Load cell for a forklift with a first bridge arrangement consisting of strain gages mounted on the top and bottom external surfaces, and a second bridge arrangement consisting of strain gages mounted internal to a central aperture
First Claim
1. A load cell of a forklift scale for measuring at least a portion of a load carried by forks of a forklift, the load cell comprising:
- a structural member having a pair of external strain gauge mounting surfaces and having an aperture extending therethrough that defines at least one pair of internal strain gauge mounting surfaces that are parallel to a horizontal reference plane; and
an arrangement of strain gauges to sense deformations at least at one or more locations on the at least one pair of offset strain gauge mounting surfaces, the arrangement includinga first bridge arrangement of strain gauges including one pair of strain gauges mounted on one of the external strain gauge mounting surfaces and one pair of strain gauges mounted on the other one of the external strain gauge mounting surfaces; and
a second bridge arrangement of strain gauges including one pair of strain gauges mounted on one of the internal strain gauge mounting surfaces and one pair of strain gauges mounted on the other one of the internal strain gauge mounting surfaces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A forklift scale to measure a load carried by a pair of forks of a forklift that includes a fork carriage to movably position the forks is provided along with a method to measure the load. The forklift scale may include a base coupleable to a fork carriage, a fork support system to receive the pair of forks, and a plurality of load cells configured to deform elastically in response to a load carried by the forks. The method to measure the load carried by the forks may include obtaining signals from the load cells and processing the signals to obtain a load value indicative of a load shared by the pair of forks. Other related forklift scales, load cells therefor and methods of measuring a forklift load are also provided.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A load cell of a forklift scale for measuring at least a portion of a load carried by forks of a forklift, the load cell comprising:
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a structural member having a pair of external strain gauge mounting surfaces and having an aperture extending therethrough that defines at least one pair of internal strain gauge mounting surfaces that are parallel to a horizontal reference plane; and an arrangement of strain gauges to sense deformations at least at one or more locations on the at least one pair of offset strain gauge mounting surfaces, the arrangement including a first bridge arrangement of strain gauges including one pair of strain gauges mounted on one of the external strain gauge mounting surfaces and one pair of strain gauges mounted on the other one of the external strain gauge mounting surfaces; and a second bridge arrangement of strain gauges including one pair of strain gauges mounted on one of the internal strain gauge mounting surfaces and one pair of strain gauges mounted on the other one of the internal strain gauge mounting surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of measuring a load carried by a pair of forks of a forklift that includes a fork carriage to movably position the forks, the method comprising:
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obtaining signals from a respective arrangement of strain gauges of each of a plurality of load cells that are positioned between the fork carriage and the forks, at least some of the strain gauges of each respective arrangement of strain gauges of each load cell being located on parallel offset horizontal mounting surfaces defined by one or more apertures extending through a structural member thereof; and processing the signals to obtain a load value indicative of a load shared by the pair of forks, wherein obtaining the signals from the arrangement of strain gauges of each load cell includes obtaining signals from a first bridge arrangement of strain gauges including one pair of strain gauges mounted on one of a pair of external surfaces of the structural member and one pair of strain gauges mounted on the other one of the pair of external surfaces of the structural member; and obtaining signals from a second bridge arrangement of strain gauges including one pair of strain gauges mounted on one of the parallel offset horizontal mounting surfaces and one pair of strain gauges mounted on the other one of the parallel offset horizontal mounting surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification