Shared Load-Plate Weight Sensing for Consumable Container Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of utility vehicles often lack accurate knowledge of consumable material quantities, leading to unexpected depletion and the need for frequent refills, which is inefficient and costly due to the impracticality of equipping each container with separate weight sensors.
Innovation Solution
A system with at least two weight sensors on the loading plate and a monitoring electronics unit to track consumable material quantities by analyzing sensor signals before and after removal, without requiring individual sensors per container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If each container is equipped with a separate weight sensor, then measurement precision of consumable material quantities is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple weight sensors into a single shared sensor system that serves all containers. The loading plate integrates weight sensing functionality across multiple containers, allowing one sensor system to monitor quantities in several containers simultaneously through signal processing that distinguishes between different container weight changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The weight sensor system is designed with multi-functionality to monitor consumable material quantities across multiple containers using the same sensor infrastructure. The system universally applies weight measurement capability to all containers through the loading plate, eliminating the need for dedicated sensors for each container while maintaining monitoring precision.
2Device complexity
If a single weight sensor system is used for multiple containers, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to distinguish individual container quantities
Solution Approach 1:
The loading plate is segmented into multiple zones corresponding to different containers, allowing the single weight sensor system to distinguish weight changes in each container through spatial segmentation. The system processes weight signals from different segments of the loading plate to identify which specific container experienced weight change, enabling individual container monitoring with a shared sensor infrastructure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces complexity and cost by minimizing the number of required sensors, enabling timely refills and improving accuracy through machine learning and human input, thus optimizing consumable material management.
Implementation Method 1
Weight sensors (8) are arranged spaced apart from one another on a lower side (7) of the loading plate (2)... it is ascertained from sensor signals of the weight sensors (8), generated before and after consumable material is taken from one of the containers (10), from which container the consumable material has been taken
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a system for monitoring consumable material quantities, having at least one loading plate having an upper side providing a loading surface, at least two weight sensors arranged spaced apart from one another on a lower side of the loading plate, and at least one monitoring electronics unit connected or connectable to the weight sensors. To make this monitoring more cost-effective and technically simpler, the system has at least two containers arranged adjacent to one another on the upper side of the loading plate for accommodating a quantity of a consumable material in each case, wherein the monitoring electronics unit is configured to ascertain from sensor signals of the weight sensors, generated before and after consumable material is taken from one of the containers, from which container the consumable material has been taken and/or which quantity of the consumable material has been removed.