Vertically stable friction-free microbalance
First Claim
1. A microbalance including a balance beam, means for attaching a weight to be measured to one end of said balance beam, electromagnetic torque generating means connected to said balance beam for overcoming the beam displacement caused by a weight to be measured, means for detecting when a beam displacement has occurred and operable to generate an electrical signal to control said torque generating means to thereby change the torque to balance said beam to a null position, means for measuring the current of said torque generating means as a measure of the weight to be measured, a mounting means for said balance beam comprising at least two vertically aligned elongated flexible metal tension members, the upper ends of said tension members being attached to a fixed support, a crossbeam fixedly attached to said balance beam at a point of attachment intermediate to the ends thereof to form a pivot beam for said balance beam, said point of attachment being intermediate to the ends of said crossbeam, the ends of said crossbeam being fixedly attached respectively to portions of said tension members below said fixed support attachment.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The microbalance includes a mounting having two vertically aligned elongated flexible metal tension members, the upper and lower ends of the tension members being attached to a fixed support. The attachment of one end of each of the tension members to the fixed support is carried out by a resilient tension means. A pivot crossbeam is fixedly attached to the balance beam, and the ends of the pivot beam are fixedly attached respectively to the tension members at points intermediate to the ends. Deflection of the microbalance beam is accommodated by flexure of the metal tension members.
14 Citations
16 Claims
- 1. A microbalance including a balance beam, means for attaching a weight to be measured to one end of said balance beam, electromagnetic torque generating means connected to said balance beam for overcoming the beam displacement caused by a weight to be measured, means for detecting when a beam displacement has occurred and operable to generate an electrical signal to control said torque generating means to thereby change the torque to balance said beam to a null position, means for measuring the current of said torque generating means as a measure of the weight to be measured, a mounting means for said balance beam comprising at least two vertically aligned elongated flexible metal tension members, the upper ends of said tension members being attached to a fixed support, a crossbeam fixedly attached to said balance beam at a point of attachment intermediate to the ends thereof to form a pivot beam for said balance beam, said point of attachment being intermediate to the ends of said crossbeam, the ends of said crossbeam being fixedly attached respectively to portions of said tension members below said fixed support attachment.
- 14. A microbalance beam assembly comprising a balance beam, means for attaching a weight to be measured to one end of said balance beam, a mounting means for said balance beam comprising at least two vertically aligned elongated flexible metal tension members, the upper ends of said tension members being attached to a fixed support, the lower ends of said tension members being attached to a fixed support, the attachment of one end of each of said tension members to a fixed support being carried out by a tension means, a crossbeam fixedly attached to said balance beam at a point of attachment intermediate to the ends thereof to form a picot beam for said balance beam, said point of attachment being intermediate to the ends of said crossbeam, the ends of said crossbeam being fixedly attached respectively to intermediate portions of said tension members.
Specification