# US 8,740,048 B2 · Thermally stable polycrystalline ultra-hard constructions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,740,048 B2 - Document ID: US8740048B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/826,290 - Filed: 2010-06-29 - Published: 2010-10-21 - Granted: 2014-06-03 - Earliest claimed: 2005-11-01 - Assignees: Smith International, Inc. - Applicants: Georgiy Voronin; J. Daniel Belnap - Inventors: Georgiy Voronin; J. Daniel Belnap - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8740048B2 ## CPC - E21B 10/573: characterised by support details, e.g. the substrate construction or the interface between the substrate and the cutting element - B22F 7/062: {involving the connection or repairing of preformed parts} - C04B 37/006: {consisting of metals or metal salts} - C04B 37/026: {consisting of metals or metal salts} - C22C 26/00: Alloys containing diamond {or cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride, fullerenes or carbon nanotubes} - C22C 29/02: based on carbides or carbonitrides - C04B 2237/16: Silicon interlayers - C04B 2237/36: Non-oxidic - C04B 2237/361: Boron nitride - C04B 2237/363: Carbon - C04B 2237/60: Forming at the joining interface or in the joining layer specific reaction phases or zones, e.g. diffusion of reactive species from the interlayer to the substrate or from a substrate to the joining interface, carbide forming at the joining interface - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) ## Abstract Thermally stable polycrystalline constructions comprise a body having a polycrystalline ultra-hard phase and a plurality of empty voids. A population of the voids can be filled with a reaction product. The body is substantially free of a catalyst material. The construction comprises a first support member attached to the body by a first braze material. A second support member is attached to the body and the first support member by a second braze material. The construction may include a third support member attached to the body that is integral or separate from one of the other support members. The braze materials used to attached the support members can be the same or different, as can be the materials used to form the different support members. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of making a thermally stable polycrystalline construction comprising the steps of: combining a body with a first support member and a second support member to form an assembly, the body comprising a thermally stable polycrystalline ultra-hard material, said thermally stable polycrystalline ultra-hard material comprising a polycrystalline ultra-hard material selected from the group of materials consisting essentially of polycrystalline ultra-hard materials having a substantial amount of a catalyst in said polycrystalline ultra-hard materials removed and polycrystalline ultra-hard materials not including a metal solvent catalyst; placing a first braze material between the body and the first support member, and placing a second braze material between the second support member and the body and first support member, wherein the second braze material comprises a first region of braze material extending radially over at least a portion of the body and a second region of braze material adjacent the first support member, and wherein the first braze material is different from the second region of second braze material; heating the combined assembly and the braze materials to an elevated temperature; and cooling the combined assembly and the braze materials to cause crystallization of the braze materials, and to cause the braze materials to form an attachment between the body and the first support member, and between the body and the second support member and the first support member and the second support member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the body further comprises a plurality of empty voids interposed within the polycrystalline ultra-hard material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the body further comprises at least a population of voids comprising a reaction product with the polycrystalline ultra-hard material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein during the step of cooling, one of the first braze material or the second region of second braze material crystallizes before the other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein during the step of heating, the first braze material reacts with the body to form a reaction product therewith. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein the reaction product is silicon carbide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first braze material is an active braze material and the second region of the second braze material is a nonactive braze material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising, during the step of combining, combining the body with a front support member, wherein front support member is attached to a region of the front side surface of the body during the heating and cooling steps through the use of a third braze material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the front support member is an integral part of the second support member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the third braze material is the same as the first braze material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first support member and the second support member are formed from different materials. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second support member has an axial length that extends the entire distance along the first support member. ### Claim 13 A method of making a thermally stable polycrystalline construction comprising the steps of: combining a body with a backside support member, a sidewall support member, and a front support member to form an assembly, the body being formed of a thermally stable polycrystalline ultra-hard material, said thermally stable polycrystalline ultra-hard material comprising a polycrystalline ultra-hard material selected from the group of materials consisting essentially of polycrystalline ultra-hard materials having a substantial amount of a catalyst in said polycrystalline ultra-hard materials removed and polycrystalline ultra-hard materials not including a metal solvent catalyst, and wherein the polycrystalline ultra-hard material of the body has a front side surface, a backside surface, and an inside wall surface; placing a first braze material between the backside surface of the body and the backside support member, placing a second braze material between the sidewall support member and the inside wall surface of the body and the backside support member, and placing a third braze material between the front side surface of the body and the front support member, wherein at least a portion of said front support member extends in front of said front surface, and wherein at least a portion of said backside support member extends behind said backside surface; heating the combined assembly and the braze materials to an elevated temperature; and cooling the combined assembly and the braze materials to cause crystallization of the braze materials, and to cause the braze materials to form an attachment between the body, the backside support member, the sidewall support member and the front support member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the body further comprises a plurality of empty voids interposed within the polycrystalline ultra-hard material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the body further comprises at least a population of voids comprising a reaction product with the polycrystalline ultra-hard material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the front support member is an integral part of the sidewall support member and extends radially inwardly therefrom. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the front support member covers at least 10 percent of the body front side surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the front support member covers at least 50 percent of the body front side surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the first, second and third braze materials are the same. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the backside support member, the sidewall support member and the front support member are formed from the same materials. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method as recited in claim 20 wherein the materials comprise tungsten carbide. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the backside support member has a cobalt content that is less than that of the sidewall support member. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the sidewall support member has an axial length that extends the entire distance along the backside support member. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the body comprises a peripheral surface and the support member comprises a peripheral surface and wherein placing a second braze material between the second support member and the body and first support member comprises placing the first region of the second braze material in contact with the body peripheral surface and in contact with the second support member and placing the second region of the second braze material in contact with the first support member peripheral surface and in contact with the second support member. ### Claim 25 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein combining a body comprises sandwiching at least a portion of the body between the backside support member and the front support member. ### Claim 26 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the sidewall support member extends from the front support member axially along the backside support member. ### Claim 27 (depends on 13) The method as recited in claim 13 wherein placing the third braze material comprises placing the third braze material in contact with front side surface of the body and in contact with the front support member. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the construction comprises a longitudinal axis, wherein the body peripheral surface is defined about said longitudinal axis, wherein at least a portion of said peripheral surface is circular about said longitudinal axis, wherein the first support member peripheral surface is defined about said longitudinal axis, and wherein at least a portion of said first support member peripheral surface is circular about said longitudinal axis.