Patent Grant
12247486
Mining and material excavation is the process of breaking down material from a solid whole and removing the material. One method of excavation involves scraping a hardened pick against the surface of a material to remove the material. As the material is degraded, it may be conveyed or hauled away for processing or disposal. After removal of the material, more material may be eroded or scraped away, and the process repeated.
In some embodiments, a bolster includes a transverse cross-sectional shape that is noncircular. In other embodiments, a bolster includes a transverse cross-sectional shape that is non-rotationally symmetrical about a central axis.
In yet other embodiments, a bolster includes a bolster body that has a bolster feature. The bolster is configured to connect to a pick body at an interface. The pick body has a transverse cross-sectional shape that includes at least one pick body feature. The bolster feature is similar to the pick body feature.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Additional features and advantages of embodiments of the disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of such embodiments. The features and advantages of such embodiments may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of such embodiments as set forth hereinafter.
In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other features of the disclosure can be obtained, a more particular description will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. For better understanding, the like elements have been designated by like reference numbers throughout the various accompanying figures. While some of the drawings may be schematic or exaggerated representations of concepts, at least some of the drawings may be drawn to scale. Understanding that the drawings depict some example embodiments, the embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
This disclosure generally relates to devices, systems, and methods for bolsters used to protect degradation picks from wear during operation.
The degradation pick 404 may include a pick body 408. The pick body 408 may include an attachment end 410. The attachment end 410 may be configured to attach to a rotatable drum (such as rotatable drum 102 of
As used herein, the term longitudinal is to be interpreted as parallel or approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis 413 the degradation pick 404. As used herein, the term transverse is to be interpreted with respect to a width of the degradation pick 404, or transverse to the longitudinal axis 413.
The pick body 408 may include a shank 412. In some embodiments, the shank 412 may be generally cylindrical. In other embodiments, the shank 412 may be non-cylindrical, or in other words, have a non-circular transverse cross-sectional shape. For example, in the embodiment shown, the shank 412 may have a hexagonal shape. Torque adjustment tools (e.g., wrench, socket) are designed to engage with an engagement feature of the pick body 408 with a specific shape in mind, such as a hexagon. Therefore, by making the shank 412 in the shape of the engagement feature, a similar shape and size torque adjustment tool may be used to install, tighten, loosen, and remove the degradation pick 404. For example, the hexagonal shank 412 shown may be used with a hexagonal torque adjustment tool.
The pick body 408 may be fabricated from steel. In this manner, the pick body 408 may be installed and tightened on the rotating drum. Material removed by the hardened tip 406 may travel at high velocities, because the material is thrown by the degradation pick 404 as the rotating drum rotates, the material releases energy when fractured and the released energy accelerates the broken pieces away from the formation. Some of that broken material may hit, scrape, or otherwise engage the pick body 408. This may erode and/or wear down the pick body 408. In some embodiments, at least one feature of the shank 412 may be eroded and/or worn down such that the at least one feature is unrecognizable and/or useless. For example, the edges of a hexagonal shank 412 may be worn down such that a torque adjustment tool cannot engage the shank 412.
A bolster 414 may be placed between the hardened tip 406 and the pick body 408. In at least one embodiment, a body 415 of the bolster 414 may be fabricated from a wear and/or erosion resistant material, such as tungsten carbide (including cemented tungsten carbide cobalt (WCCo) and tungsten carbides with other metal additives such as nickel, titanium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, etc.), cubic boron nitride, other carbides, other carbide matrix materials, abrasive resistant alloy steels (e.g., CPM steels (CPM is a trademark of Crucible Industries LLC); wear resistant steels, e.g., Stellite (Stellite is a trademark of Kennametal Inc.; e.g., cobalt-chromium alloys having high wear resistance), other wear and/or erosion resistant materials, or combinations of the foregoing. In other embodiments, the bolster 414 may be fabricated from an ultrahard material. As used herein, the term “ultrahard” is understood to refer to those materials known in the art to have a grain hardness of about 1,500 HV (Vickers hardness in kg/mm2) or greater. Such ultrahard materials can include but are not limited to diamond (including hexagonal diamond (Lonsdaleite), polycrystalline diamond (PCD) e.g., leached metal catalyst PCD, non-metal catalyst PCD, or binderless PCD or nanopolycrystalline diamond (NPD), etc.), sapphire, moissanite, cubic boron nitride (cBN) (including polycrystalline cBN (PcBN), binderless PcBN, etc.), Q-carbon, diamond-like carbon, boron suboxide, aluminum manganese boride, other metal borides, boron carbon nitride or other materials in the boron-nitrogen-carbon-oxygen system which have hardness values above 1,500 HV, as well as combinations of the above materials. In some embodiments, the ultrahard material may have a hardness values above 3,000 HV. In other embodiments, the ultrahard material may have a hardness value above 4,000 HV. In yet other embodiments, the ultrahard material may have a hardness value greater than 80 HRa (Rockwell hardness A).
In some embodiments, the bolster 414 may engage at least some of the broken material before it hits the pick body 408, thereby at least partially protecting the pick body 408. For example, at least some of the material broken by the hardened tip 406 may travel from the hardened tip 406 backwards towards the pick body 408. By placing the bolster 414 between the hardened tip 406 and the pick body 408, the bolster 414 may deflect at least some of this broken material so that it does not contact the pick body 408. Because the bolster 414 is fabricated from a wear and/or erosion resistant material, the bolster 414 may help to reduce and/or eliminate wear on the pick body 408, including reducing and/or eliminating wear on the shank 412.
In at least one embodiment, one or more sections of the wear and/or erosion resistant material may be attached to the bolster body 415. Wear and/or erosion resistant materials may be attached to the bolster body 415 using any attachment mechanism, including mechanical fasteners, braze, weld, press fit, interference fit, locking pin, snap ring, any other attachment mechanism, or combinations of the foregoing. The wear and/or erosion resistant materials may be attached to the bolster body 415 along a rotational axis of the rotatable drum to which the degradation pick 404 is attached. In this manner, the wear and/or erosion resistant materials may protect the shank 412 at the highest wear point. In other embodiments, the wear and/or erosion resistant materials may be attached to the bolster body 415 off the rotational axis of the rotatable drum.
In some embodiments, the hardened tip 406 may be brazed to the bolster body 415 at a bolster first end 416. In some embodiments, a first bolster transverse cross-sectional shape at the bolster first end 416 may be complementary to a hardened tip transverse cross-sectional shape. For example, the hardened tip 406 may have a circular hardened tip transverse cross-sectional shape, and the bolster first end 416 may have a circular first bolster transverse cross-sectional shape. In other examples, the hardened tip 406 may have a non-circular cross-sectional shape, including triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, septagonal, octagonal, a polygon with nine, ten, eleven, twelve, or more sides, non-polygonal shapes, and any other shape. In some embodiments, a hardened tip transverse cross-sectional area may be the same or about the same as a first bolster transverse cross-sectional area of the bolster body 415 at the bolster first end 416. In other embodiments, the hardened tip transverse cross-sectional area may be greater than or less than the first bolster transverse cross-sectional area.
The bolster body 415 may include a bolster second end 418 opposite the first end 416. In other words, the bolster first end 416 may be located distally from, or further away from the shank 412, the bolster second end. The bolster 414 may be connected to the pick body 408 at an intersection 420 between the bolster second end 418 and the shank 412. The shank 412 may include a shank transverse cross-sectional shape and the bolster body 415 may include a second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape at the bolster second end 418. In at least one embodiment, the shank transverse cross-sectional shape and the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be the same. For example, the shank transverse cross-sectional shape may be non-circular and the bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be non-circular. Specifically, and in the embodiment shown, the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be hexagonal, and the shank cross-sectional shape may be hexagonal. As discussed above, a hexagonal shanks 412 may be adjusted by a torque adjustment tool. By making the bolster body 415 have a hexagonal second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape, a torque adjustment tool may pass over the bolster 414 and onto the shank 412. In this manner, the bolster body 415 may be erosion and/or wear resistant and protect the shank 412, while the shank 412 may be ductile and tighten against a mounting block. In other examples, the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, polygonal of 9, 10, 11, 12, or more sides, ellipsoidal, curved with multiple concavities, non-polygonal including straight and curved sections, and any other non-circular shape. Different conditions, including material type, impact velocity, temperature, humidity, and so forth, may change the dynamics of material deflection by the bolster 414, and therefore may change the optimal second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape.
For the purposes of this disclosure, rotationally symmetric may be interpreted to mean symmetric at each point around a central axis, such as a circle. Radially symmetric may be interpreted to mean symmetric at multiple even radial points around a circle, such as an ellipse, triangle, square, pentagon, any sided polygon, or any shape that includes regular features, cut-outs, and so forth along an edge. Non-rotationally symmetric may be interpreted to mean no symmetry at any two radial points about a circle, such as a circle with a bulge in it, a square with a protrusion out of only one side, or any other non-rotationally symmetric shape. In some embodiments, the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be radially symmetric about a central axis with three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more radial points of symmetry. In other embodiments, the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be non-rotationally symmetrical. In still other embodiments, the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more planes of symmetry that pass through the central axis. In other examples, the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be non-symmetric, or have no planes of symmetry and no rotational or radial symmetry.
The shank 412 has a shank transverse cross-sectional area and the bolster body 415 has a second bolster transverse cross-sectional area at the bolster second end 418. In some embodiments, the shank transverse cross-sectional area and the bolster transverse cross-sectional area may be the same or about the same. For example, in the embodiment shown in
In other embodiments, the bolster second end 418 may have a different second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape than the shank transverse cross-sectional shape. For example, the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be circular, and the shank transverse cross-sectional shape may be hexagonal. In other examples, the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be hexagonal and the shank transverse cross-sectional shape may be circular.
In some embodiments, the bolster second end 418 may have a different second bolster transverse cross-sectional area than the shank transverse cross-sectional area. For example, the second bolster transverse cross-sectional area may be greater than or less than the shank transverse cross-sectional area.
In some embodiments, the first bolster transverse cross-sectional shape at the bolster first end 416 and the second bolster cross-sectional shape at the bolster second end 418 may be the same. In other embodiments, the first bolster transverse cross-sectional shape and the second bolster cross-sectional shape may be different. For example, the first bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be circular, and the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be hexagonal. In this manner, the bolster body 415 may have similar transverse cross-sectional shapes and/or areas to both the hardened tip 406 and the shank 412. In other words, similar bolster transverse cross-sectional shapes and pick body cross-sectional shapes may include at least one feature, such as a protrusion, indentation, curved edge, straight edge, that is the same shape, size, thickness, width, or combinations of the foregoing. In at least one embodiment, similar features may be aligned on the bolster 414 and the shank 412. In other embodiments, similar features may be misaligned on the bolster 414 and the shank 412.
In some embodiments, the first bolster transverse cross-sectional area may be different from the second bolster transverse cross-sectional area. For example, the first bolster transverse cross-sectional area may be smaller than the second bolster transverse cross-sectional area.
If the first bolster transverse cross-sectional shape is different from the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape and/or the first bolster transverse cross-sectional area is different from the second bolster transverse cross-sectional area, the bolster body 415 may include a transition region 422 between the bolster first end 416 and the bolster second end 418. In some embodiments, the transition region 422 may extend from the bolster first end 416 to the bolster second end 418. In other embodiments, the transition region 422 may extend from a point between the bolster first end 416 and the bolster second end 418 to the bolster second end 418. In other embodiments, the transition region 422 may extend from the bolster first end 416 to a point between the bolster first end 416 and the bolster second end 418. In yet other embodiments, the transition region 422 may extend between the bolster first end 416 and the bolster second end 418 without extending to either the bolster first end 416 or the bolster second end 418.
In some embodiments, the transverse cross-sectional area of the bolster body 415 may change gradually in the transition region 422 between the bolster first end 416 and the bolster second end 418. In other embodiments, the transverse cross-sectional area of the bolster body 415 may change suddenly at a point between the bolster first end 416 and the bolster second end 418. For example, the transition region 422 may include one or more ledges or ribs between the bolster first end 416 and the bolster second end 418.
In some embodiments, the bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may change gradually in the transition region 422 between the bolster first end 416 and the bolster second end 418. For example, in the embodiment shown, as the bolster transverse cross-sectional area increases along the transition region 422, the bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may begin to include the flat sections of the hexagonal second bolster cross-sectional shape. In other embodiments, the bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may change suddenly at a point between the bolster first end 416 and the bolster second end 418.
The pick body 508 may include an interface 520 where the pick body contacts the bolster body 515. The interface 520 may include one or more pick body alignment features 528. Matching bolster alignment features 530 may be located on the bolster body 515. When the one or more pick body alignment features 528 are lined up with the bolster alignment features 530, then the bolster body 515 may be oriented with respect to the pick body 508. For example, in the embodiment shown, the shank 512 has a hexagonal shape, and the bolster body 515 has a hexagonal bolster second end 518. When the one or more pick body alignment features 528 are aligned with the bolster alignment features 530, then the flat sections of the shank 512's hexagonal shape and the flat sections of the bolster second end 518's hexagonal shape may be aligned. This may facilitate proper alignment and installation between the bolster 514 and the pick body 508. In some embodiments, the pick body alignment features 528 may be indentations or protrusions at the interface 520, and the bolster alignment features 530 may be matching protrusions or indentations at the bolster second end 518 or on the protrusion 526.
The bolster body 515 has a bolster first end 516. The bolster first end may include a hardened insert face 532. A hardened insert 506 may be brazed to the hardened insert face 532. In some embodiments, the hardened insert face 532 may be flat, and the hardened insert 506 may be brazed to the flat hardened insert face 532.
The bolster first end 616 and the bolster second end 618 may have a different bolster transverse cross-sectional area and/or bolster transverse cross-sectional shape. Somewhere between the bolster first end 616 and the bolster second end 618, the bolster transverse cross-sectional area and/or the bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may be changed in a transition region 622. In the embodiment shown, the transition region 622 is continuous or substantially continuous between the bolster first end 616 and the bolster second end 618. In other words, the longitudinal cross-section of the bolster 616 may be continuous or substantially continuous between the bolster first end 616 and the bolster second end 618. In other embodiments, the transition region 622 may be non-continuous. In other words, the transition region 622 may include one or more ledges, platforms, breaks, or ribs. The transition region may be symmetric along the axis or the transition region may be non-symmetric along the axis (e.g., ovoid).
In some embodiments, the bolster body 615 may be at least partially convex in the transition region 622. In other words, a bolster longitudinal edge 631 in the transition region 622 may be fully or partially convex, or curve away from a longitudinal axis 613. This may further help to deflect fractured material away from the pick body 608. In other embodiments, the bolster 614 may be at least partially concave in the transition region 622. In other words, the bolster longitudinal edge 631 in the transition region 622 may be fully or partially concave, or curve toward the longitudinal axis 613. In some embodiments, the bolster longitudinal edge 631 may be tapered at least partially tapered. In other words, the bolster cross-sectional shape and/or bolster cross-sectional area may change gradually between the bolster first end 616 and the bolster second end 618.
In some embodiments, the bolster first end 616 and one or more of the bolster second end 618 and a protrusion end 634 may be parallel. In other words, the bolster first end 616 may be flat on a first plane, and the bolster second end 618 may be on a second plane, and the first plane may be parallel to the second plane.
The bolster 614 has a bolster length 633. The bolster length 633 may be in a range having an upper value and a lower value, or upper and lower values including any of 0.25 in. (0.64 cm), 0.50 in. (1.27 cm), 0.75 in. (1.91 cm), 1.0 in. (2.54 cm), 1.5 in. (3.81 cm), 2.0 in. (5.08 cm), 2.5 in. (6.35 cm), 3.0 in. (7.32 cm), or any value therebetween. For example, the bolster length 633 may be greater than 0.25 in. (0.64 cm). In other examples, the bolster length 633 may be less than 3.0 in. (7.32 cm). In yet other examples, the bolster length 633 may be any value in a range between 0.25 in. (0.64 cm) and 3.0 in. (7.32 cm). In at least one embodiment, it may be critical that the bolster length 633 is between 0.5 in. and 1.5 in. to provide sufficient protection to the shank 612.
The shank 612 has a shank length 635. The shank length 635 may be in a range having an upper value and a lower value, or upper and lower values including any of 0.50 in. (1.27 cm), 0.75 in. (1.91 cm), 1.0 in. (2.54 cm), 1.5 in. (3.81 cm), 2.0 in. (5.08 cm), 2.5 in. (6.35 cm), 3.0 in. (7.32 cm), 4 in. (10.2 cm), 5 in. (12.7 cm), 6 in. (15.2 cm), 8 in. (20.3 cm), 10 in. (25.4 cm), 12 in. (30.5 cm), 13 in. (33.0 cm), or any value therebetween. For example, the shank length 635 may be greater than 0.50 in. (1.27 cm). In other examples, the shank length 635 may be less than 13 in. (33.0 cm). In yet other examples, the shank length 635 may be any value in a range between 0.50 in. (1.27 cm) and 13 in. (33.0 cm). In at least one embodiment, it may be critical that the shank length 635 is between 1.0 in. and 13 in. to allow a torque adjustment tool to engage with the shank 612.
The degradation pick 604 has a bolster ratio. The bolster ratio may be the ratio of the bolster length 633 to the shank length 635. The bolster ratio may be in a range having an upper value and a lower value, or upper and lower values including any of 1:10, 1:8, 1:6, 1:5, 1:4, 1:3, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 8:1, 10:1, or any value therebetween. For example, the bolster ratio may be greater than 1:10. In other examples, the bolster ratio may be less than 10:1. In yet other examples, the bolster ratio may be any value in a range between 1:10 and 10:1. In at least one embodiment, it may be critical that the bolster ratio is less than 1:1 so that the bolster 614 may sufficiently protect the shank 612.
In some embodiments, the entire bolster 614 may overlap the shank 612. In other embodiments, a portion of the bolster 614 may have a bolster diameter 636 that is the same as the shank diameter 638 and a portion of the bolster 614 that has a bolster diameter 636 that is greater than the shank diameter 638. For example, a hexagonal shank 612 may have six flat sides. The bolster second end 618 may include at least one side that is complementary to one flat side of the shank 612 and at least one side that overhangs the shank 612. This may still allow for a tool, such as a socket, to pass over the bolster 614 and engage the shank 612 for installation of the degradation pick 604.
In some embodiments, the bolster first end 716 may be parallel to the bolster second end 718. In other embodiments, the bolster first end 716 may be non-parallel to the bolster second end 718.
The pick body 708 may include a bolster support 741. The bolster support 741 may be located behind the bolster 714 and provide support for the bolster 714 during operation of the degradation pick 704. During operation, the forces on the bolster 714 attached to an angled pick body 708 may be greater than on a non-angled pick body. The bolster support 741 may help to prevent the bolster from being dislodged or removed from the pick body 708.
The bolster 714 may include a bolster extension 743. The angled pick body 708 may expose more of the pick body 708 (such as the shank 712) to material fractured during operation of the degradation pick 704. A bolster extension 743 may extend the bolster 714 into the shank 712, which may provide additional protection from fractured material.
In some embodiments, the bolster 814 may have a bolster longitudinal edge 831 that is straight. In other embodiments, the bolster 814 may have a bolster longitudinal edge 831 that is curved. For example, the bolster longitudinal edge 831 may be convex, meaning that the bolster longitudinal edge 831 extends outward from a center of the bolster 814.
The bolster 814 may include at least one bolster feature 840. The bolster feature 840 may be any identifiable feature, such as a straight edge, a point, a bulge, an indentation, or any other identifiable feature. In the embodiment shown, the bolster 814 includes at least twelve bolster features 840: six straight transverse edges 842 and six points 844. The bolster feature 840 may be similar to at least one pick body feature, such as the edges and points of a hexagonal shank (e.g., shank 412 of
In at least one embodiment, the one or more bolster features 840 may be similar to a pick body feature on the shank of a pick body (e.g., shank 412 on the pick body 408 of
In some embodiments, the transverse edge 942 may be concave. In other words, the transverse edge 942 may bulge or curve inward toward the center of the bolster 914. The concavity of the second bolster transverse cross-sectional shape may adjust the path taken by material that is deflected by the bolster 914 away from a pick body.
In some embodiments, the bolster 914 may have a bolster longitudinal edge 931 that is straight. In other embodiments, the bolster 914 may have a bolster longitudinal edge 931 that is curved. For example, the bolster longitudinal edge 931 may be concave, meaning that the bolster longitudinal edge 931 extends inward toward a center of the bolster 914.
In some embodiments, one or more of the transverse edges 1042 may be concave. In other words, one or more of the transverse edges 1042 may bulge or curve inward toward the center of the bolster 1014. In some embodiments, the concave transverse edge 1042 may extend from the bolster first end 1016 or near the bolster first end 1016 to the bolster second end 1018. In this manner, the bolster 1014 may resemble the head of a star head screw, or a star head nut. In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1014 is radially symmetric at six points about a longitudinal axis.
In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1114 may include a first transverse edge 1142-1 that is straight or approximately straight, and a second transverse edge 1142-2 that is curved outward, or convex with respect to the center of the bolster 1114. In this manner, the bolster 1114 may be rectangular with two rounded short edges. Or, in other words, the bolster 1114 may be ellipsoid with straight edges.
In some embodiments, the first transverse edge 1142-1 may be curved. The first transverse edge 1142-1 may be curved in the same direction as the second transverse edge 1142-2. For example, the first transverse edge 1142-1 and the second transverse edge 1142-2 may be curved outward, or convex. In other embodiments, the first transverse edge 1142-1 and the second transverse edge 1142-2 may have different concavities. For example, the first transverse edge 1142-1 may be concave, and the second transverse edge 1142-2 may be convex. In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1114 is radially symmetric at two points about a longitudinal axis.
In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1214 includes three straight transverse edges 1242-1, each straight transverse edge 1242-1 being separated by one of three curved transverse edges 1242-2. In this manner, the bolster 1214 may appear to be a triangle with the corners trimmed with a curved radius. In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1214 is radially symmetric at three points about a longitudinal axis.
The bolster 1314 may have a plurality of first transverse edges 1342-1 and a plurality of second transverse edges 1342-2. In some embodiments, the first transverse edges 1342-1 may have a different length than the second transverse edges 1342-2. For example, the first transverse edges 1342-1 may be longer than the second transverse edges 1342-2. In the embodiment shown, four first transverse edges 1342-1 are separated by four second transverse edges 1342-2. In this manner, the bolster 1314 may appear to be a square with the corners removed. In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1314 is radially symmetric at four points about a longitudinal axis.
In some embodiments, the plurality of edges 1442 may be planar or approximately planar. In other embodiments, the plurality of edges 1442 may change from straight or planar at the bolster second end 1416 to curved at the bolster first end 1418. One or more of the edges 1442 may include a cut-out 1446. In some embodiments, the cut-out 1446 may extend from the bolster first end 1416 to the bolster second end 1418. In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1414 may include four edges 1442 having four cut-outs taken at or near a corner of each edge. In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1414 is radially symmetric at four points about a longitudinal axis.
In some embodiments, the plurality of edges 1542 may be planar or approximately planar. In other embodiments, the plurality of edges 1542 may change from straight or planar at the bolster second end 1516 to curved at the bolster first end 1518. One or more of the edges 1542 may include a cut-out 1546. In some embodiments, the cut-out 1546 may extend from the bolster first end 1516 to the bolster second end 1518. In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1514 may include five transverse edges 1542 having five cut-outs taken at or near a corner of each edge. In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1514 is radially symmetric at five points about a longitudinal axis.
In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1614 has a first edge 1642-1 with a large radius of curvature and a second edge 1642-2 with a smaller radius of curvature. In this manner, the bolster 1614 may appear to have a bulge or a point at the second edge 1642-2. In some embodiments, the bolster 1614 may include edges having short lengths, long lengths, large radii of curvature, small radii of curvature, or any combination of the foregoing, in any order around an outer circumference of the bolster 1614. In the embodiment shown, the bolster 1614 is non-rotationally symmetric. The side surfaces or longitudinal surfaces between the first and second edges are shown as including a concave curve, however, in this and in other embodiments described above, the side surfaces between the edges may be at least partially straight (e.g., a straight line connects the two radiused edges) or the side surfaces between the edges may include a convex curve (e.g., the line connecting the two radiused edges may be entirely convex). That is, in some embodiments, the side surfaces can be partially concave, entirely concave, entirely straight, partially straight, partially convex, or entirely convex, or combinations of partially concave, partially straight, and/or partially convex.
One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. These described embodiments are examples of the presently disclosed techniques. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual embodiment may be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous embodiment-specific decisions will be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one embodiment to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.
It should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. For example, any element described in relation to an embodiment herein may be combinable with any element of any other embodiment described herein. Numbers, percentages, ratios, or other values stated herein are intended to include that value, and also other values that are “about” or “approximately” the stated value, as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art encompassed by embodiments of the present disclosure. A stated value should therefore be interpreted broadly enough to encompass values that are at least close enough to the stated value to perform a desired function or achieve a desired result. The stated values include at least the variation to be expected in a suitable manufacturing or production process, and may include values that are within 5%, within 1%, within 0.1%, or within 0.01% of a stated value.
A person having ordinary skill in the art should realize in view of the present disclosure that equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and that various changes, substitutions, and alterations may be made to embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Equivalent constructions, including functional “means-plus-function” clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function, including both structural equivalents that operate in the same manner, and equivalent structures that provide the same function. It is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke means-plus-function or other functional claiming for any claim except for those in which the words ‘means for’ appear together with an associated function. Each addition, deletion, and modification to the embodiments that falls within the meaning and scope of the claims is to be embraced by the claims.
The terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” as used herein represent an amount close to the stated amount that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than 0.01% of a stated amount. Further, it should be understood that any directions or reference frames in the preceding description are merely relative directions or movements. For example, any references to “up” and “down” or “above” or “below” are merely descriptive of the relative position or movement of the related elements.
The present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive. Changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
This application is a national stage entry under 35 U.S.C. 371 of International Application No. PCT/US2020/030190, filed Apr. 28, 2020, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/840,524, filed on Apr. 30, 2019, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2020/030190 | 4/28/2020 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2020/223189 | 11/5/2020 | WO | A |
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