MILKING DEVICE

Abstract

A milking device including a base frame, a functional frame coupled to the base frame and configured to move relative to the base frame with a teat detector and at least one milking cup holder with a milking cup to move relative to the milking cup holder. The functional frame can be filled relative to the base frame through an angle around at least one horizontal tilting axis transversely to a connection line between the teat detector and the milking cup holder. There may be two horizontal tilting axes, and consequently the functional frame can be subjected to a combination of a primary tilting movement and a secondary tilting movement. It is then possible to adjust an optimal level for the functional frame, and also an optimal mutual height relation of the teat detector and the milking cup in the milking cup holder.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A milking device comprising: a base frame; a functional frame coupled to the base frame and moveable relative to the base frame, including teat detection means and at least one milking cup holder with a milking cup moveable relative to the milking cup holder; and tilting means for tilting of the functional frame relative to the base frame through an angle around at least one horizontal tilting axis transversely to a connection line between the teat detection means and the milking cup holder.

17. The milking device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the tilting means is configured to vary, by the tilting of the functional frame relative to the base frame, a level of the functional frame as a whole with respect to the base frame, and wherein the tilting axis traverses the base frame and is situated outside the functional frame.

18. The milking device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the tilting axis traverses the functional frame at a position between a section of the functional frame where the teat detection means is located and a section of the functional frame where the milking cup holder is located.

19. The milking device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the tilting means is oriented to tilt the functional frame with respect to the base frame through a first angle about a first tilting axis which traverses the base frame and is situated outside the functional frame, and through a second angle about a second tilting axis which traverses the functional frame at a position between a section of the functional frame in which the teat detection means is located and a section of the functional frame where the milking cup holder is located.

20. The milking device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the tilting means is configured so that, upon a tilting of the functional frame through a first angle about the first tilting axis, a tilting of the functional frame through a second angle about the second tilting axis is automatically achieved.

21. The milking device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the tilting means comprises a support arm for interconnecting of the base frame and the functional frame, wherein the support arm is tiltable with respect to the base frame about the first tilting axis, and wherein the functional frame is tiltable with respect to the support arm about the second tilting axis.

22. The milking device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the tilting means comprises a component with a variable length, one end of which is coupled to the base frame, and another end is coupled to the support arm, at a distance from the first tilting axis.

23. The milking device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the tilting means comprises a component with a variable length, whose one end is coupled to the support arm, and whose other end is coupled to the functional frame, at a distance from the second tilting axis.

24. The milking device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the tilting means comprises a flexible belt which is only tensionable, being led along the support arm, and of which one end is coupled to the base frame, at a distance from the first tilting axis, and whose other end is coupled to the functional frame, at a distance from the second tilting axis.

25. The milking device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the tilting means comprises a control arm, one end of which is hinged to the base frame, at a distance from the first tilting axis, and whose other end is both hinged and configured to slide in a limited manner on the functional frame, at a distance from the second tilting axis.

26. The milking device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the tilting means is configured to move the functional frame between a starting position and a connecting position, wherein in the starting position the functional frame as a whole is at a higher level than in the starting position, and wherein in the connecting position the functional frame is in a posture where the teat detection means is at a lower level in regard to the milking cup in the milking cup holder than in the starting position.

27. The milking device as claimed in claim 16, configured as a wheeled vehicle, or an autonomous wheeled vehicle, and further comprising milking means or a pulsator and/or a milk storage container provided on the functional frame.

28. The milking device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a stationary section and a movable section, wherein the base frame, the functional frame, and the tilting means are part of the movable section.

29. The milking device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising at least one milking line connected to the milking cup and led across the functional frame, and means for generating a vacuum in the milking cup, which means is located on the functional frame.

30. The milking device as claimed in claim 16, comprising a plurality of milking cup holders with a milking cup moveable relative to the milking cup holders.

Description

[0027] FIGS. 1 and 2 show schematically a side view of one embodiment of the milking device according to the invention in two different conditions, where FIG. 1 shows a condition of the milking device in which the functional frame is located in a starting position, and where FIG. 2 shows a condition of the milking device in which the functional frame is in a connecting position;

[0028] FIG. 3 shows schematically a top view of components of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the milking device according to the invention, in the mutual relationship which the components have in this embodiment, and

[0029] FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate three different options for a design with which it is possible to realize a tilting of the functional frame with respect to the support arm.

[0030] FIGS. 1 and 2 show schematically a side view of an embodiment of the milking device 1 according to the invention, in two different states, and FIG. 3 shows schematically a top view of components of said embodiment. The milking device 1 comprises a base frame 10, a functional frame 20 and a support arm 30 for the interconnecting of the base frame 10 and the functional frame 20. The functional frame 20 is movable with respect to the base frame 10, in a manner which will be explained below. On the functional frame 20 there are teat detection means 40 and a number of milking cup holders 50 each with a milking cup 51 able to move relative to the milking cup holder 50. The total of milking cup holders 50 and corresponding milking cups 51 is four, as shown in the top view of FIG. 3. The milking device 1 is designed to be adapted to the purpose of milking an animal (not shown), during which the milking cups 51 are connected to teats of the dairy animal.

[0031] In the example shown, the base frame 10 of the milking device 1 is provided with wheels 11, so that the milking device 1 is movable independently and therefore is able to drive underneath the teats of an animal being milked. The teat detection means 40 can comprise a camera and serve to ensure a correct course of the process in which the milking cups 51 are connected to the teats. For this, the teat detection means 40 are connected to a control means (not shown) of the milking device 1. To each of the milking cups 51 there is connected a milking line 52 to carry away the milk obtained during the milking from the milking cups 51 to a milk storage (not shown). The milk storage can comprise, for example, a separate milk tank with a permanent layout. Preferably, however, the milking device comprises a storage container, not shown here, which is provided on the independently movable vehicle. Specifically, the storage container is provided on the functional frame, so that the storage container can also be tilted upon upward movement of the functional frame.

[0032] It is practical for the milking device 1 to contain two motors 14 and batteries 15, as shown in FIG. 3. The batteries 15 serve to power the motors 14 and other components of the milking device 1, such as the teat detection means 40. The motors 14 serve to drive the wheels 11, preferably independently of each other, in order to ensure good maneuverability of the milking device 1.

[0033] The base frame 10 moreover comprises in the example shown a first support part 12 on which the wheels are located, and a second support part 13 which is an upright part as compared to the first support part 12. To the upper end of the second support part 13 is hinged a first end of the support arm 30. Therefore, a tilting axis can be designated for a tilting movement of the support arm 30 with respect to the base frame 10. In the case described below, this tilting axis shall be designated as the first tilting axis 31. For the sake of completeness, it is noted that terms such as upper and lower used in this text are deemed to refer to a normal orientation of the milking device 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, that is, an operational orientation in which the milking device 1 is suitable for being used for the milking of an animal

[0034] The functional frame 20 is hinged to a second end of the support arm 30. Therefore, a tilting axis can be designated for a tilting movement of the functional frame 20 with respect to the support arm 30. In what follows, this tilting axis shall be called the second tilting axis 32. In the example shown, the tilting axis 32 is located at a position on the functional frame 20 between a section 21 of the functional frame 20 where the teat detection means 40 are located and a section 22 of the functional frame 20 where the milking cup holders 50 and the milking cups 51 are located. The teat detection means 40 are arranged above a housing 23 which is situated on the functional frame 20, and which serves to accommodate components (not shown) of the milking device 1 such as means of generating a vacuum in the milking cups 51.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows the milking device 1 with the functional frame 20 in a starting position, while FIG. 2 shows the milking device 1 with the functional frame 20 in a connecting position. In the starting position, the functional frame 20 as a whole is situated at a lower level than in the connecting position. Moreover, the functional frame 20 in the starting position is as it were tilted forward as compared to an orientation which the functional frame 20 has in the connecting position, when the milking cups 51 in the milking cup holders 50 have a slanted orientation, and when the housing 23 with the teat detection means 40 has a higher position as compared to the milking cup holders 50 than in the connecting position. The functional frame 20 is moved from the starting position to the connecting position, and back again, by tilting movements of the support arm 30 about the first tilting axis 31 and tilting movements of the functional frame 20 about the second tilting axis 32, as shall be further explained below.

[0036] In general it should be noted in connection with the tilting axes 31, 32 that these have in normal use of the device a horizontal orientation and extend parallel to each other, parallel to the axles of the wheels 11, and therefore transverse to a travel direction of the milking device 1, as can be seen in the top view of FIG. 3. The tilting axes 31, 32 also extend transversely with respect to a connection line 2 between the teat detection means 40 and the milking cup holders 50. In the configuration of the milking device 1 as shown, said connection line 2 extends in the travel direction of the milking device 1, and the same holds for the support arm 30. In particular, said connection line 2 coincides here with a longitudinal center line of the support arm 30, a longitudinal center line of the teat detection means 40, and a longitudinal center line of the group milking cup holders 50. In the example shown, the functional frame 20 with the teat detection means 40 and the milking cup holders 50 each with a milking cup 51 is symmetrical in design, while a plane of symmetry extends in the vertical direction, transversely to the axles of the wheels 11. It can therefore also be said of the mentioned longitudinal center lines that these extend in the plane of symmetry of the functional frame 20, and of the tilting axes 31, 32 that these extend transversely to said plane of symmetry.

[0037] In one practical embodiment of the milking device 1, the milking cup holders 50 themselves are joined in tiltable fashion to the functional frame 20. In that case, each of the milking cup holders 50 is tiltable about a horizontal tilting axis which extends parallel to the first tilting axis 31 for the tilting of the support arm 30 with respect to the base frame 10 and the second tilting axis 32 for the tilting of the functional frame 20 with respect to the support arm 30. With a tiltable layout of the milking cup holders 50, there are further possibilities of varying the posture of the milking cups 51, especially an angle of the milking cups 51 with respect to the vertical, since they now no longer are directly related to a posture of the functional frame 20, but can be adjusted within a limited range independently of it.

[0038] For the purpose of the tilting of the support arm 30 relative to the base frame 10, the milking device 1 contains a piston and cylinder mechanism 33 which extends between a position on the base frame 10, especially a lower end of the second support part 13, and a position on the support arm 30, at a distance from the position where the support arm 30 is fastened to the base frame 10. In the event that the piston and cylinder mechanism 33 is extended outward, a tilting movement of the support arm 30 is realized, wherein the second end of the support arm 30 is placed at a higher level, and in the event that the piston and cylinder mechanism 33 is retracted inward, a tilting movement of the support arm 30 is realized wherein the second end of the support arm 30 is placed at a lower level. Consequently, upon extending of the piston and cylinder mechanism 33 the functional frame 20 as a whole is placed at a higher level, and upon a retracting of the piston and cylinder mechanism 33 the functional frame 20 as a whole is placed at a lower level.

[0039] The milking device 1 is designed to combine a tilting movement of the support arm 30 about the first tilting axis 31 with a tilting movement of the functional frame 20 about the second tilting axis 32. For the sake of clarity, the first mentioned tilting movement shall be designated hereafter the primary tilting movement and the last mentioned tilting movement shall be designated the secondary tilting movement. In general, the secondary tilting movement is meant to have the milking cups 51 in a functional state in the connecting position of the functional frame 20, that is, a state in which the milking cups 51 extend essentially in the vertical direction and are able to be connected onto the teats of a dairy animal. In the configuration shown for the functional frame 20 with the milking cup holders 50, the milking cups 51 and the housing 23 on it, with the detection means 40 thereupon, a functional state of the milking cups 51 goes hand in hand with an orientation of the functional frame 20 in which the teat detection means 40 extend upward less than the milking cups 51 in the starting position of the functional frame 20.

[0040] In the starting position of the functional frame 20 as shown in FIG. 1, the view of the teat detection means 40 is hampered as little as possible by the milking cups 51, so that the teats of a dairy animal can be easily observed. In the connecting position of the functional frame 20 as shown in FIG. 2, the viewing field of the teat detection means 40 is as it were tilted backward. To illustrate this fact, FIGS. 1 and 2 designate bottom surfaces and top surfaces of the viewing field with broken lines. The teat detection means 40 are also moved somewhat further backward, that is, more in the direction of a back line of the milking device 1 which coincides with a center line of the second support part 13, looking in the travel direction of the milking device 1. There is then a minimal risk of striking the belly of a dairy animal with the teat detection means 40 when connecting the milking cups 51 onto the teats of the dairy animal.

[0041] The secondary tilting movement can be coupled to the primary tilting movement, so that the primary tilting movement automatically entrains the secondary tilting movement. In what follows, we shall discuss three options by means of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 for a design which makes it possible to realize the secondary tilting movement.

[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates a first option for realizing the secondary tilting movement. According to this option, a piston and cylinder mechanism 34 is used, which extends between a position on the support arm 30 and a position on the functional frame 20, at a distance from the position where the functional frame 20 is secured to the support arm 30. For the sake of clarity, hereinafter this piston and cylinder mechanism 34 shall be designated the secondary piston and cylinder mechanism 34, while the previously mentioned piston and cylinder mechanism 33 for the tilting of the support arm 30 relative to the base frame 10 shall be designated the primary piston and cylinder mechanism 33. The previously mentioned control means of the milking device 1 can be designed to control the posture of the secondary piston and cylinder mechanism 34 in dependence on the posture of the primary piston and cylinder mechanism 33. In the configuration shown, extending of the secondary piston and cylinder mechanism causes a tilting movement of the functional frame 20 in the one direction, in the representation of FIG. 4 a clockwise direction, and retraction of the secondary piston and cylinder mechanism causes a tilting movement of the functional frame 20 in the other direction, in the representation of FIG. 4 a counterclockwise direction. Whenever the functional frame 20 is moved from the starting position to the connecting position, the functional frame 20 on the basis of the primary tilting movement alone would be too far back, with a very low position of the teat detection means 40 as compared to the milking cups 51 in the milking cup holders 50, making practically impossible a functional adapting of the teat detection means 40 or at least greatly hampering it. With the secondary tilting movement the orientation of the functional frame 20 is as it were corrected, while the teat detection means 40 remain sufficiently low as compared to the milking cups 51 to minimize the risk of the teat detection means 40 striking the belly of the animal being milked. As shown for the milking device 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2, the primary tilting movement from the starting position to the connecting position is a clockwise movement, while the secondary tilting movement from the starting position to the connecting position is a counterclockwise movement.

[0043] FIG. 5 illustrates a second option for realizing the secondary tilting movement. According to this option, a flexible belt 35 is used, which is tensionable but not compressible, and which extends between a position on the base frame 10 and a position on the functional frame 20, at a distance from the position where the functional frame 20 is secured to the support arm 30. The flexible belt 35, for example, can be made of steel. In any case, the flexible belt 35 is laid along the support arm 30.

[0044] In the configuration shown, whenever the primary tilting movement is commenced to move the functional frame 20 from the starting position to the connecting position, the flexible belt 35 is tensioned and as a result the secondary tilting movement is initiated, whereupon the functional frame 20 is tilted clockwise. As the motion continues, at a given moment no more tensile force is exerted on the flexible belt 35, because the distance which is spanned by the flexible belt 35 along the support arm 30 no longer increases, and the flexible belt 35 becomes slack. The maximum secondary tilting movement is then attained.

[0045] FIG. 6 illustrates a third option for realizing the secondary tilting movement. According to this option, a control arm 36 is used, one end of which is hinged to the base frame 10, while another end is hinged and able to slide in limited manner with the functional frame 20, at a distance from the position where the functional frame 20 is secured to the support arm 30. In the example shown, the latter mentioned end of the control arm 36 is provided with a pin 37, and the functional frame 20 is provided with a slotted hole 38 in which the pin 37 is accommodated.

[0046] In the configuration shown, whenever the primary tilting movement is initiated to move the functional frame 20 from the starting position to the connecting position, the pin 37 secured to the control arm 36 slides in the slotted hole 38 and as a result the secondary tilting movement is initiated, whereupon the functional frame 20 is tilted clockwise. As the movement continues, the pin 37 at a given moment reaches the end of the slotted hole 38, and the control arm 36 forms with the support arm 30 a parallelogram construction. The maximum secondary tilting movement is then reached.

[0047] It will be clear to the skilled person that the scope of the invention is not limited to the examples discussed above, but rather different variations and modifications thereof are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0048] Even though in each of the examples discussed above a support arm 30 is used to connect the functional frame 20 to the base frame 10, the support arm 30 is no essential part of the milking device 1 according to the invention. What is important is that the functional frame 20 is coupled to the base frame 10 and is movable relative to the base frame 10. This can be realized in different ways, including ways which do not entail the use of any support arm 30. Moreover, it is noted that the number of combinations of milking cup holder 50 and corresponding milking cup 51 can be chosen freely within the context of the invention.

[0049] According to the invention, means are used to make possible the tilting of the functional frame 20 with respect to the base frame 10 through an angle about at least one horizontal tilting axis 31, 32 transversely to a connection line between the teat detection means 40 and the milking cup holder 50. These means can comprise the primary piston and cylinder mechanism 33 as shown, and in addition one of the secondary piston and cylinder mechanism 34, the flexible belt 35 and the control arm 36 as shown, but this does not mean that there are no alternatives within the context of the invention.

[0050] The invention can be summarized as follows. A milking device 1 comprises a base frame 10, a functional frame 20 coupled to the base frame 10 and able to move relative to the base frame 10 with teat detection means 40 and at least one milking cup holder 50 with a milking cup 51 able to move relative to it. The milking device 1 is designed so that it is possible to tilt the functional frame 20 relative to the base frame 10 through an angle around at least one horizontal tilting axis 31, 32 transversely to a connection line between the teat detection means 40 and the milking cup holder 50. Preferably there are two horizontal tilting axes 31, 32, and consequently the functional frame 20 can be subjected to a combination of a primary tilting movement and a secondary tilting movement. It is then possible to adjust an optimal level for the functional frame 20, and also an optimal mutual height relation of the teat detection means 40 and the milking cup 51 in the milking cup holder 50. In this way, the functional frame 20 with the components thereupon can be placed in a starting position unhindered beneath the belly of an animal being milked and then moved into a connecting position, with the least possible hindrance of the teat-detecting function of the detection means 40 and with the least possible risk of the teat detection means 40 striking the belly of the dairy animal.