Drill bits having flushing and systems for using same

Abstract

A drill bit for forming a hole in a formation. The drill bit has a shank and a full face crown that cooperate to define an interior space that receives water or other drilling fluid. The full face crown defines a plurality of bores that extend from a cutting face of the full face crown to the interior space. The full face crown completely circumferentially encloses the interior space of the drill bit. A wedge shaped slot is defined therein the full face crown that extends longitudinally therein a portion of the cutting face and the circumferential outer surface of the full face crown. The slot further defines an apex that is positioned beyond the center of the cutting face of the drill bit such that the longitudinal axis of the drill bit extends through the bottom surface of the slot and into an interior void area of the slot. Further, a conduit is defined in the drill bit that is in communication with the interior space and with a portion of the defined slot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drill bit for forming a hole in a formation, the drill bit having a longitudinal axis bisecting a center of the drill bit and comprising:
 a shank;   a full face crown having a cutting face and a circumferential outer surface, the full face crown and the shank cooperating to define an interior space about the longitudinal axis,   a slot defined therein the full face crown, wherein the slot has side walls extending longitudinally from the cutting face along at least a portion of the full face crown, wherein the slot extends radially inwardly from the circumferential outer surface of the full face crown, wherein the slot defines a bottom surface and an apex, and wherein the apex of the slot is positioned beyond the center of the cutting face of the drill bit such that the longitudinal axis of the drill bit extends through the bottom surface of the slot and into an interior void area of the slot; and   a plurality of wear-resistant members embedded within portions of at least one of the bottom surface and a side wall of the slot.   
     
     
         2 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wear-resistant members comprises wear-resistant members that are embedded within portions of a side wall of the slot that serves as an impact (trailing) wall during rotation of the drill bit. 
     
     
         3 . The drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the wear-resistant members within the impact (trailing) wall of the slot extend proudly from the impact (trailing) wall. 
     
     
         4 . The drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein the wear-resistant members within the impact (trailing) wall of the slot are positioned in a series of rows of wear-resistant members. 
     
     
         5 . The drill bit of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of wear-resistant members comprise additional rows of wear resistant members that are encapsulated within the drill bit in an underlying relationship with the rows of the wear-resistant members embedded within the impact (trailing) wall of the slot. 
     
     
         6 . The drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein the wear-resistant members embedded within the impact (trailing) wall of the slot are spaced from the cutting face of the drill bit. 
     
     
         7 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wear-resistant members comprises wear-resistant members that are embedded within portions of the bottom surface of the slot that are adjacent to a side wall of the slot that serves as an impact (trailing) wall during rotation of the drill bit. 
     
     
         8 . The drill bit of  claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the wear-resistant members within the bottom surface of the slot extend proudly from the bottom surface of the slot. 
     
     
         9 . The drill bit of  claim 7 , wherein the wear-resistant members within the bottom surface of the slot are positioned in a series of rows of wear-resistant members. 
     
     
         10 . The drill bit of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of wear-resistant members comprise additional rows of wear resistant members that are encapsulated within the drill bit in an underlying relationship with the rows of the wear-resistant members embedded within the bottom surface of the slot. 
     
     
         11 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein each wear-resistant member is an elongated member. 
     
     
         12 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein each wear-resistant member comprises at least one of Tungsten Carbide, TSD (thermally stable diamond), PDC (polycrystalline diamond compact), CBN (cubic boron nitride), single crystal Aluminum Oxide, Silicon Carbide, wear resistant ceramic materials, synthetic diamond materials, natural diamond, and polycrystalline diamond materials. 
     
     
         13 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , further comprising a conduit defined in the drill bit that is in communication with the interior space and with a portion of the defined slot. 
     
     
         14 . The drill bit of  claim 13 , wherein the conduit extends through the bottom surface of the slot. 
     
     
         15 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the slot a, a wedge shape. 
     
     
         16 . The drill bit of  claim 15 , wherein the bottom surface of the slot is angled proximally to encourage the dispersal of fractured material proximally away from the cutting face of the drill bit. 
     
     
         17 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the full face crown does not comprise a waterway extending radially between the outer surface of the full face crown and the interior space. 
     
     
         18 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the full face crown defines a plurality of channels extending radially inwardly toward the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         19 . The drill bit of  claim 18 , wherein each channel of the plurality of channels has a width, and wherein the width of each channel decreases from the outer surface of the full face crown moving radially inwardly toward the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         20 . The drill bit of  claim 13 , wherein an over-center area is defined on the cutting face of the bit by the position of the apex relative to a defined center C of the cutting face; and wherein the over-center area, as a percentage of the area of the cutting face, is between about 5% and about 45%. 
     
     
         21 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the drill bit is a diamond-impregnated drill bit. 
     
     
         22 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the drill bit comprises:
 first and second cutting portions that define respective portions of the cutting face; and   an axially recessed portion positioned radially between the first and second cutting portions, wherein the recessed portion is recessed relative to the cutting face.   
     
     
         23 . The drill bit of  claim 22 , wherein the drill bit comprises a plurality of bores defined in the recessed portion of the drill bit; wherein each bore of the plurality of bores is positioned in communication with the interior space. 
     
     
         24 . The drill bit of  claim 23 , wherein the first cutting portion circumferentially surrounds the recessed portion of the drill bit, and wherein the first cutting portion has an interior wall that defines at least one channel that is positioned in fluid communication with a respective bore of the plurality of bores defined in the recessed portion of the drill bit. 
     
     
         25 . The drill bit of  claim 23 , wherein the recessed portion of the drill bit circumferentially surrounds a portion of the second cutting portion, and wherein the second cutting portion is substantially centrally positioned relative to the cutting face such that the second cutting portion cooperates with side walls of the slot to define the apex of the slot. 
     
     
         26 . The drill bit of  claim 25 , wherein the second cutting portion defines at least one channel that is positioned in fluid communication with a respective bore of the plurality of bores defined in the recessed portion of the drill bit.