U.S. patent application number 10/249979 was filed with the patent office on 2003-12-11 for a device for automatically milking an animal.
This patent application is currently assigned to LELY ENTERPRISES AG. Invention is credited to van den BERG, Karel, VIJVERBERG, Helena Geralda Maria, VOOGD, Lucien Eliza Niels.
Application Number | 20030226509 10/249979 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29546458 |
Filed Date | 2003-12-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030226509 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
van den BERG, Karel ; et
al. |
December 11, 2003 |
A DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY MILKING AN ANIMAL
Abstract
A device for automatically milking an animal, which device is
provided with a milking robot, a computer for controlling the
operation of the device, a measuring device for performing
measurements on milk obtained from an animal, at least two teat
cups, and a common milk line for discharging milk coming from the
at least two teat cups, each teat cup being connected via a teat
cup line to the common milk line. The device is provided with a
milk-determining element for determining the teat cup from which
comes the milk present in the common milk line and for emitting a
determination signal. The measuring device comprises a common
sensor for performing measurements on milk obtained from an animal
and for emitting a measurement signal. The common sensor is
disposed in the common milk line. The computer is suitable for
combining the measurement signal and the determination signal.
Inventors: |
van den BERG, Karel;
(Bleskensgraaf, NL) ; VIJVERBERG, Helena Geralda
Maria; (Maassluis, NL) ; VOOGD, Lucien Eliza
Niels; (Leerdam, NL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOWREY SIMON ARNOLD & WHITE
CITYPOINT
ONE ROPEMAKER STREET
LONDON
EC2Y 9HS
GB
|
Assignee: |
LELY ENTERPRISES AG
Butzenweg 20
Zug
NL
|
Family ID: |
29546458 |
Appl. No.: |
10/249979 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
119/14.02 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01J 5/0133 20130101;
A01J 5/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
119/14.02 |
International
Class: |
A01J 003/00; A01J
005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 6, 2002 |
NL |
1020805 |
Claims
1. A device for automatically milking an animal, comprising: a
milking robot; at least two teat cups; a common milk line for
discharging milk coming from the teat cups, each teat cup being
connected via a teat cup line to the common milk line; a
milk-determining element for determining the teat cup from which
milk present in the common milk line has come and for emitting a
determination signal; a measuring device comprising a common sensor
for performing measurements on milk obtained from the animal and
for emitting a measurement signal, the common sensor being disposed
in the common milk line; and a computer for receiving the
measurement signal and the determination signal and controlling the
operation of the device
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a valve controlled by
the milk-determining element is disposed in each teat cup line
between the milk-determining element and the common milk line.
3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein each teat cup line is
provided with a bypass line, the bypass line having a first end
connected to the teat cup line in a position between the teat cup
and the milk-determining element and a second end connected to the
common milk line in a position downstream relative to the common
sensor.
4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the common sensor is a
spectrum analyser.
5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the common sensor is
an infrared meter.
6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the common sensor is a
proximity infrared meter.
7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the common sensor is a
conductivity meter.
8. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the common sensor is a
spectrum analyser.
9. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the common sensor is
an infrared meter.
10. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the common sensor is
a proximity infrared meter.
11. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the common sensor is
a conductivity meter.
12. A method of controlling the automatic milking of an animal
using an automatic milking device, the method comprising: attaching
at least two teat cups to at least two teats of the animal using a
milking robot, each teat cup being connected via a teat cup line to
a common milk line; applying a vacuum to the teat cups to cause
milk to be withdrawn from the teats and to be supplied to the
respective teat cup lines and to the common milk line; determining
the teat cup from which milk present in the common milk line has
come and emitting a determination signal; performing measurements
on the milk present in a sensing region of the common milk line and
emitting a measurement signal; and controlling the operation of the
device on the basis of the measurement signal and the determination
signal.
13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the milk is
selectively supplied from individual teat cup lines to the sensing
region of the common milk line.
14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein each teat cup line
is provided with a bypass line, the bypass line having a first end
connected to the teat cup line and a second end connected to the
common milk line downstream of the sensing region, and the milk
from a teat cup line which is not selectively supplied to the
sensing region, is caused to flow through a bypass line to bypass
the sensing region.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from Dutch patent
application number 1020805, the contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to the field of milking and more
particularly to devices and methods for automatically milking an
animal.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Devices are known in which a milking robot is arranged to
attach teat cups to the teats of an animal. Such devices may be
provided with measuring devices comprising sensors for performing
measurements on milk obtained from the animal and for emitting a
measurement signal. A computer may also be provided for controlling
the operation of the device.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0006] According to an aspect of the present invention, it is
desirable to provide a device for automatically milking an animal,
by means of which measurements on milk can accurately be performed
in a relatively cheap manner.
[0007] For this purpose, according to the invention, a device for
automatically milking an animal comprises a milking robot, a
computer for controlling the operation of the device, at least two
teat cups, a common milk line for discharging milk coming from the
at least two teat cups, each teat cup being connected via a teat
cup line to the common milk line, a milk-determining element for
determining the teat cup from which comes the milk present in the
common milk line and for emitting a determination signal, a
measuring device comprising a common sensor for performing
measurements on milk obtained from the animal and for emitting a
measurement signal, the common sensor being disposed in the common
milk line and a computer for controlling the operation of the
device, the computer combining the measurement signal and the
determination signal to determine the teat cup from which the milk
measured originates. With the aid of the milk-determining element,
which may be a relatively cheap element, the computer is capable of
determining from which teat cup comes the milk that is measured by
the sensor. Thus the measured values from the sensor can be stored
and processed per teat cup, if desired.
[0008] If a valve that is controlled by the milk-determining
element is disposed in each teat cup line between the
milk-determining element and the common milk line, it is possible
to open the valve when a particular buffer quantity of milk
required for performing the measurement is present, so that the
buffer quantity can be measured by the sensor.
[0009] For the purpose of guiding air to beyond said one sensor, in
an embodiment of a device according to the invention each teat cup
line may be provided with a bypass line, the bypass line having a
first end that is connected to the teat cup line in a position
between the teat cup and the milk-determining element and a second
end that is connected to the common milk line in a position
downstream relative to said one sensor.
[0010] In an advantageous embodiment of a device according to the
invention, said one sensor may be a spectrum analyser, an infrared
meter, a proximity infrared meter or a conductivity meter.
[0011] According to a further aspect of the present invention there
is also provided a method of controlling the automatic milking of
an animal using an automatic milking device. The method comprises:
attaching at least two teat cups to at least two teats of the
animal using a milking robot, each teat cup being connected via a
teat cup line to a common milk line; applying a vacuum to the teat
cups to cause milk to be withdrawn from the teats and to be
supplied to the respective teat cup lines and to the common milk
line; determining the teat cup from which milk present in the
common milk line has come and emitting a determination signal;
performing measurements on the milk present in a sensing region of
the common milk line and emitting a measurement signal; and
controlling the operation of the device on the basis of the
measurement signal and the determination signal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012] An embodiment of the invention will now be explained in
further detail by way of example only with reference to the
accompanying figures, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a first embodiment of a device
according to the invention,
[0014] FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically a second embodiment of a
device according to the invention, and
[0015] FIG. 3 shows diagrammatically a third embodiment of a device
according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a first embodiment of a device
for automatically milking an animal. The device may be an automatic
milking device of the type known from U.S. Pat. No 6,213,051, the
contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their
entirety. The device is provided with a milking robot (not shown)
that is known per se for connecting at least two teat cups, in the
embodiment shown four teat cups 1, 2, 3, 4, to respective teats of
the animal. Such a milking robot comprises customarily a computer
(not shown) for controlling the operation of the milking robot and
the relevant peripheral equipment, and for receiving measurement
data obtained by measurements performed on milk obtained from an
animal.
[0017] The device is provided with a common sensor 5, in particular
a spectrum analyser, by means of which, on the basis of the
spectrum obtained, inter alia measurements on the components of the
milk obtained can accurately be performed. Said common sensor 5
performs measurements on the milk obtained from all the teat cups
1, 2, 3, 4 and is connected to the computer via a non-shown line
for emitting a measurement signal to the computer. However, the
invention is not limited to one sole common sensor that performs
measurements on milk obtained from all the teat cups, but may be
applied to a common sensor that performs measurements on milk
obtained from at least two different teat cups. The common sensor 5
is disposed in a common milk line 6, and each teat cup 1, 2, 3, 4
is connected to the common milk line 6 via a respective teat cup
line 7, 8, 9, 10. In each teat cup line 7, 8, 9, 10 there is
provided a milk-determining element 11, 12, 13, 14 for determining
the teat cup from which comes the milk that is present in the
common milk line and for emitting a determination signal to the
computer. The computer combines the data from the milk-determining
means and the measurement signals from the common sensor 5, so that
measured values for the milk obtained from the respective teat
cups, or the respective quarter of the animal, can be obtained. The
milk-determining means are thus used for determining the teat cup
from which comes the milk that is measured by the common sensor. By
`a sensor or a milk-determining element disposed in a line` is
meant that the sensor or the milk-determining element is positioned
relative to the line in such a way that a measurement on the milk
in the line can be performed. Accordingly, only one sensor 5 is
required for measuring the milk obtained from all the teat
cups.
[0018] FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically a second embodiment of a
device for performing measurements on milk obtained from an animal.
In this embodiment a controlled valve 19, 20, 21, 22 is disposed in
each teat cup line 7, 8, 9, 10 between the milk-determining element
11, 12, 13, 14 and the common milk line 6. In this manner, when a
controlled valve is in its closed position, a buffer quantity of
milk can be collected. When the relevant milk-determining element
detects a particular, for example a predetermined buffer quantity,
it is possible for said milk-determining element to control the
relevant valve in such a way that it is opened (and to control the
valves in the other teat cup lines in such a way that they remain
closed) thus enabling the sensor 5 to perform measurements on the
relevant milk.
[0019] In order to prevent air present in the milk from disturbing
the measurements, each teat cup line 7, 8, 9, 10 is provided with a
bypass line 23, 24, 25, 26. Each bypass line has a first end that
is connected to the respective teat cup line in a position between
the teat cup and the milk-determining element and a second end that
is connected to the common milk line in a position downstream
relative to the common sensor.
[0020] FIG. 3 shows diagrammatically a third embodiment of a device
for performing measurements on milk obtained from an animal. In
this embodiment the device is provided with a common milk line 6,
each teat cup 1, 2, 3, 4 being connected, via a teat cup line 32,
33, 34, 35, to the common milk line 6 in which the common sensor 5
is disposed. In each teat cup line 32, 33, 34, 35 there is further
disposed a controlled valve 19, 20, 21, 22, as well as a
milk-determining element 11, 12, 13, 14 for detecting milk upstream
relative to the controlled valve 19, 20, 21, 22. In this embodiment
the portion of each teat cup line that is located upstream relative
to the valve extends substantially vertically, so that there is
created above a closed valve a milk column as buffer quantity. In
order to prevent air present in the milk from disturbing the
measurements, each teat cup line 32, 33, 34, 35 is provided with a
bypass line 23, 24, 25, 26. Each bypass line has a first end that
is connected to the respective teat cup line in a position between
the teat cup and the milk-determining element and a second end that
is connected to the common milk line in a position downstream
relative to the common sensor.
[0021] It will be obvious that also other embodiments for obtaining
a buffer may be applied within the scope of the invention. It is
possible for example to use a buffer reservoir 28, 29, 30, 31 as
connection between teat cup line and bypass line. It is then also
possible to integrate the controlled valve and the milk-determining
element into the buffer reservoir. It is also possible to employ an
arrangement of buffers of the type known from co-pending U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 10/249,955 by the present inventor
entitled "A device for automatically milking an animal" and filed
May 22, 2003, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference in their entirety. It will further be obvious that,
although the invention has been described with reference to a
spectrum analyser as only sensor, the invention may also be applied
if said one sensor is an infrared meter, a proximity infrared
meter, a conductivity meter or the like.
[0022] Many modifications in addition to those described above may
be made to the structures and techniques described herein without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly,
although specific embodiments have been described, these are
examples only and are not limiting upon the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *