Patent ID: 11879767
Assignee: nan
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  B | IPC B  G

Claim 0:
1. An intermodal freight container including a scale for measuring a weight of a mass inside of an intermodal freight container, comprising:
a first bottom side rail of the intermodal freight container and a second bottom side rail of the intermodal freight container, each of the first bottom side rail and the second bottom side rail having a longitudinal axis parallel to each other;
a first cross-member and a second cross-member, wherein the first cross-member and the second cross-member join the first bottom side rail and the second bottom side rail of the intermodal freight container;
a jointed member positioned longitudinally between the first cross-member and the second cross-member and laterally, relative the longitudinal axis, between the first bottom side rail and the second bottom side rail, the jointed member having:
a first elongate section having a first member end and a second member end, wherein the first member end is joined to first bottom side rail with a first hinge, wherein the first hinge has a fixed axis of rotation relative to and parallel with the longitudinal axis of the first bottom side rail;
a second elongate section having a first member end and a second member end, wherein the first member end is joined to second bottom side rail with a second hinge, wherein the second hinge has a fixed axis of rotation that is co-planar with the fixed axis of rotation of the first hinge and parallel with the longitudinal axes of the first bottom side rail and the second bottom side rail; and
a third hinge that connects the second member end of the first elongate section and the second member end of the second elongate section, wherein the third hinge has an axis of rotation that is parallel with the fixed axis of rotation of the first hinge and the fixed axis of rotation of the second hinge;
a load cell associated with the first bottom side rail;
a container floor positioned over the jointed member to allow force from a weight of a mass on the container floor having the jointed member in the first predetermined state to be transferred through the third hinge, the first hinge and the second hinge into a first lateral force, relative the force from the weight of the mass, through the first member end of the first elongate section into the first bottom side rail, wherein the load cell provides an electrical signal whose magnitude is representative of the first lateral force being imparted by the weight of the mass, where the first cross-member and the second cross-member help to hold the first bottom side rail and the second bottom side rail of the intermodal freight container in static equilibrium against the first lateral force being imparted by the weight of the mass; and
a controller having a microprocessor and memory, instructions stored in the memory and executable by the microprocessor, and a power source for the operation of the microprocessor and the load cell, wherein the microprocessor receives and stores in memory the electrical signal from the load cell indicating the weight of the mass inside of the intermodal freight container.