US 11,808,618 B2
Monolithic weighing block
Jan Gottfriedsen, Waldfischbach-Burgalben (DE); Thorsten Asal, Kaiserslautern (DE); Tobias Stellwagen, Kaiserslautern (DE); and Jan-David Klingelhöfer, Kaiserslautern (DE)
Assigned to Wipotec GmbH, Kaiserslautern (DE)
Filed by Wipotec GmbH, Kaiserslautern (DE)
Filed on May 15, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/875,235.
Claims priority of application No. 102019113001.8 (DE), filed on May 16, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0408590 A1, Dec. 31, 2020
Int. Cl. G01G 21/24 (2006.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); G01G 7/02 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01)
CPC G01G 21/24 (2013.01) [B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); G01G 7/02 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A weighing block which extends in a longitudinal direction, in a transverse direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and in a vertical direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and transverse direction, the weighing block comprising:
(a) a fixed base extending in the longitudinal direction from a first block end to a second block end;
(b) a first control arm and a second control arm, the first control arm extending in the longitudinal direction from a first control arm first end region to a first control arm second end region and being connected to the fixed base via a first control arm supporting pivot, the second control arm extending in the longitudinal direction from a second control arm first end region to a second control arm second end region and being connected to the fixed base via a second control arm supporting pivot;
(c) a load receiver connected to the first control arm via a first control arm pivot and connected to the second control arm via a second control arm pivot, the load receiver for receiving a weight force introduced along the vertical direction so as to be guided by the first control arm and second control arm relative to the fixed base in a direction parallel to the vertical direction;
(d) wherein the fixed base, the first control arm, the first control arm supporting pivot, the first control arm pivot, the second control arm, the second control arm supporting pivot, the second control arm pivot, and the load receiver are built up layer by layer by one or more additive manufacturing techniques;
(e) wherein each of the fixed base, the load receiver, a lever connected between the fixed base and the load receiver, a coupling element associated with the lever, the first control arm, the second control arm, a load pivot associated with the lever, and each other pivot of the weighing block represents a respective component of the weighing block;
(f) wherein in a section transverse to the longitudinal direction, each component of the weighing block forms a respective cross section that defines a respective envelope of the section, each of at least two of the envelopes of the section encompassing several separate partial areas of the respective component; and
(g) wherein the at least two of the envelopes of the section at least partially overlap and at least one partial area of one of the at least two of the envelopes of the section lies inside the envelope of the other one of the at least two of the envelopes of the section.