DEVICE FOR REMOVING MANURE FROM A FLOOR, IN PARTICULAR A CLOSED FLOOR

• US 20110296635A1
• Filed: 08/17/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lely Patent N.V. (Lely)
• Original Assignee: Lely Patent N.V. (Lely)
• Inventors: Van Kuilenburg, Jan Martinus, Van Den Berg, Karel, Pastoor, Jan Lambertus, Van Meurs, Matthew, Stapel, Roelof
• Granted Patent: US 9,095,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/93.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0029 Crowding gates or barriers
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/01 Removal of dung or urine, e.g. from stablesA01K1/015 takes precedence; from poultry houses A01K31/04
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0128 by means of scrapers or the like moving continuously

Abstract

The present invention relates to an unmanned self-propelled and self-steering device for removing manure present on a floor, including a manure slide and a drive for moving the device over the floor, wherein the manure slide is substantially U-shaped or V-shaped with two legs in order to define autonomously a manure-accommodating-space which opens in a forward direction and is closed in a rearward direction, and wherein the legs have a length in the order of magnitude of the width of the manure slide.

Claims

1. An unmanned self-propelled and self-steering device for removing manure present on a floor, comprising a manure slide and a drive for moving the device over the floor, wherein the manure slide defines autonomously a manure-accommodating-space which opens in a forward direction and is closed in a rearward direction, wherein the manure slide is substantially U-shaped or V-shaped, and wherein the manure slide has two legs which have a length in the order of magnitude of the width of the manure slide.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the two legs have a length greater than half of the overall length of the device.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the largest dimension of the accommodating-space in longitudinal direction of the device amounts to the order of magnitude of the width of the manure slide.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the ends of the two legs extend to at least near the front of the device.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed in projection on a vertical central longitudinal plane of the device, and on a vertical plane transverse thereto, the drive completely coincides in horizontal direction with the manure-accommodating-space.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the drive comprises two drive members located at lateral sides of the device, wherein the manure-accommodating-space extends up to between the two drive members.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the manure-accommodating-space extends in the rearward direction to the rear side of the device.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the drive is located completely behind the manure slide.

17. The device according to claim 1, provided in an assembly and with a floor.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the floor has a closed upper surface.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein the floor forms a passageway in a stable.

20. The device according to claim 17, provided in a stable.

9. An unmanned self-propelled and self-steering device for removing manure present on a floor, comprising a manure slide and a drive for moving the device over the floor, the device further comprising a frame provided with the drive, wherein the manure slide defines autonomously a manure-accommodating-space that opens in a forward direction and is closed in a rearward direction, and the manure slide is held by the frame by a connection structure, wherein the manure slide has a manure-pushing wall portion with an upper edge, wherein the connection structure comprises a first rotational connection with a first, substantially horizontal rotational centre line located below at least a portion of the upper edge of the manure-pushing wall portion of the manure slide.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the connection structure comprises a second rotational connection with a second, substantially horizontal rotational centre line which is at an angle to the first rotational centre line.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the second rotational centre line is located below at least a portion of the upper edge of a manure-pushing wall portion of the manure slide.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the first rotational centre line is substantially transverse to a vertical central longitudinal plane of the device.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the first rotational centre line is in front of a rear wall of the manure-accommodating-space.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the first rotational centre line coincides in horizontal direction with the manure-accommodating-space, when viewed in projection on a vertical central longitudinal plane of the device.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein the angle amounts to approximately 90 degrees.

16. The device according to claim 10, wherein the second rotational centre line is located in a vertical central longitudinal plane of the device.

21. An unmanned self-propelled and self-steering device for removing manure present on a floor, comprising a manure slide and a drive for moving the device over the floor, wherein the manure slide is substantially U-shaped or V-shaped with two legs in order to define a manure-accommodating-space that opens in a forward direction, wherein the legs of the manure slide are plate-shaped and the manure slide is configured to mutually rotate at least a portion of the lower edges of the legs in a vertical plane in which the relevant portion is located.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein the legs of the manure slide are deformable in their plane.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the legs of the manure slide are connected to the rest of the manure slide by an internal hinge.

24. The device according to claim 22, wherein constructive measures for deformability have been taken in the legs of the manure slide.

25. The device according to claim 24, wherein the legs comprise slots.

26. The device according to claim 21, wherein the manure slide comprises a rear wall which is deformable about a centre line transverse to a central longitudinal plane of the manure slide.

27. An unmanned self-propelled and self-steering device for removing manure present on a floor, comprising a manure slide and a drive for moving the device over the floor, the device further comprising a frame, wherein the drive comprises two individually drivable drive wheels arranged parallel on the frame, and a control unit for the drive, wherein the device is provided with at least one force meter, the force meter is functionally connected to at least one first and a second contact surface that are each at least partially oriented laterally, in opposite directions, wherein the force meter is functionally connected to the control unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive such that the contact surface remains in contact with a wall and the force meter indicates, for the force exerted on that contact surface, a value within a preset range of a reference value.

28. The device according to claim 27, further provided with at least one third contact surface that is at least partially oriented forwardly and functionally connected to a force meter, wherein the third contact surface is functionally connected to the same force meter as the first and second contact surfaces.

29. The device according to claim 27, wherein the contact surfaces are provided on a holder that is fastened to the frame separately from the manure slide.

30. The device according to claim 29, wherein the holder is connected to the frame via the force meter, at least one of in or near a central longitudinal plane of the device.

31. The device according to claim 28, wherein the holder is designed as a bumper member.

32. The device according to claim 31, wherein the bumper member itself forms the contact surfaces.

33. The device according to claim 28, wherein at a distance from the force meter, and the holder is connected to the frame additionally and movably.

34. The device according to claim 33, wherein at least one of the distance is in the forward direction, and the holder is connected rotatably to the frame.

35. The device according to claim 27, wherein the functional connection is located forwardly with respect to the first and second contact surfaces.

36. The device according to claim 27, wherein the manure slide defines a manure-accommodating-space that opens in the forward direction, wherein the bumper member extends at the open side of the manure-accommodating-space.

37. The device according to claim 36, wherein the bumper member is located in a trajectory in front of the manure-accommodating-space at a distance from the floor and is provided, at the lateral sides of the device, with depending bumper portions.

38. The device according to claim 37, wherein the depending bumper portions also form the first and second contact surfaces.

39. An unmanned self-propelled and self-steering device for removing manure present on a floor, comprising a manure slide and a drive for moving the device over the floor, the device further comprising a frame, wherein the drive comprises two individually drivable drive wheels arranged on the frame, and a control unit for the drive, wherein the device is provided with at least one force meter functionally connected to at least one, at least partially laterally oriented contact surface provided on a holder that is fastened to the frame separately from the manure slide, wherein the force meter is functionally connected to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive such that the contact surface remains in contact with a wall and the force meter indicates, for the force exerted on that contact surface, a value which is within a set range.

40. The device according to claim 39, provided with first and second contact surfaces which are, at least partially in opposite direction, oriented laterally, and are functionally connected to a force meter that is functionally connected to the control unit.

41. The device according to claim 39, further provided with at least one third contact surface which is at least partially oriented forwardly and functionally connected to a force meter which is functionally connected to the control unit.

42. The device according to claim 41, wherein the third contact surface is functionally connected to the same force meter as the first and second contact surfaces.

43. The device according to claim 39, wherein the holder is connected to the frame.

44. The device according to claim 43, wherein at least one of the holder is connected to the frame via the force meter, and the holder is connected to the frame in or near a central longitudinal plane of the device.

45. An unmanned, self-propelled and self-steering device for carrying out activities on a stable floor, wherein the device is provided with a frame, wherein the device is provided with an implement which is moved along with the frame, wherein the device is provided with one or more protrusions which are fixed to the frame and which define outer contact surfaces of the device and are configured to bend when abutting an external body.

46. The device according to claim 45, wherein the protrusions are finger-shaped.

47. The device according to claim 46, wherein the protrusions are made of bendable material.

48. The device according to claim 47, wherein the material comprises polyurethane.

49. The device according to claim 45, wherein the protrusions extend substantially forwardly from the front side of the device.

50. The device according to claim 49, wherein at least one of:

the protrusions extend from locations near a middle of the device, and the protrusions extend at a distance of more than approximately 0.1 m above the floor.

51. The device according to claim 45, wherein the implement is a manure slide with an entrance area located in front thereof, wherein the protrusions are located at a distance above the manure slide.

52. The device according to claim 51, wherein the protrusions are located straight above the entrance area.

53. The device according to claim 52, wherein the protrusions at least one of:

extend substantially horizontally and are bendable in a vertical plane.

54. The device according to claim 52, wherein the protrusions form part of a hood for screening a sensor on the device.

55. An unmanned self-propelled and self-steering device for removing manure present on a floor , wherein the manure slide is substantially U-shaped or V-shaped with two legs in order to define a manure-accommodating-space which opens in a forward direction and is closed in a rearward direction, wherein the manure slide itself is provided on its upper side with a grid-shaped safety screening.