Load sensing device having improved load sensing ability

A load sensing device having improved minimum load sensing characteristics, said device comprising:

• a load bearing portion for receiving the load applied to the device generally along an axis of the device;
• a support portion surrounding said load bearing portion, said load bearing portion being displaceable with respect to said support portion responsive to the applied load;
• a plurality of strain members extending between said load bearing portion and said support portion in a radial direction with respect to the axis of the device and spaced symmetrically about the axis, each of said strain members being formed of a pair of strain portions, said strain portions extending between said load bearing portion and said support portion in a manner generally parallel to each other, said strain portions of each strain member lying in a common plane containing said strain member, said common plane being parallel to the axis of the device, the strain portions of each strain member being spaced from each other in a direction parallel to the axis of said device by a hole extending completely through the respective strain member perpendicular to the common plane of said strain member, said strain portions being subjected to deformation upon the application of a load to the device such that upon being deformed, each pair of said strain portions, said load bearing portion, and said support portion generally form a parallelogram having a pair of acute angles;
• and
• strain sensing means coupled to said strain portions for sensing the strain occurring in said strain portions so as to sense the load applied to said load bearing portion.