Weight sensing apparatus employing polymeric piezoelectric film
First Claim
1. Weight sensing apparatus comprisinga base member, and a platform spaced thereabove for accepting weight placed thereon,said base member having a plurality of spaced apart cavity-forming wells mounted thereto, said wells being substantially symmetrically disposed on said base member,said platform having a plurality of members depending therefrom for mating engagement within each of said well cavities,sensing means disposed within said cavities and adapted to receive mechanical pressure from said mating members, said sensing means transducing said mechanical pressure to electrical responses,means for applying said pressure to said mating members,converting means for transforming said electrical responses to a digital display, said sensing means and converting means being devoid of moving components, said sensing means comprising a transducer of polymeric piezoelectric film of polarized polyvinylidene fluoride, and wherein said polymeric film is provided with a metallized coating on both faces thereof, each of said metallized coatings being in electrical contact with ungrounded metallic members, said coated piezofilm and said ungrounded metallic members forming a piezofilm assembly, and said piezofilm assembly being surrounded and spaced from grounded metallic members.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Weight sensing apparatus, typically a personal scale, employs a thin film of piezoelectric polymeric material as the transducing component for converting mechanical pressure in the form of applied weight to voltages which are digitally displayed in pounds.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. Weight sensing apparatus comprising
a base member, and a platform spaced thereabove for accepting weight placed thereon, said base member having a plurality of spaced apart cavity-forming wells mounted thereto, said wells being substantially symmetrically disposed on said base member, said platform having a plurality of members depending therefrom for mating engagement within each of said well cavities, sensing means disposed within said cavities and adapted to receive mechanical pressure from said mating members, said sensing means transducing said mechanical pressure to electrical responses, means for applying said pressure to said mating members, converting means for transforming said electrical responses to a digital display, said sensing means and converting means being devoid of moving components, said sensing means comprising a transducer of polymeric piezoelectric film of polarized polyvinylidene fluoride, and wherein said polymeric film is provided with a metallized coating on both faces thereof, each of said metallized coatings being in electrical contact with ungrounded metallic members, said coated piezofilm and said ungrounded metallic members forming a piezofilm assembly, and said piezofilm assembly being surrounded and spaced from grounded metallic members.
Specification