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An earth-boring tool includes a tool body having an aperture therein defining a nozzle port, a nozzle or nozzle assembly disposed in the nozzle port, and a shape memory material disposed adjacent a surface of at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly. The shape memory material retains

An earth-boring tool includes a tool body having an aperture therein defining a nozzle port, a nozzle or nozzle assembly disposed in the nozzle port, and a shape memory material disposed adjacent a surface of at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly. The shape memory material retains at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly by a threadless connection. The threadless connection includes mechanical interference between the shape memory material, the at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly, and the tool body or another component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly. The shape memory material is formulated and configured to transform from a first phase and a first shape upon heating and to transform from a second phase and a second shape upon cooling.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An earth-boring tool for use in forming a wellbore within a subterranean formation, comprising: a tool body having an aperture therein defining a nozzle port, the nozzle port extending between an internal fluid plenum within the tool body and an external surface of the tool body;a nozzle or nozzl

1. An earth-boring tool for use in forming a wellbore within a subterranean formation, comprising: a tool body having an aperture therein defining a nozzle port, the nozzle port extending between an internal fluid plenum within the tool body and an external surface of the tool body;a nozzle or nozzle assembly disposed in the nozzle port;at least one shape memory metal alloy disposed adjacent a surface of at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly and retaining the at least one component in position on the earth-boring tool by a threadless connection comprising mechanical interference between the at least one shape metal alloy, the at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly, and the tool body or another component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly; anda filler material disposed adjacent the at least one shape memory metal alloy and configured to at least substantially fill a cavity between the at least one shape memory metal alloy and at least one of the at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly, and the tool body or another component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly, the filler material having a melting point less than an austenitic phase transition temperature of the shape memory metal alloy. 2. The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one shape memory metal alloy is trained to exhibit a two-way shape memory effect. 3. The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one shape memory metal alloy is formulated and configured to release the at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly upon cooling the shape memory metal alloy to a predetermined temperature. 4. The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one shape memory metal alloy exhibits a one-way shape memory effect. 5. The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one shape memory metal alloy concentrically surrounds the at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly. 6. The earth-boring tool of claim 5, wherein the nozzle or nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle, and wherein the at least one shape memory metal alloy comprises an annular sleeve disposed between an inner surface of the tool body within the nozzle port and an outer side surface of the nozzle. 7. The earth-boring tool of claim 5, wherein the nozzle or nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle assembly including a nozzle and a fluid inlet tube, and wherein the at least one shape memory metal alloy comprises an annular sleeve disposed between an inner surface of the tool body within the nozzle port and an outer side surface of the fluid inlet tube. 8. The earth-boring tool of claim 5, wherein the nozzle or nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle assembly including a nozzle sleeve, a nozzle, and a fluid inlet tube, and wherein the at least one shape memory metal alloy comprises at least one annular ring disposed between an inner side surface of the nozzle sleeve and an outer side surface of the fluid inlet tube. 9. The earth-boring tool of claim 5, wherein the nozzle or nozzle assembly comprises a nozzle assembly including a nozzle sleeve and a nozzle, and wherein the at least one shape memory metal alloy comprises an annular sleeve disposed in a circumferential groove formed in an outer side surface of the nozzle sleeve. 10. The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the filler material has a melting point less than about 300° C. 11. The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the filler material comprises at least one of a Sn-based alloy, a Pb-based alloy, an In-based alloy, a Cd-based alloy, a Bi-based alloy or an Sb-based alloy. 12. A method of forming an earth-boring tool for use in forming a wellbore within a subterranean formation, comprising: disposing a nozzle or a nozzle assembly in a nozzle port of a tool body of the earth-boring tool, the nozzle port defined by an aperture in the tool body extending between an internal fluid plenum within the tool body and an external surface of the tool body;disposing at least one shape memory material adjacent a surface of at least one component of the nozzle or the nozzle assembly;disposing a molten filler material adjacent the at least one shape memory material; andtransforming the at least one shape memory material from a first phase to a second phase by application of a stimulus, wherein the at least one shape memory material is formulated and configured to retain at least one component of the nozzle or the nozzle assembly by a threadless connection in the second phase, the threadless connection comprising mechanical interference between the at least one shape memory material, the at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly, and the tool body or another component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly, the molten filler material at least substantially filling a cavity between the at least one shape memory material in the second phase and at least one of the at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly, and the tool body or another component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the stimulus comprises at least one of a thermal stimulus, an electrical stimulus, a magnetic stimulus, or a chemical stimulus. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein transforming the at least one shape memory material from the first phase to the second phase comprises transforming the at least one shape memory material from a first shape to a second shape and enlarging at least one dimension of the at least one shape memory material. 15. The method of claim 12, further comprising training the at least one shape memory material to exhibit a two-way shape memory effect prior to disposing the at least one shape memory material adjacent the surface of at least one component of the nozzle or the nozzle assembly. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising transforming the at least one shape memory material from the second phase to the first phase by cooling the at least one shape memory material to a first phase transition temperature and releasing the threadless connection between the at least one shape memory material, the at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly, and the tool body or another component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly. 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the filler material has a melting point less than a transition temperature of the second phase of the at least one shape memory material. 18. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one shape memory material comprises a shape memory metal alloy. 19. The method of claim 12, wherein the filler material is formulated and configured to retain the at least one component in position on the earth-boring tool by a threadless connection comprising mechanical interference between the filler material, the shape memory material, the at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly, and the tool body or another component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly. 20. The earth-boring tool of claim 1, wherein the filler material is formulated and configured to retain the at least one component in position on the earth-boring tool by a threadless connection comprising mechanical interference between the filler material, the shape memory metal alloy, the at least one component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly, and the tool body or another component of the nozzle or nozzle assembly.