Space Divider of a Milking Parlor Arrangement, and Milking Parlor Arrangement

• US 20150020738A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies GmbH (GEA Group AG)
• Original Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies GmbH (GEA Group AG)
• Inventors: Krone, Otto, Mader, Thomas, Teckentrup, Rolf, Wiethoff, Magnus, Hensel, Derk, Hnscheid, Armin, Hille, Dieter, Trossehl, Marc, Balkenhol, Reinhard
• Granted Patent: US 9,918,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 119/14.04
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/003 Movable milking machines
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/007 Monitoring milking processes; Control or regulation of milking machines
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/017 Automatic attaching or detaching of clusters
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/0175 Attaching of clusters
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/041 Milk claw
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 7/02 for cleaning or sanitising milking machines or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 7/025 Teat cup cleaning, e.g. by rinse jetters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/12 Milking stations
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/123 Mobile milking parlours
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/126 Carousels

Abstract

A space divider (4) of a milking parlor arrangement (1, 1′, 1″, 1′″) for at least one milking parlor (3) for milking milk-producing animals (T), wherein the space divider (4) is arranged approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the animal (T) to be milked, has an arm device (6) having a milking cluster (5), which can be adjusted from a parking position to a working position and back. The arm device (6) is arranged with the milking cluster (5) in the parking position in the space divider (4) and can be adjusted into the working position laterally to the animal (T) to be milked between the front and rear legs thereof. The space divider (4) is designed in such a way that no additional space is required between adjacent animals (T), so that many animals (T) can be milked in a milking parlor arrangement (1, 1′, 1″, 1′″) while the smallest possible amount of space is required.

Claims

1. A divider for a longitudinal side of a milking parlor milking stall for milking milk-producing animals, the divider comprising:

an arm device for supporting a milking cluster and adjusting between a parked position arranged in the divider and an operating position, determined to be between front and hind legs of the milk-producing animal.

3. The divider of claim 1, wherein the arm device is further adjustable between an attachment position and the parked position and the operating position, wherein the attachment position is predetermined to support the milking cluster in a position for the automatic attachment of the milking cluster to teats of the milk-producing animal, and further comprising:

a position sensor operatively associated with the arm device for obtaining teat position data of the milk-producing animal.

4. The divider of claim 1, wherein the arm device operating position is a fixed preliminary position defined by stop and to support the milking cluster in the fixed preliminary position.

5. The divider of claim 1 wherein the arm device comprises:

an upper arm; and

a lower arm coupled to the upper arm.

6. The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:

a drive unit arranged on the divider at an above-animal position and operatively engaged with the arm device.

7. The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:

an arm device drive unit arranged beneath a milking platform in the milking stall and the arm device drive unit is operatively engaged with the arm device.

8. The divider of claim 1 and further comprising:

an arm device drive unit releasably engagable with the arm device.

9. The divider of claim 8, wherein the arm device drive unit is arranged beneath a milking platform in the milking stall.

10. The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:

an arm device drive unit including at least one servomotor.

11. The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:

an arm device drive unit including at least one direct drive.

12. The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:

an arm device the drive unit including at least one torque motor.

13. The divider of claim 1 wherein, the arm device in the parked position is arranged in an opening of the divider.

14. The divider of claim 13, and further comprising:

a protective covering for the opening of the divider.

15. The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:

a milking cluster cleaning device joined to the divider.

16. The divider of claim 1, wherein the arm device includes a parallel milking cluster guide.

17. The divider of claim 16, wherein the parallel milking cluster guide includes a plurality of rods.

18. The divider of claim 16 wherein the arm device is formed, at least partially, from parallel-guide drive elements.

19. The divider of claim 18, wherein the parallel-guide drive elements include a traction device.

20. The divider of claim 19, wherein the traction device includes belts.

21. The divider of claim 1, wherein the arm device includes a device drive.

22. The divider of claim 21, wherein the traction device includes belts.

23. The divider of claim 1, wherein the divider and the arm device are preassembled into a modular unit.

24. The divider of claim 1, wherein the arm device is adjusted into the parked position, in a scissors movement.

25. The divider of claim 1, further comprising:

a cladding joined to the divider, and the cladding includes two self-supporting half-shells.

26. The divider of claim 25, wherein the two self-supporting half-shells are hydro-formed from a stainless-steel sheet.

27. The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:

at least one removable service unit.

28. The divider of claim 27, wherein the service unit includes service-specific functional groups and components.

29. The divider of claim 27, wherein the service unit includes milk-channeling functional groups and components.

30. The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:

quick-acting connectors for connecting the divider to an infrastructure of a milking stall.

31. The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:

transporting rollers.

2. (canceled)

32. A milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, having at least one divider for a longitudinal side of a milking stall, the divider comprising:

an arm device for supporting a milking cluster and adjusting between a parked position arranged in the divider and an operating position determined to be between front and hind legs of the milk-producing animal.

33. The milking parlor of claim 32, wherein the milking parlor is a rotary milking parlor.

34. The milking parlor of claim 33, wherein the rotary milking parlor is an external rotary milking parlor.

35. The milking parlor of claim 32, and further comprising:

a service stage.

36. The milking parlor of claim 32, wherein the milking parlor divider can be adjusted between the longitudinal direction of the milking stall, and an animal access position.

37. The milking parlor of claim 32, wherein the divider is adjustable between a longitudinal direction milking position and an access position, wherein an end of the divider is oriented in the direction of a partitioning of a pit milkers is arranged in closer proximity to the pit partitioning in the milking position than in the access position.

38. The milking parlor of claim 37, wherein the divider is adjustable with other dividers, between longitudinal direction milking positions and animal access positions.

39. The milking parlor of claim 36 wherein the dividers in the access position at least partially define a sub-region of the associated milking stall, and at least partially define a full milking stall in the milking position.

40. The milking parlor of claim 36, and further comprising:

a through passage-detection system joined to at least one divider.