Patent ID: 7265302

Claim:
A method for determining at least a weight of contents loaded into an article of luggage, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a weight measuring means operably engageable with a first predetermined portion of said article of luggage for measuring such at least weight of said contents loaded thereinto, said weight measuring means including at least one load cell which is stationary secured to said first predetermined portion internal to said article of luggage, a load receiving member positioned internal to said article of luggage, means engageable with said load receiving member and said first predetermined portion for maintaining said load receiving member in a spaced relationship from said at least one load cell when said article of luggage is empty and for enabling said load receiving member to move toward and contact said at least one load cell when contents are placed onto said load receiving member thus generating digital weight signals being representative of said at least weight of said contents and a control means having a signal processing means for receiving said digital weight signals and for generating corresponding weight annunciating signals therefrom; (b) providing means disposed in a second predetermined portion of such article of luggage for annunciating at least such weight of such contents loaded therein and measured by said weight measuring means; (c) placing such contents into such article of luggage; (d) using said weight measuring means to measure at least such weight of such contents loaded into such article of luggage in step (c); and (e) using said weight annunciating means to annunciate such weight of such contents measured in step (d).