Force measuring device

Claim 2

A force measuring device comprising: a force receiving member and a support member arranged essentially in parallel to each other and having substantially annular planar exterior surfaces perpendicular to the force to be measured and inner surfaces defining a space therebetween, said support member being formed with a peripheral rim and said force receiving member being inserted into said rim in such a manner that a narrow annular gap is formed between an outer peripheral surface of said force receiving member and an inner peripheral surface of said rim, which gap has a width in the order to between 1/100 and 1/1,000 of the diameter of said members; elastomeric material provided in said space between and bonded to said members and at least partially filling said gap; and a pressure sensor in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 3

A force measuring device according to claim 1 wherein said pressure sensor is a piezoelectric sensor.

Claim 4

A force measuring device according to claim 1 wherein said pressure sensor is an absolute pressure sensor embedded in said elastomeric material essentially in spaced relationship to the opposed inner surfaces of said members.

Claim 5

A force measuring device according to claim 1 wherein said members are of considerable size and have arranged therebetween in an array a plurality of pressure sensors embedded in said elastomeric material.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 5 wherein the step (e) comprises rotating the unit formed by the upper and lower members and the elastomeric material therein between about an essentially vertical axis.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 5 wherein step (e) is performed for a period between several seconds and several minutes.

Claim 10

A force measuring device comprising: a force receiving member and a support member spaced therefrom, said force receiving member being convexly shaped in the downward direction; elastomeric material provided in the space between and bonded to said force receiving member and said support member; and a pressure sensor in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 11

A force measuring device comprising: a force receiving member and a support member spaced therefrom, said force receiving member being convexly shaped in the downward direction; elastomeric material provided in the space between and bonded to said force receiving member and said support member; and a pressure sensor in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 12

A force measuring device comprising: a force receiving member and a support member spaced therefrom, said support member having a peripheral rim and said force receiving member being fitted into said rim so as to form a narrow annular gap between said members; elastomeric material provided in the space between and adhered to said members, said elastomeric material essentially filling said gap; and a pressure sensor in said space in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 13

A force measuring device comprising: a force receiving member and a support member spaced therefrom, said support member having a peripheral rim and said force receiving member being fitted into said rim so as to form a narrow annular gap between said members; elastomeric material provided in the space between and adhered to said members, said elastomeric material essentially filling said gap; and a pressure sensor in said space in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 14

A force measuring device according to any one of claims 8 and 9 wherein said elastomeric material is a silicone rubber.

Claim 15

A force measuring device according to any one of claims 8 and 9 wherein said elastomeric material is one of the materials selected from the group comprising: natural rubber, styrene rubber, butadiene rubber, polysulfide rubber, a polyacrylate, a polyurethane, a mixture of any of said materials, and a mixture of any of said materials with a silicone.

Claim 16

A force measuring device comprising: a force receiving member and a support member arranged essentially in parallel to each other and having substantially annular planar exterior surfaces perpendicular to the force to be measured and inner surfaces defining a space therebetween, said support member being formed with a peripheral rim and said force receiving member being inserted into said rim in such a manner that a narrow annular gap is formed between an outer peripheral surface of said force receiving member and an inner peripheral surface of said rim, which gap has a width in the order of between 1/100 and 1/1,000 of the diameter of said members and a height in the order of between 1/10 and 1/50 of said diameter; elastomeric material provided in said space between and bonded to said members and at least partially filling said gap; and a pressure sensor in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 17

A force measuring device comprising: a force receiving member and a support member arranged essentially in parallel to each other and having substantially annular planar exterior surfaces perpendicular to the force to be measured and inner surfaces defining a space therebetween, said support member being formed with a peripheral rim and said force receiving member being inserted into said rim in such a manner that a narrow annular gap is formed between an outer peripheral surface of said force receiving member and an inner peripheral surface of said rim, which gap has a width in the order of between 1/100 and 1/1,000 of the diameter of said members and a height in the order of between 1/10 and 1/50 of said diameter; elastomeric material provided in said space between and bonded to said members and at least partially filling said gap; and a pressure sensor in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 18

A force measuring device comprising: a force receiving member and a support member arranged essentially in parallel to each other and having substantially annular planar exterior surfaces perpendicular to the force to be measured and inner surfaces defining a space therebetween, said support member being formed with a peripheral rim and said force receiving member being inserted into said rim in such a manner that a narrow annular gap is formed between an outer peripheral surface of said force receiving member and an inner peripheral surface of said rim, which gap has a width in the order to 0.1 to 2 mm; elastomeric material provided in said space between and bonded to said members and at least partially filling said gap; and a pressure sensor in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 19

A force measuring device comprising: a force receiving member and a support member arranged essentially in parallel to each other and having substantially annular planar exterior surfaces perpendicular to the force to be measured and inner surfaces defining a space therebetween, said support member being formed with a peripheral rim and said force receiving member being inserted into said rim in such a manner that a narrow annular gap is formed between an outer peripheral surface of said force receiving member and an inner peripheral surface of said rim, which gap has a width in the order to 0.1 to 2 mm; elastomeric material provided in said space between and bonded to said members and at least partially filling said gap; and a pressure sensor in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 20

A force measuring device comprising: a force receiving member and a support member arranged essentially in parallel to each other and having substantially annular planar exterior surfaces perpendicular to the force to be measured and inner surfaces defining a space therebetween, said support member being formed with a peripheral rim and said force receiving member being inserted into said rim in such a manner that a narrow annular gap is formed between an outer peripheral surface of said force receiving member and an inner peripheral surface of said rim, which gap has a width perferably in the region between 0.2 and 0.7 mm; elastomeric material provided in said space between and bonded to said members and at least partially filling said gap; and a pressure sensor in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 21

A force measuring device comprising: a force receiving member and a support member arranged essentially in parallel to each other and having substantially annular planar exterior surfaces perpendicular to the force to be measured and inner surfaces defining a space therebetween, said support member being formed with a peripheral rim and said force receiving member being inserted into said rim in such a manner that a narrow annular gap is formed between an outer peripheral surface of said force receiving member and an inner peripheral surface of said rim, which gap has a width perferably in the region between 0.2 and 0.7 mm; elastomeric material provided in said space between and bonded to said members and at least partially filling said gap; and a pressure sensor in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 22

A force measuring device comprising: an annular force receiving member and an annular support member spaced therefrom, one said member having a peripheral rim and the other said member being fitted into said rim so as to form a narrow and annular gap between an outer peripheral surface of the other said member and an inner peripheral surface of said rim; elastomeric material provided in the space between and adhered to said members, said elastomeric material essentially filling said gap; and a pressure sensor in said space in contact with said elastomeric material.

Claim 23

A force measuring device comprising: an annular force receiving member and an annular support member spaced therefrom, one said member having a peripheral rim and the other said member being fitted into said rim so as to form a narrow and annular gap between an outer peripheral surface of the other said member and an inner peripheral surface of said rim; elastomeric material provided in the space between and adhered to said members, said elastomeric material essentially filling said gap; and a pressure sensor in said space in contact with said elastomeric material.