Automatic weight detecting device

• US 4,875,533 A
• Filed: 07/08/1988
• Issued: 10/24/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Masanobu, Itou, Shuji, Mihara, Makoto, Ohji, Kenzo
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER JR, GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US07/216,497
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 177/210 C, 177/245, 177/144
• US Class Current: 177/144
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/56 combined with handles of tools or household implements
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/23 Support or suspension of weighing platforms G01G21/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 7/06 by electrostatic action
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6411 the supports being rotated
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6464 using weight sensors

Abstract

An automatic weight detecting device is provided with a platform on which an object to be measured is placed, a supporting shaft for supporting the platform is rotatable and smoothly movable in the supporting direction. A driving motor rotates the supporting shaft, and an elastic member supports the supporting shaft. A load detecting device converts the load of the object, transmitted in the supporting direction of the rotatable supporting shaft through the elastic member into a given electrically physical amount and a weight detecting circuit integrates to obtain the average of the electrically physical amount while the shaft rotates, so that the weight of the object is detected.

Claims

1. A weight detecting device, comprising:

a plate for receiving an object to be measured;

a rotatable shaft supporting said plate and movable a predetermined amount along a thrust axis of said rotatable shaft;

a leaf spring receiving and supporting a lower end of said rotatable shaft, said leaf spring movable in the direction of said thrust axis of said rotatable shaft at the point on said leaf spring supporting said lower end of said rotatable shaft, said leaf spring having opposite ends;

a support means for horizontally supporting said opposite ends of said leaf spring;

a load detecting means disposed below said leaf spring for detecting a composite load of said object on said plate, via said rotatable shaft and said leaft spring, and the stress on said leaf spring, and for outputting an electrical signal corresponding to said composite load; and

a weight detecting circuit for detecting the weight of said object from said electrical signal of said load detecting means.

2. The weight detecting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said lower end of said rotatable shaft contacts said leaf spring on one side of said leaf spring at a contact area approximately midway between said opposite ends of said leaf spring; and

said load detecting means contacts said leaft spring at said contact area approximately midway between said opposite ends of said leaf spring on the opposite side of said leaf spring.

3. The weight detecting device as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said load detecting means comprises a substrate made of sintered alumina, a diaphragm made of sintered alumina disposed opposite to and a predetermined distance from said substrate, a capacitive electrode on each of the opposite surfaces of said substrate and said diaphragm, and a load transmission member on the surface of said diaphragm opposite said capacitive electrode for transmitting said composite load to said diaphragm.

4. The weight detecting device as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said contact area between said lower end of said rotatable shaft and said leaf spring has a smaller area than a central cross-sectional area of said rotatable shaft, said rotatable shaft being sharpened at said lower end.

5. The weight detecting device as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

said load transmission member has a flat surface in contact with said leaf spring.

6. The weight detecting device as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

a sensor platform in the shape of a flat plate receives said load detecting means thereon, said sensor platform having an upper surface ground plane supporting the lower surface of said substrate.

7. The weight detecting device as set forth in claim 3, and further comprising:

a sensor platform receiving said load detecting means thereon; and

a thin film spacer disposed on an upper surface of said sensor platform, said thin film spacer spacing said substrate of said load detecting means from said sensor platform, and said thin film spacer having a vacant portion defining a space between said substrate and said sensor platform.

8. The weight detecting device as set forth in claim 3, and further comprising:

a sensor platform in the shape of a flat plate receiving said substrate of said load detecting means thereon, said load detecting means further comprising a spacer member spacing said diaphragm from said substrate said predetermined distance, said spacer member defining a sensitive portion of said diaphragm and said substrate whereat said electrodes are disposed, wherein outside surfaces of said diaphragm, spacer member, and substrate, except for said sensitive portion of said substrate, are coated with a water repellant material, said outside surface sensitive portion of said substrate thus defining a space between said substrate and said sensor platform.

9. The weight detecting device as set forth in claim 3, and further comprising:

a sensor platform receiving said substrate of said load detecting means thereof, said sensor platform having an etched portion defining a space opposite said substrate.

10. The weight detecting device as set forth in claims 7, 8, or 9, wherein:

said space is filled with silicon rubber to seal said space.

11. The weight detecting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said support means comprises a pair of fulcrum supports supporting said opposite ends of said leaf spring.

12. The weight detecting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said lower end of said rotatable shaft is in direct contact with said leaf spring.