Ground Engaging Tool Assembly

Abstract

A coupler comprising a tip mounting portion and an implement mounting portion. The implement mounting portion defines an implement pocket with a central wall having an abutment surface and a coupler side wall having a distal end adjacent the central wall and a proximal end. The side wall has a side interior surface facing the implement pocket and adjacent the abutment surface. The side interior surface defines a recessed portion adjacent the abutment surface. The recessed portion is offset laterally outward of the side interior surface. The side wall has a base portion at the proximal end with a base exterior surface and an interlock portion at a distal end of the coupler side wall that has an interlock exterior recess surface, the base portion width greater than the interlock portion width. The recessed portion extends between the abutment surface and a transition surface, spanning the interlock portion.

1 . A coupler comprising:
 a tip mounting portion; and   an implement mounting portion in opposing relationship to the tip mounting portion along a longitudinal axis, the implement mounting portion defining an implement pocket, the implement pocket defined, at least in part, by:
 a central wall having an abutment surface, 
 a coupler side wall having a distal end disposed adjacent the central wall and a proximal end in opposing relationship to the distal end along the longitudinal axis, the side wall having:
 a side interior surface facing the implement pocket and adjacent the abutment surface, the side interior surface defining a recessed portion adjacent the abutment surface, the recessed portion offset laterally outward of the side interior surface along a lateral axis, which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, 
 a base portion disposed at the proximal end of the coupler side wall and having a base exterior surface and a base portion width measured along the lateral axis between the side interior surface and the base exterior surface, and 
 an interlock portion disposed at a distal end of the coupler side wall and having an interlock exterior recess surface and an interlock portion width measured along the lateral axis between the side interior surface at the recessed portion and the interlock exterior recess surface, wherein the base portion width is greater than the interlock portion width; 
 
   wherein the recessed portion of the side interior surface extends along the longitudinal axis substantially between the abutment surface and a transition surface of the base portion of the coupler side wall, thereby substantially spanning the interlock portion of the coupler side wall.   
     
     
         2 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the base portion width to the interlock portion width is in a range between about 2:1 and about 3:1. 
     
     
         3 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the base portion width to the interlock portion width is at least about 5:2. 
     
     
         4 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion has a recessed portion depth measured from the side interior surface outwardly along the lateral axis, and a ratio between the base portion width to the recessed portion depth is at least about 30:1. 
     
     
         5 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion has a recessed portion depth measured from the side interior surface outwardly along the lateral axis, and a ratio between the interlock portion width to the recessed portion depth is at least about 10:1. 
     
     
         6 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion of the coupler side wall defines an implement retention orifice. 
     
     
         7 . The coupler of  claim 6 , wherein the implement retention orifice has an implement retention orifice center, and a ratio of a first distance along the longitudinal axis between the implement retention orifice center and the abutment surface to a second distance along the longitudinal axis between the implement retention orifice center and the transition surface is about 2:1 or less. 
     
     
         8 . The coupler of  claim 6 , wherein the implement retention orifice has an implement retention orifice center, and a ratio of a third distance along the longitudinal axis between the implement retention orifice center and an interface segment between the interlock portion and the base portion of the coupler side wall to a fourth distance along the longitudinal axis between the implement retention orifice center to the transition surface is in a range between about 1:1 and about 3:2. 
     
     
         9 . The coupler of  claim 6 , wherein the implement retention orifice has an implement retention orifice center, and a ratio of a fifth distance along the longitudinal axis between the implement retention orifice center and an interface segment between the interlock portion and the base portion of the coupler side wall to a sixth distance between the implement retention orifice center to the transition surface is greater than about 1:1. 
     
     
         10 . The coupler of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion has a recessed portion depth measured from the side interior surface outwardly along the lateral axis, and a ratio of a seventh distance along the longitudinal axis between the abutment surface and the transition surface to the recessed portion depth of the recessed portion is in a range between about 30:1 and about 60:1. 
     
     
         11 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A coupler comprising:
 a tip mounting portion; and   an implement mounting portion in opposing relationship to the tip mounting portion, the implement mounting portion defining an implement pocket having an opening in communication with an interior cavity;   wherein the implement pocket flares laterally outward nearest the tip mounting portion such that the implement pocket has a lateral cavity width at the interior cavity that is greater than a lateral opening width at the opening.