Replaceable Wing Shroud With Curved Leading Edge for GET Wear

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ground engaging tools (GETs) experience accelerated wear, particularly at specific locations, leading to reduced lifespan and high replacement costs due to uneven wear patterns.

Innovation Solution

A replaceable wing shroud with a specific body configuration, including a side portion, floor portion, and leading edge design, featuring additional material in high-wear areas and curved surfaces to distribute wear evenly, enhancing protection and compatibility with existing systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If wear members are attached to edges of the GET, then the life of the GET is prolonged, but the wear members are subject to uneven wear at particular locations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelife of GETVSAvoidevenness of wear distribution

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The shroud incorporates a reinforced leading edge portion with increased material thickness and strength properties specifically at the leading edge area where wear is most severe. This local reinforcement ensures that the leading edge maintains its protective function while the rest of the shroud body remains lighter and more cost-effective to replace.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The shroud features a curved leading edge profile that transitions smoothly from the top surface to the front surface, creating a rounded geometry. This curvature distributes contact stresses more evenly across the leading edge surface, preventing concentrated wear at sharp corners or edges while maintaining adequate protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Strength

If the leading edge is made with additional material, then wear resistance is improved, but the weight and cost of the shroud increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidweight of shroud

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The shroud incorporates a reinforced leading edge portion with increased material thickness and strength properties specifically at the leading edge area where wear is most severe. This local reinforcement ensures that the leading edge maintains its protective function while the rest of the shroud body remains lighter and more cost-effective to replace.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The shroud is constructed using composite material structures that combine different materials with complementary properties. The leading edge uses high-strength, wear-resistant material, while the rest of the shroud body uses lighter, more cost-effective material, creating an optimized weight-strength distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If the leading edge has a specific geometric configuration, then wear distribution is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewear distributionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The shroud features a curved leading edge profile that transitions smoothly from the top surface to the front surface, creating a rounded geometry. This curvature distributes contact stresses more evenly across the leading edge surface, preventing concentrated wear at sharp corners or edges while maintaining adequate protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The shroud is designed as a modular component that can be manufactured in separate sections and then assembled. The leading edge is formed as a distinct segment with its own geometric characteristics, allowing it to be optimized for wear resistance while simplifying the overall manufacturing process through standardized production of individual segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12460394B2Wing shroud

Publication Date: 2025.11.04 CATERPILLAR INC

AI summary

A wing shroud has a body including a side portion having a side inner surface, a side abutment surface, a side outer surface, and a side rear surface, a floor portion having a floor upper surface, a floor lower surface, a floor front surface, a floor outer surface, and a floor rear surface, and an attachment recess defined by a plurality of inward surfaces on the side and floor portions. The body also has a leading edge extending between the side inner surface, the side outer surface, the floor front surface, the floor upper surface, and the floor outer surface, and including an upper end, a transition portion, a lower curved portion, and a lower end.