Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Covidien LP

Zhongchi Luo

Wei Tan

Weimin Xiao

Dang Xie

Ruoxi Sun

Hai Tao Feng

There is provided an apparatus () comprising: a container () configured to receive a food stuff, a base unit () comprising a mounting member and a plurality of outer supporting members (), a weight sensing unit () configured to measure a weight of the food stuff contained in the container, and a connection assembly () arranged between the container and the base unit. The weight sensing unit comprises a plurality of strain gauge load sensors arranged at the mounting member of the base unit, and the connection assembly is configured to provide a flexible and insulating connection between the container and the base unit so as to counteract thermal strain interference at the weight sensing unit and to reduce heat transfer between the container and the weight sensing unit.

Apparatus

The present invention relates to a sensing and control device () and method for a weight measurement device () comprising a load unit for loading material to be weighted. To enable precise measurement with less expensive components, said sensing and control device comprises analog circuitry () configured to receive a weight measurement signal, convert the received weight measurement signal into a first voltage signal, subtract a second voltage signal representing the weight of at least the load unit without being loaded with material to be weighted from the first voltage signal when the load unit is loaded with material to be weighted to generate a third voltage signal representing the weight of the material to be weighted, and control circuitry () configured to receive the first voltage signal while the load unit is not loaded with material to be weighted, convert the first voltage signal into a first digital signal, and generate a pulse width modulated, PWM, signal having a pulse width representing the weight measured by the load unit while not being loaded with material to be weighted, and further configured to convert the third voltage signal into a second digital signal representing the weight measurement of the material to be weighted. The analog circuitry () is configured to generate the second voltage signal from the PWM signal generated by the control circuitry, wherein the voltage level of the second voltage signal is proportional to the pulse width of the PWM signal.

Sensing and control device and method for a weight measurement device

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Shanghai, China

Zhongchi Luo