Powder dispensing and sensing apparatus and methods are provided. The powder dispensing and sensing apparatus includes a tray support structure to receive a cartridge tray holding cartridges, a powder dispenser assembly including powder dispenser modules to dispense powder into respective cartridges of a batch of cartridges in the cartridge tray, a powder transport system to deliver powder to the powder dispenser modules, a sensor module including sensor cells to sense respective fill states, such as the weights, of each of the cartridges in the batch of cartridges, and a control system to control the powder dispenser modules in response to the respective sensed fill states of each of the cartridges of the batch of cartridges.

A crop elevator for a combine harvester includes an ascending section and a descending section and a housing enclosing the ascending section and the descending section. The elevator further comprises an elevator loop arranged inside the housing which includes a plurality of paddles for elevating a harvested crop. The elevator also includes a weighing system configured to determine a weight of harvested crop that is present on at least one of the paddles during an ascending movement of the at least one of the paddles in the ascending section. The weighing system includes a weight sensor configured to output a weight signal representative of the weight of the harvested crop. The ascending section of the elevator comprises a measurement section, wherein the weighing system is configured to retrieve the weight signal when the at least one of the paddles is in the measurement section of the elevator.

A high-capacity weighing module has a top plate weldment (10), a bottom plate weldment (30) and a pressure-bearing assembly (20) that is between the top and bottom plate weldments. Motion between the respective top and bottom plate weldments is restricted. This structure aids in easy installation and replacement of a sensor, and integrates the functions of anti-overturning and 360 inspection, and bottom stop. This makes the weighing module much more convenient to install than a conventional high-capacity module, and has a better safety function. The weighing module has advantage in terms of a simplified product structure, reduced cost of manufacture and maintenance, uncomplicated installation procedure, and higher safety and protection.

A parallel guide of a force transmission device has movable and fixed parallel legs, and first and second parallel guiding elements. Thin-point flexional bearings connect the parallel legs to the parallel guiding elements. The movable parallel leg is guided by the parallel guiding element on the fixed parallel leg. A force transmission lever, arranged on the fixed parallel leg, has a lever bearing, and a first lever arm. The force transmission lever is pivotably mounted on the lever bearing and the first lever arm is connected to the movable parallel leg to transmit force. The force-transmitting connection is produced by a coupling element having at least one further thin-point flexional bearing, with at least one functional region of the force transmission device being formed monolithically. A functional region associates at least one bearing point with at least one of the parallel legs, the force transmission lever, and the coupling element.

Various embodiments are directed to methods and apparatuses for determining a weight of one or more objects disposed about an area of the weight measurement device using a single force sensor to accurately measure a force generated by the one or more objects. In various embodiments, the apparatus comprises a housing, a receiving tray, a lever assembly configured to receive a weight force from the receiving tray and generate a collective lever force corresponding to the weight force, the lever assembly comprising a plurality of levers, wherein each lever of the plurality of levers being at least substantially fixed to the housing at a first lever location and configured to receive a partial weight force from the receiving tray at a second lever location, and a force sensor configured to define a fulcrum point along each of the plurality of levers.

Various embodiments are directed to methods and apparatuses for determining a weight of one or more objects disposed about an area of the weight measurement device using a single force sensor to accurately measure a force generated by the one or more objects. In various embodiments, the apparatus comprises a housing, a receiving tray, a lever assembly configured to receive a weight force from the receiving tray and generate a collective lever force corresponding to the weight force, the lever assembly comprising a plurality of levers, wherein each lever of the plurality of levers being at least substantially fixed to the housing at a first lever location and configured to receive a partial weight force from the receiving tray at a second lever location, and a force sensor configured to define a fulcrum point along each of the plurality of levers.

Various embodiments are directed to methods and apparatuses for determining a weight of one or more objects disposed about an area of the weight measurement device using a single force sensor to accurately measure a force generated by the one or more objects. In various embodiments, the apparatus comprises a housing, a receiving tray, a lever assembly configured to receive a weight force from the receiving tray and generate a collective lever force corresponding to the weight force, the lever assembly comprising a plurality of levers, wherein each lever of the plurality of levers being at least substantially fixed to the housing at a first lever location and configured to receive a partial weight force from the receiving tray at a second lever location, and a force sensor configured to define a fulcrum point along each of the plurality of levers.

Various embodiments are directed to methods and apparatuses for determining a weight of one or more objects disposed about an area of the weight measurement device using a single force sensor to accurately measure a force generated by the one or more objects. In various embodiments, the apparatus comprises a housing, a receiving tray, a lever assembly configured to receive a weight force from the receiving tray and generate a collective lever force corresponding to the weight force, the lever assembly comprising a plurality of levers, wherein each lever of the plurality of levers being at least substantially fixed to the housing at a first lever location and configured to receive a partial weight force from the receiving tray at a second lever location, and a force sensor configured to define a fulcrum point along each of the plurality of levers.

A load cell comprising an elastic body having a base, a flexible membrane that is adapted to yield upon application of a load to the membrane, a sensor for measuring the load applied to the membrane, at least one connector having a first end that is connected to the membrane and a second end that is connected to the sensor. The connector is configured to transmit a mechanical force that is applied to the membrane to the sensor. The connector can be attached to the membrane and/or the sensor by way of at least one pivotal connection.

Provided is an electronic balance of electromagnetic force type including a weight automatic loading mechanism which can place and remove a weight by its own mechanism without use of either an external balance weight or a built-in balance weight. An electronic balance of electromagnetic force type is provided with a beam equilibrium setting unit that sets two or more equilibrium states of the beam position detecting unit. By making conversion ratios of upper and lower light receiving circuits nonequivalent, an imaginary weight is generated by utilizing the operating principle of the electromagnetic balance of electromagnetic force type.