Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
A force transducer, comprising: a. a cylindrical block of elastic material having a diameter greater than its axial length, said block having: 1. two arrays of n cylindrical holes, where n is greater than two, each hole extending parallel to the axis of the cylindrical block and spaced therefrom, the axes of the holes in one of said arrays intersecting a plane perpendicular to the block axis at the corners of an n-sided polygon whose center is at the intersection of the block axis with said plane, the axes of the holes in the other array intersecting said plane at the midpoints of the sides of said n-sided polygon, 2. said arrays of holes separating a central load carrying portion of said block, adapted at one end to oppose a force acting axially of the block, from a peripheral load carrying portion and adapted at the opposite end to oppose a second force acting axially in opposition to the first force, said holes defining the axially extending surfaces on n pairs of parallel bridging portions extending between said central portion and said peripheral portion; and b. a plurality of strain sensitive elements, mounted on the surfaces of said bridging portions, inside the adjacent holes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
204 words
A force transducer, comprising: a. a cylindrical block of elastic material having a diameter greater than its axial length, said block having: 1. two arrays of n cylindrical holes, where n is greater than two, each hole extending parallel to the axis of the cylindrical block and spaced therefrom, the axes of the holes in one of said arrays intersecting a plane perpendicular to the block axis at the corners of an n-sided polygon whose center is at the intersection of the block axis with said plane, the axes of the holes in the other array intersecting said plane at the midpoints of the sides of said n-sided polygon, 2. said arrays of holes separating a central load carrying portion of said block, adapted at one end to oppose a force acting axially of the block, from a peripheral load carrying portion and adapted at the opposite end to oppose a second force acting axially in opposition to the first force, said holes defining the axially extending surfaces on n pairs of parallel bridging portions extending between said central portion and said peripheral portion; and b. a plurality of strain sensitive elements, mounted on the surfaces of said bridging portions, inside the adjacent holes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A force transducer as in claim 1, in which the two bridging portions of each pair are parallel to and equally spaced from a plane containing the axis of the cylindrical block.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A force transducer as in claim 2, in which the n planes parallel to the n pairs of bridging portions, are equally angularly spaced about the axis of the block.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A force transducer as in claim 1, in which two of said strain sensitive elements are mounted on each bridging portion on opposite surfaces thereof, so that two strain sensitive elements are located inside each hole.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A force transducer as in claim 4, in which each strain sensitive element is elongated and has the principal part of its length extending diagonally with respect to the block axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A force transducer as in claim 5, in which the strain sensitive element on one surface of each bridging portion has its parallel reaches lying in planes substantially perpendicular to the parallel reaches of the strain sensitive element on the opposite surface of the bridging portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
82 words
A force transducer as in claim 4, including: a. a bridge circuit connecting said strain sensitive elements, said bridge circuit including two input terminals; b. two span temperature compensating resistance elements connected in series with the respective input terminals, said span temperature compensating resistance elements being mounted on the peripheral portion of the block inside two of said holes, and being effective to compensate the bridge circuit for variations in Young's modulus of the material of the block with changes in temperature.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
A force transducer as in claim 7, in which each of said span temperature compensating resistance elements is a continuous electrical conductor including a plurality of relatively long parallel reaches, each connected at each end by a relatively short connection to one adjacent reach, all said reaches extending in planes substantially perpendicular to the block axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A force transducer as in claim 1, wherein the holes of said one array have a substantially greater diameter than the holes of said other array.