Spring Support Patents (Class 177/168)
  • Patent number: 9958344
    Abstract: The force-transmitting mechanism (400) includes a parallel-motion guide mechanism with a movable parallel leg (440), a stationary parallel leg, and at least two parallel-guiding members (450), wherein the parallel legs and the parallel-guiding members are connected to each other by flexure pivots and the movable parallel leg is constrained to the stationary parallel leg in guided mobility by the parallel-guiding members. The force-transmitting mechanism further includes a force-transmitting lever (480) which is pivotally supported on a fulcrum pivot (490) arranged on the stationary parallel leg, with a first lever arm (481) having a force-transmitting connection to the movable parallel leg by way of a coupling member (470), and a second lever arm (482) to which a measurement transducer (410) can be attached through a force-transmitting connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-Rudolf Burkhard
  • Patent number: 9546899
    Abstract: A carrier unit for a weight switching device includes a first shift weight carrier (34-1) which moves vertically in relation to a base, for vertically mounting a first shift weight arrangement (22-1R, 22-1L) which has two spaced-apart, parallel carrier arms (30-1R, 30-1L) connected by a bridging piece (32-1). A second shift weight carrier (34-2R, 34-2L) for vertically mounting, with play, a second shift weight arrangement (22-2R, 22-2L) which likewise has two spaced-apart, parallel carrier arms (30-2R, 30-2L) connected by another bridging piece (32-2), is likewise arranged in a vertically movable manner in relation to the base. The carrier arm pair (30-1R, 30-10 of the first shift weight carrier (34-1) is arranged between and parallel to the carrier arm pair (30-2R, 30-2L) of the second shift weight carrier (34-2), and each shift weight carrier (34-1; 34-2) is articulated to a common crosspiece (12) by two parallel links (23-1R, 23-1L; 23-2R, 23-2L).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Sartorius Lab Instruments GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Sigo Muelich, Ulrich Bajohr, Thomas Fehling
  • Patent number: 9212002
    Abstract: A belt conveyor (1) includes a conveyor bed (6) on which belt rollers (13, 14) are arranged, respectively, at both the leading end and the trailing end relative to the transport direction T, and it also includes a conveyor belt (5) which is arranged to be movable over the conveyor bed (6, 106) and around the belt rollers (13, 14). The conveyor belt (5) is arranged and pulled tight over the conveyor bed (6) and the belt rollers (13, 14) in such a way that a sealing effect is achieved between the outside borders (7) of the conveyor belt (5) and the conveyor bed (6), wherein the outside borders (7) of the conveyor belt (5) are set back from the edges (16) of the conveyor bed (6) by a distance (d) equal to at least the maximum sweep of a lateral variation in the movement of the conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo Garvens GmbH
    Inventor: RĂ¼diger Kliefoth
  • Patent number: 7611496
    Abstract: Disclosed is a medical liquid meter (10) for use with a medical liquid feeding device (30) including an expandable container (31), an inlet port (32) for supplying a medical liquid into the expandable container (31) therethrough, and a feed duct (33) for feeding to a patient the medical liquid discharged from one end of the expandable container (31). The medical liquid meter (10) comprises a weight-measuring mechanism (1). The weight of the medical liquid feeding device (30) is measured using the weight-measuring mechanism (1) so as to quantify a remaining amount of the medical liquid stored in the expandable container (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Daiken Iki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiichi Yamada, Hajime Nakazawa, Koichi Aida, Yoshinori Nakata
  • Patent number: 6667444
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining the weight of a flowable material in a vessel, which includes a support and a deformable member attached to the support. The deformable member includes a deformation measuring device to detect the extent of deformation caused by the flowable material as the material flows through the deformable member. The deformable member determines the weight of the flowable materials flowing into or out of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: De Montfort Expertise Limited
    Inventor: David Armitage
  • Patent number: 6555765
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for accurately determining the weight of the contents of a vessel at selected time intervals. The apparatus of the invention can be quickly and easily installed on an existing structure without requiring substantial modification to the structure. More particularly, in one form of the invention, the apparatus embodies small and inexpensive transducers that are conveniently mounted above the flanges that support the vessel legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Inventor: Alan Paine
  • Patent number: 6448512
    Abstract: A vehicle has a seat (12) for a vehicle occupant (14) and a vehicle floor pan (16) for supporting the vehicle seat (12). An apparatus (40) includes a vehicle seat frame (42) for supporting a weight load of the vehicle occupant (14) in the vehicle seat (12), a support mount (60) connected to the vehicle floor pan (16), a lever (70), and a sensor (80). A support mount (60) transmits the weight load of the vehicle occupant (14) in the vehicle seat (12) from the vehicle seat frame (42) to the vehicle floor pan (16). The vehicle seat frame (42) moves vertically relative to the support mount (60) as the weight load on the vehicle seat frame (42) changes. The lever (70) has a first end (72) and a second end (74) opposite the first end (72). The lever (70) is rotatably attached to the vehicle seat frame (42) and rotatably attached to the support mount (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen R. W. Cooper
  • Patent number: 6376783
    Abstract: An electronic scale cartridge plugs into a piece of office equipment and/or a portable electronic device to provide a weight signal to be used in computing a postal or private carrier rate. The piece of office equipment may be a personal computer or one of its peripheral or input devices. The portable electronic device may be a personal digital assistant or a wireless communications device. Preferably, the scale cartridge has a connector which fits a universal or standard port, thereby allowing the cartridge to be connected to any number of devices without modification. Postage is computed in accordance with a program stored in the computer or portable device. Preferably, the program is written to step a user through a postage-computing process using one or more interactive display screens. A second type of electronic scale is adapted for attachment to a piece of equipment using any one of a variety of fasteners which may establish a removable and/or rotatable connection to the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: Vaghi Family Intellectual Properties, LLC
    Inventor: Nino Vaghi
  • Patent number: 6249778
    Abstract: An electronic scale integrally formed within the housing of a piece of office equipment increases a user's work space in a home or business environment. The piece of equipment may be a personal computer or one of its peripheral devices. A mailing system automatically computes postal and/or private carrier rates for items of mail based on weight signals derived from the electronic scale. Since the scale is integrated into the computer, all mailing tasks are performed at a user's desk using the least space possible. The system is performed in accordance with a computer program which steps a user through the postage-computing method using one or more interactive display screens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Vaghi Family Intellectual Properties, LLC
    Inventor: Nino Richard Vaghi
  • Patent number: 5922999
    Abstract: A scale includes a housing having a graduation disposed beside a groove and a casing secured on the housing for receiving a band tape. A slide is slidably received in the housing and has a projection slidably engaged in the groove for indicating the graduation. A hook is secured to the slide for hooking an object to be weighed. A spring is coupled between the slide and the housing for allowing the projection to be moved along the groove and for weighting the object. A calibrating device may be used for calibrating the scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Inventor: Ah Mi Yang
  • Patent number: 5811740
    Abstract: A weight measuring device for an appliance which has a heating portion configured for receiving and heating a container having food products contained therein. A housing is attached to the cooking appliance. A resilient support is connected to the housing for resiliently supporting in a position above the heating portion the container and the food products contained within the container, wherein the supporting means is displaced from the housing an amount proportional to the weight supported by the supporting means. A meter indicates, from the magnitude of the displacement of the supporting means from the housing, the weight of the food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Inventor: Brian L. Hamilton, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5421433
    Abstract: The invention obtains the weight of an elevator car in a manner which is minimally dependent on the distribution of the load within the cab by means of a load cell and support sandwiched between a first and second plate, the load being shared between the load cell and support. Threaded rods pass through the first and second plates, as well as through a space between the first and second plates, and further pass through hitch springs and support the car. The upper ends of the rods are connected to the hoist ropes. The load weighing apparatus further includes a pair of rod positioners which keep constant the lateral displacement of the rods one from another. The load cell and support are not enclosed by the rods, yielding the further advantage that a mechanic has easy access to the load cell for its maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Young S. Yoo
  • Patent number: 4930588
    Abstract: An electronic balance with a weighing scale which is connected via a parallel guide to a system carrier, and with a translation lever which is rotatably mounted on the system carrier and onto the shorter lever arm of which the force of the weight acting on the balance scale is transferred via a coupling element and on the longer arm of which the coil of an electromagnetic compensation of force is fastened, that at least one spring touches the translation lever for the purpose of astatization, the line of application of which spring passes through the point of rotation of the translation lever. This results in a compact design and a good efficiency of astatization. It is advantageous to use a wire or a band and/or a laterally jutting-out projection on the translation lever as spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Sartorius GmbH
    Inventors: Otto Kuhlmann, Walter Sodler, Eberhard Stadler
  • Patent number: 4566505
    Abstract: A packaging machine useful for packaging fluidized dry, divided, solid material into containers such as valve bags is provided with an isolator section for isolating forces generated in the flow path of the material from a filling and weighing section. The flow path includes a filling spout that extends into the container through a valve formed therein and is sealed in the valve by an inflatable sleeve on the filling spout, the sleeve being so constructed that only that portion that enters the valve is permitted to expand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1986
    Assignee: St. Regis Corporation
    Inventors: Walter Ruf, Robert G. Kelley
  • Patent number: 4094370
    Abstract: Vessel for weighing hot or cold fluid materials, having an elastic filling conduit of which a temperature difference may give a reading error. This error is corrected by a prestressing force on this conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1978
    Assignee: Stichting Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland
    Inventor: Johannes Petrus Ruiter
  • Patent number: 4043415
    Abstract: A precision balance in which the weighing pan assembly is connected to the stationary supporting structure of the balance by two flexible links in a parallelogram configuration is equipped with coarse adjustment and fine adustment for the connected end of one of the links to ensure parallel elongation of the links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1977
    Assignee: Mettler Instrumente AG
    Inventor: Paul Luchinger
  • Patent number: 3930546
    Abstract: A weight grading apparatus with self-compensating adjustment means to maintain accurate grading over a wide range of ambient temperatures. The apparatus comprises a scale beam, a fulcrum, a weight sensing surface on the scale beam on one side of the fulcrum and a spring engaged at one end with a point on the scale beam on the other side of the fulcrum and with the opposite end of the spring engaged with an adjustment head. The adjustment head is adjustable along a path parallel to the axis of the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1976
    Inventor: Kevin John Fourneau