IL141640A

IL141640A - Scale with mobile display

Info

Publication number: IL141640A
Application number: IL141640A
Authority: IL
Inventors: Haim Raz; Zeev Raz
Original assignee: Raz Pat Ltd; Haim Raz; Zeev Raz
Priority date: 2001-02-26
Filing date: 2001-02-26
Publication date: 2011-04-28
Also published as: IL141640A0

Description

141640 jVTi I 453492 τηχ A scale with mobile display 141640/2 Field of the invention This invention relates to light, movable, human, household weighing scales, such as, for example, so called "bathroom scale" which usually are made of a substantially compact and flat construction. The common household scales are normally placed on the floor so as to be stepped on when desired. The ordinary bathroom scale has a visual, mechanical, or electronic display, as well as, an analog or a digital display, the display being located on the top of the flat construction.

To enable more easily to read the figures of the display, by the person stepping on the ordinary household scale, in some modified types the display is located on a protrution of the scale, a display tower, being higher than the platform designed to receive the person to be weighed.

Disadvantage of the existing scales In the US Patent 4,429,756 - Jacobson et al. is seen the prior art, of converting the force to a lever arrangement that converts strains to a load, into an electric signal, which is then converted to a weight indication. However, this weight indication is stationary an integral part of the platform scale. The housing of said scale, according to the invention is of "a low overall height" (see abstract).

Problematic users as a person above average height, not to say a tall person, with weak eyesight, and/or obese persons (the belly!) and/or elderly persons, find it very difficult, or even impossible, to stay on the ordinary bathroom scale platform and to read by themselves their weight, which appears on the relative small and far display below. This is also the case with the weighing scale in accordance with the US Patent of Jacobson et el. Thus, the ordinary inexpensive scales which are on the market today, are not fit to serve all users.

Those types of scales where the display is located on a display tower, are higher than the compact flat scales, the protrution above the platform is about 10 to 12 cm. This is not of much help to many of the users.

On the other hand the storage of such scale with a relative high display tower turns into a real problem. The types of scales with the high display need more room for storage in cupboards, which in many cases is not available, while such scales cannot be stored below the ordinary low furniture. When such scale is placed in front of furniture its high "neck" (display tower) hinders doors or drawers from being opened.

There exist sophisticated human scales, mostly used by professionals, their housing itself does not have any display, but they are connected to an independent relative large display, which presents the weighing results of the scale. These scales are too expensive for the ordinary user. The price of such a scale is many folds more than the common household scale 141640/2 Summary of the invention It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, movable, compact and flat household scale, which enables any user to read by himself clearly his weight displayed on the screen of the display.

According to the present invention, there is provided a human household weighing scale comprising: a) a housing, at least part of the upper surface of said housing being a weighing platform, a weighing mechanism and a read out mechanism, at least the later, being operated by electricity are located in the housing; and b) characterized by having a compact display unit case, the display unit case being an integral part of the housing, the said compact display unit case having an ordinary small display screen and being electrically operated; and c) whereby the weighing result is being transmitted from the housing to the compact display unit case through transmission means located in the housing and in the compact display unit case; and also d) characterized by that, that the compact display unit case is connected to the upper surface of the housing, both having attachment means to be connected to each other with an option to be disconnected from each other; and e) the compact display unit case, being mobile and can be disconnected and drawn away of the housing's upper surface, but when not lifted, remains attached to the housing, and operates in such position and is an integral part of the housing.

In a preferred embodiment, the compact display unit case rests in a special compartment, inside the housing, or in a compartment inside the weighing platform, or inside a display tower, if the housing has such.

The common user will use the scale in accordance with the invention, while the display unit case is an integral part of the upper surface of the scale. However, the problematic user, who needs to do so, may disconnect he mobile compact display unit case and move it to a close position which enables him easily to read the result. The problematic user may temporarily lift the display unit case and hold it in his hand, or hang it on a furniture handle, or elsewhere, at a desired height, or even fix it temporarily to the wall. 141640/2 Brief description of the drawings Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view from above on the scale in accordance with the present invention.

Figs.2A- 2C are rear views of the mobile compact display unit case.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view from above on one embodiment, of the scale while the mobile display unit case is in a lifted position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view from above on the scale, of another embodiment, while the mobile display unit case is in a lifted position.

Detailed description of the drawings In Fig. 1 : is seen the scale (1) comprising a housing (2), the upper surface of the housing (2) being a weighing platform (3), a weighing mechanism is located in the housing (2) (not seen), a read out mechanism preferably placed in the housing (2) (not seen), a low display tower of 3 to 5 cm (4) with an inner compartment (10) - see Fig. 3, and a mobile display unit case (5) covering the display tower (4), a read-out screen (6) is placed on the top of the mobile display unit case (5).

In Fig. 2 A. 2B and 2C: is seen the mobile display unit case (5) of Fig. 1 having at its rear side (7), rear attaching means. In Fig. 2A these means are two hanging slots (8), in Fig. 2B these means are a vacuum suction cup (8A), while in Fig. 2C these means are a hanging thread (8b). The rear side (7) is the bottom of the mobile display unit case (5). The rear attaching means enable the user to attach the mobile display unit case (5) to a wall of the bathroom, or to a wall of the bathroom furniture, or to a handle of any door.

In Fig. 3: is seen the same scale (1) of Fig. 1, comprising the housing (2) the weighing platform (3) the display tower (4) and the mobile display unit case (5) with its screen (6) at the top. The mobile display unit case (5) being connected electrically to the weighing mechanism (not seen), which is located in the housing (2), by a flexible electrical cable (9), which is seen in a lifted position. 141640/2 There exists a special assembly compartment (10) for the flexible electrical cable (9). The cable (9) can be folded or rolled inside the compartment (10) of the display tower (4), or inside any other compartment in the housing (2) or in the display unit case (5) foreseen for this purpose. The assembled position is shown in Fig.l .

The mobile display unit case (5) has at two opposite ends, an arm (16) with a protrusion (17), when the display unit case (5) is placed on the display tower (4) the two protrusions (17) penetrate into the correspondent two recesses (18) of display tower (4), thus tower (4) and display unit case (5) are connected and attached to each other as seen in Fig.l. Arms (16), protrusions (17) and recesses (18) serve as attachment means.

In Figs. 4A and 4b is seen the scale (1) comprising a housing (2) a weighing platform (3) a hidden read out mechanism in the housing (not seen), and transmitting means (not seen).

The weighing platform (3) bearing tiny or small holes (12) to enable the signals' (11) transmission. The compact mobile display unit case (5) is consisting of at least one transmission receiver (not seen). The bottom (7) of the display unit case (5) may bear transmission holes (not seen). The information of the read out mechanism (not seen) is transmitted by light, by voice, or by any other means, through signals (11), from the housing (2) to the mobile display unit case (5). In the weighing platform (3) is a compartment (13) in which the mobile display unit case (5) is attached to when not being lifted.

The display unit case (5) has an exterior edge (15) at least at two opposite ends of its outer frame. The exterior edges (15) are inserted in correspondent channels (14) of compartment (13), thus attaching display unit case (5) to the housing (2) of scale (1). Channels (14) and exterior edges (15) serve as attachment means.

It is obvious that the attachment means to connect and attach he mobile display unit case (5) to the housing (2) could be of any other manner, e.g. as engagement by friction.

Claims

141640/2 It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiment and the present inventions may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. Claims:

1. A light, movable, inexpensive, human household weighing scale comprising: a) a housing, at least part of the upper surface of said housing being a weighing platform, weighing mechanism and a read out mechanism, at least the later, being operated by electricity; are located in the housing; b) characterized by having a compact display unit case, the display unit case being an integral part of the housing, the compact unit case having an ordinary small display screen and being electrically operated and c) whereby the weighing result is being transmitted from the housing to the compact display unit case through transmission means located in the housing and in the compact display unit case; and also d) characterized by that, that the compact display unit case is connected to the upper surface of the housing, both having attachment means to be connected to each other with an option to be disconnected from each other; and e) the compact display unit case, being mobile and can be disconnected and drawn away of the housing's upper surface, but when not lifted, remains attached to the housing, and operates in such position and is an integral part of the housing.

2. A weighing scale as in claim 1, wherein the compact display unit case rests in a special compartment, the compartment being located inside the housing.

3. A weighing scale as in claims 1 and 2, wherein the compact display unit case rests in a special compartment, the compartment being located inside the weighing platform. 141640/2

4. A weighing scale as in claims 1 and 2, wherein the compact display unit case rests in a special compartment, the compartment being located inside a display tower, while the later is an integral part of said housing.

5. A weighing scale as in the previous claims, wherein the transmission means between the housing and the compact display unit case is at least one flexible electric cable.

6. A weighing scale as in the previous claims, wherein the flexible electric cable, which is connected to both the housing and the compact display unit case, is stored at least in the said special compartment.

7. A weighing scale as in claims 1 to 5, wherein the flexible electric cable, which is connected to both the housing and the compact display unit case, is stored in an compartment in the mobile display unit case, when the mobile display unit case is in an unlifted position.

8. A weighing scale as in claims 1,2,4 to 6 wherein he housing has a hollow display tower in which the flexible electric cable is stored, when the mobile display unit case is in an unlifted position, and the mobile display unit case serves as a cover to said tower.

9. A weighing scale as in the previous claims, wherein the said special compartment has a mechanism to pull the flexible electric cable and roll it into the compartment.

10. A weighing scale as in claims 1 to 8, wherein the flexible electric cable is made of foldable sections and is stored in the special compartment in a foldable position.

11. 1 1. A weighing scale as in claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing consists also of a transmitter and the mobile display unit case also consists of a receiver both together being the transmission means, the weighing information being transmitted trough signals, from the housing transmitter to the mobile display unit case's receiver.

12. A weighing scale as in claim 1 1, wherein the signals are audio signals. 141640/2

13. A weighing scale as in claim 12, wherein the audio signal is a radio signal.

14. A weighing scale as in claim 1 1 , wherein the signals are visual - light signals.

15. A weighing scale as in claim 14, wherein the visual - light signal is an infra-red one.

16. A weighing scale as in claim 1 1, wherein the signals operate through holes in any part of the housing, to enable passage of the signals from the transmitter to the receiver.

17. A weighing scale as in the previous claims, wherein the mobile display unit consists of rear attaching means to attach and fix it temporarily, to a desired object, while being in the lifted position.

18. A weighing scale as in claim 17, wherein the rear attaching means are hanging slots at the rear side bottom of the mobile display unit case.

19. A weighing scale as in claim 17, wherein the rear attaching means being a hanging thread.

20. A weighing scale as in claim 17, wherein the rear attaching means being a vacuum suction cup.

21. . A weighing scale as in claim 1, wherein the attachment means to connect the compact display unit case to the housing are at least two arms with protrusions at their free edge which engage in corresponding recesses.

22. A weighing scale as in claim 1 , wherein the attachment means to connect the compact display unit case to the housing are at least two exterior edges which are inserted into corresponding channels.