Load cell

About: Load cell is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 5658 publications have been published within this topic receiving 39429 citations.

A new technique for measuring the mechanical properties of thin films

Abstract: Accurate measurement of mechanical properties is very difficult for films that are only a few microns thick. Previously, these properties have been determined by indirect methods such as cantilever beam and diaphragm bulge tests. This paper presents a new technique to measure the Young's modulus of thin films in a direct manner consistent with its definition. Strain is measured by a laser-based technique that enables direct and accurate recording of strain on a thin-film specimen. Load is recorded with a 1-lb load cell, and an air bearing is used to eliminate friction in the loading system. The specimen is phosphorus-doped polysilicon that has a gage cross section of 3.5 /spl mu/m thick by 600 /spl mu/m wide. All 29 uniaxial tensile tests show brittle behavior, and the average values of Young's modulus and fracture strength are measured to be 170/spl plusmn/6.7 GPa and 1.21/spl plusmn/0.16 GPa, respectively. One fatigue test is also reported in this paper.

Semiconducting Stress Transducers Utilizing the Transverse and Shear Piezoresistance Effects

Abstract: Principles of a varied group of new semiconducting, piezoresistive stress and strain transducers are outlined. These devices have in common the utilization of the transverse or shear piezoresistive effect. One group of devices consists of gauges in the form of a thin rectangular sheet which is bonded to the test piece, and whose resistance change can be expressed as a simple function of the principal stresses in the gauge. Two special gauges in this group are described. In one, the resistance change is proportional to the sum of the principal biaxial stresses for any orientation of the gauge on the test piece. In the other, the resistance change is proportional only to longitudinal stress components, being independent of transverse stress components. Also described are: a four‐terminal gauge for complete determination of biaxial stresses, full‐bridge gauges made from a single crystal, load cells of low compliance, new torque transducers, and diffusion techniques for making some of the foregoing. The devic...

Apparatus and method for assessing loads on adjacent bones

Abstract: An apparatus (10) that utilizes microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology to provide an in vivo assessment of loads on adjacent bones (24 and 26) comprises a body (34) for insertion between the adjacent bones. At least one sensor (42) is associated with the body (34). The sensor (42) generates an output signal in response to and indicative of a load being applied to the body (34) through the adjacent bones (24 and 26). A telemetric device (40) is operatively coupled with the sensor (42). The telemetric device (40) is operable to receive the output signal from the sensor (42) and to transmit an EMF signal dependent upon the output signal. According to various aspects of the invention, the sensor comprises a pressure sensor (42), a load cell (320), and/or at least one strain gauge (142).