Arrangement and method in a milking system

• US 20090260574A1
• Filed: 09/17/2007
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delavan Limited (Enpro Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delavan Limited (Enpro Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hellekant, Otto, Kerikorian, Souren, Storbjork, Magnus, Irhsen, Stefan, Aldgard, Gary, Forsen, Gosta, Petterson, Torbjorn, Kullgren, Louise, Jonsson, Robert, Mehinovic, Raza, Odeberg, Johan, Hagglund, Christoffer, Obermuller, Helmut
• Granted Patent: US 7,992,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/14.20
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/007 Monitoring milking processes; Control or regulation of milking machines

Abstract

An arrangement is provided in a milking system for simultaneous milking of a plurality of milking animals, wherein the milking system comprises a plurality of milking positions (P1-P24) and an arrangement for establishing identities of and expected milking times for the milking animals. Each of the milking positions is provided with teat cups, which are attached to the teats of a milking animal and are connected to a source of vacuum to milk the milking animal. The inventive arrangement comprises means (10) for determining a milking position, at which the milking animal having the longest expected milking time is present, based on the established identities and expected milking times; and a device (11, 13, 17; 20) for performing an action with respect to the milking system in response to the determination.

Claims

1. An arrangement in a milking system for simultaneous milking of a plurality of milking animals, said milking system comprising a plurality of milking positions and an arrangement provided for establishing identities of and expected milking times for said milking animals, wherein each of the milking positions is provided with teat cups, which are attached to the teats of a milking animal and are connected to a source of vacuum to milk the milking animal, wherein:

means provided for determining a milking position, at which the milking animal having the longest expected milking time is present, based on said established identities and expected milking times; and

a device provided for performing an action with respect to said milking system in response to said determination.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein

said determining means is provided for determining several milking positions, at which the milking animals having the longest expected milking times are present, based on said established identities and expected milking times;

and

said device for performing an action is provided for performing an action with respect to said milking system in response to said determination of said several milking positions.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein said means is provided for determining several milking positions, the number of which being dependent on the distribution of expected milking times among the milking animals present at the milking positions.

4. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein said means is provided for determining several milking positions, the number of which being dependent on the locations of the milking positions, at which the milking animals having the longest expected milking times are present.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said device for performing an action with respect to said milking system is an output arrangement provided for outputting prior to the teat cups are attached to the teats of the milking animals present at the milking positions an indication of the milking position or positions, at which the milking animal or animals having the longest expected milking time or times is/are present.

6. The arrangement of claim 5 wherein

said output arrangement comprises an output device located at each of said milking positions;

and

each of said output devices is adapted to indicate whether the milking animal present at the milking position, at which the output device is located, belongs to said milking animal or animals having the longest expected milking time or times.

7. The arrangement of claim 6 wherein each of said output devices comprises means for indicating visually, such as e.g. by means of a fixed or blinking light, whether the milking animal present at the milking position, at which the output device is located, belongs to the milking animal or animals having the longest expected milking time or times.

8. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said device for performing an action with respect to said milking system is a robot arm arrangement provided for attaching teat cups to the teats of said milking animal or animals having the longest expected milking time or times first, to thereby enable for the milking system to start milking the milking animal or animals having the longest expected milking time or times first.

9. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein

said determining means is provided for calculating an order, in which the milking animals present at the milking positions should have teat cups attached to their teats, based on the established identities and expected milking times;

and

said device for performing an action is provided for performing an action with respect to said milking system in response to said calculated order.

10. A method in a milking system for simultaneous milking of a plurality of milking animals at a plurality of milking positions, wherein identities of and expected milking times for said milking animals are established;

wherein teat cups are attached to the teats of said milking animals and are connected to a source of vacuum to milk said milking animals; and

wherein said method is characterized by the steps of;

determining a milking position, at which the milking animal having the longest expected milking time is present, based on said established identities and expected milking times; and

performing an action with respect to said milking system in response to said determination.