GB2465832A

GB2465832A - Weighing mat with attached measuring tape.

Info

Publication number: GB2465832A
Application number: GB0822160A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Zafar Ali
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-12-04
Filing date: 2008-12-04
Publication date: 2010-06-09
Also published as: GB0822160D0

Abstract

The present invention provides a weighing mat, c, for determining the weight and measurements of luggage, a, and other travel items such as pushchairs with considerable ease. The invention relates to a mat, c, which can be made to roll-up or fold away or stored upright as required, with a built-in scale, b. In the first embodiment, the scale, b, is built into the mat, c, itself and is visible by way of a see through housing. In the second embodiment, the scale, b, is attached to the mat, c, by way of an extension cord, in the third and fourth embodiments the scales are detachable and communication between the weighing mat, c, and scale, b, is through Bluetooth or infrared. The weighing mat has an attached measuring tape, j, for measuring the size of irregular objects, or the height of items including luggage. The weighing mat, c, typically has a scale, b, greater than standard scales to allow it the ability to measure multiple items in a single transaction.

Description

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to floor mats and weighing scales. In many cases, it is essential or advantageous to know the weight of a piece of luggage. One example of this is when travelling by aeroplane, where the item of luggage must not exceed a prescribed weight limit. Another instance where it is equally important to know the weight of an object is the postage of goods for either social or business purposes, where both weight and measurements are important.

Airlines and other forms of public transportation have long had restrictions on the weight and size of luggage that a passenger may check in or carry on when traveling. If a piece of luggage exceeds the weight limit posted by an airline, for example, the passenger must pay a surcharge to bring the luggage on the plane. Unfortunately, most passengers are unaware that a particular piece of luggage is overweight, at best, they often have an approximation as to what the weight might be, and that is until that luggage is weighed at the airline check-in counter. To avoid a surcharge, the passenger is often forced to unpack at the check-in counter and frantically shuffle items from an overweight piece of luggage to an underweight piece, sometimes having to remove essential items.

The majority of passengers try to plan ahead to prevent this eventuality and avoid the hassle of unpacking or paying excessive surcharges at the airport, however their ability to plan ahead is severely limited by the lack of a suitable luggage weighing mechanism in the marketplace.

Current products available for this purpose include small handheld spring scales designed for the passenger to hold in the air while the piece of luggage being weighed is suspended from a hook underneath the scale.

Although portable, the spring scale requires the passenger to lift the piece of luggage by the spring scale handle. Most pieces of luggage that would warrant weighing exceed 25 kilos and could even reach up to 50 kilos, making them difficult, if not impossible, for some passengers to lift.

There is an additional risk of the traveler injuring him or herself while attempting to lift the piece of luggage. Other options for the traveler to weigh a piece of luggage are to use a typical bathroom weighing scale generally designed for weighing people. However, typical bathroom scales used to weigh people are small in size and cannot properly support a piece of luggage. Placing luggage bags on a typical home scale, such as a bathroom scale, is a clumsy, difficult and cumbersome process. Oftentimes the display of the scale is covered by the luggage, which is more often than not much larger and bulkier in size than the bathroom scale. It is also difficult to place luggage on a bathroom scale and to keep it steady and prevent it touching the floor without holding it and thereby affecting its true weight measurement, thereby defeating the objective of the whole exercise.

In another example, the phenomenal growth of internet related sales has resulted in millions of microscopic businesses that are being set up at home utlising the garage or the bedroom as product prep room prior to postage and delivery. The goods can range from anything from pushchairs to the latest Christmas must haves', culminating in products of weird and wonderful shapes, sizes and weights. The "sellers" need a simple and efficient weighing mechanism.

What is needed is a flexible weighing mechanism in every sense, providing ample space for the placement of obscure items such as that of luggage, pushchairs, bicycles and anything else, this coupled with a clear sight to the actual weight reading scale for total ease of reading. The present invention meets this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an apparatus that overcomes the aforementioned limitations and fills the aforementioned needs by providing a mat with a scale for weighing luggage (or other items) that are placed on its weighing surface. More specifically, the invention connects to a scale in one of several ways, the first having the scale enclosed in a housing, other embodiments include a scale attached to a flexible cord, Bluetooth or infrared airwave communications between the weighting mat and the scale. The weighing surface has a size measurement scale imprinted upon it to provide the user with the ability to measure the physical size of the luggage.

In one embodiment, a weighing mat with a scale comprises a scale configured to weigh an item, wherein the scale includes a weighing surface; a transparent housing substantially surrounding the scale. The weighing mat with the scale comprises a display of the weight of the item.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the weighing mat with a scale further comprises measurements on the weighing surface for a user to measure the size of the item being weighed.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the housing hosting the scale is formed from a material selected from a group consisting of glass, plastic, metal, wood or rubber.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the weighing mat is formed from a material selected from a group consisting of glass, plastic, metal, wood or rubber.

The mat constructed to be load-bearing with connected scales which are preferably electronic. Alternatively, the scales are mechanical scales.

In another embodiment, the scales are attached to the end of an adjustable extendable cord, extending out from the weighing mat providing the user with weight readings without the need to bend over.

In yet another embodiment, the scales and weighing mat are fitted with Bluetooth communication mechanisms allowing output from the weighing mat to be transmitted through the airwaves to a set of hand held scales omitting the need for a physical connection between scales and weighing mat.

In another embodiment, the scales and weighing mat are fitted with infrared communication mechanisms (transponder and receiver) allowing output from the weighing mat to be transmitted through the airwaves to a set of hand held scales omitting the need for a physical connection between scales and weighing mat.

The weight outputting means is preferably an electronic display and/or a mechanical display or/ and a voice output device for outputting the weight.

The scales advantageously include a zero adjustment means for adjusting the zero point of the scales.

In another embodiment the weighing mat has a beveled edge to make easy for the user the placing of an item to be weighed which has wheels attached such as a piece of luggage. Alternatively, the weighing mat has a squared or rounded edge.

The weighing mat is produced in a range of sizes and dimensions developed for different sizes and requirements, for example weighing mats tailored for luggage will be different to those tailored for postal purposes.

The weighing mat is powered by batteries or by the mains, in another embodiment it is powered by a solar panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWNGS

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptions of the preferred aspect of the invention in conjunction with reference to the following drawings, where: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the weighing mat in an unrolled/flat position including a weighing surface and housing for scale.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the weighing mat illustrating the weighing surface with an extendible/flexible cord emanating from the mat itself to which the scales/output are attached.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the weighing mat scale illustrating the weighing surface, and a Bluetooth transponder with detached scales collaborating a built in Bluetooth receiver.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the weighing mat scale illustrating the weighing surface, and an infrared transponder with detached scales collaborating a built in infrared receiver.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the luggage weighing mat illustrating the weighing surface with attached measuring tape to measure the height of the luggage or other item to be weighed and requiring further measurement than already provided by the printed measurements on the mat itself.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the luggage weighing mat scale illustrating the mat's ability to allow for a combined weight of more than one item. This can be a great time saving feature, such as in the case of travel, the majority of airlines allow a combined weight per passenger or travelling party, this therefore provides duplication of effort,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a flexible solution to weighing obscure, and/or heavy objects such as pieces of luggage. The invention is embodied in the form of a floor (weighing) mat with a built in scale. The weighing mat is preferably constructed from flexible material so it is light to maneuver, store or transport.

The following description, taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings, is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and to incorporate it in the context of particular applications.

Various modifications, as well as a variety of uses in different applications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to a wide range of embodiments.

Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments presented, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. Furthermore, it should be noted that, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the figures included herein are illustrated diagrammatically and without any specific scale, as they are provided as qualitative illustrations of the concept of the present invention.

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention.

However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without necessarily being limited to these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All the features disclosed in this specification, (including any accompanying claims, abslract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Furthermore, any element in a claim that does not explicitly state "means for" performing a specified function, or "step for" performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a "means" or "step" clause.

The weighing mat provides a portable and convenient solution to both the problem of weighing luggage before traveling on an airline or other luggage-restrictive public transportation means and a resolution to the problem for households, businesses or otherwise in the preparation of goods for the purposes of transportation such as through (but not limited to) postal/courier purposes.

The weighing mat can preferably be rolled up and held together by use of Velcro or other similar material when in storage or transport. In other instances the roll can be kept together using a clip or buttoned strap. In other embodiments it is made of a solid material.

In one embodiment of the weighing mat as depicted in FIG. 1, the weighing mat scale comprises a weighing surface (1.3) for placing an object to be weighed (1.1), a housing (1.2) that contains the scale (scale not pictured).

One skilled in the art will appreciate that the weighing mat and housing can be made from any material including rubber, plastic, glass a metal such as aluminum, wood or molded foam and either a flat or beveled edge to ease the placement of rollable items for weighing, such as suitcases (1.1).

In the embodiment described in FIG. 1, the weighing mat is formed using a substance such as rubber, foam, plastic, wood or glass. The weighing mat's surface (1.3) contains measurements along the edges of the weighing surface (1.3) to help a user determine the length and width of the item to be weighed and a tape measure housed within it for measuring the height.

This feature is useful to travelers and for postal purposes. At times travelers need not only weigh their luggage but also measure its dimensions if they wish to carry it on the plane with them. This is also beneficial for an individual who wishes to post an item and the size may influence the cost.

An alternative embodiment provides for a retractable measuring tape (see fig. 5 below) to be extended beyond the length of the platform in the event the luggage or some other object is longer or wider than the existing platform surface.

The scale (not pictured) will be connected to the load bearing within the weighing mat to communicate the weight of the object placed on the weighing mat. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the design of the weighing mat will vary depending on the type of scale used.

In another eml3ocliment (tig.2), the weighing mat has a flexible, extendible cord (2.2) with the scale (2.3) attached to the end of it providing greater ease and versatility for the user without the need to have to bend over.

Furthermore, in yet another embodiment fig.3 of the present invention, a Bluetooth transponder (3.2) is built into the weighing mat (3.5) which will transmit the readings to a scale with built in Bluetooth receiver (3.4). This allows the user the flexibility to move freely without any physical connection to the weighing mat itself and obtain readings for objects placed on it (3.1).

In a further embodiment of the current invention (fig.4) an infrared transponder (4.2) is built into the weighing mat (4.5) where the scales have a corresponding built in infrared receiver (4.4) allowing the user to place objects and the ability to move freely.

In a further embodiment of the current invention the weighing mat has size measurements on it, which would ideally be in centimeters and/or inches, as one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention would know other suitable/relevant measurements may be utilized as required. There is the additional provision of an extendible (housed) measuring tape (5.6) which could be used to measure the height or other dimension of an item being weighed adding a further dimension to the items measurements. This can prove particularly useful for irregular objects which cannot be easily measured otherwise, using the printed measurements. The measuring tape can be of plastic or other fabric. Its storage may be rollable or foldable into its housing made of plastic, rubber, glass, metal or fabric, one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention would easily know this.

A feature of the current invention is highlighted in fig.6 where the mat is used to calculate a combined weight of items greater than one (6.4). In many cases the weighing mat has a weighing capacity which exceeds many standard or domestic weighing scales used for weighing luggage, it would be apparent to one skilled in the art and usage of the invention that a variety of weight limitations may be set for a variety of sizes for this invention. This is a particularly useful feature as the majority of airlines allow a combined weight per passenger or even a group/travelling party, such as a couple or a couple and child and calculating the combined weight can be a tedious process, this allows that to be conducted with one fell swoop.

There are several storage options for the current invention including for it to be rolled up towards the built in scale or transponder and is then sealed using a suitable mechanism such as Velcro, buttoning strap, metal or plastic clip or other sealing option.

Another alternative would be to house the weighing mat in a box made of plastic, glass, wood or card and for it to be folded. One of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention would know that numerous storage options exist.

Key to Diagrams page 1 Figure 1 -Weighing Mat with Built in Scales in Protective Housing a -Luggage or other object to be weighed b -Scale c -Weighing mat d -Measurement markings with optional bevelled edge Figure 2 -Weighing Mat with Scales on a Flexible and Extendable Cord a -Luggage or other object to be weighed 2b -Scales attached to extendable cord c -Weighing mat d -Measurement markings with optional bevelled edge e -Extendable cord Figure 3 -Weighing Mat with Scales Connected by Bluetooth Transponder a -Luggage or other object to be weighed 3b -Bluetooth receiver and scale C -Weighing mat d -Measure ment markings with optional bevelled edge f -Bluetooth transponder g -Bluetooth signals *. ** * S * * S * S..

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Figure 4 -Weighing Mat with Scales Connected by Infrared Transponder *. S. : a -Luggage or other object to be weighed * : : 4b -Infrared receiver and scale c -Weighing mat d -Measurement markings with optional bevelled edge h -Infrared signals Key to Diagrams (continued) Figure 5 -Weighing Mat with Measurement Markings and Attached Extendabte Meas urement Tape a -Luggage/Item to be weighed b -Scale c -Weighing mat d -Measurement markings with optional bevelled edge j -Measuring tape attached for the measurement of vertical height of objects Figure 6 -Weighing Mat with greater than one piece of luggage (or other items) for a combined weight calculation 6a -Multiple Pieces of Luggage for a combined weight calculation b -Scale c -Weighing mat d -Measurement markings with optional bevelled edge j -Measuring tape attached for the measurement of vertical height of objects *..* * SS ** S 5o55 * S **** *5 * * . * * * * * S. S.

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Claims

CLAIMS 13 1. A mat, with a built in weighing unit (the weighing mat) comprising: with an associated weight outputting means for outputting the weight of a piece of luggage or other item to be weighed, wherein the scales are either built into the mat by means of a housing, attached to a flexible and extendible cord, or via the use of either a Bluetooth or infrared transponder built into the mat with the ability to transmit the output to a scale with a built in receiver. The mat having size/rule markings along the edges and/or an attached additional tape measure for enhanced flexibility of measuring the dimensions of objects placed upon it.
2. The weighing mat as claimed in 1, comprising of materials of either rubber, plastic, metal, glass, wood or foam.
3. The weighing mat as claimed in 1, further comprising a scale attached to the end of a flexible cord.
4. The weighing mat as claimed in 1, further comprising a mat with a Bluetooth transponder and a scale with a built in receiver
5. The weighing mat as claimed in 1, further comprising a mat with an infrared transponder and a scale with a built in receiver.
6. The weighing mat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scales are electronic scales.
7. The weighing mat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scales are mechanical scales.
8. The weighing mat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weight outputting means is selected from a group consisting of an electric display, a mechanical display and a voice output device for outputting the weight.
9. The weighing mat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scales include a zero adjustment means in order to adjust the zero point of the scales.
10. The weighing mat with as claimed in claim 1, comprising measurements on the weighing surface for a user to measure the size of the item being weighed.
11. The weighing mat as in claim 1, wherein the edges are beveled to allow the rolling of suitcases or other items on the mat with greater ease.
12. The weighing mat as in claim 1 wherein the weighing mat has rule markings imprinted upon it depicting centimeters, metres, inches and/or feet.ii. Irie weighing mat with as claimed in claim 1 wherein the housing is formed from a material selected from a group consisting of glass, plastic, metal, or wood.14. The scale as claimed in claim 1 wherein a window with an indicator scale fits over the scale, the window being manufactured from any transparent material.15. The weighing mat and scales as claimed in claim 1, powered by batteries, solar or a mains adaptor.16. The weighing scales as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scale has measurement markers.17. The weighing scales as claimed in claim 1 wherein the measurement markers depict pounds.18. The weighing scales as claimed in claim 1 wherein the measurement markers depict grams and Kilograms.19. The weighing mat as claimed in claim 1 wherein the measurement markers contain specific markings of size limits determined by transport, airline, or mailing companies.20. The scale as claimed in claim 1 wherein the measurement markers contain specific markings of weight limits determined by transport, airline, or mailing companies.21. The rule markings on the mat as in claim 1 wherein the measurement markers depict centimeters and metres, in other variations the markings depict inches and feet or both.22. The attached tape measure as in claim 1 wherein the measurement markers depict centimeters and metres, in other variations the markings depict inches and feet or both.23. The attached tape measure as in claim 1 housed in a holder made from plastic, glass, rubber or wood.