Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K1/00—Housing animals; Equipment therefor
  • A01K1/12—Milking stations
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
  • A01K1/00—Housing animals; Equipment therefor
  • A01K1/0005—Stable partitions
  • A01K1/0017—Gates, doors

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an animal stall associated with an apparatus for performing an animal related operation, said stall being provided with an entr.ance gate and .an exit gate. It .also relates to a method of performing an animal related operation in such an animal stall.
• Such milking stalls are accordingly used not only for manual milking (manual attachment and detachment ofteatcups) or semi-automatic milking (manual attachment and automatic detachment of teatcups), but also for automatic milking (automatic attachment and detachment ofteatcups).
• said control means is adapted to control a driving means adapted to perform either of an opening movement .and a closing movement.
• a driving means adapted to perform either of an opening movement .and a closing movement.
• a first timer means is adapted to measure a period of time from a defined starting point, and wherein in case said sensor means has not sensed that said gate is closed within a predetermined period of time, said driving means is controlled by said control means to perform an opening movement of said gate.
• said control means controls said control means to perform an opening movement of said gate.
• said starting point is the point in time when the control means starts controlling said driving means to perform a closing movement.
• an animal presence sensor means associated with the control means is provided to for sense the presence of an animal in the animal stall.
• said animal presence sensor is associated with a second timer means for measuring the time lapsed from when the presence of an animal has been sensed, said second timer means be- ing adapted to generate a signal to said control means after a predetermined period of time, said control means being adapted to control said driving means to perform said closing movement in response to said signal from said timing means.
• said animal presence sensor comprises one of a photo cell, a laser sensor and an ultrasonic sensor.
• said animal related means is adapted to perform said animal related operation in response to said control means in case said entrance gate is closed.
• a starting signal for the animal related operation is given.
• said control means is adapted to keep said gate open in case it has not been possible to close it properly after a predetermined period of time.
• said control means is adapted to keep said gate open in case it has not been possible to close it properly after a predetermined number of attempts.
• said animal related means is provided with a robot arm for performing said animal related operation, said robot arm being associated with said control means.
• said robot arm is provided with a manipulating means for gripping an animal related member.
• said animal related member is one of a teatcup and a teat cleaning unit.
• said gate sensor means comprises a tactile sensing unit.
• said tactile sensing unit comprises a toggle switch
• said gate sensor means comprises a non-tactile sensing unit.
• said non-tactile sensing unit comprises one of an inductive sensor, a capacity sensor and a laser sensor.
• Figures la and lb illustrate an animal stall
• Figure 2 illustrates a cow entering the animal stall shown in figure lb
• Figure 3 illustrates a cow that has fully entered the animal stall shown in figure lb.
• Figure la shows a milking stall 1, comprising front, rear and side delimitations 2, 3, 4, in the form of e.g. bars. It further comprises a pair of overhead beams 5, 6 an entrance gate 7 and an exit sate 8.
• a drivins means 9. interconnects the overhead beam 6 and the stall gate.
• a driving means 10 interconnects the overhead beam 5 with the exit gate 8.
• the driving means 9 and 10 may be in the form of a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder or an electric motor. The movement of the driving means 9 and 10, respectively, is controlled by a control means (not shown).
• the driving means 9, 10 are each provided with end stop sensors 11, 12, 13 and 14, for generating a signal whether the driving means is in a retracted state (sensors and 12, 14), or in an extended state (sensors 11 and 13), and transmit said signal to a control means (not shown).
• the cylinder 9 is shown in .an extended state, whereas the cylinder 10 is shown in a retracted state.
• Figure la furthermore shows an apparatus 15 for performing an animal related operation, such as milking.
• a robot arm 16 with a gripper 17 and a teatcup rack 18 with teatcups 19 are provided.
• a transponder reader 20 is provided for identification purposes (see below).
• Figure lb illustrates the same stall as in figure la, but including an animal presence sensor 21, in the form of a photo cell, a laser sensor or an ultrasonic sensor, ar- ranged on the overhead beam 6.
• the sensor 21 is directed towards the floor of the stall and will generate a signal to be transmitted to a control means (not shown), when a part of an animal is underneath the sensor 21.
• Figure 2 shows a cow on its way to enter the animal stall 1.
• the entrance gate 7 is open, which is indicated by the sensor 11 of the cylinder 9.
• the exit gate is closed, which is indicated by the sensor 14 of the cylinder 10.
• the cow's head is underneath the animal sensor. Accordingly, the presence of the cow in the .animal stall is now indicated by the sensor 21.
• the cow is provided with a transponder 22, which interacts with the transponder reader 20 connected to a control means (not shown).
• the control means determines whether the cow is allowed to enter the animal stall 1.
• the gate 7 is opened by operation of the cylinder 9.
• the sensor 11 indicates when the gate is fully opened.
• the indication of sensor 11 is the starting signal for when to start closing the gate 7. Accordingly, after a predetermined period of time, which is measured by means of a timer - not shown, but preferably included in the control means- .and may be e.g. 10 seconds, the cylinder 9 starts closing the gate 7 in response to a starting signal from the control means.
• the gate will be opened in case an identified .animal is allowed to enter it.
• the sensor 11 may be used, as an indication of its function, to indicate when the gate is fully opened, but is not needed as a starting indicator.
• the senor 21 senses the presence of an animal in the stall. If the sensor 21 senses only intermittently that something, like an animal, is present, no indication is given. However, if the sensor continuously senses the presence of e.g. .an animal in the stall for a predetermined time period, e.g. 4 seconds, the cylinder 9 is controlled to start closing the gate 7. If, during closing of the gate, the sensor senses that no animal is present in the stall, the gate is controlled to immediately re-open the gate. In the following, subsequent sequences will be described, which relate to the embodiment according to figure la as well as to the embodiment according to figure lb.
• the timer is started again. If the sensor 12 does not sense, within a predetermined period of time, e.g. 5 seconds, that the gate is closed, there is a risk that
• control means is out of order.
• the gate 7 is opened again so that the animal is allowed to either move away from the animal stall or to fully enter it.
• the closing sequence of the gate 7 is started again. If closing of the gate does not succeed, the gate is opened again.
• a signal may be sent by the control means to a buzzer or the like worn by the dairy maid to immediately visit the animal stall.
• an animal related operation is allowed to be started.
• the animal related operation may be performed by the robot 15 and includes performance of e.g. milking by means of a milking unit, cleaning of the teats by means of a teat cleaning unit, or grooming by means of a brush.
• the automatic opening and closing of a the entrance gate is adaptable to the exit gate after performed animal related operation, or if the cow should be let out of the animals stall for any other reason.
• the senor 21 may be a tactile sensor, e.g. a pressure sensitive sensor in the floor.
• the indication that the gate is closed may be performed by sensing the position of the gate by means of a tactile sensor, such as a toggle switch, or by a non-tactile sensor, such as an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor or a laser sensor.
• a tactile sensor such as a toggle switch
• a non-tactile sensor such as an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor or a laser sensor.
• a single beam may be arranged to connect the side limitations 4 with one another.
• the sensor 21 should of course be arranged on that single beam.
• the invention also relates to other milking animals, such as sheep, goats, buffaloes and horses.

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Biodiversity & Conservation Biology (AREA)
• Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
• Housing For Livestock And Birds (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)
• Burglar Alarm Systems (AREA)
• Power-Operated Mechanisms For Wings (AREA)

Priority Applications (9)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20408983

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (11)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (12)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 1997
  • 1997-11-14 SE SE9704175A patent/SE9704175D0/xx unknown
• 1998
  • 1998-11-09 CA CA002310036A patent/CA2310036C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-11-09 DE DE69808505T patent/DE69808505T2/de not_active Revoked
  • 1998-11-09 EP EP98953147A patent/EP1030550B1/en not_active Revoked
  • 1998-11-09 IL IL13597098A patent/IL135970A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-11-09 DK DK98953147T patent/DK1030550T3/da active
  • 1998-11-09 AT AT98953147T patent/ATE225124T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-11-09 US US09/554,412 patent/US6357395B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-11-09 JP JP2000520637A patent/JP2001522611A/ja not_active Ceased
  • 1998-11-09 WO PCT/SE1998/002016 patent/WO1999025180A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1998-11-09 AU AU10595/99A patent/AU1059599A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (5)

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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