Patents by Inventor Thomas W. Hansson

Thomas W. Hansson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6331682
    Abstract: A tank weigh module includes a bottom plate that has two lower stop blocks protruding upwardly therefrom, and a top plate that has an upper stop block protruding downwardly therefrom into a space between the two upper stop blocks with a block free play clearance therebetween. A restraining pin is arranged to extend through aligned pin receiving holes in all of the stop blocks. In the lower stop blocks, the holes provide a tight friction fit for the pin, while the hole in the upper stop block has a larger diameter and provides a pin free play clearance. Motion of the top plate relative to the bottom plate in the back-and-forth Y-direction is limited to the extent of the block free play clearance. Travel of the top plate in the side-to-side X-direction and in the uplift Z-direction is restrained by the extent of the pin free play clearance. Tilting and twisting about the X-, Y-, and Z-axes are also limited by the pin interacting with the blocks and the blocks interacting with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: Hottinger Baldwin Measurements, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall K. Hopkins, Thomas W. Hansson
  • Patent number: 5703334
    Abstract: A load to be measured is transmitted to a load cell, such as a compression load cell, through a double piston, single cylinder load transmitter that has a pressure chamber between two pistons in the single cylinder. One piston bears against the load. The other piston bears against the load cell to form a floating link between the load and the load cell when a sufficient pressure is introduced into said pressure chamber to prevent unwanted, off-center load application force components from adversely affecting any measured results. Preferably, at least one axially outwardly facing end surface of the piston bearing against the load cell has a curved end surface area. A rocker pin with a pressure controllable variable length may be formed by making both axially outwardly facing end surfaces curved. Several load transmitters may be arranged in parallel to transmit larger loads into a load cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: HBM, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas W. Hansson, Randall K. Hopkins