The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 05, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 19, 2000
Frederick P. Hohnstadt, Clarkston, MI (US);
John D Davis, Milford, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A method for designing load cells of articles, such as for example vehicle components. A computer model utilizes vehicle components as flexible members that are built and loaded mathematically such that the output can be used to determine the best location to lay the strain gages on the article based upon their corresponding Wheatstone bridge output. A suitable Finite Element Model (FEM) of the component to be instrumented is provided. This model is then loaded with the same loads the component will see in practice. Each load is independently applied to the model and the results from each load are saved. The Finite Element Analysis results needed by the present invention are the maximum and minimum principal strains and principal strain angle for each valid finite element in the model. These results along with the strain gage properties and some user preferences provide input data for assessing every usable combination of elements in the FEM for sensitivity to primary loads and cross-talk of off-axis loads. The element combinations are then listed in order of decreasing sensitivity within a user specified cross-talk tolerance, and displayed to the user. The gages are laid and the load cell is completed and calibrated.