TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to earth-boring operations. In particular, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to earth-boring tool geometry and cutter placement and associated apparatus and methods.

BACKGROUND

Wellbore drilling operations may involve the use of an earth-boring tool at the end of a long string of pipe commonly referred to as a drill string. An earth-boring tool may be used for drilling through formations, such as rock, dirt, sand, tar, etc. In some cases, the earth-boring tool may be configured to drill through additional elements that may be present in a wellbore, such as cement, casings (e.g., a wellbore casing), discarded or lost equipment (e.g., fish, junk, etc.), packers, etc. In some cases, earth-boring tools may be configured to drill through plugs (e.g., fracturing plugs, bridge plugs, cement plugs, etc.). In some cases, the plugs may include slips or other types of anchors and the earth-boring tool may be configured to drill through the plug and any slip, anchor, and other component thereof.

Earth-boring tools may include cutting structures formed from abrasive materials having high hardness characteristics. The cutting structures may be configured to engage the formations and additional elements removing material therefrom. As the cutting structures engage the formations and additional elements, debris (e.g., chips, cuttings, loose material, etc.) and significant amounts of heat may be generated. If the debris and heat are not dissipated they may contribute to premature failure of the cutting structures requiring the earth-boring tool to be remove for repair and or replacement. This may result in significant losses of time reducing the efficiency and increasing the costs of a drilling operation.

Fixed blade drill bits include polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bits and other drag-type drill bits. These drill bits typically include a bit body having an externally threaded connection at one end for connection to a drill string, and a plurality of cutting blades extending from the opposite end of the bit body. The cutting blades form the cutting surface of the drill bit. A plurality of cutting elements, such as PDC cutters or other materials that are hard enough to deform and/or cut through earth formations, are attached to or inserted into the blades of the bit. These cutters extend from the bit and form the cutting profile of the bit. The cutting elements include polycrystalline diamond or cubic boron nitride, for example, which is formed on or bonded to a substrate, which is usually comprised of cemented tungsten carbide. The cutting elements are arranged in selected locations on the blades or other structures on the bit body with the diamond cutting elements facing generally in the direction of bit rotation. This plurality of cutting elements is used to cut through the subterranean formation during drilling operations when the drill bit is rotated by a motor or a drilling rig at the surface of the formation. Fixed blade drill bits have the advantage of being much more aggressive during drilling and therefore usually drill much faster at equivalent weight-on-bit (WOB) levels than, for instance, a roller cone bit. In addition, they have no moving parts, which makes their design less complex and more robust. They also require more torque to rotate during drilling. During a drilling operation, fixed blade drill bits are rotated against a formation being drilled under applied weight-on-bit to remove formation material. The cutting elements on the fixed blade drill bits are continuously engaged as they scrape material from the formation, while in a roller cone drill bit, the cutting elements on each rolling cutter indent and crush the formation intermittently with little or no relative scraping motion between the cutting element and the formation.

Roller cone bits are earth boring drill bits that are known as a durable tool for drilling hard and abrasive formations. The roller cone type of drill bit typically includes a bit body with an externally threaded connection at one end, and a plurality of roller cones (typically three) attached at an offset angle to the other end of the drill bit. These roller cones are able to rotate about bearings, and rotate individually with respect to the bit body. The bit is secured to the lower end of a drill string that is rotated from the surface or by downhole motors or turbines. The cutters mounted on the bit roll and slide upon the borehole as the drill string is rotated, thereby engaging and disintegrating the formation material to be removed. The roller cone bits are provided with cutting elements or teeth that are forced to penetrate and gouge the bottom of the borehole by weight from the drill string. The cuttings from the bottom and sides of the borehole are washed away and disposed of by a drilling fluid. The drilling fluid is pumped down from the surface through the hollow, rotating drill string, and then through the nozzles (orifices) on the drill bit. Eventually, the cuttings are carried away in the drilling fluid to the surface up the exterior of the drill string.

A new type of drill bit has emerged in the drilling arena, and it is known as the “hybrid” drill bit. This drill bit combines both fixed cutting blades and rolling cones on its working face. The hybrid drill bit is designed to overcome some of the limiting characteristics of the roller cone and fixed cutter drill bits, such as balling, reducing drilling efficiency, tracking, and wearing. PDC fixed cutter bits have replaced roller cone bits in many applications. However, roller cones bits are uniquely situated for applications involving hard, abrasive, and interbedded formations, as well as for complex directional drilling applications and applications involving high torque requirements. In these applications, hybrid drill bits can substantially enhance the performance of a roller cone bit with fewer limitations compared to a conventional PDC bit.

DISCLOSURE

Embodiments of the disclosure may include an earth-boring tool. The earth-boring tool may include a tool body, at least one blade, and a rolling cutter pocket defined in the tool body adjacent the at least one blade. The earth-boring tool may further include a rolling cutter assembly disposed in the pocket. The rolling cutter assembly may include a plurality of cutting elements extending from a surface of the rolling cutter assembly. The earth-boring tool may also include at least one interface cutting element extending from a surface of the pocket.

Another embodiment of the disclosure may include a method of forming an earth-boring tool. The method may include forming a tool body comprising at least one blade and a pocket defined in the tool body adjacent the at least one blades. The method may further include coupling at least one interface cutting element to the tool body in the pocket. The method may also include disposing a rolling cutter assembly into the pocket, wherein the at least one interface cutting element is positioned between at least two cutting elements extending from the rolling cutter assembly.

Another embodiment of the disclosure may include an earth-boring tool. The earth-boring tool may include a rolling cutter assembly configured to rotate relative to a tool body of the earthboring tool about a longitudinal axis of the rolling cutter assembly. The earth-boring tool may further include one or more interface cutting elements extending from the tool body toward a surface of the rolling cutter assembly. The one or more interface cutting elements may be configured to break up debris in a region between the rolling cutter assembly and the tool body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming embodiments of the present disclosure, the advantages of embodiments of the disclosure may be more readily ascertained from the following description of embodiments of the disclosure when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an earth-boring tool in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the earth-boring tool of FIG. 1 with one or more components removed to illustrate additional elements of the earth-boring tool;

FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of a portion of the earth-boring tool of FIGS. 1 and 2 with the components removed to illustrate the additional elements of the earth-boring tool;

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of an interface between a rolling cutter assembly and the tool body of the earth-boring tool of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged view of a portion of the earth-boring tool of FIGS. 1 and 2 with the components removed to illustrate the additional elements of the earth-boring tool; and

FIG. 6 illustrates an enlarged view of a portion of the earth-boring tool of FIGS. 1 and 2.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views of any particular earthboring system or component thereof, but are merely idealized representations employed to describe illustrative embodiments. The drawings are not necessarily to scale.

As used herein, the term “earth-boring tool” means and includes any type of bit or tool used for drilling during the formation or enlargement of a wellbore in a subterranean formation. For example, earth-boring tools include fixed-cutter bits, roller cone bits, percussion bits, core bits, eccentric bits, bicenter bits, reamers, mills, drag bits, hybrid bits (e.g., rolling components in combination with fixed cutting elements), and other drilling bits and tools known in the art.

As used herein the terms “interface cutter” and “interface cutting element” mean and include a cutter or cutting element directed to an interface between portions of an earth-boring tool. The interface cutters or interface cutting elements may be positioned and configured to engage formation materials and debris in a region (e.g., area or volume) defined at the interface between the portions of the earth-boring tool. The interface cutters and interface cutting elements may be positioned and configured such that they do not engage or contact the formation or wellbore walls.

As used herein, the term “substantially” in reference to a given parameter means and includes to a degree that one skilled in the art would understand that the given parameter, property, or condition is met with a small degree of variance, such as within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. For example, a parameter that is substantially met may be at least about 90% met, at least about 95% met, at least about 99% met, or even at least about 100% met.

As used herein, relational terms, such as “first,” “second,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., are generally used for clarity and convenience in understanding the disclosure and accompanying drawings and do not connote or depend on any specific preference, orientation, or order, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise.

As used herein, terms such as ahead and behind are used in reference to a direction of movement of the associated element. For example, as a drill string moves into a borehole the bottom of the borehole is ahead of the elements of the drill string and the surface is behind the elements of the drill string. In another example, in relation to a cutting element on a rotating earth-boring tool a portion of the formation that has not yet been contacted by the cutting element is ahead of the cutting element whereas a portion of the formation that has already been contacted by the cutting element is behind the cutting element.

As used herein, the term “and/or” means and includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

As used herein, the terms “vertical” and “lateral” refer to the orientations as depicted in the figures.

The FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an earth-boring tool 100. The earth-boring tool 100 may include one or more blades 102 arranged about the body of the earth-boring tool 100. The earth-boring tool 100 may also include one or more rolling cutter assemblies 104 (e.g., roller cones), such as a hybrid bit. The blades 102 and/or rolling cutter assemblies 104 may be separated by junk slots 106. The junk slots 106 may include nozzles 108. The nozzles 108 may be configured to supply a fluid (e.g., discharge a fluid), such as water, drilling mud, etc., into the junk slots 106 and/or around the rolling cutter assemblies 104.

The blades 102 may include a face 110 and a shoulder region 112. The face 110 may be oriented to face the area ahead of the blade 102 and the shoulder region 112 may be a plane on the radially outer region of the blade 102. The blade 102 may include multiple cutter pockets 114 formed along an edge of the face 110 of the blade 102. The cutter pockets 114 may be configured to receive cutting elements, such as polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting elements. The cutting elements may be arranged such that a cutting face of the cutting elements are in substantially the same plane as the face 110 of the blade 102. The fluid flowing from the nozzles 108 may be configured to clear debris and formation materials away from the cutting elements and face 110 of the blade 102 as well as cooling the cutting elements.

The earth-boring tool 100 may also include a cone pocket 116 defined in the tool body of the earth-boring tool 100 between at least two of the blades 102. The cone pocket 116 may be configured to receive at least one of the rolling cutter assemblies 104. Each of the rolling cutter assemblies 104 may be rotatably secured to an arm 118 extending from the earth-boring tool 100. Each of the arms 118 may be substantially aligned with an associated cone pocket 116. The arms 118 may position the rolling cutter assemblies 104, such that the rolling cutter assemblies 104 may rotate about a longitudinal axis 128 of the respective rolling cutter assemblies 104. The cone pocket 116 may have an inside diameter greater than an outer diameter of the associated rolling cutter assembly 104, such that the associated rolling cutter assembly 104 may rotate within the cone pocket 116 without contacting the cone pocket 116.

The rolling cutter assemblies 104 may include multiple cutting elements 120 extending from a surface 122 of the rolling cutter assemblies 104. The cutting elements 120 may be arranged in rings 126 about the respective rolling cutter assemblies 104, such that each cutting element 120 in a ring 126 are substantially a same distance from a face 124 of the associated cutting element 120. Each of the rings 126 may be positioned a different distance from the face 124 of the associated rolling cutter assembly 104. The cutting elements 120 may be configured to engage a formation when the earth-boring tool 100 is deployed. The cutting elements 120 may break material from the formation as the rolling cutter assemblies 104 rotate within the earth-boring tool 100. The cutting elements secured to the blades 102 may be configured to then remove the material broken away from the formation by the cutting elements 120 of the rolling cutter assemblies 104. The formation materials may be cleared from the blades 102 by the fluid flowing from the nozzles 108 as described above. However, in some cases, portions of the formation material may be captured by the cutting elements 120 of the rolling cutter assemblies 104. The formation material may be trapped between the rolling cutter assemblies 104 and the surface of the earth-boring tool 100 in the cone pocket 116, which may create excess friction between the cone pocket 116 and the rolling cutter assembly 104. The excess friction may increase wear on the cutting elements 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 and/or may substantially prevent the rolling cutter assembly 104 from rotating relative to the earthboring tool 100, which may reduce the benefits of the rolling cutter assembly 104 over the stationary cutting elements coupled to the blades 102. The increased wear and friction caused by the formation material trapped between the rolling cutter assemblies 104 and the earth-boring tool 100 may also wear away the surface 122 of the rolling cutter assemblies. As the surface 122 of the rolling cutter assemblies 104 are worn away the cutting elements 120 may loosen and/or fall out of the rolling cutter assembly 104. In some instances formation material trapped between rolling cutter assemblies 104 and the surface of the earth-boring tool 100 in the cone pocket 116 may also reduce the effective exposure of the cutting elements 120. Reducing the effective exposure of the cutting elements 120 may reduce a potential rate of penetration of the earth-boring tool 100.

FIG. 2 illustrates the earth -boring tool 100 with the rolling cutter assemblies 104 removed to illustrate features of the cone pocket 116. The cone pocket 116 may include a face interface surface 202 and a side interface surface 204. The face interface surface 202 may be positioned proximate a center of the earth-boring tool 100 and configured to be substantially complementary to the face 110 of the rolling cutter assembly 104. The side interface surface 204 may be a curved surface substantially complementary to the surface 122 of the rolling cutter assembly 104. The curved surface of the side interface surface 204 may have a major dimension (e.g., radius or diameter) greater than a major dimension of the rolling cutter assembly 104, such that the rolling cutter assembly 104 and the cutting elements 120 thereof may rotate within the cone pocket 116 without contacting the side interface surface 204. At least one side of the side interface surface 204 may be formed by a blade 102 of the earth-boring tool 100.

The side interface surface 204 may include one or more side interface cutters 206 extending from the side interface surface 204. The side interface cutters 206 may include a super hard material, such as diamond, boron nitride, silicon carbide, carbides or borides of titanium, tungsten, or tantalum. For example, the side interface cutters 206 may be cutting structures such as polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting elements secured to the face interface surface 202. The side interface cutters 206 may be positioned and/or spaced along the side interface surface 204 in positions substantially offset from the rings 126 of cutting elements 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104, as described in further detail below. For example, the side interface cutters 206 may be positioned, such that the side interface cutters 206 will be positioned between the rings 126 of cutting elements 120 of the associated rolling cutter assembly 104.

The side interface cutters 206 may be secured to the side interface surface 204 in a manner that is reversible (e.g., removable), such that the side interface cutters 206 may be removed and/or replaced when the side interface cutters 206 become worn. For example, the side interface cutters 206 may be cutting elements secured to the side interface surface 204, such as through a brazing or welding process. In another embodiments, the side interface cutters 206 may be secured to the side interface surface 204 through a threaded connection. As the side interface cutters 206 become worn, the side interface cutters 206 may be removed and/or replaced. Replacing worn side interface cutters 206 may substantially reduce wear to the side interface surface 204 and other components of the earth-boring tool 100. In some embodiments, the side interface cutters 206 may be secured to the side interface surface 204 in a non-removable manner. For example, the side interface cutters 206 may be secured to the side interface surface 204 through an interference fit or an adhesive. In some examples, the side interface cutters 206 may be formed as part of the side interface surface 204.

The face interface surface 202 may include one or more face interface cutters 208. In some embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may extend away from the face interface surface 202. In other embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may be flush with the face interface surface 202, such that the face interface surface 202 is substantially planar. The face interface cutters 208 may be formed from a material having a higher abrasion resistance than the material of the earth-boring tool 100. For example, the face interface cutters 208 may be formed from a super hard material, such as diamond, boron nitride, silicon carbide, carbides or borides of titanium, tungsten, or tantalum. In some embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may include cutting structures such as polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting elements secured to the face interface surface 202. In some embodiments, the face interface surface 202 may be impregnated with super hard materials to increase the abrasion resistance of the entire face interface surface 202.

FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged view of the cone pocket 116. The face interface cutters 208 on the face interface surface 202 may have a cutting face 302 that is substantially planar. In some embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may have a conical shape as illustrated in FIG. 3. In other embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may have another shape, such as a cylindrical shape, a prism shape, etc. In some embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may be disposed in the face interface surface 202, such that the cutting face 302 of the face interface cutters 208 may be in substantially a same plane as the face interface surface 202 (e.g., such that the cutting face 302 of the face interface cutters 208 does not protrude from the face interface surface 202).

The side interface cutters 206 extending from the side interface surface 204 may have a nonflat cutting face 304, such as a conical cutting face 304 or a domed cutting face 304 as illustrated in FIG. 3. In other embodiments, the side interface cutters 206 may by cylindrical cutting elements, similar to cutting elements secured to the blades 102 of the earth-boring tool 100. The side interface cutters 206 may be positioned such that a cutting edge of the cutting face 304 may extend away from the side interface surface 204 toward the rolling cutter assembly 104.

In some embodiments, the side interface cutters 206 may be arranged in a row along a line substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis 310 of the cone pocket 116. The longitudinal axis 310 of the cone pocket 116 may be configured to be substantially coaxial with a longitudinal axis 128 of an associated rolling cutter assembly 104. The row of side interface cutters 206 may be positioned adjacent to a leading edge 306 of the cone pocket 116 as illustrated in FIG. 3. In other embodiments, the side interface cutters 206 may be arranged in a row at another position within the cone pocket 116, such as adjacent a trailing edge 308 of the cone pocket 116 or in a central portion of the cone pocket 116.

In some embodiments, the side interface cutters 206 may be arranged in different regions of the cone pocket 116 instead of being positioned in a row substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 310. For example, a first side interface cutter 206 may be positioned proximate the leading edge 306 of the cone pocket 116, a second side interface cutter 206 may be positioned proximate the trailing edge 308 of the cone pocket 116, and a third side interface cutter 206 may be positioned between the first side interface cutter 206 and the second side interface cutter 206 in a central portion of the cone pocket 116. In some embodiments, the cone pocket 116 may include more than one row of side interface cutters 206. For example, a first row of side interface cutters 206 may be positioned proximate the leading edge 306 of the cone pocket 116 and a second row of side interface cutters 206 may be positioned proximate the trailing edge 308 of the cone pocket 116.

The side interface cutters 206 may be arranged such that there is a longitudinal space 404 between adjacent side interface cutters 206 as illustrated in FIG. 4. The longitudinal spaces 404 may be arranged to substantially coincide with the cutting elements 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104. Similarly, the side interface cutters 206 may be arranged, such that the positions of the side interface cutters 206 may substantially coincide with a gap 402 between the cutting elements 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104. As described above, the cutting elements 120 may be arranged in rings 126 (FIG. 1) about the rolling cutter assembly 104, such that the gaps 402 may be in substantially a same longitudinal position along the surface 122 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 at each angular position of the rolling cutter assembly 104 as the rolling cutter assembly 104 rotates about the longitudinal axis 128.

The arrangement of the longitudinal spaces 404 and the gaps 402 may facilitate both the side interface cutters 206 and the cutting elements 120 to pass into a plane of the opposing side interface cutters 206 and cutting elements 120 without contacting the opposing side interface cutters 206 and cutting elements 120. Debris caught in the cutting elements 120 may span the gap 402 between one or more cutting elements 120. Thus, as the rolling cutter assembly 104 rotates about the longitudinal axis 128 the debris spanning the gap 402 between one or more of the cutting elements 120 may contact one or more of the stationary side interface cutters 206 positioned within the gaps 402, such that the debris may be broken up through the interface between the side interface cutters 206 and the cutting elements 120. For example, the stationary side interface cutters 206 and rotating cutting elements 120 may combine to form a scissor-like engagement that may break up the debris caught in the cutting elements 120 of the rolling cutter assembly 104.

The side interface cutters 206 may have geometry that may extend higher into the gaps 402 between the cutting elements 120. For example, the side interface cutters 206 may include conical cutting elements, domed cutting elements, scribe cutting elements, etc., which extend into the associated gap 402. Increasing the height of the side interface cutters 206 may substantially reduce the amount of debris that passes through the interface between the cutting elements 120 and the side interface cutters 206.

FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged view of the face interface surface 202 of the earth-boring tool 100. The face interface surface 202 may extend in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 128 (FIG. 1) of the rolling cutter assembly 104 (FIG. 1). In some embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may be arranged in a row as illustrated in FIG. 5. The row of face interface cutters 208 may positioned proximate a leading edge 502 of the face interface surface 202 as illustrated in FIG. 5. In another embodiment, the row of face interface cutters 208 may be positioned proximate a trailing edge 504 of the face interface surface 202. In some embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may be arranged as an array of face interface cutters 208 across the face interface surface 202.

The face interface cutters 208 may have a cutting face 302 that is substantially planar. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the face interface cutters 208 may extend from the face interface surface 202, such that the cutting faces 302 of the face interface cutters 208 are substantially parallel to a plane of the face interface surface 202 and are offset from the plane of the face interface surface 202. The face interface cutters 208 may be formed from a material that has a greater wear resistance (e.g., a higher abrasion resistance, a harder material, etc.) than the face interface surface 202.

During a drilling operation debris, such as formation debris, may be disposed between the face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 (FIG. 1) and the face interface surface 202. The face interface cutters 208 may break up the debris disposed between the face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 (FIG. 1) and the face interface surface 202, such that the debris may be flushed (e.g., removed) from the region between the face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 (FIG. 1) and the face interface surface 202 by the fluid supplied by the nozzles 108. Furthermore, the face interface cutters 208 may be the first materials to contact the debris, such that the face interface cutters 208 may wear before the face interface surface 202 contacts the debris and begins to wear. The higher wear resistance of the face interface cutters 208 may increase the service life of the earth-boring tool 100.

The face interface cutters 208 may be secured to the face interface surface 202 in a manner that is reversible, such that the face interface cutters 208 may be removed and/or replaced when the face interface cutters 208 become worn. For example, the face interface cutters 208 may be cutting elements secured to the face interface surface 202, such as through a brazing or welding process. As the face interface cutters 208 become worn, the face interface cutters 208 may be removed and/or replaced. Replacing worn face interface cutters 208 may substantially reduce wear to the face interface surface 202 and other components of the earth-boring tool 100. In some embodiments, the face interface cutters 208 may be secured to the face interface surface 202 in a non-removable manner. For example, the face interface cutters 208 may be secured to the face interface surface 202 through an interference fit or an adhesive.

In some embodiments, the face interface surface 202 may include hardfacing to improve the wear resistance of the face interface surface 202 relative to the other components of the earth-boring tool 100. In other embodiments, the face interface surface 202 may be formed from impregnated materials, wherein the material of the face interface surface 202 may be impregnated with super hard materials, such as diamond, boron nitride, silicon carbide, carbides or borides of titanium, tungsten, or tantalum to increase a wear resistance of the face interface surface 202.

FIG. 6 illustrates an enlarged view of an interface between the face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 and the face interface surface 202. The face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 may be substantially free of cutting elements 120, such that the face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 may be substantially planar. As the rolling cutter assembly 104 rotates about the longitudinal axis 128, the face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 may rotate past the face interface cutters 208 protruding from the face interface surface 202. The protruding face interface cutters 208 may break up debris that becomes trapped between the face 124 of the rolling cutter assembly 104 and the face interface surface 202, which may facilitate the removal of the debris with fluid supplied by the nozzles 108.

Non-limiting example embodiments of the disclosure may include:

Embodiment 1 : An earth-boring tool comprising: a tool body; at least one blade; a rolling cutter pocket defined in the tool body adjacent the at least one blade; a rolling cutter assembly disposed in the pocket, the rolling cutter assembly including a plurality of cutting elements extending from a surface of the rolling cutter assembly; at least one interface cutting element extending from a surface of the pocket.

Embodiment 2: The earth-boring tool of embodiment 1, wherein the plurality of cutting elements are arranged in at least two rings about the surface of the rolling cutter assembly.

Embodiment 3 : The earth-boring tool of embodiment 2, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends from the surface of the pocket at a position that coincides with a gap between the at least two rings.

Embodiment 4: The earth-boring tool of embodiment 3, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends into a plane of the at least two rings of the plurality of cutting elements without contacting the plurality of cutting elements.

Embodiment 5: The earth-boring tool of any one of embodiments 1 through 4, wherein the at least one interface cutting element is formed from a super hard material.

Embodiment 6: The earth-boring tool of embodiment 5, wherein the super hard material comprises at least one of diamond, boron nitride, silicon carbide, a carbide of titanium, tungsten, or tantalum, and a boride of titanium, tungsten, or tantalum.

Embodiment 7: The earth-boring tool of any one of embodiments 1 through 6, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends from the surface of the pocket toward the surface of the rolling cutter assembly from which the plurality of cutting elements extend.

Embodiment 8: The earth-boring tool of any one of embodiments 1 through 7, wherein the at least one interface cutting element extends from the surface of the pocket toward a face of the rolling cutter assembly, wherein the face of the rolling cutter assembly is free of the plurality of cutting elements.

Embodiment 9: The earth-boring tool of any one of embodiments 1 through 8, wherein the at least one interface cutting element comprises a non-flat cutting face.

Embodiment 10: The earth-boring tool of embodiment 9, wherein the non-flat cutting face comprises at least one of a domed cutting face, a conical cutting face, and a scribe cutting face.

Embodiment 11 : The earth-boring tool of any one of embodiments 1 through 10, wherein the at least one interface cutting element comprises a substantially planar cutting face.

Embodiment 12: A method of forming an earth-boring tool comprising: forming a tool body comprising at least one blade and a pocket defined in the tool body adjacent the at least one blades; coupling at least one interface cutting element to the tool body in the pocket; disposing a rolling cutter assembly into the pocket, wherein the at least one interface cutting element is positioned between at least two cutting elements extending from the rolling cutter assembly.

Embodiment 13: The method of embodiment 12, wherein coupling the at least one interface cutting element to the tool body comprises removably coupling the at least one interface cutting element to the tool body.

Embodiment 14: The method of any one of embodiments 12 or 13, wherein disposing the rolling cutter assembly into the pocket comprises rotatably coupling the rolling cutter assembly to an arm adjacent to the pocket.

Embodiment 15: The method of any one of embodiments 12 through 14, wherein disposing the rolling cutter assembly into the pocket, comprises positioning the rolling cutter assembly, such that a first ring of cutting elements comprising a first cutting element the at least two cutting elements is positioned on a first side of the at least one interface cutting element and a second ring of cutting elements comprising a second cutting element of the at least two cutting elements is positioned on a second opposite side of the at least one interface cutting element.

Embodiment 16: An earth-boring tool comprising: a rolling cutter assembly configured to rotate relative to a tool body of the earth-boring tool about a longitudinal axis of the rolling cutter assembly; one or more interface cutting elements extending from the tool body toward a surface of the rolling cutter assembly, the one or more interface cutting elements configured to break up debris in a region between the rolling cutter assembly and the tool body.

Embodiment 17: The earth-boring tool of embodiment 16, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements extend from the tool body toward a face surface of the rolling cutter assembly, wherein the face surface of the rolling cutter assembly is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rolling cutter assembly.

Embodiment 18: The earth-boring tool of embodiment 17, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements include a substantially planar cutting face extending in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rolling cutter assembly.

Embodiment 19: The earth-boring tool of any one of embodiments 16 through 18, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements extend from the tool body toward a side surface of the rolling cutter assembly.

Embodiment 20: The earth-boring tool of embodiment 19, wherein the one or more interface cutting elements comprise at least two interface cutting elements aligned with the longitudinal axis of the rolling cutter assembly. Embodiments of the disclosure, may increase self-cleaning of roller cones in a hybrid drill bit. For example, the embodiments of the disclosure may facilitate the breaking up and removal of debris caught between the roller cone and the body of the earth-boring tool. Breaking up the debris may facilitate the removal of the debris by fluid supplied by nozzles in the earth-boring tool. Breaking up and removing debris from between the roller cone and the body of the earth-boring tool may reduce wear of the components of the earth-boring tool and may increase a service life of the earth-boring tool. Breaking up and removing debris from between the roller cone and the body of the earth-boring tool may also maximize the effective exposure of the roller cone inserts improving the performance of the associated hybrid drill bit.

Furthermore, the self-cleaning features of the earth-boring tool may also be configured to be removable and/or replaceable. Thus, the features may act as wear parts, which may further extend the service life of the associated earth-boring tool. For example, the wear parts may wear in lieu of the body of the earth-boring tool, such that the earth-boring tool may be reused after the wear parts are replaced. The expense of an earth-boring tool may be significantly higher than the expense of individual cutting elements, such that replacing cutting elements rather than replacing an entire earth-boring tool may substantially reduce the costs of a drilling operation.

The embodiments of the disclosure described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures do not limit the scope of the invention, since these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, various modifications of the present disclosure, in addition to those shown and described herein, such as alternative useful combinations of the elements described, may become apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.