Patent ID: 7521638

Claim:
A portable scale comprising in combination: a first side housing including a top panel to provide a foot support surface with a circumferential edge, and a lateral side extending at least partially around the edge to form a chamber under the top panel; a second side housing comprising a substantially mirror image of the first housing section; and a bridging section with a top side panel, said bridging section telescopically joined to at least one of the first and second side housings and slidable in a solely linear direction toward and away from the lateral side of at least said one side housing between a retracted position covering the entirety of the bridging section and an extended position exposing the top side panel of the bridging section with the first and second housings separated; said first housing and said second housing each including at least one supporting load cell projecting from the bottom panel; a load cell readout mechanism and processor housed in the bridging section readable from the top side panel of the bridging section when said first and second housings are in the extended position; at least one switch for enabling the readout mechanism upon telescopically extending at least said one side housing to the extended position to thereby expose the bridging section top side panel, said top panel of said one housing covering said top side panel of said bridging section at least in part when said bridging section is in the retracted position.