Air-Weigh receives Canadian patent

EUGENE, Ore. (Nov. 29, 1999) — On-board scale maker Air-Weigh has been granted a Canadian patent for technology that enables trucking fleets with on-board weighing systems to interchange trailers with different tractors without recalibration or driver input. Air-Weigh has already received patents for the technology in the United States and Europe.

“Because of the ingenuity of Air-Weigh1s engineers and staff, drivers have access to real-time weight information the moment a trailer is connected to the tractor via the existing J560 connector,” said Air-Weigh CEO and president Martin Ambros. “Any fleet or driver who drops and hooks a variety of combination vehicles will benefit from this patented technology through its ease of use and operation.”

The Air-Weigh on-board weighing system is capable of automatic trailer swapping because each suspension1s calibration data is stored in the ComLinkÕs flash memory, which does not require battery support. Each trailer-mounted ComLink automatically transmits its weight information whenever a tractor with an Air-Weigh 5000 series scale is connected.

In the Air-Weigh scale system, a sensor is installed in a vehicle1s suspension and connected to a ComLink remote sensor processor, mounted nearby. Calibration information relative to that specific vehicle1s suspension is stored in the ComLink processor. This remote sensor processor converts the analog sensor signal to a digital axle weight value. The ComLink processor is connected to a display in the cab of the tractor, which reads the axle weight values from each ComLink on the assembled vehicle.

Maintenance of the system is the same as for any other on-board electronics equipment. As long as the J560 is operating well enough to light the trailer lights, the Air-Weigh signal is robust enough to communicate over the system.