Excavator Tooth Holder with Triangular Contact Surfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Excavator teeth in bucket wheel excavators experience frequent wear and require frequent replacement, leading to increased manufacturing costs and risk of failure due to inadequate lateral fixation, which results in the teeth coming loose during operation.

Innovation Solution

A U-shaped receiving body with inclined contact surfaces forming a triangular arrangement, allowing for effective transfer of both main and lateral digging forces without the need for precise machining, enabling easy replacement and improved stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If small wedge angles of the receiving opening are used for self-locking, then lateral digging forces are better absorbed, but manufacturing costs increase due to the need for precise machining of contact surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforce absorption capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving opening is divided into two functional zones: an upper self-locking portion with small wedge angle for absorbing lateral digging forces, and a lower insertion portion with larger angle for ease of tooth insertion. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific function without requiring the entire structure to be precisely machined, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining force absorption capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different wedge angles are applied to different regions of the receiving opening. The upper region has a small wedge angle (e.g., 5-15 degrees) optimized for self-locking and lateral force absorption, while the lower region has a larger wedge angle (e.g., 20-45 degrees) optimized for insertion. This local differentiation of geometric properties allows the structure to meet multiple performance requirements without uniform high-precision machining throughout, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If tight tolerances are maintained for rapid tooth removal, then replacement speed is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetooth replacement speedVSAvoidtolerance requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving opening is segmented into an upper self-locking portion and a lower insertion portion. The lower portion is designed with a larger wedge angle and greater dimensional tolerance, allowing for rapid tooth insertion and removal without requiring tight machining tolerances. This segmentation enables fast replacement operations while reducing manufacturing complexity, as only the upper self-locking portion requires precise machining.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lower insertion portion of the receiving opening is designed with intentionally larger dimensions and looser tolerances than traditionally required, providing excessive clearance that facilitates rapid tooth insertion and removal. This partial relaxation of tolerance requirements in the insertion zone, while maintaining precise dimensions in the self-locking zone, enables fast tooth replacement without requiring the entire structure to be manufactured with tight tolerances, thereby reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Ease of operation

If the tooth is allowed to work itself deeper into the receiving opening, then insertion ease is improved, but lateral fixation is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetooth insertion easeVSAvoidlateral fixation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving opening is divided into two distinct functional zones: an upper self-locking portion with small wedge angle that provides lateral fixation and prevents tooth loosening, and a lower insertion portion with larger angle that facilitates easy tooth insertion. This segmentation allows the tooth to be easily inserted into the lower portion while the upper portion automatically engages to provide lateral fixation, combining ease of operation with reliable lateral support.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The receiving opening is pre-configured with the dual-zone wedge angle structure, where the upper self-locking portion is already positioned to engage the tooth at the optimal location for lateral fixation. When the tooth is inserted, it automatically works itself deeper into the receiving opening and engages the pre-positioned self-locking zone, which then provides the necessary lateral fixation. This preliminary configuration ensures both easy insertion and reliable lateral support without requiring active control during the insertion process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3765679B1Holding assembly of an excavator tooth, having a holder, for arranging on the bucket of a bucket-wheel excavator
Publication Date: 2024.02.21 KOCH SOLUTIONS GMBH
  • EP3765679B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3765679B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a holding assembly (1) of an excavator tooth (10), having a holder (2), for arranging on the bucket of a bucket-wheel excavator, the excavator tooth (10) having a tooth head (11) and a holding shaft (12) that adjoins the tooth head (11), and the holder (2) having a holder opening (13) for receiving the holding shaft (12). According to the invention, the holder (2) has a U-shaped holder body (14), which is arranged on a bucket blade contact surface (26) of a bucket blade (22) of a bucket, the holder body (14) having two contact surfaces (16), which are spaced apart from each other and inclined with respect to each other, and the contact surfaces (16) and the bucket blade contact surface (26) forming a triangular arrangement with respect to each other. The invention further relates to an excavator tooth (10), to a holder body (14), to a contact plate (15) and to a method for forming a holding assembly (1) of this type.