Drill bit with integral cuttings splitter and method of making

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a downhole drill bit. The drill bit includes, a body, a plurality of cutters attached to the body, and at least one splitter that is integrally formed in the body is in operable communication with at least one of the plurality of cutters such that the splitter bifurcates cuttings cut by the at least one cutter.

1 . A downhole drill bit comprising:
 a body;   a plurality of cutters attached to the body; and   at least one splitter integrally formed in the body being in operable communication with at least one of the plurality of cutters such that the splitter bifurcates cuttings cut by the at least one cutter.   
     
     
         2 . The downhole drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one splitter includes a splitter edge configured to be a first portion of the at least one splitter to engage cuttings. 
     
     
         3 . The downhole drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein the splitter edge is oriented substantially perpendicular to a face of the at least one of the plurality of cutters with which it is in operable communication. 
     
     
         4 . The downhole drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein the splitter edge is slanted such that a distal portion of the splitter edge is nearer the cutter than a proximal portion of the splitter edge. 
     
     
         5 . The downhole drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein the splitter edge is downstream of a cutter edge on a face of the at least one of the plurality of cutters it is in operable communication with, downstream being defined by a flow of the cuttings relative to the cutter edge. 
     
     
         6 . The downhole drill bit of  claim 5 , wherein extension of a line defined by the splitter edge intersects the face of the at least one of the plurality of cutters with which it is in operable communication. 
     
     
         7 . The downhole drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein at least two surfaces of the at least one splitter intersect at the splitter edge. 
     
     
         8 . The downhole drill bit of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the at least two surfaces is polished. 
     
     
         9 . The downhole drill bit of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the at least two surfaces includes one from the group consisting of dimples, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) treating, chrome plating, hardfacing, physical vapor deposition/chemical vapor deposition coatings and combinations of one or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         10 . The downhole drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the downhole drill bit is made of a material selected from the group consisting of steel, tungsten carbide, tungsten carbide matrix, polycrystalline diamond, ceramics and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method of making a downhole drill bit with integral splitters comprising:
 milling a body of the downhole bit; and   removing material from the body leaving at least one splitter protruding from at least one surface of the body.   
     
     
         12 . A method of making a drill bit for drilling subterranean formations, comprising:
 forming a bit mold defining the drill bit to include at least one recess defining at least one splitter; and   filling the bit mold with at least one material.   
     
     
         13 . The method of making the drill bit for drilling subterranean formations of  claim 12 , wherein the forming includes electrical discharge machining. 
     
     
         14 . The method of making the drill bit for drilling subterranean formations of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one material is selected from the group consisting of steel, tungsten carbide, tungsten carbide matrix, polycrystalline diamond, ceramics and combinations of two or more of the foregoing. 
     
     
         15 . The method of making the drill bit for drilling subterranean formations of  claim 12 , further comprising filling the at least one recess with a first material and filling the balance of the bit mold with a second material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of making the drill bit for drilling subterranean formations of  claim 12 , further comprising removing the drill bit from the bit mold. 
     
     
         17 . The method of making the drill bit for drilling subterranean formations of  claim 12 , further comprising exposing the bit mold to a heat source to sinter the at least one material into the drill bit.