AN ASSEMBLY FOR FEEDING AND MILKING ANIMALS, AND A METHOD OF FEEDING AND MILKING ANIMALS

• US 20030154925A1
• Filed: 02/19/2003
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lely Enterprises AG
• Original Assignee: Lely Enterprises AG
• Inventors: VAN DEN BERG, Karel, ALLY, Koen Arseen Jean, BOS, Greorgius Rudolphius
• Granted Patent: US 7,640,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/14.02
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/003 Movable milking machines
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/0175 Attaching of clusters
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/12 Milking stations

Abstract

An assembly and method for feeding and milking animals is disclosed. The assembly is provided with an area where the animals are allowed to move freely, with a number of juxtaposed feeding stations for the animals, and with a retaining device for retaining an animal at a feeding station. The retaining device can be activated for retaining an animal and can be deactivated for releasing an animal. A mobile milking robot connects at least one teat cup to a teat of an animal, a computer system controlling the operation and movement of the milking robot. The mobile milking robot is a self-propelled mobile milking robot, and the retaining device is fixedly disposed at the feeding station.

Claims

1. An assembly for feeding and milking animals, the assembly being provided with:

an area where the animals are allowed to move freely;

a number of juxtaposed feeding stations for the animals;

a retaining device fixedly disposed at a feeding station for retaining an animal at that feeding station, which retaining device can be activated for retaining that animal and can be deactivated for releasing that animal;

a self-propelled mobile milking robot including at least one teat cup for connection to a teat of an animal; and

a computer system for controlling the operation and movement of the milking robot.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each feeding station has a longitudinal direction, and in that the feeding stations are juxtaposed in their longitudinal direction.

3. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the assembly is provided with a feeding gate, and in that each feeding station is provided with a standing portion and a feeding portion, the feeding gate being disposed between the standing portion and the feeding portion.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the retaining device is integrated in the feeding gate.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the feeding gate extends over at least two feeding stations.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the feeding gate extends over all the feeding stations.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the assembly is provided with an animal-position-determining device for determining the position of the animal relative to the retaining device.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the retaining device is activated, at least in part, with the aid of data from the animal-position-determining device.

9. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the assembly is capable of determining the feeding station where an animal to be milked is present, and in that the assembly activates the relevant retaining device for retaining said animal at the determined feeding station.

10. An assembly as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the assembly activates the retaining device of at least one adjacent feeding station that is adjacent to the determined feeding station.

11. An assembly as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the assembly activates the retaining devices of at least the feeding stations that are located at least immediately on both sides of the determined feeding station.

12. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the assembly is provided with an animal identification device for identifying an animal at a feeding station.

13. An assembly as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that at least one of the retaining devices is activated, at least in part, with the aid of data from the animal identification device.

14. An assembly as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the computer system is provided with an activation file for containing per animal data in relation to whether or not to activate a relevant retaining device during milking an animal.

15. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that all the retaining devices can be deactivated centrally and at least substantially simultaneously.

16. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each retaining device can be deactivated individually.

17. An assembly as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that at least one of the retaining devices can be deactivated partially with the aid of data from the animal identification device.

18. An assembly as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the computer system is provided with a deactivation file for containing per animal data in relation to the deactivation of the retaining device.

19. An assembly as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the deactivation file contains per animal data in relation to a period between activation and deactivation.

20. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the computer system controls the deactivation of the retaining device respectively the retaining devices.

21. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the milking robot controls the deactivation of the retaining device respectively the retaining devices.

22. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the assembly comprises a milking-process-stage device for determining the stage of the milking process, the deactivation of at least one retaining device being controlled at least partially with the aid of data from the milking-process-stage device.

23. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the assembly is provided with a position-determining device for determining the position of the mobile milking robot, the assembly being capable of activating at least one of the retaining devices of feeding stations located within a predetermined distance from the determined position of the milking robot.

24. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the milking robot has a main direction, and in that the assembly is provided with an orientation device for determining the orientation of the main direction of the animal to be milked, the milking robot being positioned relative to the animal at least partially with the aid of data from the orientation device.

25. An assembly as claimed in claim 24, characterized in that at least a part of the orientation device is disposed on the milking robot.

26. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the assembly comprises a milking robot path for the milking robot, which robot path is separated from the area where the animals are allowed to move freely.

27. An assembly as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that the assembly is provided with a feeding gate, and in that each feeding station is provided with a standing portion and a feeding portion, the feeding gate being disposed between the standing portion and the feeding portion and whereby the robot path is contiguous to the feeding portion, such that the feeding portion is located between the robot path and the standing portion.

28. An assembly as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that each feeding station has a longitudinal direction, and in that the feeding stations are juxtaposed in their longitudinal direction to form rows, the assembly being provided with two rows of juxtaposed feeding stations for the animals.

29. An assembly as claimed in claim 28, characterized in that the rows extend at least substantially parallel to each other, and in that the robot path is located between the two rows.

30. An assembly as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that the assembly is provided with a milk-collecting tank, which milk-collecting tank is contiguous to the robot path.

31. An assembly as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that the milk-collecting tank is located at an end of the robot path.

32. An assembly as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that the assembly comprises a cowshed with an entrance, and in that the other end of the robot path is contiguous to the entrance.

33. An assembly as claimed claim 1, characterized in that the mobile milking robot is provided with a milking device for milking an animal.

34. An assembly as claimed in claim 33, characterized in that the milking robot is provided with a milking-run-end-determining device for detecting the end of a milking run.

35. An assembly as claimed in claim 34, characterized in that the assembly is provided with a milk-collecting tank, which milk-collecting tank is contiguous to the robot path and the milking robot is moved to the milk-collecting tank at least partially with the aid of data from the milking-run-end-determining device.

36. An assembly as claimed in claim 33, characterized in that the assembly is provided with a milk-collecting tank, which milk-collecting tank is contiguous to the robot path and that the milking robot comprises a milk storage jar, the assembly further being provided with a conveying device for conveying milk from the milk storage jar to the milk-collecting tank.

37. An assembly as claimed in claim 36, characterized in that the milk storage jar is provided at its lower side with an outlet.

38. An assembly as claimed in claim 37, characterized in that the conveying device can automatically be coupled to the outlet of the milk storage jar.

39. An assembly as claimed in claim 38, characterized in that the conveying device is provided with a coupling detector.

40. An assembly as claimed in claim 39, characterized in that the conveying device can be activated with the aid of data from the coupling detector.

41. An assembly as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that the robot path is provided with at least one robot refuge area for the mobile milking robot.

42. An assembly as claimed in claim 41, characterized in that the assembly is provided with a refuge-signal-emitting device for moving the mobile milking robot to a robot refuge area.

43. An assembly as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the assembly comprises a milking robot path for the milking robot and that the mobile milking robot can be moved from the robot path to the portion.

44. An assembly as claimed in claim 43, characterized in that the feeding gate is designed such that the mobile milking robot can be moved through the feeding gate.

45. An assembly as claimed in claim 44, characterized in that the assembly comprises an occupation-detecting device for detecting if a feeding station is occupied.

46. An assembly as claimed in claim 45, characterized in that the mobile milking robot can be moved partially with the aid of data from the occupation-detecting device.

47. An assembly as claimed in claim 46 with reference to claim 9, characterized in that the occupation-detecting device is suitable for detecting an unoccupied feeding station that is located closest to the feeding station where an animal to be milked is present.

48. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the mobile milking robot is provided with its own energy supply.

49. An assembly as claimed in claim 48, characterized in that the energy supply is rechargeable.

50. An assembly as claimed in claim 49, characterized in that the assembly is provided with a charger device for recharging the energy supply.

51. An assembly as claimed in claim 50 with reference to claim 30, characterized in that the charger device is disposed near the milk-collecting tank.

52. An assembly as claimed in claim 50, characterized in that the rechargeable energy supply is provided with a charging port, and in that the charger device can automatically be coupled to the charging port.

53. An assembly as claimed in claim 52, characterized in that the charger device is provided with a coupling detector.

54. An assembly as claimed in claim 53, characterized in that the charger device can be activated with the aid of data from the coupling detector.

55. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the mobile milking robot is provided with a malfunction detector for detecting an internal malfunction.

56. An assembly as claimed in claim 55, characterized in that the assembly is provided with an alarm-signal-issuing device for issuing an alarm signal with the aid of data from the malfunction detector.

57. An assembly as claimed in claim 55, characterized in that the deactivation of the retaining device is controlled at least partially with the aid of data from the malfunction detector.

58. An assembly as claimed in claim 55, characterized in that the milking robot can be deactivated with the aid of data from the malfunction detector.

59. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the mobile milking robot is dimensioned such that it is capable of being placed as a whole under a cow between the legs of said cow.

60. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the assembly is provided with a tracking device for tracking mobile units in the assembly.

61. An assembly as claimed in claim 60, characterized in that the tracking device comprises at least one camera.

62. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the assembly is provided with a cleaning device for cleaning or disinfecting the exterior of the mobile milking robot.

63. An assembly as claimed in claim 62, characterized in that the mobile milking robot is provided with a milking device for milking an animal and that the cleaning device is for cleaning or disinfecting the milking device.

64. An assembly as claimed in claim 62, characterized in that the assembly comprises a milking robot path for the milking robot and a milk-collecting tank located contiguous to the robot path and in that the cleaning device is disposed near the milk-collecting tank.

65. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the mobile milking robot is provided with a vicinity detector for detecting the vicinity of an object.

66. An assembly as claimed in claim 65, characterized in that the milking robot is provided with a protecting device for protecting at least a part of the milking robot, which protecting device can be brought from an inactive position into an active protecting position.

67. An assembly as claimed in claim 66, characterized in that the protecting device can be brought from an inactive position into an active protecting position with the aid of data from the vicinity detector.

68. An assembly as claimed in claim 65, characterized in that the vicinity detector comprises a camera.

69. An assembly as claimed in claim 65, characterized in that the vicinity detector comprises an approach sensor.

70. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the milking robot is provided with a signal-issuing device for issuing a perceptible signal.

71. An assembly as claimed in claim 70, characterized in that the mobile milking robot is provided with a vicinity detector for detecting the vicinity of an object and that the signal-issuing device can be activated with the aid of data from the vicinity detector.

72. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the assembly is provided with a closing device that is capable of being activated for closing a feeding station.

73. An assembly as claimed in claim 72, characterized in that the assembly is provided with an animal-position-determining device for determining the position of the animal relative to the retaining device and that the closing device is controlled partially with the aid of data from the animal-position-determining device.

74. An assembly as claimed in claim 72, characterized in that the assembly is provided with an animal identification device for identifying an animal at a feeding station and that the closing device is controlled partially with the aid of data from the animal identification device.

75. An assembly as claimed in claim 72, characterized in that the closing device is controlled partially with the aid of data from the computer system or the mobile milking robot.

76. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the mobile milking robot is provided with milking data means for determining milking data during milking an animal.

77. An assembly as claimed in claim 76, characterized in that the mobile milking robot is provided with a transmission device for transmitting milking data to the computer system.

78. An assembly as claimed in claim 76, characterized in that the computer system is provided with a working file for containing data about animals that should be milked within a certain period of time.

79. An assembly as claimed in claim 78, characterized in that the mobile milking robot or the retaining device is controlled with the aid of data from the working file.

80. An assembly as claimed in claim 79, characterized in that the assembly is provided with an animal-position-determining device for determining the position of the animal relative to the retaining device and that the mobile milking robot or the retaining device is controlled with the aid of data from the animal-position-determining device.

81. An assembly as claimed in claim 79, characterized in that the assembly is provided with an animal identification device for identifying an animal at a feeding station and that the mobile milking robot or the retaining device is controlled with the aid of data from the animal identification device.

82. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the mobile milking robot is provided with a control program for controlling the mobile milking robot by the assembly.

83. An assembly as claimed in claim 82, characterized in that the milking robot is provided with position-determining devices for providing position information to be used in the control program.

84. A method of feeding and milking animals in a feeding area provided with a number of juxtaposed feeding stations for the animals, the method comprising:

retaining a first animal in a first feeding station during feeding of the first animal;

retaining a second animal present in at least one adjacent feeding station that is adjacent to the first feeding station moving a mobile milking robot to the first animal; and

milking the first animal.

85. A method as claimed in claim 84, characterized in that each feeding station has a longitudinal direction, and the feeding stations are juxtaposed in their longitudinal direction.

86. A method as claimed in claim 84, characterized in that the step of retaining a second animal includes retaining animals present in at least the feeding stations located immediately on both sides of the first feeding station.

87. A method as claimed in claim 84, characterized in that the method further comprises identifying the first animal.

88. A method as claimed in claim 87, characterized in that the step of retaining a second animal is made with the aid of an activation file that contains per first animal, data in relation to whether or not to retain nearby animals during milking said first animal.

89. A method as claimed in claim 87, characterized in that the method further comprises releasing a retained animal with the aid of data from a deactivation file.

90. A method as claimed in claim 84, characterized in that the method comprises determining data about the stage of the milking process, and releasing a retained animal with the aid of data from the milking-process-stage device.

91. A method as claimed in claim 84, characterized in that the method further comprises:

determining the position of the mobile milking robot;

determining those animals at a feeding station within a predetermined distance from the position of the mobile milking robot; and

retaining at the feeding stations the animals that are located within the predetermined distance from the mobile milking robot.

92. A method as claimed in claim 84, characterized in that the method further comprises determining the main direction of the mobile milking robot relative to the orientation of the main direction of the first animal, and bringing the mobile milking robot into a predetermined position relative to the first animal.

93. An assembly for performing an animal related treatment on an animal, the assembly comprising:

an area where the animal is allowed to move freely;

a mobile device for performing the animal related treatment, the mobile device having a main direction;

a first orientation device for determining the orientation of the main direction of the animal to be treated; and

a second orientation device for determining the orientation of the main direction of the mobile device, the mobile device being positioned relative to the animal with the aid of data from the first and the second orientation device.

94. An assembly of a device for feeding animals and a device for performing an animal related treatment on animals, the assembly comprising:

an area where the animals are allowed to move freely;

a number of juxtaposed feeding stations for the animals;

retaining devices fixedly disposed at the feeding stations, which retaining devices can be activated for retaining an animal at a feeding station and can be deactivated for releasing an animal;

a self-propelled mobile device for automatically performing an animal related treatment; and

a computer system for controlling the operation and movement of the mobile device.

95. A method of feeding and milking animals that are allowed to move freely in an area intended therefor, the method comprising:

supplying feed in a feeding station with a number of feeding positions that are freely accessible to the animals;

selecting at least one animal to be milked from the set of animals present in the feeding station;

retaining temporarily a subset of the animals present in the feeding station with the aid of retaining devices that can be activated and deactivated and that are permanently provided at each feeding position, which subset comprises at least said one selected animal,

moving a mobile milking robot to the at least one animal that has been retained and selected, and positioning the mobile milking robot relative to the at least one animal that has been retained and selected, and

milking said animal that has been retained and selected by means of the mobile milking robot.

96. A method as claimed in claim 95, characterized in that the feed is roughage and that the feeding station is a roughage station.