Flexibly mounted container system

Claim 2

A flexibly mounted container system comprising a container, a mounting bracket fixedly mounted on said container, a first flange-like element fixedly mounted on said mounting bracket, a second flange-like element disposed in spaced parallel relationship with respect to said first flange-like element, a linking member fixedly mounted on said second flange-like element, a third flange-like element fixedly mounted on said linking member, a fourth flange-like element disposed in spaced, parallel relationship with respect to said third flange-like element, a support frame fixedly mounted on said fourth flange-like element, and a plurality of elongated resilient cross-members extending perpendicular to and interconnecting said first and second and said third and fourth flange-like elements respectively, the cross-sectional area of said cross-members on any plane parallel to their respective flange-like elements collectively being symmetrically disposed about a pivot axis extending perpendicular to their respective flange-like elements, and means for continuously detecting the movement of said container to determine the change in weight contained therein.

Claim 3

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 1 wherein there are four flange-like elements disposed between said first and second flange-like elements and between said third and fourth flange-like elements respectively, which are substantially parallel one with respect to the others.

Claim 4

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 1 wherein said first and fourth flange-like elements are in the same plane and said second and third flange-like elements are in the same plane.

Claim 5

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 1 wherein said cross-members are fabricated from stainless steel selected from the group consisting of AISI type 410, AISI type 420 and AISI type 440, tempered for spring resiliency.

Claim 6

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 1 wherein said cross-members between said first and second flange-like elements and between said third and fourth flange-like elements are ribbon-like members and each of said cross-members is disposed in spaced relationship with respect to their adjacent cross-members.

Claim 7

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 1 wherein said cross-members between said first and second flange-like elements and between said third and fourth flange-like elements, respectively, are disposed in at least two mutually perpendicular planes.

Claim 8

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 1 wherein the width of each of said cross-members is of the order of about 12.9 times the thickness thereof and the length of each of said cross-members is of the order of about 2.42 times the width thereof.

Claim 9

A flexible mounted container system according to claim 1 wherein said first mounting bracket is disposed on one side of said container, and said system further comprises a second mounting bracket fixedly mounted on the opposite side of said container, a fifth flange-like element fixedly mounted on said second mounting bracket, a sixth flange-like element disposed in spaced parallel relationship with respect to said fifth flange-like element, a second linking member fixedly mounted on said sixth flange-like element, a seventh flange-like element fixedly mounted on said linking member, an eighth flange-like element disposed in space parallel relationship with respect to said seventh flange-like element, a second support frame fixedly mounted on said eighth flange-like element, and a plurality of elongated resilient cross-members extending perpendicular to and interconnecting said fifth and sixth and said seventh and eighth flange-like elements respectively, the cross-sectional area of said cross-members on any plane parallel to their respective flange-like elements collectively being symmetrically disposed about a pivot axis extending perpendicular to their respective flange-like elements.

Claim 10

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 8 further comprising a third mounting bracket fixedly mounted towards the bottom of said container a ninth flange-like element fixedly mounted on said mounting bracket, a tenth spaced flange-like element disposed in spaced parallel relationship with respect to said ninth flange-like element, a third linking member fixedly mounted on said tenth flange-like element, an eleventh flange-like element fixedly mounted on said third linking member, a twelfth flange-like element disposed in spaced paralled relationship with respect to said eleventh flange like element, a third support frame fixedly mounted on said twelfth flange-like element, and a plurality of elongated resilient cross-members extending perpendicular to and interconnecting said ninth and tenth and said eleventh and twelfth flange-like elements respectively, the cross-sectional area of said cross-members on any plane parallel to their respective flange-like elements collectively being symmetrically disposed about a pivot axis extending perpendicular to their respective flange-like elements.

Claim 11

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 1 wherein said means for continuously detecting the movement of said container to determine the change in weight contained therein comprises a sensor beam having one end fixedly connected to said linking member, and deflection sensor means connected to the other end of said sensor beam, whereby the deflection sensor means detects the change in weight contained in said container.

Claim 12

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 10, further comprising spring means having one end connected to said sensor beam and having the other end fixedly mounted with respect to said sensor beam, whereby the deflection range of said sensor means is substantially constant regardless of the range of weight carried by said container.

Claim 13

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 1 wherein there are four substantially identical cross-members which are of ribbon-like shape with the width of each member being substantially greater than the thickness thereof and the length of each member being substantially greater than the width thereof mounted between said first and second flange-like elements and between said third and fourth flange-like elements, respectively.

Claim 14

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 12 wherein two of the cross-members disposed between said first and second flange-like elements are disposed in one plane and the other two cross-members are disposed in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, said four cross-members being symmetrically disposed about a pivot axis extending perpendicularly to said first and second flange-like elements, and said four cross-members being equidistantly spaced from said pivot axis.

Claim 15

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 13 wherein the two cross-members in one plane are spaced a distance apart substantially equal to the width of said cross-members.

Claim 16

A flexibly mounted container system according to claim 13 wherein two of the cross-members disposed between said third and fourth flange-like elements are disposed in one plane and the other two cross-members are disposed in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, said four cross-members being symmetrically disposed about a pivot axis extending perpendicularly to their respective flange-like elements, and said four cross-members being equidistantly spaced from said pivot axis.