Debris Guard for a Blade of a Work Vehicle

Abstract

A blade a work vehicle can include a moldboard for engaging material to be moved. The moldboard has a moldboard axis that lies laterally across the blade. The blade further includes a top wall adjacent a top portion of the moldboard a back wall including a pivot coupling for attachment to a hydraulic cylinder. The blade can include a debris guard the debris guard affixed to the top wall above the pivot coupling and aligned with the pivot coupling to shed debris away from the pivot coupling when the blade is operated in the forward direction. The debris guard can be welded to the top wall only along at least one line that is within twenty degrees of perpendicularity with the moldboard axis or that is within twenty degrees of parallel with the moldboard axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A blade apparatus for a work vehicle, the blade comprising:
 a moldboard for engaging material to be moved, the moldboard having a moldboard axis aligned laterally across the blade;   a top wall adjacent a top portion of the moldboard;   a back wall including a pivot coupling for attachment to a hydraulic cylinder; and   a debris guard affixed to the top wall above the pivot coupling and aligned with the pivot coupling to shed debris away from the pivot coupling when the blade is operated in the forward direction, wherein the debris guard is welded to the top wall only along at least one line that is within twenty degrees of perpendicularity with the moldboard axis or that is within twenty degrees of parallel with the moldboard axis.   
     
     
         2 . The blade apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one the line is within seven degrees of perpendicularity with the moldboard axis. 
     
     
         3 . The blade apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the blade includes a plurality of debris guards. 
     
     
         4 . The blade apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the debris guard includes at least one non-welded portion that contacts the top wall without being welded to the top wall. 
     
     
         5 . The blade apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the debris guard includes at least one raised portion that does not contact the top wall. 
     
     
         6 . The blade apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the top wall includes at least one locating orifice and the debris guard includes at least one locating tab that fits within the locating orifice. 
     
     
         7 . The blade apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the locating tab is positioned within the at least one welded portion. 
     
     
         8 . The blade apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the debris guard includes two welded portions. 
     
     
         9 . The blade apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the debris guard includes a nose portion positioned on a first bend towards a leading edge of the top wall, first and second angled portions that extend away from the nose portion and towards a trailing edge of the top wall, wherein a first of two welded portions extends from the first angled portion at a second bend and a second of the two welded portions extends from the second angled portion at a third bend. 
     
     
         10 . The blade apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the nose portion and first and second angle portions are not welded to the top wall. 
     
     
         11 . The blade apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the nose portion contacts the top wall and each of the first and second angle portions include a raised portion that does not contact the top wall. 
     
     
         12 . The blade apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the top wall includes at least one locating orifice and at least one of the two at least one first portions includes a locating tab that fits within the locating orifice. 
     
     
         13 . The blade apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the two welded portions each comprise a wall and each are welded to the top wall on both sides of the wall. 
     
     
         14 . The blade apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the two welded portions each have an end side, wherein the debris guard extends furthest from the top wall at the nose portion, and wherein the debris guard extends the least from the top wall at the end sides. 
     
     
         15 . The blade apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the nose portion and the first and second angled portions have a substantially V-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         16 . The blade apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the debris guard is substantially free of welds to the top wall along portions of the debris guard that are not within plus and minus twenty degrees of perpendicularity of the moldboard axis. 
     
     
         17 . The blade apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the debris guard is substantially free of welds to the top wall along portions of the debris guard that are not within plus and minus seven degrees of perpendicularity of the moldboard axis.