Angled Bucket Corner Design for Earthmoving Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Earthmoving equipment buckets experience structural failures and costly downtimes due to high load forces and impact, particularly at the corners, and existing mechanical connection methods for ground engaging tools (GET) are prone to deformation and are time-consuming to install and remove.
Innovation Solution
A bucket corner design featuring precast or fabricated components with angled transitions and a radiused continuity to reduce stress points, combined with a GET system that includes a mounting portion with internal openings and a releasable connection means to distribute forces and facilitate easy attachment and detachment of GETs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional welding is used to attach ground engaging tools to bucket corners, then the connection strength is improved, but the repair time and equipment downtime increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the bucket corner into separate precast components (side wall portion, floor portion, and corner portion) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows the GETs to be attached to modular sections that can be quickly replaced without welding the entire bucket structure, reducing repair time while maintaining connection strength through dedicated attachment features.
Solution Approach 2:
The bucket corner components are precast with integrated attachment features (such as recesses, protrusions, or mounting structures) before assembly. This preliminary preparation of attachment interfaces eliminates the need for on-site welding operations, allowing GETs to be installed and replaced quickly through simple mechanical connection operations.
2Productivity
If mechanical connection methods with bolts are used to attach GETs, then the installation speed is improved, but the connecting bolts deform under high loads
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a localized reinforced connection zone at the bucket corner with a robust mechanical attachment structure designed specifically to handle high impact loads. The corner portion includes strengthened geometry and dedicated attachment features that concentrate and distribute loads appropriately, preventing bolt deformation while maintaining quick-install characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The bucket corner portion features curved or radiused transition surfaces between the side wall and floor portions. These curved geometries help distribute stress more evenly throughout the connection zone, preventing stress concentrations that would cause bolt deformation under high impact loads, while maintaining the mechanical quick-attach capability.
3Manufacturing precision
If precast corner components are used, then the manufacturing precision and stress distribution are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines multiple functions into the precast corner portion: structural support, stress distribution through radiused transitions, and GET attachment features. By integrating these functions into a single precast component, the overall system complexity is reduced compared to having separate elements for each function, while maintaining manufacturing precision benefits.
Data Source
AI summary
An earthmoving equipment bucket corner has a first portion, a second portion and an intermediate portion between the first and second portions, all in different planes to one another. A boss or lug is provided on the leading edge of the intermediate portion. The intermediate portion is angled relative to both the first and second portions, which alleviates the load stresses otherwise created in a traditional 90° corner. The first portion has a wall with a taper or bevel towards a forward edge. The second portion has a wall with a leading flared wall portion that widens the corner at the front. The intermediate portion is preferably at an included angle of around 120° to 170° with respect to the respective walls of the first and second portions.