NL1044204B1 - Animal brushing arrangement and method of operating animal brushing arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

An anima! brushing arrangement is provided. The anima! brushing arrangement comprises a strain sensor arranged to interact with the electric motor which powers the brush. The strain sensor senses a strain on the motor support part caused by an external force, sensing this strain a control unit will turn the electric motor on.

Description

ANIMAL BRUSHING ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD OF OPERATING ANIMAL BRUSHING ARRANGEMENT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND STATE OF THE ART

The present invention relates to an animal brushing arrangement, the brushing arrangement comprising a support part arranged to be attached to the external support structure, and a rotatable brush supported by the support part.

To minimise energy consumption and reduce wear on the machine, it’s crucial for a powered animal brushing arrangement to have a system which accurately determines when an animal wants to use the animal brushing arrangement, in order to only start the motor when the machine is in use by an animal.

The most reliable way to detect if the motor of the animal brushing arrangement needs to be activated, isto detect if an animal is exercising a force on the brush, this can result in the brush moving and a translation, rotation or change of angle of the brush, The current state of the art consist of driven animal brushing arrangements being turned on due to the brush being able to move and any change in translation, rotation or angle of the brush is being detected and given as a signal that the motor has to start. Brushing arrangements not able to detect any of said changes rely on a proximity sensor that activates the motor when an animal approaches the brush.

However brushing arrangements that are unable to be actived on any movement of the brush and thus rely on a proximity sensor are inaccurate in determining if an animal wants to use the brush or if said animal is just near the brush. Cause of the proximity sensor being inaccurate is the considerable overlap of an animal being near to the brush, hut not using the brush in which case the brush is turned on by the proximity sensor when it shouldn't and an animal being near to the brush and using the brush.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION it's the object of the present invention to provide a system to reliably detect if an animal wants to use the animal brushing arrangement, thus detecting if an animal is exercising a force on the brush even when said brush is unable to move, or when movement is damped, movement is restricted or any other form of restraint of the brush being unable to move freely.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments are shown. However, this invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments are shown. However, this invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Disclosed features of example embodiments may be combined as readily understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Well-known functions or constructions will not be necessarily be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity.

Fig. 1 illustrates an animal brushing arrangement 2 according to embodiments for attaching to an external support structure, such as a wall 1. The animal brushing arrangement 2 comprises a support part 3 arranged to be attached to the external support structure 1. The support part 3 comprises a motor support part &, which is rigidly connected to the support part 3. Placed around the motor support partis the brush &. The Brush is attached to the brush plate 5. The brush has 1 axle of rotation 13, which is the brushes only degree of freedom. Attached to the brush plate and at the end of the motor support part is a bearing housing 7, with bearing and shaft. Which is connected to the electric motor 8, the electric motor powers the shaft inside the bearing of the bearing housing 7 and in turn rotates the brush, Connecied to the electric motor is the PCB support 12 which is connected to the PCB 3. The PCB 9 powers the control system of the strain gauge 10 which is placed inside the motor support part 4.

Powered by the control system of the strain gauge 10 is strain gauge support 11 which is attached to the motor support part in such a way that excessing a force on the brush, which causes a strain on the motor support part is sensed by the strain sensor, where for example the strain corresponds with 200 grams.

Fig. 2 illustrates the side view of the animal brushing arrangement 2 of Fig. 1 with the brush 6 removed.

Fig. 3 itlustrates the front view of the animal brushing arrangement 2 of Fig. 1 with the brush 6 removed and illustrating the location of the section view IV.

Fig. 4 illustrates the section view IV of the animal brushing arrangement 2 of Fig. 3 with the brush 6 removed, On the end of the motor support part 4 is a bearing housing 7 with bearing which is connected to an electric motor 8, which drives the shaft in the bearing housing 7. This shaft is attached to the brush plate 5. The shaft plate is connected to the brush 6, Purely as an example the motor support part 4 is placed inside the brush and in turn the electric motor 8 and all connected parts to the motor are placed inside the motor support part. The PCB which controls the motor is connected to the

PCB support 12. Purely mentioned as an example is the location of the strain gauge support 11 and the control system of the strain gauge 10, The strain gauge support is fixed and located in such a way that strain on the motor support part 4, caused by an external force on the brush, is sensed by the strain sensor in the strain gauge support 10.

Claims (18)

Conclusions 1. Animal brushing device for attachment to an external support structure (1), the animal brushing device {2} comprises a support part {3 and 4) suitable for attachment to the external support structure {1}, a brush {6}, and an electric motor {8}. } suitable for rotating the brush {6} about a rotational axis {13}, the animal brushing device (2) is constructed in such a way that the brush {6} can only rotate about its rotational axis (13), characterized by the fact that the animal brushing device (2) comprises a force sensor (11} which is able to communicate with the electric motor (8), the force sensor {11} being adapted to detect a force exerted on the animal brushing device {2}, which is caused by a force applied from the outside. The animal brushing device {20 according to claim 1, wherein the force sensor {11) comprises a strain gauge coupled to an amplifier used to amplify the signal from the force sensor. The animal brushing device {2} according to claim 1, wherein the force sensor {11} comprises a piezoelectric sensor coupled to an amplifier used for amplifying the signal from the piezoelectric sensor. The animal brush device {2} according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the force sensor {11) is placed such that it detects the deformation caused by an externally applied force on the animal brush device {2}. The animal brushing device {2} according to any one of the preceding claims 2,3 or 4, comprising a control system {10), in which the amplifier is connected to the control system {10}, and in which the control system {10} is able to start the electric motor {8), the start of the electric motor being prompted by a change in deformation of the animal brush device {2} measured by the force sensor according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the change differs from a preset value in the control system . The animal brushing device {2} according to claim 5, wherein the preset value set in the control system (1} is set as a constant value, or the value is generated by measuring the value of the force sensor {11} according to claim 2 or 3, at regular time intervals, or the value is generated by measuring the value of the force transducer{11) claim 2 or 3 over a certain time and averaging it, or the value is generated by measuring the force transducer according to claim 2 or 3 over a certain period of time but only once. The animal brushing device {2} according to claim 1, wherein a force exerted on the brush {6}, and wherein this force is not equal to a rotational force exerted on the brush (6), causes a deformation on the support part {3 and 4 } has as a consequence. The animal brushing device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the electric motor {8} is a three-phase or a single-phase electric motor. The animal brushing device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a transmission (7) is arranged between a driven output shaft of the electric motor (8) and the brush (6), The animal brushing device {2} according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission {7} is arranged between an output shaft of the electric motor (8) and the brush {6} is constructed in such a way that it does not interact directly with the transmission (7). ) is connected. The animal brush device {2} according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the degree of deformation of the animal brush device {2} after exerting a force on the animal brush device {2} determines the rotational speed of the electric motor {8}. The animal brushing device (2) according to claims 1 and 4, wherein the force sensor (11) comprises a laser or other type of light transmitter in combination with a photoelectric receiver. The animal brushing device {2} according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein the force sensor (21) measures the displacement caused by the loading of the animal brushing device due to an external force, 14. Method of operating an animal brushing device {2}, wherein the animal brushing device {2} comprises a support part (3 and 4), a brush with a rotation shaft {13), an electric motor {8}, and a force sensor (11) which is arranged to interact with the electric motor (8), the method comprising in the following order: deformation of a support member (3 and 4} caused by an externally applied force, measuring the deformation with the force transducer{11} , and using the electric motor {8) to rotate the brush {6} about its axis of rotation (13), The method of claim 14, wherein force sensor {11} comprises an amplifier, and wherein the detection comprises: amplifying the sensor signal. The methods according to claim 15, wherein the animal brushing device {2} comprises a control system {10) and a force sensor {11} is connected to the control system {1}, and wherein the detecting comprises: receiving a signal from the amplifier by the control system {10}, and wherein the use includes: starting the electric motor (8) in response to comparing the signal with a set value in the control system 110} (as described in claim 5}, wherein the electric motor (8 ) is started when the value received by the amplifier control system (10) differs from the value set in the control system {10}, The method according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined value of the load corresponds to a load of the animal brushing device (2) of at least 10 grams, 18. The animal brush arrangement (2) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the movement of the brush {6} is not limited to the axis of rotation (13) of the brush {6} and is constructed in such a way that any force other than a rotational force, which is in line with the rotational force of the electric motor, will result in a load on the support part and this load can be detected by the force sensor {11).