Caterpillar Inc.

Jeffrey Paul Sayre

Amit Kashyap

Robert J Madera

Adam M Plecker

Yihong Yang

Abhishek Ramaswamy

Christopher Paul Bartsch

Don Wesley Bomstad

Joshua Charles Bedyk

Scott Antonio Zacek

Mihai Sandulescu

Shrikrishna Madhav Kulkarni

Abdul Aziz Baig Mirza

Cody LeRoy Webster

A system for facilitating evaluation of characteristics related to quality associated with a machine design may include a user input device configured to generate a query related to one or more characteristics related to quality associated with a machine design. The system may also include a display device configured display images, and a processor in communication with the user input device and the display device. The processor may be configured to receive a query from the user input device, access data representative of the machine design, and generate image data representative of characteristics related to quality associated with the machine design. The image data may be communicated to the display device to display a machine image including a color-coded representation of at least a portion of a machine and a textual image including textual representations of information related to the machine design.

Systems and methods for facilitating evaluation of characteristics related to quality

A hydraulic fitting is used to fluidly connect hydraulic hoses on opposite sides of a bulkhead of a machine. The bulkhead is clamped between a flange of the hydraulic fitting and a nut. One set of threads of the hydraulic fitting is split by a flat surface to create a cross section with a key shape that is received in only one orientation through a matched key shaped mounting bore in the bulkhead. The key shape interaction prevents the hydraulic fitting from rotating when installed in the bulkhead.

Hydraulic fitting for bulkhead mounting with key shaped cross section

A load isolating device may be defined by a plate-style bracket having a planar body and a plurality of tabs arranged about the body. Each tab may define a peripheral extremity of the body, extending outwardly thereof and situated substantially within the same plane as the body. Each tab may have a particular width, and may include a neck defined by a fillet having a predetermined radius, both tab width and fillet radius being sized and configured to absorb load forces through elastic deformation. As such, the tabs may elastically deform under load to minimize any deformation of the planar body of the device, which in the disclosed embodiment may be formed of an elastic metal plate. Each tab may have the same thickness as the planar body, and both the tabs and the planar body of the device may comprise the same material.

Load isolation bracket

A load isolation mounting apparatus may be secured to one side of a machine frame wall to support a machine component in a position closely adjacent the opposite side of the wall. The mounting apparatus may include a mounting plate having a generally planar body to which the machine component may be secured. An aperture in the machine frame wall may accommodate a support flange that may be affixed to the mounting plate and extend through the aperture for securement of the mounting plate to the isolation mount apparatus affixed to the other side of the wall. As such, the isolation mounting apparatus may be affixed to an exterior machine frame wall for protecting an interiorly positioned mounting plate, and particularly a machine component secured thereto, from potentially harmful forces, including vibrations.

Exterior mounting apparatus for interior component

An integrated service center has an outward facing wall. A first and second section are recessed from the outward facing wall, each with a plurality of walls and a lower end, which forms an opening in the lower end and extends to the outward facing wall. The first section has a fluid access point disposed at an angle between 30 and 60 degrees below a reference plane. The second section has an electrical access point. A door assembly is mounted to move between an open and closed, which abuts the outward facing wall and covers the first section when closed.

Integrated service center

Growing community of inventors

Naperville, IL, United States of America

Jeffrey Paul Sayre