Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9439392B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 00:46:51+00:00

Document:
A system for operating a robotic arm, comprises a controller and a robotic arm. The controller receives an indication that a stall of a rotary milking platform in which a dairy livestock is located has moved into an area adjacent a robotic arm that is detached from the rotary milking platform. The controller also determines whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock. The robotic arm is communicatively coupled to the controller and extends between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock. The robotic arm does not extend between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock.
This is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 13/454,351 filed Apr. 24, 2012 which is a divisional application claiming the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §121 of the priority of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/095,963, filed Apr. 28, 2011, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 8,707,905 issued Apr. 29, 2014, entitled “Automated System for Applying Disinfectant to the Teats of Dairy Livestock,” which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/378,871, filed Aug. 31, 2010, entitled “Automated System for Applying Disinfectant to the Teats of Dairy Livestock,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
This invention relates generally to dairy farming and more particularly to a automated system for applying disinfectant to the teats of dairy livestock.
In certain embodiments, a system for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock includes a carriage mounted on a track, the carriage operable to translate laterally along the track. The system further includes a robotic arm including a first member pivotally attached to the carriage such that the first member may rotate about a point of attachment to the carriage, a second member pivotally attached to the first member such that the second member may rotate about a point of attachment to the first member, and a spray tool member pivotally attached to the second member such that the spray tool member may rotate about a point of attachment to the second member. The system further includes a controller operable to cause at least a portion of the robotic arm to extend between the hind legs of a dairy livestock such that a spray tool of the spray tool member is located at a spray position from which the spray tool may discharge an amount of disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.
At step 506, controller 114 determines whether a milking cluster is attached. If controller 114 determines that a milking cluster is attached, the method returns to step 504. If controller 114 determines that a milking cluster is not attached, the method proceeds to step 508 where controller 114 accesses a rotary encoder signal 144 indicated the speed of rotation of rotary milking platform. At step 510, controller 114 communicates a signal to first actuator 126, the signal causing first actuator to extend such that carriage 102 translates laterally along track 104 in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform. Additionally, the signal communicated to first actuator 126 causes the first actuator to extend at a rate (determined based on rotary encoder signal 144) that causes carriage 102 to translate laterally along track 104 at a rate corresponding to the rate of rotation of the rotary milking platform. As a result, robotic arm 106 may keep pace with a dairy cow located in a milking stall of the rotary milking platform.
a robotic arm communicatively coupled to the controller and operable to extend between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock, wherein the robotic arm does not extend between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dairy livestock is a first dairy livestock positioned in a first stall of a rotary milking platform, and if the controller determines that the milking cluster is attached to the first dairy livestock, then the controller is operable to wait until the rotary milking platform rotates so that a second stall of the rotary milking platform with a second dairy livestock is positioned adjacent the robotic arm.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further operable to determine whether a milking cluster is attached to the second dairy livestock and the robotic arm is operable to extend between the legs of the second dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is not attached.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the robotic arm is operable to extend between the hind legs of the dairy livestock.
a spray tool coupled to the robotic arm and operable to discharge a substance to at least some of the teats of the second dairy livestock.
a second spray nozzle coupled to the linear member proximate a second end of the linear member.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein the substance is a disinfectant.
discharging a substance to at least some of the teats of the dairy livestock if the robotic arm is extended between the legs of the dairy livestock.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising not extending the robotic arm between the legs of the dairy livestock if it is determined that the milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the legs of the dairy livestock comprise the hind legs of the dairy livestock.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the substance is a disinfectant.
extending a robotic arm between the legs of the second dairy livestock in response to determining that the second milking cluster is not attached to the second dairy livestock.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising discharging a substance to at least some of the teats of the second dairy livestock.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the substance is a disinfectant.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the legs of the second dairy livestock comprise the hind legs of the second dairy livestock.
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