US 11,879,296 B2
Blade cap force modulation system for a drill bit
Ming Zhang, Houston, TX (US); Chris Cheng, Houston, TX (US); Jiaqing Yu, Houston, TX (US); Qi Peng, Beijing (CN); and Xiaohua Ke, Beijing (CN)
Assigned to CNPC USA Corporation, Houston, TX (US); and Beijing Huamei, Inc. CNPC, Beijing (CN)
Filed by CNPC USA Corporation, Houston, TX (US); and Beijing Huamei Inc. CNPC, Beijing (CN)
Filed on Sep. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/935,127.
Application 17/935,127 is a continuation of application No. 17/100,872, filed on Nov. 21, 2020, granted, now 11,499,378.
Prior Publication US 2023/0015380 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21B 10/62 (2006.01); E21B 10/43 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 10/62 (2013.01) [E21B 10/43 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A force modulation system for a drill bit, comprising:
a cutter being comprised of a cutter body having a cutting end, and a cutting surface made integral with said cutter body at said cutting end;
a blade cap being comprised of a cap body having an anchor end, a holding end opposite said anchor end, a plurality of cap sides between said anchor end and said holding end, and a cap opening at said holding end, said cutter body being in removable slide fit engagement with said cap opening;
a cap retention means fixedly engaged to at least two cap sides so as to exert a cap retention force in a first direction of said blade cap;
a first force member positioned against said cap body so as to exert a first force in a second direction of said cap body, said second direction being angled offset to said first direction;
a second force member positioned against said cap body so as to exert a second force in said first direction of said cap body; and
a third force member positioned against said cap body so as to exert a third force in said second direction of said cap body opposite said first force member,
wherein said first direction is a direction of movement of the cap body and said cutter relative to the drill bit, and wherein said second direction is another direction of movement of said holder and said cutter relative to the drill bit, and
wherein said cap body is a wedge, said holding end being an outer perimeter of said wedge, said cutter extending outward from said outer perimeter, said cap sides being comprised of two flange portions extending from said outer perimeter to said anchor end, said cap retention means being fixedly engaged to said two flange portions.