High Capacity and High Resolution Scale
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A scale, comprising:
- a support;
a sensor coupled to the support and productive of a sensor signal based upon an effect of a load upon the support, the sensor having a sensitivity range;
a force transmitter having a driving end and a counterforce end;
a force inducing mechanism coupled to the driving end of the force transmitter; and
a controller coupled to the sensor and the force inducing mechanism, wherein the controller produces a drive signal in response to the load having a weight outside the sensitivity range of the sensor;
wherein the force inducing mechanism is responsive to the drive signal to exert a force on the driving end of the force transmitter and reduce the effect of the load; and
wherein the controller computes the weight of the load based upon the drive signal and the sensor signal.
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Abstract
A scale can include a low capacity sensing mechanism operatively coupled to a load, wherein the low capacity sensing mechanism may detect movement of the load. A transfer mechanism can be operatively coupled to the low capacity sensing mechanism, wherein the low capacity sensing mechanism may enable the scale to weigh both relatively heavy loads and relatively light loads to a minor division resolution associated with the low capacity sensing mechanism.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A scale, comprising:
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a support; a sensor coupled to the support and productive of a sensor signal based upon an effect of a load upon the support, the sensor having a sensitivity range; a force transmitter having a driving end and a counterforce end; a force inducing mechanism coupled to the driving end of the force transmitter; and a controller coupled to the sensor and the force inducing mechanism, wherein the controller produces a drive signal in response to the load having a weight outside the sensitivity range of the sensor; wherein the force inducing mechanism is responsive to the drive signal to exert a force on the driving end of the force transmitter and reduce the effect of the load; and wherein the controller computes the weight of the load based upon the drive signal and the sensor signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A scale, comprising:
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a support; a load cell coupled to the support, the load cell comprising a strain gauge mounted on a substrate that flexes in response to a change in a weight upon the support, the strain gauge producing a strain signal that changes in response to the change in weight within a load cell weight range; a lever having a driving end and a counterforce end and fixed to a pivot therebetween; an electromechanical force inducing mechanism coupled to the driving end of the lever; a controller coupled to the sensor and the electromagnetic force inducing mechanism, wherein the controller drives current to the electromechanical force inducing mechanism such that the counterforce end of the lever exerts sufficient counterforce on the support to maintain flexion of the substrate such that the load cell operates within the load cell weight range in response to changes in the weight on the support; and a processor that computes the weight of an object on the support based upon a signal from the controller, the signal from the controller based upon an amount of current driven to the electromechanical force inducing mechanism and the strain signal from the load cell.
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14. A method for measuring a weight of an object, comprising:
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receiving a signal from a load cell; in response to the received signal indicating that the weight of the object upon the load cell exceeds a weight range of the load cell, driving current to an electromechanical force inducing mechanism; in response to the driven current, generating a counterforce sufficient to cause the apparent weigh of the object as measured by the load cell to be within the weight range of the load cell; and calculating the weight of the object based upon an amount of the driven current and the signal received from the load cell operating within the weight range.
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Specification