Tip assembly for ground engagement tools

Abstract

Tip assembly for ground engagement tools The ground engagement tip assembly (10) includes a ground engagement tip (14), an adapter (12), and a retaining mechanism (13). The ground engagement tip includes inner surfaces (136, 137, 138, 146, 160, 166) extending inward from a trailing edge (90) that defines a nose cavity (126) within the ground engagement tip. The nose cavity includes a front inner surface (136), a top inner surface (146), a bottom inner surface (166), and opposing lateral inner surfaces (162). The top inner surface includes a front inner surface (148) adjacent to the front inner surface, which includes a front central inner surface (149) connecting two opposing front inclined surfaces (150), and a rear part (152) adjacent to the trailing edge, which includes a rear central inner surface (153) connecting two opposing rear inclined surfaces (154). The bottom inner surface (166) includes a tapered bottom channel (174). The adapter includes a nose (26) configured to be inserted into the nose cavity of the ground engagement tip. A retaining mechanism is configured to secure the ground engagement tip to the adapter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to earthmoving machinery having a ground engaging implement, and in particular to a tip assembly having a replaceable tip and adapter system attached to the leading edge or base edge of such a ground engaging implement. Background Art

[0002] Earthmoving machinery such as excavators, wheel loaders, hydraulic mining shovels, cable shovels, bucket wheels, bulldozers, and draglines are generally used for excavating and crushing soil and rock, and / or moving loosened excavated material from one location on site to another. These earthmoving machines include various earthmoving implements such as buckets or blades for excavating and moving excavated material. These implements can experience extreme wear due to the abrasion and impact they receive during earthmoving operations.

[0003] To facilitate the earthmoving process and extend the service life of the implement, a plurality of tip assemblies can be arranged along the base edge of the implement and attached to the surface of the implement. The tip assemblies project forwardly from the base edge as the first point of contact and penetration with the excavated material, reducing the amount of wear on the base edge. In this configuration, the tip assemblies may be subject to wear and damage caused by repeated engagement with the excavated material. Eventually, the tip assemblies must be replaced, but the implement may remain usable through multiple cycles of replacement of the tip assemblies. Depending on the various applications of the machine and the excavated material, it may also be desirable to change the type or shape of the tip assembly to most effectively utilize the implement.

[0004] Installation and replacement of the tip assembly can be facilitated by providing the tip assembly in a two-part system. The system may include an adapter mounted on the proximal edge of the fixture and a ground-engaging tip configured to be mounted on the adapter. The adapter and the ground-engaging tip may be connected by a retaining mechanism. The adapter may be welded, bolted, or fixed to the bed at the proximal edge and tip.

[0005] U.S. Patent Publication 2022 / 0290413 A1 ("'413 Application") by Michael B. Roska et al., published on September 15, 2022, discloses a wear assembly including a wear member having a base end with a nose and a socket. The nose and socket of the '413 Application include complementary stabilizing surfaces in the front and rear portions. Both the front and rear portions include bearing surfaces. For example, the front portion includes a first front bearing surface located above or below the mounting cavity, two second front bearing surfaces located above or below the mounting cavity opposite to the first front bearing surface, and a front bearing wall that crosses the front bearing surfaces at the front end of the mounting cavity. The rear portion, on the other hand, includes a first rear bearing surface located above or below the mounting cavity opposite to the first front bearing surface, and two second rear bearing surfaces located above or below the mounting cavity opposite to the first rear bearing surface.

[0006] The '413 application may provide a base nose and socket having complementary bearing surfaces. However, the '413 application may not maximize the bearing surface contact area and frictional force under load, or may not adequately support load conditions from each direction, resulting in increased stress on the nose and wear member, increased relative motion between the nose and wear member, increased wear concentration leading to premature failure, and increased load on the retaining mechanism.

[0007] This disclosure relates to solving one or more of the above-mentioned problems and / or other problems in the art. [Overview of the project]

[0008] In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a ground engagement tip. The ground engagement tip may include a trailing edge, a top outer surface extending forward from the trailing edge, a bottom outer surface extending forward from the trailing edge and converging with the top outer surface at the leading edge, and a lateral outer surface positioned opposite to it and extending downward from the top outer surface to the bottom outer surface. The ground engagement tip may include an inner surface extending inward from the trailing edge into the ground engagement tip and defining a nose cavity within the ground engagement tip. The nose cavity may include a front inner surface, a top inner surface, a bottom inner surface, and an opposite lateral inner surface extending downward from the top inner surface to the bottom inner surface. The top inner surface may extend rearward from the front inner surface toward the trailing edge of the ground engagement tip, and may include a front portion adjacent to the front inner surface, which includes a front central surface connecting two opposing front inclined surfaces, and a rear portion adjacent to the trailing edge, which includes a rear central surface connecting two opposing rear inclined surfaces. The bottom inner surface may extend rearward from the front inner surface toward the trailing edge of the ground engagement tip and may include a tapered bottom channel.

[0009] In another embodiment, the disclosure relates to a ground engagement tip. The ground engagement tip may include a trailing edge, a top outer surface extending forward from the trailing edge, a bottom outer surface extending forward from the trailing edge and converging with the top outer surface at the leading edge, and opposing lateral outer surfaces extending downward from the top outer surface to the bottom outer surface. The ground engagement tip may include an inner surface extending inward from the trailing edge into the ground engagement tip and defining a nose cavity within the ground engagement tip. The nose cavity may include a front inner surface, a top inner surface, a bottom inner surface, and opposing lateral inner surfaces extending downward from the top inner surface to the bottom inner surface. The top inner surface may extend rearward from the front inner surface toward the trailing edge of the ground engagement tip, and may include a front portion adjacent to the front inner surface, which includes a front central surface connecting two opposing front inclined surfaces, and a rear portion adjacent to the trailing edge, which includes a rear central surface connecting two opposing rear inclined surfaces. The bottom inner surface may extend rearward from the front inner surface toward the trailing edge of the ground engagement tip and is symmetrical with the top inner surface along a substantial longitudinal axis.

[0010] In yet another embodiment, the disclosure relates to a ground engagement tip assembly. The ground engagement tip assembly may include a ground engagement tip, an adapter, and a retaining mechanism. The ground engagement tip may include a trailing edge, a top outer surface extending forward from the trailing edge, a bottom outer surface extending forward from the trailing edge and converging with the top outer surface at the leading edge, and opposing lateral outer surfaces extending downward from the top outer surface to the bottom outer surface. The ground engagement tip may include an inner surface extending inward from the trailing edge into the ground engagement tip and defining a nose cavity within the ground engagement tip. The nose cavity may include a front inner surface, a top inner surface, a bottom inner surface, and opposing lateral inner surfaces extending downward from the top inner surface to the bottom inner surface. The top inner surface may extend rearward from the front inner surface toward the trailing edge of the ground engagement tip and may include a front portion adjacent to the front inner surface, including a front central surface connecting two opposing front inclined surfaces, and a rear portion adjacent to the trailing edge, including a rear central surface connecting two opposing rear inclined surfaces. The bottom inner surface may extend rearward from the front inner surface toward the trailing edge of the ground engagement tip and may include a tapered bottom channel. The adapter may include a nose portion having a shape corresponding to the inner surface of the ground engagement tip, configured to be inserted into the nose cavity of the ground engagement tip. The retaining mechanism may be configured to secure the ground engagement tip to the adapter. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is an isometric view of an exemplary loader bucket assembly having a chip assembly according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is an isometric view of an exemplary excavator bucket assembly having a chip assembly according to the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is an isometric view of an exemplary chip assembly as described herein. [Figure 4] This is an isometric view of an exemplary adapter as described in this disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a side view of the adapter shown in Figure 4 of this disclosure. [Figure 6] This is an isometric view of the nose of the adapter shown in Figure 4 of this disclosure. [Figure 7]It is another isometric view of the nose of the adapter of Fig. 4 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 8] It is a side view of the nose of the adapter of Fig. 4 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 9] It is a front view of the nose of the adapter of Fig. 4 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 10] It is a top view of the nose of the adapter of Fig. 4 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 11] It is a bottom view of the nose of the adapter of Fig. 4 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 12] It is a side view of another exemplary adapter according to the present disclosure. [Figure 13] It is an isometric view of the nose of the adapter of Fig. 12 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 14] It is another isometric view of the nose of the adapter of Fig. 12 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 15] It is a side view of the nose of the adapter of Fig. 12 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 16] It is a front view of the nose of the adapter of Fig. 12 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 17] It is a bottom view of the nose of the adapter of Fig. 12 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 18] It is an isometric view of an exemplary bit according to the present disclosure. [Figure 19] It is another isometric view of the bit of Fig. 18 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 20] It is a vertical cross-sectional side view taken along line N-N of the bit of Fig. 18 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 21] It is a vertical cross-sectional side view taken along line N-N of the nose cavity of the bit of Fig. 18 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 22] It is a rear view of the bit of Fig. 18 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 23] It is a horizontal cross-sectional bottom view taken along line O-O of the bit of Fig. 18 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 24] It is a horizontal cross-sectional bottom view taken along line O-O of the nose cavity of Fig. 18 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 25] It is a horizontal cross-sectional top view taken along line P-P of the bit of Fig. 18 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 26] It is a top view of a horizontal cross-section taken along line P-P of the nose cavity of FIG. 18 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 27] It is an isometric view of another exemplary tip according to the present disclosure. [Figure 28] It is a side view of a vertical cross-section taken along line Q-Q shown in FIG. 27 of the tip of FIG. 27 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 29] It is a side view of a vertical cross-section taken along line Q-Q shown in FIG. 27 of the nose cavity of the tip of FIG. 27 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 30] It is a rear view of the tip of FIG. 27 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 31] It is a top view of a horizontal cross-section taken along line S-S of the tip of FIG. 27 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 32] It is a top view of a horizontal cross-section taken along line S-S of the nose cavity of the tip of FIG. 27 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 33] It shows a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line C-C shown in FIG. 5 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 34] It shows a top view of the adapter of FIG. 4 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 35] It shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the adapter of FIG. 4 taken along line E-E shown in FIG. 34 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 36] It shows a side view of the adapter of FIG. 4 having cutting lines F-F, G-G and H-H according to the present disclosure. [Figure 37] It shows a cross-sectional view of the nose of the adapter of FIG. 4 taken along line F-F shown in FIG. 36 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 38] It shows a cross-sectional view of the nose of the adapter of FIG. 4 taken along line G-G shown in FIG. 36 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 39] It shows a cross-sectional view of the nose of the adapter of FIG. 4 taken along line H-H shown in FIG. 36 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 40] It shows a front view of the adapter of FIG. 12 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 41] It shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the adapter of FIG. 12 taken along line J-J shown in FIG. 40 according to the present disclosure. [Figure 42] Figure 12 shows a side view of the adapter having cutting lines KK, LL, and MM according to this disclosure. [Figure 43] Figure 42 of this disclosure shows a cross-sectional view of the symmetrical nose of the adapter of Figure 12 along line KK. [Figure 44] Figure 42 of this disclosure shows a cross-sectional view of the symmetrical nose of the adapter of Figure 12 along line LL shown in Figure 42. [Figure 45] Figure 42 of this disclosure shows a cross-sectional view of the symmetrical nose of the adapter of Figure 12 along line MM. [Figure 46] Figure 18 shows a vertical cross-sectional side view of the chip along line NN, having cutting lines TT, UU, and VV according to this disclosure. [Figure 47] Figure 46 of this disclosure shows a cross-sectional view of the nose cavity of the tip shown in Figure 18 along the line TT. [Figure 48] Figure 46 of this disclosure shows a cross-sectional view of the nose cavity of the tip shown in Figure 18 along the line UU. [Figure 49] Figure 46 of this disclosure shows a cross-sectional view of the nose cavity of the tip shown in Figure 18 along the line VV. [Figure 50] Figure 27 shows a vertical cross-sectional side view of the chip along line QQ, having cutting lines WW, XX, and YY according to this disclosure. [Figure 51] Figure 50, as disclosed herein, shows a cross-sectional view of the symmetrical nose cavity of the tip of Figure 27 along the line WW shown in Figure 50. [Figure 52] Figure 50, as disclosed herein, shows a cross-sectional view of the symmetrical nose cavity of the tip shown in Figure 27 along line XX. [Figure 53] Figure 50, as disclosed herein, shows a cross-sectional view of the symmetrical nose cavity of the tip of Figure 27 along the line YY shown in Figure 50. [Figure 54] This is an exploded view of an exemplary chip assembly having an exemplary retaining mechanism. [Figure 55] An exemplary perspective view of a chip assembly having a retaining mechanism installed in accordance with this disclosure is shown. [Figure 56] Figure 55 of this disclosure shows a cross-sectional view of the holding mechanism along line FF. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The following text provides a detailed description of numerous different embodiments of the present invention; however, it should be understood that this detailed description is merely illustrative and does not describe all possible embodiments of the present invention. Many alternative implementations can be carried out using the current art or art developed after the filing date of this patent, and these remain within the scope of the claims defining the present invention.

[0013] Furthermore, in this patent, if a certain term is used herein, the term " ――― Unless explicitly defined using the phrase "is defined as meaning..." or a similar phrase, the meaning of any term is not intended to be limited to its simple or general meaning, whether explicit or implicit, and such term should not be interpreted as having a limited scope based on any description made in any part of this Patent (except in the language of the claims). To some extent, any term used in the claims at the end of this Patent is used solely for clarity to avoid confusion, insofar as it is referred to in a manner consistent with a single meaning in this Specification, and such term in claims is not intended to be limited to its single meaning, implicitly or otherwise. Finally, unless an element of a claim is defined by describing the word and function of “means” without any structural detail, the scope of any element of a claim is not intended to be interpreted under Section 112(f) of the U.S. Patent Act.

[0014] Referring now to Figure 1, an exemplary form of loader bucket assembly 1 incorporating features of the present disclosure is shown, which is a fixture for bottom wear applications such as loader machinery. Loader bucket assembly 1 includes a loader bucket 2, partially shown in Figure 1. The loader bucket 2 is used on loader machinery to excavate material. Loader bucket assembly 1 may include a pair of opposing support arms 3, to which a corresponding protector assembly 4 may be attached. Loader bucket assembly 1 may further include a plurality of edge protector assemblies 5 interposed between tip assemblies 10 according to the present disclosure, the edge protector assemblies 5 and tip assemblies 10 being fixed along the base edge 18 of the loader bucket 2.

[0015] Figure 2 shows an exemplary form of an excavator bucket assembly 6, an instrument for a top-wear application such as an excavator. The excavator bucket assembly 6 includes an excavator bucket 7 having protective assemblies 4 connected on both sides, and a plurality of tip assemblies 10 mounted across the base edge 18 of the excavator bucket 7. This specification describes various embodiments of tip assemblies that may be implemented in bottom-wear and top-wear applications. Even if an embodiment of a particular tip assembly or component is described in relation to a particular bottom-wear or top-wear application, it should be understood that the tip assembly is not limited to a particular type of application and may be interchangeable between instruments for various applications, and such interchangeability is intended for the tip assemblies of this disclosure. Although bottom-wear and top-wear applications have been described above, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are not limited to the applications described. Rather, the disclosed embodiments may be used in instruments used in other types of applications (e.g., front-wear applications, rear-wear applications, or any other applications in which such instruments may be used).

[0016] Figure 3 shows an embodiment of a tip assembly 10 according to the present disclosure, which may be useful for earthwork tools and may be particularly used for top wear applications. The tip assembly 10 may be used for several types of ground engagement tools having a base edge 18 (Figures 1 and 2). The tip assembly 10 includes an adapter 12 (Figures 1 and 2, respectively) configured to attach to the base edge 18 of a loader bucket assembly 1 and / or an excavator bucket assembly 6, and a tip 14 configured to attach to the adapter 12. The tip assembly 10 further includes a retaining mechanism 13 configured to secure the tip 14 to the adapter 12. The retaining mechanism 13 may utilize embodiments of the adapter 12 and the tip 14, for example, retaining openings 16 on the sides of the tip 14 and / or the adapter 12. Various retaining mechanisms may be implemented in the tip assembly 10 according to the present disclosure, and it is intended that the tip assembly 10 is not limited to any particular retaining mechanism(s). Various directions, such as forward "F", backward "R", up or upward "U", down or downward "D", and lateral "+B" and "-B", are shown in Figure 3 and some of the other figures. Directions F and R are opposite to each other. Similarly, directions U and D are opposite to each other. Directions F and R are approximately perpendicular to both directions U and D, and vice versa. Directions +B and -B are approximately perpendicular to directions F, R, U, and D, respectively. Directions F, R, U, D, +B, and B will be used to describe various geometric features in the following description. It should be understood that terms such as forward, backward, upward, downward, and lateral indicate relative directions and should not be interpreted as requiring a specific direction relative to, for example, the direction of gravity. Asymmetrical adapter (Figures 4-11 and 33-39)

[0017] Exemplary embodiments of the adapter 12 are shown in detail in Figures 4-11 and 33-39. Figure 4 is an isometric view of an exemplary adapter 12. Referring to Figure 4, the adapter 12 may include a rear section 19 having a top strap 20 and a bottom strap 22, an intermediate section 24, and a nose 26 positioned in a forward or anterior position (for example, toward direction F) of the adapter 12. The top strap 20 and the bottom strap 22 may define a gap 21 between them for receiving the base edge 18 (Figures 1, 2) of the loader bucket assembly 1 and / or the excavator bucket assembly 6. The nose 26 may include one or more retaining openings 16 configured to interact with a retaining mechanism 13 (Figure 3) to secure the adapter 12 to the tip 14. The retaining openings 16 may include, for example, through holes or recesses configured to receive the retaining mechanism 13. The retaining openings 16 may further include screw holes and / or internal recesses. Similarly, in some exemplary embodiments, the retaining opening of the nose 26 corresponding to the retaining opening 16 may also include threads and / or internal recesses.

[0018] Figure 5 shows a side view of the adapter 12 of Figure 4. As shown in Figure 5, the top strap 20 may have a bottom surface 30 facing the gap 21 and a top surface 31. The bottom strap 22 may have a top surface 34 facing the gap 21 and a bottom surface 35. The adapter 12 can be fixed in place on the base edge 18 (Figures 1, 2) of the loader bucket assembly 1 or excavator bucket assembly 6 by attaching the top strap 20 and bottom strap 22 to the base edge 18 using any connection method or mechanism known to those skilled in the art. In one exemplary embodiment, the top strap 20, bottom strap 22 and base edge 18 may have corresponding openings (not shown) into which fasteners (not shown), such as bolts or rivets, can be inserted to hold the adapter 12 in place. Alternatively, the top strap 20 and bottom strap 22 may be welded to the base edge 18 so that the adapter 12 and the base edge 18 do not move relative to each other during use. To reduce the influence of the top and bottom welds on the strength of the metal of the base edge 18, the top strap 20 and bottom strap 22 may be configured in different shapes to minimize the overlap of the welds formed on the top and bottom surfaces of the base edge 18.

[0019] It is assumed that other connection configurations for the adapter 12 may be provided as alternatives to the top strap 20 and bottom strap 22 illustrated and described above. For example, the rear 19 of the adapter 12 may be provided with a single top strap 20 and no bottom strap 22, with the top strap 20 attached to the base edge 18 (Figures 1 and 2). Conversely, a single bottom strap 22 may be provided and the top strap 20 may not be provided, with the bottom strap 22 attached to the bottom surface of the base edge 18. As a further alternative, a single central strap may be provided on the rear of the adapter 12, with the central strap inserted into the gap between the base edges 18 of the loader bucket assembly 1 or the excavator bucket assembly 6.

[0020] The intermediate section 24 of the adapter 12 may provide a transition between the rear section 19 and the nose 26. The intermediate section 24 may extend between the rear section 19 and the rear end of the nose 26, as defined by a vertical plane "P" which may be positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis "A" passing through the nose 26. The longitudinal axis "A" may be positioned midway between the sides of the nose 26, as described below. The nose 26 may be configured to be received by the corresponding nose cavity 126 (Figure 19) of the tip 14, as will be described more fully below. The plane "P" may be positioned along the longitudinal axis "A" at a location where the nose 26 of the adapter 12 can have its maximum cross-sectional area before transitioning to the intermediate section 24. The plane P may also be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A.

[0021] Figures 6 and 7 show isometric views of the nose 26 of the adapter 12 in Figure 4. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the nose 26 may have a front surface 36, a top surface 46, opposing side surfaces 60, and a bottom surface 66. In one embodiment, the side surface 60 may have a corresponding retaining opening 16 (e.g., similar to Figure 3) into which a retaining mechanism 13 (e.g., similar to Figure 3) can be inserted to hold the tip 14 in a predetermined position on the nose 26 of the adapter 12.

[0022] The front surface 36 of the nose 26 may include a substantially flat surface surrounded by a curved edge, as shown in Figure 6. The flat surface of the front surface 36 may be oriented substantially perpendicular to a substantial longitudinal axis "A" (Figure 5), which is centered between the opposing sides 60 (Figure 6) of the nose 26 and may be perpendicular to a vertical plane "P" (Figure 5) defining the rear of the nose 26 of the adapter 12. Alternatively, the flat surface of the front surface 36 may be at an angle of 1° to 5° counterclockwise with respect to plane "P", or -1° to -15° clockwise with respect to plane P. In some exemplary embodiments, the front surface 36 may include some curvature (for example, it may have a curved surface surrounded by a curved edge), as shown in Figure 7.

[0023] Figure 8 shows a side view of the nose 26 of the adapter 12 in Figure 4, and Figure 9 shows a front view of the nose 26 of the adapter 12 in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 9, the front surface 36 may be hexagonal in shape and include a base edge 37, an opposing side edge 38 oriented at approximately 90° to the base edge 37, a top horizontal edge 39 oriented substantially parallel to the base edge 37, and an opposing top inclined edge 40 connecting the top horizontal edge 39 to the side edge 38. The angle q between the top horizontal edge 39 and the top inclined edge 40 may be in the range of approximately 18.5° to 30°, preferably approximately 24.5°. The front edges 37 to 40 may be curved, as shown in Figure 6.

[0024] The top surface 46 of the nose 26 (Figure 6) may be configured to support the tip 14 during use of the loader bucket assembly 1 or the excavator bucket assembly 6 and to facilitate the retention of the tip 14 on the nose 26 when bearing the load of the material being excavated. As shown in Figures 8 and 10, the top surface 46 may include a front portion 48 positioned close to the front surface 36, a transition portion 51 extending backward from the front portion 48 toward the plane P, and a rear portion 52 extending backward from the transition portion 51 toward the plane P. The front portion 48 may include a substantially planar front central surface 49 extending backward from the top horizontal edge 39 of the front surface 36. The front central surface 49 may be positioned between two substantially planar, opposing front inclined surfaces 50 that extend backward from the top inclined edge 40 of the front surface 36 and inclined downward laterally (for example, along directions +B and -B perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A) away from the front central surface 49. Figure 10 shows a top view of the nose 26 of the adapter 12 of Figure 4. As shown in Figure 10, the width of the front central surface 49 may decrease symmetrically as it extends rearward from the top horizontal edge 39, resulting in the front central surface 49 having a substantially trapezoidal shape. Alternatively, the width of the front central surface 49 may be constant or may increase as it extends rearward from the top horizontal edge 39.

[0025] As shown in Figure 8, the front central surface 49 may extend upward away from the top horizontal edge 39 such that the front central surface 49 and the front surface 36 can be positioned at an angle f in the range of 85° to 105°, preferably about 95°. Alternatively, the front central surface 49 may extend substantially perpendicular to the front surface 36 at an angle in the range of 88° to 92°, preferably 90°. Alternatively, the front central surface 49 may extend at an acute angle to the front surface 36, for example, at an angle in the range of 85° to 87°. The front inclined surface 50 may be oriented such that the two surfaces can be positioned at an angle θ in the range of 18.5° to 30°, preferably about 24.5°, relative to the front central surface 49. The front inclined surface 50 can help provide stability to the tip assembly 10 during downward and lateral loading patterns by acting as a wedge surface to reduce relative motion between the nose 26 of the adapter 12 and the nose cavity 126 of the tip 14 (Figure 19). The front inclined surface 50 can further increase the contact area between the nose 26 of the adapter 12 and the nose cavity 126 of the tip 14, thereby reducing stress on the entire nose 26. Furthermore, the front inclined surface 50 further increases the frictional force when a load is applied to the tip assembly 10, and in particular in combination with other lateral inclined surfaces, such as the rib side surface 80 described below, reduces the load on the tip 14 and the retaining mechanism 13.

[0026] Returning to Figure 10, the rear portion 52 of the top surface 46 may include a substantially planar rear central surface 53 extending rearward from the transition portion 51 toward the intermediate portion 24 of the adapter 12. The planar rear central surface 53 may be positioned between two opposing rear inclined surfaces 54 that extend rearward from the transition portion 51 and inclined downward away from the rear central surface 53 in the lateral directions +B and -B. The rear inclined surfaces 54 function to provide increased stability, for example, during downward and lateral loading of the tip assembly 10, by acting as wedge surfaces to reduce relative motion and increase the contact area between the nose 26 and the tip 14. Furthermore, the increased contact area provided by the rear inclined surfaces 54 may reduce stress through the nose 26.

[0027] As the rear central surface 53 extends rearward, its width may first increase and then decrease. In some embodiments, the width of the rear central surface 53 adjacent to the front central surface 49 is in the range of 0.1 to 0.4 times the rearward width ("RTW") of the nose 26 (at the vertical plane "P"), preferably about 0.23 times. In some embodiments, the width of the rear central surface 53 at its widest point is in the range of 0.6 to 0.9 times the rearward width ("RTW") of the nose 26 when extending rearward, preferably about 0.73 times. In some embodiments, the width of the rear central surface 53 adjacent to the middle section 24 of the adapter 12 is in the range of 0.3 to 0.6 times the rearward width ("RTW") of the nose 26, preferably about 0.46 times. The rear central surface 53 may be inclined upward relative to the front central surface 49. The different angles of the front central surface 49 and the rear central surface 53 with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "A" provide the advantage of generating friction on the front central surface 49 and transmitting the load from the retaining mechanism 13 to the nose 26 of the adapter 12. For example, as shown in Figure 8, the rear central surface 53 may be oriented with respect to the front central surface 49 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 0° to 15°, preferably about 9°. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the rear central surface 53 may be about 5° to 25°, preferably 14°, with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "A". The inclination of the rear central surface 53 facilitates the insertion of the tip 14 of the nose 26 into the nose cavity 126 (Figure 19), while the width of the rear central surface 53 limits the twisting of the tip 14 when installed on the nose 26.

[0028] As further shown in Figure 10, the rear inclined surface 54 may include a substantially planar triangular front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and a substantially planar triangular rear bowtie-shaped surface 56, oriented so that their vertices face each other. The front bowtie-shaped surface 55 offers the advantage of acting as the primary wedge surface during the indentation load. For example, as shown in Figure 8, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be inclined upward (e.g., in direction U) as it extends in the rearward direction R relative to the front inclined surface 50. For example, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be oriented such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 15° to 27.5°, preferably about 21.5°, relative to the front inclined surface 50. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, for example, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be inclined downward (e.g., in direction D) as it extends laterally in the directions +B and -B from the rear central surface 53. For example, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be oriented with respect to the rear central surface 53 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 17.5° to 32.5°, preferably about 25°.

[0029] For example, as shown in Figures 8 and 10, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be inclined downward (for example, in direction D) as it extends laterally from the rear central surface 53 in directions +B and -B. The inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 and the rear central surface 53 may differ from the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and the rear central surface 53. More specifically, the inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 and the rear central surface 53 may be greater than the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and the rear central surface 53. For example, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be oriented such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 30° to 45°, preferably about 37.5°, relative to the rear central surface 53. Furthermore, as the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 extends backward from the front bowtie-shaped surface 55, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis "A". Alternatively, as the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 extends backward from the front bowtie-shaped surface 55, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be angled upward, but at a shallower angle than the angle of the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "A". For example, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be oriented with respect to the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 18.5° to 30°, preferably about 24.5°. Referring to Figure 8, the relative surface angles of the front inclined surface 50, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55, and the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 provide the advantage of wedge-fixing the tip 14 onto the nose 26, particularly during front loading, reducing the overall motion of the tip 14 and distributing stress and wear through the nose 26.

[0030] Referring to Figure 10, the front portion 48 of the top surface 46 of the nose 26, the rear portion 52 of the top surface 46 of the nose 26, and the middle portion 24 of the adapter 12 may each be separated by a transition portion 51, which may include one or more curved surfaces translating between the relative angles of separately adjacent substantially planes. Individually defined surfaces within the front portion 48 and rear portion 52 of the top surface 46, for example, the front central surface 49 and the rear central surface 53, the front inclined surface 50, and the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56, may also be separated by the transition portion 51. Figure 33 shows a horizontal cross-sectional view along line CC shown in Figure 5. Some of the aforementioned surfaces related to the nose 26 of the adapter 12 are also shown in Figure 33. Also, as shown in Figure 33, in some exemplary embodiments, the top strap 20 of the adapter 12 may include an opening or recess 23.

[0031] Figure 11 is a bottom view of the nose of the adapter of Figure 4. As seen in Figure 11, the bottom surface 66 may include a substantially planar front portion 68 positioned close to the front surface 36 and extending rearward from the front surface 36, and a rear portion 70 extending rearward toward the middle portion 24 of the adapter 12. The transition portion 51 may be positioned between the front portion 68 and the rear portion 70. The front portion 68 has the advantage of providing a planar, stable surface that acts as the primary contact area during upload, thereby reducing wear on the tip assembly 10. As shown in Figure 8, the front portion 68 may be oriented relative to the front surface 36 at an angle in the range of 85° to 105°, preferably about 90°. Furthermore, the front portion 68 may be oriented relative to the front central surface 49 at an angle in the range of 0° to 15°, preferably about 5°. Such orientation of the front portion 68 offers the advantage of increased friction between the tip 14 and the adapter 12, which can reduce slippage when the tip 14 is loaded upward, and consequently reduce the load on the retaining mechanism 13.

[0032] As shown in Figure 11, the rear portion 70 of the bottom surface 66 may be inclined downward (for example, in direction D, see Figure 8), or alternatively, it may include an opposing substantially planar shoulder surface 72 parallel to the front portion 68, and a bottom rib 74 inclined downward (for example, in direction D) with respect to both the front portion 68 and the shoulder surface 72. As shown in Figure 8, the shoulder surface 72 may be oriented at an angle of 0° to 10° relative to the front portion 68, preferably about 4°.

[0033] As shown in Figure 11, the bottom rib 74 of the bottom surface 66 may include a substantially planar front rib portion 76 inclined downward with respect to the front portion 68 (for example, in direction D, see Figure 8) and a substantially planar rear rib portion 78 inclined downward with respect to the front rib portion 76 (for example, in direction D, see Figure 8) between opposing rib sides 80. The bottom rib 74 offers advantages such as improved stability under lateral loads and improved wedge retention under compressive loads. As shown in Figure 8, the front rib portion 76 may be oriented with respect to the front portion 68 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 6° to 18°, preferably about 12.5°. The rear rib portion 78 may be oriented with respect to the front rib portion 76 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 0° to 15°, preferably 6°. For example, the different angles of the front rib portion 76 and the rear rib portion 78 offer the advantages of reducing relative motion between the adapter 12 and the tip 14, reducing wear, and distributing stress more uniformly.

[0034] As shown in Figure 11, the rib sides 80 of the bottom rib 74 may include a front rib side 81 and a rear rib side 82. The front rib side 81 may connect the front rib portion 76 to the shoulder surface 72. The rear rib side 82 may connect the rear rib portion 78 to the shoulder surface 72. The front rib sides 81 of the bottom rib 74 may be substantially parallel to each other such that the lateral width of the front rib portion 76 (along directions +B and -B) is substantially constant as the front rib portion 76 extends rearward. Alternatively, the front rib sides 81 of the bottom rib 74 may be oriented relative to each other such that the distance between the front rib sides 81 decreases substantially symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal taper angle "LTA" in the range of 0° to 20° with respect to a longitudinal line oriented parallel to a substantial longitudinal axis "A". Furthermore, in some exemplary embodiments (not shown), the rear rib sides 82 of the bottom rib 74 may be substantially parallel to each other such that the width of the rear rib portion 78 (e.g., along directions +B and -B) remains substantially constant as the rear rib portion 78 extends backward. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 11, the rear rib sides 82 of the bottom rib 74 may be oriented relative to each other such that the distance between the rear rib sides 82 decreases substantially symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal line oriented parallel to a substantial longitudinal axis "A" in the range of 0° to 20°, preferably a longitudinal taper angle "LTA" of about 5°. The orientation of the rib sides 80 with respect to a substantial longitudinal axis "A" may provide increased wedge-locking benefits, resulting in reduced relative motion, including reduced lateral pivoting, as well as reduced wear under compressive and downward loads. As shown in Figure 9, the rib sides 80 of the bottom rib 74 may be oriented relative to each other such that the distance between the rib sides 80 decreases substantially symmetrically with respect to parallel vertical lines in the range of 30° to 50°, preferably about 39.5°, at a vertical taper angle "VTA". Furthermore, the rib sides 80 may be oriented with respect to the shoulder surface 72 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 40° to 60°, preferably about 50.5°. Such orientation of the rib sides 80 may provide the advantages of increased stability during lateral loading, reduced nose volume, added strength, and increased contact area, as well as an additional wedge effect that reduces sliding motion and associated wear.

[0035] Referring to Figure 11, the front portion 68 of the bottom surface 66 of the nose 26, the rear portion 70 of the bottom surface 66 of the nose 26, and the middle portion 24 of the adapter 12 may each be separated by a transition portion 51, which may include one or more curved surfaces translating between the relative angles of adjacent substantially planes. Individually defined surfaces within the front portion 68 and rear portion 70 of the bottom surface 66, such as the shoulder surface 72, the front rib portion 76, the rear rib portion 78, and the rib side surface 80, may also be separated by the transition portion 51.

[0036] As shown in Figure 7, the side surface 60 of the nose 26 is substantially planar and may extend upward between the bottom surface 66 and the top surface 46. As shown in Figure 8, the side surface 60 may include a substantially planar front side surface 61 positioned close to the front surface 36, a substantially planar intermediate side surface 62 extending rearward from the front side surface 61, and a rear side surface 63 extending rearward from the intermediate side surface 62 to the intermediate portion 24 of the adapter 12. The front side surface 61 may be aligned longitudinally so as to separate the front inclined surface 50 of the top surface 46 from the front portion 68 of the bottom surface 66. The intermediate side surface 62 may be aligned longitudinally so as to separate the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 of the top surface 46 from the shoulder surface 72 of the bottom surface 66. The rear side surface 63 may be aligned longitudinally so as to separate the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 of the top surface 46 from the shoulder surface 72 of the bottom surface 66.

[0037] As shown in Figure 10, the front side surface 61 and the intermediate side surface 62 may be parallel and continuous as they extend backward from the side edge 38 of the front surface 36. The front side surface 61 and the intermediate side surface 62 may be oriented such that the angle between their surfaces is in the range of 90° to 105°, preferably about 93°, with respect to the front side surface 36. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the front side surface 61 may be configured such that the distance between the top surface 46 and the bottom surface 66 is substantially constant as the front side surface 61 extends backward from the side edge 38. Alternatively, the front side surface 61 may be configured such that the distance between the top surface 46 and the bottom surface 66 increases slightly as the front side surface 61 extends backward from the side edge 38. The intermediate side surface 62 may be configured such that the distance between the top surface 46 and the bottom surface 66 increases substantially as the intermediate side surface 62 extends backward.

[0038] As shown in Figure 10, the rear side 63 can be angled outward (e.g., along directions +B and -B) with respect to the front side 61 and the intermediate side 62 as the rear side 63 extends rearward from the intermediate side 62, such that the lateral distance between the rear side 63s (e.g., along directions +B and -B) increases symmetrically as the rear side 63 extends rearward. For example, the rear side 63 can be angled outward with respect to the intermediate side 62 at an angle greater than 0° to ~15°, preferably about 7°. An angle greater than 0° allows the rear side 63 to act as a wedge surface during the indentation load, providing the advantage of increasing the contact surface between the adapter 12 and the tip 14 during operation, thereby reducing slip and wear, and improving removeability by reducing friction between the adapter 12 and the tip 14 during removal. Alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, the rear side 63 can be oriented substantially parallel to the intermediate side 62. In some exemplary embodiments, the rear surface 63 may be configured such that the distance between the top surface 46 and the bottom surface 66 decreases slightly as the rear surface 63 extends backward.

[0039] The front side surface 61, intermediate side surface 62, and rear side surface 63 of the side surface 60 of the nose 26, and the top surface 46, bottom surface 66, and intermediate section 24 of the adapter 12 may each be separated by a transition section 51, which may include one or more curved surfaces that translate between the relative angles of adjacent substantially planes.

[0040] As shown in Figure 8, the vertical height ("RVH") at the rear of the nose 26 (at the vertical plane "P") can range from 0.5 to 1.0 times the longitudinal length ("LL") of the nose 26, which is defined as the distance along the substantial longitudinal axis "A" from the vertical plane "P" to the front 36. The vertical height ("FVH") at the front of the nose 26 (at the front 36) can range from 0.2 to 0.5 times the longitudinal length ("LL") of the nose 26. As shown in Figure 10, the width ("RTW") at the rear of the nose 26 (at the vertical plane "P") can range from 0.8 to 2.0 times the width ("FTW") at the front of the nose 26 (at the front 36). The frontal width ("FTW") of the nose 26 (at the front surface 36) may range from 0.4 to 1.5 times the longitudinal length ("LL") of the nose 26. The longitudinal length ("LL") of the nose 26 may range from 0.7 to 2.0 times the rearal width ("RTW") of the nose 26 (at the vertical plane "P"). Figure 34 shows a top view of the adapter 12, and Figure 35 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the adapter along line EE shown in Figure 34. Some of the aforementioned surfaces of the adapter 12 related to the nose 26 are also shown in Figure 35.

[0041] Figure 36 shows a side view of the adapter of Figure 4 having cutting lines FF, GG, and HH. As shown in Figure 36, the sections corresponding to lines FF, GG, and HH may be located at distances of approximately 0.1, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.0 from the front surface 36 of the nose 26. Figure 37 shows a cross-sectional view of the nose 26 along line FF shown in Figure 36. As shown in Figure 37, the front central surface 49 may be positioned between two substantially planar, opposing front inclined surfaces 50. The front inclined surfaces 50 may be oriented with respect to the front central surface 49 such that the angle between the two surfaces may be in the range of 18.5° to 30°, preferably about 24.5°. Figure 38 shows a cross-sectional view of the nose 26 along line GG shown in Figure 36. As shown in Figure 38, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be inclined downward (e.g., in direction D) as it extends laterally from the rear central surface 53 in directions +B and -B. For example, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be oriented with respect to the rear central surface 53 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 17.5° to 32.5°, preferably about 25°.

[0042] Figure 39 shows a cross-sectional view of the nose 26 along line GG shown in Figure 36. As shown in Figure 39, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be inclined downward (for example, in direction D) as it extends laterally from the rear central surface 53 in directions +B and -B. The inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 and the rear central surface 53 may differ from the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and the rear central surface 53 (see Figure 38). More specifically, the inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 and the rear central surface 53 may be greater than the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and the rear central surface 53. For example, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be oriented with respect to the rear central surface 53 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 30° to 45°, preferably about 37.5°. Symmetrical adapter (Figures 12-17 and 40-45)

[0043] Alternative embodiments of the adapter 12, including a symmetrical nose 27, are shown in Figures 12-17 and 40-45. Figure 12 is a side view of an exemplary alternative embodiment of the adapter 12. As will be described in more detail below, the symmetrical nose 27 is configured to be received by a corresponding alternative embodiment of the tip 14, which includes a symmetrical nose cavity 127 (Figures 27-32). The symmetrical nose 27 and the corresponding symmetrical nose cavity 127 offer the advantage of allowing the user to reverse the orientation of the top and bottom surfaces of the tip 14 when the tip 14 is mounted to the adapter 12 in order to allow for more uniform wear of the top and bottom surfaces of the tip. The symmetrical nose 27 may also allow for the installation of a tip that provides one angle of attack in one orientation and can provide a different angle of attack when installed in another orientation (e.g., 180 turns from one orientation). The middle section 24 of the adapter 12 may provide a transition section between the rear section 19 and the symmetrical nose 27. The intermediate section 24 may extend between the rear section 19 and the rear end of the symmetrical nose 27, defined by a vertical plane "P" which may be positioned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis "A" passing through the symmetrical nose 27. The longitudinal axis "A" may be positioned midway between the sides of the symmetrical nose 27, as described below. The plane "P" may be positioned along the longitudinal axis "A" at a location where the adapter 12 has its maximum cross-sectional area before transitioning to the intermediate section 24. The plane P may also be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A.

[0044] Figures 13 and 14 show isometric views of the nose 27 of the adapter 12 of Figure 4. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the symmetrical nose 27 may have a front surface 36, opposing top surface 46 and bottom surface 66, and opposing side surfaces 60. Unlike the asymmetrical nose 26 of Figures 5-11, the top surface 46 and bottom surface 66 may have similar characteristics and may extend backward at similar inclination angles with respect to the longitudinal axis "A", and their orientation is defined by being centered between the opposing side surfaces 60 of the symmetrical nose 27 and between the top surface 46 and bottom surface 66. In one embodiment, the side surface 60 may have a corresponding retaining opening 16 (not shown) into which a retaining mechanism 13 (not shown) can be inserted to hold the tip 14 in place on the symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12 (see Figure 3). The retaining opening 16 may include, for example, a through hole or recess configured to receive the retaining mechanism 13. The retaining opening 16 may further include screw holes and / or internal recesses.

[0045] The front surface 36 of the symmetrical nose 27 may be substantially similar to the front surface 36 of the nose 26. The front surface 36 may include a planar portion, as shown in Figure 13, or it may include some curvature, as shown in Figure 14. Figure 15 is a side view of the nose 27 of the adapter 12 of Figure 12. As shown in Figure 15, the planar portion of the front surface 36 may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the substantially longitudinal axis A, or it may be angled as described above with respect to Figures 5 and 6 (see, for example, the inclination of the front surface 36 with respect to axis Z).

[0046] Figure 16 is a front view of the nose 27 of the adapter shown in Figure 12. As shown in Figure 16, the front surface 36 may be octagonal and include opposing top horizontal edges and bottom horizontal edges 39, opposing side edges 38 oriented at approximately 90° to the top horizontal edges and bottom horizontal edges 39, and opposing top inclined edges and bottom inclined edges 40 connecting the top horizontal edges and bottom horizontal edges 39 to the side edges 38. The angle between the top horizontal edges and bottom horizontal edges 39 and the top inclined edges and bottom inclined edges 40 is in the range of approximately 18.5° to 30°, preferably approximately 24.5°. The front edges 38-40 may be curved, as shown in Figures 13 and 14.

[0047] The top surface 46 of the symmetrical nose 27 may be configured to support the tip 14 during use of the loader bucket assembly 1 or the excavator bucket assembly 6, and to facilitate the retention of the tip 14 on the symmetrical nose 27 when withstanding the load of the material being excavated.

[0048] Figure 17 is a bottom view of the nose 27 of the adapter in Figure 12. As shown in Figure 17, the top surface 46 and bottom surface 66 may include a front portion 48 positioned close to the front surface 36, a transition portion 51 extending rearward from the front surface 36, and a rear portion 52 extending rearward from the transition portion 51 toward the middle portion 24 of the adapter 12. The front portion 48 may include a substantially planar front central surface 49 extending rearward from the top or bottom horizontal edge 39 of the front surface 36, between two substantially planar, opposing front inclined surfaces 50 that extend rearward from the top or bottom inclined edge 40 of the front surface 36 and inclined laterally (for example, along directions +B and -B) toward the side surface 60 away from the front central surface 49. As the front central surface 49 extends backward from the top or bottom horizontal edge 39, the width of the front central surface 49 (e.g., along directions +B and -B) may decrease symmetrically, resulting in a front central surface 49 having a shape similar to an isosceles trapezoid, as shown in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 17. Alternatively, the width of the front central surface 49 may be constant or may increase as the front central surface 49 extends backward from the top or bottom horizontal edge 39.

[0049] As shown in Figure 15, the front center surface 49 may extend backward so that the front center surface 49 and the front surface 36 can be positioned at an angle in the range of 85° to 105°, moving away from the substantial longitudinal axis "A" (for example, in the upward U or downward D direction). The front inclined surface 50 may be oriented such that its surface forms an angle with respect to the front center surface 49 in the range of 18.5° to 30°, preferably about 24.5°. The front inclined surface 50 provides stability to the tip assembly 10 during upward, downward, and lateral loading patterns by acting as a wedge surface to reduce relative motion between, for example, the symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12 and the symmetrical nose cavity 127 of the tip 14. The front inclined surface 50 additionally increases the contact area between the symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12 and the symmetrical nose cavity 127 of the tip 14, reducing stress on the entire symmetrical nose 27. Furthermore, the front inclined surface 50 additionally increases the frictional force when a load is applied to the tip assembly 10, and in particular, in combination with other lateral inclined surfaces, such as the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 described below, reduces the load on the tip 14 and the retaining mechanism 13.

[0050] Returning to Figure 17, the rear portions 52 of the top surface 46 and bottom surface 66 may include a substantially planar rear central surface 53 that extends backward from the transition portion 51 toward the intermediate portion 24 of the adapter 12, between two opposing rear inclined surfaces 54 extending backward from the transition portion 51, and inclined downward (for example, in direction D, see Figure 15) away from the rear central surface 53 laterally (for example, along directions +B and -B). The rear inclined surfaces 54 function to provide increased stability, for example, during upward, downward, and lateral loading of the tip assembly 10, by acting as wedge surfaces to reduce relative motion and increase the contact area between the symmetrical nose 27 and the tip 14. Furthermore, the increased contact area provided by the rear inclined surfaces 54 can reduce stress through the symmetrical nose 27.

[0051] As the rear central surface 53 extends rearward from the transition section 51, the width of the rear central surface 53 (e.g., along directions +B and -B) may first increase and then decrease. In some embodiments, the width of the rear central surface 53 adjacent to the front central surface 49 is in the range of 0.1 to 0.4 times the rearward width ("RTW") of the nose 26 (at the vertical plane "P"), preferably about 0.23 times. In some embodiments, the width of the rear central surface 53 at its widest point is in the range of 0.6 to 0.9 times the rearward width ("RTW") of the nose 26 when it extends rearward adjacent to the front central surface 49, preferably about 0.73 times. In some embodiments, the width of the rear central surface 53 adjacent to the intermediate section 24 of the adapter 12 is in the range of 0.3 to 0.6 times the rearward width ("RTW") of the nose 26, preferably about 0.46 times. As shown in Figure 15, the rear central surface 53 may extend away from the substantial longitudinal axis "A" (for example, in directions U and D) as it extends rearward. The different angles of the front central surface 49 and the rear central surface 53 with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "A" provide the advantage of friction on the front central surface 49, which transmits the load from the retaining mechanism 13 to the symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12. For example, as shown in Figure 15, the rear central surface 53 may be oriented such that the angle between the surfaces of the front central surface 49 is in the range of 0° to 15°, preferably about 9°. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the rear central surface 53 may be about 5° to 25°, preferably 14°, with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "A". The inclination of the rear central surface 53 facilitates the insertion of the tip 14 of the symmetrical nose 27 into the symmetrical nose cavity 127 (Figure 27), while the width of the rear central surface 53 limits the twisting of the tip 14 once it is positioned on the symmetrical nose 27.

[0052] As further shown in Figure 17, the rear inclined surface 54 may include a substantially planar triangular front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and a substantially planar triangular rear bowtie-shaped surface 56, oriented so that their vertices face each other. The front bowtie-shaped surface 55 offers the advantage of acting as the primary wedge surface during the indentation load. For example, as shown in Figure 15, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be inclined as it extends in the rearward direction R relative to the front inclined surface 50. For example, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be oriented such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 15° to 27.5°, preferably about 21.5°, relative to the front inclined surface 50. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16, for example, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be inclined toward the side surface 60 as it extends laterally (e.g., along directions +B and -B) from the rear central surface 53. For example, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be oriented with respect to the rear central surface 53 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 17.5° to 32.5°, preferably about 25°.

[0053] For example, as shown in Figures 15 and 17, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be inclined toward the side surface 60 as it extends laterally from the rear central surface 53 (e.g., along directions +B and -B). The inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 and the rear central surface 53 may differ from the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and the rear central surface 53. More specifically, the inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 and the rear central surface 53 may be greater than the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and the rear central surface 53. For example, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be oriented such that the angle between the surfaces is in the range of 30° to 45°, preferably about 37.5°, relative to the rear central surface 53. Furthermore, as the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 extends backward from the front bowtie-shaped surface 55, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis "A". Alternatively, as the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 extends backward from the front bowtie-shaped surface 55, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be angled so as to be separated from each other perpendicularly, but at a shallower angle with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "A" than the angle of the front bowtie-shaped surface 55. For example, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be oriented with respect to the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 18.5° to 30°, preferably about 24.5°. The relative surface angles of the front inclined surface 50, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55, and the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 provide the advantage of wedge-fixing the tip 14 onto the symmetrical nose 27, particularly during front loading, reducing the overall motion of the tip 14 and distributing stress and wear through the symmetrical nose 27.

[0054] As shown in Figure 17, the front portion 48 of the top surface 46 and bottom surface 66 of the symmetrical nose 27, the rear portion 52 of the top surface 46 of the symmetrical nose 27, and the intermediate portion 24 of the adapter 12 can each be separated by a transition portion 51, which may include one or more curved surfaces translating between the relative angles of adjacent substantially planes. Individually defined surfaces within the front portion 48 and rear portion 52 of the top surface and bottom surface 46, such as the front central surface 49 and rear central surface 53, the front inclined surface 50, and the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and rear bowtie-shaped surface 56, can also be separated by the transition portion 51.

[0055] As shown in Figure 15, the side surface 60 of the symmetrical nose 27 is substantially planar and may extend between the top surface 46 and the bottom surface 66. The side surface 60 may include a substantially planar front side surface 61 positioned close to the front surface 36, a substantially planar intermediate side surface 62 extending rearward from the front side surface 61, and a rear side surface 63 extending rearward from the intermediate side surface to the intermediate portion 24 of the adapter 12. The front side surface 61 may be aligned longitudinally to separate the front inclined surfaces 50 of the top surface and the bottom surface 46. The intermediate side surface 62 may be aligned longitudinally to separate the front bowtie-shaped surfaces 55 of the top surface and the bottom surface 46. The rear side surface 63 may be aligned longitudinally to separate the rear bowtie-shaped surfaces 56 of the top surface and the bottom surface 46.

[0056] As shown in Figure 17, the front side surface 61 and the intermediate side surface 62 may be parallel and continuous as they extend backward from the side edge 38 of the front surface 36. The front side surface 61 and the intermediate side surface 62 may be oriented such that the angle between their surfaces is in the range of 90° to 105°, preferably about 93°, with respect to the front side surface 36. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 15, the front side surface 61 may be configured such that the distance between the top surface 46 and the bottom surface 66 is substantially constant as the front side surface 61 extends backward from the side edge 38. Alternatively, the front side surface 61 may be configured such that the distance between the top surface 46 and the bottom surface 66 increases slightly as the front side surface 61 extends backward from the side edge 38. The intermediate side surface 62 may be configured such that the distance between the top surface 46 and the bottom surface 66 increases substantially as the intermediate side surface 62 extends backward.

[0057] As shown in Figure 17, the rear side 63 can be angled outward with respect to the front side 61 and the intermediate side 62 as it extends rearward from the intermediate side 62, such that the lateral distance between the rear side 63s (e.g., along directions +B and -B) increases symmetrically as the rear side 63 extends rearward. For example, the rear side 63 can be angled outward with respect to the intermediate side 62 at an angle greater than 0° and in the range of ~15°, preferably about 7°. An angle greater than 0° allows the rear side 63 to act as a wedge surface during the indentation load, providing the advantage of increasing the contact surface between the adapter 12 and the tip 14 during operation, thereby reducing slip and wear, and improving removeability by reducing friction between the adapter 12 and the tip 14 during removal. Alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, the rear side 63 may be substantially parallel to the intermediate side 62. In some exemplary embodiments, the rear surface 63 may be configured such that the distance between the top surface 46 and the bottom surface 66 decreases slightly as the rear surface 63 extends backward.

[0058] The front side surface 61, intermediate side surface 62, and rear side surface 63 of the side surface 60 of the symmetrical nose 27, and the top and bottom surfaces 46 and intermediate section 24 of the adapter 12 may each be separated by a transition section 51, which may include one or more curved surfaces translating between the relative angles of adjacent substantially planes. Figure 40 shows a front view of the adapter 12 of Figure 12, and Figure 41 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the adapter 12 along the line JJ shown in Figure 40. Some of the above-mentioned surfaces related to the symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12 of Figure 12 are also shown in Figure 41.

[0059] As shown in Figure 15, the vertical height ("RVH") at the rear of the symmetrical nose 27 (at the vertical plane "P") can be in the range of 0.5 to 1.0 times the longitudinal length ("LL") of the symmetrical nose 27, which is defined as the distance along the substantial longitudinal axis "A" from the vertical plane "P" to the front 36. The vertical height ("FVH") at the front of the symmetrical nose 27 (at the front 36) can be in the range of 0.2 to 0.5 times the longitudinal length ("LL") of the symmetrical nose 27. As shown in Figure 17, the lateral width ("RTW") at the rear of the symmetrical nose 27 (at the vertical plane "P") can be in the range of 0.8 to 2.0 times the lateral width ("FTW") at the front of the symmetrical nose 27 (at the front 36). The frontal width ("FTW") of the symmetrical nose 27 (at the front surface 36) may be in the range of 0.4 to 1.5 times the longitudinal length ("LL") of the symmetrical nose 27. The longitudinal length ("LL") of the symmetrical nose 27 may be in the range of 0.7 to 2.0 times the rearal width ("RTW") of the symmetrical nose 27 (at the vertical plane "P").

[0060] Figure 42 shows a side view of the adapter 12 of Figure 4. It shows a side view of the adapter 12 of Figure 12 having cutting lines KK, LL, and MM. As shown in Figure 42, the sections corresponding to lines KK, LL, and MM may be located at distances of approximately 0.1, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.0 from the front surface 36 of the symmetrical nose 27. Figure 43 shows a cross-sectional view of the symmetrical nose 27 along line KK shown in Figure 42. As shown in Figure 43, the front central surface 49 may be located between two substantially planar, opposing front inclined surfaces 50 that are inclined laterally (e.g., along directions +B and -B) toward the side surface 60 away from the front central surface 49. The front inclined surfaces 50 may be oriented such that their surfaces form an angle with respect to the front central surface 49 in the range of 18.5° to 30°, preferably about 24.5°. Figure 44 shows a cross-sectional view of the symmetrical nose 27 along line LL shown in Figure 42. As shown in Figure 44, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be inclined toward the side surface 60 as it extends laterally from the rear central surface 53 (for example, along directions +B and -B). For example, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 may be oriented such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 17.5° to 32.5°, preferably about 25°, relative to the rear central surface 53.

[0061] Figure 45 shows a cross-sectional view of the symmetrical nose 27 along line MM shown in Figure 42. As shown in Figure 45, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be inclined toward the side surface 60 as it extends laterally from the rear central surface 53 (for example, along directions +B and -B). The inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 and the rear central surface 53 may differ from the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and the rear central surface 53. More specifically, the inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 and the rear central surface 53 may be greater than the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped surface 55 and the rear central surface 53. For example, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 may be oriented such that the angle between the surfaces with respect to the rear central surface 53 is in the range of 30° to 45°, preferably about 37.5°. Chips compatible with asymmetrical adapters (Figures 18-25 and 46-49)

[0062] Figures 18 and 19 show isometric views of the tip 14 corresponding to the nose 26 of the adapter 12 in Figure 4. The tip 14 corresponding to the nose 26 of the adapter 12 is shown in detail in Figures 18-25 and 46-49. Referring to Figure 18, the tip 14 is substantially wedge-shaped and may have a trailing edge 90. The tip may have a top outer surface 92 extending forward (e.g., in direction F) from the upper edge 91 of the trailing edge 90 and a bottom outer surface 94 extending forward from the bottom edge 93 of the trailing edge 90. The top outer surface 92 may be angled downward (e.g., in direction D), and the bottom outer surface 94 may be angled upward (e.g., in direction U) with respect to the trailing edge 90, so that the top outer surface 92 and the bottom outer surface 94 converge at the leading edge 96 at the front of the tip 14. The tip 14 also includes lateral outer surfaces 98 extending between the top outer surface 92 and the bottom outer surface 94 on both sides of the tip 14. Each of the lateral outer surfaces 98 may have a corresponding one of a retaining opening 16 into which a retaining mechanism 13 (not shown) can be inserted to hold the tip 14 in place on the nose 26 of the adapter 12 (see Figure 3). The retaining opening 16 may include, for example, a through hole configured to receive the retaining mechanism 13. The retaining opening 16 may further include inclined surfaces, alignment slots, threads and / or internal recesses. Alternative configurations of the outer surfaces 92, 94, 98 and edges 90, 96 of the tip 14 are compatible with the embodiments of the adapter 12 described above for the tip assembly 10 according to this disclosure. It is also intended that the tip assembly 10 according to this disclosure is not limited to any particular configuration of the outer surfaces and edges of the tip 14.

[0063] As shown in Figure 19, the tip 14 may be configured to be received on the nose 26 of the adapter 12. A nose cavity 126 may be defined within the tip 14. The nose cavity 126 may have a configuration complementary to the nose 26 of the adapter 12 and may include a bottom inner surface 166, a top inner surface 146, a pair of opposing lateral inner surfaces 160 extending between the top inner surface 146 and the bottom inner surface 166, and a front inner surface 136.

[0064] Figure 20 shows a vertical cross-sectional side view of the tip 14 along line NN of Figure 18. Figure 21 shows an enlarged view of the vertical cross-sectional side view of the tip 14 along line NN of Figure 18, showing the nose cavity 126. The front inner surface 136 of the nose cavity 126 may be planar or may have some curvature, as shown in Figures 20 and 21. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the front inner surface 136 may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the substantial longitudinal axis "H", and its orientation is defined by being centered between the opposing lateral inner surfaces 160 of the nose cavity 126 and the top outer surface 92 and bottom outer surface 94 of the tip 14. Alternatively, the front inner surface 136 may be angled 1° to 5° away from the trailing edge 90 or 1° to 15° toward the trailing edge 90 as it extends upward from the bottom inner surface 166.

[0065] Figure 22 is a rear view of the tip 14 of Figure 18. As shown in Figure 22, the front inner surface 136 may be hexagonal in shape and includes a bottom inner edge 137, an opposing lateral inner edge 138 oriented at approximately 90° to the bottom inner edge 137, a top horizontal inner edge 139 oriented substantially parallel to the bottom inner edge 137, and an opposing top inclined inner edge 140 connecting the top horizontal inner edge 139 to the lateral inner edge 138. The angle between the top horizontal inner edge 139 and the top inclined inner edge 140 is in the range of approximately 18.5° to 30°, preferably approximately 24.5°. The inner edges 137 to 140 may be curved.

[0066] Figure 23 shows a horizontal cross-sectional bottom view of the tip 14 along line OO of Figure 18. Figure 24 shows an enlarged view of the horizontal cross-sectional bottom view of the tip 14 along line OO of Figure 18, showing the nose cavity 126. As shown in Figures 23 and 24, the top inner surface 146 of the nose cavity 126 may be configured to support the tip 14 during use of the loader bucket assembly 1 or the excavator bucket assembly 6 and to facilitate the retention of the tip 14 on the nose 26 when bearing the load of the material being excavated. As shown in Figure 24, the top inner surface 146 may include a front inner surface 148 located adjacent to the front inner surface 136, a transition portion 151 extending backward (e.g., in direction R), and a rear portion 152 extending backward from the transition portion 151 toward the trailing edge 90. The front interior 148 may include a substantially planar front central interior 149 that extends rearward from the top horizontal inner edge 139 of the front interior 136, between two substantially planar, opposing front inclined interior surfaces 150 that extend rearward from the top horizontal inner edge 139 of the front interior surface 136 and inclined downward laterally (e.g., along directions +B and -B) away from the front central interior surface 149. As the front central interior surface 149 extends rearward from the top horizontal inner edge 139, the width of the front central interior surface 149 (e.g., along directions +B and -B) may decrease symmetrically, resulting in a front central interior surface 149 having a shape like an isosceles trapezoid, as shown in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 24. Alternatively, the width of the front central interior surface 149 may be constant or may increase as the front central interior surface 149 extends rearward from the top horizontal inner edge 139.

[0067] As shown in Figure 21, the front central inner surface 149 may extend upward (e.g., in direction U) away from the top horizontal inner edge 139 such that the front central inner surface 149 and the front inner surface 136 form an angle in the range of 91° to 105°, preferably about 95°. Alternatively, the front central inner surface 149 may extend substantially perpendicular to the front inner surface 136, for example, forming an angle in the range of 88° to 92°, preferably 90°. Alternatively, the front central inner surface 149 may extend at an acute angle to the front inner surface 136, for example, forming an angle in the range of 85° to 89°. The front inclined inner surface 150 may be oriented such that the two surfaces form an angle in the range of 18.5° to 30°, preferably about 24.5°, relative to the front central inner surface 149. The front inclined inner surface 150 provides stability to the tip assembly 10 during downward and lateral loading patterns by acting, for example, as a wedge surface to reduce relative motion between the nose 26 of the adapter 12 and the nose cavity 126 of the tip 14. The front inclined inner surface 150 can further increase the contact area between the nose 26 of the adapter 12 and the nose cavity 126 of the tip 14, thereby reducing stress on the entire nose 26. Furthermore, the front inclined inner surface 150 additionally increases the frictional force when a load is applied to the tip assembly 10, and in particular in combination with other lateral inclined surfaces, such as the channel side surface 180 described below, reduces the load on the tip 14 and the retaining mechanism 13.

[0068] Returning to Figure 24, the rear portion 152 of the top inner surface 146 may include a substantially planar rear central inner surface 153 extending rearward from the proximal part of the front central inner surface 149 toward the trailing edge 90 between two opposing rear inclined inner surfaces 154, the substantially planar rear central inner surface 153 extending rearward from the front inclined inner surface 150 and inclined laterally (e.g., in directions +B and -B) away from the rear central inner surface 153. The rear inclined inner surfaces 154 function to provide increased stability, for example, during downward and lateral loading of the tip assembly 10, by acting as a wedge surface to reduce relative motion and increase the contact area between the nose 26 and the tip 14. Furthermore, the increased contact area provided by the rear inclined inner surface 154 can reduce stress through the nose 26.

[0069] As the rear central inner surface 153 extends rearward from the front central inner surface 149, the width of the rear central inner surface 153 (e.g., along directions +B and -B) may first increase and then decrease. In some embodiments, the width of the rear central inner surface 153 adjacent to the front central inner surface 149 is in the range of 0.1 to 0.4 times the rearward width ("RTW") of the nose cavity 126 (in the vertical plane "P" as shown in Figure 23, see Figure 23). In some embodiments, the width of the rear central inner surface 153 at its widest point as it extends rearward from the front central inner surface 149 is in the range of 0.6 to 0.9 times the rearward width ("RTW") of the nose cavity 126, preferably about 0.73 times. In some embodiments, the width of the rear central inner surface 153 adjacent to the trailing edge 90 is in the range of 0.3 to 0.6 times, preferably about 0.46 times, the rear width ("RTW") at the rear of the nose cavity 126. As shown in Figure 21, the rear central inner surface 153 may be inclined upward with respect to the front central inner surface 149. The different angles of the front central inner surface 149 and the rear central inner surface 153 with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "H" provide the advantage of generating friction on the front central inner surface 149 and transmitting the load from the retaining mechanism 13 to the nose 26 of the adapter 12. For example, as shown in Figure 21, the rear central inner surface 153 may be oriented with respect to the front central inner surface 149 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 0° to 15°, preferably about 9°. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the rear central inner surface 153 may be about 5° to 25°, preferably 14°, with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "H". The inclination of the rear central inner surface 153 facilitates the insertion of the tip 14 of the nose 26 into the nose cavity 126, while the width of the rear central inner surface 153 limits the twisting of the tip 14 once it is attached to the nose 26.

[0070] As shown in Figure 24, the rear inclined inner surface 154 may include a substantially planar triangular front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and a substantially planar triangular rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156, oriented so that their vertices face each other. The front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 offers the advantage of acting as the primary wedge surface during the indentation load. For example, as shown in Figure 21, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may extend away from the substantial longitudinal axis "H" (e.g., in direction U) as it extends backward. For example, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may be oriented such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 15° to 27.5°, preferably about 21.5°, relative to the front inclined inner surface 150. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 22, for example, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may incline downward as it extends laterally (e.g., in directions +B and -B) from the rear central inner surface 153. For example, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may be oriented with respect to the rear central inner surface 153 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 17.5° to 32.5°, preferably about 25°.

[0071] For example, as shown in Figures 21 and 22, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be inclined downward as it extends laterally from the rear central inner surface 153 (e.g., along directions +B and -B). The inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 and the rear central inner surface 153 may differ from the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and the rear central inner surface 153. More specifically, the inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 and the rear central inner surface 153 may be greater than the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and the rear central inner surface 153. For example, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be oriented such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 30° to 45°, preferably about 37.5°, relative to the rear central inner surface 153. Furthermore, as the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 extends rearward from the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be oriented substantially parallel to the substantial longitudinal axis "H". Alternatively, as the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 extends rearward from the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be angled upward, but at a shallower angle than the angle of the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "H". For example, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be oriented such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 18.5° to 30°, preferably about 24.5°, with respect to the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155. The relative surface angles of the front inclined inner surface 150, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155, and the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 provide the advantage of wedge-fixing the tip 14 onto the nose 26, particularly during front loading, reducing the overall motion of the tip 14 and distributing stress and wear through the nose cavity 126.

[0072] As shown in Figure 24, the front interior 148 of the top interior 146 of the nose cavity 126, the rear portion 152 of the top interior 146 of the nose cavity 126, and the trailing edge 90 can each be separated by an inner transition 151, which may include one or more curved surfaces translating between the relative angles of separately adjacent substantially planes. Individually defined surfaces within the front interior 148 and rear portion 152 of the top interior 146, such as the front central interior 149 and rear central interior 153, the front inclined interior 150, and the front bowtie-shaped interior 155 and rear bowtie-shaped interior 156, can also be separated by the inner transition 151.

[0073] Figure 25 shows a horizontal cross-sectional top view of the tip 14 along line PP in Figure 18. Figure 25 shows a horizontal cross-sectional top view of the tip 14 along line PP in Figure 18, showing the nose cavity 126. As seen in Figures 25 and 26, the bottom inner surface 166 may include a substantially planar front portion 168 positioned close to the front inner surface 136 and extending backward (e.g., in direction R) from the front inner surface 136, a transition portion 151 extending backward from the front portion 168, and a rear portion 170 extending backward from the transition portion 151 toward the trailing edge 90 of the tip 14. The front portion 168 has the advantage of providing a planar, stable surface that acts as the primary contact area during upload, thereby reducing wear on the tip assembly 10. As shown in Figure 21, the front portion 168 may be oriented relative to the front inner surface 136 at an angle in the range of 85° to 105°, preferably about 90°. Furthermore, the front portion 168 may be oriented at an angle of 0° to 15°, preferably about 5°, relative to the front central inner surface 149. Such orientation of the front portion 168 offers the advantage of increased friction between the tip 14 and the adapter 12, which can reduce slippage when the tip 14 is loaded upward, for example, and consequently reduce the load on the retaining mechanism 13.

[0074] Returning to Figures 21 and 26, the rear portion 170 of the bottom inner surface 166 may include, or alternatively, an opposing substantially planar inner shoulder surface 172 parallel to the front portion 168, and a bottom channel 174 (see Figure 26) that is inclined downward (for example, in direction D in Figure 21) with respect to both the front portion 168 and the inner shoulder surface 172. As shown in Figure 21, the inner shoulder surface 172 may be oriented downward (for example, in direction D) with respect to the front portion 168 at an angle in the range of 0° to 10°, preferably about 4°.

[0075] As shown in Figure 26, the bottom channel 174 of the bottom inner surface 166 may include a substantially planar front channel portion 176 inclined downward with respect to the front portion 168 (for example, in direction D, see Figure 21) and a substantially planar rear channel portion 178 inclined downward with respect to the front channel portion 176 (for example, in direction D, see Figure 21). The front channel portion 176 and the rear channel portion 178 may extend between opposing channel sides 180. The bottom channel 174 offers advantages such as improved stability under lateral loads and improved wedge retention under compressive loads. As shown in Figure 21, the front channel portion 176 may be oriented with respect to the front portion 168 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 6° to 18°, preferably about 12.5°. The rear channel portion 178 may be oriented with respect to the front channel portion 176 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 0° to 15°, preferably 6°. For example, the different angles of the front channel portion 176 and the rear channel portion 178 offer the advantages of reducing relative motion between the adapter 12 and the tip 14, reducing wear, and distributing stress more uniformly.

[0076] As shown in Figure 26, the channel sides 180 of the bottom channel 174 may include a front channel side 181 and a rear channel side 182. The front channel side 181 may connect the front channel portion 176 to the inner shoulder surface 172. The rear channel side 182 may connect the rear channel portion 178 to the inner shoulder surface 172. The front channel sides 181 of the bottom channel 174 may be substantially parallel to each other such that the width of the front channel portion 176 (e.g., along directions +B and -B) is substantially constant as the front channel portion 176 extends rearward. Alternatively, the front channel sides 181 of the bottom channel 174 may be oriented relative to each other such that the distance between the front channel sides 181 decreases substantially symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal taper angle "LTA" in the range of 0° to 20° with respect to a longitudinal line oriented parallel to a substantial longitudinal axis "H". Furthermore, the rear channel sides 182 of the bottom channel 174 may be substantially parallel to each other such that the width of the rear channel portion 178 (e.g., along directions +B and -B) remains substantially constant as the rear channel portion 178 extends backward. Alternatively, the rear channel sides 182 of the bottom channel 174 may be oriented relative to each other such that the distance between the rear channel sides 182 decreases substantially symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal line oriented parallel to the substantial longitudinal axis "H", preferably at a longitudinal taper angle "LTA" of about 5°. The orientation of the channel sides 180 with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "H" may provide increased wedge-locking benefits, resulting in reduced relative motion, including reduced lateral pivoting, as well as reduced wear during indentation and downward loads. As shown in Figure 22, the channel sides 180 of the bottom channel 174 may be oriented relative to each other such that the distance between the channel sides 180 decreases substantially symmetrically with respect to parallel vertical lines in the range of 30° to 50°, preferably about 39.5°, at a vertical taper angle "VTA". Furthermore, the channel sides 180 may be oriented with respect to the inner shoulder surface 172 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 40° to 60°, preferably about 50.5°.Such orientation of the channel side 180 may offer advantages such as increased stability during lateral loading, reduced nose volume, added strength, and an additional wedge effect that increases the contact area and reduces sliding motion and associated wear.

[0077] As shown in Figure 26, the front portion 168 of the bottom inner surface 166 of the nose cavity 126, the rear portion 170 of the bottom inner surface 166 of the nose cavity 126, and the trailing edge 90 can each be separated by an inner transition portion 151, which may include one or more curved surfaces translating between the relative angles of separately adjacent substantially planes. Individually defined surfaces within the rear portion 170 of the bottom inner surface 166, such as the inner shoulder surface 172, the front channel portion 176, the rear channel portion 178, and the channel side surface 180, can also be separated by the inner transition portion 151.

[0078] As shown in Figures 20 and 21, the lateral inner surface 160 of the nose cavity 126 is substantially planar and may extend between the bottom inner surface 166 and the top inner surface 146. The lateral inner surface 160 may include a substantially planar front inner surface 161 positioned close to the front inner surface 136, a substantially planar intermediate inner surface 162 extending rearward (e.g., in direction R) from the front inner surface 161, and a rear inner surface 163 extending rearward from the intermediate surface to the trailing edge 90 of the tip 14. The front inner surface 161 may be longitudinally aligned to separate the front inclined inner surface 150 of the top inner surface 146 from the front portion 168 of the bottom inner surface 166. The intermediate inner surface 162 may be longitudinally aligned to separate the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 of the top inner surface 146 from the inner shoulder surface 172 of the bottom inner surface 166. The rear inner surface 163 can be aligned longitudinally such that the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 of the top inner surface 146 is separated from the inner shoulder surface 172 of the bottom inner surface 166.

[0079] As shown in Figure 24, the front inner surface 161 and the intermediate inner surface 162 may be parallel and continuous as they extend backward from the lateral inner edge 138 of the front inner surface 136. The front inner surface 161 and the intermediate inner surface 162 may be oriented such that the angle between their surfaces with respect to the front inner surface 136 is in the range of 90° to 105°, preferably about 93°. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 21, the front inner surface 161 may be configured such that the distance between the top inner surface 146 and the bottom inner surface 166 is substantially constant as the front inner surface 161 extends backward (e.g., in direction R). Alternatively, the front inner surface 161 may be configured such that the distance between the top inner surface 146 and the bottom inner surface 166 increases slightly as the front inner surface 161 extends backward. The intermediate inner surface 162 may be configured such that the distance between the top inner surface 146 and the bottom inner surface 166 increases substantially as the intermediate inner surface 162 extends backward.

[0080] As shown in Figure 24, the rear inner surface 163 can be angled outward with respect to the front inner surface 161 and the intermediate inner surface 162 (e.g., along directions +B and -B) as the rear inner surface 163 extends rearward from the intermediate inner surface 162, such that the lateral distance between the rear inner surfaces 163 increases symmetrically as the rear inner surface 163 extends rearward. For example, the rear inner surface 163 can be angled outward with respect to the intermediate inner surface 162 at an angle in the range of 0° to 15°, preferably about 7°. An angle greater than 0° allows the rear inner surface 163 to act as a wedge surface during the indentation load, which has the advantage of increasing the contact surface between the adapter 12 and the tip 14 during operation, thereby reducing slip and wear, and improving removeability by reducing friction between the adapter 12 and the tip 14 during removal. Alternatively, the rear inner surface 163 can be oriented substantially parallel to the intermediate inner surface 162. The rear inner surface 163 may be configured such that the distance between the top inner surface 146 and the bottom inner surface 166 decreases slightly as the rear inner surface 163 extends in a rearward direction.

[0081] The front inner surface 161, middle lateral inner surface 162, and rear inner surface 163 of the lateral inner surface 160 of the nose cavity 126, and the top inner surface 146, bottom inner surface 166, and trailing edge 90 of the tip 14 may each be separated by an inner transition section 151, which may include one or more curved surfaces translating between the relative angles of adjacent substantially planes.

[0082] As shown in Figure 20, the vertical height ("RVH") at the rear of the nose cavity 126 (on the vertical plane "P") can range from 0.5 to 1.0 times the longitudinal length ("LL") of the nose cavity 126, which is defined as the distance along the substantial longitudinal axis "A" from the vertical plane "P" to the front inner surface 136. The vertical height ("FVH") at the front of the nose cavity 126 (on the front inner surface 136) can range from 0.2 to 0.5 times the longitudinal length of the nose cavity 126. As shown in Figures 23 and 25, the lateral width ("RTW") at the rear of the nose cavity 126 (on the vertical plane "P") can range from 0.8 to 2.0 times the lateral width ("FTW") at the front of the nose cavity 126 (on the front inner surface 136). The front width ("FTW") of the nose cavity 126 (at the front inner surface 136) may be in the range of 0.4 to 1.5 times the longitudinal length ("LL") of the nose cavity 126. The longitudinal length ("LL") of the nose cavity 126 may be in the range of 0.7 to 2.0 times the rear width ("RTW") of the nose cavity 126 (at the vertical plane "P").

[0083] Figure 46 shows a vertical cross-sectional side view of the tip of Figure 18 along line NN, having cutting lines TT, UU, and VV according to the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 46, the cross-sections corresponding to lines TT, UU, and VV may be located at distances of approximately 0.1, 0.4, and 0.8 times from the front inner surface 136 of the nose cavity 126. Figure 47 shows a cross-sectional view of the nose cavity 126 along line TT shown in Figure 46. As shown in Figure 47, the front inner surface 136 may be hexagonal in shape and include a bottom inner edge 137, an opposing lateral inner edge 138 oriented at approximately 90° to the bottom inner edge 137, a top horizontal inner edge 139 oriented substantially parallel to the bottom inner edge 137, and an opposing top inclined inner edge 140 connecting the top horizontal inner edge 139 to the lateral inner edge 138. The angle between the horizontal inner edge 139 and the inclined inner edge 140 of the apex is in the range of approximately 18.5° to 30°, preferably approximately 24.5°. The inner edges 137 to 140 may be curved.

[0084] Figure 48 shows a cross-sectional view of the nose cavity 126 along line UU shown in Figure 46. As shown in Figure 48, the substantially planar rear central inner surface 153 may be positioned between two opposing rearward inclined inner surfaces 154 that incline laterally (e.g., in directions +B and -B) from the rear central inner surface 153. The rear central inner surface 153 may be oriented with respect to the front central inner surface 149 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 0° to 15°, preferably about 9°. Figure 49 shows a cross-sectional view of the nose cavity 126 along line VV shown in Figure 46. As shown in Figure 49, the substantially planar triangular front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and the substantially planar triangular rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be oriented so that their vertices face each other. Furthermore, as shown, for example in Figure 22, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may incline downward as it extends laterally (e.g., in directions +B and -B) from the rear central inner surface 153. For example, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may be oriented such that the angle between its two surfaces is in the range of 17.5° to 32.5°, preferably about 25°, relative to the rear central inner surface 153. The rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be inclined downward (e.g., in direction D) as it extends laterally (e.g., along directions +B and -B) from the rear central inner surface 153. The inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 and the rear central inner surface 153 may differ from the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and the rear central inner surface 153. More specifically, the inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 and the rear central inner surface 153 may be greater than the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and the rear central inner surface 153. For example, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be oriented such that the angle between its two surfaces is in the range of 30° to 45°, preferably about 37.5°, relative to the rear central inner surface 153. Chips compatible with symmetrical adapters (Figures 27-32 and 50-53)

[0085] Alternative embodiments of the tip 14 including a nose cavity 127 are shown in Figures 27-32 and 50-53. As will be described more fully below, the symmetric nose cavity 127 is configured to receive a corresponding alternative embodiment of the adapter 12 including a symmetric nose 27 (Figures 12-17). The symmetric nose cavity 127 and the corresponding symmetric nose 27 offer the advantage of allowing the user to reverse the orientation of the top and bottom surfaces of the tip 14 when the tip 14 is mounted on the adapter 12 in order to achieve more uniform wear of the top and bottom surfaces of the tip. Although not shown in Figures 27-32, each of the lateral outer surfaces 98 (Figure 27) may have a corresponding one of a retaining opening 16 (not shown) into which a retaining mechanism 13 (not shown) can be inserted to hold the tip 14 in place on the symmetric nose 27 of the adapter 12 (see Figure 3). The retaining opening 16 may include, for example, a through hole configured to receive the retaining mechanism 13. The retaining opening 16 may further include inclined surfaces, alignment slots, threads and / or internal recesses.

[0086] Figure 27 shows an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of tip 14. As shown in Figure 27, tip 14 may be configured to be received on the symmetrical nose 27 of adapter 12. A symmetrical nose cavity 127 may be defined within tip 14. The symmetrical nose cavity 127 may have a configuration complementary to the symmetrical nose 27 of adapter 12 and may include a pair of opposing top inner surfaces 146 and bottom inner surfaces 166, a pair of opposing lateral inner surfaces 160 extending between the top inner surface 146 and the bottom inner surface 166, and a front inner surface 136.

[0087] Figure 28 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the tip 14 along line QQ in Figure 27, and Figure 29 is an enlarged view of the vertical cross-sectional side view of the tip 14 along line QQ in Figure 27, showing the nose cavity 127. The front inner surface 136 of the symmetric nose cavity 127 may be planar or may have some curvature, as shown in Figures 28 and 29. As shown in Figure 28, the front inner surface 136 may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the substantial longitudinal axis "H", and its orientation is defined by being centered between the opposing lateral inner surface 160 and the top inner surface 146 and bottom inner surface 166 of the symmetric nose cavity 127.

[0088] Figure 30 shows a rear view of the tip 14 of Figure 27. As shown in Figure 30, the front inner surface 136 may be octagonal and include opposing top horizontal inner edges and bottom horizontal inner edges 139, opposing lateral inner edges 138 oriented at approximately 90° to the top horizontal inner edges and bottom horizontal inner edges 139, and opposing top inclined inner edges and bottom inclined inner edges 140 connecting the top horizontal inner edges and bottom horizontal inner edges 139 to the lateral inner edges 138. The angle between the top horizontal inner edges and bottom horizontal inner edges 139 and the top inclined inner edges and bottom inclined inner edges 140 is in the range of approximately 18.5° to 30°, preferably approximately 24.5°. The inner edges 139-140 may be curved.

[0089] Figure 31 is a horizontal cross-sectional top view of the tip 14 along line SS of Figure 27, and Figure 30 is an enlarged side cross-sectional top view of the tip 14 along line SS of Figure 27, showing the nose cavity 127. The top inner surface 146 and bottom inner surface 166 of the symmetric nose cavity 127 may be configured to support the tip 14 during use of the loader bucket assembly 1 or the excavator bucket assembly 6 and to facilitate the retention of the tip 14 on the symmetric nose 27 when bearing the load of the material being excavated, as shown in Figures 31 and 32. As shown in Figure 32, the top inner surface 146 and bottom inner surface 166 may include a front inner surface 148 positioned adjacent to the front inner surface 136, a transition portion 151 extending backward (e.g., in direction R) from the front inner surface 148, and a rear portion 152 extending backward from the transition portion 151 toward the trailing edge 90. The front portion 148 may include a substantially planar front central inner surface 149 that extends rearward from the top inclined inner edge or bottom inclined inner edge 139 of the front inner surface 136, between two substantially planar, opposing front inclined inner surfaces 150 that slope laterally (e.g., along directions +B and -B) toward the lateral inner surface 160, away from the front central inner surface 149. As the front central inner surface 149 extends rearward from the top horizontal inner edge and bottom horizontal inner edge 139, the width of the front central inner surface 149 decreases symmetrically, resulting in the front central inner surface 149 having a shape similar to an isosceles trapezoid, as shown in the illustrated embodiment of Figure 32. Alternatively, the width of the front central inner surface 149 may be constant, or it may increase as the front central inner surface 149 extends rearward from the top horizontal inner edge and the bottom horizontal inner edge 139.

[0090] As shown in Figure 29, the front central inner surface 149 may extend substantially away from the longitudinal axis "H" (in directions U and D) as the front central inner surface 149 and the front inner surface 136 extend backward, forming an angle in the range of 91° to 105°, preferably about 95°. Alternatively, the front central inner surface 149 may extend substantially perpendicular to the front inner surface 136, forming an angle, for example, in the range of 88° to 92°, preferably 90°. The front inclined inner surface 150 may be oriented such that its surface forms an angle in the range of 18.5° to 30°, preferably about 24.5°, with respect to the front central inner surface 149. The front inclined inner surface 150 provides stability to the tip assembly 10 during downward and lateral loading patterns by acting as a wedge surface to reduce relative motion between, for example, the symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12 and the symmetrical nose cavity 127 of the tip 14. The front inclined inner surface 150 further increases the contact area between the symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12 and the symmetrical nose cavity 127 of the tip 14, thereby reducing the overall stress on the symmetrical nose 27. Furthermore, the front inclined inner surface 150 further increases the frictional force when a load is applied to the tip assembly 10, and in particular, in combination with other lateral inclined surfaces, such as the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 described below, reduces the load on the tip 14 and the retaining mechanism 13.

[0091] Returning to Figure 32, the rear portion 152 of the top and bottom inner surfaces 146 may include a substantially planar rear central inner surface 153 extending backward (e.g., in direction R) from the transition 151 toward the trailing edge 90. The planar rear central inner surface 153 may also extend backward from the transition 151 and between two opposing rear inclined inner surfaces 154 that inclin laterally (e.g., along directions +B and -B) away from the rear central inner surface 153. The rear inclined inner surfaces 154 function to provide increased stability, for example, during upward, downward, and lateral loading of the tip assembly 10, by acting as a wedge surface to reduce relative motion and increase the contact area between the symmetrical nose 27 and the tip 14. Furthermore, the increased contact area provided by the rear inclined inner surfaces 154 may reduce stress through the symmetrical nose 27.

[0092] As the rear central inner surface 153 extends rearward from the front central inner surface 149, the width of the rear central inner surface 153 (e.g., along directions +B and -B) may first increase and then decrease. In some embodiments, the width of the rear central inner surface 153 adjacent to the front central inner surface 149 is in the range of 0.1 to 0.4 times, preferably about 0.23 times, the rearward width ("RTW") of the symmetric nose cavity 127 (in the vertical plane "P" as shown in Figure 31; see Figure 31). In some embodiments, the width of the rear central inner surface 153 at its widest point as it extends rearward from the front central inner surface 149 is in the range of 0.6 to 0.9 times, preferably about 0.73 times, the rearward width ("RTW") of the symmetric nose cavity 127. In some embodiments, the width of the rear central inner surface 153 adjacent to the trailing edge 90 is in the range of 0.3 to 0.6 times, preferably about 0.46 times, the rear lateral width ("RTW") of the rear of the symmetric nose cavity 127. The rear central inner surface 153 may extend away from the substantial longitudinal axis "H" as it extends rearward. The different angles of the front central inner surface 149 and the rear central inner surface 153 with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "H" provide the advantage of friction on the front central inner surface 149, which transmits the load from the retaining mechanism 13 to the symmetric nose 27 of the adapter 12. For example, as shown in Figure 29, the rear central inner surface 153 may be oriented such that the angle formed by the two surfaces with respect to the front central inner surface 149 is in the range of 0° to 15°, preferably about 9°. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the rear central inner surface 153 may be about 5° to 25°, preferably 14°, with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "H". The inclination of the rear central inner surface 153 facilitates the insertion of the tip 14 of the symmetrical nose 27 into the symmetrical nose cavity 127, while the width of the rear central inner surface 153 limits the twisting of the tip 14 once it is attached to the symmetrical nose 27.

[0093] As shown in Figure 32, the rear inclined inner surface 154 may include a substantially planar triangular front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and a substantially planar triangular rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156, oriented so that their vertices face each other. The front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 offers the advantage of acting as the primary wedge surface during indentation loads. For example, as shown in Figure 32, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may extend away from the substantial longitudinal axis "H" as it extends rearward. For example, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may be oriented such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 15° to 27.5°, preferably about 21.5°, relative to the front inclined inner surface 150. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 30, for example, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may incline toward the lateral inner surface 160 as it extends laterally in the +B and -B directions from the rear central inner surface 153. For example, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may be oriented with respect to the rear central inner surface 153 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 17.5° to 32.5°, preferably about 25°.

[0094] For example, as shown in Figure 30, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be inclined toward the lateral inner surface 160 as it extends laterally in the +B and -B directions from the rear central inner surface 153. The inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 and the rear central inner surface 153 may differ from the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and the rear central inner surface 153. More specifically, the inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 and the rear central inner surface 153 may be greater than the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and the rear central inner surface 153. For example, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be oriented such that the angle between the surfaces with respect to the rear central inner surface 153 is in the range of 30° to 45°, preferably about 37.5°. Furthermore, as the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 extends backward from the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis "H". Alternatively, as the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 extends rearward from the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be angled at a shallower angle with respect to the substantial longitudinal axis "A" than the angle of the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155, but away from the substantial longitudinal axis "H". For example, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be oriented with respect to the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 18.5° to 30°, preferably about 24.5°. The relative surface angles of the front inclined inner surface 150, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155, and the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 provide the advantage of wedge the tip 14 onto the symmetrical nose 27, reducing the overall motion of the tip 14 and distributing stress and wear through the symmetrical nose cavity 127, especially during front loading.

[0095] As shown in Figure 32, the front portion 148 of the top and bottom inner surfaces 146 of the symmetric nose cavity 127, the rear portion 152 of the top and bottom inner surfaces 146 of the symmetric nose cavity 127, and the trailing edge 90 can each be separated by an inner transition portion 151, which may include one or more curved surfaces translating between the relative angles of adjacent substantially planes. Individually defined surfaces within the front portion 148 and rear portion 152 of the top and bottom inner surfaces 146, such as the front central inner surface 149 and the rear central inner surface 153, the front inclined inner surface 150, and the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156, can also each be separated by an inner transition portion 151.

[0096] As shown in Figures 28 and 29, the lateral inner surface 160 of the symmetrical nose cavity 127 is substantially planar and may extend between the top inner surface and the bottom inner surface 146. The lateral inner surface 160 may include a substantially planar front inner surface 161 positioned close to the front inner surface 136, a substantially planar intermediate inner surface 162 extending backward (e.g., in direction R) from the front inner surface 161, and a rear inner surface 163 extending backward from the intermediate surface to the trailing edge 90 of the tip 14. The front inner surface 161 may be aligned longitudinally to separate the front inclined inner surface 150 of the top inner surface and the bottom inner surface 146. The intermediate inner surface 162 may be aligned longitudinally to separate the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 of the top inner surface and the bottom inner surface 146. The rear inner surface 163 may be aligned longitudinally so as to separate the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 of the top inner surface and bottom inner surface 146.

[0097] As shown in Figure 32, the front inner surface 161 and the intermediate inner surface 162 may be parallel and continuous as they extend backward from the lateral inner edge 138 of the front inner surface 136. The front inner surface 161 and the intermediate inner surface 162 may be oriented such that the angle between their surfaces with respect to the front inner surface 136 is in the range of 90° to 105°, preferably about 93°. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 29, the front inner surface 161 may be configured such that the distance between the top inner surface 146 and the bottom inner surface 166 is substantially constant as the front inner surface 161 extends backward from the lateral inner edge 138. Alternatively, the front inner surface 161 may be configured such that the distance between the top inner surface and the bottom inner surface 146 increases slightly as the front inner surface 161 extends backward from the lateral inner edge 138. The intermediate inner surface 162 may be configured such that the distance between the top inner surface and the bottom inner surface 146 increases substantially as the intermediate inner surface 162 extends backward.

[0098] As shown in Figure 32, the rear inner surface 163 can be angled outward (e.g., along directions +B and -B) with respect to the front inner surface 161 and the intermediate inner surface 162 as the rear inner surface 163 extends backward from the intermediate inner surface 162, such that the lateral distance between the rear inner surfaces 163 (e.g., along directions +B and -B) increases symmetrically as the rear inner surface 163 extends backward. For example, the rear inner surface 163 can be angled outward with respect to the intermediate inner surface 162 at an angle in the range of 0° to 15°, preferably about 7°. An angle greater than 0° allows the rear inner surface 163 to act as a wedge surface during the indentation load, providing the advantage of increasing the contact surface between the adapter 12 and the tip 14 during operation, thereby reducing slip and wear, and improving removeability by reducing friction between the adapter 12 and the tip 14 during removal. Alternatively, the rear inner surface 163 can be oriented substantially parallel to the intermediate inner surface 162. The rear inner surface 163 may be configured such that the distance between the top inner surface and the bottom inner surface 146 decreases slightly as the rear inner surface 163 extends in a rearward direction.

[0099] The front inner surface 161, middle lateral inner surface 162, and rear inner surface 163 of the lateral inner surface 160 of the symmetrical nose cavity 127, and the top inner surface and bottom inner surface 146 and trailing edge 90 of the tip 14 may each be separated by an inner transition section 151, which may include one or more curved surfaces translating between the relative angles of adjacent substantially planes.

[0100] As shown in Figure 28, the vertical height ("RVH") at the rear of the symmetric nose cavity 127 (at vertical plane "P") can range from 0.5 to 1.0 times the longitudinal length ("LL") of the symmetric nose cavity 127, which is defined as the distance along the substantial longitudinal axis "A" from vertical plane "P" to the front inner surface 136. The vertical height ("FVH") at the front of the symmetric nose cavity 127 (at front inner surface 136) can range from 0.2 to 0.5 times the longitudinal length of the symmetric nose cavity 127. As shown in Figure 31, the lateral width ("RTW") at the rear of the symmetric nose cavity 127 (at vertical plane "P") can range from 0.8 to 2.0 times the lateral width ("FTW") at the front of the symmetric nose cavity 127 (at front inner surface 136). The frontal width ("FTW") of the symmetrical nose cavity 127 (at the front inner surface 136) may be in the range of 0.4 to 1.5 times the longitudinal length ("LL") of the symmetrical nose cavity 127. The longitudinal length ("LL") of the symmetrical nose cavity 127 may be in the range of 0.7 to 2.0 times the rearal width ("RTW") of the symmetrical nose cavity 127 (at the vertical plane "P").

[0101] Figure 50 shows a vertical cross-sectional side view of the tip of Figure 27 along line QQ, having cutting lines WW, XX, and YY. As shown in Figure 50, the cross-sections corresponding to lines WW, XX, and YY may be located at distances of approximately 0.1, 0.4, and 0.8 times from the front inner surface 136 of the symmetrical nose cavity 127. Figure 51 shows a cross-sectional view of the symmetrical nose cavity 127 along line WW shown in Figure 50. As shown in Figure 51, the front inner surface 136 may be hexagonal in shape and include a bottom inner edge 137, an opposing lateral inner edge 138 oriented at approximately 90° to the bottom inner edge 137, a top horizontal inner edge 139 oriented substantially parallel to the bottom inner edge 137, and an opposing top inclined inner edge 140 connecting the top horizontal inner edge 139 to the lateral inner edge 138. The angle between the top horizontal inner edge 139 and the top inclined inner edge 140 is in the range of approximately 18.5° to 30°, preferably approximately 24.5°. The front inner edges 137 to 140 may be curved.

[0102] Figure 52 shows a cross-sectional view of a symmetrical nose cavity 127 along line XX shown in Figure 50. As shown in Figure 52, the substantially planar triangular front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and the substantially planar triangular rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be oriented so that their vertices face each other. The front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may be inclined downward as it extends laterally (e.g., in directions +B and -B) from the rear central inner surface 153. The front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may be inclined toward the lateral inner surface 160 as it extends laterally in directions +B and -B from the rear central inner surface 153. For example, the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 may be oriented such that the angle between the two surfaces is in the range of 17.5° to 32.5°, preferably about 25°, relative to the rear central inner surface 153.

[0103] Figure 53 shows a cross-sectional view of a symmetrical nose cavity 127 along line YY shown in Figure 50. As shown in Figure 53, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be inclined downward (for example, in direction D) as it extends laterally in directions +B and -B from the rear central inner surface 153. The inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 and the rear central inner surface 153 may differ from the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and the rear central inner surface 153. More specifically, the inclination angle between the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 and the rear central inner surface 153 may be greater than the inclination angle between the front bowtie-shaped inner surface 155 and the rear central inner surface 153. For example, the rear bowtie-shaped inner surface 156 may be oriented such that the surface-to-surface angle with respect to the rear central inner surface 153 is in the range of 30° to 45°, preferably about 37.5°.

[0104] Figure 54 is an exploded view showing components of an exemplary tip assembly 10. The tip assembly 10 may include an adapter 12 configured to attach to a proximal edge, such as the proximal edge 108 of a fixture 100 (Figures 1 and 2), and a ground engagement tip 14 configured to attach to the adapter 12. The tip assembly 10 may further include a retaining mechanism 500 for securing the ground engagement tip 14 to the adapter 12. The retaining mechanism 500 may be an exemplary embodiment of the retaining mechanism 13. The retaining mechanism 500 may include a retainer 525, a retainer block 530, and a spring 535. The adapter 12 may include a notch 510 that allows for the installation of the retainer block 530. The ground engagement tip 14 may include an opening 515, such as a through hole, that allows the retainer 525 to be installed in the retainer block 530 when the ground engagement tip 14 is connected to the adapter 12. When attached to the adapter 12, the ground engagement tip 14 may extend outward from the base edge, such as the base edge 108 of the tool 100, for initial engagement with the material to be excavated.

[0105] Figure 55 shows a tip assembly 10 having a retaining mechanism 520 installed to connect a ground engagement tip 14 to an adapter 12. Figure 56 shows a cross-sectional view of the retaining mechanism 520 along line FF shown in Figure 55. As shown in Figure 56, the retainer 525 may be installed in a retainer block 530, and the spring 535 may be engaged in a detent notch 545 of the retainer 525. The female thread 560 of the retainer block 530 may be fully interconnected with the thread 540 of the retainer 525 to prevent linear movement of the retainer 525 within the retainer block 530. As shown in Figure 56, the spring 535 may no longer need to be deflected and may be locked in the detent notch 545. When in the locked position as shown in Figure 56, the detent notch 545 may interact with the spring 535 to prevent rotation of the retainer 525 during use of the bucket assembly 1 (see Figures 1 and 2). [Industrial applicability]

[0106] The chip assembly 10 according to this disclosure incorporates features that can extend the service life of the chip assembly 10. The design of the chip assembly 10 according to this disclosure provides various surfaces and surface angles on the nose 26 and symmetric nose 27 of the adapter 12, as well as corresponding surfaces and surface angles in the nose cavity 126 and symmetric nose cavity 127 of the chip 14, which work together to provide a variety of advantages, including an increased contact area between the chip 14 and the adapter 12, a reduced stress on the adapter 12 and the chip 14, an increased frictional force between the chip 14 and the adapter 12 under load, an increased stability to the chip assembly 10 under load, a reduced relative motion between the chip 14 and the adapter 12, a more uniform distribution of wear through the chip assembly 10, a reduced load on the retaining mechanism 13, a reduced force required to remove the chip 14 from the adapter 12, and a reduced volume of the nose 26 of the adapter 12 having additional strength. The following description primarily focuses on the various surfaces and surface orientations of the nose 26 and the symmetric nose 27, but those skilled in the art will understand that the relevant surface combinations of the nose 26 and / or the symmetric nose 27 provide the described advantages because they interact with the corresponding surfaces in the nose cavity 126 or the symmetric nose cavity 127 when the tip 14 is placed on the adapter 12.

[0107] The chip assembly 10 according to this disclosure provides an increased contact area between the chip 14 and the adapter 12. For example, when the chip assembly 10 is used, it can be subjected to loads in various directions. When a downward load is applied to the chip assembly 10, a significant portion of the load is experienced by the front portion 48 of the top surface 46 of the nose 26 or symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12. For this reason, as seen in Figure 10, the front portion 48 may include three distinct surfaces (a front central surface 49 and two front inclined surfaces 50) at various angles, and the total contact area of ​​the front portion 48 with the corresponding front interior 148 of the top inner surface 146 of the nose cavity 126 or symmetrical nose cavity 127 of the chip 14 is greater than when the front portion 48 and the corresponding front interior 148 are limited to a single surface, as seen in Figures 24 and 32. Similarly, with respect to the asymmetrical adapter 12, as seen in Figure 11, the relative orientation of the rear rib portion 78, rear rib side portion 82 and shoulder portion 72 of the bottom surface 66, which also receive a considerable portion of the download, results in a contact area with the corresponding surface of the bottom inner surface 166 of the nose cavity 126 of the tip 14, which is larger than when the bottom surface 66 and the corresponding bottom inner surface 166 consist of a single surface, as seen in Figure 26.

[0108] When an upward load is applied to the tip assembly 10, a significant portion of the load is borne by the rear portion 52 of the top surface 46 of the nose 26 or symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12, as shown in Figure 10. More specifically, the rear central surface 53 and the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 receive a considerable load. Because the rear central surface 53 and the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 can be oriented at different angles, the total contact area with the corresponding surface of the top inner surface 146 of the nose cavity 126 or symmetrical nose cavity 127 of the tip 14 is greater than if the top surface 46 and the corresponding top inner surface 146 were a single surface, as shown in Figures 24 and 32.

[0109] When a lateral load is applied to the tip assembly 10, the load is shared by several surfaces of the nose 26 or symmetrical nose 27 having a lateral profile, including the front inclined surface 50, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56, the front side surface 61 and the intermediate side surface 62, the rear side surface 63, and the rib side surface 80 (relative to the nose 26), as shown in Figure 8. Because these surfaces are oriented at various angles, the total contact area between the nose 26 or symmetrical nose 27 and the corresponding surfaces of the nose cavity 126 or symmetrical nose cavity 127 of the tip 14 is larger than if the lateral profile of the nose 26 or symmetrical nose 27 consisted of a single surface, as shown in Figures 21 and 29.

[0110] When a pressing load is applied to the tip assembly 10, the load is shared by several surfaces of the nose 26 or symmetrical nose 27 having the profile in the front view of Figure 9 or Figure 16, for example, the front 36, the rear central surface (multiple) 53, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55, the rear side surface 63, and (relative to the asymmetrical adapter 12) the front rib portion 76, the rear rib portion 78 and the rib side surface 80. Because these surfaces are oriented at various angles, the total contact area between the nose 26 or symmetrical nose 27 and the corresponding surfaces of the nose cavity 126 or symmetrical nose cavity 127 of the tip 14 is greater than if the front profile of the nose 26 or symmetrical nose 27 consisted of a single surface, as shown in Figures 22 and 30.

[0111] The increase in the contact area between the nose 26 or symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12 and the nose cavity 126 or symmetrical nose cavity 127 of the tip 14, as described above, reduces the stress on the adapter 12 and tip 14 compared to when the same load is applied to the adapter 12 and tip 14 having a smaller contact area.

[0112] The tip assembly 10 according to this disclosure provides increased friction between the tip 14 and the adapter 12 under load. For example, when a downward load is applied to the tip assembly 10, the tip 14 attached to the nose 26 having a top surface 46 that slopes downward toward the front of the nose 26 would tend to slide forward. However, in the tip assembly 10 according to this disclosure, as shown in Figures 8 and 15, the front portion 48 and the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56 of the top surface 46 of the adapter 12 have a reduced forward angle compared to the rear central surface 53 of the top surface 46. These surfaces with reduced angles increase the friction that holds the tip 14 in place on the nose 26 or symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12 under a downward load.

[0113] When an upward load is applied to the tip assembly 10, a tip mounted on the nose 26 having a bottom surface 66 that slopes upward toward the front of the nose 26 will tend to slide forward. However, in the tip assembly 10 according to this disclosure, the front portion 68 of the bottom surface 66 (relative to the nose 26) or the front central surface 49 of the top surface 46 (relative to the symmetrical nose 27) may have a reduced forward angle compared to the rear portion 70 of the bottom surface 66 (relative to the nose 26) or the rear central surface 53 of the top surface 46 (relative to the symmetrical nose 27). For example, the front portion 68 or the front central surface 49 may be oriented substantially parallel to a substantial longitudinal axis "A", as shown in Figures 8 and 15. This configuration increases the frictional force that holds the tip 14 in place on the nose 26 of the adapter 12 under an upward load.

[0114] When a lateral load is applied to the tip assembly 10, the load is shared by several surfaces of the nose 26 or symmetric nose 26 having a lateral profile, including the inclined surface(s) 50, the forward bowtie-shaped surface(s) 55, the rear bowtie-shaped surface(s) 56, the front and intermediate sides 61 and 62, the rear side 63, and (relative to the asymmetric adapter 12) the rib side 80, as shown in Figures 8 and 15. Because these surfaces are oriented at various angles, the total contact area between the nose 26 or symmetric nose 27 and the corresponding surfaces of the nose cavity 126 or symmetric nose cavity 127 of the tip 14 is greater than if the lateral profile of the nose 26 or symmetric nose 27 consisted of a single surface, as shown in Figures 21 and 29.

[0115] The chip assembly 10 according to this disclosure provides improved stability of the chip assembly 10 under load. For example, when a downward load is applied to the chip assembly 10, the front inclined surfaces 50 and rear inclined surfaces 54, provided on both sides of the front central surface 49 and rear central surface 53, act as wedge surfaces in combination with the corresponding surfaces of the nose cavity 126 or symmetric nose cavity 127, as shown in Figures 9-10 and 16-17, thereby improving the stability of the chip assembly 10 under the downward load. With respect to the asymmetric adapter 12, as shown in Figures 9 and 11, the rib sides 80, provided on both sides of the bottom rib 74, similarly act as wedge surfaces in combination with the corresponding surfaces of the nose cavity 126 when a downward load is applied, resulting in improved stability.

[0116] When an upward load is applied to the tip assembly 10 using the asymmetrical adapter 12, stability is improved by the combination of the front portion 68 of the bottom surface 66 and the corresponding surface of the nose cavity 126, which may have a reduced forward angle compared to the rear portion 70 of the bottom surface 66. For example, the front portion 68 may be substantially parallel to the substantial longitudinal axis "A", as shown in Figure 8. Furthermore, with respect to either the nose 26 or the symmetric nose 27, as shown in Figures 9-10 and 16-17, the rear bowtie-shaped surfaces 56 provided on both sides of the rear central surface 53 also act as wedge surfaces in combination with the corresponding surfaces of the nose cavity 126 or the symmetric nose cavity 127 when an upward load is applied to the tip assembly, resulting in improved stability.

[0117] When a lateral load is applied to the tip assembly 10, as shown in Figures 8 and 15, the front inclined surface 50, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56, and the rib side surface 80 (relative to the asymmetrical adapter 12) act as wedge surfaces in combination with the corresponding surfaces of the nose cavity 126 or symmetric nose cavity 127 for the nose 26 and symmetric nose 27, respectively, improving stability by preventing the tip 14 from pivoting around the front of the nose 26 or symmetric nose 27. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 10 and 17, the difference in orientation of the front side surface 61 and the intermediate side surface 62 relative to the rear side surface 63 provides additional stability under lateral load compared to the nose 26 having a single flat side surface.

[0118] When a forward load is applied to the tip assembly 10, as shown in Figures 8 and 15, the front inclined surface 50, the front bowtie-shaped surface 55, the rear bowtie-shaped surface 56, the rear side surface 63, and (relative to the asymmetrical adapter 12) the front rib portion 76, the rear rib portion 78, and the rib side surface 80, which are oriented at various angles in the lateral direction, all act as wedge surfaces in combination with the corresponding surfaces of the nose cavity 126 or symmetric nose cavity 127 for each of the nose 26 and symmetric nose 27, respectively, improving the stability of the tip 14 on the adapter 12.

[0119] The increased stability of the tip 14 on the nose 26 or symmetric nose 27 of the adapter 12, provided by the aforementioned surfaces and their corresponding surfaces within the nose cavity 126 or symmetric nose cavity 127 of the tip 14, results in a reduction in relative motion between the tip 14 and the adapter 12 under each directional load. This reduction in relative motion has the advantage of spreading out overall wear through the tip assembly 10, thereby improving the durability of the tip assembly 10. The reduction in relative motion also has the advantage of reducing the load on the retaining mechanism 13, which is designed to secure the tip 14 to the adapter 12. This reduction in load on the retaining mechanism 13 results in improved reliability and durability of the retaining mechanism 13 and the tip assembly 10 as a whole.

[0120] The rear side surface 63 also offers the advantage of reducing the force threshold required to remove the tip 14 from the nose 26 or symmetrical nose 27 of the adapter 12. This is because, as shown in Figures 10 and 17, the rear side surface 63 can be oriented such that the distance between opposing surfaces increases as they extend backward. Thus, the rear side surface 63 provides a release point during tip removal, reducing the overall force required to remove the tip 14 from the adapter 12.

[0121] In addition, with respect to the asymmetrical adapter 12, the bottom rib 74 of the bottom surface 66 as shown in Figure 11 and the corresponding bottom channel 174 of the nose cavity 126 as shown in Figure 22 provide the tip assembly 10 according to this disclosure with a reduced volume of the nose 26 of the adapter 12 having additional strength.

[0122] While detailed descriptions of many different embodiments of the present invention have been provided above, it should be understood that the scope of legal protection of the present invention is defined by the claims set forth at the end of this patent. The detailed descriptions should be interpreted as illustrative only and do not describe all possible embodiments of the present invention, as it would be impractical, if not impossible, to describe all conceivable embodiments. Many alternative implementations can be carried out using the current art or art developed after the filing date of this patent, and these shall still be included within the claims defining the present invention.

Claims

1. A ground engagement chip (14), Trailing edge (90) and The apical outer surface (92) extending forward from the aforementioned trailing edge, A bottom outer surface (94) extends forward from the trailing edge and converges with the top outer surface at the leading edge (96), Opposing lateral outer surfaces (98) extending downward from the top outer surface to the bottom outer surface, An inner surface (136, 137, 138, 146, 160, 166) extending inward from the trailing edge into the ground engagement tip and defining a nose cavity (126) within the ground engagement tip, wherein the inner surface is Anterior inner surface (136) and The top inner surface (146) extends rearward from the front inner surface (136) toward the rear edge of the ground engagement tip, A front interior (148) adjacent to the front interior, which includes a front central inner surface (149) connecting two opposing front inclined surfaces (150), A rear portion (152) adjacent to the rear edge, including a rear central inner surface (153) connecting two opposing rear inclined surfaces (154), and a top inner surface (146), An inner surface (136, 137, 138, 146, 160, 166) including a bottom inner surface (166) that extends rearward from the front inner surface toward the rear edge of the ground engagement tip and includes a tapered bottom channel (174), A ground engagement tip (14) including opposing lateral inner surfaces (162) that extend downward from the top inner surface to the bottom inner surface.

2. The ground engagement chip according to claim 1, wherein the front inner surface is substantially flat.

3. The ground engagement chip according to claim 1, further comprising a transition portion (151) extending between the front and rear inner surfaces of the top portion.

4. The ground engagement chip according to claim 1, wherein the front inner surface is oriented substantially parallel to the rear edge.

5. The ground engagement chip according to claim 1, wherein the front inner surface is hexagonal in shape.

6. The ground engagement chip according to claim 1, wherein the front central inner surface (149) extends rearward from the top horizontal edge (139) of the front inner surface (136) at a first central angle in the range of 0° to 15°, defined as the relative angle between the front central inner surface and the front part of the bottom inner surface.

7. The ground engagement tip according to claim 6, wherein the rear central surface (153) extends upward from the front central inner surface (149) toward the rear edge at a second central angle in the range of 0° to 15° greater than the first central angle.

8. The ground engagement chip according to claim 6, wherein the opposing front inclined surfaces (150) extend downward from the front central inner surface toward the lateral inner surface.

9. The ground engagement tip according to claim 6, wherein the angle defined by the intersection of the front central surface and the front inclined surface is in the range of approximately 18.5° to 30°.

10. The ground engagement chip according to claim 6, wherein the opposing rear inclined surfaces extend downward from the front central surface toward the lateral inner surface.

Images