Weighing apparatus that quantifies amount of impact

• US 9,335,202 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2012
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A&D Company Limited
• Original Assignee: A&D Company Limited
• Inventors: Fukami, Yuji, Izumo, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): MACCHIAROLO, PETER J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huls, Natalie
• Application Number:
  US14/364,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20140332290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/01 Testing or calibrating of weighing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 7/02 by electromagnetic action

Abstract

A weighing apparatus is provided that quantifies an impact load based on an electrical output from a mass sensor to prevent damage to the mass sensor by disclosing the degree of impact to a user. The weighing apparatus includes a weighing unit on which an object is placed and a mass sensor that receives the mass×acceleration of gravity of the object as a load and measures mass from an electrical signal corresponding to displacement of an internal structure of the apparatus. The apparatus quantifies and records the amount of the displacement, and determines acceleration by a numerical calculation from the displacement data. The obtained acceleration quantifies the amount of impact applied on the weighing apparatus by the object, and may be used to warn the user when the weighing apparatus is in danger of damage.

Claims

1. A weighing apparatus including a weighing unit on which a weighing object is placed and a mass sensor that receives its mass×

acceleration of gravity as a load and measures mass from an electrical signal corresponding to displacement of an internal structure of the apparatus at that time, comprising

impact load quantifying means that quantifies and records an amount of the displacement, determines acceleration by a numerical calculation from said displacement amount data, and records said acceleration as a degree of impact received by the mass sensor on placement, for judging whether the measurement apparatus is used in an impulsive manner by a comparison with a value of a manually placed static load.

2. The weighing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measurement apparatus is an electronic balance including an electromagnetic balance type mass sensor, in which

when a measuring object is placed on the weighing unit, a load transmission mechanism being the displacement unit is displaced via a fulcrum, and displaced so as to maintain a balanced state by an electromagnetic unit connected with said load transmission mechanism, and said displacement amount is detected by a voltage output of a displacement detection sensor,

comprising impact load quantifying means that quantifies an output voltage of the displacement detection sensor, records said voltage data as displacement amount data corresponding thereto, determines acceleration by a numerical calculation from said displacement amount data, and records said acceleration as a degree of impact received by the displacement detection sensor on placement, for judging whether the measurement apparatus is used in an impulsive manner by a comparison with a value of a manually placed static load.

3. The weighing apparatus according to claim 2, comprising degree of impact transmitting means that calculates from the acceleration obtained by the impact load quantifying means an impact value corresponding thereto, and notifies a user whether the measurement apparatus is used in an impulsive manner.

4. The weighing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the degree of impact is quantified.

5. The weighing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising degree of impact transmitting means that calculates from the acceleration obtained by the impact load quantifying means an impact value corresponding thereto, and notifies a user whether the measurement apparatus is used in an impulsive manner.

6. The weighing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the degree of impact is quantified.