CA1141983A - Longitudinal isolation system for flexually vibrating force transducers - Google Patents

Longitudinal isolation system for flexually vibrating force transducers

Info

Publication number
CA1141983A
CA1141983A CA000366780A CA366780A CA1141983A CA 1141983 A CA1141983 A CA 1141983A CA 000366780 A CA000366780 A CA 000366780A CA 366780 A CA366780 A CA 366780A CA 1141983 A CA1141983 A CA 1141983A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
members
isolation
longitudinal
mounting pads
base
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000366780A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jerome M. Paros
Donald W. Busse
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Avery Weigh Tronix Ltd
Original Assignee
Jerome M. Paros
Paroscientific, Inc.
Donald W. Busse
Weigh-Tronix Acquisition Corp.
Weigh-Tronix, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Jerome M. Paros, Paroscientific, Inc., Donald W. Busse, Weigh-Tronix Acquisition Corp., Weigh-Tronix, Inc. filed Critical Jerome M. Paros
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1141983A publication Critical patent/CA1141983A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01PMEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT
    • G01P15/00Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
    • G01P15/02Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic masses
    • G01P15/08Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic masses with conversion into electric or magnetic values
    • G01P15/097Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration by making use of inertia forces using solid seismic masses with conversion into electric or magnetic values by vibratory elements
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01LMEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
    • G01L1/00Measuring force or stress, in general
    • G01L1/10Measuring force or stress, in general by measuring variations of frequency of stressed vibrating elements, e.g. of stressed strings
    • G01L1/106Constructional details
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01LMEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
    • G01L1/00Measuring force or stress, in general
    • G01L1/16Measuring force or stress, in general using properties of piezoelectric devices
    • G01L1/162Measuring force or stress, in general using properties of piezoelectric devices using piezoelectric resonators
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01LMEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
    • G01L9/00Measuring steady of quasi-steady pressure of fluid or fluent solid material by electric or magnetic pressure-sensitive elements; Transmitting or indicating the displacement of mechanical pressure-sensitive elements, used to measure the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or fluent solid material, by electric or magnetic means
    • G01L9/0001Transmitting or indicating the displacement of elastically deformable gauges by electric, electro-mechanical, magnetic or electro-magnetic means
    • G01L9/0008Transmitting or indicating the displacement of elastically deformable gauges by electric, electro-mechanical, magnetic or electro-magnetic means using vibrations
    • G01L9/0013Transmitting or indicating the displacement of elastically deformable gauges by electric, electro-mechanical, magnetic or electro-magnetic means using vibrations of a string
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01LMEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE
    • G01L9/00Measuring steady of quasi-steady pressure of fluid or fluent solid material by electric or magnetic pressure-sensitive elements; Transmitting or indicating the displacement of mechanical pressure-sensitive elements, used to measure the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or fluent solid material, by electric or magnetic means
    • G01L9/0001Transmitting or indicating the displacement of elastically deformable gauges by electric, electro-mechanical, magnetic or electro-magnetic means
    • G01L9/0008Transmitting or indicating the displacement of elastically deformable gauges by electric, electro-mechanical, magnetic or electro-magnetic means using vibrations
    • G01L9/0022Transmitting or indicating the displacement of elastically deformable gauges by electric, electro-mechanical, magnetic or electro-magnetic means using vibrations of a piezoelectric element

Abstract

TITLE

LONGITUDINAL ISOLATION SYSTEM FOR FLEXUALLY
VIBRATING FORCE TRANSDUCERS

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A system for isolating the mounting pads of a vi-brating beam or tuning fork force transducers from longitudin-al vibrations generated by transverse vibrations of the beam or tuning fork tines which extend between the mounting pads.
The system includes an arrangement of longitudinally resilient support links and masses that flex responsive to change in the length of the beam or tines as the beam or tines vibrate trans-versely. The support links and masses thus isolate the mount-ing pads from the longitudinal vibrations of the beam or tun-ing fork tines while allowing transmission of forces applied between the mounting pads which vary the force dependent reson-ant frequency of the beam or tuning fork.

Description

BACKGRO~ND OF THE INVENTION
Fleld of the Invention This invention relates to vibrating beam or tuning fork force transducers andr more particularly, to a system for isolating the mounting pads for the beam or tuning fork from longitudinal vibrations of the beam or tuning fork induced by transverse vibrations of the beam or tuning fork.
Description of the Prior Art Conventional flexurally vibrating force transducers are highly accurate and completely satisfactory in many appli-cations. However, optimum performance from these transducers is limited by the coupling of energy from the vibratory ele-ment - either a beam or the tines of a tuning fork - to the mounting pads which support the element. This energy loss lowers the "Q" (quality factor which is proportional to the ratio of the energy stored to the en~ergy lost each cycle)-of the device so that the frequency of vibration of the vibratory element does not precisely respond to changes in the axial force applied to the vibratory element. In the extreme, this energy loss can be so large as to effectively preclude vibra-tion at certain frequencies resulting in marked discontinui-ties of frequency with axial force applied to the transducer element.
An elongated vibratory element couples energy to the mounting pads in two distinctly different modes. First, trans-verse movement of the element produces rotational moments about a rotational axis extending through the mounting pad per-pendicularly to the plane of beam vibration. This problem has been largely solved by the technique disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,470,400 issued to Weisbord. As the vibratory element moves transversely, however, it also imparts forces to the ~, mounting pads toward and away from each other since the effec-tive length of the vibratory element varies.
While isolating the mounting pads from one type of vibratory transmission has greatly improved the performance of conventional digital force transducers, the energy coupled to the mounting pads through the other type of vibratory trans-mission can still result in significant performance degradation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENT O
The primary object of the invention is to prov.ide a flexurally vibrating force transducer having an extremely high quality factor and which is thus highly accurate and low in power consumption.
It is another object of the invention to provide a vibrating force transducer which does not resonate at fre~uen-cies other than the resonant frequency of the vibrating beam or tuning fork which is utilized to .measure force.
It is another object of thle invention to improve the quality .Eactor of conventional vibrating beam force transducers without modifying the basic structure of such transducers.
It is still another object of the invention to pro-vide a vibrating force transducer which does not have perfor~
mance degradation due to reduced quality factor caused by en-ergy loss through lengthwise vibration of the vibrating element.
These and other objects of the invention are accomp-lished by placing an isolating element between the mounting pads which support the vibrating beam or tuning fork and the beam or tuning -Eork itself. The isolation element is rela-tively stiff in the transverse direction in the plane of vi-bration so that it provides ade~uate support for the beam or tuning fork. However, it is relatively compliant in the long-itudinal direction so that as the length of the beam or tuning fork tines varies during each cycle of vibration, the isola-tion element fle~es to attenuate the longitudinal force which would otherwise be applied to the mounting pads. The isola-tion elements are, however, effective in transmitting the longitudinal force applied to the mounting pads toward and away from each other to the vibrating beam or tuning fork tines to vary the resonant frequency of the beam or tines as the longitudinal force varies. In one embodiment of the in-vention, a conventional vibrating beam Eorce transducer in-cludes a beam extending between a pair of base members, each of which carry a pair of isolation masses which are trans-versely spaced on opposite sides of the beam. The base mem-bers are connected to the mounting pads through respectiveresilient support members. The isolation masses in combina-tion with the support members have a resonant frequency which is significantly lower than the resonant frequency of the beam so that they isolate the mounting pads from transverse vibra-tions of the beam. The mounting pads are isolated rom long-itudinal vibration of the beam by placing isolating elements either between the mounting pads and support elements or be-tween the support elements and base members, or both, while retaining the overall structure of the conventional force transducer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWING
Fig. 1 is an isometric view illustrating a conven-tional vibrating force transducer employing a conventional structure for isolating the mounting pads from transverse vi-brations of the beam~

Fig. 2 is a schematic illustrating the manner inwhich the length of the beam varies as the beam vibrates transversely.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the force transducer of Fig. 1 employing one embodiment of the inventive longitudinal isolation system.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the force transducer of Fig. 1 employing another embodiment of the longitudinal iso-lation system.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the force transducer of Fig. 1 employing another embodiment of the longitudinal iso-lation system.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the force transducer employ-ing a combination of the longitudinal isolators shown in Figs.

3 and 5.
Fig. 7 is a plan view of a force transducer employ-ing the inventive longitudinal isolation system and an elec-trode configuration for driving the b~am.
Fig. 8 is an isometric view of a tuning fork force transducer employing the inventive longitudinal isolation system.
DRTAIhED DESCRIPTION OF THE _REFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A conventional vibrating beam force transducer is illustrated in Fig. 1. This transducer, including its mode of operation, is described in the aforementioned U.S. Patent to Weisbord. Briefly, the beam 50 extends between a pair of base members 52, each of which carry a pair of isolation masses 54 positioned on opposite sides of the beam 50. The base members 52 are connected to respective mounting pads 56 through pairs of parallel, spaced apart flexible support members 58. The support members 58 are compliant in the transverse (Y) direc-'` ~ ' ''' '~

tion in which the beam 50 vibrates as indicated by the arrowsthereby allowing the beam 50 and masses 5~ to move in the transverse direction. The isolation masses 54 in combination with the respective flexible members 58 form an isolation net-work having a resonant frequency which is lower than that ofthe beam 50 so that they effectively isolate the mounting pads 56 from the lateral vibration of the beam 50. Without this vibration isolation, the forces and moments of the vibrating beam 50 would be transmitting directly to the mounting pads 56 where the energy would be dissipated through flexing of the pads 56 and the structure (not shown) on which they are mounted.
The above described technique for isolating the mounting pads 56 from lateral vibration of the beam 50 does not, however, provide isolation for the longitudinal oscilla-tion of the beam 50 (oscillation in the X direction illustrat-ed in Fig. 1). As illustrated in Flg. 2, when the beam 12 is in its fully extended position (posi.tion A), its ends 12b, c are somewhat farther apart Erom each other that when the beam 2Q 12 flexes as illustrated in position B. Similarly, the dis--tance between the ends 12b, c are substantially closer to each other when the beam flexes to the right (position C) than it is in the straight position (position A). Since the distance between the ends 12b, c of the beam shorten twice for each flexing cycle, the frequency of the longitudinal vibrations is twice that of the transverse vibrations. It is extremely un-desirable for either the lateral vibrations or the longitud-inal vibrations to be transmitted to the mounting pads 56 since this causes energy to be transmitted from the beam to the mounting pads 56. The quality factor of a vibrating beam (the "Q") is proportional to the ratio of the quantity of en-ergy stored during each cycle to the quantity of energy lost s 3~

during each cycle. ~ low "Q" reduces the accuracy with which the vibrating beam is able to measure longitudinal forces ap-plied to the mounting pads 56. A low "Q" vibrating crystal connected in an oscillator circuit may allow the circuit to oscillate at a frequency other than the resonant frequency of the crystal, particularly when a longitudinally resonant mode can be excited by the longitudinal contractions occurring at twice the transverse frequency. As described above with re-spect to Fig. 2, a substantial quantity of energy may be transmitted from the beam 50 to the mounting pads 56, each cycle thereby seriously degrading the "Q" of the transducer.
Additionally, the transducer may have spurious resonances both in the vibrating beam 50 and in the structure supporting the mounting pads 56 which can possibly produce erroneous indications.
The "Q" of the transducer illustrated in Fig. 1, and hence the performance of the transducer, can be greatly improv-ed by the inventive transducer structure illustrated in its most basic form in Fig. 3. The structural elements of the transducer of Fig. 3 which are identical to the structural elements for the transducer of Fig. l have been given identi-cal reference numerals since the transducers of Fig. 3 func-tions in the same manner as the transducer of Fig. 1. The transducer of Fig. 3, however, further includes respective pairs of isolation members 58, 60, ex-tending between the re-silient beam 50 and the mounting pads 56. The isolation mem-bers 60 are relatively stiff in the lateral direction so that they provide adequate support for the beam 50, isolation masses 54 and isolation members 58. However, the isolation elements 60 are relatively compliant in the longitudinal dir-ection so that the members 60 flex toward and away from each 3~3 other as the distance between the ends of the beam 50 varies in order to isolate the mounting pads 56 from the longitudinal vibration of the beam 50.
While the longitudinal isolation members 60 are ef-fective in isolating the mounting pads 56 from the relativelyhigh frequency vibrations of the beam 50, they nevertheless are entirely capable of transmitting forces applied between the mounting pads 56 to the beam 50 so that the beam 50 has a resonant frequency which is a known function of the force be-tween the mounting pads 56 towards and away from each other.
An alternative structure for isolating the mountingpads 56 from longitudinal vibration of the beam 50 is illus-trated in Fig. 4. In this embodiment, longitudinal isolation members 62 extend between the base member 52 and the lateral support members 58 instead of between the lateral isolation members 58 and mounting pads 56. The structure illustrated in Fig. 4 operates in substantially the same manner as the trans-ducer to Fig. 3.
Another alternative structure for isolating the mounting pads 56 from longitudinal vibration of the beam 50 is illustrated in Fig. 5. In this embodiment, longitudinal iso-lation members 63 extend between the beam 50 and the base mem-ber 52 providing effective isolation of the longitudinal vi-bration of the beam 50 from the mounting pads 56.
A combination of the longitudinal vibration isolat-ion elements is illustrated in Fig. 6. The lengthwise vibra-tion of the beam 50 is isolated from the base members 52 by isolation elements 63~ The base members 52 are connected to respective mounting pads 56 through pairs of parallel spaced apart, flexible support members 58. The support members 58, in turn, are connected to the mounting pads 56 through the :`
longituclinal isolation elements 60. Both longitudinal isola-tion elements 63 and 60 are relatively stiff in the lateral direction so that they provide support for the beam 50, iso-lation masses 54, and lateral support members 58. However, the longitudinal isolation elements 60 and 63 are relatively compliant in the longitudinal direction so that the lengthwise vibration of the beam 50 is effectively isolated from the mounting pads 56.
The beam 50 may be formed of a variety of resilient materials so long as it can be made to vibrate in the lateral direction when driven by an externally generated vibrating force. However, the beam 50 is preferably formed of a piezo-electric crystal, in which case it may be driven by conven-tional electrical means.
An electrode configuration for driving the beam 50 is illustrated in Fig. 7 with components that are identical to the components in Fig. 3, identically numbered. Electrodes pairs 32, 34, 36, and 38 are mountecl on opposite sides of the beam 50 at spaced apart locations along its length. The elec-trodes are diagonally connected to e!ach other. In other words, the electrode 32 is connected to electrode 38 through crossover conductor 40 and to a connector pad 28 through con-ductors 42. Similarly, the electrode 34 is connected to elec-trode 36 through crossover conductor 44 and to connector pad 30 through conductor 46. When an alternating current electric signal is applied to the terminal pads, 28, 30, the beam 50 alternately flexes or vibrates in a lateral direction Y as in-dicated by the arrows.
The inventive longitudinal isolation system may also be applied to tuning fork force transducers as illustrated in Fig. 8. In a tuning fork force transducer 64 a pair of -tuning .
.. ~ .

~orlc tines 65 project Erom tuning fork stems 66. The tines 65 may be Eormed of a piezoelectric material, in which case they can be vibrated by conventional electrical means. The tines 65 vibrate 180 out of phase laterally toward and away from each other. The stem 66 is supported by a pair of longitudin-al isolation members 80 which are secured to mounting pads 76.
The isolation elements 80 flex toward and away from each other as the tines 65 vibrate. The longitudinal isolation elements 80 are effective in isolating the relatively high frequency vibrations of the tines 65, while being capable of transmitt-ing forces applied between mounting pads 76.

Claims (18)

CLAIMS:
1. In a vibrating beam force transducer having an elongated, resilient beam, drive means for causing said beam to vibrate at a resonant frequency which is a function of the longitudinal force applied to said beam, a pair of mounting pads and mounting means for connecting the ends of said beam to respective mounting pads such that forces applied to said mounting pads toward and away from each other apply longitu-dinal forces to said beam to vary the resonant frequency of said beam, the improvement comprising longitudinal isolation means associated with at least one of said mounting means, said longitudinal isolation means being a support member posi-tioned between at least one end of said beam and its respec-tive mounting pad, said support member being relatively compliant in the longitudinal direction and relatively stiff in the lateral direction, thereby facilitating movement of the ends of said beam toward and away from each other responsive to vibration of said beam by isolating said mounting pads from longitudinal movement of the ends of said beam while allowing forces applied between said mounting pads to be transmitted to said beam.
2. The vibrating force transducer of claim 1 wherein said support members include a pair of resilient, elongated support legs projecting laterally in opposite direc-tions from each end of said beam in the plane of beam vibra-tion, with the free ends of said support legs being connected to said mounting pads.
3. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 1 wherein said beam extends between a pair of base members, each of which carries a pair of isolation masses on opposite sides of said beam, with said base members being connected to re-spective mounting pads through a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending, resilient lateral isolation members which resonate with said isolation masses at a frequency sub-stantially lower than the resonant frequency of said beam, thereby isolating said mounting pads from lateral vibration of said beam, said longitudinal isolation means being positioned between said base members and respective mounting pads to facilitate movement of said base members toward and away from said mounting pads as said beam flexes.
4. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 3 wherein said longitudinal isolation means comprise elongated support members positioned between said lateral isolation members and respective mounting pads, said support members being relatively compliant in the longitudinal direction and relatively stiff in the lateral direction in the plane of vibration of said beam.
5. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 3 wherein said support members include a flexible, elongated, longitudinal isolation member projecting laterally from each of said lateral isolation members toward each other in the plane of beam vibration, with the free ends of said lateral isolation members being connected to respective mounting pads.
6. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 3 wherein said longitudinal isolation means comprise support members positioned between said lateral isolation members and respective base members, said support members being relatively compliant in the longitudinal direction and relatively stiff in the lateral direction in the plane of vibration of said beam.
7. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 6 wherein said support members include a resilient, elongated, longitudinal support member projecting laterally from each of said lateral isolation members toward each other in the plane of beam vibration, with the free ends of said longitudinal support members being connected to respective base members.
8. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 1 wherein said beam extends between a pair of base members, each of which carries a pair of isolation masses on opposite sides of said beam, with said base members being connected to re-spective mounting pads through a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending, resilient lateral isolation members whih resonate with said isolation masses at a frequency substantially lower than the resonant frequency of said beam, thereby isolating said mounting pads from lateral vibration of said beam, said longitudinal isolation means being positioned between said beam and said base members and also between said base portion and respective mounting pads to facilitate move-ment of the ends of said beam toward and away from each other and the movement of said base members toward and away from respective mounting pads as said beam flexes.
9. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 8 wherein said longitudinal isolation means comprise elongated support members positioned between said beam and each of said base members, and also between said lateral isolation members and respective mounting pads, said support members being rela-tively compliant in the longitudinal direction and relatively stiff in the lateral direction in the plane of vibration of said beam.
10. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 8 wherein said support members include a flexible, elongated, longitudinal isolation member projecting laterally from each of said beam ends toward said base members in the plane of beam vibration and also laterally from each of said lateral isolation members toward each other in the plane of beam vi-bration, with the free ends of said lateral isolation members being connected to respective mounting pads.
11. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 8 wherein said longitudinal isolation means comprise support members positioned between said beam and said base members, and also between said lateral isolation members and respective base members, said support members being relatively compliant in the longitudinal direction and relatively stiff in the lateral direction in the plane of vibration of said beam.
12. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 11 wherein said support members include resilient, elongated, longitudinal support members projecting laterally from said beam ends toward said base members in the plane of beam vibra-tion and also laterally from each of said lateral isolation members toward each other in the plane of beam vibration, with the free ends of said longitudinal support members being connected to respective base members.
13. A vibrating beam force transducer, comprising:
first and second mounting pads adapted to receive a force therebetween biasing said pads toward or away from each other;
first and second spaced-apart base members;
a resilient, elongated base extending between said base members;
first and second pairs of isolation masses carried by said first and second base members, respectively, at opposite sides of said beam;
drive means for causing said beam to vibrate toward and away from each of said isolation masses at the resonant frequency of said beam responsive to an alternating frequency input signal generated by an oscillator circuit means;
a first pair of spaced-apart, parallel, resilient lateral isolation members extending between said first mounting pad and said first base member, resonating with the isolation massed carried by said first base member at a fre-quency substantially lower than the resonant frequency of said beam, thereby isolating said beam from said first mounting pad; and longitudinal isolation mens positioned between at least one of said base members and its mounting pad for allow-ing said base members to vibrate toward and away from each other as said beam flexes, said longitudinal isolation means including a support member positioned between said lateral isolation member and its respective mounting pad, said support member being relatively compliant in the longitudinal direc-tion and relatively stiff in the lateral direction in the plane of vibration of said beam.
14. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 13 wherein said support members include a resilient, elongated, longitudinal isolation member projecting laterally from each of said resilient lateral isolation members toward each other in the plane of beam vibration, with the free ends of said longitudinal isolation members being connected to respective mounting pads.
15. A vibrating beam force transducer, comprising:
first and second mounting pads adapted to receive a force therebetween biasing said pads toward or away from each other;
first and second spaced-apart base members;
a resilient, elongated beam extending between said base members;
first and second pairs of isolation masses carried by said first and second base members, respectively, at opposite sides of said beam;
drive means for causing said beam to vibrate toward and away from each of said isolation masses at the resonant frequency of said beam responsive to an alternating frequency input signal generated by an oscillator circuit means;
a first pair of spaced-apart, parallel, resilient lateral isolation members extending between said first mount-ing pad and said first base member, resonating with the isola-tion masses carried by said first base member at a frequency substantially lower than the resonant frequency of said beam, thereby isolating said beam from said first mounting pads;
a second pair of spaced-apart, parallel, resilient lateral isolation members extending between said second mount-ing pad and said second base member, resonating with the iso-lation masses carried by said second base member at a fre-quency substantially lower than the resonant frequency of said beam, thereby isolating said beam from said second mounting pad;
longitudinal isolation means positioned between at least one of said beam ends and an adjacent base member for allowing said beam ends to vibrate toward and away from each other as said beam flexes, said longitudinal isolation means including a support member positioned between said beam end and said base member, said support member being relatively compliant in the longitudinal direction and relatively stiff in the lateral direction in the plane of vibration of said beam; and longitudinal isolation means positioned between at least one of said base members and an adjacent mounting pad for allowing said base members to vibrate toward and away from each other as said beam flexes, said longitudinal isolation means including a support member positioned between said base member and said mounting pad, said support member being rela-tively compliant in the longitudinal direction and relatively stiff in the lateral direction in the plane of vibration of said beam.
16. The vibrating beam force transducer of claim 15 wherein said support members include a resilient, elongated, longitudinal isolation member projecting laterally from each of said beam ends toward said base member in the plane of beam vibration, and also laterally from each of said resilient links toward each other in the plane of beam vibration, with the free ends of said longitudinal isolation members being connected to respective mounting pads.
17. In a tuning fork force transducer including a tuning fork having a pair of flexible tuning fork tines pro-jecting between tuning fork stems, drive means for causing said tines to vibrate at a resonant frequency which is a func-tion of the longitudinal force applied to said tines, a first mounting pad to which said first stem is secured, a second mounting pad to which said second stem is attached such that forces applied to said mounting pads toward and away from each other apply longitudinal forces to the tines of said tuning fork to vary the resonant frequency of said tuning fork, the improvement comprising longitudinal isolation means for allow-ing movement of the free ends of said tuning fork toward and away from said mounting pads responsive to vibration of said tuning fork, said longitudinal isolation means including a support member positioned between a portion of said tuning fork and one of said mounting pads, said support members being relatively compliant in the longitudinal direction and rela-tively stiff in the lateral direction in the plane of vibra-tion of said tines, thereby isolating said mounting pads from longitudinal movement of the free ends of said tines with respect to said stem while allowing forces applied between said mounting pads to be transmitted to said tines.
18. The tuning fork force transducer of claim 17 wherein said support members include a pair of resilient, longitudinal isolation members projecting laterally from one of said mounting pads in opposite directions in the plane of vibration of said tines, with the free ends of said isolation members being secured to a portion of said tuning fork.
CA000366780A 1979-12-17 1980-12-15 Longitudinal isolation system for flexually vibrating force transducers Expired CA1141983A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/103,918 US4321500A (en) 1979-12-17 1979-12-17 Longitudinal isolation system for flexurally vibrating force transducers
US103,918 1979-12-17

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1141983A true CA1141983A (en) 1983-03-01

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
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Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US4321500A (en)
EP (1) EP0030741B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS56132534A (en)
AT (1) ATE9738T1 (en)
CA (1) CA1141983A (en)
DE (1) DE3069388D1 (en)

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US4321500A (en) 1982-03-23
EP0030741A2 (en) 1981-06-24
ATE9738T1 (en) 1984-10-15
EP0030741B1 (en) 1984-10-03
EP0030741A3 (en) 1981-07-15
DE3069388D1 (en) 1984-11-08

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