Patent Description:
It is commonplace for commercial vehicles such as airplanes, ships, trucks and vans that carry various kinds of luggage to be loaded with goods such that the weight of the vehicle, when the goods and passengers are all on board, are above legally allowable levels.

Overloading of vehicle may be deliberate, for example, to reduce shipping costs by transporting a lot of packages at one time; or it may be unintentional, for example a courier collecting parcels over the course of a day.

However, overloading can cause a variety of issues. For example, the motor of an overloaded vehicle may not perform optimally. Alternatively, overloading may cause damage to the vehicle, or the vehicle components, making it liable to cause an accident. For example, damage to an axel or damage to or excessive wear to tyres can cause these components to fail. In addition, a weighty overloaded vehicle will have an increased braking distance and may cause overheating of a brake causing it to be less effective. In addition, excess wear and thus damage to road surfaces may be caused by vehicle over loading.

For vehicles such as airplanes or ships, overloading can cause the vehicle to lose efficiency or become unbalanced which can be dangerous, particularly in stormy or turbulent conditions.

Whilst the effects of overloading are clear, it can be difficult for vehicle operators or passengers to identify visually when a vehicle is overloaded. Thus, for road vehicles, vehicle load measurement is typically performed by driving the loaded vehicle onto a platform balance. However, platform balances are typically large, static pieces of equipment and, therefore, are not of use by road vehicle couriers over the course of their working day as any vehicle weight check would require a detour via a base depot for a weight measurement to be made.

For airplanes or ships, static weighing platforms weight each item being loaded and work on the basis of cumulative load being within tolerance levels if the maximum individual weights are not exceeded.

<CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> show embodiments of weight measuring systems useful for understanding the invention.

Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate one or more of the drawbacks of the existing prior art.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a weight measuring system for weighing a vehicle, as defined in appended claim <NUM>.

By having a sensor unit associated with a deformable fluid filled chamber, the sensor unit is able to determine output data which is changeable relative to the reception of at least one wheel of the vehicle, the processor is able to provide output data which is representative of the weight of at least a portion of the object.

The weighing mechanism may house the sensor unit. The weighing mechanism may house the processor. The sensor unit and processor may be integrated circuitry within the weighing mechanism. A user interface unit may receive data from the processor unit to output to a user. The user interface unit may communicate wirelessly with the processor unit. The user interface may be connected to the processor unit by cables.

The processor may be housed remotely from the weighing mechanism. The processor may be housed in a user interface unit. By providing a user interface unit, the system can provide a user an easy to use interface that provides output data relating to the weight of the object. The sensor unit may be operable to communicate with the processor by cabled connection. The sensor unit may be operable to communicate with the processor by wireless data transfer.

By providing a system having discreet weighing mechanisms and an associated user interface, the size of the system can be minimised thus creating a portable system which an object can be placed on such that weight related data based on sensed data can be quickly determined and provided to the processor.

The sensed criteria may be pressure. By measuring pressure, it will be possible to determine the pressure within the fluid filled chamber when no object is present and the pressure within the fluid filled chamber when the weighing mechanism receives a portion of an object The sensed criteria may be flow rate. By measuring the rate of flow from one area of the chamber to another area of the chamber upon receiving a portion of an object.

The chamber may be defined in a flexible pad. The flexible pad may be provided with a reinforced unit to house the sensor to protect from damage upon receiving a portion of an object. The flexible pad may be operable to deform upon receiving a portion of an object such that no other components are required to actuate a change in criteria within the fluid filled chamber.

The chamber may be defined in a solid housing provided with an actuator which, upon receiving an object, acts upon the chamber to change the measurable criteria.

Each weighing mechanism may provide data which the processor acts upon to provide an output indicative of the weight of the object. The processor may act upon the data to provide a local weight indication directly relevant to the portion of the object received.

The processor may, when more than one weighing mechanism is incorporated within the system, act upon and aggregate the data from each sensor unit to provide an overall weight indication for the object. By having local weight indication output from the processor, relative loading issues can be identified. By having an aggregated total weight data output, the overall weight of the object can be determined to aid in identifying overloading issues.

In an embodiment outside the scope of the present invention, the object may be a consignment for carriage or postage. By have a portable system which can be deployed to weight consignments for carriage, an on the spot determination of weight can be obtained and, if multiple packages are being collected, the weight data for each consignment can be aggregated to provide a cumulative figure of weight of consignments being uploaded.

The object is a vehicle. By providing a system having discreet weighing mechanisms and an associated user interface, the size of the system can be minimised thus creating a portable system which can be carried within a vehicle and used quickly and effectively by setting out the weighing mechanisms in an array which corresponds to a vehicle wheel array, having a vehicle driven onto them and quickly receiving weight related data based on sensed data provided to the processor.

The weighing system may comprise two weighing mechanisms. By providing two weighing mechanisms, vehicles having two or more wheels may be weighed by each weighing mechanism receiving one or more wheels.

The weighing system may comprise four weighing mechanisms. By providing four weighing mechanisms, the weighing mechanisms may be distributed to form an array such that each weighing mechanism corresponds with a wheel of a four wheel vehicle.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of determining whether a vehicle is loaded in an imbalanced manner, as defined in appended claim <NUM>.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:.

With reference to <FIG> there is shown a weighing mechanism <NUM> comprising a pad <NUM>, generally a pad formed of a flexible material such as rubber or similar. The pad <NUM> has an outer wall <NUM> with a lower surface 14a for placing the pad on a stable surface such as a floor or the ground and an upper surface 14b suitable for receiving at least one vehicle wheel <NUM>. Side surfacel4c has a sloped surface to enable easy movement of the wheel <NUM> onto the pad <NUM>. Within pad <NUM>, a chamber <NUM> is defined as a void which is filled with a fluid <NUM>. The fluid may be any suitable fluid, for example, but not limited to water, hydraulic fluid, oil, or similar. At a first end 18a of chamber <NUM>, there is disposed a sensor unit <NUM> which, in this case is provided with a pressure sensor. The sensor unit <NUM> is connected to a processor <NUM> which is protected by reinforced housing <NUM>. In this embodiment, the processor is then connected to a graphic user interface <NUM> which is visible through pad wall 14d.

In use, the pad <NUM> is disposed on a surface, an object <NUM>, in this case a vehicle, is driven such that a wheel is received on pad surface 14d. The weight of the vehicle, experienced through the application of weight from the vehicle through the vehicle wheel <NUM> caused the fluid <NUM> in the chamber <NUM> to become pressurised. The sensor unit <NUM> is able to determine the level of pressurisation of the fluid <NUM> and senses this change in criteria and provides the sensed data to processor <NUM>. The processor <NUM> acts upon the sensed data and is able to output data indicating the sensed weight of the vehicle applied through the wheel <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, there is shown another embodiment of a weighing mechanism <NUM> with like components indicated by the equivalent reference numerals in <FIG>. The weight measurements system <NUM> comprises a pad <NUM>, which in this embodiment comprises a flexible pipe loop <NUM> which defines a hollow chamber <NUM>. The chamber <NUM> is defined as a void which is filled with a fluid <NUM>. The fluid may be any suitable fluid, for example, but not limited to water, hydraulic fluid, oil, or similar. At a first end 18a of chamber <NUM>, there is disposed a sensor unit <NUM> which, in this case is provided with a pressure sensor. The sensor unit <NUM> is connected to a processor <NUM> which is protected by reinforced housing <NUM>. In this embodiment, the processor is then connected to a visible graphic user interface <NUM>.

In use, the pad <NUM> is disposed on a surface, an object <NUM>, in this case a vehicle, is driven such that a wheel is received onto the flexible pipe loop <NUM>. The weight of the vehicle, experienced through the application of weight from the vehicle through the vehicle wheel <NUM> caused the fluid <NUM> in the chamber <NUM> to become pressurised. The sensor unit <NUM> is able to determine the level of pressurisation of the fluid <NUM> and senses this change in criteria and provides the sensed data to processor <NUM>. The processor <NUM> acts upon the sensed data and is able to output data indicating the sensed weight of the vehicle applied through the wheel <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, weighing system <NUM> is provided with a first elongate weighing mechanism 10a and a second elongate weighing mechanism 10b. It will be appreciated that the weighing mechanisms 10a, 10b may be of the form detailed above with reference to the weighing mechanisms <NUM> of embodiments of <FIG> and/or <FIG> or any other suitable weighing mechanism. In this embodiment, the weighing mechanisms 10a and 10b, are connected to a user interface <NUM> by cabled connections <NUM>. The elongate weighing mechanisms are each able to simultaneously receive two wheels of a vehicle. In this embodiment, the processor <NUM> is housed in user interface <NUM> which is also provided with display <NUM>. As the processor <NUM> and display <NUM> are housed in user interface <NUM>, the pads 12a, 12b do not need to include a protective housing <NUM>. In view of this the elongate weighing mechanisms 10a, 10b are suitably flexible that they may be rolled up for ease of storage.

In use, as each elongate weighing mechanism can receive two wheels of a vehicle, data sensed from each pad is able to provide a local weight indication as well being aggregated to provide an overall weight indication. This can be useful in determining whether a vehicle is loaded in an imbalanced manner. For example, if the front wheels of a vehicle are loaded onto the pad 12a and the rear wheels of a vehicle are loaded onto the pad 12b, it can be determined if there is too much weight on the front axle relative to the rear axle, or vice versa as well as giving an indication if the overall weight exceeds legal limits. Similarly, if the right wheels of a vehicle are loaded onto the pad 12a and the left wheels of a vehicle are loaded onto the pad 12b, it can be determined if there is too much weight in the left of the vehicle to the right of the vehicle, or vice versa, as well as giving an indication if the overall weight exceeds legal limits.

With reference to <FIG>, weighing system <NUM> is provided with a first weighing mechanism 10a, a second weighing mechanism 10b, a third weighing mechanism 10c and a fourth weighing mechanism 10d. It will be appreciated that the weighing mechanisms 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d may be of the form detailed above with reference to the weighing mechanisms <NUM> of embodiments of <FIG> and/or <FIG> or any other suitable weighing mechanism. In this embodiment, the processors <NUM> of weighing mechanisms 10a, b, c and d, are connected to a user interface <NUM> wirelessly. The weighing mechanisms 10a, b, c, d are each able to receive a wheel of a vehicle. In this embodiment, a processor <NUM> and display <NUM> is housed in protective housing in each pad 12a, b, c, d. A user interface <NUM> which is also provided with display 28e and a processor 24e.

In use, as each weighing mechanism <NUM> can be disposed to form an array which corresponds to the layout of the wheels of a vehicle. Each weighing mechanisms can thus receive a wheel of a vehicle. Data sensed from each pad is able to provide a local weight indication which can be output at display on mechanism 10a, b,c,d respectively. In addition, this data can be provided to user interface <NUM> and displayed as a pad specific reading as well as being aggregated to provide an overall weight indication. This can be useful in determining whether a vehicle is loaded in an imbalanced manner. For example, if the front right wheel of a vehicle, received by the pad 12a is provided with too much weight relative to the other wheels, this can be identified as an indication of whether the overall weight of the vehicle exceeds legal limits.

With reference to <FIG>, there is shown a weight measuring system <NUM> for weighing objects, in this case luggage <NUM>, outside the scope of the present invention. The weight measuring system <NUM> comprises a weighing mechanism <NUM>. It will be appreciated that the weighing mechanisms <NUM>, <NUM> may be of the form detailed above with reference to the weighing mechanisms <NUM> of embodiments of <FIG> and/or <FIG> or any other suitable weighing mechanism. The luggage can be placed upon the weighing mechanism <NUM>.

In use, the weighing mechanism <NUM> is disposed on a surface, an object <NUM>, in this case a luggage, is received on the weighing mechanism <NUM>. The weight of the luggage, experienced through the application of force from the luggage <NUM> causes the fluid <NUM> in the chamber <NUM> to become pressurised. The sensor unit <NUM> is able to determine the level of pressurisation of the fluid <NUM> and senses this change in criteria and provides the sensed data to processor <NUM>. The processor <NUM> acts upon the sensed data and is able to output data indicating the sensed weight of the vehicle applied through the wheel <NUM>. This enables, for example, aircraft baggage handlers to receive and on-the-spot determination of the weight of the luggage <NUM> via hand held user interface <NUM>. Thus the baggage handler can determine whether the luggage is of a suitable weight. Furthermore, the processor <NUM> of the user interface may be operable to add the cumulative weight of successive pieces of luggage such that an overall weight determination of the luggage being loaded onboard can be obtained. This overall weight value can be used to ensure an aircraft is not overloaded.

Claim 1:
A weight measuring system (<NUM>,<NUM>) for weighing a vehicle, the weight measuring system comprising:
at least two weighing mechanisms (10a,10b,10c,10d), each weighing mechanism comprising a pad (12a,12b,12c,12d) having a deformable fluid filled chamber (<NUM>) and an outer wall (<NUM>) with a lower surface (14a) for placing the pad on a stable surface and an upper surface (14b) configured
to receive at least one wheel (<NUM>) of the vehicle;
a sensor unit (<NUM>) operable to determine at least one measurable criteria of the fluid filled chamber and provide output sensor data indicative of the measurable criteria;
a processor (<NUM>) operable to act upon the output sensor data and, when the vehicle is received by the system, operable to provide local weight data indicative of the sensed weight of the vehicle applied through the wheel; and
a user interface (<NUM>) provided with a display (<NUM>), the user interface receiving data from the processor for output to a user;
characterised in that:
each weighing mechanism includes a sensor unit; and
the local weight data is aggregated to provide an overall weight indication to determine whether the vehicle is loaded in an imbalanced manner.