Dynamic scale utilizing shear measurements to determine a weight of bulk material

• US 8,507,810 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIGI SENS Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Digi Sens AG
• Inventors: Lustenberger, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W
• Application Number:
  US12/596,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20100126781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 177136-141, 177/211
• US Class Current: 177/136
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/022 the discharging means comprising a device for determining the weight of the content of refuse receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2003/0279 the discharging means mounted at the front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/083 lift truck scale

Abstract

The invention relates to a dynamic scale for bulk material, having two swivel arms (2) and two load-lifting arms (8) mounted to the free end of said swivel arms, with one hole (7) being located in each of the swivel arms (2) and positioned transversely to the extension of the swivel arm and also transversely to the neutral fiber brought about by the flexural load. A pipe (9) is fitted into the hole (7) and is welded thereto. The pipe (9) comprises two sensors (14, 15) transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof, said sensors being located at an angle of substantially 90° to each other and each being disposed at an angle of ±45° to the direction of the shear stress component τ_xy. Under the influence of the shear stress, the cross section of the tube (9) is deformed into an ellipse that is inclined at about 45°, the shorter and longer axis (11, 13) thereof being measured using the sensors (14, 15). Said sensors (14, 15) each comprise two force inlets (16, 17), which are inserted with pretension in suitable recesses in the tube (9).

Claims

1. A dynamic scale for bulk material comprising:

two swivel arms;

a sensor disposed with each swivel arm of the two swivel arms to measure a shear stress in each swivel arm of the two swivel arms, the sensor comprising;

a hole being oriented generally transverse to a neutral fiber of a bending strain of a swivel arm of the two swivel arms;

at least one sensing element disposed in the hole and oriented generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the hole, the at least one sensing element being able to measure changes in a diameter of the hole resulting from shear stress; and

wherein the at least one sensing element is inserted and at angle of approximately ±

45°

to a direction of a shear stress τ

_xy of the swivel arm of the two swivel arms; and

an acceleration sensor disposed with at least one swivel arm of the two swivel arms to correct a determination of a mass by a current acceleration value.

2. The dynamic scale for bulk material according to claim 1, wherein:

two sensing elements are disposed in the hole and are arranged at an angle of approximately 90°

relative to each other;

a first sensing element of the two sensing elements measures enlargement of the diameter of the hole; and

a second sensing element of the two sensing elements measures contraction of the diameter of the hole.

3. The dynamic scale for bulk material according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one sensing element comprises two force inputs; and

each force input of the two force inputs is received, under pre-tension, into a recess in the hole.

4. The dynamic scale for bulk material according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one sensing element comprises two force inputs; and

each force input of the two force inputs is secured by a screw connection to a bracket that is secured within the hole.

5. The dynamic scale for bulk material according to claim 1, wherein:

a weighing window is defined by measurements of the acceleration sensor; and

the measurements of the acceleration sensor do not exceed a given limit.

6. The dynamic scale for bulk material according to claim 1, wherein a weighing window is defined by a traversal of the swivel arms past at least one contactless switch.

7. The dynamic scale for bulk material according to claim 5, wherein a gross weight is measured during raising of the two swivel arms, and a tare weight is measured during lowering of the two swivel arms.

8. The dynamic scale for bulk material according to claim 5, wherein determination of a load of a refuse container is made during traversal of the weighing window.

9. The dynamic scale for bulk material according to claim 1, wherein the two swivel arms are constructed as at least one of a front-loading device, a side-loading device, and a rear-loading device.