Weighing scale transducer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A transducer system for a weighing scale comprising:
- (A) a parallelogram flexure assembly including (1) upper and lower vertically spaced, substantially parallel flexure members, each having first and second horizontally spaced sides, the first side of each flexure member being mounted to a fixed mounting, and the second side of each flexure member being vertically movable, and (2) a vertical post member for connecting together the second sides of the flexure members and for supporting an object to be weighed;
(B) a flexure mode crystal resonator transducer member; and
(C) coupling means for transmitting vertical force from the flexure assembly to the crystal resonator member and including a mounting structure having first and second spaced arms, each arm having longitudinally spaced first and second portions, the first arm being fixed relative to the mountings of the flexure members, the arms being pivotally connected to one another adjacent the first portions by a pivotal connection having a pivotal axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the longitudinal axes of the arms, the crystal resonator member being mounted between the second portions of the arms, the first and second arms and pivotal connection of the mounting structure respectively comprising two bars and one pivotal connection of a four bar linkage, and the mounting structure further including the two additional bars and three additional pivotal connections of the four bar linkage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A transducer system for a weighing scale having a flexure mode crystal resonator includes a parallelogram linkage for supporting the load platform of the scale, a mounting structure for mounting the crystal resonator between two pivotally connected mounting arms, and a coupling assembly for coupling force from the parallelogram linkage to one arm of the mounting structure.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A transducer system for a weighing scale comprising:
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(A) a parallelogram flexure assembly including (1) upper and lower vertically spaced, substantially parallel flexure members, each having first and second horizontally spaced sides, the first side of each flexure member being mounted to a fixed mounting, and the second side of each flexure member being vertically movable, and (2) a vertical post member for connecting together the second sides of the flexure members and for supporting an object to be weighed; (B) a flexure mode crystal resonator transducer member; and (C) coupling means for transmitting vertical force from the flexure assembly to the crystal resonator member and including a mounting structure having first and second spaced arms, each arm having longitudinally spaced first and second portions, the first arm being fixed relative to the mountings of the flexure members, the arms being pivotally connected to one another adjacent the first portions by a pivotal connection having a pivotal axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the longitudinal axes of the arms, the crystal resonator member being mounted between the second portions of the arms, the first and second arms and pivotal connection of the mounting structure respectively comprising two bars and one pivotal connection of a four bar linkage, and the mounting structure further including the two additional bars and three additional pivotal connections of the four bar linkage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A transducer system for a weighing scale comprising:
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(A) a parallelogram flexure assembly including (1) upper and lower vertically spaced, substantially parallel flexure members, each having first and second horizontally spaced sides, the first side of each flexure member being mounted to a fixed mounting, and the second side of each flexure member being vertically movable , and (2) a vertical post member for connecting together the second sides of the flexure members and for supporting an object to be weighed; (B) a flexure mode crystal resonator transducer member; and (C) coupling means for transmitting vertical force from the flexure assembly to the crystal resonator member, the coupling means including a resiliently compressible force transmitting element connected between the post member and the crystal resonator member for allowing greater displacement of the post member than is correspondingly produced in the crystal resonator member, the resiliently compressible force transmitting element being substantially unstressed in the absence of an object to be weighed.
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10. A transducer system for a weighing scale comprising:
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(A) a parallelogram flexure assembly including (1) upper and lower vertically spaced, substantially parallel flexure members. each having first and second horizontally spaced sides, the first side of each flexure member being mounted to a fixed mounting, and the second side of each flexure member being vertically movable, and (2) a vertical post member for connecting together the second sides of the flexure members and for supporting an object to be weighed; (B) a flexure mode crystal resonator transducer member; and (C) coupling means for transmitting vertical force from the flexure assembly to the crystal resonator member, the coupling means including a pivotal bearing connection for transmitting force aligned with the vertical axis of the post member while substantially preventing transmission of moments about the bearing, the bearing connection including a vertically aligned rod and first and second ball bearings at each end of the rod. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A transducer system for a weighing scale comprising:
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(A) a parallelogram flexure assembly including (1) upper and lower vertically spaced, substantially parallel flexure members, each having first and second horizontally spaced sides, the first side of each flexure member being mounted to a fixed mounting, and the second side of each flexure member being vertically movable, and (2) a vertical post member for connecting together the second sides of the flexure members and for supporting an object to be weighed; (B) a flexure mode crystal resonator transducer member; (C) coupling means for transmitting vertical force from the flexure assembly to the crystal resonator member; (D) a substantially horizontal platform for receiving the object to be weighed; and (E) shock absorbing means for connecting the platform to the post member and for substantially reducing the transmission of mechanical shocks from the platform to the post member, the shock absorbing means being substantially unstressed in the absence of an object to be weighed and being energy dissipating for substantially preventing oscillation of the platform relative to the post member. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A transducer system for a weighing scale comprising:
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(A) a parallelogram flexure assembly including (1) upper and lower vertically spaced, substantially parallel flexure members, each having first and second horizontally spaced sides, the first side of each flexure member being mounted to a fixed mounting, and the second side of each flexure member being vertically movable, and (2) a vertical post member for connecting together the second sides of the flexure members and for supporting an object to be weighed; (B) a flexure mode crystal resonator transducer member; and (C) coupling means for transmitting vertical force from the flexure assembly to the crystal resonator member, the coupling means including a mounting structure having first and second spaced arms, each arm having longitudinally spaced first and second portions, the first portion of the first arm being fixed relative to the mountings of the flexure members, the arms being pivotally connected to one another adjacent the first portions by a pivotal connection having a pivotal axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the longitudinal axes of the arms, the crystal resonator member being mounted between the second portions of the arms, and the second portion of the first arm to which the crystal resonator member is attached being cantilevered from the fixed mountings of the flexure members. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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18. A transducer system for a weighing scale comprising:
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(A) a fixed base; (B) a substantially horizontal platform for receiving an object to be weighed; (C) first and second vertically spaced, substantially parallel flexure members, each flexure member having horizontally spaced first and second sides, and each flexure member being pivotally mounted to the base along the first side of the flexure member; (D) a vertical post for supporting the platform for limited vertical movement, the post being pivotally mounted to each flexure member along the second side of each flexure member, the pivotal axes of all of the pivotal mountings being substantially horizontal and mutually parallel; (E) a mounting structure having first and second vertically spaced arms connected to one another by a first flexural hinge having a horizontal pivotal axis, the first arm being fixedly mounted on the base; (F) a flexure mode crystal resonator transducer member connected between the first and second arms at a location which is laterally spaced from the pivotal axis of the first flexural hinge; and (G) coupling means for applying vertical force from the post to the second arm at a location which is laterally spaced from the pivotal axis of the first flexural hinge; (H) the mounting structure further including third and fourth arms respectively connected to the first and second arms by second and third flexural hinges and connected to one another by a fourth flexural hinge, the pivotal axes of all of the flexural hinges being horizontal and parallel.
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20. A mounting structure for applying substantially only tension or compression force to a crystal resonator transducer member comprising:
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a fixed base; first, second, third, and fourth co-planar arms, the first arm being fixedly attached to the base; first, second, third, and fourth flexural hinges for respectively connecting together the first and second, the second and third, the third and fourth, and the fourth and first arms, the pivotal axes of all of the flexural hinges being substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the arms; a crystal resonator transducer member mounted between the first and second arms at a location which is laterally spaced from the pivotal axis of the first flexural hinge; and means for applying force to one of the second, third, or fourth arms at a point which is laterally spaced from the pivotal axes of all of the flexural hinges, the force being applied in the plane defined by the arms, in order to place the transducer member in tension or compression. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification