Field of Invention

[0001] The present disclosure relates to attachments for the bucket of construction equipment, such as excavators and loaders.

Background

[0002] The buckets on construction equipment, such as loaders and excavators, are often fitted with replaceable wear parts. Wear parts are configured to fit onto various portions of the bucket. For example, buckets often have replaceable teeth along the bottom edge of the bucket. Edge segments may be added between the teeth. Shrouds or side cutters may be added to the side edges of the bucket. The useful life of the bucket may be extended by replacing these wear parts as they become worn, instead of replacing the entire bucket.

[0003] Shrouds and side cutters presently are fixed to the side wall of a bucket by bolts or pins that pass through holes in the side wall of the bucket. This arrangement requires the added step of making holes through the side wall of the bucket and results in the wear parts being custom tailored to a specific bucket. The present disclosure seeks to provide wear attachments for construction equipment buckets that improve upon these drawbacks of the prior art.

Summary

[0004] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a wear attachment for a bucket of a construction vehicle includes a wear body, a wedge and a threaded fastener. The wear body is provided with a threaded bore, first and second side walls, and a front wall configured to at least partially cover an edge of the bucket. At least one of the first or second side wall of the wear body defines a pocket. The threaded fastener cooperates with the threaded bore to couple the wedge to the wear body. The threaded fastener also cooperates with the threaded bore to couple the wear body to an edge of the bucket by driving the wedge into the pocket and forcefully wedging the wedge between the pocket and the bucket so that the wedge applies a normal force on the bucket to clamp the bucket between the wedge and a portion of the first or second wall opposite the pocket.

[0005] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of coupling a wear attachment to a bucket of a construction vehicle is provided. The wear attachment includes a wear body provided with a threaded bore, first and second side walls, and a front wall, wherein at least one of the first or second side wall defines a pocket. The wear attachment also includes a wedge and a threaded fastener that cooperates with the threaded bore. The method includes the step of at least partially covering an edge of the bucket with the wear body. The method also includes the steps of inserting the wedge into the pocket, driving the wedge into the pocket with the threaded fastener, and wedging the wedge between the pocket and the bucket with the threaded fastener so that the wedge applies a normal force on the bucket to clamp the bucket between the wedge and a portion of the first or second wall opposite the pocket.

[0006] These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiments, when considered in conjunction with the drawings. It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.

Aspects of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a wear attachment for a bucket of a construction vehicle comprises a wear body provided with a threaded bore, first and second side walls, and a front wall configured to at least partially cover an edge of the bucket. At least one of the first or second side wall defines a pocket. The wear attachment further comprises a wedge, and a threaded fastener that cooperates with the threaded bore to couple the wedge to the wear body, and that cooperates with the threaded bore to couple the wear body to an edge of the bucket by driving the wedge into the pocket and forcefully wedging the wedge between the pocket and the bucket so that the wedge applies a normal force on the bucket to clamp the bucket between the wedge and a portion of the first or second wall opposite the pocket.

[0008] Preferably, the first and second walls of the wear body define a channel that receives the edge of the bucket and the pocket is open to the channel.

[0009] Preferably, channel is defined by the first wall positioned within the bucket, the second wall positioned outside of the bucket, and the front wall extending between the first wall and the second wall for covering the edge of the bucket.

[0010] Preferably, the pocket is tapered in a direction toward the front wall.

[0011] Preferably, the wedge includes a base and a tip, the wedge is preferably tapered in a direction toward the tip, and the threaded fastener acts on the base of the wedge.

[0012] Preferably, the threaded fastener drives the wedge toward the front wall of the wear attachment.

[0013] Preferably, the wedge includes a base, a tip, a pocket facing surface, and is tapered in a direction from the base toward the tip. Preferably, the pocket includes a ramped surface, and the fastener acts on the base of the wedge so that as the wedge is driven into the pocket, the pocket facing surface slides against the ramped surface. [0014] Preferably, the wedge includes a base, a tip, a pocket facing surface, a bucket facing surface opposite the pocket facing surface, and is tapered from the base in a direction toward the tip. Preferably, the pocket includes a ramped surface, and the fastener acts on the base of the wedge to drive the wedge into the pocket and so that as the wedge is driven into the pocket, the pocket facing surface slides against the ramped surface of the pocket and so that the bucket facing surface applies the normal force on the bucket that increases the further the wedge is driven into the pocket to clamp the bucket between the bucket facing surface and the portion of the first or second wall opposite the pocket.

[0015] Preferably, the wedge has a passage that extends through the base and that receives the threaded fastener.

[0016] Preferably, the threaded bore extends into the pocket.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of coupling a wear attachment to a bucket of a construction vehicle comprises at least partially covering an edge of the bucket with a wear body of the wear attachment. The wear attachment includes the wear body, provided with a threaded bore, first and second side walls, and a front wall, wherein at least one of the first or second side wall defines a pocket. The wear attachment also includes a wedge and a threaded fastener that cooperates with the threaded bore. The method further comprises the steps of inserting the wedge into the pocket, driving the wedge into the pocket with the threaded fastener, and wedging the wedge between the pocket and the bucket with the threaded fastener so that the wedge applies a normal force on the bucket to clamp the bucket between the wedge and a portion of the first or second wall opposite the pocket. [0018] Preferably, the first and second walls of the wear body define a channel, and at least partially covering the edge of the bucket comprises receiving the edge of the bucket in the channel.

[0019] Preferably, the step of receiving the edge of the bucket in the channel comprises placing the wear body over a desired location on the edge and pushing the wear body onto the bucket until the edge contacts an interior surface of the front wall.

[0020] Preferably, the wedge includes a base and a tip, with the wedge tapered in a direction toward the tip, and the step of inserting the wedge into the pocket comprises inserting the tip of the wedge into the pocket from a rear end of the wear body.

[0021] Preferably, the wedge includes a base and a tip, with wedge tapered in a direction toward the tip, and the step of driving the wedge into the pocket comprises acting on the base of the wedge with the threaded fastener.

[0022] Preferably, the step of driving the wedge into the pocket with the threaded fastener comprises driving the wedge toward the front wall of the wear attachment.

[0023] Preferably, the wedge includes a base, a tip, a pocket facing surface, and is tapered in a direction from the base toward the tip, and the pocket includes a ramped surface. Preferably, the step of driving the wedge into the pocket further comprises sliding the pocket facing surface against the ramped surface as the wedge is driven into the pocket.

[0024] Preferably, the wedge includes a base, a tip, a pocket facing surface, a bucket facing surface opposite the pocket facing surface, and is tapered from the base in a direction toward the tip, and the pocket includes a ramped surface. Preferably, the step of driving the wedge into the pocket further comprises sliding the pocket facing surface against the ramped surface as the wedge is driven into the pocket so that the bucket facing surface applies the normal force on the bucket that increases the further the wedge is driven into the pocket to clamp the bucket between the bucket facing surface and the portion of the first or second wall opposite the pocket.

[0025] Preferably, the step of driving the wedge into the pocket with the threaded fastener comprises rotating the threaded fastener such that each turn of the threaded fastener provides a fine adjustment to the normal force.

[0026] Preferably, the wedge includes a base and a tip, the wedge is tapered in a direction toward the tip, and the wedge further comprises a passage that extends through the base. Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of inserting the threaded fastener into the passage and engaging threads of the threaded fastener with threads of the threaded bore.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a loader having a bucket including a wear attachment according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a wear attachment applied to the bucket. [0029] FIG. 3 is a rear exploded view of the wear attachment of FIG. 2.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a wedge of the wear attachment according to one embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along plane V-V of FIG. 2 with the wedge in a first position. [0032] FIG. 6 is a cross section taken along plane V-V of FIG. 2 with the wedge in a subsequent position.

[0033] FIG. 7 is a cross section taken along plane VII-VII of FIG. 2 with the wedge in a first position.

[0034] FIG. 8 is a cross section taken along plane VII-VII of FIG. 2 with the wedge in a subsequent position.

Detailed Description

[0035] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are described below and illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views. The embodiments described provide examples and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments, and modifications and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such other embodiments, modifications and improvements are within the scope of the present invention. Features from one embodiment or aspect may be combined with features from any other embodiment or aspect in any appropriate combination. For example, any individual or collective features of method aspects or embodiments may be applied to apparatus, product, or component aspects or embodiments and vice versa.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a construction vehicle 10 with a cab 12 and a bucket 14. The illustrated construction vehicle 10 is a wheel loader, but the present disclosure may be equally applicable to other construction vehicles, such as excavators and other types of loaders. The bucket 14 includes a first bucket side wall 16, a second bucket side wall 18, and a bottom 20 forming an opening 22 into a bucket interior 24. The first and second bucket side walls 16, 18 have side edges 26 and the bottom 20 has bottom edge 28. As used herein, an inward direction is defined as a direction from the pening 22 into the bucket interior 24, and an outward direction is defined as a direction from th ucket interior 24 toward the opening 22.

[0037] The bucket 14 in FIG. 1 includes one or more wear attachments 30 mounted to the first and second bucket side walls 16, 18 and the bottom 20. FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of one of the wear attachments 30 mounted to the bucket 14. The wear attachment 30 of FIG. 2 is illustrated in this embodiment in the form of a shroud. Wear attachments 30 may, within the scope of the present embodiment, take additional forms, including, but not limited to side cutters or edge segments. According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the wear attachments 30 are configured to be removably clamped onto the bucket 14, so that the wear attachments may be removed and replaced if worn down.

[0038] An exploded view of one example wear attachment 30 is shown in FIG. 3. The wear attachment 30 includes a wear body 32, at least one wedge 34, and at least one threaded fastener 36. The wear body 32 includes a first wall 40, a second wall 42, and a front wall 44. The front wall 44 extends between the first wall 40 and the second wall 42 and is configured to at least partially cover an edge 26, 28 of the bucket 14 (see FIG. 2) when the wear body 32 is mounted to a bucket 14.

[0039] The first wall 40, second wall 42, and front wall 44 define a channel 46 for receiving one of the first and second bucket side walls 16, 18 or the bottom 20. The interior surface 48 of each wall may be shaped to define a channel 46 that is u-shaped and may be substantially smooth or may be provided with teeth or other surface projections to enhance frictional contact with the bucket 14. As shown in FIG. 2, when mounted to the bucket 14, one of the first and second walls 40, 42 is positioned at least partially within the bucket interior 24, providing an inside wall, and one of the first and second walls is positioned along an exterior of a bucket side wall 16, 18, providing an outside wall. The first wall 40 and the second wall 42 may be substantially parallel with one another, or may have a variety of other shapes, such as, for example, converging in a direction away from the front wall 44. In some embodiments, the wear body 32 is symmetric. In some embodiments, the wear body 32 is reversible. Wear bodies 32 that are symmetric or reversible may be capable of use at multiple locations along the side edges 26 of the bucket 14, and may be capable of mounting on either the first or second bucket side wall 16, 18, reducing the number of unique attachments to protect the bucket.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 3, at least one pocket 50 may be formed into at least one of the first wall 40 and the second wall 42. The at least one pocket 50 is configured to receive at least one wedge 34. In one embodiment, the pockets 50 are formed in only one of the first and second walls 40, 42. In another embodiment, the pockets 50 may be formed in both the first and second walls 40, 42. When provided in both the first and second walls 40, 42, the pockets 50 may be arranged in a number of ways, including, but not limited to, directly opposite one another in mirror image configuration or along the length of the wear body 32. In one embodiment, the pockets 50 are formed in the wall 40, 42 intended to be the outside wall. Forming the pocket 50 in the outside wall may provide easier access for securing the wear attachment 30 to the bucket 14.

[0041] The pocket 50 of the illustrated embodiment is open to the channel 46 and open to a rear end 52 of the wear body 32. The pocket 50 is ramped, such as, for example, by being angled or curved, so that the pocket 50 is formed into the walls 40 or 42 at a depth D that decreases in a direction toward the front wall 44. As shown, the pocket 50 may include a ramped surface 56 that faces the channel 46. Also shown, the ramped surface 56 is angled or curved so that the pocket 50 is formed into the walls 40 or 42 at a depth D that decrease in a direction toward the front wall 44. In the illustrated example, the ramped surface 56 is shown generally flat and angled relative to the interior surface 48 of the respective first or second wall 40, 42. [0042] The wear body 32 may also include at least one threaded bore 60. According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the threaded bore 60 extends into the pocket 50. According to another aspect of the present embodiment, the threaded bore 60 extends into the ramped surface 56 of the pocket 50. The threaded bore 60 is configured to receive a threaded portion of the threaded fastener 36. In some embodiments, more than one threaded bore 60 may be located in a pocket 50.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 4, the wedge 34 has a tip 70 and a base 72. The wedge 34 is ramped or tapered, such as, for example, by being angled or curved, so that the wedge 34 is provided with a width W that decreases from the base 72 to the tip 70. In one embodiment, the wedge 34 is provided with a pocket facing surface 76 and an opposing bucket facing surface 78. According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the pocket facing surface 76 is shaped so that the wedge 34 is provided with a width W extending between the pocket facing surface 76 and bucket facing surface 78 that decreases from the base 72 to the tip 70. According to another aspect of the present embodiment, the pocket facing surface 76 may be curved or angled so that the wedge 34 is provided with a width W extending between the pocket facing surface 76 and bucket facing surface 78 that decreases from the base 72 to the tip 70.

[0044] In the presently illustrated embodiment, the pocket facing surface 76 and the bucket facing surface 78 are each substantially planar, and the pocket facing surface 76 lies in a plane that extends at an angle a relative to the bucket facing surface 78. The angle a preferably ranges from about 10 degrees to about 25 degrees. Turning now to FIGs. 5 and 6, when the wedge 34 is fully driven and seated in the pocket 50 by the threaded fastener 36, and the wear body 32 is clamped onto the bucket 14, the ramped surface 56 of the pocket 50 preferably lies in a plane that extends at angle a relative to the bucket facing surface 78. The bucket facing surface 78 may be provided with surface projections (not shown) to increase the grip between the bucket facing surface and the respective bucket side wall 16, 18 when the wedge 34 is seated within the pocket 50. [0045] The wedge 34 also includes a passage 90 extending from the base 72 to the pocket facing surface 76. The passage 90 may be an aperture, bore, groove, or recess configured to receive the threaded fastener 36 and allow the threaded fastener 36 to mate with the threaded bore 60 of the wear body 32. In some embodiments, the wedge 34 may include more than one passage 90 to receive more than one threaded fastener 36.

[0046] Turning now to FIGs. 3 and 7, the threaded fastener 36 according to one embodiment is illustrated. According to one aspect of the present embodiment, the threaded fastener 36 couples the wedge 34 to the wear body 32. According to another aspect of the present embodiment, the threaded fastener 36 couples the wear body 32 to an edge of the bucket 14. According to still yet another aspect of the present embodiment, the threaded fastener 36 drives the wedge 34 into the pocket 50 so that the wedge 34 applies a normal force on the bucket 14 to clamp the bucket between the wedge and the portion of the first or second wall 40, 42 opposite the pocket 50. As shown in FIG. 3, the threaded fastener 36 of the present embodiment includes a threaded shaft 94 and a head 96. The threaded fastener 36 may optionally include a washer 98.

[0047] As shown in FIGs. 5-7, to clamp the wear body 32 of the present embodiment onto the bucket 14, first the wear body 32 is placed over a desired location on an edge 26, 28 and pushed onto the bucket until the edge 26, 28 contacts the interior surface 48 of the front wall 44. Then, the tip 70 of the wedge 34 is inserted into a pocket 50 from the rear end 52 of the wear body 32. Next, the threaded shaft 94 of the threaded fastener 36 is inserted into the passage 90 and torqued so that the threads of the threaded shaft 94 engage with the threaded bore 60 in the wear body 32. As the threaded fastener 36 is rotated, the head 96 exerts a clamping force that is applied to the base 72 of the wedge 34. This clamping force drives the wedge 34 into the pocket 50 and secures the wedge to the wear body 32. Additionally, as this occurs, sliding contact between the pocket facing surface 76 and the ramped surface 56 occurs, which urges the wedge 34 closer toward the channel 46 and the bucket 14 the further the wedge 34 is driven into the pocket 50 by the threaded fastener 36. As this continues to occur, the wedge 34 is eventually driven by the clamp load exerted by the threaded fastener 36 so as to be forcibly wedged between the ramped surface 56 of the pocket 50 and a bucket side wall 16, 18 or bottom 20 of the bucket 14. Once the threaded fastener 36 is sufficiently tightened, the wedge 34 is seated in the pocket 50 and the bucket facing surface 78 applies a sufficient normal force on the bucket 14 to clamp the bucket 14 between the wedge 34 and the portion of the first or second wall 40, 42 opposite the pocket 50, which may, in alternative embodiments include another wedge (not shown) located in another pocket (not shown).

[0048] In embodiments, as shown in FIG 8, the bucket facing surface 78 and the first or second wall 40, 42 opposite the pocket 50 may be substantially flush against the bucket side wall 16, 18 or bottom 20 of the bucket when the threaded fastener 36 is tightened and the wear body 32 is releasably secured to the bucket 14. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 6, the pocket facing surface 76 of the present embodiment may lie substantially flush against the ramped surface 56. The normal force between the wedge 34 and the bucket 14, and normal force between the wedge and the first or second wall 40, 42 including the pocket 50, increases the more the wedge is driven into the pocket 50 toward the front wall 44 by the rotation of the threaded fastener 36. Therefore, in embodiments where the ramped surface 56 is angled from about 10 to about 25 degrees with respect to the bucket facing surface 78, each turn of the threaded fastener 36 provides a fine adjustment to the normal force.

[0049] Advantageously, the described normal force is sufficient to maintain the wear body 32 on a wide variety of buckets without requiring holes to be drilled into the bucket 14 and the provision of a custom tailored wear body with corresponding holes. Advantageously, once the threaded fastener 36 is sufficiently tightened to drive the wedge 34 into the pocket 50, fasten the wedge 34 to the wear body 32, and clamp the wedge 34 and wear body 32 onto the bucket side wall 16, 18 or bottom 20 of the bucket 14, the wedge 34 cannot back out of the pocket 50, such that the wear body 32 may be removed from the bucket 14, unless friction between the wedge 34 and the wear body 32, friction between the wedge 34 and the bucket 14, and friction between the threads of the threaded shaft 94 and the threaded bore 60 are all overcome.

[0050] Advantageously, the wear attachments 30 of the present embodiment may be configured for use on a wide variety of buckets, without requiring holes arranged to specifically correspond with any apertures formed through the bucket. Reducing or eliminating the apertures may reduce the manufacturing cost of the bucket 14. Use of the wear attachments on a variety of buckets may provide increased convenience to the operator of the construction vehicle 10. Further, by locating the threaded fastener 36 at the rear end 52 of the wear body 32 as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the threaded fasteners may themselves be more protected from wear than pins passing through the bucket side walls 16, 18, which may be useful because the threaded fasteners of traditional wear parts sometimes wear out more quickly than the wear bodies themselves.

[0051] Although the above disclosure has been presented in the context of exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.