Force transducers

In a force transducer for producing an output signal proportional to the magnitude of an input force (F), an equal and opposite force is produced by a flexure assembly (4) comprising a compound leaf-spring flexure (6) having opposed outer sections, anchored in and cantilevered from a fixed base (8) and a movable base (10), respectively, which gradually decrease in cross-sectional area to a thin middle section (26), and the movable base (10) is constrained to linear displacement from a null or neutral position by having the force applied along a line normal to and passing through the centre of the thin middle section (26) and transmitted to the movable base (10) through a rigid connection.