Patent ID: 8714032

Claim:
A force measurement apparatus configured to study reaction forces in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction between a first test object and a second test object, said force measurement apparatus comprising: a rigid top plate onto which said first test object is configured to be mounted or fixated; a rigid middle plate; a rigid base plate configured to be positioned on a rigid surface; a sliding member with a translational degree of freedom mechanically connecting said middle plate to one of said tip plate and said base plate, said sliding member is configured to allow said middle plate and said one of said top plate and said base plate to move relative to one another in a direction of said translational degree of freedom of said sliding member; a first load cell connected to said middle plate and to said one of said top plate and said base plate in such a way that a relative motion between said middle plate and said one of said top plate and said base plate in said translational degree of freedom of said sliding member is prevented, said first load cell is configured to register horizontal forces acting on said first test object when said second test object is brought to physically interact with said first test object, said horizontal forces are oriented in said direction of said translational degree of freedom of said sliding member, said first load cell is configured to output a first output signal representative of said horizontal forces; and a second load cell connected to said middle plate and the other of said top plate and said base plate, said second load cell is configured to register vertical forces in a vertical direction on said first test object when said second test object is brought to physically interact with said first test object, said second load cell is configured to output a second output signal representative of said vertical forces.