US3877532A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Low profile scale
Assignee: FAIRBANKS Inc A CORP OF KANSAS
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Filing: 1974-02-07
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Granted: 1975-04-15
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Expires: 1994-02-07
Abstract
Abstract The low profile scale assembly includes a scale platform, a scale base unit, a load sensing means mounted on the scale base unit, and a parallelogram flexure linkage between the scale platform and base unit for applying vertical load forces to the sensing means. This flexure linkage includes first and second spaced, horizontally coplanar parallel elongated beams, the first beam being connected to the scale base unit and the second beam being connected to the scale platform. Upper and lower parallel, spaced flexure plates extend between the beams and provide little resistance to vertical load forces. The sensing means may include an electronic load cell connected to the second beam which provides a load signal to an electronic measuring circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 John D Hale
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 03:57
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01G; G01G3/00; G01G3/08; G01G1/00; G01G1/18; G01G1/24; G01G21/00; G01G21/24; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S177/00; Y10S177/09
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
A low profile weighing assembly comprising scale platform means for receiving a load, support means spaced beneath said scale platform means, and parallelogram flexure linkage means operating to connect said scale platform means to said support means and to apply vertical forces induced by a load on said scale platform means to load sensing means, said parallelogram flexure linkage means including first and second spaced linkages positioned beneath said scale platform means, each such linkage including first and second elongated beams arranged in spaced substantially parallel co-planar relationship and extending substantially parallel to said scale platform means, said first elongated beam being connected to said support means and said second elongated beam being connected to said scale platform means and flexure plate means secured to and extending between said first and second elongated beams in substantially parallel relationship to said scale platform means and operating to offer low resistance to forces applied vertically to said scale platform means, said flexure plate means including vertically spaced upper and lower flexure plates extending in substantially parallel relationship between said first and second elongated beams.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
182 words
A low profile weighing assembly comprising scale platform means for receiving a load, support means spaced beneath said scale platform means, and parallelogram flexure linkage means operating to connect said scale platform means to said support means and to apply vertical forces induced by a load on said scale platform means to load sensing means, said parallelogram flexure linkage means including first and second spaced linkages positioned beneath said scale platform means, each such linkage including first and second elongated beams arranged in spaced substantially parallel co-planar relationship and extending substantially parallel to said scale platform means, said first elongated beam being connected to said support means and said second elongated beam being connected to said scale platform means and flexure plate means secured to and extending between said first and second elongated beams in substantially parallel relationship to said scale platform means and operating to offer low resistance to forces applied vertically to said scale platform means, said flexure plate means including vertically spaced upper and lower flexure plates extending in substantially parallel relationship between said first and second elongated beams.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 1 wherein the ends of said first elongated beams are secured to said support means and the ends of said second elongated beams are secured to said scale platform means, the first and second elongated beams of said first and second linkages being mounted in parallel, co-planar relationship.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
162 words
A low profile weighing assembly comprising scale platform means for receiving a load, support means spaced beneath said scale platform means, and parallelogram flexure linkage means operating to connect said scale platform means to said support means and to apply vertical forces induced by a load on said scale platform means to load sensing means, said parallelogram flexure linkage means including first and second elongated beams arranged in spaced, substantially parallel co-planar relationship beneath said scale platform means and extending substantially parallel thereto, said first elongated beam being connected to said support means and said second elongated beam being connected to said scale platform means and to said load sensing means and flexure plate means extending between said first and second elongated beams, said flexure plate means being secured to said first and second elongated beams and operating to offer high resistance to forces horizontal to said scale platform means and low resistance to forces applied vertically to said scale platform means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
162 words
A low profile weighing assembly comprising scale platform means for receiving a load, support means spaced beneath said scale platform means, and parallelogram flexure linkage means operating to connect said scale platform means to said support means and to apply vertical forces induced by a load on said scale platform means to load sensing means, said parallelogram flexure linkage means including first and second elongated beams arranged in spaced, substantially parallel co-planar relationship beneath said scale platform means and extending substantially parallel thereto, said first elongated beam being connected to said support means and said second elongated beam being connected to said scale platform means and to said load sensing means and flexure plate means extending between said first and second elongated beams, said flexure plate means being secured to said first and second elongated beams and operating to offer high resistance to forces horizontal to said scale platform means and low resistance to forces applied vertically to said scale platform means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 3 wherein said load sensing means includes load cell means for providing an electrical signal indicative of a force applied thereto and electrical circuit means connected to receive the electrical signal from said load cell means, said electrical circuit means being encased in a liquid resistant material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 3 wherein said load sensing means includes a cantilever beam load cell, said second elongated beam being connected to suspension means for suspending said second elongated beam from said cantilever beam load cell.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
165 words
A low profile weighing assembly comprising scale platform means for receiving a load, support means spaced beneath said scale platform means, and parallelogram flexure linkage means operating to connect said scale platform means to said support means and to apply vertical forces indUced by a load on said scale platform means to load sensing means, said parallelogram flexure linkage means including first and second elongated beams arranged in spaced, substantially parallel co-planar relationship beneath said scale platform means and extending substantially parallel thereto, said first elongated beam being connected to said support means and said second elongated beam being connected to said scale platform means, and flexure plate means extending between said first and second elongated beams in substantially parallel relationship to said scale platform means, said flexure plate means being secured to said first and second elongated beams and operating to offer high resistance to forces horizontal to said scale platform means and low resistance to forces applied vertically to said scale platform means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
165 words
A low profile weighing assembly comprising scale platform means for receiving a load, support means spaced beneath said scale platform means, and parallelogram flexure linkage means operating to connect said scale platform means to said support means and to apply vertical forces indUced by a load on said scale platform means to load sensing means, said parallelogram flexure linkage means including first and second elongated beams arranged in spaced, substantially parallel co-planar relationship beneath said scale platform means and extending substantially parallel thereto, said first elongated beam being connected to said support means and said second elongated beam being connected to said scale platform means, and flexure plate means extending between said first and second elongated beams in substantially parallel relationship to said scale platform means, said flexure plate means being secured to said first and second elongated beams and operating to offer high resistance to forces horizontal to said scale platform means and low resistance to forces applied vertically to said scale platform means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 1 wherein said flexure plate means includes vertically spaced upper and lower flexure plates extending in substantially parallel relationship between said first and second elongated beams.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 7 wherein said upper and lower flexure plates are secured at opposite ends to upper and lower support surfaces of said first and second elongated beams, said parallelogram flexure linkage means including calibrating means operable to vary the spacing between adjacent ends of said upper and lower flexure plates.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 8 wherein said calibrating means include spacer shims positioned between a flexure plate and an upper or lower support surface of said elongated beams.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 8 wherein said first and second elongated beams are tubular in configuration, said calibrating means being operable to deform said elongated beams to adjust the vertical dimensions of said parallelogram flexure linkage means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 7 wherein the opposite ends of said first elongated beam are connected to said support means and the opposite ends of said second elongated beams are connected to said scale platform means, said first and second elongated beams being tubular in configuration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 11 wherein screw calibration means extend vertically through each said first and second elongated beams, said screw calibration means being operable to deform said elongated beams to adjust the dimensions of said parallelogram flexure linkage means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 12 wherein said screw calibration means include a plurality of bolts spaced longitudinally along each of said first and second elongated beams, said bolts being used to secure the ends of said upper and lower flexure plates to the upper and lower surfaces respectively of said first and second elongated beams.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 13 wherein in each said upper and lower flexure plate includes a relatively narrow transverse area of less thickness than the remainder of the plate adjacent to but spaced from each end thereof to provide flexure hinges for said parallelogram flexure linkage means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
61 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 7 wherein said first and second elongated beams are substantially identical in configuration and extend substantially across the extent of one dimension of said scale platform means and support means, said first beam providing a rigid brace for said support means and said second beam providing a rigid brace for said scale platform means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
55 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 15 wherein said scale platform means includes a platform frame including spaced, parallel elongated sidebeams joined by spaced, parallel end beams secured to the ends of said sidebeams and a scale platform secured to said frame, the ends of said second beam being rigidly secured to said sidebeams.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 16 wherein said support means forms a scale base unit wHich includes parallel elongated base sidebeams joined by parallel base end beams secured to the ends of said sidebeams, the ends of said first beam being ridigly secured to said base sidebeams.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 17 wherein said scale platform is of unitary construction and shaped to form an inverted box-like enclosure over said scale base unit.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 17 which includes stop means provided at each corner thereof to limit the vertical movement of said scale platform means toward said scale base unit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
56 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 19 wherein said load sensing means includes a cantilever beam load cell mounted upon said scale base unit including a cantilever load beam connected to said second elongated beam, and load cell stop means to limit the vertical movement of said cantilever load beam toward said scale base unit.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
The low profile weighing assembly of claim 20 wherein suspension means are connected between said cantilever load beam and said second elongated beam, said suspension means operating to suspend said second elongated beam from said cantilever beam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3621928A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-14 | 1978-10-14 | 1979-04-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-14 | 1982-10-14 | 1983-04-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-14 | 1986-10-14 | 1987-04-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |