Animal husbandry – Milkers – Teat compressor or cup
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-18
2002-03-19
Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3644)
Animal husbandry
Milkers
Teat compressor or cup
C119S014480, C119S014100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06357387
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a teatcup supplying and retrieving device comprising a teatcup supplying member and at least one teatcup connected to a tubing, said teatcup being provided with a teat entry end having a surface defining an inlet opening for a teat.
It also relates to an automatic milking apparatus comprising a milking robot arm provided with such a teatcup supplying and retrieving device.
Such a device and an apparatus are known from EP-A-0 213 660
Another such apparatus is known from WO 93/00001
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
Milking robots provided with a teatcup supplying and retrieving device have been developed during the last twenty years. There are kinds known, where all the teatcups are constantly held in an upright position, such that the teat entry end is kept upwards, see e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,714 or EP-A-0 536 837. This is disadvantageous, as dirt may fall or flow into the teatcup when kept in a storage position.
Other milking robots are provided with a teatcup supplying and retrieving device in the form of a separate washing and/or storage magazine. in which the teat entry end is kept downwards, see e.g. EP-A-0 213 660 or WO 93/00001. On fetching the teatcup, the milking robot arm must turn the teatcup such that it takes an upright position. This is also disadvantageous, as it requires a complicated design of the milking robot arm.
It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide a teatcup supplying and retrieving device and a milking robot, which overcome these disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This has been solved by a teatcup supplying and retrieving device of the initial defined kind, wherein said teatcup is displaceable from a first position to a second position, in which said teat entry end is directed differently from that of the first position, wherein said teatcup is freely displaceable in relation to said teatcup supplying member during displacement between said first and second positions, said displacement being at least initiated by a displacement means controlled by a control means.
It has also been solved by milking robot of the initial defined kind, wherein the milking robot arm is adapted to fetch at least one teatcup from said teatcup supplying member, the teatcup being at its second position, and to attach it onto a teat of an animal.
Hereby, it is made possible to store the teatcups in a position such that the teat entry end is kept in a direction other than upwards, i.e. the risk is less for contamination of the interior of the teatcup.
Preferably, said teat entry end is directed substantially downwards in said first position. Furthermore, it is preferred that said teat entry end is directed substantially upwards in said second position. Hereby is achieved that the teatcup can be fetched by the robot arm, while the teatcup is in an upright position, which allows for a simple design of the robot arm, which in turn reduces the manufacturing costs therefor.
Suitably, said teatcup supplying member comprises a displacement limiting means for limiting the movement of the teatcup. Hereby, a turning area is defined.
Preferably, said displacement limiting means comprises a stop member at said first position. Hereby, a turning point is defined.
Suitably, said movement limiting means comprises a guide means adapted to guide said teatcup towards said first position. Furthermore, said guide means comprises a pair of substantially parallel guide members.
Preferably, said tubing is allowed to extend between and through said pair of guide members during displacement of the teatcup between said first and second positions. Hereby, turning of the teatcup including the tubing is facilitated.
Suitably, said guide members are inclined in relation to the horizontal plane, and are arranged to allow said teatcup to perform a sliding movement along an upper surface of said guide members. Hereby is achieved that the teatcup is allowed to slide along the guide members towards said stop member.
Preferably, said guide members are arranged to allow said teatcup to perform a sliding movement along a lower surface of said guide members. Hereby, a guidance is achieved during teatcup retrieval.
Preferably, said teatcup comprises a flange means adapted to be in contact with said displacement limiting means while being displaced between said first and second positions. Hereby, a turning axis is defined.
Said flange means comprises at least one flange member forming a substantially annular flange. This allows for easy manufacturing.
Preferably, said tubing is associated with said displacement means. Hereby, displacement of the teatcup may be performed by displacing the tubing.
Suitably, said teatcup is displaceable between said first and second positions by means of a tubing linking means connectible to said displacement means, which linking means is arranged between the ends of said tubing, said tubing being connected, at its end opposite to the end connected to the teatcup, to a milk line connection point, movement of said linking means substantially towards said fluid connection point causing the teatcup to be displaced downwards. Displacement of the teatcup is thus achieved with less risk for disturbance.
Preferably, said tubing linking means comprises a pulley, about which said tubing is adapted to run. Hereby, a smooth displacement of the tubing and the teatcup is achieved.
Preferably, a disengagement of an engagement member of said displacement means causes gravity to displace said teatcup. Hereby, displacement of the teatcup may be performed without use of external power.
Alternatively, operation of a driving means of said displacement means causes displacement of said teatcup, said operation being controlled by said control means. Hereby, a controlled displacement of the teatcup may be performed with external power.
In order to perform said controlled displacement, said driving means comprises a pneumatic cylinder or a pneumatic vane motor.
Preferably, said teatcup is displaceable from an upper position to a position located substantially below therefrom, e.g. to said first position. Hereby is achieved a possibility of moving the teatcup from e.g. a storage place or a washing rack.
Suitably, said teatcup is adapted to be retrieved to said upper position by means of said displacement means after a signal from said control means. The signal may be initiated manually by pressing a push button, or automatically by e.g. a sensor sensing a ceasing milk flow, such as a milk flow sensor of a temperature sensor.
The automatic milking apparatus further comprises a milking stall defining an animal space for receiving at least one animal, and a milking robot arranged at a longitudinal side of said milking stall in such a way that a robot arm of said milking robot is allowed to move into said animal space, said teatcup supplying and retrieving device being arranged at the same longitudinal side of the milking stall as the milking robot. Hereby easy fetching of the teatcups by the milking robot arm is achieved.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2812742 (1957-11-01), Millar
patent: 3388689 (1968-06-01), Patrick
patent: 3973520 (1976-08-01), Flocchini
patent: 4735172 (1988-04-01), Wahlström et al.
patent: 5069160 (1991-12-01), Street et al.
patent: 5572947 (1996-11-01), Larson et al.
patent: 5950561 (1999-09-01), Redmond et al.
patent: 0300115 (1989-01-01), None
patent: 0535755 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 2258382 (1993-02-01), None
Abbott Yvonne R.
Alfa Laval Agri AB
Carone Michael J.
Weingarten Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici LLP
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