JPH08280288A - Apparatus for mooring dairy cattle for automatic milking machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To miniaturize the whole automatic milking machine, reduce the cost thereof and moor dairy cattle in the optimal state. CONSTITUTION: This apparatus is obtained by installing a stanchion unit 2 formed so as to enable the movement in the front and rear directions from a stall A, a moving and driving part 3 capable of moving the stanchion unit 2 in the front and rear directions and a controlling part 4 capable of controlling the moving and driving part 3 based on database related to the previously stored body form for dairy cattle C admitted into the stall A and regulating the position of the stanchion unit 2 for the dairy cattle C.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dairy cow mooring device for an automatic milking machine for mooring a dairy cow that has entered a stall.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an automatic milking machine, a teat cup is automatically mounted on a cow housed in a stall by a milking robot. While mooring the cow, the cow body position detecting device and the teat position detecting device were used to accurately detect the cow body position and the teat position of the cow. In this case, the stanchion constitutes a dairy cow mooring device, and when the head of the dairy cow enters, the stanchion is closed and moored.

[0003]

However, the conventional dairy cow mooring device described above has the following problems.

First, the head position of the dairy cow is fixed at a fixed position in the front part of the stall, so that the position of the nipple in the front-rear direction varies greatly depending on the size of the dairy cow. Therefore, the detection ranges of the cow body position detecting device and the teat position detecting device and the moving distance of the milking robot are increased, which leads to an increase in the size and cost of the automatic milking machine as a whole.

Secondly, the head position of the dairy cow is fixed at a certain position in front of the stall, so that the stall becomes narrow depending on the body shape of the dairy cow, and the position and height of the stanchion are different from those of the dairy cow. It causes inconvenience.

The present invention solves the problems existing in the prior art as described above, and aims at downsizing and cost reduction of the entire automatic milking machine and at the same time dairy cows for the automatic milking machine which can moor the dairy cows in an optimum state. The purpose is to provide a mooring device.

[0007]

A dairy cow mooring device 1 for an automatic milking machine according to the present invention comprises a stanchion unit 2 movably provided in a front-rear direction with respect to a stall A, and the stanchion unit 2 in a front-rear direction. Movement drive unit 3 for moving to
And a control unit 4 for controlling the movement drive unit based on a database relating to the body shape stored in advance for the cow C that has entered the stall A, and adjusting the position of the stanchion unit 2 with respect to the cow C. And

In this case, according to the optimum embodiment, the control unit 4 moorizes the dairy cow C that has entered the stall A in the stanchion unit 2 and then sets the stanchion so that the nipples Cm of the dairy cow C are in the reference position. Adjust the position of unit 2. Further, the stanchion unit 2 is integrally provided with the bait tank 5. On the other hand, the controller 6 is provided with a step 6 on which the front legs Cf of the dairy cow C are placed and an elevating mechanism section 7 for elevating the step 6.
Controls the elevating mechanism section 7 based on the database relating to the body shape stored in advance for the cow C and adjusts the height of the step 6.

[0009]

According to the dairy cow mooring device 1 for an automatic milking machine according to the present invention, first, when the dairy cow C enters the stall A, the neck of the dairy cow C is moored by the stanchion unit 2. On the other hand, the control unit 4 controls the movement drive unit 3 based on the database relating to the body shape stored in advance for the cow C, and moves the stanchion unit 2 in the front-rear direction so that the teat Cm of the cow C is the reference. The position of the stanchion unit 2 with respect to the dairy cow C is adjusted so that it becomes the position. In addition, the food tank 5 is included in the stanchion unit 2.
, The bait tank 5 moves together with the movement of the stanchion unit 2. As a result, the nipples Cm ... Are positioned at the reference position regardless of the body size of the dairy cow C, so that the detection range of the cow body position detecting device and the nipple position detecting device and the moving distance of the milking robot are significantly reduced. The size and cost of the entire automatic milking machine can be reduced.

On the other hand, the control unit 4 controls the elevating mechanism unit 7 based on the body shape database stored in advance for the dairy cow C to elevate and lower the step 6 on which the front legs Cf of the dairy cow C are placed to step on the step. Adjust the height of 6 to the optimum height for the cow C. As a result, the dairy cow C is moored in an optimum state together with the position adjustment of the stanchion unit 2 in the front-rear direction.

[0011]

Next, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, regarding the overall structure of the automatic milking machine M and the stall A equipped with the dairy cow mooring device 1 according to this embodiment,
This will be described with reference to FIGS.

The stall A is a stanchion type stall for mooring one cow C. The stall A is composed of a combination of a large number of frames F ... And the dairy cow mooring device 1 is arranged in the front part of the stall A.

Next, the structure of the dairy cow mooring device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. Dairy cow mooring equipment 1
Includes a stanchion unit 2 that is configured separately from the stall A. The stanchion unit 2 is composed of a combination of frames Fs, and a bait tank 5 is integrally provided at the lower end. At the rear of the stanchion unit 2, a stanchion bar 11a disposed on the upper side and a stanchion bar 11b disposed on the left side and having an upper end rotatably coupled to the left side of the stanchion bar 11a are provided. An intermediate portion of the chon bar 11b is rotatably supported by the stanchion unit 2. The left end of the stanchion bar 11a is vertically displaced by the movable rod 12r of the air cylinder 12 provided in the stanchion unit 2. Thereby, the movable rod 1 of the air cylinder 12
If 2r goes back and forth, stanchion bars 11a and 11b
Is a mooring position Pc shown by a solid line or an opening position P shown by a virtual line
Displace selectively to o.

On the other hand, a pair of left and right guide bars 13, 13 arranged in the front-rear direction is provided on the upper part of the stall A, and the upper end of the stanchion unit 2 is slidably mounted on the guide bars 13, 13. An air cylinder 3c is attached to the upper end of the stall A, and the movable rod 3r of the air cylinder 3c is connected to the stanchion unit 2. The air cylinder 3c constitutes the movement drive unit 3. Therefore, the stanchion unit 2 is moved back and forth by the air cylinder 3c.

On the other hand, 6 is a step on which the front legs Cf of the cow C are placed. The step 6 is provided so as to be vertically movable with respect to the support 15, and an elevating mechanism section 7 shown in FIG. 4 is provided between the step 6 and the support 15. The elevating mechanism section 7 has an X-arm mechanism 16 arranged between the step 6 and the support 15, and a cam block 18 that is moved by an air cylinder 17.
The height of the step 6 can be adjusted by engaging the inclined surface 18h with the roller 19 rotatably attached to the X arm mechanism 16. By providing such a step 6, the center of gravity is applied to the rear part of the cow C, and the movement of the cow C is suppressed.

Further, the air cylinder 3c (movement drive unit 3)
Also, a control unit 4 (FIG. 12) for adjusting the front-back direction position of the stanchion unit 2 and the height of the step 6 by controlling the elevation mechanism unit 7 is provided. In this case, the control unit 4 stores in advance a database relating to the body shape of each dairy cow, and when the dairy cow C enters the stall A, the optimum position of the stanchion unit 2 in the front-rear direction of the dairy cow C is optimized. Also, the height of the step 6 is set.
The position of the stanchion unit 2 in the front-rear direction and the height of the step 6 are adjusted by a feedback control method by providing a position detector that detects the position of the stanchion unit 2 in the front-rear direction and the height of the step 6, for example. it can.

On the other hand, a door Fd is attached to the right rear half of the stall A, and the door Fd can be opened and closed with the front end as a pivot.

On the other hand, an automatic milking machine M is attached to the stall A. The automatic milking machine M includes a milking robot 20. The milking robot 20 has a mounting surface E lower than the floor surface of the stall A.
Installed in The milking robot 20 includes a fixed part 21, an elevating part 22 that moves up and down with respect to the fixed part 21, and an elevating part 2
The drive shaft 23 protruding from the upper surface of the drive shaft 2 and the drive shaft 2
3, an arm mechanism portion 24 having a rear end side attached thereto, and an end effector 25 supported at the tip of the arm mechanism portion 24. In this case, the arm mechanism unit 24 is the L-shaped arm 24.
a and I-shaped arm 24b are connected to each other. The end effector 25 is provided with four teat cups 26 ... And each teat cup 26 ... Is supported by an elevating arm. Further, the end effector 25 is provided with a teat position sensor unit 31 that constitutes a teat position detecting device 30.

Next, the structure of the teat position detecting device 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. The teat position sensor part 31 is a flat housing part 3 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.
2 The housing portion 32 is integrally formed in a tray shape by a flat bottom surface portion 32d and a relatively low height side surface portion 32s rising from the peripheral edge thereof, and the sensor unit 33 is provided inside.
And the upper surface of the housing 32 is covered with a transparent cover 34.

The sensor unit 33 has a printed circuit board 35, and on this printed circuit board 35, a large number of reflective optical sensors 36 ... Which can detect the distance between the cows C are arranged in a matrix. In this case, the number of optical sensors 36 may be selected to be several tens in the row direction and the column direction. Further, one optical sensor 36 uses one infrared light emitting diode (light emitting portion) 37 and one light receiving diode (light receiving portion) 38 as a pair.

On the other hand, FIG. 7 shows an electric system circuit 40 of the teat position detecting device 30 including the sensor unit 33. In the figure, 41 is a reference oscillation circuit, 42 is a binary counter,
3 is a decade counter for scanning in the row direction, 44 is a decade counter for scanning in the column direction, and 45 is an AN.
D circuit, 46 is a row direction driver circuit connected to the light emitting diode array T, 47 is a column direction driver circuit connected to the light emitting diode array T, 48 is an analog switch for row direction scanning connected to the light receiving diode array R,
Reference numeral 49 is a column-direction scanning analog switch connected to the light-receiving diode array R, 50 and 51 are encoders, and 52 is a reception preamplifier, and each unit is connected as shown in FIG. Further, the encoders 50 and 51 and the reception preamplifier 52 are connected to the control unit 4.

With the electric system circuit 40, the light emitting diodes 37 in the light emitting diode array T are sequentially scanned to emit light, and infrared rays are radiated to the dairy cow C located above the light receiving diode array R. When the reflected light is received by the corresponding light receiving diode 38 ...
The nipple position can be detected based on the magnitude of the detection signal obtained from.

Further, such a teat position sensor unit 31
Is slid in the front-rear direction by a moving mechanism portion incorporated in the end effector 25. That is, the teat position sensor unit 31 can be selectively moved to the non-use position Pi shown in FIG. 2 which is separated from the teat cups 26 ... And the use position Pu shown in FIG.

On the other hand, a cow body position detecting device 60 is arranged at the upper rear portion of the stall A. Next, this cow body position detection device 6
The configuration of 0 will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, as shown in FIG. 9, one end of each of the upper support plate 61 and the lower support plate 62 is cantileveredly fixed to the upper frame F located at the rear of the stall A. The rear support 70 for detecting the rear part of the cow C is disposed on the upper support plate 61, and the right support 90 for detecting the right part of the cow C and the left part of the cow C are disposed on the lower support plate 62. A left detector 110 for detecting is provided.

The rear detector 70 includes a rear air cylinder 71 fixed to the upper surface of the upper support plate 61. The movable rod 71r of the rear air cylinder 71 is projected rearward as shown in FIG.
Fix the top of 3. Then, after this, the support plate 63
The contact panel mechanism section 72 is supported by. The rear air cylinder 71 has a function of moving the contact panel mechanism portion 72 in a direction of approaching or separating from the cow C.

Further, the contact panel mechanism section 72 includes a contact panel unit 73 and a release mechanism section 74. The contact panel unit 73 includes a support portion 75 whose upper end is rotatably attached to the lower end of the rear support plate 63.
The contact panel 77 is elastically supported by the four springs 76. Further, a touch switch 78 is provided on the surface of the contact panel 77. The touch switch 78 is formed by sandwiching a pressure conductive rubber between a pair of plastic plates, and is turned off in a natural state, but is turned on when the cow C contacts and is pressurized. On the other hand, the operation piece 79 is provided on the back surface of the contact panel 77, and the detection switch 8 operated by the operation piece 79 is provided on the back surface of the support portion 75.
0 is set. In this case, the operation piece 79 is formed in a cam shape, and the detection switch 8 is inserted through the opening provided in the support portion 75.
Face 0. The detection switch 80 has a built-in limit switch and an operated knob 81 having a roller operated by an operation piece 79. Although the detection switch 80 is OFF in the natural state, the contact panel 77
When is pressed to approach the support part 75 by a predetermined width, the operated knob 81 is pressed by the operation piece 79 and turned on.

On the other hand, the release mechanism section 74 is provided with a release air cylinder 83 rotatably supported by a bracket 82 fixed to the rear support plate 63, and the tip of the movable rod 83r of this air cylinder 83 has a contact panel mechanism. A bracket 84 provided on a support portion 75 of the portion 72 is rotatably connected. As a result, the contact panel unit 73 causes the movable rod 83r to project,
When the movable rod 83r is retracted while being displaced to the set position Ps facing the rear part of the cow C moored at the stall A, the movable rod 83r is rotated 90 ° rearward and is horizontally moved as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. It is positioned and displaced to the release position Pr which does not prevent the cow C from entering and leaving the stall A.

Further, the rear support plate 63 has a rack 8
5 is fixed at one end, and a rotary encoder 86 is attached to the upper support plate 61. The rack 85 is arranged in parallel with the movable rod 71r of the air cylinder 71 and meshes with a pinion 87 attached to the input shaft of the rotary encoder 86. This constitutes a position detector 88 that detects the position of the contact panel mechanism section 72. The rotary encoder 86 is preferably an absolute type that can detect the absolute position of the contact panel mechanism section 72.

On the other hand, the right detecting section 90 includes the lower support plate 6
The right air cylinder 91 fixed to the lower surface of the second unit 2 is provided. The movable rod 91r of the right air cylinder 91 is projected rightward as shown in FIG. 9, and the middle portion of the right support plate 64 having an L shape in a side view is fixed to the tip thereof. Then, the right support plate 64 supports the contact panel mechanism section 92. The right air cylinder 91 has a mechanism for moving the contact panel mechanism portion 92 in a direction to move toward or away from the cow C.

The contact panel mechanism 92 includes a contact panel unit 93 and a release mechanism 94. The contact panel unit 93 is the contact panel unit 92 described above.
In the same manner as above, 98 is a touch switch, 97 is a contact panel, 96 ... Is a spring, 95 is a supporting portion, and a detection switch 100 (FIG. 12) is provided.
The release mechanism portion 94 is also configured in the same manner as the release mechanism portion 74 described above, and 102 is a bracket, 103 is a release air cylinder, and 103r is a movable rod.
As a result, the contact panel unit 93 includes the movable rod 1
By projecting 03r, it is displaced to the set position Ps facing the right part of the cow C moored in the stall A, and if the movable rod 103r is retracted, it will rotate 90 ° to the right, and as shown in FIG. As shown by the phantom line, it is positioned horizontally and is displaced to the release position Pr that does not prevent the cow C from entering and leaving the stall A.

Further, the right support plate 64 has a rack 1
One end of 05 is fixed, and the rotary encoder 106 is attached to the lower support plate 62. Rack 105
Is arranged parallel to the movable rod 91r of the air cylinder 91,
The pinion 107 attached to the input shaft of the rotary encoder 106 is engaged. As a result, the contact panel mechanism section 9
A position detector 108 for detecting the position of No. 2 is configured.

On the other hand, the left detector 110 includes a left air cylinder 111 fixed to the lower surface of the lower support plate 62.
The movable rod 111r of the left air cylinder 111 is projected leftward as shown in FIG. 9, and the upper end of the contact panel mechanism portion 112 is fixed to the tip thereof. The left air cylinder 11
Reference numeral 1 has a mechanism for moving the contact panel mechanism section 112 in a direction to move toward or away from the cow C. In this case, the release mechanism section described above is not provided in the left detection section 110.

Further, the contact panel mechanism section 112 includes a contact panel unit 113 facing the left side of the cow C moored in the stall A. This contact panel unit 113
Is the same as the contact panel unit 73 described above, and
18 is a touch switch, 117 is a contact panel, 116 ...
Is a spring, and 115 is a support part, and is provided with a detection switch 120 (FIG. 12).

Further, one end of the rack 125 is fixed to the support portion 115, and the rotary encoder 126 is attached to the lower support plate 62. The rack 125 is arranged parallel to the movable rod 111r of the air cylinder 111, and is attached to the input shaft of the rotary encoder 126.
Mesh with 27. As a result, the contact panel mechanism unit 11
A position detector 128 that detects the position of 2 is configured.

Next, the control system of the automatic milking machine M will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the touch switches 78 and 9 described above.
8, 118, the detection switches 80, 100, 120 and the rotary encoders 86, 106, 126 are connected to the input side of the control unit 4 respectively, and the output side of the control unit 4 controls the air cylinders 71, 91, 111. Control valves 89, 109, 129 and control valves 74v, 94v for controlling the release air cylinders 83, 103 are connected, respectively. The teat position sensor unit 31 is connected to the input side of the control unit 4, and the drive unit 130 of the milking robot 20, the movement drive unit 3 for moving the stanchion unit 2, and the step 6 are connected to the output side of the control unit 4. The elevating and lowering mechanism parts 7 are connected respectively.

Next, regarding the automatic teat cup mounting operation of the automatic milking machine M including the function of the dairy cow mooring device 1 according to this embodiment, the flowchart shown in FIG. 15 and FIGS.
Will be described with reference to.

First, when the dairy cow C is not moored to the stall A, the contact panel units 73 and 93 are released by the release mechanism portions 74 and 94, respectively.
It is displaced to r. Further, the door Fd of the stall A is opened as shown by a virtual line in FIG.

Now, assume that the cow C has entered the stall A. In this case, since the contact panel units 73 and 93 are respectively displaced to the upper release position Pr,
It does not hinder entry. Further, since the stanchion bars 11a and 11b in the stanchion unit 2 are open at the open position Po shown by the phantom line in FIG. 3, the cow C can insert the head. When the cow C has completely entered the stall A, the door Fd is closed and the cow C is identified (step S1). In this case, the cow C wears a collar that stores the ID code, and the cow C is identified by reading the ID code with a code reader (not shown) provided in the stanchion unit 2. Further, the stanchion bars 11a and 11b are displaced to the mooring position Pc indicated by the solid line by the air cylinder 12 to moor the cow C (step S2).

On the other hand, the control unit 4 includes a computer function unit, and as described above, various data such as the body shape and the teat position of the dairy cow C are stored in advance as a database in the computer function unit. Therefore, based on the stored data relating to the body shape, the stanchion unit 2 is moved forward or backward by the air cylinder 3c, and the position of the stanchion unit 2 is adjusted so that the teat of the cow C becomes the reference position. Adjust (step S3). Since the stanchion unit 2 is integrally provided with the bait tank 5, the bait tank 5 moves together with the movement of the stanchion unit 2. As a result, the nipples Cm ... Are positioned at the reference position regardless of the body size of the dairy cow C, so that the detection range of the cow body position detecting device and the nipple position detecting device and the moving distance of the milking robot are significantly reduced. It is possible to reduce the size and cost of the entire automatic milking machine.

Further, the control section 4 controls the elevating mechanism section 7 based on the body shape database stored in advance for the dairy cow C to raise and lower the step 6 on which the front feet Cf of the dairy cow C ... Adjust the height of 6 to the optimum height for the cow C. As a result, the dairy cow C is moored in an optimum state together with the position adjustment of the stanchion unit 2 in the front-rear direction.

Next, the cow body position detection device 60 is used to detect the cow body position. First, the release mechanism parts 74, 94
To set the contact panel units 73 and 93 to the set position P.
Displace to s. As a result, each contact panel unit 7
3, 93 and 113 respectively face the right part, the left part and the rear part of the cow C. At this time, each contact panel unit 7
3, 93, 113 are air cylinders 71, 91, 111
Therefore, it is separated from the dairy cow C in advance.

From this state, the air cylinders 71, 91,
By 111, each contact panel unit 73, 93, 11
3 is moved toward the cow C. Then, when each of the contact panels 77, 97, 117 comes into contact with the cow C, this contact is detected by the touch switches 78, 98, 118, so that the controller 4 controls the control valves 89, 10.
9, 129 to control the contact panel units 73, 9
The movement of 3,113 is stopped. As a result, the right part, the left part, and the rear part of the dairy cow C are sandwiched by the contact panel units 73, 93, 113 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (step S4).

The dairy cow C has each contact panel unit 7
The movement is suppressed by being sandwiched by 3, 93, 113, but at this time, if the dairy cow C moves, the contact panels 77, 97,
117 is pushed against the elasticity of the springs 76, 96, 116. And the contact panels 77, 97, 11
When the switch 7 approaches the support parts 75, 95, 115 by a predetermined width, the switch 7 is detected by the detection switches 80, 100, 120, and the control part 4 controls the contact panel mechanism part 7 for this detection period.
2, 92, 112 are moved in a direction in which they are separated from the cow C. By such an operation, the contact panel units 73, 93, 113 follow the position where the cow C is stable and hold the cow body.

On the other hand, each contact panel mechanism section 72, 92, 1
12 positions, that is, positions of the right part, the left part and the rear part which are the cow body positions of the dairy cow C, the rotary encoders 86, 106,
It is detected by 126 (step S5). in this way,
The cow body position of the dairy cow C is determined by the rotary encoders 86, 106,
Since it is directly detected by 126, highly accurate position detection is realized. In addition, the cow C is each contact panel unit 7
Since it is sandwiched by 3, 93, 113, the movement of the cow C is suppressed, and the teat cups 26, which will be described later, are mounted reliably and stably.

Next, the teat position detecting device 30 detects the teat position. At this time, first, the teat position sensor unit 31 is moved from the non-use position Pi to the use position Pu as shown in FIG. As a result, the teat position sensor unit 3
1 covers the upper side of the teat cups 26 ... And is located immediately below the teats Cm. Then, the respective light emitting diodes 37 ... In the light emitting diode array T are sequentially scanned to emit light, and all the teats Cm ...
Infrared light is radiated to the dairy cow C including the corresponding light receiving diodes 38 in the light receiving diode array R.
The reflected light is received by. On the other hand, the control unit 4 detects the distance between the cow C and the nipple position based on the magnitude of the light reception signal from the light receiving diodes 38. That is, if the optical sensors 36 are sequentially scanned, the distance between the cow C and the optical sensor 36 becomes the shortest.
Since the position of ... Is the teat position (tip position), this position is detected by the control unit 4.

Therefore, the position of the teat, that is, the position coordinate of the teat is detected accurately and quickly. Therefore, based on this, the position of the arm mechanism portion 24 is corrected and the positions of the teat cups 26 are adjusted ( Steps S9 and S1
0). When the correction and adjustment are completed, the arm mechanism unit 24
Is increased (step S11). In addition, one teat cup 26 is raised, and if vacuum connection is made, the rise is stopped. As a result, one teat cup 26 is connected (steps S12 and S13). Similarly, the other remaining teat cups 26 ... Are also connected, and milking is performed when all the teat cups 26 ... Are mounted (steps S14, S12, S13). FIG. 13 shows a state where the teat cups 26 ... Are connected to the teats Cm.

The embodiment has been described in detail above.
The present invention is not limited to such an embodiment,
The configuration, shape, material, quantity, method, etc. of the details can be arbitrarily changed without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0050]

As described above, the dairy cow mooring device for an automatic milking machine according to the present invention is provided with a stanchion unit that is movable in the front-rear direction with respect to the stall, and a movement that moves the stanchion unit in the front-rear direction. Since the drive unit and the control unit that controls the movement drive unit based on the database relating to the body shape stored in advance for the cows that have entered the stall and adjusts the position of the stanchion unit with respect to the cows are as follows: Has a remarkable effect.

Since the front-back direction position of the stanchion unit can be adjusted corresponding to each dairy cow and the teat can be positioned at a fixed reference position, the detection range of the cow body position detecting device and the teat position detecting device and the milking The moving distance of the robot is significantly reduced, and the size and cost of the entire automatic milking machine can be reduced.

Since the height of the platform on which the front legs of the dairy cows are placed can be adjusted to the optimum height for the dairy cows, the dairy cows can be moored in the optimum state together with the position adjustment of the stanchion unit in the front-rear direction.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall side view of a stall including a dairy cow mooring device according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an overall plan view of a stall including the dairy cow mooring device,

FIG. 3 is an overall rear view of a stall including the dairy cow mooring device,

FIG. 4 is a sectional configuration diagram of a step in the dairy cow mooring device,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a teat position sensor section in a teat position detection device provided in an automatic milking machine,

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a part of a teat position sensor unit in the teat position detecting device;

FIG. 7 is a block configuration diagram of an electric system circuit of the teat position detecting device,

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the right detection unit and the rear detection unit in the cow body position detection device provided in the automatic milking machine,

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional rear view of the cow body position detecting device,

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a contact panel unit in the cow body position detecting device,

FIG. 11 is a front view of a contact panel unit in the cow body position detecting device;

FIG. 12 is a block system diagram of a control system in an automatic milking machine,

FIG. 13 is a side view showing a state where the milking robot in the stall is moved,

FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a state where the milking robot in the stall is moved,

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the flow of an automatic mounting operation of the teat cup in the automatic milking machine,

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Dairy cow mooring device 2 Stanchon unit 3 Moving drive unit 4 Control unit 5 Feed tank 6 Step 7 Lifting mechanism unit A Stall C Dairy cow Cm… Nipple Cf… Forefoot

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hitoshi Tsukada 521, Wakasato, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture 1 MTE Ltd. (72) Inventor Tetsuro Ota 246, Kosaka, Susaka City, Nagano Prefecture Orion Machinery Within the corporation

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A stanchion unit that is movable in the front-rear direction with respect to a stall, a movement drive unit that moves the stanchion unit in the front-rear direction, and a database relating to a pre-stored body shape of a cow that has entered the stall. A dairy cow mooring device for an automatic milking machine, comprising a control unit for controlling a movement drive unit based on the above, and adjusting a position of a stanchion unit with respect to the dairy cow. 2. The control unit adjusts the position of the stanchion unit so that the nipple of the dairy cow is at the reference position after mooring the dairy cow that has entered the stall to the stanchion unit. A dairy cow mooring device for the automatic milking machine described. 3. The dairy cow mooring device for an automatic milking machine according to claim 1, wherein a food tank is integrally provided in the stanchion unit. 4. A step on which a forefoot of a dairy cow rests, and an elevating mechanism section for elevating and lowering the step, the control section controls the elevating mechanism section based on a database relating to the body shape stored in advance for the dairy cow, and the stepping step. The dairy cow mooring device for an automatic milking machine according to claim 1, wherein the height of the dairy cow is adjusted.