Delaval Holding Ab

Anders Hallström

Mats Nilsson

An arrangement for fetching a teat cup from a teat cup magazine in which each teat cup has a respective fixed position includes a reference entity in a fixed spatial relationship to the teat cup magazine and each teat cup stored therein; a remote detecting element that registers wireless energy reflected by the reference entity, and based thereon determines a respective position for the teat cup relative to a robotic arm. The robotic arm carries a gripper element configured to hold the teat cup during removal thereof from the teat cup magazine. The reference entity is configured to allow the remote detecting element to receive wireless energy reflected against the reference entity while moving the robotic arm towards the least one teat cup for removing the at least teat cup from the teat cup magazine.

Positioning of teat cups

An apparatus for recognizing and determining the position of at least one teat of a milking animal includes a scanning head comprising a light source and a camera. The light source emits light into a region which is expected to contain a teat or teats and the camera captures images formed by the light. In a first scanning mode, the scanning head is moved from a low initial position upwards in a circular coil until the position of at least a first teat has been established. Thereafter, in a second scanning mode, the scanning head is moved upwards in a to circular coil until the positions of all teats have been established, or a predetermined time limit has elapsed during the scanning procedure. The coil traversed during the first scanning mode is wider than the coil traversed during the second scanning mode.

Apparatus and method for recognizing and determining a position

An apparatus for recognizing and determining the position of at least one teat of a milking animal includes a scanning head comprising a light source and a camera. The light source emits light into a region which is expected to contain a teat or teats and the camera captures images formed by the light. In a first scanning mode, the scanning head is moved from a low initial position upwards in a circular coil until the position of at least a first teat has been established. Thereafter, in a second scanning mode, the scanning head is moved upwards in a circular coil until the positions of all teats have been established, or a predetermined time limit has elapsed during the scanning procedure. The coil traversed during the first scanning mode is wider than the coil traversed during the second scanning mode.

The present invention relates to a system () for automatic adjustment of at least one interior dimension of a milking location () for an animal. The milking location () comprises an enclosure formed by e.g. four confining means (), whereby at least one of the confining means () is movable. The system () comprises a first sensor means () operable to detect the presence of an animal In the milking location (). The system () also comprises a control means () connected to the first sensor means (), When an animal is detected in the milking location (), the control means () is operable to move the at least one movable confining means () stepwise, in order to adjust the at least one interior dimension of the milking location () to the animal.

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Handen, Sweden

Anders Hallström