Patent · US Expired

Capacitance type load sensor

US6556024B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
6References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 28, 2001
Grant dateApr 29, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 28, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01L1/142
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A capacitance type load sensor is provided with outer and inner tubes made of plastic and formed into a hollow circular cylinder shape and outer and inner electrodes respectively attached to the inner and outer peripheral faces of the outer and inner tubes. A coil spring is disposed within the interior space of the inner tube, and load-applied hooks of the coil spring are individually coupled to respective end walls of the outer and inner tubes. When a tensile load is applied to the hooks of the coil spring and hence the coil spring is elongated, a relative motion occurs between the outer and inner tubes so that the facing area between the outer and inner electrodes and accordingly the capacitance between these electrodes decrease. The load sensor measures the applied load based on an amount of change in the capacitance between before and after the application of the load.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.