Excavator Claw Bucket with Shared Pivot to Preserve Breakout Force

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Solution Overview

Problem

Excavator buckets with multiple pivot points for thumbs reduce breakout force and complicate design, increasing manufacturing costs and operational complexity.

Innovation Solution

A tool for excavators with a primary engagement means, a secondary engagement means rotatable about an axis of rotation, and a connection means that minimizes the distance between pivot points, allowing for easy mounting and dismounting, reducing manufacturing costs, and maintaining breakout force.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If separate pivot points are used for thumbs and buckets, then larger objects can be handled, but breakout force is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle larger objectsVSAvoidbreakout force

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the pivot point for the thumb and the pivot point for the bucket into a single common pivot point located at the end of the boom. This merging eliminates the need for separate pivot points, thereby maintaining the original breakout force geometry while still enabling the handling of larger objects through the thumb mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate pivot points are used for thumbs and buckets, then larger objects can be handled, but design complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle larger objectsVSAvoidnumber of pivot points and connections

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple pivot points into a single common pivot point at the boom end, reducing the number of connections and simplifying the overall design. This single pivot point serves both the bucket and the thumb, eliminating the complexity associated with multiple separate pivot points and their interconnections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If separate pivot points are used for thumbs and buckets, then larger objects can be handled, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to handle larger objectsVSAvoidmanufacturing costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By combining multiple pivot points into a single common pivot point, the patent reduces the number of components that need to be manufactured and assembled. This simplification directly reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining the capability to handle larger objects through the integrated thumb mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12624518B2Tool for an excavator

Publication Date: 2026.05.12 STRICKLAND IRELAND LIMITED

AI summary

A tool for an excavator has a primary engagement arrangement, a secondary engagement arrangement rotatable about an axis of rotation, and a connection arrangement for connecting the tool to an excavator. The axis of rotation of the secondary engagement arrangement passes through the connection arrangement and aligns with the axis of rotation of the tool relative to the excavator. The tool has two hydraulic actuators. The secondary engagement arrangement and the primary engagement arrangement mutually rotate about the same axis of rotation by the hydraulic actuators.