Force sensor device for detecting the weight of a vehicle

• US 10,041,826 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2015
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haenni Instruments AG (Baumer Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Haenni Instruments AG (Baumer Holding AG)
• Inventors: Kneubuhl, Daniel, Maurer, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNLAP, JONATHAN M
• Application Number:
  US14/953,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20160153828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 177132, 177134, 200 86 A, 200 85 R, 701117, 701118, 702175, 73768, 73862, 73625, 73862621
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/02 for weighing wheeled or rolling bodies, e.g. vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/022 for weighing wheeled or rolling bodies in motion G01G19/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/024 using electrical weight-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/025 wheel-load scales
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/027 using electrical weight-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/03 for weighing during motion G01G19/04, G01G19/07 take precedence check weighing of materials dispensed into removable containers G01G15/00; weighing a continuous stream of material during flow G01G11/00; G01G19/02, e.g. G01G19/022, G01G19/045 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/035 using electrical weight-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 3/13 having piezoelectric or piezoresistive properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/04 by measuring elastic deformation of gauges, e.g. of springs
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/16 using properties of piezoelectric devices

Abstract

A force sensor device (200) for detecting a weight of a vehicle. The force sensor device (200) includes an elongated sensor mount (2) with a plurality of hollow sections (3) arranged at least partially overlappingly in the elongated sensor mount (2). A force strip sensor (1) is arranged in each hollow section (3).

Claims

1. A force sensor device for detecting a weight of a vehicle, the force sensor device comprising:

an elongated sensor mount extending in a longitudinal direction;

a plurality of hollow sections arranged on the elongated sensor mount as overlappingly arranged adjacent hollow sections, with the adjacent hollow sections only partially overlapping each other in the longitudinal direction of the elongated sensor mount to form a force sensor device measuring extent, wherein each of the overlappingly arranged adjacent hollow sections, arranged on the elongated sensor mount, has a non-overlapping length, in the longitudinal direction, wherein along each non-overlapping length there is no overlap of each of said overlappingly arranged adjacent hollow sections with any other of the plurality of hollow sections arranged on the elongated sensor mount; and

a force strip sensor arranged in each of the hollow sections.

2. A force sensor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the overlappingly arranged adjacent hollow sections each extend in the longitudinal direction in which the elongated sensor mount extends and at least partially do not overlap each other in the longitudinal direction.

3. A force sensor device in accordance with claim 2, wherein a sensitivity of each force strip sensor is approximately constant along the longitudinal direction in which the elongated sensor mount extends.

4. A force sensor device in accordance with claim 2, wherein a sensitivity of the force strip sensors is non-uniform in a radial direction of the elongated sensor mount.

5. A force sensor device in accordance with claim 4, wherein the sensitivity of the force strip sensors decreases continuously in the radial direction of the elongated sensor mount from a central position to an edge position.

6. A force sensor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the force strip sensors are inserted into the hollow sections and are held in the hollow sections by non-positive connection or positive-locking connection.

7. A force sensor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of overlappingly arranged adjacent hollow sections comprise a first hollow section, a second hollow section and a third hollow section;

the first hollow section and the second hollow section are arranged in a row at spaced locations from one another;

the third hollow section is arranged laterally next to the first hollow section and the second hollow section and at least partially overlaps the first hollow section and at least partially overlaps the second hollow section.

8. A force sensor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hollow sections have connection interfaces at each of hollow section ends, the connection interfaces for the electrical connection of the force strip sensors.

9. A force sensor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the force strip sensors are connected electrically in parallel or in series.

10. A force sensor device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hollow sections are formed by thin-walled tubes, with one of a circular cross section and a square cross section.

11. A strip sensor device comprising:

an elongated hollow section housing; and

a force sensor device arranged in the hollow section housing, the force sensor device comprising;

an elongated sensor mount extending in a longitudinal direction;

a plurality of overlapping tubular hollow sections arranged on the elongated sensor mount to form a force strip sensor extent along the longitudinal direction continuing from a first location along the longitudinal direction to a second location along the longitudinal direction, the plurality of overlapping tubular hollow sections comprising longitudinally adjacent tubular hollow sections separated by a distance along the longitudinal direction and at least one laterally adjacent tubular hollow section separated laterally from the longitudinally adjacent tubular hollow sections and bridging, in the longitudinal direction, the distance separating the longitudinally adjacent tubular hollow sections and with an end of the laterally adjacent tubular hollow section partially overlapping a longitudinal extent of each of the longitudinally adjacent tubular hollow sections in the longitudinal direction of the elongated sensor mount to define a longitudinal non-overlapping length, in the longitudinal direction, of each of the longitudinally adjacent tubular hollow sections, wherein along the longitudinal non-overlapping length of each of the longitudinally adjacent tubular hollow sections, there is no overlap of each of the longitudinally adjacent tubular hollow sections with any other of the overlapping tubular hollow sections arranged on the elongated sensor mount and to define a longitudinal non-overlapping length, in the longitudinal direction, of the at least one laterally adjacent tubular hollow section, wherein along the longitudinal non-overlapping length of the at least one laterally adjacent tubular hollow section, there is no overlap of the at least one laterally adjacent tubular hollow section with any other of the overlapping tubular hollow sections arranged on the elongated sensor mount; and

a force strip sensor arranged in each of the hollow sections.

12. A strip sensor device in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a guide element arranged in the hollow section housing along the longitudinal direction of the hollow section housing, wherein the at least one force sensor device is mounted displaceably in the guide element.

13. A strip sensor device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the hollow section housing has elastic edge zones.

14. A strip sensor device in accordance with claim 13, wherein the elastic edge zones of the hollow section housing have expansion joints with one of a sinusoidal shape, U-shape and rectangular shape.

15. A strip sensor device in accordance with claim 11, wherein:

a sensitivity of the force strip sensors is approximately constant along the longitudinal direction in which the elongated sensor mount extends; and

a sensitivity of the force strip sensors is non-uniform in a radial direction of the elongated sensor mount.

16. A strip sensor device in accordance with claim 15, wherein the sensitivity of the force strip sensors decreases continuously in the radial direction of the elongated sensor mount from a central position to an edge position.

17. A strip sensor device in accordance with claim 11, wherein:

the hollow sections have connection interfaces at each of hollow section ends, the connection interfaces for the electrical connection of the force strip sensors; and

the force strip sensors are connected electrically in parallel or in series.

18. A strip sensor device comprising:

an elongated hollow section housing; and

a force sensor device arranged in the hollow section housing, the force sensor device comprising;

an elongated sensor mount extending in a longitudinal direction of the force sensor device;

a plurality of tubular hollow sections arranged in the elongated sensor mount with each extending, at least partially, in the longitudinal direction in which the elongated sensor mount extends, and with the plurality of tubular hollow sections together extending from a first connection interface end to a second connection interface end, the plurality of hollow sections comprising a first tubular hollow section, a second tubular hollow section and a third tubular hollow section, wherein the first tubular hollow section and the second tubular hollow section are arranged longitudinally adjacent to each other and at spaced locations from one another in a row and the third tubular hollow section is arranged laterally adjacent to the first tubular hollow section and laterally adjacent to the second tubular hollow section and the third tubular hollow section partially overlaps the first tubular hollow section in the longitudinal direction of the elongated sensor mount and the third tubular hollow section partially overlaps the second tubular hollow section in the longitudinal direction of the elongated sensor mount to define a longitudinal first tubular hollow section non-overlapping length, in the longitudinal direction, wherein along the longitudinal first tubular hollow section non-overlapping length there is no overlap of the first tubular hollow section with any other of the plurality of tubular hollow sections arranged in the elongated sensor mount and to define a longitudinal second tubular hollow section non-overlapping length, in the longitudinal direction, wherein along the longitudinal second tubular hollow section non-overlapping length there is no overlap of the second tubular hollow section with any other of the plurality of tubular hollow sections arranged in the elongated sensor mount and to define a longitudinal third tubular hollow section non-overlapping length, in the longitudinal direction, wherein along the longitudinal third tubular hollow section non-overlapping length there is no overlap of the third tubular hollow section with any other of the plurality of tubular hollow sections arranged in the elongated sensor mount;

a force strip sensor arranged within the first tubular hollow section for an electrical connection at each of the first connection interface end and at the second connection interface end of the first tubular hollow section;

a force strip sensor arranged within the second tubular hollow section for an electrical connection at each of the first connection interface end and at the second connection interface end of the second tubular hollow section; and

a force strip sensor arranged within the third tubular hollow section for an electrical connection at each of the first connection interface end and at the second connection interface end of the third tubular hollow section.