US Patent 8925220 Wear assembly

A wear assembly with strain relief protects exposed surfaces of excavating equipment such as a bucket lip. Wear components may include a seat where loads are applied, welding flanges flanking the seat on opposite ends of the component welded to the equipment, and strain relief areas between each welding flange and the seat. The strain relief balances stresses from loading in the wear assembly across the weld flange to limit cracking from stress concentrations. Strain relief may include modification of material properties or modification of component configuration to reduce stiffness of the component between the weld flanges and the seat.