Abstract: A scale includes a scale pan for supporting goods to be weighed, and upper and lower bearing plates, wherein the scale pan is arranged above an upper bearing plate, and a weighing cell is arranged between the upper bearing plate and the lower bearing plate, wherein at least three feet are attached to the lower bearing plate, which are supported on a fixed area, wherein the lower bearing plate has a U-shaped cross-section, wherein, contiguous to respective stiffened areas of the U-shaped cross-section, there is a further region, which extends in parallel to a trough bottom, wherein the trough bottom is arranged between the two stiffened areas, and the trough bottom has a trapezoidal geometry.

Abstract: A peritoneal dialysis machine is provided having a machine housing and a weighing pan for receiving one or more solution bags. The weighing pan is connected to a weighing cell for weight measurement, wherein one or more torque limiting devices are provided which prevent the occurrence of a torque or of a torque exceeding a limit value in the weighing cell. The torque limiting device is configured such that with a torque acting on the weighing pan, it moves the weighing pan such that it comes into contact with the machine housing or with an element connected to the machine housing such that the torque is led off into the machine housing or into the element.

Abstract: A device with weighing capability (or “scale feature”) and also anvil capability (or “tapping feature”) allows accurate and precise filling of an espresso portafilter with coffee grounds for use in beverage preparation. Some versions switch between a protected mode for anvil use, and a weighing mode for accurate weighing of the portafilter and its grounds, by pivoting the entire load cell into and out of a protected location wherein tapping/shocks do not flex/strain the load cell free end. In other versions, one or more stop(s)/limit(s) are near the load cell free end or associated elements, and the free end/elements move during said tapping/shocks but only to the stop(s)/limit(s), corresponding to a safe amount of strain for the load cell. Also, this way, weighing the portafilter and its contents may continue between taps without switching to a separate protected mode.

Abstract: Nonlinear spring. In one embodiment, the spring includes two opposed curved surfaces curving away from one another. A flexible cantilever member is disposed between the two opposed curved surfaces and a mass is attached to a free end of the cantilever member wherein the flexible cantilever member wraps around one of the curved surfaces as the cantilever member deflects to form a nonlinear spring. Energy harvesting devices and a load cell are also disclosed.

Abstract: Nonlinear spring. In one embodiment, the spring includes two opposed curved surfaces curving away from one another. A flexible cantilever member is disposed between the two opposed curved surfaces and a mass is attached to a free end of the cantilever member wherein the flexible cantilever member wraps around one of the curved surfaces as the cantilever member deflects to form a nonlinear spring. Energy harvesting devices and a load cell are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for helping a user form a structured diagram from an unstructured information source. Starting with one or more key information elements such as some special words, the requests of a customer contained in the information source can be obtained by performing interactive and iterative searching in the unstructured information source such as text, audio, video and etc., the artifacts representing them are drawn in the diagram, and linkages are established between the artifacts and the corresponding contents in the information source. The present invention also proposes that the distribution of established linkages can be used to check whether all the requests in the information source have been extracted in the diagram. Further, various levels of warnings can be shown according to the density of linkage distribution. Therefore the user can draw a structured diagram more conveniently and quickly, and can perform checking and reusing more easily.

Abstract: A balance with a draft shield enclosing a weighing pan (33) has slidable walls (6, 7, 8) with slide handles (10, 110, 210) to open and close the weighing compartment (2). A connector body (22) serves to couple non-adjoining slidable walls (6, 7, 8) to each other. Besides for pushing the slidable walls open and closed, the slide handles (10, 110, 210) also serve to couple and uncouple the slidable walls, so that more than one wall can be moved simultaneously using only one hand, or a wall can be moved by pushing a handle on the opposite side. The slide handles are configured as pairs of handle elements that are attached either to adjoining walls or to a wall and an adjoining place on the connector body. In the coupled state, the pairs of handle elements are folded or swiveled into each other, working as a single handle, e.g., for two adjoining walls. In the uncoupled state, they move the walls individually.

Abstract: A weighing scale has a housing (1) that encloses a force transducer (4). A load-transmitting member (9) is connected to the force transducer (4) and passes through an opening to the outside of the housing to transmit the weighing load to the force transducer. An elastic device is interposed between a fixed part that is attached to the housing (1) and a movable part that is attached to the load-transmitting member (9). The elastic device is preferably hollow and controllably expandable and contractible by injecting and removing a fluid through a conduit system (31-43) with a selectively switchable valve device.

Abstract: A liquefied gas amount measuring device includes an electronic display, a retractable cylinder, a grip element, and a hooking lug. The retractable cylinder includes a cylinder body having a retractable rod fitted with a spring at an intermediate section thereof placed therein. One end of the retractable rod extends out of the cylinder body for suspension of the hooking lug to pull out the retractable rod so as to compress the spring in the cylinder body to generate a resilient force after release of pulling force. The other end of the retractable rod that extends out of the cylinder body has a conductive elastic plate bent therefrom at a suitable position. A detecting circuit board is erected in the cylinder corresponding to range of displacement of the elastic plate moved by the retractable rod when pulled. A plurality of detecting circuits on the circuit board are connected when pressed by the elastic plate.

Abstract: A weight filler 6 is provided which allows a bottle 16 to be conveyed while gripping its neck 16a. Load cell 58 is mounted around the outer periphery of a revolving body 54 in order to detect a vertical load. A horizontal rod or load applicator 64 projects radially outward from the load cell 58. A gripper 50 which grips the bottle 16 under the resilience of tension springs 82 is mounted on the free end 64a of the rod 64. As the bottle 16 is urged into the gripper 50 in a direction opposite from the direction in which, the rod 64 projects, the gripper 50 is once opened against the tension springs 82 and then closed to grip the neck 16a of the bottle 16. A filling nozzle 52 is disposed above the bottle 16 which is gripped by the gripper 50, and fills the bottle 16 with liquid. During the filling operation, the load cell 58 detects a load applied, thus allowing a filling of a given amount in accordance with the detection.

Abstract: A shock protection device for a force measuring apparatus, particularly a balance, which includes a material block with a stationary parallelogram side member, a deflectable parallelogram side member serving for receiving the force to be measured, two guide members which are bending-elastic in the plane of the parallelogram and which connect the two parallelogram side members, and at least one lever which is connected through a coupling member to the deflectable parallelogram side member. The shock protection device includes a safety bolt inserted into a bore extending at least partially through the force measuring apparatus, wherein the safety bolt is connected without play to one of the components forming the force measuring apparatus, while the safety bolt has radial play relative to the remaining components through which the bolt extends.

Abstract: A transportable livestock scale has a towable trailer bed with load cells mounted on the trailer bed in the four corners and a weighing cage having a platform arranged to rest on the load cells. The cage side members have gates for entry or exit of livestock, and loading ramps arranged to be transported on the trailer bed in a storage position when traveling. During weighing extendable support legs connected to the trailer bed partially support the trailer bed, and temporary spacer blocks are removed which support the weighing platform directly from the trailer bed and protect the load cells during travel.

Abstract: A load cell includes base and load receiving members connected together by a pair of parallel flexures to form a parallelogram configuration. One of the flexures has at least one strain gage secured thereon, along with a cantilevered stop member positioned between the base and load receiving members. The stop member is suspended between the ends of a pair of adjustable set screws threadably mounted in the base and load receiving members to provide for an overload and underload protection of the load cell. Additional adjustable set screws are strategically placed in the load cell to further provide for the selective adjustment and redistribution of stresses sensed by the strain gage whereby the same electrical signal will be produced independent of the location of a load along a longitudinal axis of the load cell or a second axis perpendicular thereto.

Abstract: A device for determining the specific weight of granular products by weighing a fixed volume in a tapered hopper that can be locked in place, filled, unlocked to be weighed, and tipped over to dispense the granular products.

Abstract: A scale for precise weighing measurements utilizing a strain gauge load cell includes a weighing platform which is cantilevered to one side of the load cell in order to permit a high profile load cell to be used while retaining a low platform height. An overload protection system causes the platform to bottom out against a fixed supporting base when a predetermined load is exceeded.

Abstract: An overload protection device for a top pan precision scale having a weighing pan support and a support plate carried by a load support mounted for limited movement and connected to an indicator, includes a spring engaged between the weighing pan support and the support plate whereby the weighing pan support is resiliently coupled to the load support, and a plurality of overlapping elements carried by the weighing pan support and extending beyond the outer peripheral edge of the support plate in close proximity thereto so that the weighing pan support and support plate are held in assembled relationship against the bias of the spring by the overlapping elements at the outer peripheral edge of the support plate, whereby upon eccentric loading of the scale, the pivot point of the weighing pan support is extended to the side of the weighing pan support opposite the load, and the lever translation thus effected results in a lower load on the load support than the highest available load.

Abstract: A single weighing pan of a top-loading balance is mounted on a vertically movable carrier spindle which transmits the weight of the pan and of a load thereon to an electromechanical transducer. Shock damage to the transducer is prevented by two superposed, star-shaped leaf springs connecting the pan to the spindle and jointly with the spindle, constituting a parallelogram linkage which prevents tilting of the pan under an eccentric load.

Abstract: An electronic scale is provided having a frame to which a load cell is secured. The scale further includes a weight receiving means, a first transmission linkage affixed to the cell and a second weight transmission linkage affixed to the weight receiving means. A preloaded coil spring extends between the linkages. The coil spring is preloaded by a force slightly less than the maximum force to which the load cell can safely be subjected so that when subjected to a force, no change in the overall length of the spring occurs until the preloaded force is exceeded. A stop member is affixed to one of the linkages to engage portions of the frame which extend in the path of movement of that linkage when the spring extends.

Abstract: Platform loads are applied to a single load cell through a load transfer frame. The load transfer frame is suspended for movement with the platform. An interconnection member under the influence of an overload spring normally holds the load transfer frame and the platform in a load transfer relationship. Loads in excess of a predetermined value cause the interconnection member to move out of load transfer relationship with the load transfer frame so that the platform can move against stops without damaging the load cell. The flexure plates with integral flexure rods are utilized to suspend both the load transfer frame and interconnection member.