DEVICE AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING A SHED FLOOR, AND A SHED FOR USING THE DEVICE

Abstract: According to the invention, a shed floor (35) in an area which is used by animals is cleaned as a result of dirt being collected using collection means (14, 24), which collection means from part of an unmanned moving trolley (8). The trolley is provided with shielding means (3, 22) for shielding the moving parts. The collected dirt, such as manure, is stored on the trolley for transportation purposes and is automatically loaded at an unloading point (37, 38, 39). If appropriate, chemically and/or biologically active substances may be added to the collected dirt, for example for binding ammonia or promoting fermentation.

Description: Device and me-bhod for automatically cleaning a shed floor, and a shed for using the device The invention comprises a device according to the preamble of Claim 1. The drawback of the known device is that the dirt, such as manure, remains lying on the shed floor or is pushed over the shed floor while it is being collected, and consequently the floor is not cleaned to a sufficient extent, and also the dirt is to some extent spread around. To avoid this drawback, the device is designed in accordance with the characterizing part of Claim 1. As a result, the collected dirt is immediately picked up from the floor, so that the dirt is not spread around. According to a refinement, the device is designed according to Claim 2. As a result, the dirt is stored separately from the means which are used to collect the dirt, thus improving the cleaning and allowing a greater volume to be stored. According to a refinement, the device is designed according to Claim 3. This allows the device to operate continuously without supervision. According to a refinement, the device is designed according to Claim 4. This limits the odour and aggressiveness of the collected dirt. According to a further refinement, the invention is designed according to Claim 5. In this way, the metered added agents are well distributed through the dirt immediately, inter alia as a result of the fact that the mixing with small quantities takes place simultaneously. According to a refinement, the device is designed according to Claim 6. This makes the shed floor easier to walk on, which is advantageous. According to a refinement, the device is designed according to Claim 7. As far as possible, this limits inconvenience to the animals which are present in the area to be cleaned. According to a refinement, the device is designed according to Claim 8. This ensures that the animals do not become caught between the moving parts in the trolley. The invention also comprises an accommodation shed according to Claim 9. As a result, the shed can be cleaned in such a manner that there is no residual dirt when the dirt is removed. The invention also comprises a method according to the preamble of Claim 10. The composition of the collected dirt is such that undesirable substances are formed under the influence of biological processes. In order to delay or avoid these processes, the method is designed in accordance with Claim 10. By adding substances to the dirt as quickly as possible after collection, the formation of undesirable substances is avoided as far as possible. According to a further refinement, the method is designed according to Claim 11. This keeps the shed floor as rough as possible, so that the animals can move about easily inside the shed. According to a refinement, the method is carried out according to Claim 12. This allows the shed floor to be cleaned without other activities of the animals being adversely affected. According to a refinement, the method is carried out according to Claim 13. This makes it possible for the unmanned trolley to travel to all parts of the shed in order to clean the floor. According to a refinement, the method is carried out according to Claim 14. This ensures that there is as little disruption to the animals as possible . The invention is explained below with reference to an exemplary embodiment and with the aid of a drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of an automatic manure trolley, Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic plan view 'of the automatic manure trolley in accordance with Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows a diagrammatic cross section through a manure pit into which the automatic manure trolley unloads the collected manure. Figures 1 and 2 diagrammatically depict the components of an automatic manure trolley 1 which is used for cleaning passageways in areas where cattle are able to walk around freely, such as a cubicle shed. A car 8 is provided with front wheels 12 and rear wheels 6, it being possible for the front wheels 12 to be steered using a steering device 11. The car 8 is provided, in a known way, with electric motors, a rechargeable battery, a control unit, sensors and the like, so that the car 8 can travel unmanned along paths in an area such as a shed. A pivot arm 9 is attached to the car 8 by way of a rotation point 7. On the pivot arm 9 there is a turntable 5, to which a mixing receptacle 4 is attached. The turntable 5 is provided with a drive, with the result that the mixing receptacle 4 can rotate about an axis of rotation 43. The axis of rotation 43 forms an angle, for example 15°, with the vertical, with the result that loose material located in the mixing receptacle 4 is brought together through rotation of the turntable 5 and is mixed intensively. As a result of the pivot arm 9 pivoting about the rotation point, the mixing receptacle 4 can be emptied in a manner to be described below. Two guide rails 27, along which a manure receptacle 24 can be moved by means of a lifting drive 26, are attached to the car 8 by means of supports 25. The manure receptacle 24 comprises a base plate 33 on which a side wall 32 is placed. Carriages 34, which can slide within the guide rail 27, are attached to the side wall 32. A wear strip 23 is attached to the edge of the base plate 34. While a shed floor 35 is being cleaned, the manure receptacle 24 is placed in position 24a. Once the manure receptacle 24 is full, which can be established, for example, using a sensor (not shown) , the cleaning is stopped, the car 8 comes to a halt and the manure receptacle 24 is moved to the unloading position 24b by the lifting drive 26. After the manure receptacle 24 had been lowered again, the cleaning is resumed. In the figures, 24a and 24b respectively denote the position during use and during unloading of the same manure receptacle 24. The shape of the guide rail 27 is such that, during cleaning, the base plate 33 is directed downwards at a slight angle, the wear strip 23 resting on the shed floor 35, and that during lifting the base plate 33 rotates upwards, so that the contents of the manure receptacle 24 are poured into the mixing receptacle 4. The side wall 32 is formed in such a manner that the contents of the manure receptacle 24 fall not onto or over the edge of the mixing receptacle 4, but rather into the said receptacle. The path of the manure receptacle 24 during lifting is indicated by 30. While the shed floor 35 is being cleaned, the base plate 33 rests on the shed floor 35 by way of the wear strip 23 and the car 8 travels forwards. A rotating brush 14 is arranged just in front of and above the wear strip 23, the direction of rotation of which brush is such that the dirt lying on the shed floor 35 is swept into the manure receptacle 24. A brush axle 13 is secured in a lever 16 which can be displaced by means of a cylinder 18. The cylinder 18 positions the brush 14 and, if appropriate, pivots it forwards in order to create space for the manure receptacle 24 to pass through while it is moving to the unloading position 24b. Chemically and/or biologically active substances are stored in a silo 19 and are mixed with the manure which has been swept up from the shed floor 35. These substances may bind the ammonia and/or ensure (accelerated) fermentation of the manure. The substances are metered by metering means (not shown) and fall into the manure receptacle 24 via a metering pipe 28. By means of a cylinder 29, the metering pipe 28 can be moved out of the path 30 of the manure receptacle 24. A bearing structure 31 for supporting a casing 22 and for securing the silo 19 and the brush 14 is attached to the car 8. The casing 22 encloses the car 8 and the components attached thereto, so that animals which are present in the vicinity of the manure trolley 1 cannot become trapped between moving components. To fill the silo 19, a cover 20 which can be moved by a cylinder 21 is arranged in the casing, while rear doors 3 provided with hinges 2 are fitted for the purpose of emptying the mixing receptacle 4. In addition to the openings described above, there are also further openings in the casing 22, inter alia for the purpose of cleaning the components, for eliminating faults or for monitoring operation. The automatic manure trolley 1 is provided with a control unit 42. This control unit 42 operates the various components of the manure trolley 1, the appropriate sensors being provided for detection of various functions. The control unit 42 is provided with a keyboard which can be closed off in order for the manure trolley 1 to be operated on a non-automatic basis. During operation, the automatic manure trolley 1 travels unmanned through a shed, for example a cubicle shed, and cleans the paths by sweeping up the manure which has dropped onto them and conveying this manure out of the shed. To follow the paths in the shed, guides are arranged in the shed floor 35 and are followed by the manure trolley 1 with the aid of a sensor 10. If appropriate, a plurality of sensors 10 may be arranged, for example, in the longitudinal direction of the car 8, or alternatively the manure trolley 1 is guided through the shed in some other way with the aid of other position-determining systems. To prevent the manure trolley 1 from crashing into anything, sensors 17 and, if appropriate, a contact strip 15 are arranged on the casing 22, ensuring that the manure trolley 1 stops if this contact strip 15 is touched by an object, person or animal. In addition to the above-described use of sensors for controlling the manure trolley 1, it is also possible for the layout of the cubicle shed to be programmed into the memory of the control unit 42, together with all obstacles which are to be expected and measures for avoiding these obstacles. In certain embodiments, therefore, it is not necessary to arrange a guide wire in the floor, and recognition points are used, which are detected by sensors similar to the sensors 17, so that the position and orientation of the manure trolley 1 can be established. If an automatic milking system is located in the cubicle stall, in which case the animals are milked without supervision in a milking shed as a result of the milking cups being connected to the teats by means of a milking robot, the programming or activity of the automatic manure trolley 1 can be adapted and/or coupled to the activities of the milking robot, so that animals which leave the milking shed after the appropriate fences and gates have been opened are subject to the minimum possible obstruction from the manure trolley 1. For this adaptation, the manure trolley 1 is equipped with means for wireless radio or infra red connection to the control unit of the milking shed or milking robot. Combinations with other systems which influence the position of the fences and gates in the shed and thus the behaviour of the animals are also possible. Once it has been observed in the control unit 42 that the mixing receptacle 4 needs emptying, for example by means of a sensor or by detecting the mass which is present in the mixing receptacle 4 by measuring the current intensity which is required to rotate the mixing receptacle 4, the cleaning is interrupted and the manure trolley 1 travels ' to the appropriate position in the shed. There, as indicated in Figure 3, there is an opening 37, which can be closed off by means of a hatch 38 and gives access to a manure cellar 44, arranged in the shed floor 35. In the manure cellar 44 there is a conveyor belt with a collection receptacle 39. The conveyor belt 40 can convey manure, which has been poured into the collection receptacle, outwards. For this purpose, the manure cellar 44 is positioned in the vicinity of a wall 36. The mixing receptacle 4 is emptied by firstly causing the manure trolley 1 to travel to an unloading point which is shielded by fences and gates (not shown) , after which the hatch 38 and the rear doors 30 are opened automatically. Then, as a result of the pivot arm 9 being pivoted (cf. Figures 1 and 2), the mixing receptacle 4 is tilted, after which the contents fall into the collection receptacle 39. If appropriate, during tilting the mixing receptacle 4 is rotated, such that the material falls out uniformly. The material which has fallen into the collection receptacle 39 is discharged by the conveyor belt 40 and/or other conveyor means (not shown) to a manure heap. At the unloading point, the manure trolley 1 is provided with power through the battery being charged, and the silo 19 is filled via an opened cover 20 and a feed 41. The above-described shielded unloading point in the vicinity of the hatch 38 is designed with moveable fences and gates, which are designed in such a manner that when the manure trolley 1 approaches, the animals, which are able to walk around freely inside the shed, are kept away from a passage which is to be opened for the manure trolley 1. Then, the passage is opened and the manure trolley 1 drives into the protected area with its rear side directed towards the hatch 38. As well as and/or in addition to the above- described cleaning solution, it is also possible, using the manure trolley 1, to scatter the walkways with scattering material such as sand or, if appropriate, moisture-absorbing agents, so that the walkways can be walked on more easily or the atmosphere in the shed can be improved still further, which may be of further benefit to the health of the animals residing therein. For this purpose, the manure trolley 1 is in that case provided with a second silo, and scattering means are provided, for example, in the vicinity of the front wheels 12. The automatic manure trolley 1 described above is used for cleaning the areas where animals, such as cows, walk. Since these animals are very curious, the casing 22 and the components attached thereto, such as sensors 17 and contact strip 15, are designed in such a manner that they cannot be damaged by the animals. Preferably, the casing 22 is of smooth and closed design, so that cleaning can take place with ease.

Claims: Claims 1. Device for automatically cleaning a shed floor (35) in an area used by animals, comprising an unmanned moving trolley (8) having, inter alia, collection means (14, 24) for collecting dirt lying on the stable floor (35), such as manure, and storage means (4, 24) for temporarily storing the collected dirt, characterized in that the collection means comprise a receptacle (24) and a brush (14) for sweeping dirt lying on the stable floor (35) into the receptacle (24 ) . 2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the trolley (8) comprises loading means (24, 26, 27) for displacing collected dirt to the storage means (4 ) . 3. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the trolley (8) comprises unloading means (9) for automatically emptying the storage means (4). 4. Device according to one of Claims 1-3, characterized in that the trolley (8) comprises metering means (19, 28) for adding chemically and/or biologically active substances to the collected dirt. 5. Device according to Claim 4, characterized in that the trolley (8) comprises means (4, 5) for mixing the substances added using the metering means (19, 28) through the collected dirt. 6. Device according to one of Claims 1-5, characterized in that the trolley (8) comprises scattering means for scattering material on the cleaned shed floor. 7. Device according to one of Claims 1-6, characterized in that the trolley (8) is provided with means for wireless communication with a control unit which operates the position of the fences and gates in the area to be cleaned. 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the trolley (8) comprises shielding means (3, 22) for shielding moving parts, such as the collection means (14, 24), the " Storage means (4, 24), the loading means (2, 26, 27) and/or the unloading means (9) . 9. Accommodation shed for the accommodation of animals designed for the use of a device according to one of Claims 1-8, characterized in that the accommodation shed comprises an unloading point (37, 38, 39) for receiving collected dirt. 10. Method for automatically cleaning a shed floor (35) in an area which is used by animals, having an unmanned moving trolley (8) with, inter alia, collection means (14, 24) and storage means (4) for temporarily storing collected dirt, the dirt lying on the shed floor (35) , such as manure, being collected by the collection means (14, 24) and then being temporarily stored in the storage means (4), characterized in that the collected dirt is mixed in the storage means with ammonia-binding and/or fermentation-promoting substances . 11. Method according to Claim 10, characterized in that the shed floor (35), after it has been cleaned, is scattered with scattering material which may be moisture-absorbent . 12. Method according to Claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the control unit of the unmanned moving trolley (8) is coupled to the control unit of a device which influences the behaviour of the animals in the area used by the animals, such as an automatic milking device. 13. Method according to Claim 12, characterized in that the position of the fences and gates in the area used by the animals is partly determined by the location of the unmanned moving trolley (8). 14. Method according to Claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the direction of travel of the unmanned moving trolley (8) is partly determined by the device which influences the behaviour of the animals.

Inventors: OOSTERLING PIETER ADRIAAN, OOSTERLING, PIETER, ADRIAAN
Applicants: OOSTERLING PIETER ADRIAAN, PROLION BV, OOSTERLING, PIETER, ADRIAAN, PROLION B.V.
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A01K1
IPC codes: A01K1