Animal husbandry – Milkers – With automatic control
Patent
1996-03-04
1998-07-28
Weiss, John G.
Animal husbandry
Milkers
With automatic control
119 141, 119 1414, A01J 300
Patent
active
057849943
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically milking animals, such as cows, which includes milking compartments having milking robots for automatically connecting teat cups to the teats of the animals. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus of this type which further includes a detector for determining the position of the teats.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Types of such apparatus are known but do not always work satisfactorily. The invention has as an object to improve types of apparatus of this nature. The apparatus is improved in that the detector is constructed in such a manner so that the detector's beams will be at different angles with respect to the teats of the animal to be milked. The invention also relates to an apparatus for automatically milking animals, such as cows, having one or more milking compartments which include one or more milking robots for automatically connecting teat cups to the teats of the animals and, in combination, further include a detector for determining the position of the teats, wherein the detector is arranged for performing a scanning motion in different directions. In this situation, the scanning beam of the detector can be positioned so that it can move up and down and to and fro. To make it possible to detect teats which are located at different heights above the floor of the milking compartment, the detector can perform a scanning motion through at least five centimeters, and preferably through approximately ten centimeters in the vertical direction. More in particular, for performing this motion in the vertical direction, the detector can be connected through the intermediary of a four-bar linkage to a robot arm. Apart from a movement in the vertical direction, the detector is also capable of rotation in a generally horizontal plane. To that end, the detector can be connected so as to be capable of rotating around a substantially vertical axis relative to the robot arm. The robot arm is preferably attached to a side of a milking compartment or arranged closely thereto. The robot arm is designed so that the detector can be moved to outside the milking compartment.
When the detector becomes contaminated, this may be to the detriment of the accuracy with which the position of the teats is determined, and it is possible that a positional determination cannot be made at all. To solve this problem, the apparatus may be fitted with a cleaning member for cleaning the detector. The invention, therefore, also relates to an apparatus for automatically milking animals, such as cows, having one or more milking compartments and one or more milking robots for automatically connecting teat cups to the teats of the animals, in further combination with a detector for determining the position of the teats and a cleaning member for cleaning the detector. This cleaning member is preferably arranged outside the milking compartment, and connected with the side framework of the milking compartment. More in particular when the detector comprises a laser, it has a window which can get dirty. For that reason, the cleaning member may be provided with spraying or blowing means or both for spraying a cleaning liquid or blowing air, respectively, against the window, thus cleaning the window. This cleaning operation may be effected after each milking turn, the frequency of cleaning the window may be lower when it is found that the window is contaminated less frequently.
The motion of the component parts of the robot arm and the motion of the detector can be performed by means of computer-controlled stepping motors. Both for this function and in general for controlling the entire milking procedure and the procedure of automatically connecting and disconnecting the teat cups, a computer is used.
The apparatus further includes an animal identification system connected to this computer, the computer having stored in it a control program adapted to the individual animals for moving the detector to an animal-specific position under the udder. Th
REFERENCES:
patent: 5020477 (1991-06-01), Dessing et al.
patent: 5042428 (1991-08-01), van der Lely et al.
patent: 5056466 (1991-10-01), Dessing et al.
patent: 5245947 (1993-09-01), Oosterling et al.
patent: 5379721 (1995-01-01), Dessing et al.
International Search Report. for International Application PCT/NL95/00230, International Publication No. WO 96/011040, Publication date Jan. 18, 1996 .
Cho David J.
Weiss John G.
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