Methods of forming earth-boring tools including blade frame segments

摘要

Methods of forming earth-boring tools may involve positioning a blade frame segment in a mold, the blade frame segment comprising cutting-element-attachment locations distributed over a face of the blade frame segment, the mold comprising a longitudinal axis. A first cutting element may be secured to the blade frame segment at a first cutting-element-attachment location of the cutting-element-attachment locations. A second cutting element may be secured to the blade frame segment at a second, different cutting-element-attachment location of the cutting-element-attachment locations. The blade frame segment may be integrated into a blade of a plurality of radially extending blades of an earth-boring tool by forming a body of the earth-boring tool, including the blade, around the blade frame segment.

主权项

1. A method of forming an earth-boring tool, comprising:
positioning a blade frame segment, a first cutting element, and a second cutting element in a mold, the mold comprising a longitudinal axis, the first cutting element being positioned at a first location adjacent to the blade frame segment at a first radial distance from the longitudinal axis and at a first position along the longitudinal axis, the second cutting element being positioned at a second, different location adjacent to the blade frame segment at a second, different radial distance from the longitudinal axis and at a second, different longitudinal position along the longitudinal axis, a radial footprint of the first cutting element at least partially overlapping with a radial footprint of the second cutting element, the second cutting element being located farther from a periphery of the blade frame segment than the first cutting element; and integrating the blade frame segment into a blade of a plurality of radially extending blades of an earth-boring tool, to secure the first and second cutting elements to the blade, by forming a body of the earth-boring tool, including the blade, around the blade frame segment.