Patent ID: 7258176

Claim:
A method of drilling a bore in a formation, the method comprising: supplying solid material impactors to a drill bit comprising a longitudinal axis; and discharging the solid material impactors from the drill bit so that at least a portion of the solid material impactors contacts the formation, comprising: discharging a first portion of the solid material impactors from the drill bit in a first direction, the first direction comprising: a first directional component that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drill bit; and a second directional component extending from, and perpendicular to, the first directional component; and discharging a second portion of the solid material impactors from the drill bit in a second direction, the second direction comprising: a third directional component that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drill bit; and a fourth directional component extending from, and perpendicular to, the third directional component.