portion disposed about the longitudinal bit axis and extending from the gauge portion;
• a plurality of diamond cutting elements fixedly disposed on and projecting from the face portion and spaced from one another, the cutting elements being disposed for creating a net radial imbalance force during the drilling along a net radial imbalance force vector substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal bit axis, the net radial imbalance force vector corresponding to a combination of a circumferential imbalance force vector and a radial imbalance force vector;
• a substantially continuous cutter devoid region disposed on the gauge portion and on the face portion and intersecting a force plane formed by the longitudinal bit axis and the net radial imbalance force vector;
• and
• bearing means disposed in the cutter devoid region about the plane for substantially continuously contacting the borehole wall during the drilling;
• the cutting elements being disposed to cause the net radial imbalance force to substantially maintain the bearing means in contact with the borehole wall during the drilling, to cause the net radial imbalance force vector to have an equilibrium direction, and to cause the net radial imbalance force vector to return substantially to the equilibrium direction in response to a disturbing displacement.

A method of drilling in subterranean earthen materials to create a borehole having a borehole wall, the method comprising:

• (a) connecting a subterranean drill bit to a rotational drive source, the drill bit comprising,
• a drill bit body having a base portion disposed about a longitudinal bit axis for receiving the rotational drive source, a gauge portion disposed about the longitudinal bit axis and extending from the base portion, and a face portion disposed about the longitudinal bit axis and extending from the gauge portion,
• a plurality of diamond cutting elements fixedly disposed on and projecting from the face portion and spaced from one another, the cutting elements being disposed for creating a net radial imbalance force during the drilling along a net radial imbalance force vector substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal bit axis,
• a substantially continuous cutter devoid region disposed on the gauge portion and on the face portion and intersecting a force plane formed by the longitudinal bit axis and the net radial imbalance force vector, and
• a bearing support disposed in the cutter devoid region about the force plane for substantially continuously contacting the borehole wall during the drilling;
• and
• (b) rotating and lowering the drill bit into the borehole to contact the subterranean earthen materials so that the net radial imbalance force vector substantially maintains the bearing support in contact with the borehole wall during the drilling, the net radial imbalance force vector has an equilibrium direction, and the net radial imbalance force vector returns substantially to the equilibrium direction in response to a disturbing displacement.

A method of drilling in subterranean earthen materials to create a borehole having a borehole wall, the method comprising:

• (a) connecting a subterranean drill bit to a rotational drive source, the drill bit comprising,
• a drill bit body having a base portion disposed about a longitudinal bit axis for receiving the rotational drive source, a gauge portion disposed about the longitudinal bit axis and extending from the base portion, and a face portion disposed about the longitudinal bit axis and extending from the gauge portion,
• a plurality of diamond cutting elements fixedly disposed on and projecting from the face portion and spaced from one another, the cutting elements being disposed for creating a net radial imbalance force during the drilling along a net radial imbalance force vector approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal bit axis, the net radial imbalance force vector corresponding to a combination of a circumferential imbalance force vector and a radial imbalance force vector,
• a substantially continuous cutter devoid region disposed on the gauge portion and on the face portion and intersecting a force plane formed by the longitudinal bit axis and the net radial imbalance force vector, and
• a bearing support disposed in the cutter devoid region about the force plane for substantially continuously contacting the borehole wall during the drilling;
• (b) rotating and lowering the drill bit into the borehole to contact the subterranean earthen materials so that the net radial imbalance force substantially maintains the bearing support in contact with the borehole wall during the drilling, the net radial imbalance force vector has an equilibrium direction, and the net radial imbalance force vector returns substantially to the equilibrium direction in response to a disturbing displacement.