Bucket lip having coupler stations for multi-directional load support

Abstract

A bucket lip includes an elongate lip body having a plurality of coupler stations arranged along a forward lip edge. Each coupler station includes a base portion, and a nose portion extending to a nose end surface. Each base portion includes at least one coupler-loading shoulder stepped off from the nose portion, and forming a plurality of up load support surfaces, a plurality of down load support surfaces, and a plurality of side load support surfaces oriented, respectively, for reacting up, down, and side loads on an attached coupler.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bucket lip comprising:
 an elongate lip body including an upper lip side, a lower lip side, a forward lip edge, a back lip edge, a first lateral edge, and a second lateral edge;   the elongate lip body further including a plurality of coupler stations arranged along the forward lip edge;   the plurality of coupler stations each including a base portion projecting from the forward lip edge, and a nose portion projecting from the respective base portion and extending to a nose end surface; and   each respective base portion including at least one coupler-loading shoulder stepped off from the respective nose portion, and forming a plurality of up load support surfaces, a plurality of down load support surfaces, and a plurality of side load support surfaces, oriented, respectively, for reacting up, down, and side loads on an attached coupler.   
     
     
         2 . The bucket lip of  claim 1  wherein the at least one coupler-loading shoulder includes a continuous shoulder. 
     
     
         3 . The bucket lip of  claim 2  wherein the continuous shoulder is stepped off from a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a bottom side of the respective nose portion. 
     
     
         4 . The bucket lip of  claim 1  wherein the continuous shoulder forms a plurality of edge load support surfaces each transitioning between one of the plurality of up load support surfaces and one of the plurality of down load support surfaces. 
     
     
         5 . The bucket lip of  claim 2  wherein each respective nose portion defines a plane of upper-lower symmetry. 
     
     
         6 . The bucket lip of  claim 5  wherein the plurality of edge load support surfaces define a second plane oriented normal to the plane of upper-lower symmetry. 
     
     
         7 . The bucket lip of  claim 6  wherein each of the plurality of up load support surfaces and the plurality of down load support surfaces is angularly oriented to both the plane of upper-lower symmetry and to the second plane. 
     
     
         8 . The bucket lip of  claim 6  wherein orientations of each of the plurality of side load support surfaces include both a lateral component and a forward component. 
     
     
         9 . The bucket lip of  claim 8  wherein each of the plurality of side load support surfaces is within a vertical footprint of the respective nose portion. 
     
     
         10 . The bucket lip of  claim 6  wherein each of the plurality of up load support surfaces and the plurality of down load support surfaces defines an angle to the second plane that is from 45 degrees to 75 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The bucket lip of  claim 1  wherein each respective nose portion defines a nose length dimension, and the at least one shoulder defines a support depth dimension that is from 10% to 15% of the nose length dimension. 
     
     
         12 . The bucket lip of  claim 1  wherein the bucket lip body includes a one-piece casting, and the plurality of coupler stations are in an alternating arrangement with a plurality of shroud stations, and each of the plurality of coupler stations and the plurality of shroud stations is centrally stepped forward. 
     
     
         13 . A bucket lip comprising:
 an elongate lip body including an upper lip side, a lower lip side, a forward lip edge, a back lip edge, a first lateral edge, and a second lateral edge;   the elongate lip body further including a plurality of coupler stations arranged along the forward lip edge, and each including a nose portion extending to a nose forward surface and a coupler-loading shoulder extending along a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a bottom side, of the respective nose portion;   the coupler-loading shoulder having a varying contour forming a plurality of downward sloping up load support surfaces and a plurality of upward sloping down load support surfaces upon the respective first lateral side and second lateral side.   
     
     
         14 . The bucket lip of  claim 13  wherein the coupler-loading shoulder forms a plurality of side load support surfaces located below the respective nose portion. 
     
     
         15 . The bucket lip of  claim 14  wherein orientations of each of the plurality of side load support surfaces include both a lateral component and a forward component, and each of the plurality of side load support surfaces is within a vertical footprint of the respective nose portion. 
     
     
         16 . The bucket lip of  claim 13  wherein the coupler-loading shoulder forms a first edge load support surface upon the first lateral side and a second edge load support surface upon the second lateral side. 
     
     
         17 . The bucket lip of  claim 16  wherein the first edge load support surface and the second edge load support surface define a plane, and each of the plurality of up load support surfaces and the plurality of down load support surfaces defines an angle to the plane that is from 45 degrees to 75 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The bucket lip of  claim 13  wherein each respective nose portion defines a nose length dimension, and the at least one shoulder defines a support depth dimension that is from 10% to 15% of the nose length dimension. 
     
     
         19 . A bucket lip assembly for a machine comprising:
 a bucket lip including an upper lip side, a lower lip side, a forward lip edge, and a back lip edge;   a coupler station positioned on the forward lip edge and including a nose portion, and a coupler-loading shoulder stepped off from a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a bottom side, of the nose portion, and having a varying contour forming a plurality of downward sloping up load support surfaces and a plurality of upward sloping down load support surfaces; and   a coupler mounted to the coupler station.   
     
     
         20 . The bucket lip assembly of  claim 19  wherein the bucket lip is formed as an elongate one-piece casting, and the coupler station is one of a plurality of coupler stations in an alternating arrangement with a plurality of shroud stations along the forward lip edge.