Drill bits and other downhole drilling tools with non-cylindrical cutter pockets

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention may encompass downhole tools that may include a body comprising a face and an axis of rotation. The tools may include a plurality of blades disposed on the face of the body. Each of the plurality of blades may define a plurality of cutter pockets. At least one cutter pocket of the plurality of cutter pockets may include a non-circular cross-section. The tools may include a plurality of cutters. A portion of each cutter may be disposed within a respective cutter pocket of the plurality of cutter pockets. The portion of each cutter may have a cross-sectional shape that matches a cross-sectional shape of the respective pocket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drill bit, comprising:
 a body comprising a face for engaging a bottom of a well bore;   a blade formed on the body;   a plurality of cutters mounted on the blade, wherein:
 at least some of the cutters comprises a plurality of discrete cutting tips; 
 at least some of the cutters having a plurality of discrete cutting tips are mounted on the blade with a single cutting tip of the plurality of discrete cutting tips extending beyond a top surface of the blade; and 
 the single cutting tip of at least some of the plurality of cutters is oriented non-orthogonally relative to the top surface of the blade. 
   
     
     
         2 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least some of the plurality of cutters comprise cutters within a nose and cone of the drill bit.   
     
     
         3 . The drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the at least some of the plurality of cutters are oriented with the single cutting tip rolled inward toward an axis of rotation of the body.   
     
     
         4 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least some of the plurality of cutters comprise cutters that are radially adjacent along a cutting profile of the drill bit.   
     
     
         5 . The drill bit of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the cutters that are radially adjacent along the cutting profile having single cutting tips that are oriented with alternating positive and negative angles relative to orthogonal.   
     
     
         6 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least some of the plurality of cutters are disposed on a gauge pad of the drill bit.   
     
     
         7 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the blade comprises a primary row of cutters and a backup row of cutters; and   the at least some of the plurality of cutters are in the primary row of cutters.   
     
     
         8 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the blade comprises a primary row of cutters and a backup row of cutters; and   the at least some of the plurality of cutters are in the backup row of cutters.   
     
     
         9 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the blade defines a plurality of cutter pockets;   each of the plurality of cutters is received within a respective cutter pocket; and   a shape and orientation of each cutter pocket determines an orientation of a respective cutter received within the cutter pocket.   
     
     
         10 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the single cutting tip of at least one of the plurality of cutters is oriented orthogonally relative to the top surface of the blade.   
     
     
         11 . A drill bit, comprising:
 a body comprising a face for engaging a bottom of a well bore;   a blade formed on the body;   a plurality of cutters mounted on the blade, wherein:
 at least some of the cutters comprises a plurality of discrete cutting tips; 
 at least some of the cutters having a plurality of discrete cutting tips are mounted on the blade with a single cutting tip of the plurality of discrete cutting tips extending beyond a top surface of the blade; and 
 the single cutting tip of at least some of the plurality of cutters is oriented orthogonally relative to the top surface of the blade. 
   
     
     
         12 . The drill bit of  claim 11 , wherein:
 at least one cutter of the plurality of cutters has a non-cylindrical cross-section.   
     
     
         13 . The drill bit of  claim 11 , wherein:
 at least one cutter of the plurality of cutters has a cylindrical cross-section.   
     
     
         14 . The drill bit of  claim 11 , wherein:
 at least two cutters of the plurality of cutters have different cross-sectional shapes.   
     
     
         15 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the blade comprises a primary row of cutters and a backup row of cutters;   the at least some of the plurality of cutters are in the backup row of cutters; and   a first cutter in the primary row is rotated in a first direction and a corresponding second cutter in the backup row is rotated in an opposite second direction.   
     
     
         16 . A drill bit, comprising:
 a body comprising a face for engaging a bottom of a well bore;   a blade formed on the body;   a plurality of cutters mounted on the blade, wherein:
 at least some of the cutters have non-cylindrical cross-sectional shapes; 
 at least some of the cutters comprises a plurality of discrete cutting tips; 
 at least some of the cutters having a plurality of discrete cutting tips are mounted on the blade with a single cutting tip of the plurality of discrete cutting tips extending beyond a top surface of the blade; and 
 the single cutting tip of at least some of the plurality of cutters is oriented non-orthogonally relative to the top surface of the blade. 
   
     
     
         17 . The drill bit of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the blade defines a plurality of non-cylindrical cutter pockets;   each of the plurality of cutters is received within a respective non-cylindrical cutter pocket; and   a shape and orientation of each non-cylindrical cutter pocket determines an orientation of a respective cutter received within the non-cylindrical cutter pocket.   
     
     
         18 . The drill bit of  claim 16 , wherein:
 a range of angular orientations of each of the at least some of the plurality of cutters relative to the top surface of the blade is within half an angle between adjacent cutting tips of a given cutter of the at least some of the plurality of cutters.   
     
     
         19 . The drill bit of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the single cutting tip of each of the at least some of the plurality of cutters is rotated within 90 degrees of orthogonal relative to the top surface of the blade.   
     
     
         20 . The drill bit of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the single cutting tip of each of the at least some of the plurality of cutters is rotated within 60 degrees of orthogonal relative to the top surface of the blade.