Beam strain gauge
AssigneeThe Penn State Research Foundation
InventorNeil B. Kimerer, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a beam strain gauge to measure strain in a material which incorporates the theory of beam mechanics and the use of a full Wheatstone bridge circuit. In all cases the beam or beams used are not attached directly to the material to be measured, thereby making the beam or beams insensitive to transverse strain. The use of beam mechanics allows the use of the full Wheatstone bridge circuit, which has many desirable properties for strain measurement. Some of these properties are self compensation for temperature and a higher gauge output signal. The beam strain gauge can be employed using silicon chip technology and provides many advantages over the current conventional strain gauges.
Claims69
A beam strain gauge comprising:
- a top leg;
- a bottom leg below said top leg;
- two side legs extending from said bottom leg towards said top leg;
- a beam having two ends and a longitudinal axis dividing said beam into a first half and a second half, where said beam is fixed between said side legs at each of said two ends;
- a loading column interconnecting said beam to said top leg, said loading column fixed to said beam at a location between said two ends of said beam;
- and
- at least four strain gauges mounted on said beam.
A beam strain gauge comprising:
- a top leg;
- a bottom leg below said top leg;
- at least one leaf spring extending from said bottom leg and having two ends;
- a beam fixed at said two ends of the leaf spring;
- a loading column interconnecting said beam to said top leg;
- and
- four strain gauges mounted on said beam.
A beam strain gauge fixed to a single surface to measure strain of said surface, said beam strain gauge comprising:
- a top leg fixed to said surface to be measured for strain;
- a bottom leg below said top leg and fixed to said surface to be measured for strain;
- a beam having a longitudinal axis and two ends, where said beam is fixed between said top and bottom legs at said two ends;
- and
- four strain gauges mounted on said beam.
A beam strain gauge comprising:
- a top leg;
- a bottom leg below said top leg;
- a rocking beam having a first end and a second end, where said rocking beam is located between and parallel to said top and bottom legs;
- a tension beam having a longitudinal axis and fixed between said first end of the rocking beam and said top leg;
- a compression beam having a longitudinal axis and fixed between said second end of the rocking beam and said bottom leg;
- a pivot column interconnecting said rocking beam to said bottom leg;
- two strain gauges having a primary axis and mounted on said tension beam;
- and
- two strain gauges having a primary axis and mounted on said compression beam.
A beam strain gauge comprising:
- a top leg;
- a bottom leg below said top leg;
- a loading column extending downward from said top leg;
- a loading column extending upward form said bottom leg;
- a first rocking beam having a first end and a second end, where said first rocking beam is located below and parallel to said top leg, and said first end of the first rocking beam is attached to said loading column extending from the top leg;
- a second rocking beam having a first end and a second end, where said second rocking beam is located between and parallel to said first rocking beam and said bottom leg, and said first end of the second rocking beam is attached to said loading column extending from the bottom leg;
- a tension beam having a longitudinal axis and fixed between said first and second rocking beams;
- a compression beam having a longitudinal axis and fixed between said first and second rocking beam;
- two strain gauges having a primary axis and mounted on said tension beam;
- and
- two strain gauges having a primary axis and mounted on said compression beam.
A beam strain gauge comprising:
- a top leg;
- a bottom leg below said top leg;
- one side leg extending from said bottom leg towards said top leg;
- a beam having a first and second end, where said first end is fixed to said side leg;
- a loading column interconnecting said beam to said top leg, where said loading column is connected to said second end of said beam;
- and
- four strain gauges mounted on said beam.
A beam strain gauge comprising:
- a top leg having a first and a second end;
- a bottom leg below said top leg having a first and second end;
- a beam fix between said first ends of said top and bottom leg;
- and
- four strain gauges mounted on said beam.
A beam strain gauge comprising:
- a top leg fixed to a surface to be measured;
- a bottom leg below said top leg and fixed to said surface to be measured;
- two side legs extending from said bottom leg towards said top leg;
- a beam having two ends and a longitudinal axis dividing said beam into a first half and a second half, where said beam is fixed between said side legs at each of said two ends;
- a loading column interconnecting said beam to said top leg;
- and
- at least four strain gauges mounted on said beam.
A beam strain gauge comprising:
- a top leg fixed to a surface to be measured;
- a bottom leg below said top leg and fixed to said surface to be measured;
- at least one leaf spring extending from said bottom leg and having two ends;
- a beam fixed at said two ends of the leaf spring;
- a loading column interconnecting said beam to said top leg;
- and
- four strain gauges mounted on said beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.