A method includes housing a dairy livestock in a stall portion of a milking box and retrieving, by a robotic attacher, a cup. For each of a plurality of teats of a dairy livestock, the method further uses the robotic arm to perform the steps of attaching the cup to the teat, detaching the cup from the teat, and maintaining the cup within the stall portion of the milking box from the time that the cup is attached to the first teat of the dairy livestock through the time that the cup is attached to a last teat of the dairy livestock. The method concludes by retracting the cup into an equipment area of the milking box after detaching the cup from the last teat of the dairy livestock.

A method includes housing a dairy livestock in a stall portion of a milking box and retrieving, by a robotic attacher, a cup. For each of a plurality of teats of a dairy livestock, the method further uses the robotic arm to perform the steps of attaching the cup to the teat, detaching the cup from the teat, and maintaining the cup within the stall portion of the milking box from the time that the cup is attached to the first teat of the dairy livestock through the time that the cup is attached to a last teat of the dairy livestock. The method concludes by retracting the cup into an equipment area of the milking box after detaching the cup from the last teat of the dairy livestock.

A gripper mounted on an arm of a milking machine includes a first clamping part extending from the arm in a longitudinal direction, and a second claiming part extending from the arm in the longitudinal direction. The second clamping part is positioned substantially parallel to the first clamping part such that the first and second clamping parts are configured to hold a first teat cup. The gripper further includes a first conveying belt running lengthwise along the first clamping part in the longitudinal direction. The gripper further includes a second conveying belt running lengthwise along the second clamping part in the longitudinal direction. The first and second conveying belts transport the first teat cup in the longitudinal direction.

The present invention relates to a cleaning device (4) for cleaning and pretreating teats of an animal for milking, milking machine (2) provided therewith and method therefor. The cleaning device according to the invention comprises: a frame (52) provided with an arm (6); a cleaning head arranged on the arm and provided with a rotatable holder (12) on which one or more rotatable cleaning elements (14) are provided; and moving means (48, 50, 56) connected to the frame for displacing the cleaning head relative to the teats such that the teats are cleanable using the cleaning elements.

The present invention relates to a cleaning device (4) for cleaning and pretreating teats of an animal for milking, milking machine (2) provided therewith and method therefor. The cleaning device according to the invention comprises: a frame (52) provided with an arm (6); a cleaning head arranged on the arm and provided with a rotatable holder (12) on which one or more rotatable cleaning elements (14) are provided; and moving means (48, 50, 56) connected to the frame for displacing the cleaning head relative to the teats such that the teats are cleanable using the cleaning elements.

A system includes a robotic arm, a laser, and a processor. The processor is configured to command the robotic arm to move to a location of an expected teat position of a dairy livestock and to command the laser to perform two scans of the dairy livestock. The processor is further configured to determine whether a first teat is found in both of the scans, and if so, determine whether locations of the first teat in the two scans are within a predetermined distance of each other. The processor is further configured to, in response to determining that locations of the first teat in the two scans are within the predetermined distance of each other, command the robotic arm to move to a location corresponding to the location of the first teat and to command the robotic arm to attach a teat cup to the first teat.

A system includes a robotic arm, memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to access first and second success counters stored in the memory. The first success counter is associated with a first attach algorithm and the second success counter is associated with a second attach algorithm. The processor is further configured to determine whether the first success counter is greater than the second success counter. The processor is further configured to execute the first attach algorithm if the first success counter is greater than the second success counter, and to execute the second attach algorithm if the first success counter is not greater than the second success counter. The processor is further configured to increment the first success counter if the first attach algorithm is successful, and to increment the second success counter if the second attach algorithm is successful.

A system includes a robotic arm, a laser, and a processor. The processor is configured to command the robotic arm to move to a first location corresponding to an expected teat position of a first teat. The processor is further configured to determine whether the first teat is found in a first scan by the laser, and if so, command the robotic arm to move to a second location corresponding to the location in the scan. The processor is further configured to determine whether the first teat is found in a second scan by the laser, and if so, determine whether the first teat is within a predetermined distance from a current location of the robotic arm. If the first teat is within the predetermined distance from the current location of the robotic arm, the processor commands the robotic arm to attach a teat cup to the first teat.

A milking system includes an assembly, a controller, and a milking cluster configured to attach to one or more teats of a livestock. The assembly includes a clevis, a piston, a pulley system, and a sensor. The clevis includes a first member, a second member, a base member, and a cylinder. The cylinder is coupled to the base member. The piston is positioned at least partially within the cylinder, and is configured to move within the cylinder. The pulley system of the assembly includes a cord configured to be coupled to the milking cluster. The assembly includes a sensor configured to generate a displacement signal in response to detecting that a portion of the clevis is within a predefined distance of the sensor.

A milking system includes an assembly, a controller, and a milking cluster configured to attach to one or more teats of a livestock. The assembly includes a clevis, a piston, a pulley system, and a sensor. The clevis includes a first member, a second member, a base member, and a cylinder. The cylinder is coupled to the base member. The piston is positioned at least partially within the cylinder, and is configured to move within the cylinder. The pulley system of the assembly includes a cord configured to be coupled to the milking cluster. The assembly includes a sensor configured to generate a displacement signal in response to detecting that a portion of the clevis is within a predefined distance of the sensor.