61results about "Weighing apparatus using electrostatic balancing" patented technology

A capacitive sensing apparatus for a vehicle seat includes a deflectable dielectric mat and a flexible printed circuit that wraps around the major surfaces of the dielectric mat to define upper and lower conductor strips that overlap in a direction perpendicular to the dielectric mat. Overlapping regions of the conductor strips define an array of capacitive load cells distributed over the seating surface. A connector stub depending from the flexible printed circuit couples the conductor strips to an external circuit that measures the capacitance of the various load cells to determine occupant weight and weight distribution.

The present invention relates to a capsule-weighing device (1) comprising a capsule holder (2) for receiving at least one capsule lower part (4), preferably for medical preparations, a weighing unit (5) that can be positioned independently of the capsule holder (2) and that has at least one first electrode (8) for weighing the capsule lower part (4) in the capsule holder (2), a transport device (3) for moving the capsule holder (2), independently of the weighing unit (5), to different stations (S1-S12), and at least one second electrode (9), wherein an outer wall (7) of the at least one capsule lower part (4) is exposed in the capsule holder (2), or is only thinly enclosed by the capsule holder (2), such that, by means of an electric field between the first and second electrodes (8, 9), the capsule lower part (4) can be weighed without moving the capsule lower part (4) in the capsule holder (2).

The invention relates to a capacitive microsystem, which can be used to replace conventional strain gauges used currently. The microsystem has substantial advantages with regard to handling, overload stability and endurance. Capacitive microsystems of this type can be used to record deformations and to calculate forces, torque etc. They can be used in particular to determine the weight of vehicle seats, to provide for example deployment data for an airbag.

A capacitive load cell includes upper and lower capacitor plates and an intermediate array of dielectric pads formed of silicone-impregnated open-cell urethane foam (i.e., gel pads). The silicone essentially displaces air that would otherwise be trapped in the foam, contributing to a dielectric having minimal humidity-related variability. The upper capacitor plate is defined by an array of individual charge plates, the lower capacitor plate defines a ground plane conductor common to each of the charge plates, and the dielectric pads are disposed between the ground plane conductor and each of the charge plates, leaving channels between adjacent dielectric pads. When occupant weight is applied to the seat, the dielectric pads transmitting the weight distend laterally into the channels to reduce the separation between the respective upper and lower capacitor plates, and the consequent change in capacitance is detected as a measure of the applied force and the force distribution.

In a balance (10) for weighing blister packs (50) in the microgram weight range, its balance pan (12, 14) is designed in such a way that field forces (70) caused by an electric field act practically exclusively on the balance pan (12, 14), said field being generated by an electrically charged blister pack (50) lying on the balance pan.

A gap-change sensing through capacitive techniques is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first conductive surface and a second conductive surface substantially parallel to the first conductive surface, and a sensor to generate a measurement based on a change in a distance between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface. The change in the distance may be caused by a deflection of the first conductive surface with respect to the second conductive surface, and the deflection may be a compressive force and/or an expansive force. The sensor may apply an algorithm that converts a change in capacitance to at least one of a change in voltage and/or a change in frequency to generate the measurement. The change in the distance may be caused by a load applied to the surface above the first conductive surface with respect to the second conductive surface.

An apparatus for weighing liquid in a bottle (FL1, FL2, FL3), in particular a pharmaceutical bottle (FL1, FL2, FL3). The apparatus has at least one measuring cell (10), and a conveying device for feeding a number of bottles (FL1, FL2, FL3) through the measuring cell (10) along a path (P). The apparatus is characterized in that the measuring cell (10) has an actual measuring section (11) preceded and followed, respectively, by a first guard section (12) and a second guard section (13), which reduce the effect of adjacent bottles on the measurement.

The invention relates to a capacitive sensing isolation using reversed biased diodes. A capacitive sensor is provided. The capacitive sensor includes a sensor/heat pad for outputting a sensing signal, a first diode coupled to a first node of the sensor/heat pad, a second diode coupled to a second node of the sensor/heat pad, a first transistor coupled to the first diode and a second transistor coupled to the second diode. During a sensing mode, the first and second transistors are opened and a reverse-biased signal is applied to the first diode and the second diode so that the sensor/heat pad is isolated from the first and second transistors.

A pressure detecting sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first electrode layer including a plurality of signal electrodes arranged in a first region and a plurality of wiring electrodes arranged in a second region and connected to the plurality of signal electrodes, the first electrode layer being made of a conductive fiber; an elastic dielectric layer arranged in the first region; and a second electrode layer arranged in the elastic dielectric layer, the second electrode layer being made of a conductive fiber.

A load cell comprising an elastic body having a base, a flexible membrane that is adapted to yield upon application of a load to the membrane, a sensor for measuring the load applied to the membrane, at least one connector having a first end that is connected to the membrane and a second end that is connected to the sensor. The connector is configured to transmit a mechanical force that is applied to the membrane to the sensor. The connector can be attached to the membrane and/or the sensor by way of at least one pivotal connection.

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for electromechanical systems (EMS) device packages having integrated sensors. In one aspect, electrodes within a packaged EMS device can be used in conjunction with an electrode disposed on another substrate within the EMS device package to form one or more capacitive sensors. The capacitive sensor may be used to determine the relative deformation of substrates within the EMS device package, which can in turn be used as part of a pressure, touch, mass, or impact measuring system.

A cooking apparatus includes a cooking cavity to accommodate food to be cooked therein and a rotating unit to rotate while supporting the food. The rotating unit is installed within the cooking cavity to rotate by at least one roller which is in rolling contact with a bottom surface of the cooking cavity. A weight sensor is installed at a portion of the cooking cavity on a movement path of the roller to be temporarily pressurized by the roller when the rotating unit rotates. The weight sensor generates a load output signal according to a pressurized degree when the weight sensor is pressured by the roller, and generates a no-load output signal when the weight sensor is not pressurized by the roller. A control unit calculates a difference between the load output signal and the no-load output signal, and converts the difference to a weight of the food.

A measuring device for a capsule filler machine for pharmaceutical capsules comprising at least one block, provided with a plurality of seats, suitable to house a plurality of bottoms of capsules to be filled is provided. The block is provided with capacitive electronic devices, which are suited to detect parameters concerning the tare of each bottom, parameters concerning the quantities and the types of the products inserted into each bottom, and parameters concerning the filling/emptying of the seats, so as to control, in particular, the filling steps carried out to fill the capsule bottoms with the products.

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to detect and/or classify a vehicle occupant, such as a passenger seated within the cockpit of a vehicle. An occupant classification system includes anoccupant weight sensor, an occupant presence sensor, and a logic device configured to communicate with the occupant sensors. The occupant weight sensor includes at least first and second conductive electrodes separated by a dielectric layer, top and bottom protective plastic layers configured to support the respective first and second conductive electrodes, and adhesive layers disposed between the plastic layers and the conductive electrodes and between the conductive electrodes and the dielectric layer. The top protective plastic layer is longer and/or wider than the first conductive electrode and the bottom protective plastic layer is longer and/or wider than the second conductive electrode to provide edge protection against electrical shorts for the first and second conductive electrodes.

An electronic device for detecting the weight of a capsule for a pharmaceutical product is provided with: a plurality of detection electrodes, which face a respective one of a plurality of sectors into which the capsule is divided in a main extension direction thereof, each one of the detection electrodes forming a respective detection capacitor with a common plate defined by a capsule-holding element which holds the capsule; and an electronic circuit having a plurality of detection stages, each operatively coupled to a respective one of the detection electrodes so as to detect, in an independent and exclusive manner, a capacitive variation of the respective detection capacitor and to generate a respective output quantity, which is a function of the capacitive variation and indicative of the weight of the respective sector of the capsule.