WO2000013492A1

WO2000013492A1 - A device for cleaning teat cups used for milking dairy animals

Info

Publication number: WO2000013492A1
Application number: PCT/SE1999/001529
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gösta FORSÉN; Nils Erik Holmertz
Original assignee: Alfa Laval Agri Ab
Priority date: 1998-09-04
Filing date: 1999-09-03
Publication date: 2000-03-16
Also published as: SE9803011D0; AU5894999A; SE513142C2; SE9803011L

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for the milking of dairy animals, such as a milking robot, comprising a robot arm (1) having a longitudinal axis and a distal end (15) wherein it further comprises tube guide means (21) which is mounted at said distal end (15) and which projects beyond said distal end (15) substantially in the direction of said extended longitudinal axis for restricting the movement of tubes (11'-11'''') in said device.

Description

A device for cleaning teat cups used for milking dairy animals.

Description of Related Art

Continuous efforts are being made in order to reduce the costs of producing milk. One way of doing this is by automating the milking of dairy animals thereby reducing the labour costs of producing milk. Milking robots are being developed which can identify the teats of the animal to be milked and which can attach milk cups to the teats of the animal. In a milking apparatus known from patent document WO90/07268 the robot arm attaches each teatcup in turn to the teats of the animal. After the teats have been attached the robot arm moves into a position away from the udder to prevent it being kicked and the milk tubes from the teatcups run freely between the front pair of legs and the rear pair of legs of the ariimal to the milk collecting reservoir which is normally positioned to one side of the animal. There is a risk that the animal being milked will become entangled with the milk tubes or kick or stand on the milk tubes which could cause one or more teat cups to be pulled off the teats.

Summary

The object of the invention is to solve the above stated problems.

The present invention solves the above stated problems by means of a device having the features mentioned in the characterising part of claim 1. Further improvements to the present invention can be found in devices have the features mentioned in the characterising parts of the dependent claims. While the invention will be illustrated by means of examples in which it is mentioned that milk tubes are restrained by the guide means, the invention is also applicable to all other flexible tubes, lines, cables or the like used in a milking apparatus. For the sake of brevity the words tubes and tubing will be used in the following to cover all such flexible components such as, but not limited to, vacuum tubes for supplying air at an under-pressure, cleaning fluid tubes, electrical cables, compressed air tubes and hydraulic tubes.

In a device in accordance with the present invention, the robot arm in a milking apparatus is provided with guide means which guide the milk tubes into a position where they are less susceptible to being touched by the animal being milked. These means are in the form of a projection mounted at or near the end of the robot arm. The projection extends in the longimdinal direction of the robot arm and has one or more contact surfaces which are intended to be in contact with the milk tubes and which retain the rnilk tubes in a desired position with respect to the animal being milked. The projection can project across the width of the animal and can be used to pull the milk tubes to a position at a distance from the rear legs of the animal. By restraining the milk tubes in the desired position at a distance from the ticklish rear leg region of the animal the risk that the animal is tickled by movements of the tubes is reduced and there is less chance that the tubes will be kicked and pulled of the teats.

In a second embodiment of the invention the guide means also includes projecting guide means which projects perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the robot arm. This projecting guide means can be placed parallel to the longi dinal axis of the animal and can be used to limit the traverse movement of the milk tubes.

In a further embodiment of the invention the guide means extends through an arc of at least 90° in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the robot arm. This ensures that when the robot arm rotates about its longitudinal axis any milk tubes resting against the guide means do not slip off the guide means.

The invention will be described more closely in the following by means of examples of embodiments and figures. Brief Description of the Drawing

Figure 1 is a schematic view of the main components of one embodiment of a robot arm provided with a guide means in accordance with the invention in a first position.

Figure 2 is a schematic view of the main components of the embodiment of a robot arm of figure 1 in a second position.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of a first embodiment of a guide means in accordance with the invention.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a second embodiment of a guide means in accordance with the invention.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of a third embodiment of a guide means in accordance with the invention.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of a fourth embocliment of a guide means in accordance with the invention.

Detailed Description of Embodiments

Figure 1 shows schematically one embodiment of a robot arm 1 for attaching teatcups 3 '-3'"' to the teats of a dairy animal 5 (shown in dotted lines for clarity of illustration). Robot arm 1 is attached to a frame 7 and is pivotable in a horizontal plane by actuator means 9 which can be a pneumatic or other suitable actuator. Each teatcup 3 '-3'"' is connected by a flexible milk tube 11'- 11"" to a milking machine (not shown). In figure 1 the robot arm 1 has attached teatcups 3 '-3'" to their respective teats and is in the process of attaching teatcup 3"" to the remaining teat. Robot arm has gripping means such as a housing 13 which supports a claw 17, and which housing 13 extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the robot arm at distal end 15 of the robot arm i.e. the end which is furthest away from frame 7. Housing 13 is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the robot arm. Situated above housing 13 is viewing means 19 such as a camera or the like which identifies the position of the teats to the control means (not shown) of the device. Tube guide means 21 for holding the milk tubes 11 ' - 11 " " away from the region between the front and rear pairs of legs of the animal are attached to the housing 13 of the robot arm. In this embodiment the tube guide means 21 comprises a curved support in the form of a J-shaped bar 23. The curved portion or foot 25 of the J-shape of the bar 23 projects in the direction of the extended longi dinal axis of the robot arm 1 and the straight portion or leg 27 of the J-shape is fastened to the housing 13. As can be seen in the figure the curved portion 25 prevents the vertically hanging parts of ilk tubes 11'", 11"" from moving towards the rear legs of the animal during the process of attaching a teat cup to a teat.

Figure 2 shows the robot arm 1 of figure 1 in the position it takes up when it has attached all the teat cups 3 '-3 " " . In order to reduce the risk that the rear legs of the animal can come into contact with the milk tubes 11 '-11'"' during πύlking, and in order to reduce the risk that the animal injures itself by kicking said robot arm housing 13, the housing is rotated approximately one half turn around the longitudinal axis of the robot arm 1. This has the effect that the housing 13 now projects towards the front of the animal and therefore the distance between the claw 17 end of the housing 13 is now further away from the rear legs of the animal. Additionally the curved portion 25 of the J-shaped bar 23 now faces forward and gathers the milk tubes 11 '-11"" into a compact bunch. The shape of the bar 23 and the angle of rotation (and any possible displacement) of the housing 13 on the robot arm 1 are adapted so that the milk tubes 11 '- 11 " " are held at a height and distance from the rear legs so that they cannot be kicked or stepped on while at the same time the tension on the teat cups 3 '-3'"' is not increased to such an extent that there is a risk of them being pulled off the teats. The rotation and possible movement of the housing 13 can be adapted for each individual animal or a standard movement can be used for all animals which are in a certain size range or one standard movement can be used for all animals. In order to ensure that all the milk tubes 11 '-11"" are gathered into the curved portion 25 after the teat cups 3 '-3'"' have been attached the robot arm can first be rotated a half turn while in the teat cup attaching position. It can then be manoeuvred towards the front of the animal and sideways in order to hook me milk tubes l l'-l l"" in the curved portion. The milk tubes l l'-l l"" can then be pushed to any suitable position. If desired it is also possible to use the casing 13 to pull the milk tubes l l'-l l"" to a desired position if animal being milked is so shaped that there is not enough room to safely accommodate the milk tubes l l'-l l"" under the animal and it therefore becomes necessary to pull the milk tubes l l'-l l"" out from under the animal. Alternatively the robot arm 1 can be moved from under the animal, rotated through half a revolution and then manoeuvred in any suitable manner in order to move the milk tubes l l'-l l"" to a safe position.

Figure 3 shows the first embociiment of the guide means 21 in the shape of the J- shaped bar 23 and housing 13 in more detail. Housing 13 supports claw 17 (well- known in the art and not shown in detail) and is rotatably mounted at the end of robot arm 1 in a manner which is well-known in the art and which is not shown here. The curved portion 25 of the J-shaped bar 23 projects in the direction of the extended longitudinal axis of the robot arm 1 and the straight portion 27 is fastened to the housing 13 by flanges 29, 31 and suitable fastening means such as screws 32. The outer surface 33 of the curved portion 25 acts as a first contact surface for guiding milk tubes l l'-l l"" when the teat cups 3 '-3'"' are being attached. The inner surface 35 of the curved portion 25 acts as a second contact surface for retaining the milk tubes 11 '-11'"' when the casing 13 has been rotated a half turn around robot arm 1. While the J-shaped projection has been illustrated as being a bar 23 it is of course possible to replace the bar by any suitable material such as a hollow tube.

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a guide means 21 in accordance with the present invention comprising an L-shaped support 37 shown mounted on a casing 13. L-shaped support 37 is shown as having a short foot 39 which during use is intended to extend in the longitudinal direction of the robot arm 1 and a long leg 41 which is intended to extend perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the robot arm 1. The long leg 41 preferably extends past the end 45 of the housing which is attached to the robot arm 1. In this way it forms an obstacle which can hook around the milk tubes l l'-l l"" and hold them in the space formed between the long leg 41 and the housing 13, which form a first contact surface, if it is necessary to move the milk tubes while the housing is in the teat cup attaching orientation as shown. The short foot 39 is tapered so that as the housing is rotated in the direction of the arrow from the teat cup attaching position (as shown in the drawing) any milk tubes in the inside corner of the L-shape can slide along the taper, which constitute a second contact surface, and they will not become caught on the short foot 39. Projection 37 can be made of sheet material or bar or tube and fastened in any suitable manner to housing 13.

Figures 5 and 6 show respectively a third and a fourth embodiment of a guide means in accordance with the present invention in which a J-shaped bar 47 resp. an L- shaped bar 51 has been provided with further projecting guide means such as tube or bar 49, and semicircular plate 53 which project a distance in the direction which is the plane perpendicular to the plane of J- or L-shape. Semicircular plate 53 has a straight edge 55 which is attached to the long leg of the J- or L-shape. These projecting guide means 49, 53 project downwards when the housing 13 is in the teat cup attaching orientation. When the housing is being rotated half a rotation in the direction of the arrow the projecting guide means 49, 53 prevent milk tubes in the inside of the J-shape, resp. the L-shape from sliding back towards the robot arm when the housing 13 has only completed a quarter of a turn. In order to accomplish this the projecting guide means 49, 53 should project sufficiently far in the perpendicular plane in order to prevent a tube from riding up over them. Preferably they extend a distance which is at least as long as the width of a tube. The projecting guide means do not have to make an angle of 90° with the plane of the J- or L-shape - any angle is suitable as long as the length in the perpendicular plane is enough to accomplish the desire result of preventing the tubes from slipping past. Other shapes and designs for the projecting guide means are also conceivable such as circular plates or tubes, quadrant shaped plates, bars or tubes, triangular, square, rectangular or other regular shaped bars, plates or tubes, irregular shaped plates, bars or tubes etc. Preferably the projecting guide means extend through an arc which covers an angle of 90° or more. An angle of less than 90° can give rise to positions when the guide means rotates where the milk tubes can slide past the guide means out of the desired positions to unwanted positions.

In another conceivable embodiment of the invention the robot arm itself is rotatable about its longitudinal axis through at least half a revolution and the guide means can be attached to the robot arm directly instead of to the rotatable housing.

It is possible to modify the above examples by combining the features of the various embodiments described above. The choice of material for the projections is not limited to those mentioned but can be any sufficiently strong material such as metals, composite materials, plastics, rubber, wood or the like.

Claims

1. Milking robot comprising a robot arm (1) having a longitudinal axis and a distal end (15) characterised in that it further comprises tube guide means (21) which is mounted at said distal end (15) and which projects beyond said distal end (15) substantially in the direction of said extended longimdinal axis.

2. Milking robot according to claim 1 characterised in that said guide means (21) is rotatable about said longitudinal axis.

3. Milking robot according to any of the previous claims characterised in that said guide means (21) comprises projecting guide means (13, 25, 37, 49, 51, 53) extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis a distance equal or greater than the width of a tube (H'-l l'").

4. Milking robot according to claim 3 characterised in that said projecting guide means (53) extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said longitadinal axis extends through an arc covering an angle of at least 90┬░ in the plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

5. Milking robot according to claim 3 or 4 characterised in that said projecting guide means extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis comprises a housing (13), wherein said housing supports gripper means (17).

6. Milking robot according to claims 4 characterised in that it comprises a projection (47, 53) projecting substantially perpendicular to said housing (13).

7. Tube guide means, for restricting the movement of tubes (l l'-l l"") in a milking robot, characterised in that it comprises a J-shaped or L-shaped support (21) with a short foot (25, 39) extending substantially perpendicular to a longer leg (27, 41), said support (21) being associated with a gripping means (13) and provided with at least first (33; 37, 45) and second (35; 39, 41) contact surfaces for retaining the tubes (l l'-l l"") on opposite sides of the support (21).

8. Tube guide means in accordance with claim 7 characterised in that it further comprises projecting guide means (49, 53) which project a distance in a plane perpendicular to the plane containing the short foot (25, 39) and the longer leg (27, 37).

9. Tube guide means in accordance with claim 8 characterised in that said projecting guide means (49) comprises a tube or bar (49).

10. Tube guide means in accordance with claim 8 characterised in that said projecting guide means (53) comprises a curved plate (53) with at least one straight edge attached by a straight edge to said support (21).