Deflection plate for mobile dynamometer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9285281-B1
Application number	US-201213545565-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 10, 2012
Priority date	Jul 10, 2012
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A deflection plate for protecting a load cell of a mobile dynamometer, includes a generally elongated member having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces. The front surface is at least partially tapered such that the front surface adjacent the top surface is thicker than the front surface adjacent the bottom surface. The taper of said front surface of the deflection plate is preferably dimensioned and configured such that the safety factor along substantially most of its length is at least about 1.1 and less than about 1.2. A method for employing strain gages identifies the magnitudes and locations of loads on slender beams using strain gage based methods with application to portable Army bridges.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A deflection plate for protecting a load cell of a mobile dynamometer, comprising:
a generally elongated member having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces;
said front surface being at least partially tapered such that said front surface adjacent said top surface is thicker than said front surface adjacent said bottom surface;
said front surface having at least one bore adjacent said top surface; and
said front surface having at least one bore adjacent said bottom surface.

2. The deflection plate of claim 1 wherein said front surface tapers for a substantial portion from adjacent said top surface to adjacent said bottom surface with decreasing thicknesses.

3. The deflection plate of claim 2 wherein said front surface tapers with at least four decreasing thicknesses.

4. The deflection plate of claim 3 wherein said elongated member is formed of five segments wherein said first segment includes said top surface and said fifth segment includes said bottom surface and wherein said second segment, said third segment and said fourth segment are disposed in increasing segment number order between said first segment and said fifth segment.

5. The deflection plate of claim 4 wherein said first segment and said fifth segment have respective constant thicknesses arid wherein the thickness of the first segment is greater than the thickness of the fifth segment.

6. The deflection plate of claim 5 wherein said second segment, said third segment and said fourth segment each have decreasing thicknesses such that the junction of said second segment and said third segment is greater than the thickness of said junction of said third segment and said fourth segment.

7. The deflection plate of claim 6 wherein said front surfaces of each of said second segment, said third segment and said fourth segment are generally flat.

8. The deflection plate of claim 7 wherein said elongated member is generally rectangular.

9. The deflection plate of claim 8 wherein said back surface, said top surface, said bottom surface and said two side surfaces are generally flat.

10. The deflection plate of claim 9 wherein the bottom surface and the sides are joined by flat angled surfaces.

11. The deflection plate of claim 1 , where the generally elongated member is substantially solid absent the bores.

12. The deflection plate of claim 2 , where the front surface tapers for at least about 40% of the length of the front surface.

13. A system, comprising:
a deflection plate comprising a generally elongated member having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces;
where the deflection plate comprises a beginning segment, a middle segment, and a last segment,
where the beginning segment terminates at the top surface and is of a first uniform thickness,
where the middle segment is between the beginning segment and the last segment,
where the last segment terminates at the bottom surface and is of a second uniform thickness smaller than the first uniform thickness,
where the front surface of the beginning segment is substantially parallel to the back surface,
where the front surface of the middle segment at least partially tapers such that at least part of the middle segment is thinner than the beginning segment and such that at least part of the middle segment is thicker than the last segment,
where the front surface of the last segment is substantially parallel to the back surface,
where the back surface is substantially flat,
where the beginning segment has at least one bore, and
where the last segment has at least one bore.

14. The system of claim 13 ,
where the middle segment comprises a first middle segment and a second middle segment
where the first middle segment is between the beginning segment and the second middle segment,
where the second middle segment is between the first middle segment and the last segment,
where the first middle segment tapers along a first angle, and
where the second middle segment tapers along a second angle that is different from the first angle.

15. The system of claim 14 ,
where the middle segment comprises the first middle segment, the second middle segment, and a third middle segment,
where the first middle segment tapers along a third angle.

16. A system, comprising:
a deflection plate that comprises a generally elongated member having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces;
where the front surface is at least partially tapered such that the front surface adjacent to the top surface is thicker than the front surface adjacent to the bottom surface,
where the front surface has at least one bore adjacent to the top surface,
where the front surface has at least one bore adjacent to the bottom surface, and
where the deflection place is configured to protect a dynamometer.

17. The system of claim 16 , where the generally elongated member is solid absent the at least one bore adjacent to the top surface and absent the at least one bore adjacent to the bottom surface.

18. The system of claim 17 , where the front surface is at least partially tapered such that stress remains substantially constant throughout most the deflection place when the deflection plate is stressed.

19. The system of claim 16 , where the front surface is at least partially flat in at least two non-adjacent segments that are separated by a tapered section.

20. The deflection plate of claim 1 , said front surface having at least one bore adjacent said top surface that creates an opening from the top surface to the back surface; and said front surface having at least one bore adjacent said bottom surface that creates an opening from the top surface to the back surface.

Assignees

• Bednarz Iii Edward T
• Us Army

Inventors

• Bednarz Iii Edward T

Classifications

• G01L1/00 Primary

  Measuring force or stress, in general (measuring force due to impact G01L5/00) · CPC title

• G01L1/2206 Primary

  Special supports with preselected places to mount the resistance strain gauges; Mounting of supports · CPC title

• G01L1/26

  Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with the measurement of force, e.g. for preventing influence of transverse components of force, for preventing overload · CPC title

• G01L25/00

  Testing or calibrating of apparatus for measuring force, torque, work, mechanical power, or mechanical efficiency · CPC title

• G01L1/22 Primary

  using resistance strain gauges · CPC title