Patent ID: 7750253

Claim:
A scale, comprising: a conveyor belt that carries a load, wherein the load has a weight; a discharge end pulley and a tail end pulley; a motor that drives the discharge end pulley to produce a motion in the conveyor belt so that the load is transported along the belt in a direction toward the discharge end pulley; a roller that is operably connected to the conveyor belt and rotates in response to a movement of the conveyor belt; a generator that is operably connected to the roller and outputs an electrical energy that corresponds to a rate of movement of the conveyor belt; a weightframe that supports the conveyor belt, the weightframe comprising: at least one load cell, wherein the at least one load cell receives the electrical energy from the generator and senses the weight of the load; and wherein the at least one load cell generates an electrical signal having an amplitude that corresponds to the weight of the load and the rate of movement of the conveyor belt, and an idler assembly, comprising: a roller assembly comprising: at least one roller, and at least one post that inserts into at least one aperture, a base comprising: the at least one aperture, two recessed cradles located at opposite sides of the base, wherein each cradle comprises at least one of the load cells, and a plate coupled to the roller assembly at a point where the roller assembly meets each recessed cradle such that the plate contacts the at least one load cell when the at least one post inserts into the at least one aperture, wherein the plate applies pressure on the at least one load cell as the load increases.