WO2015030666A1 - Procédé et système de nettoyage pour un système de traite automatisée - Google Patents

Procédé et système de nettoyage pour un système de traite automatisée Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2015030666A1
WO2015030666A1 PCT/SE2014/050995 SE2014050995W WO2015030666A1 WO 2015030666 A1 WO2015030666 A1 WO 2015030666A1 SE 2014050995 W SE2014050995 W SE 2014050995W WO 2015030666 A1 WO2015030666 A1 WO 2015030666A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
milking
cleaning
waiting area
animals
milking equipment
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE2014/050995
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Per Persson
Emil KARLSSON
Original Assignee
Delaval Holding 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 Delaval Holding Ab filed Critical Delaval Holding Ab
Priority to DE112014003476.2T priority Critical patent/DE112014003476T5/de
Publication of WO2015030666A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015030666A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01J—MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS
    • A01J7/00—Accessories for milking machines or devices
    • A01J7/02—Accessories for milking machines or devices for cleaning or sanitising milking machines or devices
    • A01J7/022—Clean-in-Place Systems, i.e. CIP, for cleaning the complete milking installation in place

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to dairy farming. Particularly, the invention relates to a cleaning method and system, respectively, in an automated milking system.
  • the milking equipment and the milk transportation lines are cleaned by a dedicated cleaning system at planned intervals, such as e.g. three times a day, preferably at times with low milking activity.
  • EP 1264538 discloses an approach wherein the points of time of the visits of the animals to the milking machine are stored in the memory of a computer, statistical so-called off-peak periods in the visits to the milking machine are determined on the basis of these historical data, and cleaning of the milking equipment is started during the determined off-peak periods.
  • a drawback with such an approach is that while it works statistically, it does not necessarily work each time cleaning is performed, since the behavior of the animals is not necessarily the same each day. Besides, the approach is static and does not cope with a changed use of the milking robot. Further, data has to be collected before the approach can be used.
  • EP 1046336 discloses a solution to effect cleaning of the milking equipment in periods of time during which the milking implement is used less intensively.
  • the time elapsed after an animal has been milked is measured, and when a fixed period of time has elapsed without a next animal having presented itself to be milked, cleaning is effected.
  • a drawback with this approach is that the fixed period of time is already spent at the time for the decision to clean the milking equipment.
  • the system can never use the periods of time during which the milking implement is used less intensively for cleaning. This makes such a solution less attractive for many farmers since it is desired to have high utilization of the robot and thereby high milk throughput, while still the milking equipment has to be cleaned regularly.
  • the present inventors have realized that not only the utilization of the milking robot has to be considered in milking systems with a waiting area in which animals wait before being milked, but also the animals' time spent in the waiting area has to be considered.
  • animals normally do not have the feeding or resting possibilities they have in their ordinary feeding and resting areas.
  • Spending long times in a waiting area may make the animals impatient and irritated.
  • waiting times are unproductive from a milk production perspective; the animals should eat, rest, get milked and be satisfied at all times.
  • the present inventors offer a real time solution to the above problems, and address both milk production and animal welfare issues.
  • a cleaning method for an automated milking system comprising a milking area, in which animals are milked, and a waiting area, which the animals have to pass before being milked in the milking area, wherein the milking area comprises milking equipment and a cleaning device for cleaning the milking equipment repeatedly, and the waiting area is capable of housing a plurality of the animals at a time.
  • the time which has passed since the milking equipment was last cleaned is measured; the number of animals present in the waiting area is monitored; and the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning when the first of the following conditions are met:
  • cleaning is here meant cleaning the milking equipment of a milking system with a dedicated cleaning system at reasonably regular intervals, such as e.g. three times a day, which involves cleaning of the internal surfaces of the milking equipment which come into contact with milk during milking.
  • the cleaning is typically performed with a detergent followed by flushing water.
  • the milking equipment if the milking equipment is used for milking of an animal when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, the milking equipment is cleaned when the milking of the animal has been completed, and if the milking equipment is not used for milking of an animal when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, the milking equipment is cleaned instantly.
  • the milking equipment is cleaned when the milking of one, more, or all of the animals present in the waiting area when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, if any, has been completed by the milking equipment. If the milking equipment is used for milking of an animal when the milking is equipment is flagged for cleaning, of course the milking of that animal is completed, before the one, more, or all of the animals present in the waiting area is/are milked.
  • the minimum and maximum times may be constants such as e.g. six and ten hours.
  • cleaning is always performed between about six and ten hours after the previous cleaning, thereby avoiding both too frequent and too rare cleaning, which could otherwise cause the milking equipment utilization to be reduced or the milking equipment to become too contaminated.
  • the maximum number of animals in the waiting area may be a constant.
  • the maximum number may be a function of time, which is
  • the maximum number is altered depending on a speed at which the number of animals present in the waiting area is decreasing, such that the maximum number is decreased if the speed at which the number of animals present in the waiting area is decreasing is higher than a minimum speed.
  • the speed at which the number of animals present in the waiting area is decreasing can be estimated from consecutively monitored number of animals present in the waiting area.
  • animals are allowed to enter the waiting area during cleaning of the milking equipment. This assures that there are animals present in the waiting area when cleaning of the milking equipment is completed.
  • animals are not allowed to enter the waiting area during cleaning of the milking equipment. This assures that the animals' waiting time in the waiting area is minimized. This may be advantageous when it is probable that an animal is to enter the waiting area shortly after cleaning of the milking equipment is completed.
  • animals are not allowed to enter the waiting area during a first stage of the cleaning, but are allowed to enter the waiting area during a second stage of the cleaning, occurring after the first stage.
  • embodiment may possess advantages of both embodiments disclosed above: it ensures (or at least makes it highly probable) that there are animals present in the waiting area when the cleaning of the milking equipment is completed, at the same time as it ensures that the animals' waiting time in the waiting area is as low as possible.
  • the two last described embodiments may be modified such that some animals (e.g. animals just qualified for milking) are not allowed to enter the waiting area, or are not allowed to enter the waiting area during the first stage of the cleaning, whereas other animals (e.g. animals having higher milking priorities) are allowed to enter the milking area at any time during the cleaning of the milking equipment.
  • the latter animals are given priority over the former animals and it is assured (or made probable) that animals gathered in the milking area are fewer, but have high milking priorities.
  • Milking priorities may be given to the animals at each instance to specify a desired order in which they ought to be milked. They may depend on the times since they were last milked and/ or on a number of other parameters, which are generally known in the art.
  • a cleaning system for an automated milking system comprising a milking area, in which animals are milked, and a waiting area, which the animals have to pass before being milked in the milking area, the milking area comprising milking equipment and the waiting area being capable of housing a plurality of the animals at a time.
  • the cleaning system is operatively connected to the automated milking system and comprises a cleaning device for cleaning the milking equipment repeatedly, a clock arranged to measure the time which has passed since the milking equipment was last cleaned, a device arranged to monitor the number of animals present in the waiting area, and a flagging arrangement arranged to flag the milking equipment for cleaning when the first of the following conditions are met
  • the cleaning device is arranged to clean the milking equipment after the milking equipment has been flagged for cleaning.
  • the second aspect may be modified to comprise methods, features, means, devices, and/or arrangements arranged to perform the methods and functions disclosed above with respect to the first aspect.
  • the cleaning system may be an automated cleaning system. It may be arranged together with the automated milking system to perform milking and cleaning entirely automatically.
  • the cleaning system may comprise a computer provided with suitable software.
  • the computer may be operatively connected to the automated milking system such that the automated cleaning system is capable of communicating with the automated milking system.
  • the computer may additionally, or alternatively, be operatively connected to the cleaning device to control the same.
  • the clock arranged to measure the time which has passed since the milking equipment was last cleaned, and the flagging arrangement arranged to flag the milking equipment for cleaning, may be integral parts of the computer.
  • the device for monitoring the number of animals in the waiting area may comprise any kind of suitable counting device operatively connected to the computer such that the monitored number of animals present in the waiting area can be forwarded to the computer.
  • Fig. l is a schematic automated milking system and a cleaning system for the automated milking system according to an embodiment.
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic flow scheme of a cleaning method according to an embodiment.
  • Fig. l shows an automated milking system n, which comprises a milking box or area 13, in which animals 14 are milked, and a waiting area 15, which the animals 14 have to pass before being milked in the milking area 13.
  • Each of the animals 14 to be milked may enter the waiting area 15 through a gate of an entry gate device 15a of the waiting area, optionally after having been identified.
  • the waiting area 15 is capable of housing a plurality of the animals 14 at a time.
  • Each of the animals 14 in the waiting area 15 may leave the waiting area 15 and enter the milking area 13 through a gate of an entry gate device 13b of the milking area 13.
  • the milking area 13 comprises milking equipment 13a for milking each of the animals 14 entering the milking area 13. After milking, each of the animals 14 may leave the milking area 13 through a gate of an exit gate device 13c of the milking area 13.
  • the automated milking system may be monitored and controlled by a process and control arrangement 16, which may comprise a computer provided with suitable software.
  • Fig. 1 also shows a cleaning system 17 for the automated milking system 11.
  • the cleaning system 17 may comprise a cleaning device 19 for cleaning the milking equipment 13a repeatedly, and a process and control arrangement 21 for monitoring and controlling the cleaning device 19 and optionally other parts of the cleaning system 17.
  • the process and control arrangement 21 may comprise a computer provided with suitable software and may be operatively connected to the process and control arrangement 16 of the automated milking system 11.
  • the cleaning system 17 may further comprise a device 23 operatively connected to the process and control arrangement 21 and arranged to monitor the number n of animals present in the waiting area 15.
  • the device 23 may be a camera equipped with image processing capability or it maybe any other suitable number measuring or counting device.
  • the device 23 comprises two counters, one counter counting the animals entering the waiting area 15 via the entry gate of the entry gate device 15a and one counter counting the animals leaving the waiting area 15 via the entry gate of the entry gate device 13b of the milking area 13. The difference gives the number n of animals in the waiting area 15.
  • the process and control arrangement 21 may comprise different modules for performing different tasks.
  • a time measuring module 21a may be arranged to measure the time t which has passed since the milking equipment was last cleaned, a flagging module 21b may be arranged to flag the milking equipment 13a for cleaning, and a cleaning initiating module 21c may be arranged to control the cleaning device 19 to clean the milking equipment 13a in response to the milking equipment 13a being flagged for cleaning.
  • the flagging module 21b is arranged to flag the milking equipment 13a for cleaning when the first of the following conditions are met:
  • the cleaning initiating module 21c is arranged to control the cleaning device 19 to clean the milking equipment 13a after the milking equipment 13a has been flagged for cleaning.
  • the cleaning device 19 maybe controlled to clean the milking equipment 13a when the milking of the animal being milked has been completed, or at a later stage when also the milking of one, more, or all of the animals 14 present in the waiting area 15 when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, if any, has been completed by the milking equipment 13a.
  • the cleaning device 19 may be controlled to clean the milking equipment 13a immediately when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, or when the milking of one, more, or all of the animals 14 present in the waiting area 15 when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, if any, has been completed by the milking equipment 13a.
  • the maximum number Nmax may be a constant set manually by an operator or automatically.
  • the maximum number Nmax may be a function N ma x(t) of time passed since the milking equipment 13a was last cleaned.
  • the function Nmax(t) may be monotonously increasing. This means that cleaning is only performed shortly after the minimum time has passed if there are very few animals in the waiting area, whereas closer to the maximum time, cleaning may be performed even if there are more animals present in the waiting area.
  • the function may be preset manually by an operator or automatically, or the function may be dynamically updated depending on one or more operational parameters.
  • the process and control arrangement 21 of the cleaning system 17 may comprise a module 2id for determining a speed at which the number n of animals 14 present in the waiting area 15 is decreasing, and the maximum number Nmax may be altered depending on the speed at which the number n of animals 14 present in the waiting area 15 is decreasing, such that the maximum number Nmax is decreased if the speed at which the number n of animals 14 present in the waiting area 15 is decreasing is higher than a minimum speed S m in.
  • the speed at which the number n of animals 14 present in the waiting area 15 is decreasing may be estimated from the monitored number n of animals present in the waiting area 15.
  • the minimum speed Smin may be a constant.
  • the alteration of the function N m ax(t) or of Nmax depending on the speed at which the number n of animals present in the waiting area is decreasing may be performed by any of the module 2ia-d of the process and control arrangement 21, by any other module of the process and control arrangement 21, or by any other process and/or control arrangement.
  • the cleaning can be postponed somewhat and be performed with even fewer animals 14 present in the waiting area 15.
  • the minimum time T m in and the maximum time T ma x may be constants set manually by an operator or automatically.
  • the process and control arrangement 21 of the cleaning system 17 maybe operatively connected to the entry gate device 15a of the waiting area 15 to control the same depending on whether the cleaning device 19 is cleaning the milking equipment 13a or not.
  • the process and control arrangement 21 may comprise a gate control module 2ie arranged to control the entry gate device 15a, during the cleaning, such that animals 14 are allowed to enter the waiting area 15, are not allowed to enter the waiting area 15, or are not allowed to enter the waiting area 15 during a first stage of the cleaning, but are allowed to enter the waiting area 15 during a second stage of the cleaning, occurring after the first stage.
  • the first alternative makes it highly probable that there are animals 14 present in the waiting area 15 when the cleaning of the milking equipment 13a is completed, the second alternative reduces the animals' 14 waiting time in the waiting area 15, and the third alternative is a compromise between the two first alternatives.
  • the gate control module 2ie is arranged to control the entry gate device 15a of the waiting area 15, during the cleaning, such that some animals 14 are not allowed to enter the waiting area 15, or are not allowed to enter the waiting area 15 during a first stage of the cleaning, but are allowed to enter the waiting area 15 during a second stage of the cleaning, occurring after the first stage, whereas other animals 14 having higher milking priorities are allowed to enter the waiting area 15 at any time during the cleaning.
  • Animals having high milking priorities are given priority over animals having lower milking priorities. The number of animals gathered in the milking area during cleaning will probably be fewer, but they will have all high milking priorities.
  • any of the embodiments wherein at least some of the animals are not allowed to enter the waiting area at least during a first stage of the cleaning may be combined with the embodiment, wherein the milking equipment is cleaned when the milking of one, more, or all of the animals present in the waiting area when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, if any, has been completed by the milking equipment to even further reduce the animals' 14 waiting time in the waiting area 15.
  • the cleaning method is a method of cleaning milking equipment in an automated milking system comprising a milking area, in which animals are milked, and a waiting area, which the animals have to pass before being milked in the milking area, wherein the milking area comprises the milking equipment and a cleaning device for cleaning the milking equipment repeatedly, and the waiting area is capable of housing a plurality of the animals at a time.
  • the method is commenced, in a step 22, by continuously measuring the time t which has passed since the milking equipment was last cleaned.
  • the number n of animals present in the waiting area is continuously monitored in a step 24.
  • the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning when the first of the following conditions are met (i) a maximum time (Tmax) has passed since the milking
  • the milking equipment is cleaned after the milking equipment has been flagged for cleaning and in response thereto. This may be performed in various ways.
  • a step 28 it is, in a step 28, checked whether an animal is milked or not by the milking equipment when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning. If the milking equipment is used for milking of an animal when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, the milking equipment may be cleaned, in a step 30, when the milking of the animal being milked has been completed, or at a later stage when also the milking of one, more, or all of the animals present in the waiting area when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, if any, has been completed by the milking equipment, after which the cleaning the method is terminated.
  • Whether the milking equipment is cleaned when the milking of the animal being milked has been completed, or at a later stage when also the milking of one, more, or all of the animals present in the waiting area when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, if any, has been completed by the milking equipment may be determined in advance and be set in the algorithm. Alternatively, it may be determined depending on one or more parameters related to the milking system or to the animals.
  • the milking equipment may be cleaned, in a step 32, directly after the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, or when the milking of one, more, or all of the animals present in the waiting area when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, if any, has been completed by the milking equipment.
  • the milking equipment is cleaned directly after flagging, or at a later stage when also the milking of one, more, or all of the animals present in the waiting area when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning, if any, has been completed by the milking equipment, may be determined in advance and be set in the algorithm. Alternatively, it maybe determined depending on one or more parameters related to the milking system or to the animals.
  • the method maybe commenced again each time the milking equipment has been cleaned.
  • the cleaning of the milking equipment maybe performed when only a maximum number, say e.g. three, animals present the waiting area when the milking equipment is flagged for cleaning has been milked in order not to postpone the cleaning too much.
  • the maximum time Tmax ought to be set depending on estimated delays of the cleaning of the milking equipment from the actual flagging time, such that the cleaning equipment will not be cleaned too late.
  • the described cleaning method may be modified to include method steps using any of the devices, modules and/or arrangements as described above with respect to Fig. l.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Husbandry (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • External Artificial Organs (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé de nettoyage pour un système de traite automatisé comportant une zone de traite (13), dans laquelle des animaux sont traits, et une zone d'attente (15), que les animaux doivent traverser avant la traite dans la zone de traite, la zone de traite comportant un matériel de traite (13a) et un dispositif de nettoyage (17) pour nettoyer le matériel de traite à répétition, et la zone d'attente étant capable de contenir une pluralité d'animaux à la fois. Le procédé de nettoyage comprend les étapes suivantes : la mesure (22) du temps (t) qui s'est écoulé depuis le dernier nettoyage du matériel de traite ; le contrôle (24) du nombre (n) d'animaux présents dans la zone d'attente ; et la signalisation (26) du nettoyage du matériel de traite lorsque la première des conditions suivantes est satisfaite : (i) un temps maximum (Tmax) s'est écoulé depuis le dernier nettoyage du matériel de traite ; ou (ii) au moins un temps minimum (Tmin) s'est écoulé depuis le dernier nettoyage du matériel de traite et le nombre d'animaux présents dans la zone d'attente ne dépasse pas un nombre maximum (Nmax), le nettoyage du matériel de traite étant effectué après la signalisation pour le nettoyage de celui-ci.
PCT/SE2014/050995 2013-08-30 2014-08-29 Procédé et système de nettoyage pour un système de traite automatisée WO2015030666A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE112014003476.2T DE112014003476T5 (de) 2013-08-30 2014-08-29 Reinigungsverfahren und System für ein automatisiertes Melksystem

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE1351008-6 2013-08-30
SE1351008 2013-08-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2015030666A1 true WO2015030666A1 (fr) 2015-03-05

Family

ID=51589490

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/SE2014/050995 WO2015030666A1 (fr) 2013-08-30 2014-08-29 Procédé et système de nettoyage pour un système de traite automatisée

Country Status (2)

Country Link
DE (1) DE112014003476T5 (fr)
WO (1) WO2015030666A1 (fr)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SU1412672A1 (ru) * 1987-01-12 1988-07-30 Ростовский-На-Дону Институт Сельскохозяйственного Машиностроения Устройство дл промывки доильной установки
WO2004004791A1 (fr) * 2002-07-05 2004-01-15 Delaval Holding Ab Procede et dispositif pour exploitation laitiere
WO2010112284A1 (fr) * 2009-04-01 2010-10-07 Delaval Holding Ab Dispositif de traite pour animaux
WO2013081534A1 (fr) * 2011-12-01 2013-06-06 Delaval Holding Ab Système de traite et procédé de nettoyage dans un système de traite

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SU1412672A1 (ru) * 1987-01-12 1988-07-30 Ростовский-На-Дону Институт Сельскохозяйственного Машиностроения Устройство дл промывки доильной установки
WO2004004791A1 (fr) * 2002-07-05 2004-01-15 Delaval Holding Ab Procede et dispositif pour exploitation laitiere
WO2010112284A1 (fr) * 2009-04-01 2010-10-07 Delaval Holding Ab Dispositif de traite pour animaux
WO2013081534A1 (fr) * 2011-12-01 2013-06-06 Delaval Holding Ab Système de traite et procédé de nettoyage dans un système de traite

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
KOSTOMAKHIN N.M., SKOTOVODSTVO, 2009, SANKT-PETERBURG, MOSKVA, KRASNODAR, LAN, pages 265 - 266 *
MELNIKOV S.V., TEKHNOLOGICHESKOE OBORUDOVANIE ZHIVOTNOVODCHESKIKH FERM I KOMPLEKSOV. DRAWING 259, 1985, LENINGRAD, AGROPROMIZDAT, LENINGRADSKOE OTDELENIE, pages 538 - 540 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE112014003476T5 (de) 2016-04-14

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
JP6996833B2 (ja) ロボットの状態を診断するためのシステム及び方法
US8295963B2 (en) Methods for performing data management for a recipe-and-component control module
CN104156263B (zh) 芯片部件管理任务中断方法、芯片及包括所述芯片的组件
CN109558255A (zh) 一种任务处理的方法及任务处理装置
CN109656782A (zh) 可视化调度监控方法、装置及服务器
TWI484346B (zh) 最適化網路連接器並減少中斷
SE529359C2 (sv) Metod och arrangemang för djurhantering
US9801350B2 (en) Method and arrangement for performing teat related operations in a rotary milking system and rotary milking system
CN109947149B (zh) 一种消毒灯具的控制方法及洗碗机
EP2343650A2 (fr) Automate fini de connexion basée sur le matériel doté de temporisateurs intégrés
WO2015030666A1 (fr) Procédé et système de nettoyage pour un système de traite automatisée
CN109462646B (zh) 一种异常响应的方法及设备
CN114531373A (zh) 节点状态检测方法、节点状态检测装置、设备及介质
US20210318676A1 (en) Data delivery control apparatus, method, and program
CN109947015B (zh) 任务的执行方法及主控制器
CN111538629A (zh) 一种服务器传感器的轮循方法、系统及相关装置
CN106126454B (zh) 一种计算机系统、高速外围组件互联端点设备的访问方法和装置
CN114169803A (zh) 机器人调度方法、装置、设备及存储介质
CN105224411B (zh) 一种避免cpu被耗尽导致看门狗重启的方法
CN107918299A (zh) 运算装置以及控制装置
US20170192795A1 (en) Universal Computing Element (UCE) and the Mode of Computing with the Use of UCE
WO2016206550A1 (fr) Procédé et dispositif de traitement de feuille de calcul électronique
CN103647837B (zh) 多线程报告下载方法和装置
JP2011018738A (ja) 生産管理システム
CN112131973A (zh) 一种饲料处理监管方法、系统、设备及存储介质

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 14771976

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 112014003476

Country of ref document: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 14771976

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1