Method and apparatus to thwart bit balling of drill bits

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a drill bit. The drill bit includes, a body of the drill bit having at least two blades defining a junk slot therebetween, at least one cutter positioned on at least one of the at least two blades, and at least one diverter positioned downstream of the at least one cutter defined by a direction of travel of the cuttings, the at least one diverter configured to divert cuttings to travel along a trajectory more parallel to a profile of the junk slot.

1 . A drill bit, comprising:
 a body of the drill bit having at least two blades defining a junk slot therebetween;   at least one cutter positioned on at least one of the at least two blades; and   at least one diverter positioned downstream of the at least one cutter defined by a direction of travel of the cuttings, the at least one diverter configured to divert cuttings to travel along a trajectory more parallel to a profile of the junk slot.   
     
     
         2 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diverter is attached to one of the at least two blades. 
     
     
         3 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diverter is attached the profile of the junk slot. 
     
     
         4 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diverter is attached to the body by one selected from the group consisting of welding, brazing, fastening, adhesively bonding and integrally forming with the body. 
     
     
         5 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diverter is configured to divert cuttings radially outwardly of a rotational axis of the drill bit. 
     
     
         6 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diverter is configured to divert cuttings away from a wall of the at least two blades. 
     
     
         7 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diverter extends from a surface of one of the at least two blades by ⅛ to ½ inch. 
     
     
         8 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diverter is configured to divert cuttings to travel in a direction more parallel to the profile of the junk slot. 
     
     
         9 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the diverter is curved. 
     
     
         10 . The drill bit of  claim 9 , wherein curvature of the surface increases a redirection of cuttings contacting therewith as the cuttings move along the surface. 
     
     
         11 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the diverter is non-curved and angled in relation to the cutter. 
     
     
         12 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one diverter is in operable communication with the at least one cutter. 
     
     
         13 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diverter is selected from the group consisting of metal, ceramic and polymer. 
     
     
         14 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one diverter is a polymer fabricated by molding. 
     
     
         15 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the trajectory is radially outwardly. 
     
     
         16 . A method of routing cuttings through a junk slot of a drill bit while drilling, comprising:
 positioning at least one diverter downstream of at least one cutter and upstream of a junk slot; and   altering a direction of travel of cuttings cut by the at least one cutter to increase an angle of incidence with a profile of the junk slot.   
     
     
         17 . The method of routing cuttings through a junk slot of a drill bit while drilling of  claim 16 , wherein the altering a direction of travel of cuttings includes contacting the at least one diverter with the cuttings. 
     
     
         18 . The method of routing cuttings through a junk slot of a drill bit while drilling of  claim 16 , wherein the altering a direction of travel of cuttings includes aligning a trajectory of the cuttings with a desired flow path through the junk slot. 
     
     
         19 . A drill bit cuttings diverter, comprising a surface positioned substantially between at least one cutter and a junk slot profile of a drill bit, the surface being configured to increase an angle of incidence between a trajectory of the cuttings and the junk slot profile. 
     
     
         20 . The drill bit cuttings diverter of  claim 19 , wherein the surface is curved. 
     
     
         21 . The drill bit cuttings diverter of  claim 19 , wherein the surface is attached to a body of the drill bit. 
     
     
         22 . The drill bit cuttings diverter of  claim 19 , wherein the surface is integral with a body of the drill bit.