U.S. patent application number 11/668254 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-01 for tool with a large volume of a superhard material.
Invention is credited to Ronald Crockett, David R. Hall, Jeff Jepson.
Application Number | 20080099249 11/668254 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39199137 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080099249 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hall; David R. ; et
al. |
May 1, 2008 |
TOOL WITH A LARGE VOLUME OF A SUPERHARD MATERIAL
Abstract
In one aspect of the invention, a tool has a wear-resistant base
suitable for attachment to a driving mechanism and also a hard tip
attached to an interfacial surface of the base. The tip has a first
cemented metal carbide segment bonded to a superhard material at a
non-planar interface. The tip has a height between 4 and 10 mm and
also has a curved working surface opposite the interfacial surface.
A volume of the superhard material is about 75% to 150% of a volume
of the first cemented metal carbide segment.
Inventors: |
Hall; David R.; (Provo,
UT) ; Crockett; Ronald; (Payson, UT) ; Jepson;
Jeff; (Spanish Fork, UT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TYSON J. WILDE;NOVATEK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
2185 SOUTH LARSEN PARKWAY
PROVO
UT
84606
US
|
Family ID: |
39199137 |
Appl. No.: |
11/668254 |
Filed: |
January 29, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11553338 |
Oct 26, 2006 |
|
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11668254 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
175/425 ;
175/434; 175/435; 299/111 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 10/5735 20130101;
E21C 35/183 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
175/425 ;
175/434; 175/435; 299/111 |
International
Class: |
E21B 10/36 20060101
E21B010/36 |
Claims
1. A tool, comprising: a wear-resistant base suitable for
attachment to a driving mechanism and a hard tip attached to a
second carbide segment which is attached to an interfacial surface
of the base; the tip comprising a first cemented metal carbide
segment bonded to a superhard material at a non-planar interface;
the tip comprising a height of 4 to 10 mm and a curved working
surface opposite the interfacial surface; wherein a volume of the
superhard material is about 75% to 150% of a volume of the first
cemented metal carbide segment; and wherein the first end of the
second segment comprises a cross sectional thickness of about 6 to
20 mm and the second end of the second segment comprises a cross
sectional thickness of 25 to 40 mm.
2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the first cemented metal carbide
segment comprises a diameter of 9 to 18 mm.
3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the superhard material is seleced
from the group consisting of polycrystalline diamond,
vapor-deposited diamond, natural diamond, cubic boron nitride,
infiltrated diamond, layered diamond, diamond impregnated carbide,
diamond impregnated matrix, silicon bonded diamond, and
combinations thereof
4. The tool of claim 1, wherein the superhard material may be
sintered with a catalytic element seleced from the group consisting
of iron, cobalt, nickel, silicon, hydroxide, hydride, hydrate,
phosphorus-oxide, phosphoric acid, carbonate, lanthanide, actinide,
phosphate hydrate, hydrogen phosphate, phosphorus carbonate, alkali
metals, alkali earth metals, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium,
chromium, manganese, tantalum and combinations thereof.
5. The tool of claim 1, wherein the first cemented metal carbide
segment comprises a height of 2 to 6 mm.
6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the first cemented metal carbide
segment comprises a region proximate the non-planar interface
comprising a higher concentration of a binder than a distal region
of the first cemented metal carbide segment.
7. The tool of claim 1, wherein a volume of the tip is 0.2 to 2.0
ml.
8. The tool of claim 1, wherein the curved working surface is
conical, semispherical, domed or combinations thereof.
9. The tool of claim 1, wherein the superhard material comprises a
thickest portion approximately equal to a thickest portion of the
first cemented metal carbide segment.
10. The tool of claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism is attached
to a milling drum, a trenching machine, a mining machine or
combinations thereof.
11. The tool of claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism is attached
to a drill pipe.
12. The tool of claim 1, wherein the second carbide segment and the
tip are brazed together with a first braze comprising a melting
temperature from 700 to 1200 degrees Celsius.
13. The tool of claim 12, wherein the melting temperature is from
800 to 970 degrees Celsius.
14. The tool of claim 13, wherein the first braze comprises a
material selected from the group consisting of silver, gold,
copper, nickel, palladium, boron, chromium, silicon, germanium,
aluminum, iron, cobalt, manganese, titanium, tin, gallium,
vanadium, indium, phosphorus, molybdenum, platinum, zinc, and
combinations thereof.
15. The tool of claim 1, wherein the first and second metal carbide
segments comprise a metal selected from the group consisting of
tungsten, titanium, molybdenum, niobium, cobalt, and/or
combinations thereof.
16. (canceled)
17. The tool of claim 1, wherein a portion of the superhard
material is 0.50 to 3 mm away from an interface between the first
and second carbide segments.
18. The tool of claim 1, wherein the second cemented metal carbide
comprises a volume of 0.1 to 10 ml.
19. The tool of claim 1, wherein the second cemented metal carbide
comprises a generally frustoconical geometry.
20. The tool of claim 1, wherein the the first and second metal
carbide segments are generally coaxial.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/553,338 which was filed on Oct. 26, 2006
and was entitled Superhard Insert with an Interface. U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/553,338, which is herein incorporated by
reference for all that it contains, is currently pending.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to an improved cutting element or
insert that may be used in machinery such as crushers, picks,
grinding mills, roller cone bits, rotary fixed cutter bits, earth
boring bits, percussion bits or impact bits, and drag bits. More
particularly, the invention relates to inserts comprised of a
cemented metal carbide segment with a non-planar interface and an
abrasion resistant layer of a superhard material affixed thereto
using a high pressure high temperature press apparatus. Such
inserts typically comprise a superhard material formed under high
temperature and pressure conditions, usually in a press apparatus
designed to create such conditions, cemented to a carbide segment
containing a metal binder or catalyst such as cobalt. The segment
is often softer than the superhard material to which it is bound.
Some examples of superhard materials that high temperature high
pressure (HPHT) presses may produce and sinter include cemented
ceramics, diamond, polycrystalline diamond, and cubic boron
nitride. A cutting element or insert is normally fabricated by
placing a cemented carbide segment into a container or cartridge
with a layer of diamond crystals or grains loaded into the
cartridge adjacent one face of the segment. A number of such
cartridges are typically loaded into a reaction cell and placed in
the high pressure high temperature press apparatus. The segments
and adjacent diamond crystal layers are then compressed under HPHT
conditions which promotes a sintering of the diamond grains to form
the polycrystalline diamond structure. As a result, the diamond
grains become mutually bonded to form a diamond layer over the
substrate face, which is also bonded to the substrate face.
[0003] Such inserts are often subjected to intense forces, torques,
vibration, high temperatures and temperature differentials during
operation. As a result, stresses within the structure may begin to
form. Drill bits for example may exhibit stresses aggravated by
drilling anomalies during well boring operations such as bit whirl
or spalling often resulting in delamination or fracture of the
abrasive layer or carbide segment thereby reducing or eliminating
the cutting element's efficacy and decreasing overall drill bit
wear life. The ceramic layer of an insert sometimes delaminates
from the carbide segment after the sintering process and/or during
percussive and abrasive use. Damage typically found in percussive
and drag bits is a result of shear failures, although non-shear
modes of failure are not uncommon. The interface between the
ceramic layer and carbide segment is particularly susceptible to
non-shear failure modes.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,713 by Dennis, which is herein
incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a
cutting element which has a metal carbide stud having a conic tip
formed with a reduced diameter hemispherical outer tip end portion
of said metal carbide stud.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,340 by Jensen, which is herein
incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a
cutting element insert provided for use with drills used in the
drilling and boring through of subterranean formations.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,139 by Jensen, which is herein
incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a
cutting element, insert or compact which is provided for use with
drills used in drilling and boring subterranean formation or in
machining of metal, composites or wood-working.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,639 by Yong et al., which is herein
incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses a
cutter element for use in a drill bit, having a substrate
comprising a grip portion and an extension and at least a cutting
layer affixed to said substrate.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,959 by Bertagnolli et al., which is
herein incorporated by reference for all that it contains,
discloses a cutting element, insert or compact which is provided
for use with drills used in the drilling and boring of subterranean
formations.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,826 by Anderson et al., which is herein
incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses
enhanced inserts formed having a cylindrical grip and a protrusion
extending from the grip.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,657 by Flood et al, which is herein
incorporated by reference for all that it contains, discloses domed
polycrystalline diamond cutting element wherein a hemispherical
diamond layer is bonded to a tungsten carbide substrate, commonly
referred to as a tungsten carbide stud. Broadly, the inventive
cutting element includes a metal carbide stud having a proximal end
adapted to be placed into a drill bit and a distal end portion. A
layer of cutting polycrystalline abrasive material disposed over
said distal end portion such that an annulus of metal carbide
adjacent and above said drill bit is not covered by said abrasive
material layer.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] In one aspect of the invention, a tool has a wear-resistant
base suitable for attachment to a driving mechanism and also a hard
tip attached to the base at an interfacial surface. The driving
mechanism may be attached to a milling drum, a drill pipe, a
trenching machine, a mining machine, or combinations thereof. The
tip has a first cemented metal carbide segment bonded to a
superhard material at a non-planar interface. The tip has a height
between 4 and 10 mm and also has a curved working surface opposite
the interfacial surface. A volume of the superhard material is
about 75% to 150% of a volume of the first cemented metal carbide
segment.
[0012] In the preferred embodiment, the tip has a volume of 0.2 to
2.0 ml. The tip also has a rounded geometry that may be conical,
semispherical, domed, or a combination thereof. A maximum thickness
of the superhard material may be approximately equal to a maximum
thickness of the first metal carbide segment. The superhard
material may comprise polycrystalline diamond, vapor-deposited
diamond, natural diamond, cubic boron nitride, infiltrated diamond,
layered diamond, diamond impregnated carbide, diamond impregnated
matrix, silicon bonded diamond, or combinations thereof. The
material may also be sintered with a catalytic element such as
iron, cobalt, nickel, silicon, hydroxide, hydride, hydrate,
phosphorus-oxide, phosphoric acid, carbonate, lanthanide, actinide,
phosphate hydrate, hydrogen phosphate, phosphorus carbonate, alkali
metals alkali earth metals, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium,
chromium, manganese, tantalum or combinations thereof.
[0013] The first cemented metal carbide segment may have a diameter
of 9 to 13 mm and may have a height of 2 to 6 mm. The carbide
segment may also comprise a region proximate the non-planar
interface that has a higher concentration of a binder than its
distal region.
[0014] In some embodiments, the base has a second carbide segment
that is brazed to the tip with a first braze that has a melting
temperature from 800 to 970 degrees Celsius. The first braze has a
melting temperature from 700 to 1200 degrees Celsius and comprises
silver, gold, copper, nickel, palladium, boron, chromium, silicon,
germanium, aluminum, iron, cobalt, manganese, titanium, tin,
gallium, vanadium, indium, phosphorus, molybdenum, platinum, zinc,
or combinations thereof. The second cemented metal carbide may have
a volume of 0.1 to 0.4 ml and comprises a generally frustoconical
geometry. The metal carbide segments may comprise tungsten,
titanium, molybdenum, niobium, cobalt, and/or combinations thereof.
The first end of the second segment has a cross sectional thickness
of about 6 to 20 mm and the second end of the second segment has a
cross sectional thickness of 25 to 40 mm. A portion of the
superhard material is 0.5 to 3 mm away from the interface between
the carbide segments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of
attack tools on a rotating drum attached to a motor vehicle.
[0016] FIG. 2 is an orthogonal diagram of an embodiment of an
attack tool.
[0017] FIG. 3 is an orthogonal diagram of another embodiment of an
attack tool.
[0018] FIG. 4 is an orthogonal diagram of another embodiment of an
attack tool.
[0019] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective diagram of another
embodiment of an attack tool.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of a
first cemented metal carbide segment and a superhard material.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional diagram of another embodiment of
a first cemented metal carbide segment and a superhard
material.
[0022] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional diagram of another embodiment of
a first cemented metal carbide segment and a superhard
material.
[0023] FIG. 8a is a cross-sectional diagram of another embodiment
of a first cemented metal carbide segment and a superhard
material.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of an
insert incorporated in a percussion drill bit.
[0025] FIG. 10 is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of a
roller cone drill bit assembly.
[0026] FIG. 11 is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of an
excavator including a trenching attachment.
[0027] FIG. 12 is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of an
insert incorporated in a mining drill bit.
[0028] FIG. 13 is a perspective diagram of another embodiment of an
insert incorporated in a drill bit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT
[0029] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of an embodiment of
attack tools 100 on a rotating drum 101 attached to a motor vehicle
102. The motor vehicle 102 may be a cold planer used to degrade
manmade formations such as pavement 103 prior to the placement of a
new layer of pavement. In other embodiments the motor vehicle may
be a mining vehicle used to degrade natural formations or an
excavating machine. Tools 100 may be attached to a drum 102 as
shown or in other embodiments a chain may be used. As the drum or
chain rotate so the tools 100 engage the formation and thereby
degrade it. The formation may be hard and/or abrasive and cause
substantial wear on prior art tools. The wear-resistant tool 100 of
the present invention may be selected from the group consisting of
drill bits, asphalt picks, mining picks, hammers, indenters, shear
cutters, indexable cutters, and combinations thereof.
[0030] FIG. 2 is an orthogonal diagram of an embodiment of an
attack tool 100 comprising a base 200 suitable for attachment to a
driving mechanism and a tip 201 attached to an interfacial surface
202 of the base 200. The driving mechanism may be attached to a
milling drum, a drill pipe, a trenching machine, a mining machine,
or combinations thereof. The tip 201 has a first cemented metal
carbide segment 203 that is bonded to a superhard material 204 at a
non-planar interface 205, the tip 201 having a curved working
surface 206 opposite the interfacial surface 202. The curved
working surface 206 may be conical, semispherical, domed or
combinations thereof. The tip 201 may comprise a height 207 of 4 to
10 mm and a volume of 0.2 to 0.8 ml. The first cemented metal
carbide segment 203 may comprise a height 208 of 2 to 6 mm. The
first metal carbide segment 203 comprises a region 209 proximate
the non-planar interface 205 that has a higher concentration of a
binder than a distal region 210 of the first metal carbide segment
203 to improve bonding or add elasticity to the tool. The volume of
the superhard material 204 may be about 75% to 150% of the volume
of the first cemented metal carbide segment 203. In the some
embodiments, the volume of the superhard material 204 is 95% of the
volume of the first cemented metal carbide segment 203. The
superhard material 204 may comprise polycrystalline diamond,
vapor-deposited diamond, natural diamond, cubic boron nitride,
infiltrated diamond, layered diamond, diamond impregnated carbide,
diamond impregnated matrix, silicon bounded diamond, or
combinations thereof. Also, the superhard material 204 may be
sintered with a catalytic element comprising iron, cobalt, nickel,
silicon, hydroxide, hydride, hydrate, phosphorus-oxide, phosphoric
acid, carbonate, lanthanide, actinide, phosphate hydrate, hydrogen
phosphate, phosphorus carbonate, alkali metals, alkali earth
metals, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, chromium, manganese,
tantalum or combinations thereof.
[0031] In some embodiments, the first cemented metal carbide
segment 203 may have a relatively small surface area to bind with
the superhard material 204 reducing the amount of superhard
material required and reducing the overall cost of the attack tool.
In embodiments where high temperature and high pressure processing
are required, the smaller the first metal carbide segment 203 is
the cheaper it may be to produce large volumes of attack tool since
more segments 203 may be placed in a high temperature high pressure
apparatus at once.
[0032] FIG. 3 is an orthogonal diagram of another embodiment of an
attack tool 100 with a first cemented metal carbide segment 203. In
this embodiment, the braze material has a melting temperature of
800 to 970 degrees Celsius. The second metal carbide segment 300
may have a first end 301 that comprises a cross sectional thickness
of about 6 to 20 mm and a second end 302 that comprises a cross
sectional thickness of 25 to 40 mm. The second carbide segment 300
and the tip 201 are brazed together with a first braze material
comprising a melting temperature from 700 to 1200 degrees Celsius.
This first braze material may comprise silver, gold, copper,
nickel, palladium, boron, chromium, silicon, germanium, aluminum,
iron, cobalt, manganese, titanium, tin, gallium, vanadium, indium,
phosphorus, molybdenum, platinum, zinc, or combinations thereof.
The first braze material may comprise 30 to 60 weight percent
nickel, 30 to 62 weight percent palladium, and 3 to 15 weight
percent silicon. In embodiments, the first braze material may
comprise 44.5 weight percent nickel, 45.5 weight percent palladium,
5.0 weight percent silicon, and 5.0 weight percent cobalt. In other
embodiments, the braze material may comprise 47.2 weight percent
nickel, 46.7 weight percent palladium, and 6.1 weight percent
silicon. Active cooling during brazing may be critical in some
embodiments, since the heat from brazing may leave some residual
stress in the bond between the first cemented metal carbide segment
203 and the superhard material 204. In some embodiments, the second
braze material may be layered for easing the stresses that may
arise when bonding carbide to carbide. Such braze materials may be
available from the Trimet.RTM. series provided by Lucas-Milhaupt,
Inc a Handy & Harman Company located at 5656 S. Pennsylvania
Ave. Cudahy, Wis. 53110, USA.
[0033] A portion of the superhard material 204 may be a distance
303 of 0.5 to 3 mm away from an interface 304 between the carbide
segments 203, 300. The greater the distance 303, the less thermal
damage is likely to occur during brazing. However, increasing the
distance 303 may also increase the moment on the first metal
carbide segment and increase stresses at the interface 304. The
metal carbide segments 203, 300 may comprise tungsten, titanium,
molybdenum, niobium, cobalt, and/or combinations thereof. The
second metal carbide segment 300 comprises a generally
frustoconical geometry and may have a volume of 1 to 10 ml. The
geometry may be optimized to move cuttings away from the tool 100,
distribute impact stresses, reduce wear, improve degradation rates,
protect other parts of the tool 100, and/or combinations
thereof.
[0034] FIG. 4 is an orthogonal diagram of another embodiment of an
attack tool 100 with cemented metal carbide segments 203, 300. The
second metal carbide segment 300 may have a smaller volume than
that shown in FIG. 3, helping to reduce the weight of the tool 100
which may require less horsepower to move or it may help to reduce
the cost of the attack tool 100.
[0035] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective diagram of another
embodiment of an attack tool 100. The attack tool 100 comprises a
wear-resistant base 200 suitable for attachment to a driving
mechanism and a hard tip 201 attached to an interfacial surface 202
of the base 200. The attack tool 100 also comprises cemented metal
carbide segments 203, 300 brazed together with a first braze 500
disposed in an interface 304 opposite the wear resistant base 200,
a shank 501, and a second braze 502 disposed in an interfacial
surface 202 between the base 200 and the second cemented carbide
segment 300.
[0036] Further, the second cemented metal carbide segment 300 may
comprise an upper end 503 that may be substantially equal to or
slightly smaller than the lower end of the first cemented metal
carbide segment 203.
[0037] FIGS. 6-8 are cross-sectional diagrams of several
embodiments of a first cemented metal carbide segment 203 and a
superhard material 204 wherein the superhard material 204 comprises
a thickest portion 600 approximately equal to a thickest portion
601 of the first cemented metal carbide segment 203. The thickest
portion 600 of the superhard material 204 may comprise a distance
of 0.100 to 0.500 inch. It is believed that the greater the
distance is from the tip of the superhard material to the
interfacial surface 202, the less impact a formation will have on
the first cemented metal carbide segment 203. Thus, the superhard
material 204 may self buttressed and not rely on the first cemented
metal carbide segment 203 for support. The cemented metal carbide
203 may also comprise a diameter 602 of 9 to 18 mm. The interface
205 between the first cemented metal carbide segment 203 and the
superhard material 204 may be non-planar. The superhard material
204 may comprise polycrystalline diamond, vapor-deposited diamond,
natural diamond, cubic boron nitride, infiltrated diamond, layered
diamond, diamond impregnated carbide, diamond impregnated matrix,
silicon bonded diamond, or combinations thereof. The superhard
material 204 may comprise layers of varying concentrations of
cobalt or of another catalyst such that a lower portion of the
superhard material has a higher concentration of catalyst than a
curved working surface of the superhard material. The superhard
material 204 may be at least 4,000 HK and in some embodiments it
may be 1 to 20000 microns thick. The superhard material 204 may
comprise a region 603 (preferably rear the curved working surface
206) that is free of binder material. The average grain size of the
superhard material 204 may be 10 to 100 microns in size.
[0038] The first cemented metal carbide segment 203 and the
superhard material 204 may comprise many geometries. The superhard
material 204 in FIG. 6 comprises a domed geometry 700. FIG. 7
depicts the superhard material 204 comprising a generally conical
geometry 701. The generally conical geometry 701 may comprise a
generally thicker portion 600 directly over a flat portion 702 of
the interfacial surface 202. In FIGS. 6 and 7 the superhard
material 204 comprises a blunt geometry such that its radius of
curvature is relatively large compared to a radius of curvature of
superhard material with a sharper geometry. Blunt geometries may
help to distribute impact stresses during formation degradation,
but cutting efficiency may be reduced. The superhard material 204
in FIG. 8 comprises a conical geometry. The non-planar interface
between the superhard material 204 and the first cemented metal
carbide segment 203 may also comprise a flat portion. Sharper
geometries, such as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 8a, may increase
cutting efficiency. FIG. 8a comprises a 0.094 radius.
[0039] FIGS. 9-13 show the current invention depicting the insert
with various embodiments as an insert 900 in a percussion drill bit
901, an insert 1000 in a roller bit 1001, an insert 1100 in an
excavator 1101, an insert 1200 in a mining drill bit 1201, and an
insert 1300 in a threaded rock bit 1301.
[0040] Whereas the present invention has been described in
particular relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be
understood that other and further modifications apart from those
shown or suggested herein, may be made within the scope and spirit
of the present invention.
* * * * *