FLUID CONTAINER MEASUREMENT SYSTEM EMPLOYING LOAD CELL LINKAGE MEMBER
First Claim
1. A fluid container measurement system, comprising:
- a load measurement assembly configured to be suspended a distance above a support surface, the load measurement assembly comprising;
a load cell having a principal load axis substantially orthogonal to the ground;
a measurement control circuit electrically coupled to the load cell, the measurement control circuit configured to receive electrical signals from the load cell indicative of a force imposed on the load cell;
a measurement electrical interface electrically coupled to the measurement control circuit; and
a load cell interconnect mechanically linked to the load cell; and
a load cell linkage member, comprising;
a disposable member interconnect complementary to the load cell interconnect;
a support member configured to support a fluid container;
a disposable member electrical circuit; and
a disposable member electrical interface electrically coupled to the disposable member electrical circuit;
the load cell interconnect configured to receive the disposable member interconnect to attach the load cell linkage member to the load cell interconnect to provide a mechanical linkage between the support member of the load cell linkage member and the load cell, and dispose the support member of the load cell linkage member within a defined angular range about the principal load axis of the load cell when the disposable member electrical interface is electrically coupled to the measurement electrical interface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid container measurement system employing a load cell linkage member is disclosed. The fluid container measurement system is configured to suspend a load measurement assembly a distance above a support surface. The load measurement assembly houses a load cell and a measurement control circuit. The measurement control circuit is coupled to the load cell and configured to receive electrical signals indicative of a force imposed on the load cell. The load measurement assembly also includes or is configured to receive a load cell linkage member mechanically linked to the load cell. In this manner, a load placed on the load cell linkage member will be exerted on the load cell. Electrical signals generated by the load cell indicative of the force exerted on the load cell can be used to measure the fluid container attached to the load cell linkage member.
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Citations
98 Claims
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1. A fluid container measurement system, comprising:
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a load measurement assembly configured to be suspended a distance above a support surface, the load measurement assembly comprising; a load cell having a principal load axis substantially orthogonal to the ground; a measurement control circuit electrically coupled to the load cell, the measurement control circuit configured to receive electrical signals from the load cell indicative of a force imposed on the load cell; a measurement electrical interface electrically coupled to the measurement control circuit; and a load cell interconnect mechanically linked to the load cell; and a load cell linkage member, comprising; a disposable member interconnect complementary to the load cell interconnect; a support member configured to support a fluid container; a disposable member electrical circuit; and a disposable member electrical interface electrically coupled to the disposable member electrical circuit; the load cell interconnect configured to receive the disposable member interconnect to attach the load cell linkage member to the load cell interconnect to provide a mechanical linkage between the support member of the load cell linkage member and the load cell, and dispose the support member of the load cell linkage member within a defined angular range about the principal load axis of the load cell when the disposable member electrical interface is electrically coupled to the measurement electrical interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of measuring a fluid container, comprising:
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attaching a disposable member interconnect of a load cell linkage member comprising a support member, to a complementary load cell interconnect of a load measurement assembly in an initial position, to mechanically link the load cell linkage member to the load cell interconnect mechanically linked to a load cell having a principal load axis substantially orthogonal to the ground; manipulating the load cell linkage member to place the disposable member interconnect into a measurement position about the load cell interconnect such that a disposable member electrical interface electrically coupled to a disposable member electrical circuit in the load cell linkage member is electrically coupled to a measurement electrical interface electrically coupled to a measurement control circuit in the load measurement assembly wherein the support member is located within a defined angular range about the principal load axis of the load cell; attaching a fluid container to be measured to the support member of the load cell linkage member in the measurement position such that a load of the fluid container applies a force to the load cell through mechanical linkage within the defined angular range about the principal load axis of the load cell when the disposable member electrical interface is electrically coupled to the measurement electrical interface; detecting if the disposable member electrical interface in the load cell linkage member is electrically coupled to the measurement electrical interface in the load measurement assembly; and in response to detecting that the disposable member electrical interface is electrically coupled to the measurement electrical interface, the measurement control circuit measuring the fluid container based on an electrical signal received from the load cell indicative of force of the fluid container imposed on the load cell. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A fluid container measurement system, comprising:
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a load measurement assembly configured to be suspended a distance above a support surface, the load measurement assembly comprising; a load cell having a principal load axis substantially orthogonal to the ground; and a load cell linkage member mechanically linked to the load cell, the load cell linkage member configured to support a fluid container such that a force of the fluid container on the load cell linkage member is translated to the load cell; and a tether support member interface disposed in a plane above the load cell with respect to the ground, the tether support member interface configured to provide a tether support member configured to receive a portion of a tube such that a lower portion of the tube of a defined length is disposed above and between the tether support member interface and the fluid container. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. A fluid container measurement system, comprising:
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a load measurement assembly configured to be suspended a distance above a support surface, the load measurement assembly comprising; a load cell having a principal load axis substantially orthogonal to the ground; a measurement control circuit electrically coupled to the load cell, the measurement control circuit configured to receive electrical signals from the load cell indicative of a force imposed on the load cell; a measurement electrical interface electrically coupled to the measurement control circuit; and a load cell interconnect mechanically linked to the load cell; wherein the measurement control circuit is configured to; obtain a load measurement from the load cell; if the load measurement is less than a difference between a previous baseline load measurement and a baseline reset threshold load measurement, set a new baseline load measurement equal to the load measurement; and if the load measurement is greater than the previous baseline load measurement plus a noise floor threshold load measurement; add a difference between the load measurement and the previous baseline load measurement to a running total; and set a new baseline load measurement equal to the load measurement. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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90. A method of measuring a fluid container, comprising:
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attaching a fluid container to be measured to a support member of a load cell linkage member of a load measurement assembly, the load cell linkage member in a measurement position such that a load of the fluid container applies a force to a load cell through mechanical linkage within a defined angular range about a principal load axis of the load cell; obtaining a load measurement, by the measurement control circuit in the load measurement assembly, by measuring the fluid container based on an electrical signal received from the load cell indicative of force of the fluid container imposed on the load cell; setting, by the measurement control circuit, a new baseline load measurement equal to the load measurement if the load measurement is less than a difference between a previous baseline load measurement and a baseline reset threshold load measurement; adding, by the measurement control circuit, a difference between the load measurement and the previous baseline load measurement to a running total if the load measurement is greater than the previous baseline load measurement plus a noise floor threshold load measurement; and setting, by the measurement control circuit, a new baseline load measurement equal to the load measurement if the load measurement is greater than the previous baseline load measurement plus the noise floor threshold load measurement. - View Dependent Claims (91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
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Specification