METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A MILKING PROCESSING SYSTEM AND A DEVICE CONTROLLED BY SAID METHOD

Abstract: A method for controlling a milking processing system wherein milk is extracted at each teat of a mammal such as a cow and subsequently stored for a longer period, and prior to storing of the milk it is at least partially or wholly filtered in the connecting conduit to the storage, wherein the filter with the residue which may have remained behind thereon is carried outside the conduit and subsequently detected and in the case of a predetermined quantity or quality of the residue of the or each animal a signal thereof is generated for the control, this such that diverse control functions can be started on the basis of varying signals.

Description: METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A MILKING PROCESSING SYSTEM AND A DEVICE CONTROLLED BY SAID METHOD The invention relates to a method for controlling a milking processing system wherein milk is extracted at each teat of a mammal such as a cow and is subsequently stored for a longer period. It is known, particularly in automatically operating milking devices, to filter the drained milk before it is stored in a collection tank (see US-A-4, 385, 590) . Filter¬ ing of the milk serves to enable removal from the milk of possible contamination resulting from teat fouling etc. Systems are further known in which for instance the temperature of the milk is measured to determine whether a cow for milking has mastitis. This usually involves the use of temperature sensors. The invention has for its object to provide a more comprehensive system for milking control such that the milking device can be controlled in optimal manner. The control method according to the invention is distinguished in that prior to storing of the milk it is at least partially or wholly filtered in the connecting conduit to the storage, the filtered residue is carried outside the conduit and subsequently detected and in the case of a predetermined variation of the or each animal a signal thereof is generated for the control. Due to the detection of the filtered residue outside the milk conduit system, detection can be carried out better and the obtained signals are more readily avail¬ able to the control system and therefore to an automatic milking device. A signal can for instance be used to set into opera- tion a valve system for draining contaminated or infected milk to an auxiliary tank. This valve system is therefore controlled on the basis of data of a single specific animal which is then being milked. It is on the other hand possible to use the signals to set into operation auxiliary equipment of the milking device, for instance to replace the filter material or a teat cleaning appliance, if it is established that much dirt is present on the udders as a result of rainfall and " the like. It may be possible within the scope of this milk residue detection to actuate functions of the milking machine other than those stated above. The invention further relates to a device for milk¬ ing a mammal such as a cow and controlled according to any of the foregoing claims, consisting of at least one milking location which is provided with one or more teat cups, each of which can be placed on a teat of the animal for milking and which is connected to a milk conduit for draining the milk to a storage tank, wherein an apparatus for filtering the milk is arranged in the milk conduit, which device according to the invention is distinguished in that the filtering apparatus has a filter which may or may not be exchangeable, wherein a detection means asso¬ ciated with the filter generates a signal when predeter- mined contaminants are detected on the filter. In one embodiment the filter for such a milking device is embodied as a band which is trained step-wise through the filter housing. Each time there is a change of the animal for milking a new filter can thus be ar- ranged automatically in the filter housing. The invention finally relates to a milking device which is provided with an automatically driven milking arm. According to the invention this milking arm is also suitable for arranging a cleaning cylinder round the teat of a cow, wherein in one embodiment the cleaning cylinder can be placed by the milking arm as stand-alone element, thus separately of the teat cup, while in another embodi¬ ment the cleaning cylinder can be fixedly mounted on the teat cup, wherein the milking arm places either the cylinder or the teat cup round the teat. These latter steps can take place successively. Above mentioned and other features of the invention will be further elucidated hereinbelow in a figure de¬ scription of a number of embodiments. In the drawing: fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a milking par¬ lour provided with a feed trough, guide fences and a milking set having connected thereto milk conduits with control and storage equipment, fig. 2 is a perspective top view of a milking rack on a driven arm provided with a cleaning device according to the invention, fig. 3 is a perspective view of a larger detail of the cleaning device with teat cup, fig. 4 is a perspective view of a filtering appara¬ tus suitable for the milk processing system of fig. 1. Designated in fig. 1 with the numeral 1 is the milking parlour on which an animal for milking, for instance a cow K, can be placed and held in its position by a fence 2 of random configuration. In the case of an automatically operating milking device use is usually made of a feed trough 15 which is reciprocally movable in the direction of arrow PI to assist correct positioning of the animal for milking. Arranged under the animal for milking and above the floor of milking parlour 1 is a milking rack 3 which is fixed in a manner not shown to a control arm or which can be coupled collectively or each separately in a manner not shown to an automatically driven robot arm in order to place the teat cup 4 on the teat of the animal for milking. Each teat cup is connected via a milk take-off conduit 5 to a buffer tank 6 provided with a driven valve housing 6' onto which connect a milk conduit 7 for reject milk and a milk conduit 8 for draining the extracted milk to a storage tank 9. In both milk conduit 7 and milk conduit 8 is arranged a pump 10 respectively 11 driven by a motor M, wherein the motors are driven by a central control system 12. The control system 12 also actuates the valve housing 6. In the control system 12 may also be included in known manner provisions such as a memory, in which data of individual cows is held, while means are arranged in milking parlour 1 with which the identity of the cow for milking can be determined. Further incorporated in known manner in the milking system are vacuum connections which provide for transport of the milk from the teat cups to the valve block and wherein the milk is temporarily stored before it is pumped to the storage tank or the reject milk tank. Also arranged in the milk conduit 8 is a filtering apparatus 13 which is further elucidated hereinbelow. The filtering apparatus has a detection means 14, the output signal of which leads to the control system 12. It is also possible however for the filtering apparatus to be placed in the conduit 5 before the valve block 6. Fig. 2 shows on a enlarged scale the milking rack 3 with the teat cups 4. Each teat cup is suspended via a parallel guide 20 on a driven arm 21, which arm has a number of rotation points and is mounted on a carriage 22 which can be moved along the milking location in the direction of arrow P2. The arm can be rotated under the cow such that the teat cups come to lie beneath the teats of the udder. By means of sensors (not shown) of a random nature the teat cups can be placed successively on the teats of the cow. This art is per se known and otherwise falls outside the scope of the invention. Arranged in each case according to the invention on a teat cup 5 is a cleaning device 25 which is shown in detail in fig. 3 on larger scale. The cleaning device 25 consists of a cylindrical housing which takes a double- walled form in the embodiment shown. The outer wall is provided on the upper edge with a flange 27 oriented downward and inward, while the inner wall has a parallel flange 28. The inside edge of both flanges is such that it fits loosely round the teat S of the animal for milk¬ ing. The underside of cylinder 25 is open. The space between the two walls of the housing is connected to a feed conduit 29 for a flushing liquid. Further arranged in the space between the two walls is a flow guiding member 30, having here a spiral shape. Other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention, for instance blades or fins which are disposed fixedly or adjustably. After having been placed round the teat S the cylin- drical housing 26 is provided via the conduit 29 with * * * *

Claims: arranged round the upper edge of the inner wall to form a slot-like outlet opening. 15. Device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in " that the space between the double wall of the housing is provided with flow guiding members such as blades or fins in order to obtain a flow of the cleaning liquid round the centre line of the cylindrical housing. 16. Milking device provided with more than one teat cups, each of which can be placed on a teat of the animal for milking, characterized in that a cleaning appliance as claimed in any of the claims 11-15 is arranged in association with each teat cup. 17. Milking device as claimed in claim 16, wherein each teat cup can be connected to an automatically driven arm, characterized in that the centre line of the housing of the cleaning device is placed at a determined fixed distance from that of the teat cup and is joined to the teat cup. 18. Milking device as claimed in claim 17, charac- terized in that the housing of the cleaning device is mounted at this fixed distance to the side of the teat cup remote from the arm. *****

Inventors: AURIK ERIK ARNOLDUS, DESSING JOOST, OOSTERLING PIETER ADRIAAN, AURIK, ERIK, ARNOLDUS, DESSING, JOOST, OOSTERLING, PIETER, ADRIAAN
Applicants: AURIK ERIK ARNOLDUS, DESSING JOOST, OOSTERLING PIETER ADRIAAN, PROLION BV, AURIK, ERIK, ARNOLDUS, DESSING, JOOST, OOSTERLING, PIETER, ADRIAAN, PROLION B.V.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A01J7
IPC codes: A01J7, A01J11