EP2207413A1

EP2207413A1 - An arrangement and a method for cleaning teats of animals

Info

Publication number: EP2207413A1
Application number: EP08844217A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jan Eriksson; Gert Danneker; Thomas Axelsson
Original assignee: DeLaval Holding AB
Current assignee: DeLaval Holding AB
Priority date: 2007-11-01
Filing date: 2008-10-30
Publication date: 2010-07-21
Also published as: WO2009056592A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement and a method for cleaning teats of animals (1 ). The arrangement comprises cleaning means (8) adapted to perform a cleaning treatment of teats of animals (1 ) when the cleaning means is in a cleaning position. The arrangement comprises at least two sets of cleaning means (8) and it has a design that makes it possible to perform a restoring treatment of a used set of cleaning means (8) or an exchange of a used set of cleaning means (8) or a part of it in a service position at the same time as it performs a cleaning treatment of the teats of an animal (1 ) by means of another set of cleaning means (8) in the cleaning position.

Description

An arrangement and a method for cleaning teats of animals

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

The present invention relates to an arrangement and a method for cleaning teats of animals. The arrangement comprises cleaning means adapted to perform a cleaning treatment of teats of animals when the cleaning means is in a cleaning position.

It is important that the teats of milking animals are carefully cleaned before a milking process is started such that a milk product of a high quality is obtained. The teats can be cleaned by means of mechanical cleaning means such as rollers, brushes, belts, sponges, cloths or the like having a cleaning surface which together with a cleaning liquid performs a cleaning treatment of the teats. The teats can also be cleaned by means of a teat-cleaning cup in which a cleaning liquid is supplied to a teat. However, dirt and bacteria can be remained on the surface of the cleaning means after a cleaning treatment of a milking animal. Consequently, there is a risk that the teats of a following milking animal which is cleaned by the cleaning means will not be cleaned in a desired manner. Furthermore, there is a risk that bacteria from an inflamed teat of an animal are transferred to the teats of a following animal via the cleaning means.

EP 0 535 754 shows an implement for milking of animals. The implement comprises cleaning means in the form of rollers adapted to clean the teats of animals by means of a robot arm. After use, the robot arm moves the rollers to a box-like housing in which they are subjected to a cleaning treatment by means of two spray elements before they are used again for cleaning the teats of a following animal. Inevitably, a careful cleaning treatment of the rollers takes a relatively long time. Since the cleaning process of the teats of a following animal can not start before the cleaning treatment of the rollers has been finished, the implement has only capacity to clean the teats of a relatively small number of animals per unit of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement allowing a cleaning process of teats of animals with a set of cleaning means guaranteed free from dirt and bacteria at the same time as the arrangement has capacity to clean the teats of a large number of animals per unit of time.

This object is obtained according to the invention by the feature that the arrangement comprises at least two sets of cleaning means and it has a design that makes it possible to perform a restoring treatment of a used set of cleaning means or an exchange of a used set of cleaning means or a part of it in a service position at the same time as it performs a cleaning treatment of the teats of an animal by means of another set of cleaning means in the cleaning position. In accordance with the first alternative, the used set of cleaning means is restored in the service position. In accordance with the second alternative, the used set of cleaning means or a part of it is exchanged in the service position and replaced by a new one. An operator may perform the exchange of the used set of cleaning means or a part of it manually. However, in the both cases, a set of cleaning means is obtained in the service position guaranteed free from dirt and bacteria from preceding cleaning treatments. The use of at least two sets of cleaning means makes it possible to restore or exchange a used set of cleaning means at the same time as another set of cleaning means cleans the teats of an animal. Thereby, it is possible to always have the use of a clean set of cleaning means. In this case, it is possible to substantially immediately start a new cleaning treatment of the teats of a following animal as soon as a cleaning treatment has ended. Thus, such an arrangement has capacity to clean the teats of animals substantially continuously. Consequently, the arrangement has capacity to clean the teats of a large number of animals per unit of time. If the restoring treatment or the exchange of a used set of cleaning means is performed in a shorter time than the time for the cleaning treatment of the teats, it is possible to use an arrangement having only two sets of cleaning means. If the restoring treatment or the exchange of a used set of cleaning means is performed in a longer time than the time for the cleaning treatment of the teats, it is possible to use more than two sets of cleaning means.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the arrangement comprises restoring means adapted to carry out a restoring treatment of a used set of cleaning means in one or several service positions. By means of suitable restoring means, it is possible to restore a used set of cleaning means to a state as good as new. Thereby, it is possible to use the set of cleaning means for a large number of high quality cleaning treatments. Advantageously, the restoring means comprises a washing unit adapted to perform a washing treatment of a used set of cleaning means. The washing unit may use water and a suitable detergent for cleaning the used set of cleaning means. The restoring means may comprise a drying unit adapted to perform a drying treatment of the washed set of cleaning means. Thereby, it is possible to move a clean and dry set of cleaning means to the cleaning position. The restoring treatment may comprise a bactericidal unit adapted to perform a bactericidal treatment of a used set of cleaning means. There is always a risk that milking animals have inflamed teats. By means of such a bactericidal treatment of the used set of cleaning means, bacteria will not be transferred from the teats of an inflamed animal to the teats of a following animal. According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the arrangement comprises exchanging means adapted to exchange a used set of cleaning means or a part of it in one or several service positions. The set of cleaning means or said part of it may be a throwaway article. In such a case, the cleaning treatment of the teats is always performed by a new and not before used set of cleaning means. Alternatively, a used set of cleaning means or a part of it may be restored in a removed state. Such a restored set of cleaning means or parts can be re-used in the arrangement. The arrangement may comprise a positioning device adapted to move a set of cleaning means between the cleaning position and the service position. The positioning device may be a suitable movable mechanism having capacity to hold and move the set of cleaning means between said positions. The positioning device may comprise an element adapted to hold at least one set of cleaning means in a service position and the exchanging means may comprise dismounting means adapted to dismount used set of cleaning means or a part of them from the element in the service position. The dismounting means may comprise a mechanism which removes a used set of cleaning means or part of it from the positioning device and delivers it to a container or the like preferably located in the vicinity of the positioning device. The exchanging means may comprise mounting means adapted to mount a clean set of cleaning means or a part of it on the element of the positioning device. The dismounting means may comprise a mechanism which fetches a clean set of cleaning means or a part of it from a storing device and mounts it on the positioning device. A suitably designed robot arm may consist both the dismounting means and the mounting means.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the positioning device may comprise a rotatable unit. Preferably, the rotatable unit is adapted to hold at least two sets of cleaning means in different service positions. It is possible with such a design to move the sets of cleaning means between the service positions by means of an intermittent rotary motion of the unit. The positioning device may comprise at least one extensible element adapted to hold one set of cleaning means on the rotary unit. By means of such an extensible member, it is possible to move a set of cleaning means in a radial direction in relation to the rotatable unit from a service position to the cleaning position. Preferably, such a radial motion is used for moving the sets of cleaning means into the space between the front legs and the rear legs of the animal. The set of cleaning means is adapted to come in contact with at least one teat of the animal when it reaches the cleaning position. Alternatively, the positioning device comprises a robot arm adapted to move a set of cleaning means between the cleaning position and at least one service position. When a cleaning treatment of the teat of an animal has ended, the robot arm moves the used set of cleaning means from the cleaning position to a service position. As soon as the teats of a following animal has to be cleaned, the robot arm grips and moves a clean set of cleaning means from a service position to the cleaning position.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the arrangement comprises liquid supplying means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the set of cleaning means before and/or when it is in the cleaning position. The cleaning liquid may be water mixed with a suitable detergent. The set of cleaning means may have a cleaning surface adapted to be in contact with the teats during a cleaning process. The mechanical action of the cleaning surface and the action of the cleaning liquid result in an effective cleaning of the teats. Each set of cleaning means may comprise at least one rotatable roller. A rotatable roller is a useful tool for cleaning the teats of an animal. It is also easy to restore or exchange a cleaning surface of a roller. Preferably, a set of cleaning means comprises at least two rollers which are rotatably arranged in opposite directions. However, it is possible to use other kinds of sets of cleaning means in order to clean the teats including brushes, belts, sponges, cloths, or sets of one or several teat cleaning cups. The above-mentioned object is also obtained by the method comprising the steps of using at least two sets of the cleaning means and performing a restoring treatment of a used set of cleaning means or an exchange of a used set of cleaning means or a part of it in a service position at the same time as a cleaning treatment of the teats of an animal is performed by means of another set of cleaning means in a cleaning position. The use of several sets of cleaning means makes it possible to perform a service treatment of a used set of cleaning means at the same time as another set of cleaning means cleans the teats of an animal. It is thereby always possible to move a clean set of cleaning means to the cleaning position as soon as the teats of an animal has to be cleaned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention is described by examples and with references to the attached drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of an arrangement for cleaning teats of cows,

Fig. 2 shows the arrangement in Fig. 1 from the above and Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of an arrangement for cleaning teats of cows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The Figs 1 and 2 show an arrangement for automatic cleaning of teats of cows 1 . The arrangement here comprises a part of a walking path 2 for the cows 1 which ends in a not disclosed milking station. A cabinet like structure 5 is arranged on one side of the walking path 2. The cabinet like structure 5 contains a rotatable unit 6 having a cylindrical shape. Several extensible elements 7 are arranged in different positions around the peripheral surface of the cylindrical unit 6. In this case, each extensible element 7 supports one set of cleaning means. Each set of cleaning means comprises two rotatable rollers 8.

A detecting member 10 is adapted to detect when a cow 1 reaches a specific position in relation to the cabinet like structure 5. The detecting member 10 can also be adapted to detect the identity of the cow. When the detecting member 10 detects a cow in this position, it sends a signal to a control unit 1 1 . The control unit 1 1 may be a computer or the like containing a suitable software adapted to control the cleaning arrangement. The control unit 1 1 is adapted to control the rotary motion of the rotatable unit 6 and the extension motion of the extensible elements 7. The extensible elements 7 are adapted to move a set of rollers 8 from a front service position on the cylindrical unit 6 to a cleaning position in which the rollers 8 come in contact with the teats of the cow 1 . In the cleaning position, the control unit 1 1 starts the rollers 8. When the cleaning treatment of the teats has ended, the length of the extensible elements 7 are reduced such that the used set of rollers 8 is moved back to the front service position on the cylindrical unit 6. Thereafter, the cylindrical unit 6 rotates a predetermined angle such that a new set of rollers 8 enters the front service position. The cylindrical unit 6 is here provided with six sets of rollers 8 mounted around its peripheral surface. Consequently, when one set of rollers 8 is in a cleaning position the remaining five sets of rollers 8 are in different service positions around the peripheral surface of the cylindrical unit 6.

The cabinet like structure 5 comprises restoring means for carrying out a restoring treatment of used sets of the rollers 8 in one or several of the service positions. In this case, the restoring means comprises a schematically disclosed washing unit 12 adapted to perform a washing treatment of used sets of rollers 8. Dirt and particles on the cleaning surfaces of the sets of rollers 8 are removed in an effective manner during the washing treatment. The restoring means also comprises a schematically disclosed drying unit 13 adapted to perform a drying treatment of washed sets of rollers 8. Furthermore, the restoring means comprises a schematically disclosed bactericidal unit 14 adapted to perform a bactericidal treatment of the sets of rollers 8. The bactericidal unit 14 can comprise a source of ultraviolet rays, a heating source or a source of ozone or combinations of these. The cleaning surfaces of the roller 8 are completely clean from dirt and bacteria when they have passed through all the units 12, 13, 14. Consequently, the teats of a cow cleaned by the arrangement do not risk coming in contact with dirt or bacteria from previously cleaned cows.

Fig 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the arrangement. In this case, the arrangement comprises exchanging means adapted to exchange a part 8a of the sets of rollers 8 including the cleaning surface. The arrangement comprises schematically disclosed dismounting means 15a adapted to dismount used roller parts 8a from roller bodies 8b each supported on an extensible element 7. The dismounting means 15a places the removed roller parts 8a in a container 16. The arrangement also comprises schematically disclosed mounting means 15b adapted to fetch new roller parts 8a from a storing device 17 and to mount them on free roller bodies 8b. The dismounting of used roller parts 8a and mounting of new roller parts 8a can be performed in one or several service positions. Also in this case, the arrangement performs a cleaning treatment of the teats of cows 1 with sets of rollers 8 having cleaning surfaces, which is completely free from dirt and bacteria from the teats of previously treated cows. A robot arm may consist both the dismounting means 15a and the mounting means 15b. It is also possible that an operator manually dismounts used roller parts 8a from the roller bodies 8b and/or mounts new roller parts 8a on roller bodies 8b. It is certainly possible to remove the whole set of rollers 8 after use and replace it by new set of rollers having a clean cleaning surface. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments but may be varied and modified freely within the scope of the claims. It is certainly possible to use other kinds of sets of cleaning means than sets of rollers for cleaning the teats such as sets of brushes, sets of belts, sets of sponges, sets of cloths and sets of teat cleaning cups.

Claims

1 . An arrangement for cleaning teats of animals (1 ), wherein the arrangement comprises cleaning means (8) adapted to perform a cleaning treatment of teats of animals (1 ) when the cleaning means is in a cleaning position, characterized in that the arrangement comprises at least two sets of cleaning means (8) and it has a design that makes it possible to perform a restoring treatment of a used set of cleaning means (8) or an exchange of a used set of cleaning means (8) or a part of it in a service position at the same time as it performs a cleaning treatment of the teats of an animal (1 ) by means of another set of cleaning means (8) in the cleaning position.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises restoring means (12, 13, 14) adapted to carry out the restoring treatment of a used set of cleaning means (8) in one or several service positions.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the restoring means comprises a washing unit (12) adapted to perform a washing treatment of a used set of cleaning means (8).

4. An arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the restoring means comprises a drying unit (13) adapted to perform a drying treatment of the washed set of cleaning means (8).

5. An arrangement according to any one of the claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the restoring treatment comprises a bactericidal unit (14) adapted to perform a bactericidal treatment of a used set of cleaning means (8).

6. An arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises exchanging means (15a, b) adapted to exchange a used set of cleaning means (8) or a part of it (8a) in one or several service positions.

7. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a positioning device (6, 16) adapted to move a set of cleaning means (8) between the cleaning position and at least one service position.

8. An arrangement according to claim 6 and 7, characterized in that the positioning device (6) comprises an element (7) adapted to hold a set of cleaning means in a service position and the exchanging means comprises dismounting means (15a) adapted to dismount a used set of cleaning means (8) or a part of it (8a) from the element (7) in a service position.

9. An arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the exchanging means comprises mounting means (15b) adapted to mount a clean set of cleaning means (8) or parts of it (8a) on the element (7).

10. An arrangement according to any one of the claims 7-9, characterized in that the positioning device comprises a rotatable unit (6).

1 1 . An arrangement according to claim 10, characterized in that the rotatable unit (6) is adapted to hold at least two sets of cleaning means (8) in different service positions.

12. An arrangement according to claim 1 1 , characterized in that the rotatable unit (6) comprises at least one extensible element (7) adapted to hold one set of cleaning means (8) and to move it from a service position to the cleaning position and back to a service position after use.

13. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims 7 to 12, characterized in that the positioning device comprises a robot arm (16) adapted to move a set of cleaning means (8) from the service position to the cleaning position and back to a service position after use.

14. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arrangement comprises liquid supplying means (9) adapted to supply a cleaning liquid to a set of cleaning means (8) before and/or when it is in the cleaning position.

15. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the set of the cleaning means comprise at least one rotatable roller (8).

16. An method for cleaning teats of animals (1 ), wherein the method comprises the steps of moving a set of cleaning means (8) between a cleaning position and at least one service position, performing a cleaning treatment of teats of animals (1 ) by means of the set of cleaning means when it is in the cleaning position, characterized by the steps of using at least two sets of the cleaning means and performing a restoring treatment of a used set of cleaning means (8) or an exchange of a used set of cleaning means (8) or a part of it in the service position at the same time as a cleaning treatment of the teats of an animal (1 ) is performed by means of another set of cleaning means (8) in the cleaning position.