Steel body rotary drill bits including support elements affixed to the bit body at least partially defining cutter pocket recesses

1. A steel body rotary drag bit for drilling a subterranean formation, comprising:

a steel bit body having a centerline and including a leading end having generally radially extending blades for contacting a formation during drilling, the steel bit body having a plurality of substantially arcuate surfaces, each substantially arcuate surface of the plurality at least partially defining a cutter pocket recess;

a plurality of support elements, each support element of the plurality being affixed to the steel bit body and having a substantially planar surface at least partially defining the cutter pocket recess;

a plurality of cutting elements, each cutting element of the plurality being at least partially disposed within the cutter pocket recess and having a substantially cylindrical body, a cutting face, and a substantially planar surface distal to the cutting face; and

wherein at least a portion of the substantially cylindrical body of each cutting element is directly secured to at least a portion of a substantially arcuate surface of the steel bit body, and wherein at least a portion of the substantially planar surface of each cutting element matingly engages at least a portion of the substantially planar surface of a support element of the plurality of support elements.

2. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 1 , wherein each support element of the plurality of support elements is affixed to the steel bit body by at least one of welding, brazing, press-fit, and shrink-fit.

3. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 1 , wherein each support element of the plurality of support elements is sized and configured to support the cutting element against forces applied thereto during drilling.

4. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 1 , wherein each cutting element of the plurality of cutting elements comprises a polycrystalline diamond compact.

5. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 1 , wherein each support element of the plurality of support elements comprises steel or tungsten carbide.

6. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 1 , wherein each support element of the plurality of support elements includes an aperture and is affixed to the steel bit body by way of an anchor element extending through the aperture.

7. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 6 , wherein the anchor element is press-fit into a retention recess within the steel bit body.

8. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 6 , wherein the anchor element is deformed within at least one of the aperture of the support element and a retention recess in the steel bit body.

9. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the substantially cylindrical body of each cutting element of the plurality of cutting elements matingly engages at least a portion of a support element of the plurality of support elements.

10. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 9 , wherein the steel bit body further includes a plurality of retention recesses, each retention recess extending into the steel bit body from a substantially arcuate surface of the plurality of arcuate surfaces, at least a portion of each support element being disposed within a retention recess of the plurality of retention recesses.

11. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 10 , wherein the at least a portion of each support element disposed within a retention recess is affixed to the steel bit body within the retention recess.

12. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 10 , wherein each support element of the plurality of support elements is press fit into a retention recess of the plurality of retention recesses.

13. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of secondary structures, each secondary structure being affixed to the steel bit body and at least partially disposed within a cavity positioned rotationally trailing a support element of the plurality of support elements.

14. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 13 , wherein each secondary structure of the plurality of secondary structures comprises tungsten carbide.

15. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 1 , wherein each cutter pocket recess surrounds more than half of a cross-sectional circumference of a cutting element disposed therein.

16. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 15 , wherein each support element of the plurality of support elements is affixed to the steel bit body by at least one of welding, brazing, press-fit, and shrink-fit.

17. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 15 , wherein each support element of the plurality of support elements includes an aperture and is affixed to the steel bit body by way of an anchor element extending through the aperture.

18. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 15 , wherein each support element of the plurality of support elements is configured to contact at least a portion of the circumference of a cutting element of the plurality of cutting elements.

19. The steel body rotary drag bit of claim 18 , wherein the steel bit body further includes a plurality of retention recesses, each retention recess extending into the steel bit body from a substantially arcuate surface of the plurality of arcuate surfaces, at least a portion of each support element being disposed within a retention recess of the plurality of retention recesses.