Drill bit with application specific side cutting efficiencies

Abstract

A drill bit includes a drill bit body and first and second blades formed on the drill bit body. The first blade has first cutting elements defining a first profile length and an adjacent first gauge section having a first gauge length. The second blade has second cutting elements defining a second profile length and an adjacent second gauge section having a second gauge length which is shorter than the first gauge length of the first blade. Certain ones of the second cutting elements on the second blade rotationally overlap with a portion of the first gauge section on the first blade.

1 . A drill bit, comprising: 
 a drill bit body;    first and second blades formed on said drill bit body;    wherein said first blade has a first plurality of cutting elements defining a first profile length and an adjacent first gauge section having a first gauge length; and    wherein said second blade has a second plurality of cutting elements defining a second profile length and an adjacent second gauge section having a second gauge length which is shorter than the first gauge length of the first blade.    
     
     
         2 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein, when the first and second blades are rotated into a common plane, the second plurality of cutting elements include at least one cutting element positioned on the second blade so as to overlap a portion of the first gauge section on the first blade.  
     
     
         3 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein, when the first and second blades are rotated into a common plane, the second plurality of cutting elements include at least two cutting elements positioned on the second blade so as to overlap a portion of the first gauge section on the first blade.  
     
     
         4 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second profile lengths for the first and second pluralities of cutting elements start at different distances away from a center axis of the drill bit.  
     
     
         5 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the first gauge section having the first gauge length starts at a first distance away from a center axis of the drill bit, and wherein the second gauge section having the second gauge length starts at a second distance, different than the first distance, away from the center axis of the drill bit.  
     
     
         6 . The drill bit of  claim 5 , wherein the first gauge section having the first gauge length terminates at a third distance away from the center axis of the drill bit, and wherein the second gauge section having the second gauge length terminates at a fourth distance, which is the same as the third distance, away from the center axis of the drill bit.  
     
     
         7 . A drill bit, comprising: 
 a drill bit body;    a plurality of blades formed on said drill bit body, each blade having a length and including along the length a section for cutting elements and, adjacent to the section for cutting elements, a gauge section;    wherein the plurality of blades include: 
 a first blade having a first gauge section with a first length along the length of the first blade; and  
 a second blade having a second gauge section with a second length along the length of the second blade which is shorter than the first length of the first gauge section.  
   
     
     
         8 . The drill bit of  claim 7 , wherein the first length of the first gauge section starts at a first distance away from a center axis of the drill bit, and wherein the second length of the second gauge section starts at a second distance, different than the first distance, away from the center axis of the drill bit.  
     
     
         9 . The drill bit of  claim 8 , wherein the first length of the first gauge section terminates at a third distance away from the center axis of the drill bit, and wherein the second length of the second gauge section terminates at a fourth distance, which is the same as the third distance, away from the center axis of the drill bit.  
     
     
         10 . A drill bit, comprising: 
 a drill bit body;    a first blade formed on said drill bit body, the first blade including a first region extending along a length of the first blade supporting a first plurality of cutting elements, and a first gauge section extending further along the length of the first blade adjacent to the first region; and    a second blade formed on said drill bit body, the second blade including a second region extending along a length of the second blade supporting a second plurality of cutting elements which rotationally overlap with the first plurality of cutting elements, an extension region extending further along the length of the second blade adjacent to the second region and supporting a third plurality of cutting elements which rotationally overlap with a first portion of the first gauge section of the first blade, and a second gauge section extending further along the length of the second blade adjacent to the extension region which rotationally overlaps with a second portion of the first gauge section of the first blade.    
     
     
         11 . The drill bit of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second pluralities of cutting elements are identical in number.  
     
     
         12 . The drill bit of  claim 10 , wherein the first gauge section has a first gauge length and the second gauge section has a second gauge length which is shorter than the first gauge length.  
     
     
         13 . The drill bit of  claim 12 , wherein the first gauge length terminates at a first distance away from a center axis of the drill bit, and wherein the second gauge length terminates at a second distance, which is the same as the first distance, away from the center axis of the drill bit.  
     
     
         14 . The drill bit of  claim 10  wherein the first region on the first blade and the second region on the second blade start at different distances away from a center axis of the drill bit.