Method of cleaning teat cups and/or after-treating the teats of a milked animal, an implement for milking animals applying said method(s), and a cleaning device applied in such an implement

• US RE36,391 E
• Filed: 04/14/1997
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lely Patent N.V. (Lely)
• Original Assignee: C Van Der LELY NV
• Inventors: van den Berg, Karel, Fransen, Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Swiatek, Robert P.
• Application Number:
  US08/837,179
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 119/14.02, 119/14.08, 119/14.1, 119/14.18, 119/670
• US Class Current: 119/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 5/0175 Attaching of clusters
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 7/025 Teat cup cleaning, e.g. by rinse jetters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 7/04 for treatment of udders or teats, e.g. for cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 13/003 Devices for applying insecticides or medication A01K27/007 takes precedence; for veterinary purposes A61D7/00

Abstract

An apparatus and method for automatically cleaning the teat cups of a milking apparatus. The teat cups are automatically removed by a robot arm from the animal'"'"'s teats. Nozzles are provided which are automatically inserted into the openings for the teats located on top of the teat cups. In the cleaning operation, the nozzles are, in effect, connected to the teat cups and spray a cleansing and/or rinsing liquid through an upper set of outlets from the nozzle to clean the upper surfaces of the teat cups and through a lower set of nozzle outlets to clean and rinse the interior of the teat cups as well as the lines connected therewith. Associated with the nozzles are rotatable cleaning members for cleaning the animals'"'"' teats and udders in the vicinity thereof. Brushes and spray nozzles are provided for automatically cleaning these cleaning members after use. All operations are programmed to occur automatically without human assistance or intervention.

Claims

1. A method of automatically cleaning the teat cups of a milking apparatus which comprises the steps of controlling a robot arm automatically to remove the teat cups from the teats of the animal to which they are applied, manipulating said robot arm automatically to interengage said teat cups with a cleaning device, and cleaning said teat cups automatically by means of said cleaning device, the aforesaid steps of removing said teat cups from the animal'"'"'s teats, interengaging said teat cups with said cleaning device and cleaning said teat cups thereby being automatically accomplished in sequence without human intervention or assistance.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cleaning step comprises introducing rinsing liquid into said teat cups and into the milking lines connected thereto before the milk in said teat cups and said milking lines dries.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cleaning step comprises selectively directing liquid onto the upper side of said teat cups, or into said teat cups and the milking lines connected thereto.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cleaning step comprises applying a rinsing liquid to the upper sides of said teat cups.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising detecting when a further animal is not within a predetermined time present to be milked by said milking apparatus and wherein said cleaning step further comprises flushing a rinsing liquid through said teat cups and through milking lines connected thereto, when it is detected that said predetermined time has lapsed without a further animal being present to be milked by said milking apparatus.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, for after-treating the teats of a milked animal, which comprises automatically spraying an after-treatment liquid against the animal'"'"'s udder and teats after removing said teat cups from the animal'"'"'s teats.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, comprising spraying said after-treatment liquid along the length of the animal'"'"'s udder.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, comprising spraying said after-treatment liquid in a fan shaped pattern.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, comprising spraying said after-treatment liquid commencing at the rear side of the animal'"'"'s udder and moving the spray in the direction of the front side thereof.

10. A method as claimed in claim 6, comprising positioning said robot arm under the animal'"'"'s udder prior to spraying said after-treatment liquid thereon.

11. An apparatus for milking animals comprising teat cups, means for automatically positioning said teat cups on the animal'"'"'s teats and removing said teat cups therefrom, a cleaning device comprising a spray nozzle, and interengaging means for effecting a connection of said spray nozzle with said teat cups after said teat cups have been removed from the animal'"'"'s teats and maintaining said connection while said cleaning device is cleaning said teat cups.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cleaning device comprises a rinsing liquid circuit including said spray nozzles, said spray nozzles receivable into the openings on the upper sides of said teat cups for connection thereto.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of said spray nozzles includes at least one discharge outlet for emitting rinsing liquid over the upper surfaces of said teat cups.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of said spray nozzles includes at least one lower discharge outlet, whereby a rinsing liquid is emitted from said spray nozzles into said teat cups connected to said spray nozzles;

each of said spray nozzles further including at least one upper discharge outlet whereby a rinsing liquid is emitted therefrom over the upper surfaces of said teat cups.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said spray nozzles include separate ducts for directing the flows of said rinsing liquid to said lower and said upper discharge outlets.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein each said nozzle includes a substantially vertical longitudinal axis which coincides with the longitudinal axis of the corresponding said teat cup when connected thereto, said upper discharge outlet positioned in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said spray nozzle and the teat cup connected thereto.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said upper discharge outlet is arranged and constructed in said spray nozzle so that a vacuum applied in the space for receiving an animal'"'"'s teat in a teat cup connected to said nozzle urges said teat cup upwardly and closes said upper discharge outlet.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said lower discharge outlet is arranged and constructed in said spray nozzle so that said lower discharge outlet is located directly below the upper edge of said teat cup when said teat cup is connected to said spray nozzle.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the spacing between said lower and said upper discharge outlets is in the range of about five to about ten millimeters.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein a screen is mounted around the periphery of each said spray nozzles, said screen surrounding the upper end of the corresponding said teat cup.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said cleaning device further comprises a carrier element, said spray nozzles being connected thereto.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said carrier element includes ducts through which said rinsing liquid is delivered to said spray nozzles.

23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said carrier element includes a first duct system through which said rinsing liquid is delivered to said lower discharge outlet of said spray nozzle.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein said carrier comprises a least two superimposed parts comprising a first part and a second part, said first duct system comprising a pattern of channels in the surface of said first part.

25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said carrier element includes a second duct system through which said rinsing liquid is delivered to said upper discharge outlet of said spray nozzle.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein said carrier element comprises at least two superimposed parts comprising a first part and a second part, said second duct system comprising a pattern of channels in said second part.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, comprising a milking robot having a robot arm, wherein said cleaning device is associated with said milking robot and said teat cups are mounted on said robot arm.

28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein said cleaning device is coupled to said milking robot, said robot arm being automatically movable into and away from an operative position for milking, said teat cups mounted on said robot arm being connected to said cleaning device when said robot arm is moved in an upward direction from a non-operative position for milking.

29. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said cleaning device is associated with a cleaning member for cleaning the teats of the animal that is milked.

30. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, comprising cleaning means for cleaning said cleaning member.

31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein said cleaning means comprises a box-like housing, said box-like housing including a slot which is constructed and arranged so that said cleaning member can be inserted therein.

32. An apparatus as claimed in claim 31, comprising a covering means for said slot for preventing foreign matter from being received in said box-like housing.

33. An apparatus as claimed in claim 32, wherein said covering means comprises a row of brush hairs.

34. An apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein said box-like housing includes at least one rinsing member through which a rinsing liquid is received inside of said box-like housing.

35. An apparatus as claimed in claim 34, wherein said rinsing liquid is received in said box-like housing through at least one brush.

36. An apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein said box-like housing includes a positioning means for positioning said cleaning device and said cleaning member in a predetermined positions relative to said box-like housing.

37. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, comprising a fixed frame which includes an upper frame portion and a lower frame portion, the apparatus further comprising:

a milking robot movably coupled to said upper frame portion and resting against said lower frame portion, said milking robot including said interengaging means which is movable under the animal to be milked;

a carrier frame movable along said upper frame portion;

said cleaning device secured to said carrier frame.

38. An apparatus as claimed in claim 37, wherein said interengaging means comprises a robot arm, said robot arm having said teat cups attached thereto, whereby when said robot arm is not in an operative position for milking, said teat cups can be connected to said cleaning device by means of said robot arm being moved upwardly.

39. An apparatus as claimed in claim 38, wherein said robot arm comprises an after-treatment device for treating the animal'"'"'s udder and teats.

40. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, comprising positioning means for selectively disposing said teat cups for being received by the animal'"'"'s teats which also disposes said teat cups to be connected to said spray nozzles of said cleaning device.

41. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, comprising an after-treatment device for automatically treating the animal'"'"'s udder and teats.

42. An apparatus as claimed in claim 41, wherein said after-treatment device further comprises a spray nozzle member coupled to a supply line, said supply line being interfaced with a valve.

43. An apparatus as claimed in claim 42, wherein said valve is positioned proximate to said spray nozzle member.

44. An apparatus as claimed in claim 42, comprising a milking robot arm, wherein said spray nozzle member is mounted on said milking robot arm.

45. An apparatus as claimed in claim 44, wherein said spray nozzle member is between two said teat cups which are positioned proximate the end of said milking robot arm.

46. An apparatus as claimed in claim 45, wherein said spray nozzle member is positioned under a carrier plane of said milking robot arm, said carrier plane providing support for said teat cups.

47. An apparatus as claimed in claim 44, wherein said spray nozzle member is constructed and arranged to produce a forwardly and upwardly directed fan-shaped spray pattern of fluid emitted therefrom.

48. An apparatus as claimed in claim 47, wherein said fan-shaped spray pattern extends at an angle of about 10°

to 50°

relative to a vertical plane through the forward two of said teat cups.

49. An apparatus as claimed in claim 41, wherein said after-treatment device is operatively connected to a source of an after-treatment liquid containing a disinfectant agent.