Universal floor and bucket protection devices, systems, and methods
DCFirst Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a wear guard for protecting a bottom surface of a vehicle, includinga resilient member having a first length, and a top surface which is at least partially concave; and
a rigid member havinga second length about the same as the first length,a width substantially less than the second length, said width defined by two spaced-apart edges, said rigid member having a central portion between said two edges, anda height less than its width, said height defined by a top surface and a bottom surface,wherein the shape of said rigid member bottom surface isconvex adjacent the central portion,convex adjacent at least one of said two spaced-apart edges,concave between the central portion and the at least one of said two spaced-apart edges, andcomplementary to the shape of the top surface of said resilient member,wherein said rigid member top surface defines a slot across substantially the entire second length; and
wherein the bottom surface of said rigid member is attached to the top surface of said resilient member.
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Abstract
For a floor clearing bucket, blade or other component of a machine, a guard including a rigid attachment device and elastomeric wear pad assembly has a bolt or stud fastener mounted sideways to facilitate spacing fasteners to match pre-existing, guard-mounting holes in the component for attaching the guard to the component.
20 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
a wear guard for protecting a bottom surface of a vehicle, including a resilient member having a first length, and a top surface which is at least partially concave; and a rigid member having a second length about the same as the first length, a width substantially less than the second length, said width defined by two spaced-apart edges, said rigid member having a central portion between said two edges, and a height less than its width, said height defined by a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the shape of said rigid member bottom surface is convex adjacent the central portion, convex adjacent at least one of said two spaced-apart edges, concave between the central portion and the at least one of said two spaced-apart edges, and complementary to the shape of the top surface of said resilient member, wherein said rigid member top surface defines a slot across substantially the entire second length; and wherein the bottom surface of said rigid member is attached to the top surface of said resilient member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for protecting a bottom surface of a component of a vehicle, comprising:
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an elastomeric member having a first length substantially greater than its width, said elastomeric member having a non-planar top surface; and a supporting member having a front, a rear, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a second length about the same as the first length, the bottom surface of said supporting member having a shape that is generally complementary to the shape of the top surface of said elastomeric member, the top surface of said supporting member defining a track oriented along the length of said supporting member, said track including a slot and a wider channel below the slot, the distance from the top surface of said supporting member to the bottom surface of said supporting member being nonconstant from front to rear; wherein the bottom surface of said supporting member is attached to the top surface of said elastomeric member. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus to protect a vehicle component, comprising:
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a resilient member having a first length substantially greater than its width, said resilient member having a non-planar top surface; a supporting member having a front, a rear, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a second length about the same as the first length, the top surface defining a slot oriented parallel to the second length of said supporting member, said slot having a width, said supporting member defining a channel below said slot, said channel having a depth, said channel having a width that is greater than the width of said slot; and a plurality of fastener plates, each fastener plate having a bottom portion slidably received by said channel, the bottom portion having a width greater than the width of the slot, each said fastener plate having a top portion slidably received within the opening of said slot, each said fastener plate being adapted and configured such that at least part of the top portion has a height which is greater than the depth of the channel. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus to protect a vehicle on a roadway from objects on the roadway, comprising:
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a resilient member having a first length substantially greater than its width, said resilient member having a forward face and a rearward face, each said face being adapted and configured for upward deflection of objects on the roadway, said resilient member having a bottom surface adapted and configured for sliding contact with the roadway, said resilient member having a top and a plane extending vertically through said member; and a supporting member bonded to the top of said resilient member with a bonding agent, said supporting member defining a slot centered about the plane and parallel to the plane, said supporting member defining a channel below said slot, said channel having a width that is greater than the width of said slot, said channel being centered about the plane and parallel to the plane. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for protecting a bottom surface of a vehicle, comprising:
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a resilient member having a first length substantially greater than its width, said resilient member having a top surface which is at least partially concave; a rigid member having a second length about the same as the first length, said rigid member having a bottom surface which is at least partially convex in a shape that is complementary to the concave shape of the top surface of said resilient member, said rigid member having a top surface which defines a slot across substantially the entire second length; wherein the bottom surface of said rigid member is attached to the top surface of said resilient member; and wherein said rigid member is aluminum extrusion.
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29. An apparatus for protecting a bottom surface of a component of a vehicle, comprising:
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an elastomeric member having a first length substantially greater than its width, said elastomeric member having a non-planar top surface; a supporting member having a front, a rear, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a second length about the same as the first length, the bottom surface having a shape that is generally complementary to the shape of the top surface of said elastomeric member, the top surface defining a slot oriented along the length of said supporting member, the distance from the top surface of said supporting member to the bottom surface of said supporting member being nonconstant from front to rear; wherein the bottom surface of said supporting member is attached to the top surface of said elastomeric member; and wherein the component is selected from the group including a bucket, a scoop, a blade, a fork or a plow, and said apparatus is fastened to the bottom of said component.
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Specification