Single Waterway Drill Bits And Systems And Methods For Using Same

Abstract

A drill bit for forming a hole in a formation. The drill bit has a shank and an annular crown that cooperate to define an interior space that receives water or other drilling fluid. The annular crown defines inner channels spaced circumferentially about an inner surface of the crown and outer channels spaced circumferentially about an outer surface of the crown. The annular crown can completely circumferentially enclose the interior space of the drill bit, or the annular crown can be provided with a single waterway extending between the inner and outer surfaces of the crown.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drill bit for forming a hole in a formation, the drill bit having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
 a shank;   an annular crown secured to the shank and having a cutting face, an inner surface, and an outer surface, the annular crown and the shank cooperating to define an interior space about the longitudinal axis, wherein the annular crown has an axial length relative to the longitudinal axis of the drill bit,   wherein the annular crown defines a plurality of inner channels spaced circumferentially about the inner surface of the annular crown,   wherein the annular crown defines a plurality of outer channels spaced circumferentially about the outer surface of the annular crown,   wherein the annular crown defines a single notch extending radially from the inner surface of the annular crown to the outer surface of the annular crown, wherein the notch extends along the entire axial length of the annular crown until the notch reaches the shank, and   wherein the single notch is configured to have little or no impact on the cooling of the drill bit.   
     
     
         2 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the annular crown has a radial thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface, wherein each inner channel of the plurality of inner channels has a radial dimension less than the radial thickness of the annular crown, and wherein each outer channel of the plurality of outer channels has a radial dimension less than the radial thickness of the annular crown. 
     
     
         3 . The drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein the ratio between the radial thickness of the annular crown and the radial dimension of the plurality of inner channels ranges from about 1.5:1 to about 3.5:1. 
     
     
         4 . The drill bit of  claim 3 , wherein the ratio between the radial thickness of the annular crown and the radial dimension of the plurality of outer channels ranges from about 1.5:1 to about 3.5:1. 
     
     
         5 . The drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein the radial dimension of the plurality of inner channels is greater than the radial dimension of the plurality of outer channels. 
     
     
         6 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the number of inner channels is the same as the number of outer channels. 
     
     
         7 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the number of inner channels is greater than the number of outer channels. 
     
     
         8 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the number of inner channels is less than the number of outer channels. 
     
     
         9 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein each outer channel of the plurality of outer channels is positioned circumferentially between sequential inner channels of the plurality of inner channels. 
     
     
         10 . The drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the shank has an outer surface that defines at least one flute extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drill bit, and wherein each flute of the at least one flute is positioned in fluid communication with a respective outer channel of the annular crown. 
     
     
         11 . A drilling system comprising:
 a drill rig;   a drill string configured to be secured to and rotated by the drill rig; and   a drill bit for forming a hole in a formation, the drill bit having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
 a shank; 
 an annular crown secured to the shank and having a cutting face, an inner surface, and an outer surface, the annular crown and the shank cooperating to define an interior space about the longitudinal axis, wherein the annular crown has an axial length relative to the longitudinal axis of the drill bit, 
 wherein the annular crown defines a plurality of inner channels spaced circumferentially about the inner surface of the annular crown, 
 wherein the annular crown defines a plurality of outer channels spaced circumferentially about the outer surface of the annular crown, 
 wherein the annular crown defines a single notch extending radially from the inner surface of the annular crown to the outer surface of the annular crown, wherein the notch extends along the entire axial length of the annular crown until the notch reaches the shank, and 
 wherein the single notch is configured to have little or no impact on the cooling of the drill bit. 
   
     
     
         12 . The drilling system of  claim 11 , wherein the annular crown of the drill bit has a radial thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface, wherein each inner channel of the plurality of inner channels has a radial dimension less than the radial thickness of the annular crown, and wherein each outer channel of the plurality of outer channels has a radial dimension less than the radial thickness of the annular crown. 
     
     
         13 . The drilling system of  claim 12 , wherein the ratio between the radial thickness of the annular crown of the drill bit and the radial dimension of the plurality of inner channels of the annular crown ranges from about 1.5:1 to about 3.5:1. 
     
     
         14 . The drilling system of  claim 13 , wherein the ratio between the radial thickness of the annular crown of the drill bit and the radial dimension of the plurality of outer channels of the drill bit ranges from about 1.5:1 to about 3.5:1. 
     
     
         15 . The drilling system of  claim 12 , wherein the radial dimension of the plurality of inner channels of the drill bit is greater than the radial dimension of the plurality of outer channels of the drill bit. 
     
     
         16 . The drilling system of  claim 11 , wherein the number of inner channels of the drill bit is the same as the number of outer channels of the drill bit. 
     
     
         17 . The drilling system of  claim 11 , wherein the number of inner channels of the drill bit is greater than the number of outer channels of the drill bit. 
     
     
         18 . The drilling system of  claim 11 , wherein the number of inner channels of the drill bit is less than the number of outer channels of the drill bit. 
     
     
         19 . The drilling system of  claim 11 , wherein each outer channel of the plurality of outer channels of the drill bit is positioned circumferentially between sequential inner channels of the plurality of inner channels of the drill bit. 
     
     
         20 . The drilling system of  claim 11 , wherein the shank has an outer surface that defines at least one flute extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drill bit, and wherein each flute of the at least one flute is positioned in fluid communication with a respective outer channel of the annular crown.