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

US10688600B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Caterpillar Inc. · US

Inventors

• David Griffith · East Peoria, US
• Michael H. Noble · Peoria, US
• William Jay Ulrich, IV · East Peoria, US
• Christopher Lu · Peoria, US
• Ling Pan · Mianyang, CN
• Huijun Wang · Beijing, CN
• Donald Stickel · Chillicothe, US
• Keith Egland · Peoria, US
• Jeremy R. Hammar · Metamora, US
• Seth Johnson · Nashville, US
• Timothy W. Olmsted · Dunlap, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 13, 2016
• Grant date: Jun 23, 2020
• Expiry date: Mar 10, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B23K31/003
• WIPO field: Machine tools
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

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.