Patent Application
20080245580
There are a variety of scales that are used to measure the weight of a particular object or objects. In grocery stores, scales are used to measure produce at a checkout counter. Scales are also used in homes by persons to measure their body weight or the weight of household items. There are also relatively large scales for measuring larger objects, such as trucks. Most of these scales include some sort of platform or surface which supports the item, object or person being weighed. Typically, a sensor is coupled to the platform and senses the weight of the item, object or person on the platform. The sensor communicates the sensed weight as electrical signals to a display which visually shows the weight of the item, object or person, that is on the scale.
Most scales include a display that is integrally attached to the housing. These displays, however, can not be moved or turned to provide different viewing angles of the displays. Thus, a person must stand directly in front of the scales having these types of displays or relatively close to these scales to be able to adequately view the display on the scale. Some known scales have a display which is positioned on a tray that is slidably attached to the housing. The tray and display are moved and/or rotated with respect to the housing to provide different viewing angles of the display. The viewing angles, however, are limited by the range of motion of the tray which is still attached to the housing.
Other scales have a movable display which slides and/or pivots to allow the display to be viewed from different angles. Furthermore, some scales have removable displays which can be separated from the housing of the scale, while still maintaining communication with the scale by either an electrical cable or a cord, so that a user can move about and view the display from virtually any angle or position in relation to the scale.
The electrical cords on the removable displays, however, can become tangled or crimped, as the cord moves in and out of the housing when the display is attached and removed from the housing. For example, longer cords can cross over themselves as they move in and out of the housing so that the cord gets tangled, which makes it is difficult to move the cord in and out of the housing. The cord may also become crimped, severed or damaged, as the cord moves in and out of the housing due to the friction between the cord and the edges of the housing that are adjacent to the opening that the cord moves through. Such problems can make it difficult to use the display or cause the display to malfunction or not work at all.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved scale which has a housing and a removable display that is easily moved into and out of the housing and which can be secured to the housing.
The present invention is directed to a scale, and more specifically, to a food scale, which has a removable display that is attachable to the housing using at least one connector, such as a magnet, that is attracted to the housing.
One embodiment provides a scale including a housing having a weight sensor, where the weight sensor is adapted to determine a weight of an item placed on the weight sensor. The scale includes a display that communicates with the weight sensor and is removably attached to the housing. The display is adapted to display the weight of the item. The display includes at least one connector, where the connector is attached to the housing to secure the display to the housing.
In an embodiment, the housing includes a wireless signal generator and the display includes a wireless signal receiver, where the wireless signal generator generates a signal corresponding to the weight of the item and the wireless signal receiver receives the signal and displays the weight of the item.
In an embodiment, the scale includes a cord connected to the weight sensor and the display.
In an embodiment, the display includes an indicator which indicates when the weight of the item nears a designated weight.
In an embodiment, the display includes an indicator which indicates when the weight of the item exceeds a designated weight.
In an embodiment, the item is a food item.
In an embodiment, the connector includes at least one magnet that is attracted to the housing.
In an embodiment, the connector and the housing each include at least one magnet, where the magnet of the connector is attracted to the magnet of the housing.
Another embodiment provides a scale including a housing having a weight sensor adapted to determine a weight of an item placed on the weight sensor. The housing defines an internal compartment and includes at least one guide post and at least one guide wall in the internal compartment. The scale includes a display that is removably attached to the housing. The display is adapted to display the weight of the item and is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. A cord is connected to the housing and the display to communicate signals between the housing and the display. The guide post and the guide wall are configured to help guide the cord when the display is moved between the extended position and the retracted position and to prevent crimping of the cord. The cord is stored in the internal compartment when the display is in the retracted position.
In an embodiment, the display includes an indicator which indicates when the weight of the item nears a designated weight.
In an embodiment, the display includes an indicator which indicates when the weight of the item exceeds a designated weight.
In an embodiment, the item is a food item.
In an embodiment, the display includes at least one magnet that is attracted to the housing.
In an embodiment, the display and the housing each include at least one magnet, where the magnet of the display is attracted to the magnet of the housing.
A further embodiment provides a scale including a housing having a weight sensor. The weight sensor is adapted to determine a weight of an item placed on the weight sensor. The scale also includes a display that communicates with the weight sensor and is removably attached to the housing. The display is adapted to display the weight of the item and includes an indicator which indicates a relationship between the weight of the item and a designated weight.
In an embodiment, the housing includes a wireless signal generator and the display includes a wireless signal receiver, wherein the wireless signal generator generates a signal corresponding to the weight of the item and the wireless signal receiver receives the signal and displays the weight of the item.
In an embodiment, the indicator indicates when the weight of the item exceeds the designated weight.
In an embodiment, the item is a food item.
In an embodiment, the display includes at least one magnet that is attracted to the housing.
In an embodiment, the display and the housing each include at least one magnet, where the magnet of the display is attracted to the magnet of the housing.
It is therefore an advantage of the present invention to provide a scale which has a removable display that can be moved to several different viewing positions.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a scale which has a removable display that can be easily removed and re-attached to the housing.
A further advantage of the present invention is to provide a scale having a housing, a removable display and a cable connecting the housing and the display, where the housing configuration controls the movement of the cord in and out of the housing to help prevent the cord and the display from being damaged during use.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a scale having a housing and a removable display that includes at least one magnet where the magnet is attracted to the housing to help secure the display to the housing.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, elements, components, steps and processes.
The present invention is directed to a scale, and more specifically, to a food scale for measuring a weight of one or more different food items. The food scale includes a removable display that can be moved to a number of different viewing positions.
Referring now to
The housing 102 includes a weight sensor 106 connected to a base 108. The weight sensor 106 senses the weight of the food item or items placed on the scale by being vertically displaced due to the weight or weights of the items. Generally, the amount of vertical displacement of the sensor determines the weight read by the sensor. The displacement amount is converted to a signal such as an electrical signal which is communicated from the sensor to the display 104 as described below. In an embodiment, the weight sensor includes a platform (not shown) on which one or items are placed to be weighed. It should be appreciated that the weight sensor 106 may be any suitable weight sensor, weight sensing device or weight sensing assembly, including force or pressure-responsive or other non-movable devices. It should also be appreciated that the housing 102 may be any suitable size or shape.
In an embodiment, the weight sensor 106 sits on a base 108 which supports the weight sensor and other internal components of the food scale. As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the base 108 also includes a battery compartment 112, which stores one or more batteries to provide power to the food scale. The battery or batteries are positioned in and connected to the food scale in the battery compartment 112. A lid 113 is placed on the compartment 112 until tab 114 engages a corresponding slot (not shown) formed in the housing. The lid 113 covers the battery compartment 112 to prevent the battery or batteries from falling out of the housing or from being removed from the housing. To release the lid 113 from the battery compartment 112, a user presses or pulls on release tab 114 to release and remove the lid 113. It should be appreciated that one or more batteries may be used to provide power to the food scale 100.
The housing 102 defines an internal compartment 116 (see
The display 104 is connected to the housing 102 by attaching one end of an electrical cord or cable 122 to the display 104 and an opposing end of the cord or cable to the housing 102. Specifically, as shown in
Additionally, the tendency of the cord 122 is to straighten due to the natural stiffness of the cord (similar to a spring). Therefore, when the display 104 is moved toward the housing 102 to re-attach the display to the housing, the cord 122 uncoils from the guide post 120 and provides a controlled return of the cord to the housing, which prevents the cord from binding or jamming during the retraction of the cord. It should be appreciated that the cord or cable 122 may be any suitable cord or cable for enclosing electrical wires and other similar electrical connections.
In the illustrated embodiment, the display 104 is connected to the housing 102 via the cord or cable 122. When the display 104 is removed and pulled away from the housing 102 to an extended position, as shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 102 defines a front receptacle 130 (
It should be appreciated that any other suitable connectors may be used to secure and hold the display 104 on the housing 102. For example, one or more hook and loop fasteners may be used to secure the display to the housing. In another embodiment, a groove or grooves may be formed in the receptacle and on the housing 102. Corresponding protrusions or guide rails (not shown) can be molded or formed on the outer surfaces of the display so that the guide rails engage and slide along the grooves formed in the housing until the display 104 engages the housing 102.
In a further embodiment, the display 104 includes tabs (not shown) that engage slots (not shown) defined by the housing. The user then pushes or pulls on the tabs to release the tabs from the slots of the housing to be able to remove the display from the housing. It should be appreciated that any suitable connector or connectors may be used to secure and hold the display 104 on the housing 102.
In an embodiment, the display 104 includes a protruding grip 138 which enables the user to grab the display to pull it away from the housing. As shown in
As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the screen 134 is a light emitting diode (L.E.D.) screen. It should be appreciated that the screen 134 may be any suitable screen or screens which is able to display the weight measurements to a user. In the illustrated embodiment, the screen 134 includes a maximum or threshold weight indicator 140 which indicates a designated weight such as a designated maximum weight for the food scale. The maximum weight indicator 140 shows the maximum weight of the food scale, which in the example is eleven pounds. The maximum weight indicator 140 also displays or illuminates one or more horizontal lines or boxes to provide a different visual indicator as to the overall weight of the item or items on the food scale compared to the designated maximum weight of the scale. In an embodiment, the maximum weight indicator 140 indicates when the weight of the item nears a designated weight such as the designated maximum weight. In another embodiment, the maximum weight indicator indicates when the weight of the item exceeds a designated weight. It should be appreciated that the maximum weight indicator 140 may include any suitable comparison indicator or indicators which show the relationship between the present weight of the items on the food scale and a designated weight.
The display 104 also includes a plurality of buttons 136 that perform different functions. For example, button 136a toggles the displayed weight on the screen 134 between English units and metric units. It should be appreciated that any suitable type of unit or units may be displayed on the screen and the button 136a may toggle between one or a plurality of the different units. The button 136b is a back light button as indicated by the “light bulb” symbol shown on the button. The back light button 136b illuminates the screen 134 to make the numbers and/or other objects displayed on the screen more visible to a user. The button 136c is a “tare” button which initially counts the weight of a bowl or other container, paper or other item that is placed on the scale to hold one or more food items being weighed by the scale. The tare button 136c records the measurement of the container, paper or other item placed on the food scale 100 prior to placing the food item or items on the food scale. The weight of the container, paper or other item is then subtracted from the weight of the food item(s) plus the container or paper to provide the weight of the food items or items on the screen 134.
The button 136d is the power button and allows the food scale to be turned “on” and “off.” It should be appreciated that the food scale 100 may include one or a plurality of buttons to provide a variety of functions. It should also be appreciated that the symbol or object displayed on the buttons may be any suitable symbol or object, or any suitable object or objects.
It should be appreciated that the above embodiments of the food scale 100 may be made of any suitable material or combination of materials.
While the present invention is described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, and is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims. Modifications and variations in the present invention may be made without departing from the novel aspects of the invention as defined in the claims, and this application is limited only by the scope of the claims.
