Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9107378B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-10-17 20:54:51
Document Index: 259709496

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2', 'Application No. 12', 'Application No. 12']

US9107378B2 - Milking box with robotic attacher - Google Patents
US9107378B2
US9107378B2 US13/095,983 US201113095983A US9107378B2 US 9107378 B2 US9107378 B2 US 9107378B2 US 201113095983 A US201113095983 A US 201113095983A US 9107378 B2 US9107378 B2 US 9107378B2
US20120272902A1 (en
2012-04-26 Priority claimed from EP17158441.0A external-priority patent/EP3202255A1/en
210000004080 Milk Anatomy 0 claims description 58
244000144972 livestock Species 0 abstract claims description 89
239000008267 milk Substances 0 claims description 58
a second side wall extending between the front wall and the rear wall, the second side wall spaced apart from the first side wall such that the front wall, the rear wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall define a first milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a first dairy livestock;
a livestock identification sensor that determines the identity of the first dairy livestock located within the first milking box;
a first equipment portion located adjacent to the rear wall, the first equipment portion housing a robotic attacher configured to extend from behind and between the rear legs of the first dairy livestock located within the first milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the first dairy livestock, the first equipment portion further comprising a first separation container for use with only the first milking box stall and operable to receive milk from the first dairy livestock to be discarded if it is determined to be bad milk based at least in part on first information for the identified first dairy livestock retrieved from a database, the first information indicating that the milk from the first dairy livestock should be discarded, and a first receiver jar for use with only the first milking box stall and operable to receive milk from the first dairy livestock if it is determined to be good milk; and
a second milking box stall to accommodate a second dairy livestock, and comprising a second equipment portion located adjacent to a rear portion of the second milking box stall, wherein the second equipment portion comprises a second separation container for use with only the second milking box stall and operable to receive milk from the second dairy livestock to be discarded if it is determined to be bad milk based at least in part on second information for the identified second dairy livestock retrieved from the database, the second information for the second dairy livestock indicating that the milk from the second dairy livestock should be discarded, and a second receiver jar for use with only the second milking box stall and operable to receive milk from the second dairy livestock if it is determined to be good milk.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second side wall defines a boundary between the first milking box stall and an adjacent third milking box stall.
the second side wall defines a boundary between the first milking box stall and an adjacent third milking box stall; and
extend between the rear legs of the first dairy livestock located in the first milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the first dairy livestock during a first time period; and
extend between the rear legs of a third dairy livestock located in the adjacent third milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the third dairy livestock during a second time period.
the rear wall comprises a backplane adapted to physically contact a rear portion of the first dairy livestock when the first dairy livestock is positioned proximate to the first equipment portion of the first milking box stall; and
a supplemental arm extending substantially horizontally from the main arm, the supplemental arm configured to move between the rear legs of the first dairy livestock located within the first milking box stall; and
a vision system comprising at least one camera and operable to facilitate movement of the supplemental arm between the rear legs of the first dairy livestock located within first the milking box stall.
the first equipment portion comprises the rail extending in a horizontal direction substantially parallel to the rear wall; and
a presence sensor adapted to detect the presence of the first dairy livestock located within the first milking box stall.
positioning a second side wall extending between the front wall and the rear wall, the second side wall spaced apart from the first side wall such that the front wall, the rear wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall define a first milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a first dairy livestock; and
positioning a first equipment portion adjacent to the rear wall, the first equipment portion housing a robotic attacher configured to extend from behind and between the rear legs of a first dairy livestock located within the first milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the first dairy livestock, the first equipment portion further comprising a firs separation container for use with only the first milking box stall and operable to receive milk from the first dairy livestock to be discarded if it is determined to be bad milk based at least in part on first information for the identified first dairy livestock retrieved from a database, the first information indicating that the milk from the first dairy livestock should be discarded, and a first receiver jar for use with only the first milking box stall and operable to receive milk from the first dairy livestock if it is determined to be good milk; and
positioning a second milking box stall to accommodate a second dairy livestock, the second milking box stall comprising a second equipment portion located adjacent to a rear portion of the second milking box stall, wherein the second equipment portion comprises a second separation container for use with only the second milking box stall and operable to receive milk from the second dairy livestock to be discarded if it is determined to be bad milk based at least in part on second information for the identified second dairy livestock retrieved from the database, the second information for the second dairy livestock indicating that the milk from the second dairy livestock should be discarded, and a second receiver jar for use with only the second milking box stall and operable to receive milk from the second dairy livestock if it is determined to be good milk.
13. The method of claim 10, further comprising positioning the first milking box proximate to an adjacent third milking box, wherein the second side wall defines a boundary between the first milking box and the adjacent third milking box.
positioning the first milking box proximate to an adjacent third milking box, wherein the second side wall defines a boundary between the first milking box and the adjacent third milking box; and
suspending a robotic attacher in the equipment portion of the first milking box, the robotic attacher adapted to:
the rear wall comprises a backplane adapted to physically contact a rear portion of the first dairy livestock; and
a supplemental arm extending from the main arm, the supplemental arm configured to move between the rear legs of the first dairy livestock located within the first milking box stall; and
a vision system operable to facilitate movement of the supplemental arm between the rear legs of the first dairy livestock located within the first milking box stall.
17. The method of claim 10, further comprising positioning a plurality of sensors within the first milking box stall, the plurality of sensors including:
a presence sensor adapted to detect the presence of the first dairy livestock within the first milking box stall; and
a livestock identification sensor adapted to determine the identity of the first dairy livestock.
positioning a rail in the first equipment portion, the rail positioned to extend in a horizontal direction substantially parallel to the rear wall; and
opening the first gate for the first dairy livestock to enter the first milking box stall;
detecting the presence of the first dairy livestock within the first milking box stall;
determining to sort the first dairy livestock into either a first region or a second region; and
opening one of the first, second, third, and fourth gates in order to allow the first dairy livestock into the determined first or second region.
a livestock identification sensor that determines the identity of the dairy livestock located within the milking box;
an equipment portion located adjacent to the rear wall, the equipment portion comprising a separation container for use with only the milking box stall and operable to receive milk from the dairy livestock to be discarded if it is determined to be bad milk based at least in part on information for the identified dairy livestock retrieved from a database, the information indicating that the milk should be discarded, and a receiver jar for use with only the milking box stall and operable to receive milk from the dairy livestock if it is determined to be good milk, the equipment portion housing a robotic attacher configured to extend between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located within the milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock, the robotic attacher comprising:
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