Sensor mounting bracket

• US 9,400,207 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Application Number:
  US13/840,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20140262556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 248/201, 248/309.1, 248/205.1, 738/665, 177238-244, 177/DIG.9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/08 Bearing mountings or adjusting means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 21/23 Support or suspension of weighing platforms G01G21/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/002 Means for correcting for obliquity of mounting for pendulum-weight apparatus G01G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 3/1414 Arrangements for correcting or for compensating for unwanted effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 3/165 Constructional details

Abstract

The invention relates to a symmetrical sensor mounting bracket assembly comprising a first sensor mounting bracket and a second sensor mounting bracket combined together, one above the other in parallel orientation; at least one sensor attachment fixture configured to facilitate attachment of the bracket to a sensor mounting fixture and at least one mounting element configured to facilitate attachment of the bracket to a load bearing plate or a sensor support structure.

Claims

1. A symmetrical sensor mounting bracket assembly comprising:

a first sensor mounting bracket and a second sensor mounting bracket combined together, one above the other in parallel orientation; and

at least one sensor attachment fixture configured to facilitate attachment of one of the first sensor mounting bracket or second sensor mounting bracket to a sensor mounting fixture separate from the first sensor mounting bracket and the second sensor mounting bracket and at least one mounting element configured to facilitate attachment of the one bracket to a load bearing plate or a sensor support structure separate from the first sensor mounting bracket and the second sensor mounting bracket.

2. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a displacement control assembly adapted to limit the deflection of a sensor coupled to the bracket assembly.

3. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first sensor mounting bracket and said second sensor mounting bracket are identical.

4. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 1 wherein each bracket comprises a base portion and at least one side wall upstanding from the edge of the base portion.

5. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 4 wherein the at least one sensor attachment fixture is located on the base portion.

6. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 2 wherein the displacement control assembly comprises a first control member adapted to limit the divergence of the first and second brackets relative to one another when under a load.

7. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 6 wherein the attachment fastener is one of a bolt or a screw.

8. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 6 wherein the first and second brackets each comprise an aperture, at least one having a threaded bore for receiving the first control member.

9. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 1 wherein the displacement control assembly comprises a second control member adapted to limit the convergence of the first and second brackets relative to one another when under a load.

10. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 9 wherein the second control member comprises a stopper.

11. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 10 wherein the stopper is in the form of a threaded cylindrical pin.

12. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first bracket comprises a rectangular footprint.

13. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 12 wherein the first bracket comprises a rectangular base portion and four side walls each upstanding from an edge of the rectangular base portion.

14. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 13 wherein the base portion is formed of two base sections.

15. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 14 wherein the first base section is a plate and the second base section is formed of an aperture.

16. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 15 wherein one half of the base portion forms the first base section and is located between the transverse midline of the first bracket and the side wall at one end of the first bracket and the other half of the base portion forms the second base section and is located between the transverse midline of the first bracket and the side wall at the other end of the first bracket.

17. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 16 wherein the first base section is recessed below the plane including the lower surfaces of each of the side walls of the first bracket.

18. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first bracket comprises a least one sensor attachment fixture.

19. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 18 wherein the first bracket comprises an even number of sensor attachment fixtures.

20. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 18, wherein the attachment fixtures are positioned on the first base section.

21. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 20 wherein the attachment fixtures are located on the lowermost planar portion of the first base section.

22. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 1 wherein the sensor mounting bracket assembly comprises at least one mounting element configured to facilitate attachment of the bracket assembly to a load bearing plate or a sensor support structure.

23. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 22 wherein the bracket assembly comprises a plurality of mounting elements.

24. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 23 wherein at least one of the plurality of mounting elements is located on the first mounting bracket.

25. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 23 wherein at least one of the plurality of mounting elements is located on the second mounting bracket.

26. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 22, wherein the, or each, mounting element extends outwardly from the, or each, side wall of the bracket.

27. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 26, wherein the first bracket comprises three mounting elements.

28. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 27 wherein the first bracket comprises three mounting elements extending outwardly from three side walls of the first bracket.

29. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 28, wherein two of the mounting elements extend outwardly from opposing side walls and the third mounting element extends outwardly of the side wall located at the end of the bracket adjacent the second base section.

30. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 22 wherein the first bracket is longitudinally symmetrical about a central longitudinal axis of the first bracket.

31. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 1 wherein the, or each, mounting element comprises an aperture.

32. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 22 wherein the, or each, mounting element comprises a flexible decoupling element.

33. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 32 wherein the, or each, flexible decoupling element is/are operable to further reduce mounting stresses when the first bracket is mounted to a load bearing plate or a load cell support structure.

34. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 1 wherein the bracket assembly is attachable to a sensor in the form of a load cell.

35. A mounting bracket assembly according to claim 34 wherein the load cell is symmetrical about a central vertical axis.

36. A sensor assembly comprising a sensor symmetrical about a central vertical axis and comprising first and second mounting surfaces each on the same horizontal plane;

and a mounting bracket assembly according to claim 1.

37. A weigh scale comprising a sensor coupled to a mounting bracket assembly according to claim 1 and further comprising a load bearing structure coupled to the mounting elements of the first and second sensor mounting brackets.