Caterpillar Inc.

William Ulrich

Huijun Wang

Jeremy Roe Hammar

Michael Noble

Keith Egland

Donald Stickel

Seth Johnson

Ling Pan

Timothy W Olmsted

David R Griffith

James A Forck

Balasubramanyam Appalla

Naesung Lyu

Christopher Lu

Tilak Inturi

April J Lu

A structural member includes a body having a first surface, a second surface, and an end surface at an end portion of the structural member. The end portion of the structural member includes a root protrusion extending radially outward from the second surface of the structural member along a root protrusion radius to an outer end of the root protrusion to define a root protrusion height extending from the second surface of the structural member to the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion further includes a root protrusion width extending between an inner edge and an outer edge of the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion radius, the root protrusion height, and the root protrusion width are configured to define a stress protected weld root region isolated beyond and away from a root stress flow path propagated through the body of the structural member.

Structure having stress protected groove weld and structural members forming the same

A structural member is disclosed. The structural member includes a body having a first surface, a second surface, and an end surface at an end portion of the structural member. The end portion of the structural member includes a root protrusion extending radially outward from the second surface of the structural member along a root protrusion radius to an outer end of the root protrusion to define a root protrusion height extending from the second surface of the structural member to the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion further includes a root protrusion width extending between an inner edge and an outer edge of the outer end of the root protrusion. The root protrusion radius, the root protrusion height, and the root protrusion width are configured to define a stress protected weld root region isolated beyond and away from a root stress flow path propagated through the body of the structural member.

A load-bearing member for a linkage assembly of an implement system includes a body and a joint assembly. The body includes a pair of sidewalls, a top portion, and a bottom portion. The top and bottom portions extend between the sidewalls and are connected to an inner surface of each of the sidewalls. The body is substantially free of structural weldments disposed within an interior cavity of the body. The joint assembly includes a cylindrical tube and a reinforcement plate. The cylindrical tube extends between and is connected to the sidewalls. The reinforcement plate is connected to an outer surface of one of the sidewalls. The reinforcement plate includes a central portion defining a tube opening and is in circumscribing relationship with the cylindrical tube such that it is disposed within the tube opening.

Linkage assembly for implement system of machine

A stick for a linkage assembly of an implement system includes a stick body and a stick joint assembly. The stick body defines a neutral axis and includes a pair of sidewalls in lateral spaced relationship to each other, a top portion extending between the pair of sidewalls, and a bottom portion extending between the pair of sidewalls, which define an interior cavity. The stick joint assembly includes a stick joint tube and a stick joint reinforcement plate. The stick joint tube extends between and is connected to the sidewalls. The stick joint reinforcement plate is connected to one of the pair of sidewalls and includes a pair of arms extending from a central portion. The ends of the first and second arms of are disposed along the neutral axis of the stick body.

Stick for linkage assembly of machine

A boom for a linkage assembly of an implement system includes a boom body and a fork reinforcement plate. The boom body includes a pair of sidewalls, a top portion, and a bottom portion. The top portion and the bottom portion extend between the pair of sidewalls. The top portion and the bottom portion define a boom nose at a distal body end. The sidewalls each include a fork portion disposed at the distal body end and extending in outward relationship to the boom nose. Each fork portion defines therein a stick mounting opening. The fork reinforcement plate is connected to the inner surface of one of the pair of sidewalls at the fork portion. A proximal plate end of the fork reinforcement plate is in abutting relationship with the boom nose.

Boom for linkage assembly of machine with fork reinforcement plate

Growing community of inventors

East Peoria, IL, United States of America

William Ulrich