# US 2026/0085486 A1 · Bucket lip having coupler stations for multi-directional load support > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0085486 A1 - Document ID: US20260085486A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/891,067 - Filed: 2024-09-20 - Published: 2026-03-26 - Earliest claimed: 2024-09-20 - Assignees: Caterpillar Inc. - Applicants: Caterpillar Inc. - Inventors: Eric Thomas Sinn; Douglas Charles Serrurier; Chad James Mammen; Nicholas Bradshaw; Cameron David Lee; Brandon Hammig McCaffrey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260085486A1 ## CPC - E02F 3/40: Dippers; Buckets {; Grab devices, e.g. manufacturing processes for buckets, form, geometry or material of buckets (devices to connect tools to arms or booms E02F3/3604; teeth therefor E02F9/28)} - E02F 9/2883: {Wear elements for buckets or implements in general} - E02F 9/2825: {using adapters} - E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bucket lip of claim 1 wherein the at least one coupler-loading shoulder includes a continuous shoulder. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) 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. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The bucket lip of claim 2 wherein each respective nose portion defines a plane of upper-lower symmetry. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) 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. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) 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. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) 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. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) 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. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) 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. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) 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.