Patent Grant
10738538
Drag bits, often referred to as “fixed cutter drill bits,” include bits that have cutting elements attached to the bit body. A drag bit may have a bit body made from steel, or from a matrix material such as tungsten carbide surrounded by a binder material. Drag bits may generally be defined as bits that have no moving cones; however, there are different types and methods of forming drag bits. For example, drag bits having abrasive material (e.g., diamond) impregnated into the surface of the material that forms the bit body are commonly referred to as “impreg” bits. Drag bits having cutting elements made of an ultra hard cutting surface layer or “table” (e.g., made of polycrystalline diamond or polycrystalline boron nitride materials) deposited onto or otherwise bonded to a substrate are known in the art as polycrystalline diamond compact (“PDC”) bits.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a downhole cutting tool that includes a tool body and at least one blade extending from the tool body. The blade may have a front face with an undulating geometry including alternating ridges and valleys, and a top face facing outwardly from the tool body and transitioning to the front face at a cutting edge. A cutting element may be in a pocket at the cutting edge of the blade. The cutting element may have a non-planar cutting face facing in the same direction as the front face. The non-planar cutting face may have at least two sloping surfaces meeting at an elongated crest.
In some embodiments, a downhole tool includes a tool body with a blade extending from the tool body. The blade includes a top face facing outwardly from the tool body, a front face that interfaces with the top face at a cutting edge, and a pocket at the cutting edge. The pocket has an inner wall with a varying length such that an opening of the pocket to the front face has a non-planar geometry around the perimeter of the opening. A cutting element may be in the pocket, and may have a non-planar cutting face with a non-planar geometry along peripheral edge of the non-planar cutting face. The non-planar geometry of the pocket opening may substantially correspond with the non-planar geometry of the cutting element along the peripheral edge of the non-planar cutting face.
In some embodiments, a method is provided for manufacturing a cutting tool having a tool body with a blade extending from the tool body. The blade has a front face having an undulating geometry including alternating ridges and valleys. A top face of the blade faces outwardly from the tool body and interfaces with the front face at a cutting edge. A pocket is located at the cutting edge. The method includes placing a cutting element in the pocket. The cutting element has a non-planar cutting face including at least two sloping surfaces meeting at an elongated crest, valley, or other feature. The method further includes orienting the at least one cutting element such that the elongated feature substantially aligns with a ridges or valley of the front face.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.
Some embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to downhole cutting tools having cutting elements with non-planar cutting ends or faces (also referred to herein as non-planar cutting elements). The geometry of the cutting tool supporting material around a non-planar cutting element may correspond with the geometry of the non-planar cutting end. For example, in one or more embodiments where a downhole tool includes at least one non-planar cutting element on a blade, the blade may have an undulating or contoured blade surface corresponding to adjacent peripheral edges of the non-planar cutting faces of the cutting elements.
An example of a drag bit having a plurality of cutting elements with ultrahard working surfaces is shown in
A portion of the blade front face 210 adjacent to the interface 251 between the outer perimeter of the non-planar cutting face 252 and the inner wall of the pocket 260 and a portion of the cutting element cutting face 252 adjacent to the interface 251 may have substantially corresponding geometry and may be substantially aligned (e.g., the cutting face 252 may have an elongated crest 254 aligned with a ridge 212 in the front face 210). The adjacent portions of the non-planar cutting face 252 and the surrounding front face 210 having corresponding geometry may each extend a distance from the interface 251. For example, as shown in
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the blade front face surrounding a non-planar cutting element may have substantially corresponding geometry that substantially aligns with the non-planar cutting element's cutting face when within a distance of up to 0.25 in. (6.35 mm) along the blade front face from the interface between the non-planar cutting element and blade. In some embodiments, the blade front face surrounding a non-planar cutting element may have substantially corresponding geometry that substantially aligns with the non-planar cutting element's cutting face within a distance along the blade front face from the interface between the non-planar cutting element and blade to the base of the blade. In some embodiments, the blade front face surrounding a non-planar cutting element may have substantially corresponding geometry that substantially aligns with the non-planar cutting element's cutting face within a distance along the blade front face from the interface between the non-planar cutting element and blade partially to the base of the blade. For example, the geometry of the front face may transition from an undulating or otherwise contoured geometry within the distance from the interface to a planar geometry extending the remaining height of the blade to the base of the blade.
A plurality of cutting elements 450 are in pockets 460 at the cutting edge of the blade and adjacent to the undulating or otherwise contoured geometry. The illustrated cutting elements 450 are positioned in the pockets and have non-planar cutting faces 452 oriented such that the non-planar cutting faces 452 face generally in the same direction as the front face 410 (e.g., the cutting elements 450 have a longitudinal axis that is oriented generally perpendicularly to the bit axis).
In the embodiment shown, the non-planar cutting faces 452 have an elongated crest 454 extending from one portion of an outer perimeter of the non-planar cutting face 452 to another. A portion of the blade front face 410 that is adjacent the interface between the outer perimeter of the non-planar cutting face 452 and the inner wall of the pocket 460 may have an undulating or otherwise contoured geometry that corresponds to and substantially aligns with an adjacent portion of the cutting element cutting face 452. The adjacent portions of the non-planar cutting face 452 and the surrounding front face 410 that have substantially corresponding geometry and substantially align (e.g., the aligning front face ridges 412 and the cutting face elongated crests 454) extend a distance from the interface between the outer perimeter of the non-planar cutting face 452 and the inner wall of the pocket 460. In other words, within a selected or set distance from the interface between the cutting element and the blade, the portion of the blade front face 410 adjacent to the cutting face 454 has a corresponding geometry that aligns to the cutting face 454.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a non-planar blade front face geometry corresponding with an adjacent non-planar cutting face geometry (e.g., an undulating geometry including alternating ridges and valleys or other non-planar geometry corresponding with an adjacent non-planar cutting face geometry) may extend a height 419 along the blade front face from the base of the pocket at the interface between the cutting element 450 and the front face, down toward the bit body. The height 419 may be within a range having lower values, upper values, or both lower and upper values including any of 0.1 in. (2.54 mm), 0.5 in. (12.7 mm), 0.75 in. (19.05 mm), 1.0 in. (25.4 mm), or values therebetween. For instance, the height 419 may be at least 0.1 in. (2.54 mm), at least 0.5 in. (12.7 mm), at least 0.75 in. (19.05 mm), at least 1.0 in. (25.4 mm), or between 0.5 in. (12.7 mm) and 1.0 in. (25.4 mm). In other embodiments, the height 419 may be less than 0.1 in. (2.54 mm) or greater than 1.0 in. (25.4 mm). The height 419 may be selected based on a variety of factors including the size of the blade. According to some embodiments, a non-planar blade front face geometry (e.g., an undulating geometry including alternating ridges and valleys or other non-planar geometry corresponding with adjacent non-planar cutting face geometry) may extend at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 35%, at least 45%, at least 50%, or up to the entire height 417 along the blade front face from the tool body (at the base of the blade) to a lowermost point of a pocket (i.e., point of a pocket opening around the blade front face that is closest to the base of the blade). For example, as shown in
In some embodiments, the entire non-planar cutting face may have a geometry that corresponds with and substantially aligns with the adjacent blade front face geometry. In some embodiments, a portion of a non-planar cutting face, but not the entire non-planar cutting face, may have a geometry that corresponds with and substantially aligns with the adjacent blade front face geometry. For example, the non-planar cutting face geometry may include an elongated crest having a shape and size generally matching the shape and size of an aligning blade front face ridge, where the elongated crest extends partially across the non-planar cutting face and then gradually or abruptly transitions to a different shape. In other words, a portion of a non-planar cutting face adjacent to an interface with the blade front face may have a crest or ridge having a geometry that corresponds to and substantially aligns with an adjacent portion of the blade front face, while another portion of the non-planar cutting face (e.g., a distal portion of the cutting face from the interface with the blade front face) may have a different geometry. For example, an elongated crest may extend partially across the cutting face and transition to a substantially planar surface, where the elongated crest substantially aligns and corresponds with an adjacent portion of the blade front face geometry. In another example, an elongated crest may extend partially across the cutting face and transition to one or more different elongated crests extending in different directions across the cutting face, where the elongated crest substantially aligns and corresponds with an adjacent portion of the blade front face geometry. In another example, an elongated crest may extend partially across the cutting face and transition to a different non-planar geometry, where the elongated crest substantially aligns and corresponds with an adjacent portion of the blade front face geometry.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, aligning and corresponding geometry of a blade front face and non-planar cutting element cutting face may extend a distance from the interface between the non-planar cutting element and blade pocket toward the bit body (419 in
An undulating or otherwise contoured front face of a blade may have alternating ridges and valleys, where the ridges may have the same or different radii of curvature, and where the valleys may have the same or different radii of curvature. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more ridges of an undulating blade front face may have a radius of curvature having a lower value, an upper value, or both lower and upper values including any of 0.03 in. (0.76 mm), 0.05 in. (1.27 mm), 0.1 in. (2.54 mm), 0.15 in. (3.81 mm), 0.2 in. (5.08 mm), 0.25 in. (6.35 mm), 0.3 in. (7.62 mm), or any value therebetween, where any value may be used in combination with any other value (e.g. 0.03 in. (0.76 mm) to 0.3 in. (7.62 mm) or 0.03 in. (0.76 mm) to 0.1 in. (2.54 mm)). Different ridges may have different radii of curvature. For instance, different ridges of differing radii of curvature may correspond with cutting elements having different non-planar cutting face geometry, to allow for closer spacing between adjacent ridges, to reduce stress in the front face geometry, or for any other reason. Further, in some embodiments, one or more ridges may have a varying radius of curvature along its height. For example, one or more ridges may have a relatively smaller radius of curvature at or near a pocket, a relatively larger radius of curvature at or near a base of the blade (or at the base of the undulating portion of the blade), and a gradually transitioning radii of curvature from the relatively smaller radius of curvature to the relatively larger radius of curvature.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more valleys of an undulating blade front face may have a radius of curvature with a lower value, an upper value, or both lower and upper values including any of 0.03 in. (0.76 mm), 0.05 in. (1.27 mm), 0.1 in. (2.54 mm), 0.15 in. (3.81 mm), 0.2 in. (5.08 mm), 0.25 in. (6.35 mm) or 0.3 in. (7.62 mm), or any value therebetween, where any value may be used in combination with any other value (e.g., 0.03 in. (0.76 mm) to 0.3 in. (7.62 mm), or 0.03 in. (0.76 mm) to 0.15 in. (3.81 mm)). Different valleys may have different radii of curvature, for example, to allow for closer or farther spacing between adjacent ridges, to reduce stress in the front face geometry, or for any other reason. For example, at least two valleys of an undulating front face geometry may have different radii of curvature, where a first valley having a relatively smaller radius of curvature is formed between two ridges that are relatively closer together than a second valley having a relatively larger radius of curvature formed between two ridges that are relatively farther apart. Further, in some embodiments, one or more valleys may have a varying radius of curvature along its height. For example, one or more valleys may have a relatively smaller radius of curvature at or near a pocket and/or top of the blade, a relatively larger radius of curvature at or near a base of the blade (or at the base of the undulating portion of the blade), and a gradually transitioning radii of curvature from the relatively smaller radius of curvature to the relatively larger radius of curvature. In other embodiments, one or more valleys may transition to a generally flat or planar surface near the base of the blade.
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a non-planar cutting element may have one or more elongated crests or peaks having a radius of curvature having a lower value, an upper value, or both lower and upper values including, for example, 0.03 in. (0.76 mm), 0.05 in. (1.27 mm), 0.1 in. (2.54 mm), 0.15 in. (3.81 mm), 0.2 in. (5.08 mm), 0.25 in. (6.35 mm), 0.3 in. (7.62 mm), or any value therebetween, where any limit may be used in combination with any other limit. In other embodiments, the radius of curvature may be less than 0.03 in. (0.765 mm) or greater than 0.3 in. (7.62 mm). The radius of curvature may vary depending on, for example, the size of the cutting element, the material of the cutting end (e.g., thermally stable diamond cutting face, polycrystalline diamond cutting face, diamond composite cutting face, etc.), the number of elongated crests or peaks formed in the cutting face, or other variables.
According to some embodiments, one or more ridges of an undulating blade front face geometry that align with an elongated crest or peak of a non-planar cutting face may have a radius of curvature that is less than, greater than, or equal to the radius of curvature of the elongated crest. For example, in some embodiments, the radius of curvature of a ridge formed in a blade front face may be greater than (e.g. between greater than 100% and 200%, up to 125%, up to 150%, up to 175%, up to 200%, etc.) the radius of curvature of an adjacent crest formed on the non-planar cutting face of an adjacent non-planar cutting element. In some embodiments, adjacent portions of a ridge and an elongated crest may have substantially equal radii of curvature.
As shown, the recessed regions 518 may extend a height 514 above the substrate or interface 530 (along the circumference), but may have a height differential 517 (from the first cutting edge portion 516 to the lowest portion of the recessed regions 518), which is also equal to the total variation in height of the cutting face 505. According to some embodiments, a non-planar cutting face of a cutting element may have a height differential 517 ranging between 0.04 in. (1.02 mm) and 0.2 in. (5.08 mm) depending on the overall size of the cutting element. For example, the height differential 517 may be defined relative to the cutting element diameter/width and may be between 10% and 50% of the diameter/width of the cutting element, between 15% and 40% of the diameter/width of the cutting element, or between 20% and 30% of the diameter/width of the cutting element. In other embodiments, the height differential 517 may be less than 10% or more than 50% of the diameter/width of the cutting element. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, the height of the ultrahard layer 510 at the peripheral edge adjacent recessed region 518 (i.e., at the side of the cutting element having the lowest ultrahard layer 510 height) may be at least 0.02 in. (0.51 mm), at least 0.04 in. (1.02 mm), or at least 0.06 in. (1.52 mm).
Substrates of a non-planar cutting element may be formed of cemented carbides, such as tungsten carbide, titanium carbide, chromium carbide, niobium carbide, tantalum carbide, vanadium carbide, or combinations thereof cemented with iron, nickel, cobalt, or alloys thereof. For example, a substrate may be formed of cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide. Ultrahard layers of a non-planar cutting element (forming the non-planar cutting face) may be formed of, for example, polycrystalline diamond, such as diamond crystals bonded together by a metal catalyst such as cobalt or other Group VIII metals under sufficiently high pressure and high temperatures (sintering under HPHT conditions); thermally stable polycrystalline diamond (polycrystalline diamond having at least some or substantially all of the catalyst material removed or formed from catalysts having less thermal expansion coefficient mismatch with diamond); or cubic boron nitride. The ultrahard layer may be formed from one or more layers, which may have a gradient or stepped transition of diamond content therein. In such embodiments, one or more transition layers (as well as the outer layer) may include metal carbide particles therein. Further, when such transition layers are used, the combined transition layers and outer layer may collectively be referred to as the ultrahard layer, as that term has been used in the present application. That is, the interface surface on which the ultrahard layer (or plurality of layers including an ultrahard material) may be formed is that of the cemented carbide substrate. In yet other embodiments, non-planar cutting elements may be formed entirely of a hard material (without a substrate), such as a bulk polycrystalline diamond material, diamond grit impregnated inserts (“grit hot-pressed inserts” or “GHIs”) or tungsten carbide inserts.
Non-planar cutting elements may have other non-planar cutting faces, including one or more peaks or elongated crests forming one or more raised cutting edge portions (e.g., the first cutting edge portion 516 shown in
Varying heights of the peripheral edge of a non-planar cutting face may correspond with varying lengths of a pocket inner wall, such that when the non-planar cutting element is in the pocket, there is substantially no exposed pocket inner wall and in some embodiments, no exposed side surface of the non-planar cutting face along the interface between the non-planar cutting element and pocket. For example, referring to
In some embodiments, more than one type of cutting element may be on a blade having a non-planar front face. For example, in some embodiments, a first type of non-planar cutting element may be in a pocket at a blade cutting edge (extending along the blade top face to the blade front face), and a second, different type of cutting element (e.g., a substantially pointed cutting element or other non-planar cutting element) may be coupled to the blade in a pocket formed in a top face of the blade. Different cutting element types may be arranged on the blade in an alternating pattern, one type of cutting element may trail another type of cutting element (e.g., a first type of cutting element at a cutting edge or proximate the front face of a blade and a second type of cutting element behind the first type of cutting element relatively farther from the blade front face), or a combination of alternating and trailing arrangements may be used (e.g., different types of cutting elements may have an overlapping radial position along the blade where one cutting element (a trailing cutting element) is relatively farther from the blade front face than other cutting element (the leading cutting element)). Other cutting element arrangements may be used, where at least one non-planar cutting element is coupled to a blade having its non-planar cutting face substantially aligned with a non-planar geometry formed in the blade front face. In some embodiments, the blade front face may include both planar cutting elements and non-planar cutting elements (as well as multiple types or geometries of non-planar cutting elements), and the blade front face may correspond to both the planar cutting elements and the non-planar cutting elements. For example, the blade front face may include ridges and valleys adjacent to and corresponding with the non-planar cutting elements, and may be flat adjacent to and corresponding with the planar cutting elements. In such embodiments the planar cutting elements corresponding to a flat blade face may alternate with the non-planar cutting elements corresponding to an undulating blade front face, or in some embodiments, the planar cutting elements corresponding with a flat blade front face may be placed at one or more portions of the cutting element profile (e.g., at the gage region of the cutting profile), and the non-planar cutting elements and corresponding undulating blade front face may be placed at one or more other portions of the cutting element profile (e.g., at the remaining portions of the blade profile including the shoulder).
The front face 710 of the blade 700 of
A second type of non-planar cutting element 770 is illustrated in a second row of pockets in a top surface 730 of the blade. The second type of non-planar cutting elements 770 may have any suitable shape, but are shown in
A blade height is measured along a third dimension (generally perpendicular to both the first and second dimensions) from a tool body 705 to the blade top face 730. In the embodiment shown, the blade 700 extends from the tool body 705 to a first height 732 adjacent a first cutting element 750 and to a second height 734, different from the first height 732, adjacent a second cutting element 770. The blade may be relatively taller around the first type of cutting elements 750, and the blade may be relatively shorter around the second type of cutting elements 770, such that the top face 730 of the blade has a generally undulating height or other geometry. In some embodiments, a blade may extend from the tool body to a first height, to a second height, smaller than the first height, to a third height, smaller than the first height and greater than the second height, and to a fourth height, smaller than the third height, such that the top face of the blade has a non-uniform undulating geometry. In some embodiments, the blade height may vary along the second dimension of the blade, where different cutting element types are positioned at different blade heights. In some embodiments, the blade height may vary along the first dimension of the blade (from the blade front face to the blade trailing face) in addition to varying the blade height along the second dimension or without varying the blade height along the second dimension. For example, in some embodiments, a blade may have a top face with a generally undulating geometry within a distance from the blade top face and a level geometry (having substantially the same height) within a distance from the blade trailing face, where the undulating geometry smoothly transitions to the level geometry along the first dimension.
Further, in the embodiment shown, the undulating geometry of the blade top face 730 corresponds with the undulating geometry of the blade front face 710, where the relatively taller heights of the blade correspond with the front face ridges 712 and the relatively shorter heights of the blade correspond with the front face valleys 714. In other embodiments, relatively taller blade heights may correspond with front face valleys or otherwise be offset from front face ridges, and relatively shorter blade heights may correspond with front face ridges or otherwise be offset from front face valleys.
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a downhole cutting tool may have at least one blade extending from the tool body, where the blade has a top face facing outwardly from the tool body (e.g., toward a formation or workpiece), a front face (e.g., facing the direction of rotation), and at least one pocket formed at an interface between the top face and the front face. The at least one pocket may have an inner wall with varying length, such that an opening of the pocket to the front face of the blade has a non-planar geometry around the perimeter of the opening. A non-planar cutting element may be in the pocket, such that the non-planar geometry of the pocket opening substantially corresponds with the non-planar geometry of the cutting element along the peripheral edge of its non-planar cutting face. When the geometry of the peripheral edge of a cutting element non-planar cutting face substantially corresponds with the geometry of the blade front face surrounding the pocket opening (in which the cutting element is located), there may be substantially no exposed pocket inner wall and no exposed side surface of the non-planar cutting element adjacent the interface between the non-planar cutting element and pocket along the blade front face. In other words, when the geometry of the peripheral edge of a cutting element non-planar cutting face substantially corresponds with the geometry of the blade front face surrounding the pocket opening, the interface between the non-planar cutting element and pocket inner wall may extend to both the non-planar cutting face of the cutting element and the front face of the blade along the pocket opening to the blade front face.
Embodiments of the present disclosure may include downhole cutting tools used to cut, wear, or erode an earthen formation (e.g., drill bits or reamers), steel casing (e.g., window, dress, follow, watermelon, or section mills), plugs or tooling (e.g., junk mills), or other materials. The downhole cutting tools may have one or more blades extending radially from a tool body and a plurality of cutting elements attached to the blades. For example, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, a drill bit may have a plurality of blades extending radially from a bit body, and a plurality of cutting elements attached to the blades. Between the blades are fluid channels through which drilling fluid may flow (exiting nozzles to cool and clean cutting elements and to transport cuttings). The cutting elements may include at least two different types: cutters (having a planar cutting end) and non-planar cutting elements (having a non-planar cutting end). Each blade has a front face (facing in the direction of rotation of the drill bit), a trailing face (opposite the front face), and a top face (facing the formation and extending between the front face and trailing face). The cutting elements can be attached to the blades at different locations on a blade. For example, cutting elements positioned at or near the front face of the blade (and potentially at the interface with the top face) may be referred to as primary cutting elements, whereas cutting elements spaced rearward therefrom (away from the front face) may be referred to as backup or secondary cutting elements. The geometry of the blade front face may correspond with the geometry of the non-planar cutting face of the non-planar cutting elements around the interface between the non-planar cutting elements and the blade to which the non-planar cutting element is coupled.
Downhole cutting tools according to the present disclosure may be made in different ways, depending on the material it is made from. For example, a downhole cutting tool made from a matrix material (e.g., transition metal carbides such as tungsten carbide) may be formed using a mold having a generally negative shape of the downhole cutting tool (including a generally undulating geometry corresponding to at least a portion of at least one cutting tool blade) by loading the matrix material in the mold and infiltrating the matrix material with an infiltration binder. A downhole cutting tool made of steel or other machinable material may be formed by machining the blades extending from a tool body, where at least a portion of at least one blade has a front face with an undulating geometry. A mold or downhole cutting tool may also be made by using additive manufacturing techniques that build the mold or tool layer-by-layer. Non-planar cutting elements having a cutting face with non-planar geometry corresponding to the undulating or otherwise contoured front face geometry may be attached within pockets formed in the blades such that the non-planar cutting face geometry corresponds with the front face geometry.
By forming a blade front face geometry around a pocket to match or substantially correspond to the geometry around a peripheral edge of a non-planar cutting element in the pocket, exposed portions of the pocket inner wall and cutting element side surface may be reduced, which may reduce formation cuttings or other free materials from building up around the interface between the non-planar cutting element and blade. In other words, by matching the geometry around the peripheral edge of a non-planar cutting element and surrounding blade front face, a relatively smooth transition across the interface between the blade and non-planar cutting face may be formed, thereby reducing potential cavities or scoops that could trap material. In contrast, in embodiments such as that shown in
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a relatively smooth transition across the interface between a blade front face and non-planar cutting element cutting face may be formed by forming the length of the pocket inner wall to substantially equal the height of the non-planar cutting element (measured from the cutting element base surface to its cutting face) around the portion of its peripheral edge aligned to interface the pocket in order to prevent or reduce the amount of packing around the interface between the cutting element and pocket.
Although just a few example embodiments have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the example embodiments without materially departing from the apparatus, systems, and methods disclosed herein. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. For example, any element described in relation to an embodiment herein may be combinable with any element of any other embodiment described herein.
In the claims, any means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not just structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures. Thus, although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooden parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures. It is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke means-plus-function or other functional claiming for any limitations of any of the claims herein, except for those in which the claim expressly uses the words ‘means for’ together with an associated function. Each addition, deletion, and modification to the embodiments that fall within the meaning and scope of the claims is to be embraced by the claims. The features of any embodiment(s) herein may be combined with features of any other embodiments herein.
This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 62/155,323, filed Apr. 30, 2015, which application is incorporated herein by this reference in its entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2016/029393 | 4/26/2016 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2016/176221 | 11/3/2016 | WO | A |
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| WO2014159838 | Oct 2014 | WO |
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| International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in International Patent Application No. PCT/US2016/029393 dated Nov. 9, 2017, 14 pages. |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180355671 A1 | Dec 2018 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62155323 | Apr 2015 | US |
