US3593263A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for vehicle direction sensing
Assignee: BLH Electronics Inc
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Filing: 1969-12-04
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Granted: 1971-07-13
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Expires: 1989-12-04
Abstract
Abstract The direction of travel of a vehicle is determined by mounting four electrical strain gage elements at the four corners of a rectangular shaped platform and by interconnecting the same in a bridge circuit arrangement such that an output of a given polarity will be developed as the vehicle traverses a leading portion of the platform and an output of a different polarity will be developed as the vehicle traverses the trailing portion of the platform.
Inventors
- 👤 Oluf Olsen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 05:50
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/01; G08G1/02; G01; G01L; G01L5/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
Apparatus for sensing the direction of travel of a vehicle comprising a substantially rigid platform structure of relatively broad area and having a leading portion and a trailing portion, at least a first electrical strain gage means mounted upon the leading portion of said platform structure and responsive to deformations induced upon said leading portion upon the application of a vehicle load thereto, at least a second electrical strain gage means mounted upon the trailing portion of said platform structure and responsive to deformations induced upon said trailing portion upon the application of a vehicle load thereto, and an electrical bridge circuit arrangement having an output therefrom and including said first electrical strain gage means and said second electrical strain gage means connected in a pair of arms thereof in such a fashion that means connected to the output of said bridge circuit arrangement will provide an output of a first polarity upon said vehicle load passing said leading portion of said platform and an output of a second polarity upon said vehicle load passing said trailing portion of said platform whereby the direction of travel of said vehicle may be readily determined.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
Apparatus for sensing the direction of travel of a vehicle comprising a substantially rigid platform structure of relatively broad area and having a leading portion and a trailing portion, at least a first electrical strain gage means mounted upon the leading portion of said platform structure and responsive to deformations induced upon said leading portion upon the application of a vehicle load thereto, at least a second electrical strain gage means mounted upon the trailing portion of said platform structure and responsive to deformations induced upon said trailing portion upon the application of a vehicle load thereto, and an electrical bridge circuit arrangement having an output therefrom and including said first electrical strain gage means and said second electrical strain gage means connected in a pair of arms thereof in such a fashion that means connected to the output of said bridge circuit arrangement will provide an output of a first polarity upon said vehicle load passing said leading portion of said platform and an output of a second polarity upon said vehicle load passing said trailing portion of said platform whereby the direction of travel of said vehicle may be readily determined.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus for sensing the direction of travel of a vehicle as in claim 1, wherein said bridge circuit arrangement is energized by a source of DC voltage which is connected across said first electrical strain gage means and said second electrical strain gage means which are serially connected in said pair of arms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
129 words
Apparatus for sensing the direction of travel of a vehicle as in claim 2, wherein is included a third electrical strain gage means mounted upon the leading portion of said platform structure and responsive to deformations induced upon said leading portion upon the application of a vehicle load thereto and a fourth electrical strain gage means mounted upon the trailing portion of said platform structure and responsive to deformations induced upon said trailing portion upon the application of a vehicle load thereto, said third electrical strain gage means and said fourth electrical strain gage means being connected in a pair of arms of said bridge circuit arrangement differing from that of the pair of arms of said first electrical strain gage means and said second electrical strain gage means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus for sensing the direction of travel of a vehicle as in claim 3, wherein said first electrical strain gage means and said third electrical strain gage means are connected in opposite arms of said bridge circuit arrangement and wherein said second electrical strain gage means and said fourth electrical strain gage means are connected in a different pair of opposite arms of said bridge circuit arrangement.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
Apparatus for sensing the direction of travel of a vehicle as in claim 4, wherein said means connected to the output of said bridge circuit arrangement is a DC differential amplifier, the output of said bridge circuit arrangement being taken across the terminal point joining said first electrical strain gage means and said second electrical strain gage means and the terminal point joining said third electrical strain gage means and said fourth electrical strain gage means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus for sensing the direction of travel of a vehicle as in claim 5, wherein sAid first, second, third and fourth electrical strain gage elements are of the tension or compression responsive type.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus for sensing the direction of travel of a vehicle as in claim 6, wherein said platform is of substantially rectangular shape and wherein said first, second, third, and fourth electrical strain gage elements are each positioned near a different corner of said platform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus for sensing the direction of travel of a vehicle as in claim 7, wherein the output of said DC differential amplifier will be zero when the vehicle load is at the center of said platform.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus for sensing the direction of travel of a vehicle as in claim 8, wherein said platform is a treadle scale used to measure the axle weight of a vehicle as it passes thereacross without error due to vehicle direction changes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3533481A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-12 | 1975-01-11 | 1975-07-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-12 | 1979-01-11 | 1979-07-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-12 | 1983-01-11 | 1983-07-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |