Thermally stable polycrystalline ultra-hard constructions

Abstract

Thermally stable polycrystalline constructions include a body having a polycrystalline ultra-hard phase and a plurality of empty voids. The construction includes a backside support member over at least a portion of the backside surface of the body and a sidewall support member over at least a portion of the sidewall surface of the body extending an axial distance along at least a portion of the body and at least partially covering a circumferential surface of the body. The construction has a compressive stress exerted on the body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermally stable polycrystalline construction comprising:
 a thermally stable polycrystalline body comprising a polycrystalline ultra-hard material and having a backside surface, a front side surface and a sidewall surface;   a backside support member over at least a portion of the backside surface of the body; and   a sidewall support member over at least a portion of the sidewall surface of the body extending an axial distance along at least a portion of the body and at least partially covering a circumferential surface of the body, wherein the construction has a compressive stress exerted on the body.   
     
     
         2 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall support member extends an axial distance along at least a portion of the backside support member. 
     
     
         3 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 2 , wherein the side wall support member extends an axial distance of at least about 20 percent of the total backside support length. 
     
     
         4 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 2 , wherein the sidewall support member at least partially covers a circumferential surface of the backside support member. 
     
     
         5 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall support member extends circumferentially around a majority of the body. 
     
     
         6 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall support member extends around substantially the entire circumference of the body. 
     
     
         7 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 1 , further comprising a third support member that is attached to a third region of the body. 
     
     
         8 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 7 , wherein the third support member is attached along a front surface of the body. 
     
     
         9 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 8 , wherein the third support member covers at least about 5 percent of the body front side surface. 
     
     
         10 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 7 , wherein the third support member is an integral part of the sidewall support member. 
     
     
         11 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the sidewall support member is formed from a different material than the backside support member. 
     
     
         12 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the backside support member is attached to the body by a braze material. 
     
     
         13 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the sidewall support member is attached to the body by a braze material. 
     
     
         14 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 13 , wherein the braze material comprises an active braze material. 
     
     
         15 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the sidewall support member is attached to the backside support member by a braze material. 
     
     
         16 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 15 , wherein the braze material comprises a nonactive braze material. 
     
     
         17 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 15 , wherein the braze material used to attach the backside support member and to attach the sidewall support member to the body is different from the braze material used to attach the sidewall support member to the backside support. 
     
     
         18 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall support member comprises a material having a different thermal expansion property than the body. 
     
     
         19 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the sidewall support member varies in radial thickness. 
     
     
         20 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 1 , wherein the material forming the backside support differs from the material forming the sidewall support. 
     
     
         21 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 1 , wherein said compressive stress exerted on the body is a radially compressive stress. 
     
     
         22 . The thermally stable polycrystalline construction of  claim 1 , wherein the body is in a compressive stress state. 
     
     
         23 . A thermally stable polycrystalline construction comprising:
 a thermally stable polycrystalline body comprising a polycrystalline ultra-hard material and having a backside surface, a front side surface and a sidewall surface;   a backside support member over at least a portion of the backside surface of the body; and   a sidewall support member over at least a portion of the sidewall surface of the body extending an axial distance along at least a portion of the body and at least partially covering a circumferential surface of the body, wherein the sidewall support member comprises a material having a different thermal expansion property than the body.