US 11,732,531 B2
Modular earth boring tools having fixed blades and removable blade assemblies and related methods
Anton F. Zahradnik, Sugar Land, TX (US); Rudolf Carl Pessier, Houston, TX (US); and Don Q. Nguyen, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Jun. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/339,657.
Prior Publication US 2022/0389766 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. E21B 10/43 (2006.01); E21B 10/633 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 10/43 (2013.01) [E21B 10/633 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An earth-boring tool, comprising:
a body;
a plurality of fixed blades extending from the body;
a first plurality of cutting elements secured to the plurality of fixed blades;
a plurality of removable blade assemblies removably coupled to the body; and
a second plurality of cutting elements secured to the plurality of removable blade assemblies, the plurality of removable blade assemblies exhibiting an aggressiveness that is different than an aggressiveness of the plurality of fixed blades,
wherein a blade portion of at least one of the plurality of removable blade assemblies is configured to deflect responsive to a Weight-on-Bit (WOB) and change exposure to at least one other blade of the earth-boring tool responsive to a change to the WOB.