Robot milking arm and a method of attaching milking cups
US8670867B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 11, 2009 |
| Grant date | Mar 11, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 27, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA01K1/126
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A robotic milking system suitable for use with conventional milking clusters. Clusters are withdrawn to a generally known position upon release from a cow with the cups hanging down below the bowl. The cups are then located in a confined region from where they are picked up by a robotic arm and attached to teats of a cow. The cups may be located into recesses or slots or be drawn through a guide. The arrangement allows a single robotic arm to service multiple bales of a rotary milking parlor. The application of a vacuum to milking cups may be controlled by applying sufficient pressure to the pulsation line of a cup to collapse the cup liner when that cup is not attached to a teat or by bending a feed line to a cup to close the flow path.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.