In one example, a method of designing a drill bit comprises obtaining a baseline orientation of a shaped cutter with respect to a bit body. The shaped cutter includes a shaped cutting element secured to a substrate. The baseline orientation is defined, at least in part, with respect to an rotational position of the shaped cutting element about a longitudinal axis of the shaped cutter. A wear imbalance is determined between opposing portions of the shaped cutting element at the baseline orientation. An adjusted orientation of the shaped cutter is generated having a different rotational position of the shaped cutting element about the cutter axis expected to reduce the wear imbalance.

In one example, a method of designing a drill bit comprises obtaining a baseline orientation of a shaped cutter with respect to a bit body. The shaped cutter includes a shaped cutting element secured to a substrate. The baseline orientation is defined, at least in part, with respect to an rotational position of the shaped cutting element about a longitudinal axis of the shaped cutter. A wear imbalance is determined between opposing portions of the shaped cutting element at the baseline orientation. An adjusted orientation of the shaped cutter is generated having a different rotational position of the shaped cutting element about the cutter axis expected to reduce the wear imbalance.

Methods for attaching cutting elements to an earth-boring bit rely on keying the cutting elements inside cavities formed in the earth-boring bit. The attachment methods may involve specific shapes of the cutting elements and the cavities in which the cutting elements are received, and/or mechanical retainers. Preferably, the blade of the earth-boring bit is thicker around the opening in the edge of the blade than when the cavity is shaped for receiving a cutting element that has a circular cross-section.

A drill bit using track-set depth of cut control elements to provide improved stability is disclosed. A drill bit for drilling a wellbore includes a bit body with a rotational axis extending therethrough. The drill bit further includes a plurality of blades disposed on exterior portions of the bit body. The drill bit includes a first group of track set depth of cut controllers (DOCCs) disposed on exterior portions of a first set of the plurality of blades. The first group of track set DOCCs configured to be placed within a first radial swath of a bit face of the drill bit and configured to provide a first critical depth of cut (CDOC).

A drill bit device may include a cutter housing delimited by an outermost surface and various walls forming a socket. The drill bit device may include various main cutters disposed on an outermost surface of the cutter housing. The various main cutters may be configured to move in an outward direction upon receiving a predetermined pressure. The drill bit device may include various pre-charged cutters disposed immediately behind the various main cutters inside the cutter housing. The various pre-charged cutters may be configured to move in the outward direction upon receiving the predetermined pressure. The drill bit device may include a gate that connects the cutter housing to an internal groove that may be directly connected to a port switch that may allow release of the predetermined pressure through the internal groove and into the gate.

A drill bit device may include a cutter housing delimited by an outermost surface and various walls forming a socket. The drill bit device may include various main cutters disposed on an outermost surface of the cutter housing. The various main cutters may be configured to move in an outward direction upon receiving a predetermined pressure. The drill bit device may include various pre-charged cutters disposed immediately behind the various main cutters inside the cutter housing. The various pre-charged cutters may be configured to move in the outward direction upon receiving the predetermined pressure. The drill bit device may include a gate that connects the cutter housing to an internal groove that may be directly connected to a port switch that may allow release of the predetermined pressure through the internal groove and into the gate.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a cutter head arrangement comprising a cutter head portion including a (substantially cylindrical) cutter head side wall to define a chamber (or cavity) surrounded by the cutter head side wall. A substantially circular rim portion extends from (a distal end of) the cutter head side wall, the rim portion defining a working, contact face of the cutter head portion. A recessed wall portion extends away from the rim portion inwardly into the chamber so as to be surrounded by the cutter head side wall, with the rim portion and/or the recessed wall portion being fitted with a plurality of cutter elements, to enable the cutter head portion to blind bore a pilot hole in use. The recessed wall portion that extends away from the rim portion inwardly into the chamber is a substantially conical body so as to define a conical recess (proximate a central region of the cutter head portion, at a distal end of the cutter head portion). The conical body accordingly defines an inwardly extending apex that terminate substantially in line with a central axis of the cutter head portion.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a cutter head arrangement comprising a cutter head portion including a (substantially cylindrical) cutter head side wall to define a chamber (or cavity) surrounded by the cutter head side wall. A substantially circular rim portion extends from (a distal end of) the cutter head side wall, the rim portion defining a working, contact face of the cutter head portion. A recessed wall portion extends away from the rim portion inwardly into the chamber so as to be surrounded by the cutter head side wall, with the rim portion and/or the recessed wall portion being fitted with a plurality of cutter elements, to enable the cutter head portion to blind bore a pilot hole in use. The recessed wall portion that extends away from the rim portion inwardly into the chamber is a substantially conical body so as to define a conical recess (proximate a central region of the cutter head portion, at a distal end of the cutter head portion). The conical body accordingly defines an inwardly extending apex that terminate substantially in line with a central axis of the cutter head portion.

A rotary drill bit is disclosed. The rotary drill bit may include a bit body, a cutting pocket defined in the bit body, and a cutting element rotatably coupled to the bit body. The cutting element may be positioned at least partially within the cutting pocket. The rotary drill bit may also include a rotation-inducing member adjacent to the cutting element for inducing rotation of the cutting element relative to the cutting pocket. The rotation-inducing member may include a resilient member or a vibrational member. The rotary drill bit may also include protrusions extending from an interior of the cutting pocket adjacent to an outer diameter of the cutting element. A method of drilling a formation is also disclosed.

A rotary drill bit is disclosed. The rotary drill bit may include a bit body, a cutting pocket defined in the bit body, and a cutting element rotatably coupled to the bit body. The cutting element may be positioned at least partially within the cutting pocket. The rotary drill bit may also include a rotation-inducing member adjacent to the cutting element for inducing rotation of the cutting element relative to the cutting pocket. The rotation-inducing member may include a resilient member or a vibrational member. The rotary drill bit may also include protrusions extending from an interior of the cutting pocket adjacent to an outer diameter of the cutting element. A method of drilling a formation is also disclosed.