CUTTER ASSEMBLY WITH AT LEAST ONE ISLAND AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A CUTTER ASSEMBLY
A cutter assembly includes a substrate and at least one island. The substrate includes a surface circumscribed by a peripheral edge, a flank surface extending from the peripheral edge, and at least one pocket with an opening on the surface and spaced apart from the peripheral edge. The at least one pocket extends from the opening towards an interior of the substrate. The at least one island is in the at least one pocket, and the at least one island includes a cutting surface that is exposed by the opening of the at least one pocket.
1 . A cutter assembly, comprising:
a substrate including,
a surface circumscribed by a peripheral edge,
a flank surface extending from the peripheral edge, and
at least one pocket with an opening disposed on the surface and spaced apart from the peripheral edge, the at least one pocket extending from the opening towards an interior of the substrate; and
at least one island disposed in the at least one pocket, the at least one island including,
a cutting surface that is exposed by the opening of the at least one pocket, wherein the at least one island is directly connected to the substrate.
2 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface of the at least one island is substantially flush with the surface of the substrate.
3 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface of the at least one island protrudes outward from the surface of the substrate.
4 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface of the at least one island projects towards the interior of the substrate.
5 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface has a generally circular shape.
6 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface has a generally ovalular shape.
7 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface has a generally triangular shape.
8 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface has a generally polygonal shape.
9 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one other pocket disposed on the surface and symmetrically with respect to the at least one pocket; and
at least one other island disposed in the at least one other pocket.
10 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one other pocket disposed on the surface and unsymmetrically with respect to the at least one pocket; and
at least one other island disposed in the at least one other pocket.
11 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one other pocket disposed on the surface spaced apart from the at least one pocket; and
at least one other island disposed in the at least one other pocket.
12 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one other island disposed in the at least one other pocket.
13 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the surface of the substrate and the cutting surface of the at least one island together form a planar surface, a concave surface, a dome-shaped surface, a chiseled surface, or a wavy surface.
14 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a coating disposed on the at least one island.
15 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a metal casing that encases the at least one island.
16 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one island is coupled to the at least one pocket.
17 . A cutter assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one island is coupled to the at least one pocket by press fit, gluing, brazing, bonding, clamping, mechanical interlocking, or welding.
18 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is made from carbide, tungsten carbide composite, tungsten carbide composite held up by an eta-phase, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, polycrystalline diamond, or a combination of two or more of the aforementioned.
19 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one island is made from a partially leached material.
20 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one island is made from a substantially fully leached material.
21 . A cutter assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one island is made from polycrystalline diamond, polycrystalline diamond compact, diamond, cubic boron nitride, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, diamond-silicon carbide composite material, polycrystalline diamond composite, chemical vapor deposition diamond, or a combination of two or more of the aforementioned.