Impregnated drill bit with diamond pins

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a drill bit and several embodiments of a drill bit for drilling a well in an earth formation. In one embodiment, the drill bit comprises a diamond impregnated bit body with one or more thermally stable pins embedded therein. More specifically, the drill bit may include a diamond impregnated bit body having a plurality of blades, with one or more of the blades having a cone section, a nose section, a shoulder section, and a gage section; a plurality of diamond impregnated cutters extending from the blades; and one or more thermally stable polycrystalline diamond pins embedded within, and possibly extending from, at least some of the cutters. In some embodiments, each cutter includes an embedded pin. Alternatively, the pin or pins may be located in the cone, shoulder, nose, and/or gauge sections.

1 . A method of manufacturing a drill bit having a diamond impregnated bit body and a plurality of cutters, such as for drilling into an earth formation, the method comprising the steps of:
 preparing a mold having at least one cutter cavity for the cutters;   placing at least one diamond pin in the cutter cavity; and   forming the cutter around the pin, such that the pin is embedded within the cutter.   
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the mold includes a body cavity for a bit body, a plurality of blade cavities for a plurality of blades extending beyond the bit body, and a plurality of cutter cavities for a plurality of cutters extending beyond the blades. 
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the placing step includes placing a pin in each cutter cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein at least some of the blade cavities have a cone section, a nose section, a shoulder section, and a gage section and wherein the placing step includes placing a pin in at least one cutter cavity in the cone section. 
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein at least some of the blade cavities have a cone section, a nose section, a shoulder section, and a gage section and wherein the placing step includes placing a pin in at least one cutter cavity in the nose section. 
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein at least some of the blade cavities have a cone section, a nose section, a shoulder section, and a gage section and wherein the placing step includes placing a pin in at least one cutter cavity in the shoulder section. 
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein at least some of the cutter cavities include pin cavities, and wherein the placing step includes placing a pin in the pin cavity such that the pin extends beyond the cutter. 
     
     
         8 . The method as set forth in  claim 2 , further including the step of selecting a pin long enough to extend through the cutter cavity and into the blade cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further including the step of selecting a pin long enough to extend through the cutter cavity and into a bit body cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further including the step of designing the mold to provide more pins in high wear areas of the bit. 
     
     
         11 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , further including the step of designing the mold to provide an optimum pattern of pins for a type of formation. 
     
     
         12 . A drill bit, such as for drilling into an earth formation, the drill bit comprising:
 a bit body;   a plurality of cutters; and   at least one diamond pin embedded within at least one of the cutters, wherein the pin extends both above and below the cutter.   
     
     
         13 . The drill bit as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein each cutter includes an embedded pin. 
     
     
         14 . The drill bit as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the bit body includes a cone section, a nose section, a shoulder section, and a gage section, and wherein the pin is located in the cone section. 
     
     
         15 . The drill bit as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the bit body includes a cone section, a nose section, a shoulder section, and a gage section, and wherein the pin is located in the nose section, and wherein there are no pins in the cone section. 
     
     
         16 . The drill bit as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the bit body includes a cone section, a nose section, a shoulder section, and a gage section, and wherein the pin is located in the shoulder section, and wherein there are no pins in the cone section. 
     
     
         17 . The drill bit as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the bit body includes a plurality of blades, at least one of the blades having a cone section, a nose section, a shoulder section, and a gage section, and wherein at least one cutter in the cone section includes the pin. 
     
     
         18 . The drill bit as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the bit body includes a plurality of blades, at least one of the blades having a cone section, a nose section, a shoulder section, and a gage section, and wherein at least one cutter in the nose section includes the pin, and wherein there are no pins in the cone section. 
     
     
         19 . The drill bit as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the bit body includes a plurality of blades, at least one of the blades having a cone section, a nose section, a shoulder section, and a gage section, and wherein at least one cutter in the shoulder section includes the pin, and wherein there are no pins in the cone section. 
     
     
         20 . The drill bit as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the pin extends beyond the cutter. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The drill bit as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein there are more pins in high wear areas of the bit. 
     
     
         23 . The drill bit as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the pins form an optimum pattern for a type of formation. 
     
     
         24 . A drill bit, such as for drilling into an earth formation, the drill bit comprising:
 a diamond impregnated bit body having a plurality of blades, at least one of the blades having a cone section, a nose section, a shoulder section, and a gage section;   a plurality of diamond impregnated cutters extending from the blades; and   a thermally stable polycrystalline diamond pin embedded within at least some of the cutters in the shoulder section, wherein the pins extend through the cutters and blades in the shoulder section, and wherein there are no pins in the cone section.   
     
     
         25 . The drill bit as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the pins extend through the cutters and into the bit body.