Patent Publication Number: US-2017370764-A1

Title: Vehicle Load Metering Device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a vehicle load metering device, and more particularly to a vehicle load metering device that may be assembled on a flexible supporting device of a vehicle suspension system to meter the load of the vehicle instantly and automatically without manual measurement, may record the measurement results in a traffic recorder by a signal transmission manner, or may store the measurement data in a data center via a communication network so as to carry out the logistics management. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In order to avoid overloading heavy loads of conventional vehicles to generate doubt on security, a portable scale is deposited on the conventional vehicle by manual means to monitor the load of the conventional vehicle. However, the load of the conventional vehicle only can be metered under a quiescent state, and cannot be carried out the load condition of the vehicle immediately in a process of moving. In addition, the portable scale is needed to be disassembled from the vehicle after metering the load of the vehicle, and this is inconvenient in use. 
     To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a vehicle load metering device to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the present invention is to provide a vehicle load metering device, and more particularly to a vehicle load metering device that may be assembled on a flexible supporting device of a vehicle suspension system to meter the load of the vehicle instantly and automatically without manual measurement, may record the measurement results in a traffic recorder by a signal transmission manner, or may store the measurement data in a data center via a communication network so as to carry out the logistics management. 
     The vehicle load metering device has a displacement sensing module, a signal processing/transmission module, and a signal receiving/processing module. The displacement sensing module has multiple displacement sensors respectively mounted on flexible supporting devices of a vehicle suspension system. Each displacement sensor is connected to two supporting boards of the corresponding flexible supporting device to meter amount of displacement between the two supporting boards. The signal processing/transmission module transmits the signals that are detected by the displacement sensors to the signal receiving/processing module. The present invention provides a vehicle load metering device that may assemble on the vehicle conveniently and detect the load of the vehicle accurately. 
     Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an operational side view of a vehicle load metering device in accordance with the present invention, assembled on a flexible supporting device of a vehicle suspension system; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view in partial section of a first embodiment of a vehicle load metering device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view in partial section of a second embodiment of a vehicle load metering device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view in partial section of a third embodiment of a vehicle load metering device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view in partial section of a fourth embodiment of a vehicle load metering device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view in partial section of a fifth embodiment of a vehicle load metering device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view in partial section of a sixth embodiment of a vehicle load metering device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a circuit configuration diagram of the vehicle load metering device in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of a first changing type of the vehicle load metering device in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 10  is a side view in partial section of a second changing type of the vehicle load metering device in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a vehicle load metering device in accordance with the present invention is assembled on each one of the flexible supporting devices  40  of a vehicle suspension system between two supporting boards  41 ,  42 , and has a displacement sensing module  10 , a signal processing/transmission module  20 , and a signal receiving/processing module  30 . 
     The displacement sensing module  10  has multiple displacement sensors  11  respectively mounted on the flexible supporting devices  40  of the vehicle suspension system. That is, the number of the displacement sensors  11  of the displacement sensing module  10  is same as the number of the flexible supporting devices  40  of the vehicle suspension system. Each one of the displacement sensors  11  is connected to the two supporting boards  41 ,  42  of a corresponding flexible supporting device  40  to detect a displacement amount of the upper and lower ends of the two supporting boards  41 ,  42 . For example, a distance between the two supporting boards  41 ,  42  may be defined between 200 and 350 millimeters. Each one of the displacement sensors  11  has a fixing element  12 , a moving element  13 , and a detecting module  14 . The fixing element  12  is connected to a lower one of the supporting boards  41 ,  42  (hereinafter referred to as the lower supporting board  41 ) of the corresponding flexible supporting device  40 . The moving element  13  is connected to an upper one of the supporting boards  41 ,  42  (hereinafter referred to as the upper supporting board  42 ) of the corresponding flexible supporting device  40 , and is movably connected to the fixing element  12 . The detecting module  14  is deposited between the fixing element  12  and the moving element  13  to detect a displacement amount of the moving element  13  relative to the fixing element  12 . Preferred embodiments of the displacement sensors  11  of the present invention will be described as follow. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , a first embodiment of a displacement sensor  11  in the present invention is a pressure displacement sensor, the fixing element  12 A is a hollow tube with an upper opening, and the moving element  13 A is a hollow pipe with a lower opening and is mounted around the fixing element  12 A. The detecting module  14 A has a pressure transmitter  141 A, an oil storage box  142 A, and a connecting hose  143 A. The pressure transmitter  141 A is securely mounted in the fixing element  12 A. The oil storage box  142 A is securely mounted in the moving element  13 A and stores oil. The connecting hose  143 A is connected to the pressure transmitter  141 A and the oil storage box  142 A. 
     In use, when the upper supporting board  42  of the flexible supporting device  40  is moved downwardly relative to the lower supporting board  41  by the load of the vehicle, the moving element  13 A is moved with the upper supporting board  42 , and this enables the oil storage box  142 A is moved with the moving element  13 A relative to the pressure transmitter  141 A. Then, the pressure transmitter  141 A generates a signal of pressure change of the potential energy according to the position of the oil storage box  142 A, and the amount of movement of the moving element  13 A relative to the fixing element  12 A can be converted by the signal of pressure change of the potential energy. The amount of movement is also the amount of displacement of the upper supporting board  42  relative to the lower supporting board  41 , and the load of the vehicle can be calculated by the amount of displacement. For example, when the load of the vehicle is increased to reduce the height of the oil storage box  142 A, and the signal of pressure change of the potential energy that is generated by the pressure transmitter  141 A is smaller. On the contrary, when the load of the vehicle is reduced to increase the height of the oil storage box  142 A, and the signal of pressure change of the potential energy that is generated by the pressure transmitter  141 A is larger. 
     With reference to  FIG. 9 , a first changing type of the first embodiment of the displacement sensor  11  in accordance with the present invention, the displacement sensor  11  does not have the fixing element  12 A and the moving element  13 A, the oil storage box  142 A is directly and securely mounted on the upper supporting board  42 , the pressure transmitter  141 A is directly and securely mounted on the lower supporting board  41 , and the connecting hose  143 A is connected to the oil storage box  142 A and the pressure transmitter  141 A, and this also an provide a detecting effect as the above-mentioned effect of the first embodiment of the displacement sensor  11  in  FIG. 2 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , a second changing type of the first embodiment of the displacement sensor  11  in accordance with the present invention, the displacement sensor  11  has at least one transitional frame  121 , the oil storage box  142 A and/or the pressure transmitter  141 A are connected to the upper supporting board  42  and/or the lower supporting board  41  via the at least one transitional frame  121 , and this enables the oil storage box  142 A and the pressure transmitter  141 A have the variability of the installation position without limiting by the positions of the upper supporting board  42  and the lower supporting board  41 . Then, the oil pressure box  142 A is moved with the upper supporting board  42  via the transitional frame  121 , and is moved with the moving element  13 A relative to the pressure transmitter  141 A. 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , a second embodiment of a displacement sensor  11  in the present invention, the fixing element  12 B is a hollow tube with an upper opening, the moving element  13 B is a hollow pipe with a lower opening, and the detecting module  14 B has a pressure transmitter  141 B, a ripple tube  142 B, a connecting hose  143 B, and a pressing head  144 B. The pressure transmitter  141 B is securely mounted in the fixing element  12 B. The ripple tube  142 B is deposited on the pressure transmitter  141 B and is mounted in the fixing element  12 B. The connecting hose  143 B is mounted in the fixing element  12 B and is connected to the pressure transmitter  141 B. The detecting module  14 B has oil deposited between the ripple tube  142 B and the connecting hose  143 B. The connecting hose  143 B has an end opposite to the pressure transmitter  141 B and a valve  145 B deposited on the end of the connecting hose  143 B. The pressing head  144 B is securely mounted in the moving element  13 B toward the moving element  12 B and abuts against the ripple tube  142 B. 
     When the upper supporting board  42  of the flexible supporting device  40  is moved downwardly toward the lower supporting board  41  by the load of the vehicle, the moving element  13 B is moved with the upper supporting board  42 . Then, the pressing head  144 B presses against the ripple tube  142 B to deform the ripple tube  142 B. As the ripple tube  142 B is deformed by the pressing head  144 B, the oil that is deposited between the ripple tube  142 B and the connecting hose  143 B is moved to change the liquid level of the oil in the connecting hose  143 B, and the pressure transmitter  141 B may convert the amount of movement of the moving element  13 B relative to the fixing element  12 B to calculate the amount of displacement of the upper supporting board  42  relative to the lower supporting board  41 . Then, the load of the vehicle can be calculated by the amount of displacement. Furthermore, when the moving element  13 B directly abuts the ripple tube  142 B, the pressing head  144 B can be omitting unused. 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , a third embodiment of a displacement sensor  11  in the present invention is an ultrasonic displacement sensor, the fixing element  12 C is a hollow tube with an upper opening, the moving element  13 C is a hollow pipe with a lower opening, and the detecting module  14 C has an ultrasonic transducer  141 C and a reflection mirror  142 C. The ultrasonic transducer  141 C is securely mounted in the fixing element  12 C, and the reflection mirror  142 C is securely mounted in the moving element  13 C and faces the ultrasonic transducer  141 C. When the upper supporting board  42  of the flexible supporting device  40  is moved downwardly toward the lower supporting board  41  by the load of the vehicle, the moving element  13 C is moved with the upper supporting board  42 , and this enables the reflection mirror  142 C to move with the moving element  13 C relative to the ultrasonic transducer  141 C. The amount of movement of the moving element  13 C relative to the fixing element  12 C can be converted by the ultrasonic transducer  1410  receiving the reflected ultrasound of the reflection mirror  142 C. Then, the load of the vehicle can be calculated by the amount of displacement of the upper supporting board  42  relative to the lower supporting board  41 . In the third embodiment, the ultrasonic transducer  141 C can be replaced with a light output form displacement sensor to convert the amount of displacement by detecting the change of the light path. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , a fourth embodiment of a displacement sensor  11  in the present invention is a magnetostrictive displacement sensor, the fixing element  12 D is a longitudinal waveguide tube and has a sensitive component deposited in the waveguide tube, and the sensitive component is made of magnetostrictive material. The moving element  13 D is a hollow magnetic ring and is mounted around the fixing element  12 D. The detecting module  14 D has a magnetostrictive sensor securely mounted on a bottom end of the fixing element  12 D. Using the magnetostrictive principle, a strain pulse signal is generated by two different magnetic fields to provide a detecting effect. The magnetostrictive sensor may generate a current pulse, and the current pulse may transmit in the waveguide tube to generate a circumferential magnetic field outside the waveguide tube. 
     When the upper supporting board  42  of the flexible supporting device  40  is moved downwardly toward the lower supporting board  41  by the load of the vehicle, the magnetic ring is moved with the upper supporting board  42 , and a strain mechanical wave pulse signal is generated in the waveguide tube by the magnetostrictive principle. The strain mechanical wave pulse signal is transmitted with a fixed sound speed and is detected by the magnetostrictive sensor. Since the transmission time of the strain mechanical wave pulse signal in the waveguide tube is proportional to the distance between the magnetic ring and the magnetostrictive sensor, so that the amount of movement of the moving element  13 D relative to the fixing element  12 D can be accurately measured by measuring a transmission time. Then, the load of the vehicle can be calculated by the amount of displacement of the upper supporting board  42  relative to the lower supporting board  41 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , a fifth embodiment of a displacement sensor  11  in the present invention is a differential induction coil displacement sensor, the fixing element  12 E is a hollow tube with an upper opening, preferably, the fixing element  12 E has two anti-collision components  121 E made of rubber materials and respectively deposited on a top and a bottom of the fixing element  12 E. The moving element  13 E is a movable induction bar and extends in the fixing element  12 E. The movable induction bar has a top end connected to the upper supporting board  42 . The detecting module  14 E has a mounting tube  141 E and multiple induction coils  142 E. The mounting tube  141 E is mounted around the movable induction bar, and the induction coils  142 E are deposited annularly on an exterior of the mounting tube  141 E. Furthermore, the detecting module  14 E has three induction coils  142 E mounted on the mounting tube  141 E from the upper supporting board  42  to the lower supporting board  41  sequentially. The middle induction coil  142 E is used to generate an incentive effect to enable the upper and lower induction coils  142 E to generate induced oscillations. 
     In use, when the upper supporting board  42  of the flexible supporting device  40  is moved downwardly toward the lower supporting board  41  by the load of the vehicle, the moving element  13 E is moved with the upper supporting board  42 , and the movable induction bar is moved relative to the induction coils  142 E that are deposited on the mounting tube  141 E. The amount of movement of the moving element  13 E relative to the fixing element  12 E can be converted by a difference of coil induction between the upper induction coil  142 E and the lower induction coil  142 E. Then, the load of the vehicle can be calculated by the amount of displacement of the upper supporting board  42  relative to the lower supporting board  41 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 7 , a sixth embodiment of a displacement sensor  11  in the present invention is a capacitive displacement sensor, the fixing element  12 F is a hollow tube with an upper opening, the moving element  13 F is an induction bar and extends in the fixing element  12 F. The induction bar has a top end connected to the upper supporting board  42 , an insulating film coated on an exterior of the induction bar, and at least one capacitor ground pole mounted through the induction bar. The detecting module  14 F has an upper mounting tube  141 F, a lower mounting tube  145 F, and a dielectric  142 F. The upper mounting tube  141 F and the lower mounting tube  145 F are mounted on the exterior of the induction bar beside the insulating film. The dielectric  142 F is deposited between the upper mounting tube  141 F, the lower mounting tube  145 F, and the induction bar to form two capacitances  143 F,  144 F between the upper mounting tube  141 F, the induction bar, and the lower mounting tube  145 F. 
     In use, the upper supporting board  42  of the flexible supporting device  40  is moved downwardly toward the lower supporting board  41  by the load of the vehicle, the moving element  13 F is moved with the upper supporting board  42 , and the induction bar is moved relative to the upper mounting tube  141 F and the lower mounting tube  145 F. The dielectric  142 F is flowed between the two capacitances  143 F,  144 F via a through hole of the moving element  13 F, and this may change the capacitance values of the two capacitances  143 F,  144 F. The amount of movement of the moving element  13 F relative to the fixing element  12 F can be converted by the change of the capacitance values of the two capacitances  143 F,  144 F. Then, the load of the vehicle can be calculated by the amount of the displacement of the upper supporting board  42  relative to the lower supporting board  41 . 
     An equivalent circuit diagram for detecting the difference of capacitance values of the two capacitances  143 F,  144 F is shown in  FIG. 8 , the capacitance  143 F is connected to the capacitance  144 F in series to detect the difference of capacitance values, inductances, and resistance change between the two capacitances  143 F,  144 F to calculate the above-mentioned amount of displacement. In the present invention, the circuit uses two resistors to form a half bridge, and the other half bridge is the capacitance; the following changes in inductance can also use this bridge, which half bridge for the resistance, the other half bridge is the inductor, can offset many changes in environmental factors caused changes, reduce the sensing error. 
     The preferred embodiments are only the forms of the displacement sensors enumerated in the present invention, and therefore do not limit the other types. Each one of the displacement sensors  11  may be a laser displacement sensor, a Hall type displacement sensor, a photoelectric displacement sensor, a magnetic displacement sensor or a vortex displacement sensor, etc. That is, a displacement sensor capable of measuring the amount of displacement between the two supporting boards  41 ,  42  of each one of the flexible supporting devices  40 , should be the technical features disclosed in the present invention. 
     The signal processing/transmission module  20  is connected to the displacement sensing module  10  to process and transmit signals that are detected by the displacement sensors  11  of the displacement sensing module  10 . In addition, the signal processing/transmission module  20  may be formed with the displacement sensing module  10  as a single piece. The signal processing/transmission module  20  has multiple signal processor/transmitters respectively connected to the displacement sensors  11  of the displacement sensing module  10 . Furthermore, each one of the signal processor/transmitters may be wired signal transmission or wireless signal transmission, such as Bluetooth, infrared or wireless network signals, etc. 
     The signal receiving/processing module  30  is connected to the signal processing/transmission module  20  to receive, process, and aggregate signals that are transmitted from the signal processing/transmission module  20  by a wired or a wireless (blue-tooth) way. Furthermore, the signal receiving/processing module  30  may be a car instrument, an instrument box, a global positioning system (GPS), a telephone, a mobile device, or a computer that is deposited on the vehicle. The car instrument has a display, operating buttons, and sms capability, and may transmit the detecting information to a data center. After receiving the related signals, the signal receiving/processing module  30  may be calculate and provide a warning to the users or the drivers. 
     According to the above-mentioned structural relationships and features, the vehicle load metering device in accordance with the present invention, in use, each one of the displacement sensors  11  of the displacement sensing module  10  is assembled between the two supporting boards  41 ,  42  of each one of the flexible supporting devices  40  of a vehicle, and a amount of displacement between the two supporting boards  41 ,  42  can be detected by the displacement sensor  11  to calculate the load of the vehicle. Then, the detecting signals are transmitted to the signal processing/transmission module  20  and are received and processed by the signal receiving/processing module  30  to enable the drivers, the maintenance center or the logistics management material center to obtain the load of the vehicle clearly and accurately. 
     Additionally, the vehicle load metering device does not need to disassemble after metering the load of the vehicle, and this is convenient in use rather than the conventional track scale. Furthermore, since the vehicle load metering device does not need to disassemble after metering, so the user may obtain the load of the vehicle immediately and at any time. Consequently, the driver may immediately monitor the conditions of the vehicle, such as when the vehicle is running if the items fall, the driver can receive the notification signal, and can immediately respond to reduce the loss or harm. 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.