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Legal Notice PUBLIC NOTICE
Multiple Patents have been filed at the US PTO and the EU PCT/EPO for the
Palmscale.
This
page serves as notice that the Palmscale. is protected by patents that have been
filed and /or granted in both the USPTO and EU PCT/EPO.
Copies of the relevant portion of some of the patents are posted below and serve as
Public Notice. There are additional patents that are not posted below.
Legal Notice: Any attempt to violate or copy our patented designs or technology will result in immediate prosecution as in the Seikin case. We work hard to develop our products, and we protect our proprietary technology and inventions with patents and other legal protections. For legal questions or licensing inquiries please contact our legal department. Advised by Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP US Filings by Beusse Brownlee Bowdoin & Wolter, P.A. Palmscale 6.0 Rechargeable Pocket scale Patent dwngsPalmscale
DESCRIPTION
DRAWING PAGE #2 [0002] The lid structure essentially comprises a generally rectangular flat plate portion having an upper edge which curves rearwardly so as to extend into a tubular portion which is adapted to form a hinge construction for articulated connection of the lid structure with the trunnion-like projections on the housing flanges. [0003] The tubular portion is provided with cylindrical blind bores which extend coaxially towards each other from the opposite ends of the tubular portion, and are separated by means of a wall forming the bottoms of the blind bores. One of the cylindrical blind bores includes at its bottom a pair of parallel spaced upstanding ribs defining a linear spacing there between. [0004] The opposite edge of the flat plate portion of the lid structure includes a narrow upstanding flange having an elongated aperture formed therein towards one end thereof, which aperture is adapted to be engaged by the latch element of a switch device. [0005] Insertable into the blind bore which contains at its bottom the projecting ribs forming the spacing therebetween, is a helical coil spring, which is preferably constituted of a spring steel, with both ends of the spring, having the end portions thereof extending transversely across the center of the diameter of the spring so as to form straight and essentially rigid rod-like elements. [0006] A damping drum, which is of a hollow cylindrical construction having a recess cut in at one open end thereof, and spaced protrusions defining spaces therebetween at the opposite closed end is adapted to be inserted into the blind bore so as to, in conjunction with the helical coil spring form the lid mechanism for effectuating the pivoting movement of the lid structure relative to the housing. The assembly of the components of the lid mechanism into the blind bore so as to effectively facilitate the controlled damped pivoting of the lid structure comprises inserting the helical coil spring into the blind bore having the spaced ribs therein, such that the leading end portion of the spring which extends across the diameter thereof is clampingly engaged in the spacing between the two ribs at the bottom of the blind bore, which will prevent rotation of that end of the spring relative to the bore and resultingly the lid structure. [0007] The other end of the spring which, similarly, possesses a transverse end piece extending across the diameter thereof, is clampingly engaged in the space between the protrusions at the closed end of the damping drum, which is of a length so as to axially compress the spring when fully inserted into the blind bore. Thus, the spring and the damping drum have their interconnected ends secured against relative rotation. [0008] The lid structure containing the spring and damping drum in the bore and the external cylindrical surface of the damping drum, wherein the surface of the bore in that region may be roughened, serrated or ridged so as to prevent outward leakage of the damping grease, is positioned between the trunnion projections on the flange elements of the housing. This causes the slot or recess formed in the open end of the damping drum to engage over the rib formed in the trunnion which is adjacent thereto. This will prevent relative rotation between the drum within bore relative to the lid structure. [0009] The closing of the lid structure causes the elongated aperture in flange to be engaged by a projecting ledge or tab of a slideable switch element of the switch in the form of a plate member having a projection extending through a slot in the front housing portion, and which is adapted to be finger-actuated in opposition to the biasing latching force of a spring, which is retained in the housing. Thus, upon pulling the switch element, the tab disengages from the aperture and releases the lid structure. [0010] Inasmuch as the helical coil spring in the bore has been previously torsionally pre-stressed, the release of the switch element by pressing the latter downwardly against the force of the biasing spring element in the housing, imparts a torsional or rotational unwinding force to the coil spring, so as to forcibly cause the lid structure to pivot or rotate rearwardly into position. [0011] The rate of movement or speed in the rearward pivoting of the lid structure upon the release thereof is controlled by means of the damping drum and the damping grease arranged thereabout in contact with the inner surface of the blind bore which, in essence, forms a damping cylinder. This structure will slow down and counteract any tendency for rapid pivoting movement of the lid structure, which could conceivably cause the scale to bounce and possibly damage the delicate internal components or electronics thereof. As indicated, the damping grease may be a highly viscous oil or grease, or any similar suitable damping material which will not readily leak from the open end of the blind bore forming the damping cylinder. [0012] In order to close the scale, it is merely necessary to position the cover plate portion over the scale weigh platform by manually pivoting the lid structure forwardly about the hinge-forming trunnion elements or projections until such time as the tab of the switch element engages into the aperture of the cover and retains the lid structure in its latched and closed position, releasing the cover portion and enabling the lid mechanism to implement the previously described damped and controlled pivoting motion into the position in which the cover plate forms a stand for the scale. [0013] The scale further comprises a weighing tray, where the weighing tray comprises an upper surface and a lower surface, and wherein, the lower surface comprises a flange element, which is sized to fit about the weighing platform. The upper surface is shaped such that the outer edge of the upper surface is positioned above the scale housing, such that an object having a greater surface area that the weighing platform can be weighed. [0014] All patents, patent applications and publications referred to or cited herein, or from which a claim for benefit of priority has been made, are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent they are not inconsistent with the explicit teachings of this specification, including: U.S. Patent No. 4,041,289 to Brosh et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,085,384 to Bivens, and U.S. Patent No. 6,178,085 to Leung. [0016] The lid structure 14 as illustrated in detail in the drawing Figures 6(a) Ð 6(e) essentially comprises a generally rectangular flat plate portion 36 having an upper edge which curves rearwardly so as to extend into a tubular portion 38, which is adapted to form a hinge construction for articulated connection of the lid structure 14 with the trunnion-like projections 28, 30 on the housing flanges 24, 26. [0017] The tubular portion 38 is provided with cylindrical blind bores 40, 42 which extend coaxially towards each other from the opposite ends 44,46 of the tubular portion, and are separated by means of a wall 48 forming the bottoms of the blind bores 40, 42. [0018] One of the cylindrical blind bores 40 includes at its bottom a pair of parallel spaced upstanding ribs 50 defining a linear spacing 52 therebetween, the function of which is described more specifically hereinbelow. [0019] The opposite edge 54 of the flat plate portion 36 of the lid structure 14 includes a narrow upstanding flange 54 having an elongated aperture 56 formed therein towards one end thereof, which aperture is adapted to be engaged by the latch element 58 of a switch device 60, as described hereinbelow. [0020] Insertable into the blind bore 40 which contains at its bottom the projecting ribs 50 forming the spacing 52 therebetween, is a helical coil spring 62, which is preferably constituted of a spring steel, and which is represented in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), with both ends of the spring 62, having the end portions 64 thereof extending transversely across the center of the diameter of the spring so as to form straight and essentially rigid rod-like elements. [0021] As shown in specific detail in Figures 8(a) - 8(c), a damping drum 70, which is of a hollow cylindrical construction having a recess 72 cut in at one open end 74 thereof, and spaced protrusions 76 defining spaces 78 therebetween at the opposite closed end 80, is adapted to be inserted into the blind bore 40 so as to, in conjunction with the helical coil spring 62 form the lid mechanism 16 for effectuating the pivoting movement of the lid structure 14 relative to the housing 12. The assembly of the components of the lid mechanism 16 into the blind bore 40 so as to effectively facilitate the controlled damped pivoting of the lid structure comprises inserting the helical coil spring 62 into the blind bore 40 having the spaced ribs 50 therein, such that the leading end portion 64 of the spring, which extends across the diameter thereof, is clampingly engaged in the spacing 52 between the two ribs 50 at the bottom of the blind bore 40, which will prevent rotation of that end of the spring 62 relative to the bore 40 and resultingly the lid structure 14. [0022] The other end of the spring 62 which, similarly, possesses a transverse end piece extending across the diameter thereof, is clampingly engaged in the space 78 between the protrusions 76 at the closed end 80 of the damping drum 70, which is of a length so as to axially compress the spring 62 when fully inserted into the blind bore 40. Thus, the spring 62 and the damping drum 70 have their interconnected ends secured against relative rotation. [0023] The lid structure 14 containing the spring 62 and damping drum 70 in the bore 40 and the external cylindrical surface of the damping drum 70, wherein the surface of the bore 40 in that region may be roughened, serrated or ridged so as to prevent outward leakage of the damping grease 84, is positioned between the trunnion projections 28, 30 on the flange elements 24, 26 of the housing. This causes the slot or recess 72 formed in the open end of the damping drum 70 to engage over the rib 34 formed in the trunnion which is adjacent thereto. This will prevent relative rotation between the drum 70 within bore 40 relative to the lid structure 14. [0024] The closing of the lid structure 14 causes the elongate aperture 56 in flange 54 to be engaged by a projecting ledge or tab 88 of a slideable switch element 90 of the switch in the form of a plate member having a projection 92 extending through a slot 94 in the front housing portion, and which is adapted to be finger-actuated in opposition to the biasing latching force of a spring 96 which is retained in the housing 12. Thus, upon pulling the switch element 90, the tab 88 disengages from the aperture 56 and releases the lid structure 14. [0025] Inasmuch as the helical coil spring 62 in the bore 40 has been previously torsionally pre-stressed, the release of the switch element 90 by pressing the latter downwardly against the force of the biasing spring element 96 in the housing 12, imparts a torsional or rotational unwinding force to the coil spring 62, so as to forcibly cause the lid structure 14 to pivot or rotate rearwardly into position as shown in Figure 5. [0026] The rate of movement or speed in the rearward pivoting of the lid structure 14 upon the release thereof is controlled by means of the damping drum 70 and the damping grease 84 arranged thereabout in contact with the inner surface of the blind bore 40 which, in essence, forms a damping cylinder. This structure will slow down and counteract any tendency for rapid pivoting movement of the lid structure 14 which could conceivably cause the scale to bounce and possibly damage the delicate internal components or electronics thereof. As indicated, the damping grease 84 may be a highly viscous oil or grease, or any similar suitable damping material which will not readily leak from the open end of the blind bore 40 forming the damping cylinder. [0027] In order to close the scale, it is merely necessary to position the cover plate portion 36 over the scale weigh platform 20 by manually pivoting the lid structure 14 forwardly about the hinge-forming trunnion elements or projections 28, 30 until such time as the tab 88 of the switch element 98 engages into the aperture 56 of the cover and retains the lid structure 14 in its latched and closed position, as shown in Figure 3, releasing the cover portion and enabling the lid mechanism 16 to implement the previously described damped and controlled pivoting motion into position. [0028] In an alternative embodiment, as shown in Figures 9(a) and 9(b), the scale 10, further comprises a weighing tray 100. The weighing tray 100, comprises an upper surface 102 and a lower surface 104, and wherein, the lower surface 104 comprises a flange element 106, which is sized to fit about the weighing platform 20. The upper surface 102 is shaped such that the outer edged of the upper surface 102 is positioned above the scale housing 10, such that an object having a greater surface area than the weighing platform can be weighed. [0029] Figure 1 depicts a simplified block diagram of a scale apparatus according to this invention. Here is shown an object 120 positioned on a weighing platform 20. The weighing platform 20 is associated with a base member 130, which is positioned on a horizontal reference plane. An object 120 causes the weighing platform 20 to move downwardly with respect to the plane or base 130. The weighing platform 20 and base member 130 are conventional scale components and many examples of suitable apparatus exist in the prior art. [0030] As is conventional, the weighing platform 20 responds by moving downwardly according to the weight of the object 120 to exert a force or pressure on a transducer 110 coupled between the weighing platform 20 and the base 130. [0031] The transducer 110 or load cell can be a number of different devices for converting a pressure or a force into an electrical signal. As such, the transducer 110 may compromise a Wheatstone bridge configuration employing piezoresistive elements or other pressure converting devices to provide a varying electrical signal indicative of the weight of the object 120 on the weighing platform 20. As such, the transducer 110 supplies an analog signal in terms of a voltage or a current having a magnitude which varies according to the weight of the object 120. The weight of the object 120 is displayed on the digital display 140. Where the weight of the object 120 can be selectively 150 displayed in grams, ounces, or other known units of measuring weights. [0032] While there has been shown and described what is considered to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will, of course, be understood that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore, intended that the invention be not limited to the exact form and detail herein shown and described, nor to anything less than the whole of the invention herein disclosed. Also please reference the DESIGN PATENTS for the Palmscale 5.0 Palmscale 6.0 Patent posted below (US version) D521,889
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