Patent ID: 9402364
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: A01J

Claim Text:
1. A robotic milking system comprising: a milking cluster having a plurality of cups connected to a bowl; a retractor to withdraw the cluster so that the cups hang down below the bowl; a robotic arm that is not permanently attached to the milking cluster having a plurality of grippers arranged to acquire and hold the plurality of cups of the cluster as they hang below the bowl and actuators for moving the arm to facilitate the attachment of the cups to an animal; and one or more guide arms positionable with respect to the robotic arm in a first configuration to define a radially tapering opening between the robotic arm and the guide arm to assist in locating cups within the tapering opening and positionable with respect to the robotic arm in a second configuration in which the cups are brought into closer proximity to the robotic arm for capture; wherein each guide arm guides a plurality of cups.