Excavation Tooth Lock Assembly with Rotating Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing excavation tooth assemblies require frequent replacement of entire teeth due to wear or breakage, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs, as they are typically designed as single units rather than modular components that can be easily maintained or repaired.
Innovation Solution
A modular excavation tooth assembly design featuring a lock mechanism that securely interlocks tooth members with a socket and nose portion, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly without the need for hammers, and incorporating interengaging elements and a take-up formation to maintain engagement despite wear, enabling the lock to be rotated into place for secure retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If excavation teeth are designed as single units, then structural simplicity is achieved, but the entire tooth must be discarded when only parts are worn or broken
Solution Approach 1:
The excavation tooth is divided into multiple separable components including a point member, adapter, and lock mechanism. This segmentation allows individual parts to be replaced independently, reducing material waste when only specific portions become worn or damaged.
2Loss of time
If excavation teeth are designed as modular components, then replacement frequency is reduced, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism incorporates a rotating body that transitions between locked and unlocked positions, enabling dynamic assembly and disassembly. This dynamic design allows quick attachment and detachment of tooth components without complex tools or procedures, reducing replacement time while managing assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The interengaging elements are designed to automatically retain the lock body in the locking space once rotated into position, eliminating the need for additional fastening steps or complex assembly procedures. The self-retaining feature simplifies the assembly process while maintaining secure connections.
3Reliability
If the lock body is rotated into operative position, then secure locking is achieved, but risk of jamming increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock body features a curved outer surface that conforms to the curvature of the locking space. This spherical or curved geometry guides the lock body smoothly into the correct operative position during rotation, preventing misalignment and reducing the risk of jamming while ensuring secure locking engagement.
4Stability of the object's composition
If interengaging elements are used to retain the lock, then engagement stability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The interengaging elements incorporate a resilient portion made of elastomeric material that provides compliance and tolerance for manufacturing variations. This composite approach combining rigid and flexible materials maintains engagement stability while reducing sensitivity to manufacturing precision requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
An excavation tooth lock assembly to lock a first tooth member to a second tooth member, the first tooth member having a body that incorporates a socket which is configured to receive a nose portion of the second tooth member, a locking space provided when the second tooth member is received in the first tooth member, wherein the lock assembly comprises: a lock comprising a body which is configured to be inserted into the locking space including by rotating the body into an operative position to lock the first tooth member to the second tooth member and interengaging elements disposed on the lock and one or both of the first and second tooth members, the elements configured to releaseably retain the lock within the locking space in its operative position.