A DEVICE FOR ANALYSING PREFERABLY ANIMAL MANURE

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for analysing preferably animal manure. The device is provided with manure analysing means (6) for determining the composition and/or the viscosity and/or the fibrousness of a manure sample. The manure analysing means (6) comprise a press with a compression chamber (8) which is provided with at least one aperture via which the manure can flow out of the compression chamber during compression of the manure sample. The manure analysing means (6) further comprise force recording means with the aid of which the pressure force is determined during compression of the manure sample. The manure analysing means (6) also comprise measuring means with the aid of which the amount of solid material, such as fibres, is determined after compression.

Description: A DEVICE FOR ANALYSING PREFERABLY ANIMAL MANURE The invention relates to a device for analysing preferably animal manure. Such a device is known. With the known device the manure sample is analysed on laboratory scale, usually very extensively. This is a complicated and very time-consuming activity. The invention aims at a device of the above-mentioned type by means of which a diagnosis can be made rather simply and quickly on the basis of an analysis of a manure sample. In accordance with the invention this is achieved in that the device is provided with manure analysing means for determining the composition and/or the viscosity and/or the fibrousness of a manure sample. On the basis of the viscosity and/or the fibrousness of the manure sample it is possible to determine whether the individual receives the correct amount of feed and/or whether the composition of the food is well attuned to the individual . According to an inventive feature, the manure analysing means comprise a press with a compression chamber which is provided with at least one aperture via which the manure can flow out of the compression chamber during compression of the manure sample. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the compression chamber comprises at least one wall which is designed as a sieve. According to the invention, the manure analysing means further comprise force recording means with the aid of which the pressure force is determined during compression of the manure sample. On the basis of the pressure force required during compression, the viscosity of the manure sample can subsequently be determined. According to an inventive feature, for the purpose of establishing the percentage of fibres in the manure sample, the manure analysing means comprise measuring means with the aid of which the amount of solid material is determined after compression. According to an inventive feature, the measuring means may comprise a clinometer. By means of the clinometer it is possible to establish to what extent the compression chamber 2 has been reduced after compression, after which it is known how much remaining space of the compression chamber is filled with solid material. In accordance with another inventive feature, the manure analysing means comprise cleaning means with the aid of which the press can be cleaned after compression. Thus it is prevented that the press is blocked or that the analysis of a new manure sample is disturbed by a previous analysis of a previous manure sample. According to an inventive feature, the manure analysing means comprise a gripper. According to again another inventive feature, the manure analysing means comprise a mass inertia meter. By shaking the manure sample it is possible to determine the mass inertia of the manure sample, said mass inertia being a measure for the viscosity of the manure sample. According to again another inventive feature, the manure analysing means comprise a temperature sensor by means of which the temperature of the manure sample is determined. On the basis of the latter information it is thus possible to compensate influences of temperature on the viscosity of the manure. According to a first embodiment of the invention, the manure analysing means may be disposed in a toilet box. In a second embodiment of the invention, the manure analysing means are arranged in a milking parlour and/or a feeding station. In a third embodiment of the invention, the manure analysing means are disposed on an unmanned. vehicle. For the purpose of establishing which manure sample belongs to which individual, according to the invention the device comprises identification means with the aid of which the identity of the individual belonging to the manure sample is established. The identification means may be constituted by identification systems known per se, such as e.g. a cow recognition system. According to again another inventive feature, the device comprises a computer which is adapted to convert the manure analysis results of the manure sample of a specific animal into an optimum food composition and/or feed distribution. Depending on the result of the manure analysis sample it is thus possible to alter the composition of the feed and/or to adjust the amount of feed and/or the point of time at which the feed is administered. In an embodiment of the invention, the manure analysis results processed by the computer are supplied to a roughage and/or concentrate feeding station for the distribution and/or the composition of the food. The invention will now be explained in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . Figure 1 is a plan view of a stable with an unmanned vehicle accommodated therein, on which vehicle the device according to the invention is disposed; Figure 2 is a plan view of the unmanned vehicle depicted in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of a press with a compression chamber, and Figure 4 shows the manure analysing means in the form of a mass inertia meter. Figure 1 is a plan view of a stable 1 provided with a milking robot 2 for automatically milking animals and an unmanned vehicle 3 on which a device 4 for analysing a manure sample is disposed. Figure 2 is a plan view of the unmanned vehicle 3 which comprises wheels 5 that are driven by a (non-shown) drive unit. The unmanned vehicle 3 is further provided with manure analysing means 6. In the present embodiment the manure analysing means 6 comprise a gripper 7 including a chamber 8 for the manure sample, one wall 9 of the gripper 7 being designed as a sieve. By means of a motor 10 the wall 9 is rotated in the direction of the chamber 8, which results in that the liquid components of the manure are able to leave the chamber 8 through the sieve in the wall 9. The motor 10 is provided with a (non-shown) clinometer by means of which, after the manure sample has been compressed, the remaining contents of the chamber 8 can be determined. The chamber 8 then contains only solid components, such as fibres from the manure sample. The manure analysing means 6 further comprise cleaning means 11 with the aid of which the compression chamber 8 and the wall 9 can be cleaned. The cleaning means comprise a sprayer 12 which is connected to a liquid receptacle 14 by means of a pipe 13. The manure analysing means 6 are further provided with identification means 15 with the aid of which the identity of the individual belonging to the manure sample is established. Instead of a gripper 7 it is further possible to design the manure analysing means 6 in the form of a cylinder. Such an embodiment is shown in Figure 3. The manure analysing means 6 in Figure 3 comprise a cylindrical housing 16 with a piston 17 and a compression chamber 18. The end of the compression chamber 18 is designed as a sieve 19. Via the sieve 19 liquid components of the manure are able to leave the compression chamber 18 during compression. The compression chamber 18 is further connected to a filling member 20 by means of which the compression chamber 18 can be filled with a manure sample. In Figure 4 the manure analysing means 6 comprise a mass inertia meter 21. The mass inertia meter 21 comprises a receptacle 22 into which a manure sample can be brought, which receptacle 22 is pivoted by means of a (non-shown) operating member. During pivoting of the receptacle 22 the mass inertia of the manure sample is measured by means of a (non-shown) sensor. The mass inertia of the manure sample is converted by a (non-shown) computer into the viscosity of the manure sample.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device for analysing preferably animal manure, characterized in that the device is provided with manure analysing means (6) for determining the composition and/or the viscosity and/or the fibrousness of a manure sample. 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the manure analysing means (6) comprise a press including a compression chamber (8) which is provided with at least one aperture via which the manure can flow out of the compression chamber (8) during compression of the manure sample. 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the compression chamber (8) comprises at least one wall (9) which is designed as a sieve (19). 4. A device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the manure analysing means (6) comprise force recording means for determining the pressure force during compression of the manure sample. 5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the manure analysing means (6) comprise measuring means for determining the amount of solid material, such as fibres, after compression. 6. A device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the measuring means comprise a clinometer. 7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 , characterized in that the manure analysing means (6) comprise cleaning means (11) for cleaning the press after compression. 8. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manure analysing means (6) comprise a gripper (7). 9. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manure analysing means (6) comprise a mass inertia meter (21). 10. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manure analysing means (6) comprise a temperature sensor for determining the temperature of the manure sample. 11. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manure analysing means (6) are disposed in a toilet box. 12. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manure analysing means (6) are arranged in a milking parlour and/or a feeding station. 13. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manure analysing means (6) are disposed on an unmanned vehicle (3). 14. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are provided identification means (15) for establishing the identity of the individual belonging to the manure sample. 15. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises a computer which is adapted to determine, on the basis of the manure analysis results of the manure sample of a specific animal, an optimum food composition and/or feed distribution. 16. A device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the manure analysis results processed by the computer are supplied to a roughage and/or concentrate feeding station for the distribution and/or the composition of the food. 17. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manure analysis results are registered per animal in a computer. 18. A device as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that the manure analysis results are registered in the form of a graph or a table, whereby the pressure force against the contents of the compression chamber is registered. 19. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the computer one or more adjustable threshold values have been inputted and that, when one of these threshold values is exceeded, an animal is separated in a separation area and/or a supervisor is given a signal by means of signalling means that the relevant animal has exceeded this threshold value.

Inventors: VAN DEN BERG KAREL, VAN DEN BERG, KAREL
Applicants: BERG KAREL VAN DEN, LELY RES HOLDING, LELY RESEARCH HOLDING AG, VAN DEN BERG, KAREL
Application year: 2000
Main classification: G01N11
IPC codes: G01N11, G01N33