Electronic weight sensor assembly
An electronic weight sensor assembly and a method of ascertaining the weight of a unit of luggage. The electronic weight sensor assembly comprises a pad, a detection assembly, a processor and a display. The detection assembly generally comprises a plurality of sensors disposed between two pairs of housings and mounting brackets. The mounting brackets are disposed on a top surface of the pad. The electronic weight sensor assembly may be disposed into and out of an expanded position and a collapsed position. In the collapsed position individual segments of the pad are disposed in confronting relation to one another. In the expanded position the segments are oppositely disposed to one another on a ground surface and the two front wheels of the luggage are disposed on the housings the detection assembly. The unit of luggage may be tilted for the detection assembly to ascertain a weight reading.
1 . A portable electronic weight sensor assembly for ascertaining the weight of a unit of luggage, the electronic weight sensor assembly comprising:
a pad comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the pad comprising a first segment and a second segment movable with respect to one another,
a detection assembly comprising a plurality of sensors, a first housing and a second housing; the first housing and the second housing cooperatively configured and dimensioned to at least partially cover and attach respectively to a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket, the first housing and the second housing movable respectively to the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket,
a first group of the plurality of sensors disposed between the first housing and the first mounting bracket, a second group of the plurality of sensors operatively disposed between the second housing and the second mounting bracket,
a processing unit disposed between either the first housing and the first mounting bracket or the second housing and the second mounting bracket, and
the processing unit operatively configured with each one of the first group of the plurality of sensors and each one of the second group of the plurality of sensors to ascertain the weight of the unit of luggage;
wherein the detection assembly is disposed on the top surface of the pad.
2 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the first segment and the second segment connected to a foldable middle segment.
3 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising a display operatively connected to the processing unit and at least partially disposed between either the first housing and the first mounting bracket or the second housing and the second mounting bracket, the display and the processing unit cooperatively configured to display the weight of the unit of luggage.
4 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the first segment is pivotably movable with respect to the second segment.
5 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the first mounting bracket is disposed on the first segment of the pad and the second mounting bracket is disposed on the second segment of the pad.
6 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the detection assembly comprises a plurality of batteries operatively configured with the processing unit and the first and second group of the plurality of sensors to provide an electrical charge.
7 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the each of the first housing and the second housing comprise a first cover disposed in spaced apart relation to a second cover, and a measuring plate connected to the first cover and the second cover respectively around a lower portion of the first cover and a second portion of the second cover.
8 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein the measuring plate is configured and dimensioned to correspond to the size of a wheel of the unit of luggage.
9 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein each of the first housing and the second housing comprise a sidewall disposed on a side thereof; the sidewall configured to at least partially reduce the wheel of the unit of luggage from rolling off from the measuring plate.
10 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the first housing and the second housing are movable in a vertical direction respectively to the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket.
11 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensors comprises load cell sensors.
12 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the pad is disposable into and out of an operative position and a collapsed position; the operative position comprising the pad extended on a ground surface with the first segment, the second segment and the foldable middle segment being coplanar to one another, the collapsed position comprising the first segment disposed in confronting relation to the second segment.
13 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein in the collapsed position, the first segment is disposed in confronting relation to the second segment.
14 . A portable electronic weight sensor assembly for ascertaining the weight of a unit of luggage, the electronic weight sensor assembly comprising:
a pad comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the pad comprising a first segment and a second segment pivotally movable with respect to one another, the first segment and the second segment connected to a foldable middle segment,
a detection assembly comprising a plurality of load cell sensors, a first housing and a second housing; the first housing and the second housing cooperatively configured and dimensioned to cover and attach respectively to a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket, the first housing and the second housing movable in a vertical direction respectively to the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket,
the first mounting bracket disposed on the first segment of the pad and the second mounting bracket disposed on the second segment of the pad,
a first group of the plurality of load cell sensors disposed between the first housing and the first mounting bracket, a second group of the plurality of load cell sensors operatively disposed between the second housing and the second mounting bracket,
a processing unit disposed between either the first housing and the first mounting bracket or the second housing and the second mounting bracket,
the processing unit operatively configured with each one of the plurality of load cell sensors to collectively ascertain the weight of the unit of luggage,
a display operatively connected to the processing unit and at least partially disposed between either the first housing and the first mounting bracket or the second housing and the second mounting bracket, the display and the processor cooperatively configured to display the weight of the unit of luggage.
15 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein a movement of the first housing in a downward direction is structured to induce: a corresponding stress on at least some of the first group of the plurality of load cell sensors that is indicative of a portion of the weight of the unit of luggage, and a corresponding stress on at least some of the second group of the plurality of load cell sensors that is indicative of a portion of the weight of the unit of luggage.
16 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein a movement of the second housing in the downward direction is structured to induce: a corresponding stress on at least some of the second group of the plurality of load cell sensors that is indicative of a portion of the weight of the unit of luggage, and a corresponding stress on at least some of the first group of the plurality of load cell sensors that is indicative of a portion of the weight of the unit of luggage.
17 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein the first group of the plurality of load cell sensors comprises four load cell sensors connected to the first housing; the second group of the plurality of load cell sensors comprises four load cell sensors connected to the second housing.
18 . The portable electronic weight sensor assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein each one of the four load cell sensors of the first group are connected to an underside of the first housing; each one of the four load cell sensors of the second group are connected to an under side of the second housing in spaced apart relation to one another.
19 . A method of using a portable electronic weight sensor assembly to ascertain the weight of a unit of luggage, the method comprising:
providing a portable electronic weight sensor assembly comprising:
a pad comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the pad comprising a first segment and a second segment movable with respect to one another,
a detection assembly comprising a plurality of sensors, a first housing and a second housing; the first housing and the second housing cooperatively configured and dimensioned to at least partially cover and attach respectively to a first mounting bracket and a second mounting bracket, the first housing and the second housing movable respectively to the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket,
a first group of the plurality of sensors disposed between the first housing and the first mounting bracket, a second group of the plurality of sensors operatively disposed between the second housing and the second mounting bracket,
each of the first housing and the second housing comprise a first cover disposed in spaced apart relation to a second cover, and a measuring plate connected to the first cover and the second cover respectively around a lower portion of the first cover and a second portion of the second cover,
a processing unit disposed between either the first housing and the first mounting bracket or the second housing and the second mounting bracket,
the processing unit operatively configured with each one of the first group of the plurality of sensors and each one of the second group of the plurality of sensors to ascertain the weight of the unit of luggage, and
the pad disposable into and out of an operative position and a collapsed position; the operative position comprising the pad extended on a ground surface with the first segment, the second segment and the foldable middle segment being coplanar to one another, the collapsed position comprising the first segment disposed in confronting relation to the second segment,
placing the pad on the operative position,
placing two wheels of the unit of luggage, each one respectively on corresponding measuring plates of the first housing and the second housing,
placing the unit of luggage in a substantially vertical position,
pivotally moving the unit of luggage in a forward direction until at least a majority of the weight of the unit of luggage is in front of a vertical axis defined at the center of the two wheels of the unit of luggage,
placing the unit of luggage back in the substantially vertical position, and
ascertaining a weight reading of the unit of luggage on the display.