Excavating Tooth Lock Pin Assembly Vibration Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional connector structures for excavating tooth assemblies are hazardous due to the need for pounding in and out, complex, costly, and prone to inadvertent rotation leading to unlocking and excessive wear under vibration and cyclic loading.
Innovation Solution
A lock pin assembly with a rotatable shaft, cam, and radially biased lock assembly that inhibits rotation and removal, allowing secure engagement and easy disengagement without physical pounding, using a pin body with complementary threads and a limit pin to prevent accidental unlocking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional pound-in connector structure is used, then the tooth point can be securely retained on the adapter nose, but safety hazards arise due to the need to forcibly pound the connector in and out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional pound-in mechanical connector system with a threaded pin assembly system that uses rotational motion and threading engagement instead of impact forces. The pin assembly threads into the adapter nose and tooth point, securing them without requiring sledgehammer impacts, thereby eliminating the safety hazards associated with pounding while maintaining secure retention.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If alternative connector structures eliminating pounding are used, then safety hazards are reduced, but complexity of construction and use increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is segmented into distinct functional components: a pin body for threading engagement, a rotatable shaft for locking mechanism actuation, a cam for radial displacement control, and a lock assembly for final securing. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function simply, reducing overall construction complexity while eliminating pounding hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector employs dynamic elements including a rotatable shaft that can rotate between locked and unlocked positions, and a cam that radially displaces the lock assembly. These dynamic components enable the connector to transition between states (locked/unlocked) without complex mechanisms, simplifying construction while providing safe operation.
3Strength
If a locking mechanism is used to retain the tooth point, then retention security is improved, but inadvertent rotation under vibration and impact can cause unlocking and excessive wear
Solution Approach 1:
The lock assembly is pre-biased in the locked position through radial displacement, creating a preliminary counteracting force against any forces that might cause inadvertent unlocking. The biased lock assembly continuously engages with the pin assembly, providing preemptive resistance to vibration and impact forces before they can cause rotation or unlocking.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism incorporates feedback through the interaction between the cam, rotatable shaft, and lock assembly. When external forces attempt to rotate the pin assembly, the cam and lock assembly detect this movement and maintain engagement, providing continuous feedback that ensures the tooth point remains securely retained even under vibrational and impact conditions.
4Ease of operation
If a rotatable shaft with cam mechanism is used, then easy disengagement is achieved, but rotation prevention features are needed to inhibit inadvertent rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The pin assembly employs asymmetric features including a keyed interface or non-circular cross-section between the pin body and lock assembly. This asymmetry allows intentional rotation for disengagement while preventing inadvertent rotation in the opposite direction, thus enabling easy deliberate operation while maintaining reliability against accidental rotation under vibration and impact.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The lock pin assembly securely attaches and detaches wear members without physical force, reducing safety hazards, minimizing wear, and withstanding vibration and impact, thus extending the useful life of components.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient member, wherein the resilient member extends between the base plate and the follower
Implementation Method 2
a cam rotationally coupled to the rotatable shaft adjacent the pin body inner face
Implementation Method 3
a pin assembly threadably disposable in the first bore to an inserted position
Data Source
AI summary
A lock pin assembly including a main body, a pin assembly, and a lock assembly. The main body includes a first bore extending longitudinally inwardly from a main body outer face and a second bore extending radially inwardly. The pin assembly is threadably disposable in the first bore to an inserted position and includes a pin body having a pin body outer face and a pin body inner face. The pin assembly also includes a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally through the pin body, wherein the rotatable shaft is rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and a cam rotationally coupled to the rotatable shaft. The lock assembly is disposed in the second bore and is biased radially inwardly to inhibit removal of the pin assembly from the main body when the pin assembly is at the inserted position and the rotatable shaft is in the locked position.