Drilling apparatus with shutter

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a drilling apparatus including a cutting unit defining at least one through-hole that provides fluid communication between a distal side and a proximal side of the cutting unit. The cutting unit includes a plurality of cutting elements at the distal side of the cutting unit. The cutting unit also includes a shutter for selectively opening and blocking the through-hole of the cutting unit.

1 . A drilling apparatus comprising:
 a rotational cutting component including a front cutting side and a back side, the rotational cutting component defining a plurality of through-holes that extend through the rotational cutting structure from the front cutting side to the back side;   a shutter mounted adjacent to the back side of the rotational cutting component, the shutter and the rotational cutting component being rotationally movable relative to one another about an axis between a first orientation where the shutter blocks the through-holes and a second orientation wherein the through holes are open, the shutter including a torque transfer interface aligned with the axis for transferring torque from a drive shaft to the shutter to rotate the shutter about the axis; and   a connection arrangement between the shutter and the rotational cutting component for transferring torque from the shutter to the rotational cutting component to rotate the rotational cutting component about the axis, the connection arrangement also allowing a range of relative rotational movement between the rotational cutting component and the shutter about the axis, the range of relative rotational movement allowing the rotational cutting component and the shutter to be moved between the first and second orientations.   
     
     
         2 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the connection arrangement includes slide elements that extend through curved slots that curve about the axis. 
     
     
         3 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the slide elements include slide pins affixed to the rotational cutting component, and wherein the curved slots are defined by the shutter. 
     
     
         4 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the curved slots do not extend completely through the shutter. 
     
     
         5 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shutter is at least partially recessed within the back side of the rotational cutting component. 
     
     
         6 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a thrust bearing is mounted between the rotational cutting component and the shutter. 
     
     
         7 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein cutters are mounted at the front cutting side of the rotational cutting component. 
     
     
         8 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the cutters can be mounted to the front side of the rotational cutting component with mounting blocks, wherein the cutter mounting blocks are secured to the rotational cutting component adjacent to the through-holes, and wherein different sized mounting blocks can be used to vary maximum open sizes of the through-holes. 
     
     
         9 . A drilling apparatus comprising:
 a rotational cutting component including a front cutting side and a back side, the rotational cutting component defining a plurality of through-holes that extend through the rotational cutting structure from the front cutting side to the back side, the rotational cutting component being rotated about an axis during drilling; and   a blocking component mounted adjacent to the back side of the rotational cutting component for blocking at least portions of the through-holes, the blocking component being mountable to the rotational cutting component in different rotational positions about the axis, wherein the blocking component provides a different through-hole blockage percentage at each rotational position.   
     
     
         10 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the blocking component is secured in the rotational positions by fasteners. 
     
     
         11 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the fasteners extend through curved slots defined by the blocking component. 
     
     
         12 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the curved slots have curvatures centered about the axis. 
     
     
         13 . A drilling apparatus comprising:
 a cutting unit defining at least one through-hole that provides fluid communication between a distal side and a proximal side of the cutting unit, the cutting unit including a plurality of cutting elements at the distal side of the cutting unit; and   a shutter for selectively opening and blocking the through-hole of the cutting unit.   
     
     
         14 . A drilling apparatus comprising:
 a cutting unit defining at least one through-hole that provides fluid communication between a distal side and a proximal side of the cutting unit, the cutting unit including a plurality of cutting elements at the distal side of the cutting unit; and   a shutter used to at least partially cover the through-hole.