Weighing scale with a load cell

• US 4,577,709 A
• Filed: 12/22/1983
• Issued: 03/25/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Original Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Inventors: Komoto, Akira, Shibahara, Yoshihumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Jr., George H.
• Application Number:
  US06/565,019
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 177/211, 177/229, 177/255, 73/862.65
• US Class Current: 177/211
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/23 Support or suspension of weighing platforms G01G21/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 3/1402 Special supports with preselected places to mount the resistance strain gauges; Mounting of supports

Abstract

There is disclosed a weighing scale in which a non-Roberval type load cell is used to detect a weight to be measured. The load cell used consists of two parallel cantilevers with the free ends connected to each other through a connecting means and of four strain gauges applied to the cantilevers by sticking every two of the four strain gauges on two separate positions in the longitudinal direction of each of the cantilevers. The four strain gauges constitute a bridge circuit which outputs the weight value of a weight placed on a weighing tray connected to the two cantilevers so that the center of the tray is positioned above the center of the plane made by the two cantilevers. According to this invention the weighing errors due to an eccentric or uneven weight loading on the tray are automatically eliminated on account of the structural symmetry of the load cell used. The difficulties in manufacturing a Roberval type precision load cell have finally be put out of the way by the present invention.

Claims

1. A weighing scale in which a load cell is used to detect a weight value to be measured, said weighing scale comprising:

two parallel cantilevers with the free ends connected to each other through a connecting means, which provides a loading portion;

four strain gauges as strain detecting means, every two of which are stuck separately on two predetermined strain-detecting portions in the longitudinal direction of each of said two parallel cantilevers; and

a weighing tray connected to said loading portion,

said two parallel cantilevers, said connecting means and said four strain gauges constituting a load cell having four strain detecting means; and

the outputs from said four strain gauges giving the weight value of a weight placed on said weighing tray.

2. A weighing scale defined in claim 1, wherein said two predetermined strain-detecting portions are located on the upper surface-of-cantilever with respect to one of said two parallel cantilevers and on the lower surface-of-cantilever with respect to the other one of said two parallel cantilevers, said four strain gauges constituting a Wheatstone bridge from which the weight value of a weight placed on said weighing tray is obtained.

3. A weighing scale defined in claim 1, wherein one of said two predetermined strain-detecting portions is located on the upper surface-of-cantilever and the other of said two predetermined strain-detecting portions is located on the lower surface-of-cantilever with respect to each of said two parallel cantilevers, said four strain gauges constituting a Wheatstone bridge from which the weight value of a weight placed on said weighing tray is obtained.

4. A weighing scale defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the output signal of each of said four strain gauges is capable of being electrically adjusted.