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US4178799A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Force and bending moment sensing arrangement and structure

Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt eV
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Filing: 1978-06-16
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Granted: 1979-12-18
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Expires: 1998-06-16
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Abstract

Abstract To prevent friction forces from falsifying output readings obtained upon lication of load between a base plate (1) and a load support plate (2), the base plate and the load support plate are rigidly connected by posts extending from one of the plates to an intermediate coupling element (3) and spokes extending from the coupling element (3) to the other one of the plates, bending deformation strain gauges being applied to the spokes and to the posts, respectively, so that forces applied in any direction will cause bending deformation of the spokes and posts, respectively, which can be evaluated with respect to the applied force.

Inventors

  • 👤 Lothar Schmieder
  • 👤 August Vilgertshofer
  • 👤 Florian Mettin

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 19:04
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23Q; B23Q1/00; B23Q1/25; B23Q1/26; B23Q1/34; G; G01; G01L; G01L5/00; G01L5/16; G01L5/161; G01L5/1627; G01L5/22; G01L5/226

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 173 words
Force and bending moment sensing arrangement having a base plate (1) and a load support plate (2) to determine loading and bending stresses applied between the base plate and the load support plate, and further comprising: a coupling element (3); at least three parallel support posts (5) of equal length connected to and positioned between one of said plates and the coupling element (3) and supporting the coupling element spaced from said one plate, said posts being both rigidly secured to said one plate and to the coupling element; at least three support spokes (4) rigidly secured to said coupling element (3) and to said other plate and running therebetween with the spoke axes lying substantially in a single plane, whereby said base plate (1) and said load support plate (2) are held together by a rigid post-coupling element-spoke connection system; and bending deformation sensing means (6, 7) associated with each of said posts (5) and said spokes (4) and providing output signals representative of bending deformation of said respective posts and spokes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 173 words
Force and bending moment sensing arrangement having a base plate (1) and a load support plate (2) to determine loading and bending stresses applied between the base plate and the load support plate, and further comprising: a coupling element (3); at least three parallel support posts (5) of equal length connected to and positioned between one of said plates and the coupling element (3) and supporting the coupling element spaced from said one plate, said posts being both rigidly secured to said one plate and to the coupling element; at least three support spokes (4) rigidly secured to said coupling element (3) and to said other plate and running therebetween with the spoke axes lying substantially in a single plane, whereby said base plate (1) and said load support plate (2) are held together by a rigid post-coupling element-spoke connection system; and bending deformation sensing means (6, 7) associated with each of said posts (5) and said spokes (4) and providing output signals representative of bending deformation of said respective posts and spokes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 12 words
Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element (3) is ring-shaped.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the deformation sensing means (6, 7) comprises strain gauges.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 42 words
Arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the coupling element is ring-shaped, and has a radial width and an axial thickness which are at least twice as great, respectively, as the width and thickness of the posts (5) and of the spokes (4).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 22 words
Arrangement according to claim 3, further comprising evaluation means connected to said strain gauges (6, 7) and evaluating the signals derived therefrom.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 63 words
Arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the cross-sectional area of the spokes (4) and the posts (5), respectively, is less than one-quarter of the cross-sectional area of the coupling element (3) in order to concentrate forces transmitted through the post-coupling element-spoke connection system between the base plate (1) and the load support plate (2) in said spokes (4) and said posts (5), respectively.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
Arrangement according to claim 3, wherein (FIG. 4) the coupling element (3) is ring-shaped, and one of said plates (2) is located concentrically within the ring formed by the coupling element (3).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 51 words
Arrangement according to claim 3, wherein (FIG. 5) at least one of said plates (1) is a ring-shaped plate, and said coupling element (3) is a block located within said ring-shaped plate and connected thereto by said spokes (4') and to the other of said plates (2) by said posts (5').
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 32 words
Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the base plate (1), the load support plate (2), the coupling element (3), said posts (5) and said spokes (4) comprise a single unitary metal element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 28 words
Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the posts (5) and the spokes (4) are connected, respectively, to said plates and to the coupling element by rigid metal connection.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 14 words
Arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the rigid metal connection is a brazed joint.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 14 words
Arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the rigid metal connection is a welded joint.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 14 words
Arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the rigid metal connection comprises an adhesive joint.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 73 words
Arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the deformation sensing means (6) which are located on the spokes are applied to the surfaces of the spokes which are parallel to the plane of the base plate (1); the posts (5) are located along the periphery of an imaginary circle, and the deformation sensing means (7) secured to the posts are located at the surfaces which are perpendicular to the periphery of said imaginary circle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 22 words
Arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said posts (5) are perpendicular, when unstressed by bending stresses, to said plane of said spokes.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3216245A Cited
US3618376A Cited
US3696317A Cited
US3968676A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1982-12-17 1983-06-18 1983-12-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1986-12-17 1987-06-18 1987-12-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1990-12-17 1991-06-18 1991-12-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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