Corner Segment Protrusions for Wear Zone Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing corner segments on ground engaging tools, such as bucket corners, experience accelerated wear leading to frequent replacements, which are costly and time-consuming due to the need for specialized tools and labor, especially when attaching wear plates to non-planar surfaces like corners.
Innovation Solution
A corner segment with a body featuring multiple surfaces, including a rear, upper, front, bottom, outer side, and inner side surfaces, and a corner surface, equipped with protrusions on wear zones, specifically designed for easy mounting and reduced wear, using a recessed mounting portion with through holes for secure attachment and protrusions made of harder materials like tungsten carbide or ceramic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wear plates are attached to non-planar surfaces like bucket corners, then wear protection is improved, but attachment complexity and labor requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The corner segment is divided into multiple surfaces (front, rear, upper, lower, inner, outer) with wear zones specifically identified on each surface. Protrusions are strategically placed only on these wear zones rather than covering the entire corner segment, providing targeted wear protection where needed while simplifying the overall attachment structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Protrusions are provided only on specific wear zones of the corner segment surfaces that experience accelerated wear, rather than uniformly across the entire component. This localized approach provides wear protection precisely where needed while reducing material usage and attachment complexity.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If wear plates are used to protect against accelerated wear, then the life of the ground engaging tool is prolonged, but replacement time and cost increase due to burning, cutting, and welding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The corner segment is pre-configured with protrusions on wear zones during manufacturing, so that when installation is needed, no additional burning, cutting, or welding is required. The component is ready for immediate attachment to the bucket corner, significantly reducing replacement time and eliminating the need for specialized tools and machinery.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner segment with integrated protrusions is designed as a replaceable component that can be quickly swapped out when worn. Rather than attempting to repair or modify existing wear plates through complex processes, the entire corner segment can be replaced as a single unit, reducing downtime and labor costs.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If protrusions are provided on wear zones of the corner segment, then uneven wear is reduced and component life is extended, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Protrusions are provided only on specific wear zones of the corner segment surfaces that experience accelerated wear, rather than uniformly across the entire component. This localized approach provides wear protection precisely where needed while reducing material usage and simplifying the manufacturing process compared to creating protrusions across the entire surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner segment incorporates protrusions made of harder materials such as tungsten carbide or ceramic on surfaces experiencing accelerated wear. These composite material elements provide enhanced wear resistance in high-stress areas while the base corner segment material maintains structural integrity, creating a multi-material solution that extends component life.
Data Source
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AI summary
In one aspect, a corner segment (102), configured to be mounted to a work implement (100), may include a body (104) having a plurality of surfaces including a rear surface (148), an upper surface (116), a front surface (118), a bottom surface (136), an outer side surface (122), an inner side surface (150), and a corner surface (120) that is adjacent to each of the front surface, the outer side surface, the upper surface, and the bottom surface. A portion of the bottom surface forms a bottom surface wear zone (160, 162), and a portion of the front surface forms a front surface wear zone (154), The corner segment may also include a plurality of protrusions (154) provided on wear zones, the wear zones including the bottom surface wear zone and the front surface wear zone.