Patent ID: 6481298
Filing Date: 2002-11-19
Classification: G01L

Abstract:
A vehicle force measuring system comprising:a. a first row of plates, said row comprising at least 10 linearly aligned plates, each of said plates having a surface area of at least one square foot and the spacing between said plates being less than one inch but sufficient for each plate to be deflected as a result of a vehicle passing over each plate, without touching an adjacent plate, said first row having a length of at least 10 feet; b. at least 30 vertically oriented links, each of said links comprising a top end connected to one of said plates such that there are at least three vertically oriented links connected to each plate and each of said links further comprising a bottom end attachable to a force bearing surface; c. at least two brackets mounted below each plate; d. at least 40 horizontally oriented links, each of said horizontally oriented links comprising a first end connected to one of said plates such that there are at least a first and second pair of horizontally oriented links connected to each plate, said first pair of horizontally oriented links being positioned substantially perpendicular to said second pair of horizontally oriented links for each plate, and each of said horizontally oriented links further comprises a second end attachable to a force bearing surface; e. a force measuring device mounted in each vertically oriented link and in each horizontally oriented link; f. a transducer coupled to receive a force measurement from each force measuring device, said transducer capable of converting said force measurement to an output signal indicative of measured force; and g. a computing device coupled to receive an output signal from said transducer indicative of measured force in each force measuring device.