BG113492A - Device for controlling the milking frequency in automated and robotic milking machines - Google Patents

Abstract

The device for controlling the milking frequency in automated and robotic milking machines according to the present invention consists of a robotic carrier arm (1) with milking cups (2), milking sleeves (2a) in the milking cups (2), a milking apparatus (3), a pulsator (4) and a sensor (5), wherein mounted at the inlet of the pulsator (4) is a regulator (6) with an inlet (7) for receiving the feedback signal from the sensor (5). Such device for controlling the milking frequency in automated and robotic milking machines, in particular a device for controlling the pulsation frequency during the milking process, would be used for process improvements in automated and robotic cow milking systems.

Description

MILKING FREQUENCY CONTROL DEVICE FOR AUTOMATED AND ROBOTIC MILKING MACHINES

FIELD OF ENGINEERING

The invention relates to a device for controlling the frequency of milking in automated and robotic milking machines, in particular for regulating the frequency of pulses during milking, which will find application in improving processes in automated and robotic milking of cows.

PRIOR ART

A robot milking arm and a method for placing teat cups [1] is known, being a robotic milking group (cluster) consisting of a plurality of teat cups connected to a reservoir, a retracting device for withdrawing the teat cups so that they are positioned under the tank; a robotic arm not permanently attached to the milking cluster having a plurality of grippers adapted to collect and hold the plurality of teat cups from the cluster while they are positioned under the tank and actuators for moving the teat cups toward the animal; one or more guide arms to assist in locating the teat cups, bringing the teat cups closer to the robotic grasping arm.

The design of the Robot Milking Arm does not manage the actual milking process, but is designed to grip the milking cups and deliver them to the animal's udder.

In addition, the additional guide arms of the Robot Milking Arm also do not control the milking process, but serve to assist the positioning of a group of teat cups.

A milking robot [2] is known, placed in a milking box, representing an arm consisting of two parts connected to each other and an executive mechanism serving to place the milking cups on the animal's udder. The robot arm is suspended above the animal, where one part of the arm is connected to the milking apparatus, and to the other part of the arm is mounted an executive mechanism, where the part of the arm connected to the milking box can be rotated in a vertical plane relative to the milking machine box, and the other part of the arm connected to the actuator can be rotated in a vertical plane with respect to the part of the arm connected to the milking box. The end result is mobility of the Milking Robot throughout the working range, where an additional device is mounted to the Milking Robot to compensate for the weight of the Milking Robot. The design of the Milking Robot does not control the actual milking process, but is only intended to control the executive mechanism over the entire range of the milking box.

The additional spring device fitted to the Milking Robot also does not control the milking process, but only serves to compensate for the weight of the Milking Robot's arm.

A portable manipulator for milking cows is known [3], including a milking apparatus consisting of milking cups with sub-swing and intermediate chambers and a four-section manifold, the sections of which are united in their lower part with a milk receiving tank. In their upper parts, the sections of the collector, through a calibrated channel, are connected to a constant pressure, and through a two-way solenoid valve and a calibrated channel, they are connected to the atmosphere, and each section has a control chamber, in which the constant pressure chamber is separated by a membrane from the located in it a chamber for working pressure, and the intermediate chambers through a distribution chamber are connected to a pulsator. The intensity of milk flow into the milk tank is determined by a magnetic float located in it.

The design of the Portable milking manipulator does not serve to control the milking process, but by means of the magnetic float it regulates the flow rate of the flowing milk.

In addition, the additional calibrated channels and the two-way solenoid valve do not control the milking process, but only serve to firmly attach and easily detach the manipulator from the animal's udder.

A vacuum milking machine with a pulse switch is known [4], consisting of a milk collection tank, milking cups, a pulse switch and a thermostatic bellows.

The vacuum milking unit ensures that the pulsator is turned off after the milk has flowed from the udder if the pressure in the milk collection tank drops, thus avoiding the so-called "empty milking.

The pulsator switch of the vacuum milking machine only serves to turn the pulsator on and off according to the pressure in the milk collection tank, which depends on the amount of milk being milked, and does not control the actual milking process.

In addition, the pulsator of the Vacuum Milking Machine is set to one operating frequency and only switches off without being able to control the milking process.

TECHNICAL ESSENCE

The task of the invention is to create a device for controlling the frequency of milking in automated and robotic milking machines with a simplified design and easy control of the milking process, in which the frequency of milking can be controlled (the number of pulsations of the milking cups around the animal's udder per unit of time), according to the heart rate of the milked animal.

The task of the invention is solved with a device for controlling the frequency of milking in automated and robotic milking machines, including a carrying robotic arm (1), milking cups (2), a milking apparatus (3), a pulsator (4) and a sensor (5) with feedback connection.

At the end of the supporting robotic arm (1) are mounted the milking cups (2) with a milking sock (2a) in each milking cup (2). A milking apparatus (3) with a pulsator (4) connected to it is mounted to the carrying robotic arm (1), transmitting the pulsations to the milking apparatus (3), and a regulator (6) with a feedback system is mounted at the inlet of the pulsator (4) connection having an input (7) for receiving the signal from the feedback of the sensor (5).

The sensor (5) reads the periods of contraction - systole (8) and relaxation - diastole (9) of the myocardium of the animal and transmits the signal to the input (7) of the regulator (6) as feedback. The frequency of milking pulsations is maintained by the pulsator (4), the frequency of which is determined by the regulator (6) depending on the signal provided by the sensor (5) as feedback at the input (7), so that, during the systole period ( 8) the milking socks (2a) in the milking cups (2) are stretched, and during the diastole period (9) the milking socks (2a) in the milking cups (2) are deformed, which is carried out by alternately feeding and stopping a constant atmospheric pressure in the space between the milking socks (2a) and the walls of the milking cups (2).

An advantage of the invention is that the milking rate is changed or maintained by the regulator (6) of the pulsator (4).

Furthermore, it is an advantage that the change in milking frequency depends on the change in the frequency of contraction - systole (8) and relaxation - diastole (9) of the myocardium of the animal.

Also, an advantage is the high accuracy of regulation, realized with the components available on the market - hardware and software for the regulator (6) and the sensor (5).

An advantage is also the ability to implement different regulation laws in the regulator (6) - Proportional, Integral, Differential or a combination of them.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACHED FIGURES

The invention is better explained by the attached fig. 1, representing a diagram of the Milking Frequency Control Device for automated and robotic milking machines.

IMPLEMENTATION EXAMPLE

The exemplary embodiment of the Milking Frequency Control Device in automated and robotic milking machines includes a carrying robotic arm (1), milking cups (2), milking apparatus (3), pulsator (4) and sensor (5) for feedback. At the end of the supporting robotic arm (1) are mounted the milking cups (2) with a milking sock (2a) in each milking cup (2). A milking apparatus (3) with a pulsator (4) connected to it is mounted to the carrying robotic arm (1), transmitting the pulsations to the milking apparatus (3), and a regulator (6) with a feedback system is mounted at the inlet of the pulsator (4) connection having an input (7) for receiving the signal from the feedback of the sensor (5). The sensor (5) reads the periods of contraction - systole (8) and relaxation - diastole (9) of the myocardium of the animal and transmits the signal to the input (7) of the regulator (6) as feedback. The frequency of milking pulsations is maintained by the pulsator (4), the frequency of which is determined by the regulator (6) depending on the signal provided by the sensor (5) as feedback at the input (7), so that, during the systole period ( 8) the milking socks (2a) in the milking cups (2) are stretched, and during the diastole period (9) the milking socks (2a) in the milking cups (2) are deformed, which is carried out by alternate supply and stopping of atmospheric pressure in the space between the teat socks (2a) and the walls of the teat cups (2).

USE OF THE INVENTION

The invention Device for controlling the frequency of milking in automated and robotic milking machines works in the following way:

The regulator (6) with input feedback system (7) receives a signal from the sensor (5). The regulator (6) in accordance with the periods of contraction - systole (8) and relaxation - diastole (9) of the myocardium of the animal, sets time values of the milking pulsations to the pulsator (4), which are transmitted from the pulsator (4) to the milking apparatus (3) and from there to the milking cups (2).

On the inside of the milking socks (2a), a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure is always maintained - a "lower vacuum", as the milking cups (2) with milking socks (2a) are slipped on the animal's teat. In the period of systole (8), the atmospheric pressure to the teat cups (2) is stopped, whereby the same pressure, lower from the atmospheric - milking vacuum, while the milking sock (2a) is stretched, and the milking vacuum sucks the milk from the animal's teat and the "milking" cycle takes place. In the period of diastole (9), in the space between the outer side of the milking socks (2a) and the walls of the milking cups (2), a constant atmospheric pressure is supplied, during which the milking socks (2a) are deformed inward, and the stroke " massage. The alternation of strokes is carried out by alternately supplying and stopping atmospheric pressure in the space between the walls of the milking cups (2) and the outside of the milking socks (2a), with the constant presence of a low pressure "milking vacuum on the inside of the milking socks (2a) ) in the milking cups (2). In each of the milking cups (2), the low pressure area (milking vacuum) is separated from the area where the constant atmospheric pressure is supplied through a milking sock (2a).

LITERATURE:

[1] . Mark Hamish Seaton, Thomas Glover, Bryan Gordon Grimshaw, Matthew lain McKenzie., ROBOT Milking Arm and a Method of Attaching Milking Cups., US Patent No US 9,402,364 B2, Aug. 2, 2016

[2] . Dirk KraaijMichiel Brevet., Milking robot, US Patent No. US 10,609,896 B2, Apr. 7,2020.

[3] . Uzhik Vladimir Fedorovich., Portable manipulator for milking cows, Patent No. RU 2649668 MPK A01J7/00, 10.03.2017

[4] . V.M. Ulyanov, V.A. Khripin, S.E. Krigin, V.A. Parshina, N.V. Bubnov., Research on the milking machine with a pulse switch., Journal of agricultural science Dona - Technologies, means of mechanization and energy equipment, No. 2 (46) 2019, UDC 637.11: 636.034

Claims (1)

1. Device for controlling the frequency of milking in automated and robotic milking machines, consisting of a carrying robotic arm (1), milking cups (2), milking device (3), pulsator (4) and sensor (5); CHARACTERIZED in that at the end of the supporting robotic arm (1) are mounted the milking cups (2) a milking sock (2a) in each milking cup (2), and to the supporting robotic arm (1) is mounted a milking apparatus (3) , with a pulsator (4) connected to the milking apparatus (3) inlet, feeding the pulsations to the milking apparatus (3), and a regulator (6) with a feedback system having an input (7) installed at the pulsator inlet (4) ) to receive the signal from the feedback of the sensor (5) for the periods of systole (8) and diastole (9) of the myocardium of the animal.