Weight applying unit for calibration and weight applying method for calibration

• US 8,387,437 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2008
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hosiden Corporation, Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Hosiden Corporation, Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamazaki, Hitoshi, Nagareda, Takeshi, Umekawa, Masahiko, Ichikawa, Ryuji, Mori, Takeshi, Takeda, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Raevis, Robert R
• Application Number:
  US12/010,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20090107207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1056 involving pressure sensitive buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1062 being specially adapted to a type of game, e.g. steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8005 Athletics
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/44 for weighing persons
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/22 Weigh pans or other weighing receptacles; Weighing platforms
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/01 Testing or calibrating of weighing apparatus

Abstract

A weight measuring apparatus, in which a load platform is supported by a plurality of load sensor sections and the weight of a measurement target object placed on the load platform is measured based on a load value detected by each of the plurality of load sensor sections, is supported by a support section. Thereafter, the weight applying section applies a predetermined load to each of the plurality of load sensor sections included in the supported weight measuring apparatus.

Claims

1. A weight applying unit for calibration used for performing a calibration on a separate weight measuring apparatus having a load platform connected to at least a first load sensor section and a second load sensor section and wherein a weight of a measurement target object placed on the load platform is measured based on a load value detected by each of the load sensor sections, the weight applying unit for calibration comprising:

a support section for receiving and supporting the weight measuring apparatus;

a deflection generating portion operatively associated with said support section and for generating deflection by applying a predetermined pressure to a load platform surface of the weight measuring apparatus; and

a weight applying section operatively coupled to said support section for controllably and individually applying predetermined loads to at least the first load sensor section and the second load sensor section of said weight measuring apparatus, said weight applying section being operable in a first position to apply no load to the first load sensor section and said second load sensor section and in a second position to apply a predetermined load to said first load sensor section and a predetermined load to said second load sensor section.

2. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 1, wherein said support section supports a load platform of the weight measuring apparatus such that the load platform surface is in a horizontal position, and the weight applying section applies the predetermined loads to the plurality of load sensor sections, respectively, in a direction perpendicular to the load platform surface.

3. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 2, wherein the support section has a placement table for placing the weight measuring apparatus thereon, the weight measuring apparatus is placed on the placement table such that the load platform surface of the weight measuring apparatus and a load surface of the placement table face horizontally toward each other, and the deflection generating portion is an elastic body disposed so as to be interposed between the load surface of the placement table and the load platform surface of the weight measuring apparatus.

4. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 3, wherein the deflection generating portion is an elastic body having a shape simulating an area in which the measurement target object contacts the load platform.

5. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 2, wherein said support section supports the weight measuring apparatus such that the load platform surface of the weight measuring apparatus faces a gravitational direction, and the weight applying section applies the predetermined loads in a downward direction.

6. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 5, wherein the support section has a placement table for placing the weight measuring apparatus thereon, the weight measuring apparatus is placed on the placement table such that the load platform surface of the weight measuring apparatus and a load surface of the placement table face horizontally toward each other, and the deflection generating portion is an elastic body disposed so as to be interposed between the load surface of the placement table and the load platform surface of the weight measuring apparatus.

7. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 6, wherein the deflection generating portion is an elastic body having a shape simulating an area in which the measurement target object contacts the load platform.

8. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 1, wherein values of the predetermined loads applied by the weight applying section to the plurality of load sensor sections, respectively, are the same as one another.

9. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 8, wherein the support section has a placement table for placing the weight measuring apparatus thereon, the weight measuring apparatus is placed on the placement table such that the load platform surface of the weight measuring apparatus and a load surface of the placement table face horizontally toward each other, and the deflection generating portion is an elastic body disposed so as to be interposed between the load surface of the placement table and the load platform surface of the weight measuring apparatus.

10. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 9, wherein the deflection generating portion is an elastic body having a shape simulating an area in which the measurement target object contacts the load platform.

11. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 1, wherein said support section has a placement table for placing the weight measuring apparatus thereon, the weight measuring apparatus is placed on the placement table such that the load platform surface of the weight measuring apparatus and a load surface of the placement table face horizontally toward each other, and the deflection generating portion is an elastic body disposed so as to be interposed between the load surface of the placement table and the load platform surface of the weight measuring apparatus.

12. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 11, wherein said deflection generating portion is an elastic body having a shape simulating an area in which the measurement target object contacts the load platform.

13. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 11, wherein said deflection generating portion is an elastic body having a Shore hardness of Shore A70.

14. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 11, wherein the deflection generating portion is made of ester polyurethane.

15. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection value obtaining section for obtaining a detection value outputted from each of the plurality of load sensor sections to which the predetermined loads are applied, respectively, by the weight applying section; and

a storing section for storing the detection value obtained by the detection value obtaining section in the weight measuring apparatus so as to be associated with each of the load sensor sections which has outputted the detection value.

16. The weight applying unit for calibration according to claim 15, wherein the weight applying section can apply the load value applied to each of the plurality of load sensor sections, and the storing section stores, in the weight measuring apparatus, data detected based on a plurality of load values by applying loads having values different from each other.

17. A weight applying method for calibration used for performing a calibration on a separate weight measuring apparatus having a load platform connected to at least a first load sensor section and a second load sensor section, the weight applying method for calibration comprising:

a supporting step of receiving and supporting the weight measuring apparatus;

a deflection generating step for generating deflection by applying a predetermined pressure to a load platform surface of the weight measuring apparatus; and

a weight applying step of controllably and individually applying predetermined loads using a weight applying section to at least the first load sensor section and the second load sensor section of said weight measuring apparatus, said weight applying section being operable in a first position to apply no load to the first load sensor section and said second load sensor section and in a second position to apply a predetermined load to said first load sensor section and a predetermined load to said second load sensor section.