Earth-boring tools including movable formation-engaging structures and related methods
View Patent ↗Earth-boring tools may have a body, a cutting element attached to the body at a first location, and a formation-engaging structure attached to the body at a second location. The formation-engaging structure may be movable during a drilling operation between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the formation-engaging structure may be located rotationally behind the cutting element at a first radial distance from a longitudinal axis of the body at which the cutting element will at least initially shield the formation-engaging structure from engaging a formation. In the second position, the formation-engaging structure may be located at a different second radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the body at which the formation-engaging structure will engage a formation.
1. An earth-boring tool, comprising:
a body comprising a plurality of blades;
a cutting element attached to one of the plurality of blades of the body; and
a formation-engaging structure attached to the one of the plurality of blades of the body, a height of the cutting element above the one of the plurality of blades being greater than an exposure of the formation-engaging structure, the formation-engaging structure being movable during a drilling operation between a first fully retracted position and a second fully extended position, the formation-engaging structure being located entirely below an upper surface of the one of the plurality of blades when the formation-engaging structure is in the first fully retracted position, wherein:
the cutting element comprises a primary cutting element, and the formation-engaging structure comprises an additional cutting element, a height of the formation-engaging structure above the one of the plurality of blades being less than an exposure of the cutting element when the formation-engaging structure is in the second fully extended position;
the formation-engaging structure is at least partially within a cutting path traversed by the cutting element without extending beyond the cutting element above the one of the plurality of blades when the formation-engaging structure is in the first fully retracted position; and
the formation-engaging structure remains within the cutting path traversed by the cutting element when the formation-engaging structure is in the second fully extended position.
2. The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the formation-engaging structure is located at least partially behind the cutting element such that the formation-engaging structure is at least partially shielded from engaging a formation in the first fully retracted position and the formation-engaging structure is located to engage the formation in the second fully extended position.
3. The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , further comprising an actuation device located within a recess in the body, the actuation device being configured to move the formation-engaging structure from the first fully retracted position to the second fully extended position.
4. The earth-boring tool of claim 3 , wherein the actuation device comprises a housing secured to surfaces defining the recess in the body and a support member located at least partially within the housing.
5. The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , further comprising a support member coupled to the formation-engaging structure and tracks located within a recess in the body.
6. An earth-boring tool, comprising:
a body comprising a plurality of blades;
a cutting element attached to one of the plurality of blades of the body; and
a formation-engaging structure attached to the one of the plurality of blades of the body, the formation-engaging structure being at least partially within a cutting path traversed by the cutting element without extending beyond the cutting element above the one of the plurality of blades, the formation-engaging structure being movable during a drilling operation between a first fully retracted position and a second fully extended position, wherein:
the cutting element comprises a primary cutting element, and the formation-engaging structure comprises an additional cutting element, a height of the formation-engaging structure above the one of the plurality of blades being less than an exposure of the cutting element when the formation-engaging structure is in the second fully extended position;
the formation-engaging structure is located entirely below an upper surface of the one of the plurality of blades when the formation-engaging structure is in the first fully retracted position; and
at least a portion of the formation-engaging structure is located above an upper surface of the one of the plurality of blades when the formation-engaging structure is in the second fully extended position, a height of the cutting element above the one of the plurality of blades being greater than an exposure of the formation-engaging structure.
7. The earth-boring tool of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of blades comprises radially projecting and longitudinally extending blades rotationally separated by junk slots.
8. The earth-boring tool of claim 7 , wherein the one of the plurality of blades comprises a rotationally leading edge, the cutting element being located at the rotationally leading edge of the one of the plurality of blades and the formation-engaging structure being located rotationally behind the cutting element on the one of the plurality of blades.
9. The earth-boring tool of claim 6 , wherein the body comprises a recess, the formation-engaging structure being configured to move axially within the recess between the first fully retracted position and the second fully extended position.
10. The earth-boring tool of claim 6 , wherein the formation-engaging structure is configured to translate linearly between the first fully retracted position and the second fully extended position.
11. A method of drilling a subterranean formation, comprising:
drilling a first section of a wellbore in a formation using an earth-boring tool including a cutting element attached to one of a plurality of blades of a body of the earth-boring tool and a movable formation-engaging structure attached to the one of the plurality of blades of the body while the formation-engaging structure is in a first fully retracted position in which the formation-engaging structure is located at least partially within a cutting path traversed by the cutting element without extending beyond the cutting element above the one of the plurality of blades, the formation-engaging structure being located entirely below an upper surface of the one of the plurality of blades when the formation-engaging structure is in the first fully retracted position, and a height of the cutting element above the one of the plurality of blades being greater than an exposure of the formation-engaging structure;
moving the formation-engaging structure from the first fully retracted position to a second fully extended position in which the formation-engaging structure remains within the cutting path traversed by the cutting element to engage the formation, wherein the cutting element comprises a primary cutting element and the formation-engaging structure comprises an additional cutting element, a height of the formation-engaging structure above the one of the plurality of blades being less than an exposure of the cutting element when the formation-engaging structure is in the second fully extended position; and
drilling a second section of the wellbore in the formation using the earth-boring tool while the formation-engaging structure is in the second fully extended position to engage the formation.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein moving the formation-engaging structure from the first fully retracted position to the second fully extended position comprises moving the formation-engaging structure linearly between the first fully retracted position and the second fully extended position.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein moving the formation-engaging structure from the first fully retracted position to the second fully extended position comprises supporting the formation-engaging structure with a support member, the support member being selectively movable between a first orientation in which the formation-engaging structure is at the first fully retracted position and a second orientation at which the formation-engaging structure is at the second fully extended position.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein moving the formation-engaging structure from the first fully retracted position to the second fully extended position comprises moving the formation-engaging structure with an actuation device comprising at least one of an electro-mechanical device or an electro-hydraulic device.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein moving the formation-engaging structure from the first fully retracted position to the second fully extended position comprises allowing a pressure of drilling fluid flowing through the earth-boring tool to move the formation-engaging structure from the first fully retracted position to the second fully extended position.