WO2000004767A1 - An apparatus for performing animal related operations - Google Patents

An apparatus for performing animal related operations Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2000004767A1
WO2000004767A1 PCT/SE1999/001305 SE9901305W WO0004767A1 WO 2000004767 A1 WO2000004767 A1 WO 2000004767A1 SE 9901305 W SE9901305 W SE 9901305W WO 0004767 A1 WO0004767 A1 WO 0004767A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
animal related
teat
sensor
animal
robot arm
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE1999/001305
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Martin SJÖLUND
Original Assignee
Alfa Laval Agri Ab
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alfa Laval Agri Ab filed Critical Alfa Laval Agri Ab
Priority to AU55411/99A priority Critical patent/AU5541199A/en
Publication of WO2000004767A1 publication Critical patent/WO2000004767A1/en

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01J—MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS
    • A01J5/00—Milking machines or devices
    • A01J5/017—Automatic attaching or detaching of clusters
    • A01J5/0175—Attaching of clusters
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01J—MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS
    • A01J7/00—Accessories for milking machines or devices
    • A01J7/04—Accessories for milking machines or devices for treatment of udders or teats, e.g. for cleaning

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an apparatus for performing animal related operations comprising a robot arm associated with a control means, said robot arm being provided with a gripper for gripping an animal related means associated with said control means, said animal related means being adapted to perform an animal related operation.
  • the known apparatus suffers from the drawback that it can only operate fully automatically. This is disadvantageous, as if the robot arm fails to function, it should still be possible to perform desired animal related operations. This is also the case if it is difficult to perform an animal related operation regarding a speciic animal.
  • EP-A-0 555 895 describes an automatic milking apparatus, which may be operated completely or partly manually. It is however not stated how this is performed.
  • an apparatus of the initially defined kind which is characterised in that a sensor means is associated with said control means, the op- eration of the robot arm being allowed to be discontinued in response to said sensor means, while the operation of the animal related means is started if it has not been started, and is continued, if it has already been started.
  • the automatic apparatus is quickly shifted to a manual or semi-automatic mode. In particular, it is not necessary to first enter a command in the control means via a keyboard of a computer or the like.
  • said sensor means is included in a storage means. Additionally, or alternatively, said sensor means is included in the gripper. The sensor senses the presence or absence of the animal related means. Hereby, it is possible to disable the operation of the robot arm by removing the ariimal related means from the storage means.
  • said sensor means comprises a photo cell.
  • said animal related means comprises at least one teatcup and said animal related operation is milking.
  • milking is allowed to be performed semi- automatically or manually.
  • said animal related means comprises a teat cleaning means and said animal related operation is teat cleaning.
  • teat cleaning is allowed to be performed semi-automatically or manually.
  • said animal related means comprises a teat disinfection means and said ariimal related operation is teat disinfection.
  • teat disinfection is allowed to be performed semi-automatically or manually.
  • said animal related operation is allowed to be discontinued in response to said sensor means.
  • the manual or semi-automatic operation is allowed to be ended.
  • Figure 1 illustrates an apparatus with different animal related means provided with a sensor means according to a first embodiment of the invention
  • Figure 2 is top view of a detail of the apparatus shown in figure 1,
  • FIG. 3a and 3b are perspective views of an animal stall provided with the apparatus shown in figures 1 and 2,
  • Figure 1 shows a robot 1 having a robot arm 2 with a gripper 3 provided with gripping members 3a, 3b for gripping an animal related means, e.g. a teatcup 4a, a teat cleaning means 4b or a teat disinfecting means 4c provided with a spray nozzle 4d.
  • a teat location means 5, e.g. an image capturing device, an ultrasonic sensor or a laser sensor is provided for finding one or several teats of the udder of an animal, such as a cow, a goat, a sheep, a horse or a buffalo, in order to locate its teats.
  • the teatcups 4a are connected to a milking vacuum via a not shown milk tube and to a pulsating vacuum via a not shown pulsation tube, as is common for perforating milking of a teat.
  • the teat cleaning means 4b comprises a pair of cylindrical, counter-rotatable brushes, between which a teat is to be cleaned. Nozzles for adding a cleaning liquid may be provided.
  • the teat disinfection means is connected to a pump for pumping iodine or the like through the nozzle 4d, which is opened by a valve (not shown).
  • the gripper 3 is shown in more detail from above including a teatcup 4a indicated with broken lines.
  • Each gripping member 3 a, 3b is movable about a hinge 6. Accordingly, the teatcup 4a is gripped by moving the gripping members 3a, 3b towards one another and released by moving them away from one another.
  • the rounded shape of the gripping members forces the teatcup towards a sensor means 7 arranged on the robot arm 2 between the gripping members 3a, 3b.
  • a sensor means 7 is also arranged in each compartment of one or several a racks 8 for the teatcups 4a, the teat cleaning means 4b and the teat chsinfecting means 4c.
  • the sensor means 7 of the rack 8 thus senses whether a relevant animal related means 4a, 4b, 4c is present in the rack or not.
  • the robot 1 and the racks 8 are arranged at an animal stall 9.
  • the sensor means 7 is in the form of a photo cell and is provided for sensing the presence of the teatcup 4a between the gripping members 3a, 3b.
  • the sensor means 7 may alternatively be a push button, which is pressed towards the robot arm when e.g. the teatcup 4a is gripped by the gripping members 3a, 3b, or a metal detector, • which senses a direct contact with the animal related means 4 made at least partly of metal.
  • the gripping members 3 a, 3b and the sensor means 7 are adapted to grip and sense the presence of the teat cleaning means 4b and the teat msinfecting means 4c as well.
  • the robot arm 2, the gripper 3 and each contact sensor 7 are associated with at least one control means (not shown).
  • Figure 3a shows the animal stall 9 of figure 1 from a larger distance.
  • the animal related means 4a, 4b, 4c are easily reached by the gripper 3 of the robot arm 2.
  • the gripper grips a relevant animal related means 4a, 4b, 4c and moves it towards an animal in the stall 9, and performs an animal related operation, such as teat cleaning, niilking or teat disinfection.
  • Figure 3b shows a situation where a person desires to perform an animal related operation manually or semi-automatically
  • the operation of the robot arm is disabled, either to be fixed in the position where it is, or more preferably, in a non- activated mode, i.e. it is then possible for the person to move the robot arm to a po- sition, where it does not cause hindrance.
  • the person fetches from the rack 8 the teat cleaning means 4b, the brushes of which start to rotate, in response to the sensor.
  • the person moves the teat cleaning means to the teats, and cleans them by means thereof consecutively.
  • the person puts the teat cleaning means 4b in the rack, and the brushes stop rotating, in response to the sensor 7.
  • the person takes a teatcup 4a from the rack 8, and the teatcup 4a is subjected to a pulsating vacuum and a milking vacuum (i.e. suction) in response to the sensor 7.
  • the teatcup 4a is attached to a teat. The procedure is repeated until the person has attached a teatcup onto each teat.
  • the person grips the teatcup and removes it from the gripper.
  • the sensor 7 senses that there is no teatcup in the gripper, and the movement of the robot arm is discontinued, and the teatcup 4a is subjected to a pulsating vacuum and a milking vacuum
  • the movement of the robot arm is not discontinued if the control means has sent a signal to the gripper to release the teatcup.
  • the person pulls off the teatcups from the teats and returns the teatcups to the rack 8 after having stopped the milking vacuum and the pulsating vacuum by pressing a switch.
  • the sensor 7 senses the presence of a teatcup.
  • a teatcup is instead removed from a teat e.g. by means of a cord and returned to the rack 8 when the milk flow sinks underneath a certain value, in response to a flow meter, associated with the control means, regarding the milk flow from each milk quarter.
  • the sensor 7 senses that the teatcup is correctly placed in the rack 8. After all the teatcups have been returned to the rack 8, the person grips the teat disinfection means 4c, and the pump is started in response to the sensor 7. The person puts the nozzle underneath the udder of the animal, activates the valve and sprays iodine on the teats. The person returns the teat disinfecting means 4c to the rack 8. The pump stops in response to the sensor 7.
  • rnilking may be performed without previous teat cleaning and/or subsequent teat disinfection.
  • the teat cleaning means 4b may instead comprise a teat cleaning cup, including a brush and/or a liquid nozzle.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Husbandry (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Manipulator (AREA)
  • Cleaning In General (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for performing animal related operations comprising a robot arm (2) associated with a control means, said robot arm (2) being provided with a gripper (3) for gripping an animal related means (4a, 4b, 4c) associated with said control means, said animal related means being adapted to perform an animal related operation. According to the invention, a sensor means (7) is associated with said control means, the operation of the robot arm being allowed to be disabled in response to said sensor means (7), while the operation of the animal related means is started if it has not been started, and is continued, if it has already been started.

Description

An apparatus for performing animal related operations
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to an apparatus for performing animal related operations comprising a robot arm associated with a control means, said robot arm being provided with a gripper for gripping an animal related means associated with said control means, said animal related means being adapted to perform an animal related operation.
Such an apparatus and such a method are known from WO 97/15900.
The known apparatus suffers from the drawback that it can only operate fully automatically. This is disadvantageous, as if the robot arm fails to function, it should still be possible to perform desired animal related operations. This is also the case if it is difficult to perform an animal related operation regarding a speciic animal.
EP-A-0 555 895 describes an automatic milking apparatus, which may be operated completely or partly manually. It is however not stated how this is performed.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the invention to provide an apparatus having improved properties regarding its control.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object has been achieved by an apparatus of the initially defined kind, which is characterised in that a sensor means is associated with said control means, the op- eration of the robot arm being allowed to be discontinued in response to said sensor means, while the operation of the animal related means is started if it has not been started, and is continued, if it has already been started. Hereby, the automatic apparatus is quickly shifted to a manual or semi-automatic mode. In particular, it is not necessary to first enter a command in the control means via a keyboard of a computer or the like.
Suitably, said sensor means is included in a storage means. Additionally, or alternatively, said sensor means is included in the gripper. The sensor senses the presence or absence of the animal related means. Hereby, it is possible to disable the operation of the robot arm by removing the ariimal related means from the storage means.
Suitably, said sensor means comprises a photo cell.
Preferably, said animal related means comprises at least one teatcup and said animal related operation is milking. Hereby, milking is allowed to be performed semi- automatically or manually.
Additionally, or alternatively, said animal related means comprises a teat cleaning means and said animal related operation is teat cleaning. Hereby, teat cleaning is allowed to be performed semi-automatically or manually.
Additionally, or alternatively, said animal related means comprises a teat disinfection means and said ariimal related operation is teat disinfection. Hereby, teat disinfection is allowed to be performed semi-automatically or manually.
Preferably, said animal related operation is allowed to be discontinued in response to said sensor means. Hereby, the manual or semi-automatic operation is allowed to be ended.
It should be noted that the described - or other - animal related operations are of course allowed to be performed independently from one another. DRAWING SUMMARY
In the following, the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 illustrates an apparatus with different animal related means provided with a sensor means according to a first embodiment of the invention,
Figure 2 is top view of a detail of the apparatus shown in figure 1,
Figure 3a and 3b are perspective views of an animal stall provided with the apparatus shown in figures 1 and 2,
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 shows a robot 1 having a robot arm 2 with a gripper 3 provided with gripping members 3a, 3b for gripping an animal related means, e.g. a teatcup 4a, a teat cleaning means 4b or a teat disinfecting means 4c provided with a spray nozzle 4d. A teat location means 5, e.g. an image capturing device, an ultrasonic sensor or a laser sensor is provided for finding one or several teats of the udder of an animal, such as a cow, a goat, a sheep, a horse or a buffalo, in order to locate its teats.
The teatcups 4a are connected to a milking vacuum via a not shown milk tube and to a pulsating vacuum via a not shown pulsation tube, as is common for perforating milking of a teat.
The teat cleaning means 4b comprises a pair of cylindrical, counter-rotatable brushes, between which a teat is to be cleaned. Nozzles for adding a cleaning liquid may be provided. The teat disinfection means is connected to a pump for pumping iodine or the like through the nozzle 4d, which is opened by a valve (not shown).
In figure 2, the gripper 3 is shown in more detail from above including a teatcup 4a indicated with broken lines. Each gripping member 3 a, 3b is movable about a hinge 6. Accordingly, the teatcup 4a is gripped by moving the gripping members 3a, 3b towards one another and released by moving them away from one another.
Furthermore, the rounded shape of the gripping members forces the teatcup towards a sensor means 7 arranged on the robot arm 2 between the gripping members 3a, 3b.
As can be seen in figure 1, a sensor means 7 is also arranged in each compartment of one or several a racks 8 for the teatcups 4a, the teat cleaning means 4b and the teat chsinfecting means 4c. The sensor means 7 of the rack 8 thus senses whether a relevant animal related means 4a, 4b, 4c is present in the rack or not. The robot 1 and the racks 8 are arranged at an animal stall 9.
The sensor means 7 is in the form of a photo cell and is provided for sensing the presence of the teatcup 4a between the gripping members 3a, 3b. The sensor means 7 may alternatively be a push button, which is pressed towards the robot arm when e.g. the teatcup 4a is gripped by the gripping members 3a, 3b, or a metal detector, • which senses a direct contact with the animal related means 4 made at least partly of metal. The gripping members 3 a, 3b and the sensor means 7 are adapted to grip and sense the presence of the teat cleaning means 4b and the teat msinfecting means 4c as well.
The robot arm 2, the gripper 3 and each contact sensor 7 are associated with at least one control means (not shown). Figure 3a shows the animal stall 9 of figure 1 from a larger distance. The animal related means 4a, 4b, 4c are easily reached by the gripper 3 of the robot arm 2. The gripper grips a relevant animal related means 4a, 4b, 4c and moves it towards an animal in the stall 9, and performs an animal related operation, such as teat cleaning, niilking or teat disinfection.
Figure 3b shows a situation where a person desires to perform an animal related operation manually or semi-automatically
As soon as the teatcup, 4a, the teat cleaning means 4b or the teat (hsinfecting means 4c is removed from the rack by the person, the operation of the robot arm is disabled, either to be fixed in the position where it is, or more preferably, in a non- activated mode, i.e. it is then possible for the person to move the robot arm to a po- sition, where it does not cause hindrance.
When either of the ariimal related means is replaced in the rack, the operation of that animal related means is disrupted.
Of course, when the robot arm 2 fetches an animal related means 4a, 4b, 4c from the rack 8, or when a teatcup 4a has been attached to a teat, the operation of the robot arm will not be discontinued.
OPERATION
In a situation when an animal in the stall 9 is to be manually or semi-automatically milked, the person fetches from the rack 8 the teat cleaning means 4b, the brushes of which start to rotate, in response to the sensor. The person moves the teat cleaning means to the teats, and cleans them by means thereof consecutively. After per- formed cleaning, the person puts the teat cleaning means 4b in the rack, and the brushes stop rotating, in response to the sensor 7. Thereafter, the person takes a teatcup 4a from the rack 8, and the teatcup 4a is subjected to a pulsating vacuum and a milking vacuum (i.e. suction) in response to the sensor 7. The teatcup 4a is attached to a teat. The procedure is repeated until the person has attached a teatcup onto each teat.
Alternatively, if the gripper has already gripped a teatcup, but the robot arm has for some reason stopped working, or works in an undesirable manner, the person grips the teatcup and removes it from the gripper. The sensor 7 senses that there is no teatcup in the gripper, and the movement of the robot arm is discontinued, and the teatcup 4a is subjected to a pulsating vacuum and a milking vacuum
Of course, the movement of the robot arm is not discontinued if the control means has sent a signal to the gripper to release the teatcup.
If it is desired to perform teatcup detachment manually, the person pulls off the teatcups from the teats and returns the teatcups to the rack 8 after having stopped the milking vacuum and the pulsating vacuum by pressing a switch. The sensor 7 senses the presence of a teatcup.
In a semi-automatic mode, i.e. manual teatcup attachment and automatic teatcup detachment, or in an automatic mode, i.e. automatic teatcup attachment and automatic teatcup detachment, a teatcup is instead removed from a teat e.g. by means of a cord and returned to the rack 8 when the milk flow sinks underneath a certain value, in response to a flow meter, associated with the control means, regarding the milk flow from each milk quarter. The sensor 7 senses that the teatcup is correctly placed in the rack 8. After all the teatcups have been returned to the rack 8, the person grips the teat disinfection means 4c, and the pump is started in response to the sensor 7. The person puts the nozzle underneath the udder of the animal, activates the valve and sprays iodine on the teats. The person returns the teat disinfecting means 4c to the rack 8. The pump stops in response to the sensor 7.
Of course, rnilking may be performed without previous teat cleaning and/or subsequent teat disinfection.
It should be noted that the teat cleaning means 4b may instead comprise a teat cleaning cup, including a brush and/or a liquid nozzle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for perfoπning animal related operations comprising a robot arm (2) associated with a control means, said robot arm (2) being provided with a gripper (3) for gripping an animal related means (4a, 4b, 4c) associated with said control means, said animal related means being adapted to perform an animal related operation, characterised in that a sensor means (7) is associated with said control means, the operation of the robot arm being allowed to be discontinued in response to said sensor means (7), while the operation of the animal related means is started if it has not been started, and is continued, if it has already been started.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor means (7) is included in a storage means (8).
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said sensor means (7) is included in the gripper (3).
4. An apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 3, wherein said sensor means (7) comprises a photo cell.
5. An apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said animal related means comprises at least one teatcup (4a) and said animal related operation is milking.
6. An apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said animal related means comprises a teat cleaning means (4b) and said animal related operation is teat cleaning.
7. An apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said animal related means comprises a teat disinfection means (4c) and said animal related operation is teat disinfection.
8. An apparatus according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said animal related operation is allowed to be discontinued in response to said sensor means (7).
PCT/SE1999/001305 1998-07-24 1999-07-23 An apparatus for performing animal related operations WO2000004767A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU55411/99A AU5541199A (en) 1998-07-24 1999-07-23 An apparatus for performing animal related operations

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE9802615A SE9802615L (en) 1998-07-24 1998-07-24 Device for carrying out animal-related procedures
SE9802615-6 1998-07-24

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2000004767A1 true WO2000004767A1 (en) 2000-02-03

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SE (1) SE9802615L (en)
WO (1) WO2000004767A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2001097603A1 (en) 2000-06-22 2001-12-27 Delaval Holding Ab Method and apparatus for treating the teats of an animal
WO2006084755A1 (en) * 2005-02-14 2006-08-17 Westfaliasurge Gmbh Method and teat cup cluster for milking an animal

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2258382A (en) * 1991-06-20 1993-02-10 British Tech Group Applying milking apparatus to a milk animal.
EP0576085A2 (en) * 1992-06-25 1993-12-29 C. van der Lely N.V. A construction for automatically milking animals, such as cows
EP0774203A1 (en) * 1995-11-14 1997-05-21 Maasland N.V. A construction including an implement for milking animals

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2258382A (en) * 1991-06-20 1993-02-10 British Tech Group Applying milking apparatus to a milk animal.
EP0576085A2 (en) * 1992-06-25 1993-12-29 C. van der Lely N.V. A construction for automatically milking animals, such as cows
EP0774203A1 (en) * 1995-11-14 1997-05-21 Maasland N.V. A construction including an implement for milking animals

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2001097603A1 (en) 2000-06-22 2001-12-27 Delaval Holding Ab Method and apparatus for treating the teats of an animal
EP1166625A1 (en) 2000-06-22 2002-01-02 Delaval Holding AB Method and apparatus for treating the teats of an animal
US7377232B2 (en) 2000-06-22 2008-05-27 Delaval Holding A.B. Method and apparatus for treating the teats of an animal
EP1166625B2 (en) † 2000-06-22 2013-08-28 DeLaval Holding AB Method and apparatus for treating the teats of an animal
WO2006084755A1 (en) * 2005-02-14 2006-08-17 Westfaliasurge Gmbh Method and teat cup cluster for milking an animal

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
SE9802615D0 (en) 1998-07-24
SE9802615L (en) 2000-01-25
AU5541199A (en) 2000-02-14

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