An implement for automatically milking animals

Abstract: An implement for automatically milking animals comprises a milk robot with a robot arm portion (34), adapted to carry teat cups (45 to 48), and with cylinders able to draw the teat cups (45 to 48) against the robot arm portion (34) by means of flexible members (68). Each teat cup (45 to 48) is provided with a tapered end portion and can be drawn into / or kept in position in a tapering recess (67) in the robot arm portion (34) by means of a flexible member (68). The tapering recesses have a form which corresponds with the tapering of the end portions of the relevant teat cups (45 to 48).

Description: The present invention relates to an implement for automatically milking animals, comprising a milk robot with a robot arm portion carrying teat cups, and with cylinders able to draw the teat cups against the robot arm portion by means of flexible members. In order to bring and to keep each teat cup in such a position on the robot arm portion that the teat cup can easily be connected to a relevant teat by an upwardly directed movement, the implement is, according to the invention, characterized in that tapering recesses are provided in the robot arm portion and in that each of the teat cups is provided with a tapered end portion and can be drawn into and/or kept in position in one of tapering recesses by means of one of the flexible members, the tapering recesses having a form which corresponds with the tapering of the tapered end portions of the teat cups. Preferred features of the invention are set out in the dependent claims. For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a robot arm arranged at the side of a milking parlour; Figure 2 is a plan view of the robot arm; Figure 3 is a side view of part of the robot arm as shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a plan view of the end of the robot arm; Figure 5 is a side view of the robot arm end as shown in Figure 4, and Figure 6 is a partial cross-sactional view taken on the line VI - VI in Figure 4. In the drawings, corresponding components have been denoted by the same reference numerals. In addition, the invention is not limited to the embodiment as shown and described here, which embodiment only serves to illustrate the inventive idea. In Figures 1 and 2, the robot arm according to the invention is shown; this robot arm is arranged at the side of a milking parlour. Once an animal to be milked has arrived in the milking parlour and has been positioned appropriately therein, the robot arm is moved, on the basis of animal recognition data, from the front side to under the animal's udder. In the side view of the implement of Figure 1 there is shown an animal 1 which is present in the milking parlour, the milking parlour being enclosed by a railing 2 which limits the freedom of movement of the animal 1 in a lateral direction. The milking parlour is entered by the animal from the rear, while a pivotal stop 3 is arranged near the front side, which stop 3 constitutes a boundary for the animal 1 in the forward direction. By providing the front side of the milking parlour with e.g. a feed unit, the animal will advance sufficiently far, i.e. until against the stop 3. The milking parlour floor has a recess, which is arranged such that the animal will not put her hind feet thereon, e.g. because its bottom extends obliquely inwardly and downwardly, so that the hind legs of the animal are wide apart and on either side of the recess. The recess may have a drain for discharging the animal's excrements, if any. Once the animal has entered the milking parlour, a sensor device 4 is pivoted against her rear side. At the side of the milking parlour there is arranged a substantially vertical frame beam 5, which frame beam 5 at its upper end is provided with a longitudinal guide means and to which near its lower end a robot arm 6 is fitted. The vertical frame beam 5 is capable of moving with respect to the milking parlour in the longitudinal direction as denoted by the arrows 7. For that purpose, the railing is provided with a guide rod 8, along which can move two interconnected slide blocks 9, 10, the said slide blocks 9, 10 being interconnected by means of a horizontal frame beam 11 secured to the vertical frame beam 5. Near the floor, the frame beam 5 is guided by a guide rail 12, along which the lower portion of frame beam 5 slides. The sensor device 4 is connected pivotably to a slide element 13 which by means of two slide blocks 14, 15 is arranged also slidably along the guide rod 8. Between two lugs 16, 17 there is arranged, rigidly connected to the slide element 13 and the slide block 10, respectively, a cylinder 18, while furthermore between the slide element 13 and a support 19 on the railing 2 there is arranged a cylinder 20. By operating the cylinder 20, the sensor device 4 can be moved towards the animal until, in the downward position, it bears against the animal's rear. In the present embodiment, the sensor device, and hence the animal's rear, determines the reference position, relative to which the position of the teats and that of the milking robot are determined. By moving the sensor device 4 towards the animal, it is also possible to move the frame beam 5, as a result of which the mutual positioning between the sensor device 4 and the frame beam 5 can be provided adjustably by means of the cylinder 18. A robot arm 6 is connected slidably in height (arrows 21) to the frame beam 5. The sliding movement in height is effected by means of a cylinder 22, the one end of which is connected to the frame beams 5 and 11 in the place where the said frame beams are interconnected. The other end of the cylinder 22 is connected to a slide block 23 which is capable of moving in height along the frame beam 5 in dependence on the operation of the cylinder 22. Figure 2 shows the robot arm 6 both in the rest position (interrupted lines) and in the operational position (uninterrupted lines). The robot arm 6 is connected capably of pivoting about a substantially vertical pivot pin 24 to the frame portion 25 which is attached to the slide block 23. This pivotal movement is effected by means of a cylinder 26 which has one end connected to a support 27 of the frame portion 25 and the other end to the first portion 28 of the robot arm 6. It will be obvious that, by operating the cylinder 26, the robot arm 6 can be pivoted from the rest position to the operational position and vice versa. It may be of importance for the robot arm, or a part thereof, to be fixed under spring load, i.e. in such a manner that it, or the said portion thereof, can deflect when e.g. the animal kicks against it. In this embodiment, this can be achieved by having the further portion of the robot arm 6 arranged capably of pivoting relative to the first portion thereof about a pin 30 against the action of an excess load spring 29. In the unloaded condition, the further portion of the robot arm 6 is pulled against the first portion 28 of the robot arm 6 by the intermediary of a rubber buffer 31 (see Figure 3). The further portion of the robot arm 6 consists of a second portion 32, a third portion 33 and a fourth portion 34. The third portion 33 of the robot arm 6 is connected capably of pivoting about a pivot pin 35 to the said second portion 32. The pivotal movement about the pivot pin 35 is effected by means of a cylinder 36, the one end of which is connected to the second portion 32 of the robot arm 6 and the other end to a support 37 on the third portion 33 of the robot arm 6. As is apparent from Figure 2, by means of the cylinder 26, the robot arm can be moved to under the animal present in the milking parlour, the pivot pin 35 being approximately in a central position under the animal, i.e. between the animal's front and rear legs. Thereafter, by operating the cylinder 36, the third portion 33 of the robot arm 6 can be pivoted about the pivot pin 35 at a desired angle. The fourth portion 34 of the robot arm 6 (i.e. the end thereof) is movable axially relative to the third portion 33, as is indicated by arrows 38. In this connection, the support 37 is movable in a slot-shaped aperture provided on the side of the fourth portion 34 of the robot arm 6. In the inserted condition, the third portion 33 of the robot arm 6 is located partly within the end 34 of the robot arm 6. The end 34 of the robot arm 6 being slidable relative to the third portion 33, it is provided with rails 39. Between the mutually slidable portions 33 and 34 there is arranged a cylinder 40, the one end of which is connected via a support 41 to the third portion 33 of the robot arm 6 and the other end via a support 42 to the end 34 thereof. The end 34 of the robot arm 6 can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction under the animal by means of both the cylinder 40 and the cylinder 18. Although in this connection it would be sufficient to use the cylinder 40, it will be possible, by the addition of the cylinder 18, to limit the stroke of the former considerably, which, in view of the restricted space under the animal, is highly advantageous. The end 34 of the robot arm 6 is provided with a slide 43 which by means of rails 44 is movable along the robot arm end 34 in the longitudinal direction. Teat cups 45, 46, 47 and 48 are provided at the end 34 of the robot arm 6, in which situation, since the robot arm 6 approaches the animal's udder from the front side, the teat cups 45 and 46 are intended for connection to the animal's rear teats and the teat cups 47 and 48 to the front teats. The teat cups 45 to 48 are arranged such that the slide 43 can move at least between the teats cups 47 and 48. The slide 43 is capable of reciprocating by means of a cylinder 49, one end of which is connected to the slide 43 and the other end to the end 34 of the robot arm 6. On the slide there are provided, taken from the left to the right in Figure 4: coupling means 50, sensor means 51, a pivotal mechanism 52 and a stepper motor 53, the last two units together constituting the pivotal means for the sensor means 51. In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, these pivotal means are constituted by a bi-directionally controlable stepper motor. The sensor means 51 are secured on the slide 43 by means of supporting plates 54 and 55 (see Figure 5). The pivotal means 52, 53 are arranged on the supporting plate 55. In addition, the slide 43 is provided, under the supporting plate 55, with the sensor electronics 56 required for the sensor means 51. The sensor means 51 are mounted such that they are pivotal through a pivotal angle which extends symmetrically relative to the longitudinal direction of the robot arm end 34, which angle in the embodiment is approximately 120°. The sensor means 51 are reciprocated by the pivotal means 52, 53 through the pivotal angle in approximately 0.5 second. The stepper motor 53 drives the pivotal mechanism 52, while the pivotal mechanism 52 causes the sensor means 51 to reciprocate with the aid of a belt 57. In addition, under the slide 43 there is arranged a cylinder 58 with the aid of which, with the intermediary of a pivotal mechanism 59, the coupling means 50 can be reciprocated through a pivotal angle which also extends symmetrically relative to the longitudinal direction of the robot arm end 34, which angle in the embodiment is approximately 90°. After the robot arm end 34 has been positioned approximately below the animal's udder, the sensor means 51 can determine the position of the front teats, when the slide 43 has been adjusted to a first position; the position of the slide 43 is then also that wherein, during the coupling procedure, the coupling means 50 can engage the teat cups 47 and 48 in order to connect same to the front teats. When thereafter the slide 43 is moved forwards, it can arrive in a second position in which by means of the sensor means 51 the position of the rear teats can be determined and in which the coupling means 50 subsequently can engage the teat cups 45 and 46 in order to connect same to the rear teats. This situation is illustrated in Figures 3 to 5. In both the first (front) and the second (rear) position of the slide 43, the coupling means 50 can only engage the teat cups 47, 48, respectively 45, 46, individually. In both positions, the cylinder 58 and the pivotal mechanism 59 can first adjust the coupling means to a position wherein they can, for example, engage the respective teat cups 45 and 47 and thereafter to a position wherein they can engage the respective teat cups 46 and 48. The sensor means 51 continue to be permanently operative in order to detect the teat positions located within the pivotal angle, even during the subsequent upward movement of the teat cups 45 to 48. Figure 6 shows the sensor means 51 in further detail; they comprise a housing 60 constituted by a cylindrical sleeve and provided with a laser-transparant window 61 near its upper end. Behind the window 61 there is arranged a transmitter element 62 constituted by a laser, which transmitter element 62 is controlled from the sensor electronics 56 and a microprocessor (not indicated in the figures). The use of a laser for the sensor means 51 has the advantage that hereby a much narrower scanning beam as well as a much higher data rate can be obtained. Therefore, the transmitter element 62 is capable of transmitting continuously a narrow scanning beam to determine the position of a teat 63. This teat 63 disperses and/or reflects the radiation transmitted by the transmitter element 62. Via the window 61, a fraction of the radiation returns into the housing 60 and is deflected downwardly by a reflecting element 64, constituted by a flat mirror and located behind the window 61, and is guided to a receiver element 66 including a diode detector via a converging lens 65 accommodated in the housing 60. The region on the receiver element 66 where the captured beam is focused to a greater or lesser extent, is decisive for the sensor means-teat distance. The signal applied by the receiver element 66 to the sensor electronics 56 is indicative of this focusing region. In the present embodiment, the beam transmitted by the transmitter element 62 extends substantially horizontally and the mirror is arranged at an angle of approximately 45°. The angular position of the teat 63 relative to the robot arm end 34 can further be determined from the time interval in which the reflections are received from the teat 63 during the reciprocating movement of the sensor means 51. From the detected position of a teat 63 with respect to the robot arm end 34 signals are generated by control means (to be described in further detail hereinafter) to adjust the robot arm end 34 to such a position that a relevant teat cup can be connected to the teat 63 by moving it upwardly. As soon as the robot arm end 34 has arrived in the desired position, a relevant teat cup can be connected. In the present embodiment, the teat cups 45 to 48 bear on the robot arm end 34 in tapering recesses 67. The teat cups 45 to 48 are kept in position therein by flexible connecting members 68 which are coupled to cylinders (not shown) in the fourth part 34 of the robot arm 6. The teat cups 45 to 48 can then be moved freely upwardly and are pulled down again by the said cylinders in their positions in the tapering recesses 67 when the supply of milk stops. The upward movement of the individual teat cups is effected by the coupling means 50 which are provided with an electromagnet 69 which, after having been energized, can engage the teat cup to which the electromagnet 69 is directed at that instant. By rotation of the coupling means 50 and by a change in the position of the slide 43, the electromagnet 69 can be directed to the other teat cups which can then be engaged after energizing of the electromagnet 69. The coupling means 50 include a vertical inner jacket 70 which is connected rigidly to the slide in the upward direction; this inner jacket 70 can be rotated by the pivotal mechanism 59 through the said pivotal angle of, in this embodiment, 90°. The inner jacket 70 is surrounded by an outer jacket 71 which can move only in upward and downward direction. The electromagnet 69 is connected rigidly to this outer jacket 71. The outer jacket 71 is connected rigidly to a piston 72 which extends through the coupling means 50. Compressed air can be applied in the space under the piston 72 via a compressed air supply pipe 73, whereby the outer jacket 71 and the electromagnet 69 connected thereto and the teat cup engaged thereby are moved upwardly. The pressure exerted by the compressed air is such that, as soon as the teat cup contacts the cow's udder and, therefore, a certain counter-pressure is exerted, the upward movement of the teat cup is stopped. When a teat cup has been connected to the relevant teat 63, the electromagnet 69 is de-energized and, consequently, the teat cup is no longer retained thereby. Subsequently, compressed air can be passed into the space above the piston 72 via the compressed air supply pipe 74, as a result of which the outer jacket 71 with the electromagnet 69 connected thereto can be moved downwardly; in this connection, the pressure on the supply pipe 73 must, of course, be less than that on the supply pipe 74. In determining the position of the teats of the animal's udder, the position of the cylinders 18, 22, 36 and 40 is of importance. Each of these cylinders is provided in a known per se manner with control electronics (not indicated in the figures). In roughly adjusting the end 34 of the robot arm 6 in the centre below the animal, the cylinders 18 and 22 are utilized. The adjustment in the longitudinal direction is determined roughly by means of the cylinder 18, while by means of the cylinder 22 is determined roughly the height. The cylinder 22 is also utilized for a searching movement performed by the sensor means 51. During the "searching procedure" for roughly determining the position of the teats of the animal's udder relative to a reference position and the "tracking procedure" for accurately determining the position of the teats of the animal's udder relative to a reference position, the cylinders 36 and 40 are utilized. "Roughly determined" does not imply that an inaccurate measurement is made, but that the measurement registers an instantaneous indication; for the teat will be moving continuously. At any moment determined by the microprocessor, the actual position of the cylinders 18, 22, 36 and 40 can be supplied to the microprocessor and be registered in memory means thereof. Conversely, at any moment determined by the microprocessor, the desired position of the cylinders 36 and 40 can be supplied to these cylinders 36 and 40. With respect to the cylinders 18 and 22, it will suffice to supply from the microprocessor only two signals to the relevant control electronics; by means of these signals can be indicated whether the cylinders 18 and/or 22 have to be activated or stopped, and in what direction the cylinders have to control the end 34 of the robot arm 6. Besides in roughly adjusting the end 34 of the robot arm 6, the cylinder 22 is also utilized in moving the laser in the vertical direction, and hence the end 34 of the robot arm 6 during the."searching procedure". The cylinders 18, 20, 22, 26, 36, 40, 49 and 58 can be operable either hydraulically, pneumatically or electromagnetically. Insofar as hydraulically or electromagnetically operable cylinders are utilized, it is strongly desirable to include an additional overload protection against kicks from the animal. In a preferred embodiment, the cylinders 18 and 22 which are relevant to the determination of the position of the teats are electromagnetically operable, while the cylinders 36 and 40 are pneumatically operable, in which connection the control electronics are designed such that these cylinders can reach very quickly a specific position determined by the microprocessor. Servo-pneumatic positioning elements, constituted by a pneumatic cylinder with associated control electronics, are known per se, but in the present implement, in co-operation with a laser in the sensor means, they render it possible for the teat cups to be connected to the teats in an extremely fast and efficient manner. When the animal arrives in the milking parlour, she will be identified by means of a conventional animal recognition data source. The animal recognition is of importance to the present invention to the extent that thereby is known for each animal the position of the teats of the animal's udder relative to a fixed point on the animal, while, furthermore, this position in the animal recognition data source can be corrected, if necessary, on the basis of the continuously occurring "searching and tracking procedure". For the searching procedure it is of importance that is registered the position of the teats relative to a reference position, here a point on the animal's rear centre as determined by the sensor device 4. First of all, the end of the robot arm is brought into such a starting position that the laser, i.e. the point in the aperture of the housing wherein the laser is accommodated and from where the horizontal laser scan movement takes place, is located at a predetermined slight distance below and in the middle in front of the front teats, e.g. 50 mms below the front teats and 120 mms in the middle in front thereof. The then actual position of the cylinders is registered and the laser is started. Then, the cylinder 22 is activated, after which the robot arm end with the laser is moved upwardly, during which movement the laser performs its scanning movement, each scanning movement taking e.g. 0.25 second. During this upward movement, reflected laser signals, particularly from the two front teats are registered permanently, as well as the associated position of the cylinder 22. From this data is calculated the position, relative to that of the laser, of the objects observed, which are not yet considered as teats. From the position of the cylinders is calculated the position of the laser relative to the reference position. On the basis of the results of the two last calculations is calculated the position of the objects observed relative to the reference position. Subsequently, this last position is compared with the data regarding this position as derived from the animal recognition data source. Should there be established an agreement within certain limits, then the objects observed are identified as the animal's front teats, this position of the front teats is registered and the upward movement of the cylinder 22 is stopped. Subsequently, the laser is positioned in the starting position below and in the middle in front of the rear teats and the above-described procedure is repeated, after which also the position of the rear teats is registered. This completes the "searching procedure". In case, during the searching procedure, no agreement within certain limits is established between the calculated position of the objects observed and the relevant data from the animal recognition data source, then the searching is continued. Then, the laser is moved higher upwardly and, after having reached its highest position of e.g. 100 mms above its starting position, returns to this starting position in order to perform another searching movement in the vertical direction. When after a number of searching movements still no teats have been identified, an alarm is operated. After the searching procedure follows the tracking procedure, in which the teats are tracked individually in order to be able to connect a teat cup thereto. In this tracking procedure, the teats are numbered, so that a fixed order can be observed. First, one of the rear teats is tracked; the laser is already in the right starting position therefor, i.e. the position wherein the cylinder 22 has stopped during the search for the rear teats. Here again, the data flow of the laser, as well as the position of the relevant cylinders, is registered permanently. From the laser data is calculated continuously the position of the teat relative to the laser and therefrom the difference between the position of the teat relative to the laser and the position of the relevant teat cup relative to the laser. When these differences are not slight enough, i.e. the teat cup is located not quite below the relevant teat, then the results of the last measurement are compared with the teat position corrected on the basis of the previous measurement; in the present embodiment. When the latter differences are less than a certain value of e.g. 35 mms, then the cylinders have to be activated and the relevant teat cup, i.e. the end of the robot arm, has to be dispatched to the lastly determined teat position. This procedure is repeated until the difference between the position of the teat relative to the laser and that of the teat cup relative to the laser is slight enough, so that the teat cup is located almost straight below the relevant teat. The teat cup is then moved upwardly and connected, while by means of a vacuum under the teat it is checked whether the teat cup is connected correctly. During this upward movement of the teat cup, the tracking procedure remains active, so that even then the teat cup can be controlled yet. From the finally registered position of the teat cup at the moment of connection and the mutual position of the teats, as can be obtained from the teat position determination in the searching procedure, there can be obtained a corrected initial position of the laser for the tracking of the second rear teat. After the laser has been brought in this corrected initial position, the above-described tracking procedure is repeated and the second teat cup can be connected. Likewise, the third and fourth teat cups are connected, after which the tracking procedure is completed.

Claims: An implement for automatically milking animals, comprising a milk robot with a robot arm portion (34) carrying teat cups (45 to 48), and with cylinders able to draw the teat cups (45 to 48) against the robot arm portion (34) by means of flexible members (68), characterized in that tapering recesses (67) are provided in the robot arm portion (34) and in that each of the teat cups (45 to 48) is provided with a tapered end portion and can be drawn into and/or kept in position in one of the tapering recesses (67) by means of one of the flexible members (68), the tapering recesses having a form which corresponds with the tapering of the tapered end portions of the teat cups (45 to 48). An implement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each flexible member (68) is connected to the tapered end portion of a teat cup and, via an opening in the tapering recess (67), with one of the cylinders. An implement as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said flexible member (68) passes an opening at the bottom side of the tapered end portion and is fixed to the teat cup inside the tapered end portion thereof. An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each flexible member (68) is formed by a cable and the robot arm end portion comprises at least one roller along which the cable is led from its connection to one of the teat cups to its connection to one of the cylinders, extending in a substantially horizontal direction in the robot arm portion (34). An implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that means (50) are provided to connect the teat cups (45 to 48) to the teat, while, after the supply of milk has been stopped, the teat cups (45 to 48) are pulled down by the respective cylinders in their portions in the tapering recesses (67).

Inventors: VAN DEN BERG KAREL, VAN DER LELY EDWIN, VAN DEN BERG, KAREL, VAN DER LELY, EDWIN
Applicants: LELY NV C VAN DER, C. VAN DER LELY N.V.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A01J7
IPC codes: G01S17, G01S3, A01J5