Search

WO-2026096112-A1 - BUCKET LIP SHROUD AND BUCKET LIP ASSEMBLY FOR MACHINE

WO2026096112A1WO 2026096112 A1WO2026096112 A1WO 2026096112A1WO-2026096112-A1

Abstract

A shroud (42) for a bucket lip assembly (36) in a bucket (20) of a machine (10) includes a leading edge (46), a shroud lower surface (48), a shroud upper surface (50), and a shroud back surface (52) forming an installation pocket (48). The shroud further includes a first sidewall (56), a second sidewall (58), a central wedge portion (64), a first material channel (60) formed between the central wedge portion and the first sidewall and a second material channel (62) formed between the central wedge portion and the second sidewall. The leading edge may form lead-in cutouts (84, 86) in communication with the respective material channels.

Inventors

  • SINN, ERIC THOMAS
  • SERRURIER, DOUGLAS CHARLES
  • MAMMEN, Chad
  • BRADSHAW, NICHOLAS
  • LEE, Cameron David
  • MCCAFFREY, BRANDON HAMMIG

Assignees

  • CATERPILLAR INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20250922
Priority Date
20241031

Claims (20)

  1. Claims
  2. 1. A bucket lip shroud (42) comprising:
  3. a shroud body (44) including a leading edge (46), a shroud lower surface (48), a shroud upper surface (50), and a shroud back surface (52) forming a mounting pocket (54);
  4. the shroud body further including a first sidewall (56) and a second sidewall (58), and the shroud upper surface extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall and being contoured so as to form a first material channel (60) adjacent to the first sidewall, a second material channel (62) adjacent to the second sidewall, and a central wedge portion (64); and the central wedge portion extending laterally between the first material channel and the second material channel, and rearwardly and upwardly from the leading edge at a wedge angle relative to the shroud lower surface.
  5. 2. The shroud of claim 1 wherein the wedge angle is from 30° to 60°
  6. 3. The shroud of claim 1 or 2 wherein the central wedge portion has a linear profile in a vertical plane.
  7. 4. The shroud of any of claims 1-3 wherein the shroud body includes a nose surface (68) extending between the leading edge and the shroud lower surface, and the nose surface defines a nose angle (70) relative to the shroud lower surface, and the nose angle is from 25° to 50°.
  8. 5. The shroud of any of claims 1-4 wherein a wedge thickness dimension is defined between the shroud back surface and the central wedge portion, and a sidewall protrusion distance is defined between the wedge portion and each respective one of the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and wherein the sidewall protrusion distance is from 25% to 100% of the wedge thickness dimension.
  9. 6, The shroud of any of claims 1-5 wherein:
  10. the first sidewall forms a first shroud body lateral surface (76) and the second sidewall forms a second shroud body lateral surface (78);
  11. a shroud width dimension is defined between the first shroud body lateral surface and the second shroud body lateral surface; and
  12. the central wedge portion defines a wedge width dimension that is from 30% to 60% of the shroud width dimension.
  13. 7. The shroud of any of claims 1-6 wherein the leading edge forms a first lead-in cutout (84) in communication with the first material channel, and a second lead-in cutout (86) in communication with the second material channel.
  14. 8, The shroud of claim 7 wherein each of the first lead-in cutout and the second lead-in cutout includes linear edges (92) extending to a curvilinear junction (94), and an angle defined between the linear edges of each respective cutout is from 60° to 100°.
  15. 9. A bucket lip shroud (42) comprising:
  16. a shroud body (44) including a forward nose portion (87) including a leading edge (46), an upper leg (88) and a lower leg (90) each extending from the forward nose portion, and a mounting pocket (54) extending rearward of the forward nose portion and vertically between the upper leg and the lower leg; and
  17. the shroud body further including a shroud upper surface (50) contoured so as to form a central wedge portion (64), and each of a first material channel (60) and a second material channel (62) flanking the central wedge portion, originating at the leading edge, and extending upwardly and rearwardly upon the forward nose portion and the upper leg.
  18. 10. The shroud of claim 9 wherein:
  19. the leading edge forms a first lead-in cutout (84) in communication with the first material channel, and a second lead-in cutout (86) in communication with the second material channel;
  20. the shroud body further includes a first sidewall (56) and a second sidewall (58) disposed laterally outward, respectively, of the first material channel and the second material channel; and

Description

Description BUCKET UP SHROUD AND BUCKET UP ASSEMBLY FOR MACHINE Technical Field The present disclosure relates generally to protective structures for a bucket lip in a machine, and more particularly to a bucket lip shroud for shielding a bucket lip and facilitating flow of material during operation. Background Many different types of heavy-duty machinery are known throughout the world for use in material handling, construction, demolition, forestry, and mining, for example. Such machines are typically equipped with an implement system, commonly hydraulically actuated, including a bucket that captures material to be lifted and dumped. In mining applications, it. is common for such machines to be built quite large and robust, with large bucket capacities configured for capturing, lifting, and dumping enormous amounts of material at a working face of a mine. Operating conditions in such applications can be extremely harsh, with the material captured and moved being heavy, hard, abrasive, and sometimes needing to be broken apart by action of the bucket. One type of mining machine widely deployed in the field is generally known as a hydraulic mining shovel and includes a large bucket mounted to a boom assembly and operated to capture, lift, and dump blasted material at the working face of a mine. Buckets in such applications are often built, sometimes on-site, from multiple different parts including a so-called bucket lip that is arranged at a forward edge of the bucket. Such bucket lips are typically equipped with various protective structures, often replaceable, including edge shrouds, wing shrouds, and various wear plates, as well as ground-engaging tip structures for penetrating the blasted material to be moved. In modern hydraulic mining shovels and similar equipment, the bucket lip and attachments can be among the more complex components of the machine. Due to the demands placed upon such machines the bucket components are typically built quite robust, often necessitating their being quite heavy, difficult to manufacture and/or install, or having other shortcomings. While efforts are sometimes made to reduce bucket or bucket lip weight, or optimize still other characteristics, the art provides ample room for improvements and development of alternatives to known strategies. One bucket lip is known from United States Patent No. 9404240B2 to Kunz. Summary In one aspect, a bucket lip shroud includes a shroud body having a leading edge, a shroud lower surface, a shroud upper surface, and a shroud back surface forming a mounting pocket. The shroud body further includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall, and the shroud upper surface extending between the first sidewall and the second sidewall and being contoured so as to form a first, material channel adjacent to the first sidewall, and second material channel adjacent to the second sidewall, and a central 'edge portion. The central wedge portion extends laterally between the first material channel and the second material channel, and rearwardly and upwardly from the leading edge at a wedge angle relative to the shroud lower surface. In another aspect, a bucket lip shroud includes a shroud body having a forward nose portion including a leading edge, and upper leg and a lower leg each extending from the forward nose portion, and a mounting pocket extending rearward of the forward nose portion and vertically between the upper leg and the lower leg. The shroud body further includes a shroud upper surface contoured so as to form a central wedge portion, and each of the first material channel and the second material channel flanking the central wedge portion, originating at the leading edge, and extending upwardly and rearwardly upon the forward nose portion and the upper leg. In still another aspect, a bucket lip assembly includes an elongate bucket lip having a forward lip edge including a plurality of coupler stations in an alternating arrangement with a plurality of shroud stations. The bucket lip assembly further includes a shroud mounted upon one of the plurality of shroud stations, and including a leading edge, a shroud lower surface, a shroud upper surface, and a shroud back surface. The shroud further includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a central wedge portion, a first material channel formed between the central wedge portion and the first sidewall, and a second material channel formed between the central wedge portion and the second sidewall. The leading edge forms a first lead-in cutout in communication with the first material channel and a second lead-in cutout in communication with the second material channel. Brief Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a machine, according to one embodiment; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a bucket lip, according to one embodiment; Fig. 3 is a bottom view of a bucket lip assembly, according to one embodiment; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a shroud positioned for installation