Load sensor
OwnerBill Christensen, Jeff Gruendinginventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A deflection sensing assembly comprises a square plate with attachment holes in each of the four corners for attachment to a structural element along which deflection is to be measured. The sensor is attached to the structural element such that only two opposed corners of the plate lie along the deflection axis. The sensor assembly is removably attachable and it has been found that there is a high degree of independence between deflections in the temperature compensation axis and deflections in the deflection axis.
Claims22
A load sensor assembly, comprising:
- a substantially square plate;
- a hole in each of four corners of said plate for receiving a fastener therethrough;
- a first axis defined by a first pair of diagonally opposed ones of said holes;
- a second axis defined by a second pair of diagonally opposed ones of said holes;
- a strain gauge secured to said plate.
A load sensor assembly, comprising:
- a square plate;
- a hole in each of four corners of said plate for receiving a fastener therethrough;
- a first uniaxial strain gauge secured to said plate along a first axis defined between a first pair of diagonally opposing ones of said holes;
- a second uniaxial strain gauge secured to said plate along a second axis defined by a second pair of diagonally opposed ones of said holes.
A load sensing system for providing information regarding the load status of a remote container comprising:
- a load sensor assembly comprising a square plate having a hole in each of four corners of said plate for receiving a fastener therethrough, said plate having a first axis defined by a first pair of diagonally opposed ones of said holes and a second axis defined by a second pair of diagonally opposed ones of said holes;
- a strain gauge secured to said plate;
- processing means associated with said container for determining said load status based on an output of said strain gauge;
- communication means for transmitting load status information to a remote server;
- database means associated with said remote server for correlating said load status to one of a plurality of remote individual containers;
- and
- a web server for displaying said load status information.
A load sensing apparatus comprising:
- at least two strain sensing elements;
- a Wheatstone bridge circuit comprising said at least two strain sensing elements;
- a digital potentiometer connected to said bridge circuit;
- and,
- processing means for causing said digital potentiometer to adjust so as to balance said Wheatstone bridge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.