Patent ID: 7481284

Claim:
A nozzle for use on a rotary drill bit for forming a subterranean borehole, the nozzle comprising: a nozzle body configured to be secured within a drill bit; and at least one fluid passageway extending through the nozzle body from an inlet to an exit aperture, the at least one fluid passageway comprising: a converging region extending from a converging region entrance to a throat, the cross-sectional area of the at least one fluid passageway being a minimum at the throat; and a diverging region extending from the throat to an exit aperture, the cross-sectional area of the at least one fluid passageway increasing at least substantially continuously from the throat to the exit aperture, at least a portion of the diverging region of the at least one fluid passageway being at least substantially bifurcated, wherein a cross-sectional area of the at least one fluid passageway at the throat is between about fifty percent (50%) and about (80%) of a cross-sectional area of the at least one fluid passageway at the inlet.