Retainer Sleeve With Segmented Legs for Ground Engaging Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing retainer systems for ground engaging tools in earth-working machines face challenges in securely attaching and detaching tools due to wear and tear, leading to increased friction and potential misalignment, which affects the longevity and efficiency of the tools.
Innovation Solution
A retainer sleeve with a skirt and multiple legs that form a segmented, frustoconical surface, designed to mate with a lock cavity, providing a secure and flexible attachment mechanism that reduces friction and facilitates easy replacement of worn tools, using a combination of detent projections and recesses for rotational locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid retainer system is used to securely attach ground engaging tools, then attachment security is improved, but friction and wear increase leading to reduced longevity
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer system employs a flexible retainer member with radially inwardly directed engagement elements that can deflect and conform to the tool and carrier surfaces. This flexibility reduces friction and wear during attachment and operation while maintaining secure engagement, thereby extending tool longevity without compromising attachment security.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If wear members are provided to protect implements against abrasion and impacts, then implement longevity is improved, but attachment and detachment difficulty increases due to wear and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer member is designed with dynamic engagement elements that can deflect radially inward to engage with the tool and carrier. This dynamic capability allows the system to accommodate wear and dimensional variances, maintaining ease of attachment and detachment while protecting the implement through secure engagement of wear members.
Solution Approach 2:
The engagement elements of the retainer member are configured to change their engagement parameters by deflecting and conforming to the actual dimensions of the tool and carrier. This parameter adaptation enables reliable attachment and detachment operations even when wear or manufacturing tolerances cause dimensional variations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a segmented retainer design is used to accommodate dimensional variances, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer member incorporates multiple radially inwardly directed engagement elements that are segmented along its circumference. These segmented elements can independently deflect and engage with corresponding features on the tool and carrier, accommodating dimensional variances while maintaining a relatively simple overall retainer structure.
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 solution enhances the secure attachment and detachment of ground engaging tools, reduces wear-related issues, and prolongs the life of earth-working machine implements by minimizing friction and accommodating dimensional variances through flexible design elements.
Implementation Method 1
A retainer sleeve with a skirt and multiple legs that form a segmented, frustoconical surface, designed to mate with a lock cavity, providing a secure and flexible attachment mechanism that reduces friction and facilitates easy replacement of worn tools
Data Source
AI summary
A retainer sleeve for use with a lock in a ground engaging tool. The retainer sleeve can include a skirt extending part way around a retainer axis to form a portion of an annulus. The retainer sleeve can further include a plurality of legs joined to the skirt and formed to mate with a lock cavity of the ground engaging tool. The plurality of legs can form an inner surface shaped to rotatably receive an outer surface of the lock.