Pneumatic weighing device and method
AssigneeGeosource Inc.
InventorJohn L. Powell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a device for detecting the weight of an article by measuring the amount of pressure required to support the article. The weighing device is characterized by a weighing table having a plurality of apertures for receiving compressed air. The pressure required to support the gross weight of an article passing over the apertures is sensed by a pressure transducer and translated into an electrical signal used to derive the actual numerical weight of the article.
Claims13
A pneumatic device for determining the actual weight of an article comprising:
- a support;
- a weighing table disposed on said support, with said table having a first planar member with a plurality of spaced apertures therein, and a second planar member located beneath said first planar member in spaced parallel relationship, said first and second planar members laterally enclosed defining an air chamber therebetween;
- a compressor for providing pressurized air to said chamber through a conduit, thereby enabling said article to move across said first planar member in a frictionless manner;
- and,
- a pressure transducer, having an initial pressure setting and connected to a preselected one of said apertures, for translating pressure induced by the weight and surface area of said article passing over said selected aperture into an electrical signal representative of the actual weight of said article.
A pneumatic weighing system comprising:
- a support;
- a weighing table disposed on said support, with said table having a first planar member with a plurality of spaced apertures therein, and a second planar member located beneath said first planar member in spaced parallel relationship, said first and second planar members laterally enclosed defining an air chamber therebetween;
- a compressor providing pressurized air to said chamber through a flexible conduit, thereby enabling an article to be weighed to move across said first planar member in a frictionless manner;
- a pressure transducer, having an initial pressure setting and connected to a preselected one of said apertures, for translating pressure induced by the weight and surface area of said article passing over said selected aperture into an electrical signal representative of the actual weight of said article;
- input and output transports for moving said articles to be weighed onto and off of said weighing table, and disposed in adjacent relationship and operably associated with said weighing table;
- and
- circuit means for providing the numerical weight of said article derived from said voltage signal.
A method for pneumatically determining the actual weight of an article comprising the steps of:
- supplying pressurized air to a weighing table, having a plurality of spaced apertures therein, for forming an air cushion thereon;
- transporting said article across said weighing table in a frictionless manner;
- sensing the pressure induced by the weight and surface area of said article as it passes a preselected one of said apertures connected to a pressure transducer;
- translating said induced pressure into an electrical signal representative of the actual weight of said article;
- and,
- calculating the actual numerical weight of said article, by a circuit means, from said electrical signal.
A pneumatic device for determining the actual weight of an article comprising a weighing table having a planar surface with a plurality of apertures therein, means for supplying pressurized air to said apertures in said weighing table, and a pressure transducer for having an initial pressure setting and connected to a preselected one of said apertures, for translating pressure induced by the weight and surface area of said article passing over said selected aperture into an electrical signal representative of the actual weight of said article.
A pneumatic device for determining the actual weight of an article comprising:
- a support;
- a weighing table disposed on said support, with said table having a first planar member with a plurality of spaced apertures therein, and a second planar member located beneath said first planar member in spaced parallel relationship thereto, said first and second planar members laterally enclosed defining an air chamber therebetween;
- means providing pressurized air to said chamber thereby enabling said article to move across said first planar member in a frictionless manner;
- a pressure transducer including a diaphragm mechanically connected to and operatively associated with a low voltage differential transformer, wherein said diaphragm has an initial pressure setting and is connected to a preselected one of said apertures defining a sensing aperture, for translating pressure induced by said weight and surface area of said article passing over said sensing aperture into an electrical signal by displacing the low voltage differential transformer such that an electrical signal output is achieved which is representative of the actual weight of said article;
- and,
- conduit means connected to said chamber and said connection between said sensing aperture and said diaphragm for keeping said preselected aperture free from debris and delivering an initial pressure setting to said diaphragm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.