Lely Patent N.v.

Michiel Adriaan Van Dorp

Gerard Mostert

Allan Walter Wilson

Jacobus Izaak Van De Walle

Mario Henrique Voorsluys

Erik Henk Christiaan Schutten

Wilbert Timotheus Walvoort

Veronica Clara Ignatia Croes

Wilbert Timotheüs Walvoort

A milking device for milking a dairy animal includes a teat cup with a cup wall and a teat liner and a pulsation space situated in between, the pulsation space being connected to a pulsation device that is configured to apply a pressure that varies in pulsations to the pulsation space in order to open and close the teat liner. The pulsation device includes a supply line controllable by a first operable valve for supplying a first pressure, a supply line controllable by a second operable valve for supplying a second pressure lower than the first pressure, and a control unit configured to generate control signals for operating the first and second valves. At least the first valve is a controllable valve having a passage that is adjustable during at least one pulsation phase by the control unit.

Milking device

A milking system for milking a dairy animal comprises teat cups, a robot arm with actuators, for connecting the teat cups to teats of the dairy animal, and a control device in order to reach and/or maintain a desired position of the robot arm, by adjustment of a respective adjusting force parameter exerted by the actuators. The control device is configured to adjust a selectable compliance of the robot arm, wherein the compliance is a reaction of the robot arm to an external force which is exerted on the robot arm, such as a kick. This compliance is a function of the external force or of an animal identity. Thus, the behaviour of the robot arm can be adapted, such as, under otherwise unchanged circumstances, more or earlier yielding in the case of sensitive animals, and, conversely, less in the case of playful animals.

Milking robot system with selectable compliance

A milking device including at least one milking cup with a teat space and a pulsation space, a pulsator connected by a pulsation line to the pulsation space of the milking cup and provided with a vacuum source, a vacuum line provided with a first controllable valve between the vacuum source and the pulsation line, an aeration line provided with a second controllable valve between the pulsation line and a source of higher pressure, and a pulsator control system for the first and second valves. The pulsator control system includes a flushing mode for opening and holding open the first and second valves during at least a predefined flushing time which is at least as long as the pulsation period.

A device for automatically milking an animal in an animal space is provided with a robot arm for automatically performing an action on a teat of the animal, a teat sensor, and an animal position sensor for determining the animal position in the animal space. The animal position sensor is movable in a longitudinal direction of the animal space. The animal position sensor is mounted so as to be movable or shiftable in a longitudinal direction of the animal space. This has the advantage that the range of the sensor becomes considerably larger while the sensor can be the same as in a known device.

Animal position sensor

A milk pump device, comprising a passage duct, a first one-way valve, a second one-way valve and a membrane pump. The first and second one-way valves are included in the passage duct and oriented in the same direction relative to each other. The membrane pump is positioned between the first one-way valve and the second one-way valve. The membrane pump forms a first milk meter for generating a first milk measurement with respect to a number of complete pumping strokes of the membrane pump. The milk pump device further comprises a second milk meter for carrying out a second milk measurement with respect to a residual pumping stroke.

Milk pump device and method for displacing an amount of milk

A method of monitoring a milking process by a milking apparatus that includes a teatcup with a pulsation space and an airline to deliver varying levels of pressure to the pulsation space. The method includes: measuring airflow within the airline to obtain an indication of volume of displaced air within the pulsation space; comparing the volume with a reference value; and determining a connection parameter, indicating how the teatcup is connected to the teat, based on the comparison. The displaced air volume correlates to the extent the teat protrudes into the teatcup, thus providing information on how the teatcup is connected. Also provided is a milking system incorporating the method.

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Hazerswoude, Netherlands

Michiel Adriaan Van Dorp