NL2011958C2

NL2011958C2 - Vehicle comprising at least one wheel and a wheel housing.

Info

Publication number: NL2011958C2
Application number: NL2011958A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Huibrecht Johannes Arjen Beukel
Original assignee: Lely Patent Nv
Priority date: 2013-12-13
Filing date: 2013-12-13
Publication date: 2015-06-16
Also published as: DE202014009898U1; AT14589U1

Abstract

An unmanned autonomous mobile vehicle (1) for use in an environment of animals, in particular for use in an animal house, comprising at least one about a rotation axis (RA) rotatable wheel (2) and a wheel (2) over a part of its outer periphery ( surrounding 3) the wheel housing (4) which has a of the vehicle (1) facing away open side, extending in a to the open side of the wheel (4) in the direction parallel to the rotational axis (RA) a radial distance (R) between the outer circumference (3) of the wheel (2) and the wheel housing (4) monotonically increases.

Description

Vehicle comprising at least one wheel and a wheel housing TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a vehicle, comprising at least one wheel being rotatable about a rotational axis, and a wheel housing surrounding the wheel over part of an outer circumference of the wheel and having an open side facing away from the vehicle.

PRIOR ART

The wheels of a vehicle constitute a danger for their environment. This safety issue has been addressed in many documents, such as in EP0755339B1, US 2,774,610, US 5,313,189, US D657,293 S and CA 2,077,069.

This danger is of a specific nature for vehicles used among animals, such as on a cattle farm, as animals are not able to judge the danger of a moving vehicle very well. In particular unmanned autonomous vehicles constitute a danger for animals, as there is no operator present. A specific danger for animals is formed by the risk of tails being caught in between a wheel and a wheel housing. The tail may be dragged along by the rotational movement of the wheel and could become trapped in between the wheel and the wheel housing while the vehicle proceeds. This may cause an injury to the animal and/or damage to the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

It is an object to provide a vehicle in which at least one of the above mentioned dangers are reduced.

This object is achieved by an unmanned, autonomously movable vehicle for use in an environment in which non-human animals are kept, such as an animal stable, comprising at least one wheel being rotatable about a rotational axis, and a wheel housing surrounding the wheel over part of an outer circumference of the wheel and having an open side facing away from the vehicle, wherein a radial distance between the outer circumference of the wheel and the wheel housing increases monotonically in a direction towards the open side of the wheel housing parallel to the rotational axis.

Herein, "increases monotonically" means "increases everywhere or increases over part over the distance, while being constant elsewhere", in other words, increases as a whole, and decreases nowhere. Furthermore, the peripheral wall of the wheel housing is formed as a curved wall surrounding the wheel, but only over a part of the outer circumference, and (of course) not completely.

By providing a monotonically increasing radial distance between the outer circumference of the wheel and the peripheral wall of the wheel housing in a direction parallel to the rotational axis towards the open side of the wheel housing, the tail can be pulled out of the annular gap between the wheel and the wheel housing without meeting an obstruction/narrowing. Thus, such a vehicle has improved animal safety, in particular for parts that may get stuck between wheel and wheel housing.

It is noted that the safety issue addressed by the present invention is in particular relevant for unmanned, autonomously moving vehicles, since no operator is present who can prevent dangers by taking preemptive actions. Unmanned, autonomously moving vehicles can generally only respond to accidents that have occurred.

Particular embodiments are given in the dependent claims, as well as in the description that follows.

According to an embodiment in a circumferential direction of the wheel, the radial distance between the outer circumference of the wheel and the wheel housing is substantially constant over said part, in particular changes less than 20%. By providing a constant radial distance between the outer circumference of the wheel and the peripheral wall of the wheel housing in a circumferential direction, it is ensured that if a tail is being dragged along by a wheel and enters the gap between the wheel and the wheel housing, the tail will not meet a narrowing or the like halfway. This ensures that the tail can be released at the end of the gap at the other side of the wheel and doesn’t get stuck. Herein, it is noted that the radial distance is measured in a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis.

According to an embodiment, the vehicle is arranged to move in a forward moving direction, and the radial distance between the outer circumference of the wheel and the peripheral wall of the wheel housing increases in a circumferential direction corresponding to a rotational direction of the wheel when the vehicle moves in the forward moving direction. This ensures that when a tail or the like still ends up between the wheel and the wheel housing, it is released at the end of the gap without meeting obstructions or the like. In fact, the widening of that gap reduces the risk of injury even further when compared to the constant distance situation.

According to an embodiment the peripheral wall of the wheel housing surrounds the wheel over an angle greater than 180°, preferably greater than 200° and more preferably greater than 240°. According to an embodiment, the peripheral wall of the wheel housing comprises two end edges substantially parallel to the rotational axis, both positioned substantially at a level below a level of the rotational axis. These embodiments shield off the wheel, at least to some extent, and thus minimize the chance that a tail or other part of an animal is caught by the wheel and enters the gap between the wheel and the wheel housing. The end edges are for instance positioned at a distance below the rotational axis which is at least 50% of a radial distance between the rotational axis and the peripheral wall of the wheel housing. The edges run substantially parallel to the rotational axis. For vehicles having a clearly defined forward moving direction, the edges may be referred to as a leading edge and a trailing edge.

According to an embodiment when the vehicle is positioned on a floor, the two end edges are positioned at a height above the floor of less than 25 cm, in particular about 5 cm. This measure also helps reduce the chance of a tail, claw or the like entering the gap between wheel and wheel housing.

According to an embodiment the radial distance between the outer circumference of the wheel and the wheel housing strictly increases, preferably linearly, along a direction parallel to the rotational axis. This means that the gap between wheel and wheel housing strictly tapers when entered from the outside, toward a center of the vehicle. This is an important feature, in that it ensures that a caught animal part is easily released when withdrawn from the gap, since moving the animal part outwardly will bring it always in a wider part of the gap. Thus, a natural reflex by the animal is rewarded with easy releasing of any body part caught unintentionally. The chance of injury is thus strongly reduced. After all, in case of a non-tapering gap and when a body part that just fits the gap is pulled back, any incidental friction with the wheel or wheel housing might cause a local thickening of the body part, which in turn will lead to more friction and the body part getting stuck. This is prevented in the case of a tapering gap. The gap may taper in any form or curve, although a linear form is advantageous because that will ensure the quickest release at any depth of penetration of the gap. In the linear case, the peripheral wall of the wheel housing is shaped as part of a cone. The linear increase may result in an angle of e.g. 5° between the peripheral wall of the wheel housing and the rotational axis, although any other angle is possible as well.

According to an embodiment the radial distance between the wheel housing and the outer circumference of the wheel increases, in a direction parallel to the rotational axis towards the open side of the wheel housing, e.g. from 2 cm at an inner side of the wheel to a maximum of 5 cm. This ensures that, in case e.g. a tail still gets inserted between the wheel and the wheel housing, it will not get stuck, because effectively, there will not be a constriction on the way out for the tail.

According to an embodiment the radial distance between the outer circumference of the wheel and the wheel housing increases linearly with a first rate over a first part of the peripheral wall along the rotational axis and the radial distance between the outer circumference of the wheel and the wheel housing increases linearly with a second rate over a second part of the peripheral wall along the rotational axis, the first and second part being adjacent to each other, the second part being closer to the open side of the wheel housing than the first part and the first rate being greater than the second rate. The peripheral wall thus comprises two adjacent peripheral wall portions, wherein the first part forms a higher angle with respect to the rotational axis than a second part, the second part being closer to the open side of the wheel housing. Of course, more than two wall portions may be provided, wherein the radial distance between the outer circumference of the wheel and the peripheral wall of the wheel housing increases with a lower rate for wall portions closer to the open side of the wheel housing.

According to an embodiment the wheel extends beyond a side edge of the wheel housing.

According to an embodiment the vehicle is arranged to perform one or more of the following animal related actions: milk a dairy animal, clean a stable floor, displace feed lying on a stable floor, distribute feed. These tasks are advantageously performed by an unmanned autonomously movable vehicle, although other tasks, such as relating to monitoring or administering medicines and so on, are not excluded. Such vehicles may be used in stables in which animals are present and the risks exists of tails of animals ending up in the space between the wheel and the wheel housing. The vehicle may for instance comprise feed displacing means arranged to displace feed in a substantially sideward displacement direction with respect to a forward moving direction of the vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, the vehicle may be used to supply feed, the unmanned vehicle being provided with a storage container for containing feed, and with a discharge device for discharging feed to the floor. Particulars about the animal related actions themselves may e.g. be found in EP1933168, the Lely Discovery®, the Lely Juno® and the Lely Vector®, respectively. These details are however deemed not relevant for the present invention.

The invention further relates to an environment in which nonhuman animals are kept, such as an animal stable, comprising a vehicle according to the present invention. Such a stable has the inherited advantage that it is safer for animals, such as dairy animals, dwelling therein.

The environment is in particular provided with position indicators, such as beacons or metal strips, which are detectable by the vehicle. Such position indicators are useful for guiding the vehicle around, to perform the animal related action.

The invention also relates to the use of a vehicle according to the present invention, in an environment in which non-human animals are kept, such as an animal stable with at least one animal, wherein the vehicle is allowed to move within reach of said animal, and performs an animal related action, in particular milks the animal, cleans a floor of the environment, displaces feed lying on the floor of the environment or distributes feed. The advantages are similar to those described above.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, and in which: - Figure 1 schematically shows a perspective view of a vehicle according to an embodiment, - Figure 2 schematically shows a side-view of a vehicle according to an embodiment, - Figure 3 schematically shows a cross sectional view of a vehicle according to an embodiment, - Figure 4 schematically shows a cross sectional view of a vehicle according to a further embodiment, and - Figure 5 schematically shows a side-view of a vehicle according to a further embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments will be described with reference to the Figures.

Fig.’s 1 - 3 respectively show a perspective view, a sideview and a cross-sectional view of a vehicle according to an embodiment. The vehicle 1 may be a vehicle 1 for use in an environment in which animals are present, in particular a vehicle for use in a stable.

The vehicle 1 is preferably an unmanned vehicle that is arranged to move and navigate autonomously, i.e. without direct control of a human operator.

Autonomously movable vehicles for performing many different functions, as well as the control of such vehicles, are known per se and will therefore not be described here in detail. Automatic charging of the energy supply of the vehicle and automatic loading and unloading of other materials into and from, respectively, containers present on the vehicle, are known as well.

The vehicle 1 may be arranged for cleaning a stable floor, displacing feed lying on the stable floor and/or to supply feed to the animals.

The vehicle 1 comprises a plurality of wheels 2. The vehicle may comprise two wheels and one or more supporting surfaces that are arranged to be in contact with the floor 7 to balance the vehicle 1. It will be understood that the vehicle 1 may comprise three or more wheels.

Two wheels 2 may be separately drivable by separate drivers 11, 12. The drivers 11, 12 may be under control of a control unit 13 that controls the drivers 11,12 separately to steer the vehicle 1.

The vehicle 1 may be provided with positioning devices providing input about a (relative) position and/or orientation of the vehicle for the control unit 13 to navigate the vehicle 1 and control the drivers 11, 12.

An example of a positioning device may be a distance determining device (not shown), for instance an ultrasonic sensor, for determining the distance from the vehicle 1 to a wall, such as a feeding gate.

Another example of a positioning device is a orientation determining device (not shown), for instance embodied by a gyroscope, for determining the orientation of a centre line of the vehicle 1. Alternative orientation determining devices may also be used, such as an electronic compass or a camera with image recognition equipment.

Another example of a positioning device may be formed by a receiver arranged to compute a position based on signals received from beacons, such as satellites or land based beacons. Land based beacons may be provided inside or close to a working area of the vehicle, such as in the stable.

Another example of a positioning device may be a sensor, for sensing objects in the vicinity of the vehicle, such as beacons or other position indicators provided in the stable.

The stable may be provided with position indicators, such as beacons or metal strips provided in the stable floor which can be detected by the vehicle.

Another example of a positioning device may be a wheel rotation counter, which counts the number of rotations of the wheels to compute a covered distance. The wheel rotation counter may be provided with a skid detector to correct for skid of the wheels.

The control unit 13 is connected, via electric wires, or in a wireless manner if desired, with tone or more positioning devices to receive information about the (relative) position and/or orientation of the vehicle 1, compute a direction of movement and instruct the drivers 11,12 accordingly.

The unmanned autonomous vehicle 1 may be provided with a (non-shown) energy supply that is chargeable via sidewardly disposed charging strips that are capable of being brought into contact with a charging device. Other ways of charging the energy supply, such as inductive means, are mentioned inter alia in the abovementioned patent documents.

As shown in the Figures, the vehicle 1 comprises at least one wheel 2 being rotatable about a rotational axis RA and a corresponding wheel housing 4 as described in more detail below.

It will be understood that the vehicle 1 may of course comprise two or more wheels 2 with such respective wheel housings 4. However, it will also be understood that the vehicle 1 may be dedicated for moving along a feeding gate or the like with always a same side of the vehicle facing the feeding gat and thus the animals. So, in such a case, the vehicle 1 may only comprise one wheel 2 and corresponding wheel housing 4 according to the description below.

The wheel housing 4 comprises a peripheral wall 5 concentrically provided with respect to the rotational axis RA, which faces an outer circumference 3 of the wheel 2. The peripheral wall 5 extends between two end edges 6 which are substantially parallel to the rotational axis RA. The end edges 6 are at a same height above the floor 7 and at a level below the rotational axis RA.

The peripheral wall 5 is further delimited by a curved side edge 8.

Between the peripheral wall 5 and the outer circumference 3 of the wheel 2 is a radial distance R, indicated in Fig.’s 2 and 3. This radial distance R is constant in a circumferential direction (with respect to the rotational axis RA) but increases in axial direction (with respect to the rotational axis RA) in a direction towards the open side of the vehicle 1.

As can be seen most clearly in Fig. 3, the wheel 2 extends beyond the curved side edge 8 of the wheel housing 4 with a distance I. Distance I may have a value in the range

As most clearly shown in Fig. 2, the peripheral wall 5 follows the outer circumference 3 of the wheel 2 over an angle a greater than 180°, preferably greater than 200° and more preferably greater than 240°. This results in relatively low end edges 6, thereby reducing the risk of tails ending up in the gap between the wheel 2 and the wheel housing 4. The end edges 6 are preferably less than 25cm above the floor 7.

The radial distance R between the peripheral wall 5 and the outer circumference 3 of the wheel 2 has a maximum value of 5 cm, although other, and in particular smaller values such as 2 cm, are also possible.

Such a gap minimizes the risk of tails ending up between the wheel 2 and the wheel housing 4.

The radial distance R between the peripheral wall 5 and the outer circumference 3 of the wheel 2 has a minimum value of 2 cm, although other values are also possible, for example depending on the cleanliness of the environment. Such a gap minimizes the risk of contact between the wheel 2 and the wheel housing 4. Also, smaller gaps may result in problems as dirt from the floor 7 may end up in the gap between the wheel 2 and the wheel housing 4, which could result in friction between the wheel 2 and the wheel housing 4 or in jamming of the wheel 2 if the minimum distance is chosen smaller.

Fig. 4 shows an alternative embodiment, wherein the wheel housing 4 is shaped such that the radial distance R between the outer circumference 3 of the wheel 2 and the peripheral wall 5 of the wheel housing 4 increases linearly with a first rate over a first part 5’ of the peripheral wall along the rotational axis RA and the radial distance R between the outer circumference 3 of the wheel 2 and the peripheral wall 5 of the wheel housing 4 increases linearly with a second rate over a second part 5” of the peripheral wall along the rotational axis RA. The first and second parts 5’,5” being adjacent to each other. The second part 5” is closer to the open side of the wheel housing 4 than the first part 5’ and the first rate being greater than the second rate.

Fig. 5 schematically shows a side-view of an alternative embodiment, wherein the radial distance R between the outer circumference 3 of the wheel 2 and the peripheral wall 5 of the wheel housing 4 increases in a circumferential direction corresponding to a rotational direction of the wheel 2 when the vehicle moves in a forward moving direction M.

The forward moving direction M may be apparent from the lay-out of the vehicle 1. For instance, the vehicle 1 may comprise a feed moving device for moving feed lying on the stable floor, which is typically mounted on a front side of the vehicle 1.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

An unmanned autonomously movable vehicle (1) for use in an environment in which non-human animals are kept, such as an animal shed, comprising at least one wheel (2) rotatable about an axis of rotation (RA), and a wheel housing ( 4) which surrounds the wheel over a part of an outer circumference (3) of the wheel (2) and has an open side facing away from the vehicle (1), a radial distance (R) between the outer circumference (3) of the wheel (2) and the wheel housing (4) rise monotonously in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation (RA) towards the open side of the wheel housing (4).

Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the radial distance (R) between the outer circumference (3) of the wheel (2) and the wheel housing (4) in a circumferential direction of the wheel (2) is substantially constant over said part.

The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is adapted to move in a forward direction of movement, and wherein the radial distance (R) between outer circumference (3) of the wheel (2) and the wheel housing (4) rises in a circumferential direction at a direction of rotation of the wheel (2) when the vehicle is moving in the forward direction of movement.

Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wheel housing (4) surrounds the wheel (2) through an angle (a) of at least 180 °, preferably at least 200 ° and more preferably at least 240 °.

Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wheel housing (4) comprises two end edges (6) which are substantially parallel to the axis of rotation (RA), and both are substantially at a level below a level of the axis of rotation. (RA).

The vehicle (1) according to claim 5, wherein, when the vehicle (1) is located on a floor (7), the two end edges are placed at a height above the floor (7) of less than 25 cm.

Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the radial distance (R) between the outer circumference (3) of the wheel (2) and the wheel housing (4) increases strictly, preferably linearly, along a direction parallel to the axis of rotation (RA).

Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the radial distance (R) between the wheel housing (4) and the outer circumference (3) of the wheel (2) in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation (RA) to the open side of the wheel housing (4) rises from a first value, for example 2 cm, at an inner side of the wheel (2), to a second value, for example 5 cm, at the open side of the wheel housing.

Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the radial distance (R) between the outer circumference (3) of the wheel (2) and the wheel housing (4) linearly over a first part (5 ') of the circumferential wall along the axis of rotation (RA) increases with a first speed, and the radial distance (R) between the outer circumference (3) of the wheel (2) and the wheel housing (4) over a second part (5 ”) of the circumferential wall along the axis of rotation (RA) rises linearly at a second speed, the first and second parts (5 ', 5 ") lying next to each other, the second part (5") being closer to the open side of the wheel housing (4) than the first part (5 ') and the first speed is greater than the second speed.

Vehicle (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle (1) is adapted to perform one or more of the following animal-related operations: milking a dairy animal, cleaning a stable floor, moving feed on it a stable feed lies, distributing feed.

An environment in which non-human animals are kept, such as an animal shed, comprising a vehicle according to any of the preceding claims 1-10.

12. Environment as claimed in claim 11, provided with position indicators, such as beacons or strips, which are detectable by the vehicle.

Use of a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 10 in an environment in which non-human animals are kept, such as an animal shed with at least one animal, the vehicle being allowed to move within the range of said animal, and a performs animal-related processing, in particular milking the animal, cleaning a floor of the environment, moving feed lying on the floor of the environment or distributing feed.