Superabrasive cutting element with enhanced stiffness, thermal conductivity and cutting efficiency

A cutter for use on a rotary drag bit for earth boring, comprising:

• a substrate having a front and a rear, taken in a direction of intended cutter movement;
• a superabrasive table carried on said front of said substrate and defining a substantially planar cutting face having a cutting edge;
• and
• a plurality of superabrasive pilings, each superabrasive piling having a longitudinal axis, a distal and a proximal end, disposed in said substrate, said distal ends of said superabrasive pilings extending away from said superabrasive table into said substrate, said superabrasive pilings lying in substantially perpendicular arrangement to an orientation of said substantially planar cutting face;
• wherein said superabrasive table comprises a layer of material tougher and less abrasion resistant than a material of said superabrasive pilings.

A cutter for use on a rotary bit for earth boring, comprising:

• a substrate having a front and a rear, taken in a direction of intended cutter movement;
• a superabrasive table carried on said front or said substrate and defining a substantially planar cutting face having a cutting edge and having a trailing face;
• and
• a plurality of superabrasive pilings, each superabrasive piling having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a proximal end, disposed in said substrate, said distal ends of said superabrasive pilings extending away from said superabrasive table into said substrate, a proximal end of at least one of said plurality of superabrasive pilings terminating at said trailing face of said superabrasive table and in contact therewith, said superabrasive pilings lying in substantially perpendicular arrangement to an orientation of said substantially planar superabrasive cutting face.

A rotary drag bit for subterranean earth boring operations comprising:

• a drill bit body having an outer surface;
• and
• at least one cutting element attached to said outer surface and comprising a plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements each having a longitudinal axis, a substrate having a front end and a rear end taken in a direction of intended bit rotation, and disposed between and around each of said plurality of superabrasive elements, and a superabrasive table carried on said substrate front end having a trailing face and defining a cutting face and a cutting edge of said at least one cutting element, each of said plurality of superabrasive elements extending from said superabrasive table into said substrate;
• wherein at least one of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements extends to the rear of said substrate;
• and
• wherein said rod-like superabrasive elements are formed of a material exhibiting at least a different abrasion-resistance than a material of which said superabrasive table is formed.

A rotary drag bit for subterranean earth boring operations comprising:

• a drill bit body having an outer surface;
• and
• at least one cutting element attached to said outer surface and comprising a plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements each having a longitudinal axis, a substrate having a front end and a rear end taken in a direction of intended bit rotation and disposed between and around each of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements, and a superabrasive table carried on said substrate front end defining a cutting face and a cutting edge of said at least one cutting element, each of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements extending from said superabrasive table into said substrate;
• wherein said superabrasive table comprises a material tougher and less abrasion resistant than a material of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements.

A rotary drag bit for subterranean earth boring operations, comprising:

• a drill bit body having an outer surface;
• and
• at least one cutting element attached to said outer surface and comprising a plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements each having a longitudinal axis, a substrate having a front end and a rear end taken in a direction of intended bit rotation and disposed between and around each of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements, and a superabrasive table carried on said substrate front end having a trailing face and defining a cutting face and a cutting edge of said at least one cutting element, each of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements extending from said superabrasive table into said substrate;
• wherein an end of at least one of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements terminates at said trailing face of said superabrasive table and in contact therewith.

A cutter for use on a rotary drag bit for earth boring, comprising:

• a substrate having a front and a rear, taken in a direction of intended cutter movement;
• a superabrasive table carried on said front of said substrate and defining a substantially planar cutting face having a cutting edge;
• and
• a plurality of superabrasive pilings, each superabrasive piling having a longitudinal axis, a distal and a proximal end, disposed in said substrate, said distal ends of said superabrasive pilings extending away from said superabrasive table into said substrate, a proximal end of at least one of said plurality of superabrasive pilings terminating at said cutting face, said superabrasive pilings lying in substantially perpendicular arrangement to an orientation of said substantially planar cutting face.

A cutter for use on a rotary drag bit for earth boring, comprising:

• a substrate having a front and a rear, taken in a direction of intended cutter movement;
• a superabrasive table carried on said front of said substrate and defining a substantially planar cutting face having a cutting edge;
• and
• a plurality of superabrasive pilings, each superabrasive piling having a longitudinal axis, a distal and a proximal end, disposed in said substrate, said distal ends of said superabrasive pilings extending away from said superabrasive table into said substrate, a proximal end of at least one of said plurality of superabrasive pilings terminating within said superabrasive table, said superabrasive pilings lying in substantially perpendicular arrangement to an orientation of said substantially planar cutting face.

A rotary drag bit for subterranean earth boring operations, comprising:

• a drill bit body having an outer surface;
• and
• at least one cutting element attached to said outer surface and comprising a plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements each having a longitudinal axis, a substrate having a front end and a rear end taken in a direction of intended bit rotation and disposed between and around each of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements, and a superabrasive table carried on said substrate front end defining a cutting face and a cutting edge of said at least one cutting element, each of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements extending from said superabrasive table into said substrate;
• wherein an end of at least one of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements terminates at said cutting face of said superabrasive table.

A rotary drag bit for subterranean earth boring operations comprising:

• a drill bit body having an outer surface;
• and
• at least one cutting element attached to said outer surface and comprising a plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements each having a longitudinal axis, a substrate having a front end and a rear end taken in a direction of intended bit rotation and disposed between and around each of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements, and a superabrasive table carried on said substrate front end defining a cutting face and a cutting edge of said at least one cutting element, each of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements extending from said superabrasive table into said substrate;
• wherein an end of at least one of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements terminates within said superabrasive table.

A cutter for use on a rotary drag bit for earth boring, comprising:

• a substrate having a front and a rear, taken in a direction of intended cutter movement, a substantially cylindrical distal portion proximate said rear and a proximal portion extending to said front and including an inwardly-tapering frustoconical peripheral segment flanked by first and second substantially parallel inwardly-tapering planar peripheral segments;
• a substantially rectangular superabrasive table carried on said front of said substrate and defining a substantially planar cutting face having a cutting edge and having a trailing face;
• and
• a plurality of superabrasive pilings, each having a longitudinal axis, disposed in said substrate, distal ends of said superabrasive pilings extending away from said superabrasive table into said substrate.

A rotary drag bit for subterranean earth boring operations comprising:

• a drill bit body having an outer surface;
• and
• at least one cutting element attached to said outer surface and comprising:
• a plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements each having a longitudinal axis;
• a substrate having a front end and a rear end taken in a direction of intended bit rotation, a substantially cylindrical distal portion proximate said rear end and a proximal portion extending to said front end and including an inwardly-tapering frustoconical peripheral segment flanked by first and second substantially parallel inwardly-tapering planar peripheral segments;
• said substrate being disposed between and around each of said plurality of superabrasive elements;
• and
• a superabrasive table carried on said substrate front end and defining a cutting face and a cutting edge of said at least one cutting element, each of said plurality of superabrasive elements extending from said superabrasive table into said substrate.

A rotary drag bit for subterranean earth boring operations comprising:

• a drill bit body having an outer surface;
• and
• at least one cutting element attached to said outer surface and comprising a plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements each having a longitudinal axis, a substrate having a front end and a rear end taken in a direction of intended bit rotation and disposed between and around each of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements, and a superabrasive table carried on said substrate front end, having a trailing face and defining a cutting face and a cutting edge of said at least one cutting element, each of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements extending from said superabrasive table into said substrate;
• wherein said superabrasive elements are formed of a material exhibiting at least a different abrasion-resistance than a material of which said superabrasive table is formed;
• and
• wherein at least one of said plurality of rod-like superabrasive elements extends to a location near a distal end of said substrate.