MILKING BOX WITH ROBOTIC ATTACHER AND VISION SYSTEM

• US 20120272914A1
• Filed: 04/17/2012
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 9,258,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/14.08
• 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: A01J 7/02 for cleaning or sanitising milking machines or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/12 Milking stations
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/204 using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a system includes a robotic attacher comprising a main arm and a supplemental arm operable to extend into a stall portion of a milking box. A camera couples to the supplemental arm. The supplemental arm comprises a camera-facing nozzle operable to spray the camera with a cleanser.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a robotic attacher comprising a main arm and a supplemental arm, the supplemental arm operable to extend into a stall portion of a milking box; and

a camera coupled to the supplemental arm;

wherein the supplemental arm further comprises a camera-facing nozzle operable to spray the camera with a cleanser.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a two-dimensional camera coupled to a gripping portion of the supplemental arm.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera comprises a protective layer in front of a lens of the camera and the camera-facing nozzle sprays the cleanser on the protective layer.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the protective layer comprises an anti-condensation system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the robotic attacher comprises a controller operable to communicate a signal instructing the camera-facing nozzle to spray the camera with cleanser.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller communicates the signal in response to determining that a milking cycle has been completed.

7. A system, comprising:

a robotic attacher; and

a camera coupled to the robotic attacher, the camera comprising;

a transmitter operable to transmit a two-dimensional signal;

a lens operable to receive a reflection of the two-dimensional signal to facilitate generating an image;

a protective layer positioned in front of the transmitter and the lens, the protective layer including an anti-condensation system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the camera is coupled to a gripping portion of the robotic attacher such that the transmitter transmits the two-dimensional signal at a fixed angle.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein when the gripping portion is positioned in an upright orientation, the fixed angle comprises an upward angle between 5 and 35 degrees relative to an x-axis of the gripping portion.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the protective layer comprises glass.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the anti-condensation system comprises an electrical conductor operable to heat the protective layer.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the robotic attacher comprises a camera-facing nozzle operable to spray cleanser on the protective layer.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the camera is coupled to a gripping portion of the robotic attacher at a fixed location;

and

the system includes a controller operable to;

receive an image depicting a teat of a dairy livestock from the camera;

make a determination how to configure the robotic attacher such that the gripping portion moves toward the teat, the determination based at least in part upon the image and calibration information calibrated according to the fixed location of the camera; and

communicate one or more signals instructing the robotic attacher where to move.

14. A system, comprising:

a two-dimensional camera coupled to a gripping portion of a robotic attacher at a fixed location; and

a controller operable to;

receive a two-dimensional image from the two-dimensional camera;

determine where to move the gripping portion based at least in part upon the two-dimensional image and a first calibration, the first calibration based at least in part upon a distance between the two-dimensional camera and a fixed calibration point located on the robotic attacher; and

communicate one or more signals instructing the robotic attacher where to move the gripping portion.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the two-dimensional camera includes a transmitter operable to transmit a two-dimensional signal at a fixed angle and a lens operable to receive a reflection of the two-dimensional signal.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein when the gripping portion is positioned in an upright orientation, the fixed angle comprises an upward angle between 5 and 35 degrees relative to an x-axis of the gripping portion.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a three-dimensional camera coupled to a supplemental arm of the robotic attacher in a second fixed location; and

wherein the controller is further operable to;

receive a three-dimensional image from the three-dimensional camera;

determine where to move the gripping portion based at least in part upon the three-dimensional image and a second calibration, the second calibration based at least in part upon a distance between the three-dimensional camera and a second fixed calibration point located on the robotic attacher.