Weighing scales – Computer – Electrical
Patent
1987-02-02
1990-03-27
Miller, Jr., George H.
Weighing scales
Computer
Electrical
177165, 36441329, 36470903, G01G 2322, G01G 2314, G06F 1542
Patent
active
049112562
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a dietetic measurement apparatus particularly envisaged for use in determining the weight and the quantities of nutrients in food items for the purposes of dietary planning and control.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
In order to maintain a well balanced diet and to assist in following a preset diet it is common practice to weigh food items. However, such a diet, must be prepared with knowledge of the nutrient levels in the food items in the diet, such as calorific content, sodium, cholesterol and the like, and the bodily requirements of the dietor. It is therefore much preferred that a dietor be able to make his/her own determinations as to the nutrient levels in a food item to be eaten, whether or not it is allowed for in a preset diet. Such information is at least partly available in various tables of nutrient levels for food items. However, such tables must be consulted at length in order to obtain all of the desired information and must then be correlated with the mass of the food items.
It is generally known to provide a measuring apparatus to determine the mass of a food item and having means to determine various nutrient levels therefor, including, calorific content, carbohydrate content, sodium content and the like.
However, the use of such prior art measuring apparatus requires the knowledge of a code, such as, for example, a 3 digit code to identify a food item to be weighed and analysed as to its nutrient levels.
Furthermore, such prior art measuring apparatus generally are incapble of offsetting the mass of a container in weighing the container together with contents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a dietetic measurement apparatus to efficiently and rapidly weigh a food item and to provide a determination of nutrient levels therefor by identifying the food item by its common name. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a dietetic measurement apparatus, characterised in that it comprises a computer means and a weighing means, the computer means comprising a central processor unit to which is connected a memory means and an input/output means, the input/output means being configured to send data from the central processor unit to a display means and to receive requests from the request means and to route such requests to the central processor unit, the weighing means providing a weighing signal to the central processor unit corresponding to the mass of an item being weighed, the memory means containing data corresponding to food items and their nutrient levels, the memory means also containing an instruction means for the central processor unit to correlate the weighing signal with data for a food item or items requested from the request means and providing a determination of the mass thereof to the display means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of a dietetic measurement apparatus in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is block diagram of the dietetic measurement apparatus of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of a weighing means of the dietetic measurement apparatus of FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In FIG. 1, there is shown a dietetic measurement apparatus 10 having a housing 12 having a substantially horizontally disposed platter 14. The platter 14 is supported by a load cell (not shown) of conventional type. The housing 12 also comprises a transparent panel 16 located in plain view of an operator and arranged to correspond with a display means as described hereinafter. The housing 12 further comprises a keyboard panel 18 located for convenient use of the operator such as, for example, in the form of a panel to cover a touch sensitive keboard and having printed and/or embossed on it indicia representative of keyboard key locations. The keyboard panel 18 preferably comprises alphabetic indicia 20, command indicia 22 and
REFERENCES:
patent: 3387676 (1968-06-01), Porter
patent: 4321674 (1982-03-01), Krames et al.
patent: 4575804 (1986-03-01), Ratcliff
Miller Jr. George H.
Sentron Limited
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