A construction for automatically milking animals

Abstract: A construction for automatically milking animals comprises a milk box (1) with a milking robot (2), which is provided with a controllable robot arm (3) for connecting teat cups (4) to the teats of an animal to be milked. The milk box (1) is provided with a guide element (7) for the robot arm (3), said guide element (7) having such a shape that the robot arm (3) when moving along the guide element (7) pivots the teat cups (4) between a first position beyond the reach of the animal to be milked and at least one second position under the udder of the animal to be milked. The mechanical guide element (7) is robust and enables an accurate pivoting movement of the robot arm (3).

Description: The invention relates to a construction for automatically milking animals according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a construction is known. Prior to connecting the teat cups the controllable robot arm pivots under the udder of the animal to be milked in order to position the teat cups there. The known constructions are often provided with a freely movable, electronically controlled robot arm. This has inter alia the disadvantage that the robot arm is sensitive to operational failure. The invention aims at improving such a construction. According to the invention this is achieved by the measures described in the characterizing part of claim 1. The use of the mechanical guide element for the pivoting movement, which is each time substantially the same, results in a very robust and reliable milking robot. The guide element enables an accurate pivoting movement of the robot arm. The invention will now be explained in further detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Figure 1 shows schematically a side view of a part of the construction according to the invention, and Figure 2 shows schematically the construction of Figure 1 according to the arrow II in said figure. Figure 1 shows schematically a part of the construction according to the invention. The construction for automatically milking animals comprises a milk box 1 with a milking robot 2 (known per se), which is provided with a controllable robot arm 3 for connecting teat cups 4 to the teats of a (non-shown) animal to be milked. The robot arm 3 can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the milk box 1 with the aid of control means appropriate therefor, such as the shown rail construction 5 with a suspension element 6 that is movable along said rail construction. Of course, the control means may also be designed differently, such as e.g. a parallelogram construction, a telescope construction, a cylinder construction or a hingeable construction. The rail construction 5 comprises two superposed, parallel, round rails, along which - as shown in the drawing - the suspension element 6, equipped with four wheels, can be moved. To the suspension element 6 there is fitted a guide element 7 for the robot arm 3. Said guide element 7 is formed as a curve path such that the robot arm 3 when moving along the guide element 7 pivots the teat cups 4 between a first position beyond the reach of the animal to be milked and a second position under the udder of the animal to be milked. For accurate positioning of the teat cups 4 in transverse direction under the animal to be milked, because of the curve path the teat cups 4 can also be brought into various second positions under the udder. The robot arm 3 can be movable along the guide element 7 with the aid of a drivable pulling element, such as a chain or a cable, that is connected with the milk box 1. In the embodiment shown, the robot arm 3 is movable along the guide element 7 with the aid of drivable wheels 8 that are connected with the robot arm 3. Of course, other roller elements are possible as well. Viewed in cross-section, the guide element 7 has such a curved shape that at its lower side there is formed a running surface for the wheels 8. During the pivoting movement, the upper part of the robot arm 3, that is fastened to the wheels 8, extends through a groove in the lower side of the guide element 7. The wheels 8 and/or the guide element 7 are preferably provided with a toothing. The lower part of the robot arm 3 is movable in vertical direction with the aid of control means appropriate therefor. Said control means are shown as a telescope construction, but may of course also be designed differently, such as e.g. a parallelogram construction, a cylinder construction or a hingeable construction.

Claims: A construction for automatically milking animals, said construction comprising a milk box (1) with a milking robot (2), which is provided with a controllable robot arm (3) for connecting teat cups (4) to the teats of an animal to be milked, characterized in that the milk box (1) is provided with a guide element (7) for the robot arm (3), said guide element (7) having such a shape that the robot arm (3) when moving along the guide element (7) pivots the teat cups (4) between a first position beyond the reach of the animal to be milked and at least one second position under the udder of the animal to be milked. A construction as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the robot arm (3) is movable along the guide element (7) with the aid of a drivable pulling element, such as a chain or a cable, that is connected with the milk box (1). A construction as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the robot arm (3) is movable along the guide element (7) with the aid of at least one drivable wheel (8) and/or roller element that is connected with the robot arm (3). A construction as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the wheel (8) and/or roller element and/or the guide element (7) are/is provided with a toothing. A construction as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least a part of the robot arm (3) is movable substantially in vertical direction with the aid of control means. A construction as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the control means comprise a parallelogram construction. A construction as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the control means comprise a telescope construction. A construction as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the control means comprise a cylinder construction. A construction as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the control means comprise a hingeable construction. A construction as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that at least a part of the robot arm (3) is movable substantially in the longitudinal direction of the milk box (1) with the aid of further control means (5, 6). A construction as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the further control means (5, 6) comprise a further guide element, such as a rail construction (5) with a suspension element (6) that is movable along said rail construction. A construction as claimed in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the further control means comprise a parallelogram construction. A construction as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the further control means comprise a telescope construction. A construction as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the further control means comprise a cylinder construction. A construction as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the further control means comprise a hingeable construction.

Inventors: FRANSEN RENATUS IGNATIUS JOSEP, VAN DEN BERG KAREL, VAN DER LELY ALEXANDER, FRANSEN, RENATUS IGNATIUS JOSEPHUS, VAN DEN BERG, KAREL, VAN DER LELY, ALEXANDER
Applicants: LELY ENTPR AG, LELY ENTERPRISES AG
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A01J5
IPC codes: A01J5, A01J7