Arrangement of Milking Box Stalls

• US 20120272913A1
• Filed: 04/19/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corporation (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Technologies Holdings Corporation (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hofman, Henk, de Ruijter, Cor, Koekoek, Menno, van der Sluis, Peter Willem, Mills, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,107,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/14.03
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/00 Milking machines or devices A01J1/00, A01J3/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/007 Monitoring milking processes; Control or regulation of milking machines
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/0175 Attaching of clusters
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/12 Milking stations

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a system includes a first milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock. The system also includes an equipment portion located adjacent to the first milking box stall. The equipment portion houses a robotic attacher. The system also includes a second milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock. The second milking box stall is located adjacent to the equipment portion. The robotic attacher is configured to service both the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall by extending between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located within either stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock;

an equipment portion located adjacent to the first milking box stall, the equipment portion housing a robotic attacher;

a second milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the second milking box stall located adjacent to the equipment portion;

wherein the robotic attacher is configured to service both the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall by extending between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located within either stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the equipment portion and the adjacent milking box stalls serviced by the equipment portion define a first milking box stall cluster.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a second milking box stall cluster adjacent to the first milking box stall cluster, the second milking box stall cluster comprising:

a third milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock;

a second equipment portion located adjacent to the third milking box stall, the second equipment portion housing a second robotic attacher;

a fourth milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the fourth milking box stall located adjacent to the second equipment portion;

wherein the second robotic attacher is configured to service both the third milking box stall and the fourth milking box stall by extending between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located within either stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the robotic attacher is further configured to:

extend between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located in the first milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock during a first time period; and

extend between the rear legs of a second dairy livestock located in the second milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the second dairy livestock during a second time period.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the robotic attacher is further configured to move between the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall in order to service both stalls, the movement comprising one or more of:

pivoting between the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall;

moving laterally between the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall; and

moving forward and backward between the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first milking box stall is adjacent to a first side of the equipment portion; and

the second milking box stall is adjacent to a second side of the equipment portion.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first side of the equipment portion is opposite the second side of the equipment portion.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the first side of the equipment portion is adjacent to the second side of the equipment portion.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first milking box stall is adjacent to the second milking box stall; and

both the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall are adjacent to a first side of the equipment portion.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the third milking box stall located adjacent to the equipment portion, and wherein the robotic attacher is further configured to service the third milking box stall by extending between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located within the third milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the equipment portion and the adjacent milking box stalls serviced by the equipment portion define a first milking box stall cluster.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a second milking box stall cluster adjacent to the first milking box stall cluster, the second milking box stall cluster comprising:

a fourth milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock;

a second equipment portion located adjacent to the fourth milking box stall, the second equipment portion housing a second robotic attacher;

a fifth milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the fifth milking box stall located adjacent to the second equipment portion;

wherein the second robotic attacher is configured to service both the fourth milking box stall and the fifth milking box stall by extending between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located within either stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the robotic attacher is further configured to:

extend between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located in the first milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock during a first time period;

extend between the rear legs of a second dairy livestock located in the second milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the second dairy livestock during a second time period; and

extend between the rear legs of a third dairy livestock located in the third milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the third dairy livestock during a third time period.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the robotic attacher is further configured to move between the first milking box stall, the second milking box stall, and the third milking box stall in order to service all three stalls, the movement comprising one or more of:

pivoting between stalls;

moving laterally between stalls; and

moving forward and backward between stalls.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the first milking box stall is adjacent to a first side of the equipment portion;

the second milking box stall is adjacent to a second side of the equipment portion; and

the third milking box stall is adjacent to a third side of the equipment portion.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the first milking box stall is adjacent to the second milking box stall;

both the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall are adjacent to a first side of the equipment portion; and

the third milking box stall is adjacent to a second side of the equipment portion.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising a fourth milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the fourth milking box stall located adjacent to the equipment portion, and wherein the robotic attacher is further configured to service the fourth milking box stall by extending between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located within the fourth milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the equipment portion and the adjacent milking box stalls serviced by the equipment portion define a first milking box stall cluster.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a second milking box stall cluster adjacent to the first milking box stall cluster, the second milking box stall cluster comprising:

a fifth milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock;

a second equipment portion located adjacent to the fifth milking box stall, the second equipment portion housing a second robotic attacher;

a sixth milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the sixth milking box stall located adjacent to the second equipment portion;

wherein the second robotic attacher is configured to service both the fifth milking box stall and the sixth milking box stall by extending between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located within either stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the robotic attacher is further configured to:

extend between the rear legs of a dairy livestock located in the first milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the dairy livestock during a first time period;

extend between the rear legs of a second dairy livestock located in the second milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the second dairy livestock during a second time period;

extend between the rear legs of a third dairy livestock located in the third milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the third dairy livestock during a third time period; and

extend between the rear legs of a fourth dairy livestock located in the fourth milking box stall in order to attach milking equipment to the fourth dairy livestock during a fourth time period.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the robotic attacher is further configured to move between the first milking box stall, the second milking box stall, the third milking box stall, and the fourth milking box stall in order to service all four stalls, the movement comprising one or more of:

pivoting between stalls;

moving laterally between stalls; and

moving forward and backward between stalls.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the first milking box stall is adjacent to a first side of the equipment portion;

the second milking box stall is adjacent to a second side of the equipment portion;

the third milking box stall is adjacent to a third side of the equipment portion; and

the fourth milking box stall is adjacent to a fourth side of the equipment portion.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the first milking box stall is adjacent to the second milking box stall;

both the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall are adjacent to a first side of the equipment portion;

the third milking box stall is adjacent to a second side of the equipment portion; and

the fourth milking box stall is adjacent to a third side of the equipment portion.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the first milking box stall is adjacent to the second milking box stall;

the third milking box stall is adjacent to the fourth milking box stall;

both the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall are adjacent to a first side of the equipment portion; and

both the third milking box stall and the fourth milking box stall are adjacent to a second side of the equipment portion.

25. A system, comprising:

a first milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock;

a second milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the second milking box stall spaced apart from the first milking box stall, such that the first and second milking box stalls face opposite directions;

an equipment portion located between the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall, the equipment portion housing a robotic attacher;

wherein the robotic attacher is configured to pivot, move laterally, and/or move backward and forward between the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall in order to service both stalls.

26. A system, comprising:

a first milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock;

a second milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the second milking box stall located adjacent to the first milking box stall, such that the first and second milking box stalls face the same direction;

a third milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the third milking box stall spaced apart from the first milking box stall, such that the first and third milking box stalls face opposite directions;

an equipment portion located between the first and second milking box stalls and the third milking box stall, the equipment portion housing a robotic attacher;

wherein the robotic attacher is configured to pivot, move laterally, and/or move backward and forward between the first milking box stall, the second milking box stall, and the third milking box stall in order to service all three stalls.

27. A system, comprising:

a first milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock;

a second milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the second milking box stall spaced apart from the first milking box stall, such that the first and second milking box stalls face opposite directions;

a third milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the third milking box stall located near the first and second milking box stalls, such that the first and third milking box stalls face perpendicular directions;

a fourth milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a dairy livestock, the fourth milking box stall located near the first and second milking box stalls, and spaced apart from the third milking box stall, such that the third and fourth milking box stalls face opposite directions;

an equipment portion located between the first, second, third, and fourth milking box stalls, the equipment portion housing a robotic attacher;

wherein the robotic attacher is configured to pivot, move laterally, and/or move backward and forward between the first milking box stall, the second milking box stall, the third milking box stall, and the fourth milking box stall in order to service all four stalls.