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US 6,118,083 AGranted
Weight measurement apparatus for vehicles
AssigneeCreative Microsystems
InventorsRichard A. Boyovich, Larry D. Santi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A weight measurement apparatus of the type for determining the weight of a load placed on a wheeled vehicle. The apparatus includes an elongated load bearing member coupled between the load and the wheels. The load bearing member has two apertures that extend completely through the load bearing member, and load sensors attached to the walls of the apertures for calculating the stress in the apparatus created by the load. The apparatus can further include a decoder for converting the stress measurement to a weight value and an onboard display device for displaying the weight of the load to the vehicle operator. The apparatus may be sized and shaped to retrofit existing structural components of a truck, thereby adding a weight measurement capability to the vehicle.
Claims63
A weight measurement apparatus for a dump truck, the dump truck having a frame, a dump body movable relative to the frame and a hoist coupled between the frame and the dump body for moving the dump body relative to the frame, the hoist pin comprising:
- an elongated load bearing member of unitary construction having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the load bearing member being coupleable to the frame of the dump truck at a first connection location proximate to the first end of the load bearing member and at a second connection location proximate to the second end of the load bearing member, the load bearing member being coupleable to one of the hoist or the dump body at a third connection location between the first and second connection locations, the load bearing member further having a first aperture extending completely through the load bearing member between the first and third connection locations and a second aperture extending completely through the load bearing member between the second and third connection locations, the first and second apertures each having a length, a diameter, and opposing ends, the diameter of each of the first and second apertures at a central location along its length being smaller than the diameter of the respective aperture at its opposing ends;
- a first load sensor attached to a wall of the first aperture near the central location to measure a first portion of a load borne by the load bearing member;
- and
- a second load sensor attached to a wall of the second aperture near the central location to measure a second portion of the load borne by the load bearing member.
1 more element
A weight measurement apparatus for measuring the weight of a load borne by a vehicle, comprising:
- an elongated load bearing member of unitary construction having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the load bearing member having a first connection location proximate to the first end, a second connection location proximate to the second end, and a third connection location between the first and second connection locations, the first and second connection locations being coupleable to one of the load and a ground support member supporting the vehicle, the third connection location being coupleable to the other of the load and the ground support member of the vehicle, the load bearing member further having a first aperture extending completely through the load bearing member between the first and third connection locations and a second aperture extending completely through the load bearing member between the second and third connection locations, the first and second apertures each having a length, a diameter, and opposing ends, the diameter of each of the first and second apertures at a central location along its length being smaller than the diameter of the respective aperture at its opposing ends;
- and
- at least one load sensor attached to a wall of the first aperture near the central location to measure a load borne by the load bearing member.
A weight measurement apparatus for a transfer trailer, the transfer trailer including a load body coupled to at least one wheel for rolling the load body along a portion of a truck frame, the apparatus comprising:
- an elongated load bearing member of unitary construction having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the load bearing member being coupleable to the load body at a first connection location proximate to the first end of the load bearing member and a second connection location proximate to the second end of the load bearing member, the load bearing member being coupleable to the at least one wheel at a third connection location between the first and second connection locations, the load bearing member further having a first aperture extending completely through the load bearing member between the first and third connection locations and a second aperture extending completely through the load bearing member between the second and third connection locations, the first and second apertures each having a length, a diameter, and opposing ends, the diameter of each of the first and second apertures at a central location along its length being smaller than the diameter of the respective aperture at its opposing ends;
- a first load sensor attached to a wall of the first aperture near the central location to measure a first portion of a load borne by the load body;
- and
- a second load sensor attached to a wall of the second aperture near the central location to measure a second portion of the load borne by the load body.
1 more element
A weight measurement apparatus for measuring the weight of a load borne by a vehicle, comprising:
- an elongated load bearing member of unitary construction having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the load bearing member having a first connection location proximate to the first end, a second connection location proximate to the second end, and a third connection location between the first and second connection locations, the first and second connection locations being coupleable to one of the load and a ground support member supporting the vehicle, the third connection location being coupleable to the other of the load and the wheel of the vehicle, the load bearing member further having a first aperture extending completely through the load bearing member between the first and third connection locations and a second aperture extending completely through the load bearing member between the second and third connection locations, the first and second apertures each having a length, a diameter, and opposing ends, the diameter of each of the first and second apertures at a central location along its length being smaller than the diameter of the respective aperture at its opposing ends;
- at least one load sensor attached to a wall of the first aperture near the central location to measure a load borne by the load bearing member;
- a decoder coupled to the load sensor, the decoder being capable of receiving a load measurement signal generated by the load sensor and converting the load measurement signal to a digital signal representing the weight of the load;
- and
- a display mechanism coupled to the decoder for displaying the digital signal to a user.
2 more elements
A method for forming a weight measurement apparatus for measuring the weight of a load borne by a vehicle, comprising:
- forming first and second apertures in an elongated load bearing member of unitary construction such that the first and second apertures extend through the load bearing member in a direction generally normal an axis along which the load bearing member is elongated, the first and second apertures each having a length, a diameter, and opposing ends, the diameter of each of the first and second apertures at a central location along its length being smaller than the diameter of the respective aperture at its opposing ends;
- attaching at least one load sensor to a wall of the first aperture at a location proximate to the central location;
- and
- coupling the load bearing member between the load and a support member supporting the vehicle by coupling one of the load and the support member to the load bearing member at first and second spaced apart locations of the load bearing member and coupling the other of the load and the support member to a third location of the load bearing member between the first and second locations of the load bearing member.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.