Construction and method for treating and in particular for milking an animal

• US 20080178811A1
• Filed: 10/23/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies GmbH (GEA Group AG)
• Original Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies GmbH (GEA Group AG)
• Inventors: Heinrich, Holger
• Application Number:
  US11/977,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20080178811A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/14.04
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/0175 Attaching of clusters

Abstract

A construction and a method for treating animals, in particular for milking lactating animals, with a milking module or a milking place and with a standing area for the animal to be treated and at least one opening in the standing area through which at least one treatment device can be passed. There is provided a pivotable milking module with at least two functional components, supported to be rotatable around a hinge pin disposed beneath the standing area, at least one functional component comprising at least one treatment device. The treatment device can be moved automatically, by way of a pivoting movement about the hinge pin of the milking module disposed beneath the standing area, from a rest position disposed beneath the standing area to a presentation position disposed at least in part above the standing area.

Claims

1. A milking place in a dairy, the treatment station comprising:

a standing area for an animal to be treated and at least one opening in the standing area through which at least one treatment device can be passed from beneath;

a pivotable milking module;

a hinge pin joined to the pivotable milking module; and

a plurality of functional components joined to the hinge pin;

wherein at least one functional component comprises a treatment device, automatically pivotable about the hinge pin of the milking module between a rest position disposed beneath the standing area and a presentation position disposed at least in part above the standing area.

2. The milking place according to claim 1, wherein the milking module moves into a first pivoting position and a first functional component moves into an active position in which a second functional component is in an inactive position, and wherein the milking module moves into a second pivoting position and the second functional component moves into an active position and the first functional component is in an inactive position.

3. The milking place according to claim 1, wherein milking module moves into the second pivoting position after moving out of the first pivoting position.

4. The milking place according to claim 2, wherein the milking module moves into a third pivoting position after moving out of the second pivoting position.

5. The milking place according to claim 1, wherein the treatment device can be grasped by an operator when in the presentation position.

6. The milking place according to claim 1, wherein at least one treatment device is taken from a group of treatment devices, consisting essentially of:

teat cups, cleaning devices, foremilking cups, and teat care devices.

7. The milking place according to claim 1, wherein the pivotable milk module forms at least part of the standing area.

8. The milking place according to claim 1, wherein at least one treatment device comprises:

a plurality of identical treatment units.

9. The milking place treatment station according to claim 1, and further comprising:

functional components joined to the treatment devices.

10. The milking place according to claim 1, wherein the milking module revolves to substantially align a functional components with the presentation position.

11. The milking place according to claim 1, wherein a pivoting movement of the milking module moves different treatment devices into a base position.

12. The milking place according to claim 1, wherein an automatic movement of the milking module bring moves a treatment device between a base position the presentation position.

13. The milking place according to claim 1, wherein the milking module moves linearly between a rest and an operating position.

14. The milking place according to claim 1, and further comprising:

a machine-stripping device for removing a teat cup from an animal.

15. The milking place according to claim 1, and further comprising:

a rinsing adapter to rinse a treatment device.

16. The milking place according to claim 1, and further comprising:

a rinsing device to rinse the milking module.

17. The milking place according to claim 1 and further comprising:

a cover for the opening in the standing area.

18. The milking place according to claim 1, wherein the opening comprises at least two elongated openings in the standing area.

19. The milking place according to claim 1 and further comprising:

a milk collection piece.

20. A milking module for treating animals comprising:

a rotatable platform;

a hinge pin disposed beneath a standing area of the treatment station; and

a plurality of functional components, wherein at least one functional component is a treatment device for treating animals, and wherein the treatment device pivots automatically about the hinge pin between a rest position and a presentation position.

21. The milking module according to claim 20, wherein a number of different treatment devices are disposed on a milking module.

22. The milking module according to claim 20, wherein a functional component at least partially forms a standing area.

23. A method for treating animals and in particular for milking animals, comprising the steps of:

positioning an animal on a standing area;

passing a treatment device through an opening in the standing area from beneath, by pivoting a milking module having multiple functional components about a hinge pin disposed beneath a standing area; and

automatically moving the treatment device from a rest position into a presentation position.

24. The method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of:

manually guiding the treatment device toward the udder of an animal to be treated.