A PLATFORM SCALEThe invention relates to a platform scale, such as a personal weighing scale.
Personal weighing scales whether mechanical or electronic generally provide an instantaneous weight of a user when he or she steps on the scale, but no more than that. There is generally no provision for recording a weight that is registered by the scale.
It is accordingly an object of this invention to seek to mitigate this disadvantage.
According to the invention there is provided a platform scale, comprising means automatically to retain the weight of a particular user and to indicate any change in weight of that user on subsequent use.
Suitably the means may comprise an electronic means, suitably a circuit which when a particular user uses the scale subsequent to an initial use, indicates the initial weight and any subsequent change in weight. This provides for relatively simple construction and repeatability in operation, and may be particularly useful for incorporating sensory means to indicate to a user a change in weight.
The sensory means may comprise aural means.
This provides a relatively simple way to indicate to a user any change in weight.
The electronic means may be programmable to monitor the weight of a plurality of individual users, say 45 - 50 individual users, suitably 45 users, for example in a family, in sports, recreational or health centres.
The electronic means may be adapted to memorise weights within bands of an equal number of kilograms. This provides for ready programming of the scale.
The band widths may each represent a weight of 3 kilograms. This provides for a repeatable yet meaningful weight recordal and display.
Suitably, the scale may have a weight range of 0 to 135 kilograms. This caters for most user weights. There would therefore be 45 weight bands.
The weight increments may be in steps of 100gms. This provides for a fine weight reading.
The scale may be adapted for automatic operation. This therefore obviates the need for a user physically to switch the scale on.
The scale may be in combination with a separate actuator, particularly a remote controller such as a portable infra-red device. This provides for relatively simple operation of the scale.
There may be a visual display means which may display an instantaneous weight of a user, and a change in weight from a prior use. This provides for a direct output of weight and weight change and thus provides full information to a user, particularly when the visual means may be adapted to display the weight change for a predetermined period. The user can then note the change, and can monitor changes from day to day.
The period may be 4 seconds. This is ample time for a user to note the change.
The visual display means may be a LED. This is a relatively simple construction.
The aural means may provide different sounds for different operational modes of the scale. This provides for ease of use as a user immediately knows which operational mode the scale is in, depending on the tone.
In a typical example of platform or personal weighing scale embodying the invention, a sequence of operations for a particular user would be to:(a) switch on the scale (this may be automatic);(b) the scale registers the weight of the user when the user steps onto thescale;(c) the user steps off the scale, the increase or decrease in weight thenbeing automatically displayed by the scale for a desired period of time,say four seconds;(d) the scale records and memorises the new weight in the electronicmemory automatically; and(e) the scales is switched off, suitably automatically.
These different steps may be accompanied by characteristic aural tones, such as "BEEEEP" for (a), "BEEP" for (b), "BEEP BEEP" for (c)/(d), and "BEP" for (e), thus indicating the different operating modes of the scale.
The scale and its electronic current means may include means to record weight in "hard" form, for example a printer which prints out the weight at each use so that a permanent record of weight change can be obtained and retained by a particular user.
It will be understood that a scale can identify and be programmed to so identify, a particular user, it being understood that statistically, the chances of two members of a household being virtually the same is more or less minimal and can therefore be ignored, so that a scale as described herein, embodying the invention can be used for a whole range of users, whilst being effectively unique for each individual.