1-24. (canceled)
25. A drill bit for drilling a borehole in earthen formation, the bit comprising:
a bit body having a bit axis and a bit face;
a plurality of primary blades, each primary blade extending radially along the bit face, each primary blade includes a cutter-supporting surface, the cutter-supporting surface of one or more of the primary blades defines a composite blade profile in rotated profile view extending from proximate the bit axis to an outer radius of the bit body; and
a plurality of cutter elements mounted to the cutter-supporting surface of the plurality of primary blades, wherein:
each cutter element has a forward-facing cutting face with a cutting edge adapted to penetrate and shear the earthen formation;
the cutting faces of the plurality of cutter elements define a composite outermost cutting profile in rotated profile view that extends radially from a first end proximate the bit axis to a second end at the radially outermost gage region;
at least a portion of the composite outermost cutting profile extends an axial distance beyond the composite blade profile;
the composite outermost cutting profile includes at least one concave region radially offset from the bit axis;
the cutting face of each cutter element defining the composite outermost cutting profile disposed between the cutter element at the first end and the cutter element at the second end of the composite outermost cutting profile partially overlaps with the cutting faces of two adjacent cutter elements in rotated profile view.
26. The drill bit of clam 25, wherein the outermost composite cutting profile is continuously contoured.
27. The drill bit of claim 25, wherein the outermost composite cutting profile comprises a plurality of concave regions.
28. The drill bit of claim 25, wherein one or more cutting faces defining the composite outermost cutting profile have different extension heights.
29. The drill bit of clam 28, wherein at least one of the plurality of primary blades further comprises a depth-of-cut limiter.
30. The drill bit of clam 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of primary blades further comprises a depth-of-cut limiter.
31. The drill bit of claim 25, wherein the outermost cutting profile is substantially parallel to the composite blade profile.
32. The drill bit of claim 25, wherein at least a portion of the outermost cutting profile is non-parallel to the composite blade profile.
33. The drill bit of claim 25, wherein the composite outermost cutting profile includes a plurality of convex regions, one of the convex regions being disposed between concave regions.
34. The drill bit of claim 25 further comprising:
a plurality of secondary blades extending radially along the bit face, each secondary blade including a cutter-supporting surface;
a plurality of cutter elements mounted to the cutter-supporting surface of the secondary blades, wherein each cutter element on each secondary blade has a forward-facing cutting face with a cutting edge adapted to penetrate and shear the earthen formation.
35. A method for forming a borehole in earthen formation comprising:
mounting a drill bit on the lower end of a drill string, the bit comprising:
a bit body having a bit axis and a bit face;
a plurality of primary blades, each primary blade extending radially along the bit face, each primary blade includes a cutter-supporting surface, the cutter-supporting surface of one or more of the primary blades defines a composite blade profile in rotated profile view extending from proximate the bit axis to an outer radius of the bit body; and
a plurality of cutter elements mounted to the cutter-supporting surface of the plurality of primary blades, wherein:
each cutter element has a forward-facing cutting face with a cutting edge adapted to penetrate and shear the earthen formation;
the cutting faces of the plurality of cutter elements define a composite outermost cutting profile in rotated profile view that extends radially from a first end proximate the bit axis to a second end at the radially outermost gage region;
at least a portion of the composite outermost cutting profile extends an axial distance beyond the composite blade profile;
the composite outermost cutting profile includes at least one concave region radially offset from the bit axis; and
the cutting face of each cutter element defining the composite outermost cutting profile disposed between the cutter element at the first end and the cutter element at the second end of the composite outermost cutting profile partially overlaps with the cutting faces of two adjacent cutter elements in rotated profile view; and
rotating the drill bit to form the borehole in the earthen formation.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the outermost composite cutting profile is continuously contoured.
37. The method of claim 35, wherein the outermost composite cutting profile comprises a plurality of concave regions.
38. The method of claim 35, wherein one or more cutting faces defining the composite outermost cutting profile have different extension heights.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein at least one of the plurality of primary blades further comprises a depth-of-cut limiter.
40. The method of clam 35, wherein at least one of the plurality of primary blades further comprises a depth-of-cut limiter.
41. The method of claim 35, wherein the outermost cutting profile is substantially parallel to the composite blade profile.
42. The method of claim 35, wherein at least a portion of the outermost cutting profile is non-parallel to the composite blade profile.
43. The method of claim 35, wherein the composite outermost cutting profile includes a plurality of convex regions, one of the convex regions being disposed between concave regions.
44. The method of claim 35 further comprising:
a plurality of secondary blades extending radially along the bit face, each secondary blade including a cutter-supporting surface;
a plurality of cutter elements mounted to the cutter-supporting surface of the secondary blades, wherein each cutter element on each secondary blade has a forward-facing cutting face with a cutting edge adapted to penetrate and shear the earthen formation.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A surgical gel system for coating and adhering to a wound area to control bleeding whilst supporting wound healing, the gel system comprising polyanhydroglucuronic acid or a biocompatible salt thereof in an amount of from 1% to 15% by weight and pectin in an amount of from 0.1% to 9% by weight.
2. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 comprising polyanhydroglucuronic acid or a biocompatible salt thereof in an amount of from 3% to 10% by weight.
3. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 comprising polyanhydroglucuronic acid or a biocompatible salt thereof in an amount of approximately 9% by weight.
4. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 comprising pectin in an amount of approximately 4%.
5. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 comprising pectin in an amount of approximately 3.6%.
6. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the viscosity of the gel is from 100,000 to 350,000 cP when measured at 37\xb0 C.
7. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the viscosity of the gel is from 200,000 to 350,000 cP when measured at 37\xb0 C.
8. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the viscosity of the gel is from 200,000 to 300,000 cP when measured at 37\xb0 C.
9. The The gel system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the viscosity of the gel is from 25,000 to 200,000 cP when measured at 37\xb0 C.
10. The gel system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the viscosity of the gel is from 75,000 to 125,000 cP when measured at 37\xb0 C.
11. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tack of the gel system is from 70 mN and 110 mN.
12. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the system comprises a lubricating agent.
13. The gel system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the lubricating agent comprises glycerine.
14. The gel system as claimed in claim 13 comprising glycerine in an amount from of 2% to 8% (ww).
15. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 comprising a stability enhancer.
16. The gel system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the stability enhancer is selected from one or more of ethanol and potassium sorbate.
17. The gel system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the stability enhancer comprises ethanol in an amount of from 0% to 8% (ww).
18. The gel system in claim 17 wherein the ethanol is present in an amount of from 3% to 7% (ww).
19. The gel system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the stability enhancer comprises potassium sorbate in an amount of from 0.05% to 1% (ww).
20. The gel system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the potassium sorbate is present in an amount of from 0.05% to 1% (ww).
21. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 comprising glycerine in an amount of from 2% to 8% (ww), ethanol in an amount of 0% to 8% (ww) and potassium sorbate in an amount of from 0.05% to 1% (ww).
22. A gel system comprising approximately 9% (ww) polyanhydroglucuronic acid, approximately 4% (ww) pectin, approximately 3% (ww), glycerine, approximately 5% (ww) ethanol, approximately 0.2% (ww) potassium sorbate, and approximately 78.8% (ww) water.
23. A gel system comprising approximately 9% (ww) polyanhydroglucuronic acid, approximately 3.6% (ww) pectin, approximately 2.9% (ww), glycerine, approximately 5.1% (ww) ethanol, approximately 0.2% (ww) potassium sorbate, and approximately 79.2% (ww) water
24. A gel system comprising approximately 4% (ww) polyanhydroglucuronic acid, approximately 4% (ww) pectin, approximately 4% (ww), glycerine, approximately 5% (ww) ethanol, approximately 0.5% (ww) potassium sorbate, and approximately 82.5% (ww) water.
25. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 comprising an anti-microbial agent.
26. The gel composition as claimed in claim 1 which is sterilisable by gamma irradiation.
27. The gel system as claimed in claim 1 which is capable of being removed by dissolution, by surgical flushing (lavage) or by bioresorption or by biabsorption or by biodegradation.
28. The gel system as claimed claim 1 which is capable of being applied to complex geometries that may be inverted in space.
29. The syringe containing the gel composition as claimed in claim 1.
30. The use of the gel system as claimed in claim 1
control bleeding during or after sinus surgery;
control bleeding in ear nose and throat procedures;
control bleeding in general reconstructive plastic surgery;
control bleeding in neurological surgery;
control of bleeding following biopsy;
control bleeding in vascular surgery;
control bleeding in oncological organ resection to remove tumors;
control bleeding in gynecological procedures; or
general topical control of bleeding.