US 12,435,495 B2
Heel shroud having stress concentration reduction geometry and enhanced durability
Brandon Hammig McCaffrey, St. Louis, MO (US); and Ezhil Valavan Karunakaran, Ariyalur (IN)
Assigned to Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed by Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed on Mar. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/690,341.
Prior Publication US 2023/0287663 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. E02F 9/28 (2006.01)
CPC E02F 9/2883 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heel shroud comprising:
a bottom leg; and
a side leg extending orthogonally from the bottom leg, forming an interior corner with the bottom leg;
wherein the heel shroud defines a first lateral surface, a second lateral surface, and the bottom leg includes a curved interior surface extending from the first lateral surface to the second lateral surface at least partially forming the interior corner, and the first lateral surface defines a first wear indicator that is disposed at the interior corner, and
wherein the first wear indicator at the interior corner defines a top angled wall and a bottom angled wall that is parallel to the top angled wall.