Patent US4525794A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4525794A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic balance
Assignee: Hi Speed Checkweigher Co Inc
•
Filing: 1982-07-16
•
Granted: 1985-06-25
•
Expires: 2002-07-16
Abstract
Abstract An electronic balance having a strain gauge transducer. The analog output signal of the transducer is processed digitally so that the displayed weight is based on several successive digitized analog signal samples. Various operating parameters (e.g., conversion factors for several different units of weight) are stored in a non-volatile memory so that the scale can perform various weighing functions. The scale has a parts counter mode of operation requiring re-taring of the parts container whenever the scale is recalibrated for a different individual part weight.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel G. Scheffer
- 👤 Christopher W. Brock
- 👤 Douglas B. Schumer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 13:35
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01G; G01G23/00; G01G23/18; G01G23/36; G01G23/37; G01G23/3707; G01G23/3714
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
The balance of claim 1, further comprising: analog-to-digital conversion means for producing a series of second signals comprising a series of width-modulated pulses representative of said analog data in said first signal and the information contained in each said pulse including an error, said errors being non-cumulative; filter means for reducing display flutter by filtering several subsets of said pulses sequentially to produce a series of third electrical signals, each said third electrical signal being representative of the data contained in a corresponding said subset of pulses; said filter means comprising processor means programmed for adding a series of said pulses, reducing the sum of said series by a predetermined fraction, and adding to the reduced sum the total of a second series of said pulses, and reducing the new total by said fraction; each said series including the same number of said pulses, and each said subset of said pulses including several said series; and means for summing said third electrical signals to produce an output signal representative of said weight.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
The balance of claim 1, wherein said processor means is programmed to indicate whether a predetermined degree of stabilty in the measured weight of an object being weighed with said balance has been attained.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The balance of claim 2, wherein said processor means is programmed to indicate that said degree of stability has been attained only if the difference between each two consecutive series totals is less than a predetermined value for three consecutive said series.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
117 words
An electronic balance, comprising: means for generating a first electric signal representative of the weight of an object being weighed with said balance; weight display means; tare means; and processor means programmed to process said first electric signal to produce second electric signals for controlling said display means, and said processor means being programmed to operate said balance in a parts counting mode, wherein said second electric signals are for controlling said display means to indicate the number of pieces in a sample; and said processor means being programmed to generate said second electric signals only if said balance has been tared to account for the weight of a container to be used to hold said sample.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
117 words
An electronic balance, comprising: means for generating a first electric signal representative of the weight of an object being weighed with said balance; weight display means; tare means; and processor means programmed to process said first electric signal to produce second electric signals for controlling said display means, and said processor means being programmed to operate said balance in a parts counting mode, wherein said second electric signals are for controlling said display means to indicate the number of pieces in a sample; and said processor means being programmed to generate said second electric signals only if said balance has been tared to account for the weight of a container to be used to hold said sample.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
255 words
An electronic balance, comprising: transducer means for producing a first electrical signal containing analog information representative of the weight of an object being weighed by means of said balance; analog-to-digital conversion means for producing a series of second signals comprising a series of width-modulated pulses representative of said analog data in said first signal and the information contained in each said pulse including an error, said errors being non-cumulative; said analog-to-digital conversion means comprising difference amplifier means for producing an intermediate signal representative of said weight, switch means and a voltage source for producing a feedback signal comprising a series of pulses of varying width, integrator means for integrating the sum of said intermediate signal and said feedback signal to produce said pulses, the width of said pulses being proportional to said weight, comparator means for generating a signal only when the magnitude of the output of said integrator means exceeds a predetermined value, and clock pulse timer means for initiating said feedback pulses at equal time intervals by activating said switch means; said comparator means also being for turning off said switch means one clock pulse after said integrator means output beings to exceed said predetermined value; filter means for reducing display flutter by filtering several subsets of said pulses sequentially to produce a series of third electrical signals, each said third electrical signal being representative of the data contained in a corresponding said subset of pulses; and means for summing said third electrical signals to produce an output signal representative of said weight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
255 words
An electronic balance, comprising: transducer means for producing a first electrical signal containing analog information representative of the weight of an object being weighed by means of said balance; analog-to-digital conversion means for producing a series of second signals comprising a series of width-modulated pulses representative of said analog data in said first signal and the information contained in each said pulse including an error, said errors being non-cumulative; said analog-to-digital conversion means comprising difference amplifier means for producing an intermediate signal representative of said weight, switch means and a voltage source for producing a feedback signal comprising a series of pulses of varying width, integrator means for integrating the sum of said intermediate signal and said feedback signal to produce said pulses, the width of said pulses being proportional to said weight, comparator means for generating a signal only when the magnitude of the output of said integrator means exceeds a predetermined value, and clock pulse timer means for initiating said feedback pulses at equal time intervals by activating said switch means; said comparator means also being for turning off said switch means one clock pulse after said integrator means output beings to exceed said predetermined value; filter means for reducing display flutter by filtering several subsets of said pulses sequentially to produce a series of third electrical signals, each said third electrical signal being representative of the data contained in a corresponding said subset of pulses; and means for summing said third electrical signals to produce an output signal representative of said weight.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
The balance of claim 5, further comprising: means for converting said output signal into a fourth electrical signal representative of said weight expressed in one of a set of predetermined units; means for selecting one of said set of units; and non-volatile electronic memory means for storing conversion factors for converting said output signal into said fourth electrical signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
123 words
The balance of claim 5, further comprising span calibration means comprising a non-volatile memory means for storing information representative of the value of the full scale range of said balance for use in establishing a fourth electrical signal; means for establishing a fixed value by comparing said fourth electrical signal representative of said full scale range with the output signal produced by placing a known weight corresponding to said full scale range on said balance; means for storing said fixed value; and means for comparing said fixed value to the output signal representative of the weight of an object whose weight is to be determined to produce a calibrated output signal representative of said weight as a fraction of said full scale range.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
The balance of claim 5, further comprising: weight display means; processor means programmed to process said output signal to produce fourth electric signals for controlling said display means; and non-volatile memory means; and said processor means being programmed for storing said non-volatile memory means, before said balance is turned off, information representative of the operating status of said balance immediately before said balance is turned off.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US28706A
Cited
US3051939A
Cited
US3074496A
Cited
GB1000132A
Cited
US3316547A
Cited
US3577140A
Cited
US3678506A
Cited
USRE28706E
Cited
US3582947A
Cited
US3657526A
Cited
US3709309A
Cited
US3731754A
Cited
US3869004A
Cited
US3789937A
Cited
US3872936A
Cited
US3816156A
Cited
US3860802A
Cited
US3847238A
Cited
US3962570A
Cited
US4004139A
Cited
US3962569A
Cited
US3984667A
Cited
US3869005A
Cited
US3937287A
Cited
US3861479A
Cited
US3986012A
Cited
US3939332A
Cited
US3916173A
Cited
US4036316A
Cited
US4043412A
Cited
US4022063A
Cited
US4034818A
Cited
US4081801A
Cited
US4115767A
Cited
US4103750A
Cited
US4143724A
Cited
US4271481A
Cited
US4153122A
Cited
US4139070A
Cited
US4159521A
Cited
US4084242A
Cited
US4131946A
Cited
US4137568A
Cited
US4158396A
Cited
US4156472A
Cited
US4157738A
Cited
US4139069A
Cited
US4171026A
Cited
US4212074A
Cited
US4181946A
Cited
US4301510A
Cited
US4213040A
Cited
US4347903A
Cited
US4219089A
Cited
US4251874A
Cited
US4236222A
Cited
US4351033A
Cited
US4326254A
Cited
US4285411A
Cited
US4241407A
Cited
US4330837A
Cited
US4422148A
Cited
US4310893A
Cited
US4316516A
Cited
US4316517A
Cited
US4316518A
Cited
US4328874A
Cited
US4419734A
Cited
US4363370A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-06-24 | 1988-12-24 | 1989-06-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-06-24 | 1992-12-24 | 1993-06-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-06-24 | 1996-12-24 | 1997-06-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |