Lely Patent N.v.

Lely Patents N.v.

Paulus Jacobus Maria Van Adrichem

Karel Van Den Berg

Dik-Jan Wisse

Frank Gerard Regelink

Willem Derreke Kok

Maarten Johannes Jacobus Van Adrichem

A system for milking a group of milking animals includes a stationary animal accommodation space having a fixed floor, a plurality of milking stations, and an animal-free space which is closed for the milking animals in the accommodation space and extends adjacent to the milking stations. The system also includes an automatic milking system that includes milking cups and a robot device movable relative to the milking stations, the milking cups being connectable automatically to the teats of a milking animal present in the milking station. The system further includes a milk discharge system having at least one flexible milk line that connects the milking cups to a milk storage tank. The flexible milk line is configured so that the robot device can move from the animal-free space into each of the milking stations while the milk line remains connected to the robot device.

System and method for milking a group of dairy animals

Described is a system for milking animals, including cows, having an accommodation space in which the animals can walk around, and several stationary milking stations placed next to each other. Each milking station at a head end thereof includes a neck lock device which can be moved by way of an actuator device between a locked state in which a milking animal in said milking station can be locked at the neck by said neck lock device, and an open state in which a milking animal in said milking station is free to move its head in and/or out of the neck lock device. Also included is an automatic milking system for the automatic milking of milking animals and a control system that is actively connected to the actuator device of each neck lock device.

System and method for milking a group of milking animals

A system for milking a group of animals, in particular cows, comprising an accommodation space in which the animals roam freely, and a plurality of fixed milking stations. A milk storage tank is placed outside the accommodation space. An automatic milking system for automated milking of the animals comprises at least one autonomous self-propelled trolley with milking cups. The milking system automatically connects the milking cups of the trolley to the teats of the animal. A milk discharge system connects the milking cups to the milk storage tank. The milk discharge system comprises flexible milk lines which are connected to the trolley. The trolley is connected to each milking station through a connection in an animal-free space adjacent to the milking stations. The flexible milk line is configured so the trolley can travel from the animal-free space into each of the milking stations while connected to the trolley.

A system for milking a group of animals, in particular cows, comprises an accommodation space for the animals, and several fixed milking stations. The milking stations each comprise an opening for entry of the animal from the accommodation space. The system comprises an automatic milking system for automatic milking of animals in the milking stations. The milking system is configured to automatically milk the animal based on the milking animal fulfilling a predefined milking criterion. The system comprises no expulsion means and/or attraction means which can be activated by a control unit to give stimulus for the animal to leave said milking station. The system is also configured to allow animals to enter the milking stations irrespective of whether said animals fulfil the milking criterion.

A milking robot for completely automatically performing a teat-related action on a dairy animal. The robot includes a frame with a movable arm structure and a robot arm and actuators, a teat cup, a flexible connecting means connected between the teat cup and the arm structure, a retracting device for pulling the teat cup back onto the arm structure by means of the connecting means, a vacuum device for applying a milking vacuum to the teat cup, and a control unit for controlling the milking robot. The robot further includes at least one of an arm structure position-determining device for determining a measured value relating to an arm structure position, and an arm structure acceleration-determining device for determining an arm structure acceleration. The control unit is configured to control the retracting device and/or the vacuum device, if the determined measured value satisfies a predetermined measured value criterion.

Milking robot with kick detection

A system for milking a group of milking animals, in particular cows, comprises an accommodation space where the animals roam freely, and a plurality of fixed milking stations. The milking stations are each connected to the accommodation space by a walkable connection. Automatic milking systems, in the milking stations, automate milking of animals. The milking systems comprise connection systems for automatic connection of milking cups to the teats of the animal. The connection systems comprise a movable robot device that connects milking cups to the teats of the animal in said milking station. Expulsion means can be activated by a control system in each of the milking stations to give an expulsion stimulus for the animal to leave said milking station. The conditions for expulsion of the animal include the animal fulfilling a predefined expulsion criterion, and all other milking stations are occupied by other animals.

Self-propelled animal-shed vehicle for removing manure from a floor, and comprising a frame, a manure pick-up device, and a manure collecting bin, wherein the manure pick-up device comprises a rotating, continuous manure pick-up belt, at least two reversing parts, around which the belt can be rotatably moved, and a drive for moving the manure pick-up belt around the reversing parts, wherein the manure pick-up device during use keeps the manure pick-up belt in contact with the floor by means of a bottom reversing part, and wherein the drive is configured to move the manure pick-up belt at a peripheral speed, in such a manner that the manure pick-up belt moves from a bottom side of the bottom reversing part to a top side of the reversing part along the reversing part. Such a vehicle can keep an animal-shed floor clean in a very efficient manner. The invention also provides an assembly of such an animal-shed vehicle and an animal-shed floor which is configured to separate manure which lands thereon into solid droppings and urine.

Self-propelled animal-shed vehicle for removing manure and an assembly of such an animal-shed vehicle and an animal-shed floor

The present invention provides a teat treatment device, as well as an automatic milking device, a method and a teat cup therefor. The present invention cleans or otherwise treats a teat by repeatedly placing a teat cup on the teat and removing it therefrom again, wherein the upper side thereof, in particular segments with projections on the inner side, around the teat-receiving opening scrub the teat clean under frictional contact. Nozzles which can spray a jet of liquid on, in particular, the projections in the inactive position, can assist this treatment.

Pre-treatment teat cup

There is provided a method and system for connecting a teat cup () to a first teat () of an udder (). In connecting, a first reference position () on the first teat () is taken for connecting, until that reference position () is covered by the teat cup (), or is otherwise no longer observed. Then, a further reference position () on the udder is taken for tracking movements by the dairy animal. Thus the optimum reference position () is used for connecting, while when this optimum position is no longer available, a further reference position () is taken.

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Maassluis, Netherlands

Paulus Jacobus Maria Van Adrichem