Milking system

Abstract

To improve work efficiency, to improve productivity in accordance with it, to reduce labor of a worker, and to contribute to cost reduction of system construction.SOLUTION: This milking includes: moving means Fm for moving milking units Ua... to a set milking position Pc positioned on a side of a dairy cow C; a supporting mechanism part 3 supported by the milking units Ua and supporting a vertical supporting part 2; a lateral position detection part 9 provided on the vertical supporting part 2 to detect a side position Cp or Cq of the dairy cow C; one end 5s provided at a lower part of the vertical support part 2; a support arm part 5 the other end 5t of which is displaceable in a horizontal direction Fh; a teat cup support mechanism part 7 having a teat cup set part 6 for supporting a teat cups Tc on the other end 5t side of the support arm part 5; and an operation mechanism part 8 for displacing the other end 5t of the support arm part 5 provided in the teat cup set part 6 corresponding to the detection result of the lateral position detection part 9.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a milking system that moves a milking unit to each stall in a tie-up barn to perform milking.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, in a tie-up barn (stanchion barn), a group of stalls in which a large number of stalls are arranged is installed, dairy cows are tied to each stall, and a milking system that automatically moves a milking unit to each stall to perform milking is installed.

[0003] Conventionally, as this type of milking system, a milking system (automatic transfer device) described in the automatic transfer method and device of the milking unit in Patent Document 1 and a milking system described in the control method of the milking system in Patent Document 2 are known.

[0004] The automatic transfer device of Patent Document 1 aims to reduce the labor of work and improve work efficiency by shortening the work flow line, enhance the flexibility and versatility with respect to the number of milking units, and reduce costs and improve assembly by commonalization of parts and assembly. Specifically, a detected part that can be switched to the detectable side or the non-detectable side is provided corresponding to each branch rail. In advance, the detected part is switched to the detectable side, and when an arbitrary milking unit travels on the main rail, entry into the branch rail corresponding to the detected detected part is permitted on the condition that the detected part is detected, and once the detected part is detected, the detected part is switched to the non-detectable side. As a basic configuration, it includes a milking system including a milking unit that can move along a guide rail installed for a plurality of stalls in a tie-up barn.

[0005] Furthermore, the control method for the milking system described in Patent Document 2 aims to enable early detection of abnormalities such as the presence of diseased cows and to enable milking under optimal conditions at all times. Specifically, it enables mutual communication between the communication unit of the milking machine controller mounted on the milking machine and the management communication unit of the management computer. During milking, the milking data obtained from the milk extracted by the milking machine is transmitted from the communication unit of the milking machine controller to the management communication unit of the management computer. The management computer monitors the received milking data, and if it detects an unusual pattern based on a predetermined judgment criterion, it controls the operation during milking that caused the unusual pattern using a predetermined special processing mode corresponding to that unusual pattern. The basic configuration includes a milking system that includes a milking unit (milking machine) that can move along guide rails installed for multiple stalls in a mooring barn. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-021045 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-233250 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, the conventional milking systems described above also had the following problems that needed to be addressed.

[0008] In other words, in this type of milking system, the milking unit can be moved almost automatically to the milking position located beside the dairy cow to be milked by a mobile unit (self-propelled unit) controlled by a controller, but the work after arriving at the milking position is often performed manually by an operator. As a result, it takes time to start milking, leading to a decrease in work efficiency and consequently a decrease in productivity, as well as an increase in the labor required of the operator, including the task of attaching the teat cup.

[0009] While automating such attachment procedures is technically possible, it fundamentally requires controlling dairy cows with different body shapes and standing positions—that is, dairy cows (animals) with unstable positions. This would complicate the system configuration, requiring advanced position control and large-scale equipment, leading to significant cost increases and the risk of harming the dairy cows. In reality, there are problems that make it difficult to easily adopt such automation.

[0010] The present invention aims to provide a milking system that solves the problems present in the background technology described above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the milking system M according to the present invention comprises at least one milking unit Ua... that is movable along a guide rail R installed for a plurality of stalls St... in a mooring barn 100, and includes a moving means Fm for moving the milking unit Ua... to a set milking position Pc located to the side of the dairy cow C to be milked, and a support mechanism 3 supported by the milking unit Ua and supporting the vertical support part 2, and provided on the vertical support part 2, the milking system M of the dairy cow C The teat cup setting device 1 is characterized by comprising: a lateral position detection unit 9 for detecting a lateral position Cp or Cq; a teat cup support mechanism unit 7 having a support arm unit 5 with one end 5s provided at the lower part of a vertical support unit 2 and the other end 5t being displaceable in the horizontal direction Fh, and a teat cup setting unit 6 for supporting teat cups Tc... on the other end 5t side of the support arm unit 5; and an operating mechanism unit 8 that displaces the other end 5t of the support arm unit 5 provided in the teat cup setting unit 6 in accordance with the detection result of the lateral position detection unit 9.

[0012] In this case, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the vertical support portion 2 can be configured as a vertical support shaft portion 2s that abuts against the side surface of the dairy cow C and can detect the side surface position Cp or Cq. The teat cup set portion 6 can also be provided with a holding function portion 14 that can hold four teat cups Tc..., each with its receiving opening Tco... facing upwards for the teat Cb... The operating mechanism portion 8 may be configured as a power driving means 15 including at least a teat cup swivel drive portion 15f that can swivel the teat cup set portion 6, or it may be configured as a manual operating means 16 that allows the teat cup set portion 6 to swivel by manual operation. On the other hand, the vertical support shaft portion 2s is supported by the support mechanism portion 3 so as to be able to move up and down, and a height-direction position detection unit 4 can be provided on the upper end 2us side or the lower end 2ds side to detect the upper end position Cu or lower end position Cd of the dairy cow C. Furthermore, the vertical support shaft portion 2s is configured as a connecting structure in which the upper shaft portion 2u and the lower shaft portion 2d are connected in the axial direction Fs via a connecting support portion 11, and the upper shaft portion 2u and the lower shaft portion 2d can be configured so that relative displacement in the vertical direction is restricted, while relative displacement in the rotational direction is permitted. This height-direction position detection unit 4 can be configured with a detection horizontal bar 12 of a predetermined length, having one end 12s on the upper part of the vertical support shaft 2s and the other end 12t extending horizontally in the direction Fh to contact the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C. In particular, the other end 12t can be provided with a pair of left and right contact parts 12tp, 12tp that contact the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C, or a hook-shaped part 12tf that is curved or bent along the direction of extension from the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C can be provided on a part of the other end 12t. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The milking system M according to the present invention, having such a configuration, produces the following remarkable effects.

[0014] (1) A teat cup setting device 1 is provided, which includes a support mechanism 3 supported by the milking unit Ua and supporting the vertical support 2, a lateral position detection unit 9 provided on the vertical support 2 to detect the lateral position Cp or Cq of the dairy cow C, a teat cup support mechanism 7 having a support arm 5 with one end 5s at the lower part of the vertical support 2 and the other end 5t being displaceable in the horizontal direction Fh, and a teat cup set 6 on the other end 5t side of the support arm 5 that supports the teat cups Tc..., and an operating mechanism 8 that displaces the other end 5t of the support arm 5 provided on the teat cup set 6 in accordance with the detection result of the lateral position detection unit 9. As a result, even after moving to the milking position Pc, the setting work up to just before attaching the teat cups Tc... to the teats Cb... of the dairy cow C can be easily and accurately performed. This reduces the time until milking can begin, leading to improved work efficiency and, consequently, increased productivity. Furthermore, it significantly reduces the workload on workers, including the installation of the teat cups Tc….

[0015] (2) Since it eliminates the need to construct a large-scale automated system, it contributes to significant cost reductions. Furthermore, even if the position and height of the teats Cb... differ and become unstable due to the body shape and movement of each dairy cow C..., the teat cups Tc... can be set reliably and efficiently. Therefore, it can be provided as an optimal milking system that balances both cost reduction and labor reduction.

[0016] (3) In a preferred embodiment, if the teat cup set section 6 is configured with a holding function section 14 capable of holding four teat cups Tc..., each with a receiving opening Tco... facing upward toward the nipple Cb..., then at the target position reached by moving the teat cup set section 6, each teat cup Tc... can be attached to the nipple Cb... simply by displacing it upward. This reduces the complex work required of the operator, thereby simplifying and speeding up the teat cup attachment process.

[0017] (4) In a preferred embodiment, if the operating mechanism 8 is configured with a power drive means 15 that includes a rotatable teat cup swivel drive unit 15f, at least the teat cup set unit 6 can be easily sequence-controlled by a controller or the like, thereby reducing labor and improving work efficiency, and can be realized with a relatively simple control system.

[0018] (5) In a preferred embodiment, if the operating mechanism 8 is configured with a manual operating means 16 that allows at least the teat cup set section 6 to be rotated by manual operation, a power means is not required, which can contribute to further simplification of the configuration and reduction of costs, as well as energy savings.

[0019] (6) In a preferred embodiment, if the vertical support section 2 is configured with a vertical support shaft section 2s that can contact the side surface of the dairy cow C to detect the side surface position Cp or Cq, then the side surface position Cp or Cq can be detected simply by directly contacting the vertical support shaft section 2s with the side surface of the dairy cow C, thus providing excellent low cost and ease of implementation.

[0020] (7) In a preferred embodiment, if a height-direction position detection unit 4 is provided on the vertical support shaft 2s so as to be vertically movable by the support mechanism 3, and is located on the upper end 2us side or the lower end 2ds side to detect the upper end position Cu or lower end position Cd of the dairy cow C, then the vertical support shaft 2s can be used for both the lateral position detection unit 9 and the height-direction position detection unit 4, thereby reducing the number of parts related to the detection system, making the overall system more compact and cost-effective, and allowing for more accurate acquisition of the position information of the dairy cow C. In particular, if the height-direction position detection unit 4 is located on the lower end 2ds side, a suppression mechanism can be provided to suppress the movement of the dairy cow C by bringing the upper end 2us side into contact with the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C, thereby further enhancing versatility and multifunctionality. Furthermore, while the cow stall surface is normally structured so that its height gradually changes towards the downstream side of the milk line 51, the height direction position detection unit 4 ensures that the relative height of the teat cup set unit 6 always matches not only the dairy cow C but also the milking operator's (eye level), thus contributing to smooth and efficient milking operations.

[0021] (8) In a preferred embodiment, when configuring the vertical support shaft portion 2s, if the upper shaft portion 2u and the lower shaft portion 2d are configured to be connected via a connecting support portion 11 in the axial direction Fs, and the upper shaft portion 2u and the lower shaft portion 2d are configured such that relative displacement in the vertical direction is restricted and relative displacement in the rotational direction is permitted, then the upper shaft portion 2u or the lower shaft portion 2d can be rotated independently, and the displacement of the upper shaft portion 2u can be directly transmitted to the lower shaft portion 2d, so that a height direction position detection portion 4 can be provided on the upper shaft portion 2u, or a teat cup set portion 6 can be provided on the lower shaft portion 2d, the configuration can be simplified and multifunctionality can be enhanced.

[0022] (9) In a preferred embodiment, when configuring the height direction position detector 4, by providing the upper part of the vertical support shaft part 2s with a detection horizontal bar 12 of a predetermined length having one end 12s provided and the other end 12t side extending in the horizontal direction Fh and being capable of abutting against the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C, since it can be implemented only by adding the detection horizontal bar 12 that can be formed into a simple shape, it is excellent in low cost and ease of implementation when detecting the position of the dairy cow C in the height direction.

[0023] (10) In a preferred embodiment, when configuring the height direction position detector 4, by providing a pair of left and right abutting parts 12tp, 12tp that abut against the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C on the other end 12t side, two point positions can be detected and it can abut so as to sandwich the left and right of the upper end part, so that it can follow the movement of the dairy cow C, and thus the detection (indirect detection) of the upper end position Cu can be performed more accurately and stably.

[0024] (11) In a preferred embodiment, when configuring the height direction position detector 4, by providing a hook-shaped part 12tf that is curved or bent along the extending direction from the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C on a part of the other end 12t side, displacement of the dairy cow C in at least one of the left direction or the right direction can be suppressed by the hook-shaped part 12tf, and thus accurate and stable detection can be performed within this suppression range.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] Rear configuration diagram of the teat cup setting device using the power drive means of the milking system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, [Figure 2] Plan configuration diagram of the same teat cup setting device, [Figure 3] Side configuration diagram when using the milking unit including the same teat cup setting device, [Figure 4] Plan schematic diagram showing the whole of the same milking system, [Figure 5] Flowchart for explaining the operation during setting of the same teat cup setting device, [Figure 6]A flowchart explaining the operation of the teat cup setting device at the end of milking. [Figure 7] A schematic diagram of the milking position of the teat cup setting device. [Figure 8] A schematic diagram of the setting operation using the teat cup setting device. [Figure 9] A schematic diagram of other setting operations using the same teat cup setting device. [Figure 10] A schematic diagram of other setting operations using the same teat cup setting device. [Figure 11] Rear view diagram of a teat cup setting device related to an example of a modification using the manual operation means of the milking system. [Figure 12] Rear view diagram of the height direction position detection unit related to a modified example of the teat cup setting device. [Figure 13] Rear view diagram of the height direction position detection unit related to another modified example of the teat cup setting device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Next, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0027] First, the general configuration of the milking system M according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2-4.

[0028] Figure 4 shows a schematic plan view of the milking system M installed in the mooring barn 100. The mooring barn 100 is equipped with a group of stalls G arranged in a number of stalls St…, and dairy cows C… are moored in each stall St…. Above this group of stalls G, a guide rail R is installed along the group of stalls G. The guide rail R comprises a main rail Rm arranged along the group of stalls G, and a number of branch rails Rs… that branch perpendicularly from the middle of the main rail Rm and are arranged between the stalls St…. In this case, one branch rail Rs… is placed between each row of stalls St…, that is, two stalls St… are placed between adjacent branch rails Rs and Rs…. At least one milking unit Ua…, for example, two milking units Ua, Ub are loaded onto the guide rail R, and each milking unit Ua, Ub can be moved along the guide rail R to a predetermined target position such as a milking position Pc.

[0029] Therefore, these devices constitute the moving means Fm in this embodiment, which moves the milking unit Ua... to a set milking position Pc located to the side of the dairy cow C to be milked.

[0030] Note that 200 indicates a feeding system installed in front of the stall group G, along the stall group G. This feeding system 200 comprises a feeding rail 210 positioned above and in front of the stall group G, and a feeder 220 that moves along the feeding rail 210. This feeding system 200 allows the feeder 220 to be automatically moved to each stall St… for feeding. Bs indicates the feed administered by the feeder 220.

[0031] Furthermore, the milk line 51 and vacuum line 52 shown in Figure 3 are positioned in front of the leading edge of the branch rail Rs… in the milking system M. The milk line 51 and vacuum line 52 are arranged along the stall St…, and a milk tap 53 is provided opposite each branch rail Rs… to which the distributor 22 of the milking unit Ua… (described later) is connected.

[0032] On the other hand, the milking unit Ua (and the other milking units Ub) that moves along the guide rail R is equipped with a self-propelled moving part 21 loaded onto the guide rail R. The tip of the moving part 21 is equipped with the aforementioned distributor 22. This moving part 21 is equipped with a motor-driven driving unit 21m and a control box 21c including a drive battery, etc. In this case, stopping and controlling the direction of movement of the moving part 21 is performed by a detection unit (detection sensor) provided on the moving part 21 detecting a detected part placed at a predetermined position on the guide rail R. This makes it possible to automatically move each milking unit Ua... to each stall St.... The driving control is performed based on the control function installed in the controller E (see Figure 1). Therefore, at least some of the control data is transferred from the controller E to the control box 21c in each milking unit Ua....

[0033] Furthermore, the mobile unit 21 is equipped with a pair of milking units 23a and 23b suspended on both sides, specifically on the left and right sides of the control box 21c, as shown in Figure 2. One milking unit 23a (and the other milking unit 23b) includes, as shown in Figure 3, a milking unit body 24 including a pulsator device and a display unit (operating unit), four teat cups Tc… to be attached to each teat Cb… of the dairy cow C, a milk yield meter 25, etc.

[0034] Then, the pair of left and right teat cup setting devices 1… according to this embodiment are mounted using the other available space on the movable unit 21, specifically the side panels 21cp and 21cq on the left and right sides of the control box 21c. The left and right teat cup setting devices 1,1 have the same configuration except that their positions are symmetrical.

[0035] Next, the configuration of one teat cup setting device 1, which is a key part of the milking system M according to this embodiment, will be described mainly with reference to Figures 1-3.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the teat cup setting device 1 has the following basic configuration: a support mechanism 3 supported by the milking unit Ua and supporting the vertical support 2; a lateral position detection unit 9 provided on the vertical support 2 to detect the lateral position Cp or Cq of the dairy cow C; a teat cup support mechanism 7 located at the lower part of the vertical support 2, with one end 5s of the support arm 5 rotatably positioned and the other end 5t extending in the horizontal direction Fh having a teat cup set 6 equipped with teat cups Tc…; and an operating mechanism 8 that allows the teat cup set 6 to rotate to a predetermined angle in response to the detection result of the lateral position detection unit 9.

[0037] In this case, the support mechanism 3 is supported by the milking unit Ua and has the function of supporting the vertical support section 2 so that it can be raised and lowered. As shown in Figure 1, it includes a shaft lifting drive unit 15v fixed to one side panel 21cp of the control box 21c. Furthermore, a support block 32 is provided at the lower end of the lifting rod 15vr, which is raised and lowered by this shaft lifting drive unit 15v, to support a horizontal rod 32r that can be displaced left and right. In addition, one end of the horizontal rod 32r (on the cow C side) supports the vertical support section 2 which has an axis in the vertical direction. In this case, the support block 32 incorporates a horizontal movement drive unit 33 using a motor or the like, and this horizontal movement drive unit 33 can displace the horizontal rod 32r in the left and right directions. The above configuration constitutes the support mechanism 3, which is supported by the milking unit Ua and supports the vertical support section 2 so that it can be raised and lowered.

[0038] Furthermore, the vertical support section 2 is composed of a vertical support shaft section 2s that can contact the side surface of the dairy cow C to detect the lateral position Cp or Cq. By configuring the vertical support section 2 with such a vertical support shaft section 2s, the lateral position detection section 9 can be configured to detect the lateral position Cp or Cq simply by directly contacting the vertical support shaft section 2s with the side surface of the dairy cow C, thus offering excellent low cost and ease of implementation.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the vertical support shaft section 2s is configured as a connecting structure in which an upper shaft section 2u and a lower shaft section 2d are connected in the axial direction Fs via a connecting support section 11. The upper shaft section 2u and the lower shaft section 2d are configured such that relative displacement in the vertical direction is restricted, while relative displacement in the rotational direction is permitted. Specifically, the upper shaft section 2u protrudes vertically upward from the upper end of the cylindrical connecting support section 11, and the lower shaft section 2d protrudes vertically downward from the lower end of the connecting support section 11. The upper half of the interior of the connecting support section 11 houses an upper rotation drive section 34, which allows the upper shaft section 2u to rotate and displace, while the lower half of the interior of the connecting support section 11 houses a teat cup swivel drive section 15f, which allows the lower shaft section 2d to rotate and displace.

[0040] With this configuration, the upper shaft portion 2u or the lower shaft portion 2d can be rotated independently, and the displacement of the upper shaft portion 2u can be directly transmitted to the lower shaft portion 2d. This allows for the provision of a height-direction position detection unit 4 (described later) on the upper end 2us or lower end 2ds side of the vertical support shaft portion 2s, or a teat cup set portion 6 (described later) on the lower shaft portion 2d, thereby simplifying the configuration while enhancing multifunctionality.

[0041] In this example, the upper shaft portion 2u of the vertical support shaft portion 2s is configured as a height-direction position detection unit 4. That is, as shown in Figure 1, it is configured by a detection horizontal bar 12 provided at the upper end of the upper shaft portion 2u. The detection horizontal bar 12 has one end 12s provided at the upper end of the upper shaft portion 2u, and the other end 12t extends horizontally in the direction Fh to a predetermined length that can contact the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C.

[0042] This allows the system to be implemented simply by adding a detection horizontal bar 12 that can be formed into a simple shape, offering advantages in terms of low cost and ease of implementation. Furthermore, since the vertical support shaft section 2s can be used for both the lateral position detection section 9 and the height position detection section 4, the number of parts related to the detection system can be reduced, resulting in a more compact and cost-effective overall system, while also enabling more accurate acquisition of the position information of the dairy cow C. In Figure 1, Xp indicates the pad section that contacts the dairy cow C and is provided on the bottom surface of the detection horizontal bar 12.

[0043] By providing the height-direction position detection unit 4, the following advantages can also be enjoyed. Specifically, while the cow stall surface is normally structured so that the height gradually changes toward the downstream side of the milk line 51, the height-direction position detection unit 4 ensures that the relative height of the teat cup set unit 6 is always consistent not only with respect to the dairy cow C but also with respect to the milking operator's (eye level), thus enabling smooth and efficient milking operations.

[0044] Furthermore, a pad portion Xq is provided on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical connecting support portion 11 to contact the side surface of the dairy cow C. As a result, the connecting support portion 11, which is part of the vertical support shaft portion 2s, also serves as a lateral position detection unit 9 for detecting the lateral position Cp or Cq of the dairy cow C.

[0045] On the other hand, a teat cup support mechanism 7 is provided at the lower part of the vertical support shaft portion 2s, that is, at the lower end of the lower shaft portion 2d, as shown in Figure 1. The teat cup support mechanism 7 has a support arm portion 5 with one end 5s attached to the lower end of the lower shaft portion 2d and the other end 5t extending horizontally in the direction Fh, and a teat cup set portion 6 provided at the other end 5t of the support arm portion 5. As a result, by rotating and displacing the lower shaft portion 2d with the teat cup swivel drive unit 15f, one end 5s of the support arm portion 5 can be rotated and displacing, and the other end 5t of the support arm portion 5, that is, the teat cup set portion 6, can be swiveled and displacing.

[0046] In this case, the teat cup set section 6 is provided with a holding function section 14 capable of holding four teat cups Tc..., each with a receiving opening Tco... for the nipple Cb... facing upward. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, a support post 36 is provided at the other end 5t of the support arm section 5, which stands upright. The four teat cups Tc... are suspended from the upper end of this support post 36 using a chain (not shown) or the like. A holding ring 37 is provided at an intermediate position on the support post 36, forming four openings that restrict the lateral displacement of the four suspended teat cups Tc....

[0047] With the teat cup support mechanism 7 configured in this way, at the target position where the teat cup set section 6 has been moved, each teat cup Tc… can be attached to the nipple Cb… simply by displacing them upward. This reduces the complex work required of the operator, thereby simplifying and speeding up the teat cup attachment process.

[0048] Furthermore, one teat cup Tc (and the same applies to other teat cups Tc), in particular, the milk tube connected to the lower end of the teat cup Tc, is connected to the milk collection unit 39 via a buffer 38 that suppresses fluctuations in vacuum during milking, as shown in Figure 1. The raw milk collected in this milk collection unit 39 is then sent to the milk volume meter 25 via a milk collection tube 40, as shown in Figure 3.

[0049] The teat cup setting device 1, having the basic configuration described above, includes an operating mechanism 8 that allows the teat cup setting unit 6 to rotate to a predetermined angle in response to the detection result of the lateral position detection unit 9. Specifically, the operating mechanism 8 includes a power drive means 15 that includes at least a teat cup rotation drive unit 15f capable of rotating the teat cup setting unit 6. Furthermore, the vertical support shaft unit 2s can be raised and lowered by the operation of the shaft lifting drive unit 15v in this power drive means 15, allowing it to be moved to a predetermined height. With this configuration, sequence control can be easily performed by a controller or the like, thereby reducing labor and improving work efficiency, and it can be realized with a relatively simple control system.

[0050] The exemplary embodiment shows an example in which one end 5s of the teat cup set section 6 is rotatably positioned at the lower part of the vertical support section 2, and the other end 5t is configured with a support arm section 5 extending in the horizontal direction Fh. However, basically, it is sufficient to provide a support arm section 5 with one end 5s at the lower part of the vertical support section 2 supported by the milking unit Ua, and the other end 5t being displaceable in the horizontal direction Fh. Other examples include a bellows arm that extends and retracts in the horizontal direction Fh.

[0051] Next, the overall operation of the milking system M according to this embodiment, which includes such a teat cup setting device 1, will be explained mainly with reference to Figures 7-10, following the flowcharts shown in Figures 5 and 6.

[0052] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the teat cup setting device 1 during setting, and Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the teat cup setting device 1 at the end of milking.

[0053] Now, let's assume that the milking unit Ua is waiting in the home position on the guide rail R (step S01). During milking, command data related to the order of the stalls St... to be milked is transmitted from the controller E to the control box 21c of the milking unit Ua. Based on this command data, the milking unit Ua travels along the guide rail R and moves to the target stall St, i.e., the target milking position Pc (steps S02, S03).

[0054] Once the target milking position Pc is reached, the teat cup setting device 1 performs its setting operation. Figure 7 shows the state of the milking unit Ua at the milking position Pc. The setting procedure shown is an example and is not limited to this procedure. Before setting, the support block 32 is raised to its highest position, and the vertical support shaft 2 and support block 32 are moved to their closest positions, releasing them into a compact state that does not obstruct movement. The setting operation is, for example, a series of operations, i.e., a control program performed by sequence control is set in the control box 21c.

[0055] In the milking position Pc, first, as shown in Figure 8, the horizontal movement mechanism 33 of the support block 32 is driven and controlled to move the vertical support shaft 2 toward the dairy cow C (step S1). As a result, when the connecting support portion 11 of the vertical support shaft 2 comes into contact with the side of the dairy cow C, i.e., the side position Cp, the movement is stopped (step S2). In this case, the side of the other dairy cow C is the side position Cq. Next, the detection horizontal bar 12 is rotated 90° by driving and controlling the upper rotation drive unit 34 (step S3). The detection horizontal bar 12 in this state is shown by dashed lines in Figure 9. Note that the 90° rotation range is shown as an example and can be set to any range.

[0056] Next, the shaft lifting drive unit 15v is driven and controlled to displace the support block 32 downward (step S4). Then, as shown by the solid line in Figure 9, the detection horizontal bar 12 detects the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C, that is, when the detection horizontal bar 12 comes into contact with the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C, the descent is stopped (step S5). In this case, the vertical distance Ls between the detection horizontal bar 12 and the teat cup set unit 6 is set to a predetermined distance Ls (see Figure 10) so that the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C is at a predetermined height below the abdomen of the dairy cow C. Therefore, when the detection horizontal bar 12 comes into contact with the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C, the vertical distance between the teat cup set unit 6 and the teat Cb becomes a predetermined optimal distance Lc.

[0057] Note that detecting the upper end position Cu using the detection horizontal bar 12 is not a mandatory detection element. For example, it is possible to set it based on pre-registered individual data of dairy cow C. Also, as shown in the modification example in Figure 13 described later, if the detection vertical bar 13 is used, detection of the upper end position Cu becomes unnecessary.

[0058] Next, the teat cup rotation drive unit 15f is driven and controlled to rotate the support arm unit 5 by 90° (step S6). In this case, the 90° rotation range is just an example, and it can be set to any range corresponding to the position of the milking position Pc, etc. As a result, the state shown in Figure 10 is achieved, with the teat cup set unit 6 positioned almost directly below the teat Cb, at the optimal height, and the four teat cups Tc… provided in the teat cup set unit 6 are set with their upper openings facing upward. With this, the series of setting operations is completed.

[0059] After the setting operation is complete, the milking operator turns on the milking start switch located on the milking unit 23a (step S7). This opens the buffer 38, allowing suction to be performed from the teat cups Tc..., so the operator attaches the four teat cups Tc... to the teats Cb... in order (step S8). Once all the teat cups Tc... have been attached, the milking process is performed (steps S9, S10). Figures 1 and 3 show the state with all the teat cups Tc... attached.

[0060] During milking, the extracted raw milk flows from the four teat cups Tc… through the buffer 38 into the milk collection unit 39, as shown in Figure 1. The raw milk in the milk collection unit 39 is then supplied to the milk line 51 via the milk collection tube 40, milk volume meter 25, and distributor 22. When the conditions for ending milking are met, such as when the flow rate of raw milk falls below the standard flow rate, the milking process is terminated (step S11). As a result, each teat cup Tc… detaches from the teat Cb… by its own weight and falls, and the teat cup detachment process is performed, in which the teat cups are held by the aforementioned holding function unit 14 (step S12). That is, each teat cup Tc… is suspended by the support post 36 and its position is regulated by the holding ring 37, returning it to the state before attachment as shown in Figure 10. With the above, the main milking process (routine step SA) is completed, and the milking termination process (routine step SB) is then performed.

[0061] Figure 6 shows a flowchart illustrating the operations involved in the milking completion process (routine step SB).

[0062] Since the operation of this routine step SB can be basically automated, the routine step SB can be executed automatically once the completion of the milking process is detected.

[0063] On the other hand, once the milking process is complete, for example, by turning on (flashing) the milking completion lamp, the operator can check the condition of the dairy cow C, and then by turning on the release switch of the milking unit 23a, the subsequent release process can be performed automatically.

[0064] In this case, first, the teat cup rotation drive unit 15f is driven and controlled to rotate the support arm unit 5 90° back. As a result, the teat cup set unit 6 is returned to the position shown by the solid line in Figure 9 (step S21). Next, the shaft lifting drive unit 15v is driven and controlled to raise the support block 32, and at the same time, the horizontal movement mechanism unit 33 is driven and controlled to displace the support block 32 in a direction away from the dairy cow C. Furthermore, the upper rotation drive unit 34 is driven and controlled to rotate the detection horizontal bar 12 90° in the return direction. As a result, the vertical support shaft 2 can be returned to the state before setting shown in Figure 7 (steps S22, S23, S24).

[0065] When the milking process by the milking unit Ua is complete, a return process is performed to move it back to the home position of the guide rail R (steps S25, S28).

[0066] On the other hand, when the milking unit Ua performs the next milking process, it moves to the corresponding stall St, which is the next target (steps S25, S26). Then, upon arriving at the next milking position Pc, the main milking process (routine step SA) described above is executed (steps S27, SA). That is, the main milking process (routine step SA) shown in Figure 5 can be executed.

[0067] The above describes the case in which the teat cup setting device 1 is configured with a power drive means 15. However, this teat cup setting device 1 can also be configured with a manual operation means 16, as shown in the modified example described later.

[0068] Next, various examples of modifications to the teat cup setting device 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 11-13.

[0069] Figure 11 shows a modified teat cup setting device 1 using a manual operating means 16. The manual operating means 16 in the modified example comprises a mounting frame 61 fixed using the external case of the control box 21c of the milking unit Ua, a rectangular first frame 63 in which one vertical frame member 63u is rotatably supported by a pair of upper and lower rotating support parts 62, 62 fixed to the vertical frame member 61v of the mounting frame 61, a rectangular second frame 65 in which one vertical frame member 65u is rotatably supported by a pair of upper and lower rotating support parts 64, 64 fixed to the other vertical frame member 63v of the first frame 63, and a rectangular third frame 67 in which one vertical frame member 67u is rotatably supported by a pair of upper and lower rotating support parts 66, 66 fixed to the other vertical frame member 65v of the second frame 65.

[0070] In this case, the third frame 67 functions as a vertical support shaft 2s, so the support mechanism from the mounting frame 61 to the third frame 67 functions as a support mechanism 3 that is supported by the milking unit Ua and supports the vertical support shaft 2s so that it can move up and down. The vertical support shaft 2s can be moved forward and backward relative to the dairy cow C by the bellows extension and contraction of this support mechanism 3, and the vertical support shaft 2s can be moved up and down by the rotating support parts 66, 66.

[0071] Furthermore, at the upper end of the third frame 67, one end 12s is provided, and the other end 12t extends horizontally in the direction Fh, integrally providing a detection horizontal bar 12 of a predetermined length that can contact the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C. In this case, the other end 12t is provided with a pair of left and right contact parts 12tp, 12tp that contact the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C. As a result, the detection horizontal bar 12 shown in Figure 11, when provided on the upper end 2us side of the vertical support shaft 2s, functions as a height-direction position detection unit 4 that detects the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C. With this configuration, two positions can be detected, and because it can contact the upper end on both sides, it can follow the movement of the dairy cow C, thus enabling more accurate and stable detection (indirect detection) of the upper end position Cu.

[0072] On the other hand, the lower part of the vertical support shaft portion 2s is provided with a teat cup support mechanism portion 7, to which one end 5s of the support arm portion 5 is rotatably positioned, and the other end 5t extending in the horizontal direction Fh is provided with a teat cup set portion 6 equipped with teat cups Tc.... In the third frame 67, one vertical frame member 67u, which is rotatably supported, functions as the substantial vertical support shaft portion 2s, so the other vertical frame member 67v functions as a shaft that abuts against the side of the dairy cow C. Note that 68s, 68s indicate reinforcing frame members.

[0073] Figure 11 shows the basic frame configuration, and various support mechanisms may be added as needed to assist with operation. For example, auxiliary mechanisms such as damper mechanisms with springs may be provided to mitigate impact on dairy cows C, or auxiliary mechanisms such as air cylinders operated by a switching mechanism may be provided to assist with operation, thereby further reducing the workload of the operator.

[0074] Therefore, as described above, an operating mechanism 8 is configured that allows the vertical support shaft 2s to move to a predetermined height in accordance with the detection result of the height direction position detection unit 4, and allows the teat cup set unit 6 to rotate to a predetermined angle, and can function as a manual operating means 16. By configuring the operating mechanism 8 in this way, which allows the vertical support shaft 2s to be raised and lowered by manual operation and the teat cup support unit 6 to be rotated by manual operation as a manual operating means 16, a power means is not required, which can contribute to further simplification of the configuration and reduction of costs, as well as energy reduction.

[0075] Figure 12 shows an example of a modification to the height direction position detection unit 4 in the teat cup setting device 1.

[0076] In this modification example, when constructing the detection horizontal bar 12, a hook-shaped portion 12tf is provided on a part of the other end 12t side, which is bent (or curved) along the extension from the upper end position Cu of the dairy cow C, as shown in Figure 12. With this configuration, in the example case, the displacement of the dairy cow C to the right (or to the left in the case of an adjacent dairy cow C) can be suppressed by the hook-shaped portion 12tf, so that accurate and stable detection can be performed within this suppression range.

[0077] Figure 13 shows another example of modification of the height direction position detection unit 4 in the teat cup setting device 1.

[0078] This modified example involves configuring the height-direction position detection unit 4 by providing a detection vertical bar 13, which extends downward over a predetermined length from the lower end 2ds of the vertical support shaft 2s, as shown in Figure 13. With this configuration, the target height can be detected without the height-direction position detection unit 4 directly contacting the dairy cow C, thus enabling accurate and stable detection without interference from the movement of the dairy cow C.

[0079] In particular, if the detection vertical bar 13 is used, as shown in Figure 13, the function of the upper shaft portion 2u as a substantial height-direction position detection unit 4 becomes unnecessary. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11, if a detection horizontal bar 12 having a pair of left and right contact portions 12tp, 12tp is provided at the upper end of the vertical support shaft 2s, these contact portions 12tp, 12tp can be given the function of gripping the upper end of the dairy cow C, thereby suppressing the lateral displacement of the dairy cow C. In this case, since it does not have the function of a height-direction position detection unit 4, it is also possible to configure it to be vertically displaceable relative to the detection horizontal bar 12, as shown by dashed lines in Figure 11, and to interpose a spring 12b between the detection horizontal bar 12 and the contact portions 12tp, 12tp to absorb the vertical displacement of the dairy cow C.

[0080] Therefore, according to the milking system M of this embodiment, the basic configuration includes a moving means Fm for moving the milking unit Ua... to a set milking position Pc located to the side of the dairy cow C to be milked, a support mechanism 3 supported by the milking unit Ua and supporting the vertical support part 2, a lateral position detection unit 9 provided on the vertical support part 2 for detecting the lateral position Cp or Cq of the dairy cow C, and a support arm part 5 with one end 5s provided at the lower part of the vertical support part 2 and the other end 5t being displaceable in the horizontal direction Fh. The teat cup setting device 1 includes a teat cup support mechanism 7 having a teat cup support mechanism 7 that supports the teat cup Tc... on the other end 5t of the support arm 5, and an operating mechanism 8 that displaces the other end 5t of the support arm 5 provided on the teat cup setting 6 in accordance with the detection result of the lateral position detection unit 9. Therefore, even after moving to the milking position Pc, the setting work up to just before attaching the teat cup Tc... to the teats Cb... of the dairy cow C can be performed easily and accurately. This shortens the time until milking can begin, improving work efficiency and productivity, and also contributes to a significant reduction in the labor of the worker, including the work of attaching the teat cup Tc.... Furthermore, since it eliminates the need to build a large-scale automated system, it contributes to significant cost reductions. Moreover, even if the position and height of the teats Cb... differ and become unstable due to the body shape and movement of each dairy cow C..., the teat cups Tc... can be set reliably and efficiently. Therefore, it can be provided as an optimal milking system that balances both cost reduction and labor reduction.

[0081] Although preferred embodiments, including modified examples, have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and the details of the configuration, shape, materials, quantity, numerical values, etc., can be arbitrarily changed, added, or deleted without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0082] For example, while the milking unit Ua... is exemplified as an automatically moving type, this does not exclude manually moving types. That is, the means of movement Fm can be automatic electric, manually electric, or manually operated. Also, while the milking unit Ua... shows two milking units Ua and Ub, it can be one unit or any number of two or more units. The vertical support shaft section 2s is shown as a connected structure in which the upper shaft section 2u and the lower shaft section 2d are connected in the axial direction Fs via the connecting support section 11, but it can be replaced with various structures that have a similar function, such as inserting the upper shaft section 2u inside the pipe-shaped lower shaft section 2d, or separating the lower shaft section 2d and the upper shaft section 2u laterally. The height direction position detection section 4 and the lateral direction position detection section 9 are exemplified as contact detection methods, but this does not exclude the case where a non-contact detection method is adopted, such as by attaching a reflective optical sensor to the tip of the detection horizontal bar 12 (13). [Industrial applicability]

[0083] The milking system according to the present invention can be used in various milking systems that perform milking by moving the milking unit to each stall in a mooring barn. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0084] 1: Teat cup setting device, 2: Vertical support part, 2s: Vertical support shaft part, 2u: Upper shaft part, 2d: Lower shaft part, 3: Support mechanism part, 4: Height direction position detection part, 5: Support arm part, 5s: One end of the support arm part, 5t: Other end of the support arm part, 6: Teat cup set part, 7: Teat cup support mechanism part, 8: Operating mechanism part, 9: Lateral direction position detection part, 11: Connecting support part, 12: Detection horizontal bar, 12s: One end of the detection horizontal bar, 12t: Other end of the detection horizontal bar, 12tp: 12tf: Hook-shaped part, 14: Holding function part, 15: Power drive means, 15f: Teat cup rotation drive unit, 16: Manual operation means, 100: Tethered barn, Cu: Upper end position, Cd: Lower end position, Fs: Axial direction, Fm: Movement means, Fh: Horizontal direction, M: Milking system, St…: Multiple stalls, R: Guide rail, Ua…: Milking unit, C: Dairy cow, Cp: Side position of dairy cow, Cq: Side position of dairy cow, Cm…: Teat, Tc…: Teat cup, Tco…: Receiving opening, Pc: Milking position

Claims

1. A milking system comprising at least one milking unit that is movable along guide rails installed for multiple stalls in a mooring barn, wherein the system is characterized by comprising: a moving means for moving the milking unit to a set milking position located to the side of the dairy cow to be milked; a support mechanism supported by the milking unit and supporting a vertical support; a lateral position detection unit provided on the vertical support to detect the lateral position of the dairy cow; a teat cup support mechanism having one end provided at the lower part of the vertical support and the other end being a support arm that is displaceable in the horizontal direction, and a teat cup setting unit that supports a teat cup on the other end of the support arm; and an operating mechanism that displaces the other end of the support arm provided on the teat cup setting unit in response to the detection result of the lateral position detection unit.

2. The milking system according to claim 1, characterized in that the vertical support portion is composed of a vertical support shaft portion that contacts the side surface of the dairy cow and is capable of detecting the side surface position.

3. The milking system according to claim 1, characterized in that the teat cup set section comprises a holding function section capable of holding four teat cups, each having an opening for receiving the teat facing upward.

4. The milking system according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating mechanism is configured by a power driving means including at least a teat cup rotation drive unit that can rotate the teat cup set unit.

5. The milking system according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating mechanism includes a manual operating means that allows at least the teat cup set section to be rotated by manual operation.

6. The milking system according to claim 2, characterized in that the vertical support shaft portion is supported so as to be able to move up and down by the support mechanism portion and is provided on the upper end or lower end side with a height direction position detection unit for detecting the upper end position or lower end position of the dairy cow.

7. The milking system according to claim 2, characterized in that the vertical support shaft portion is configured as a connecting structure in which an upper shaft portion and a lower shaft portion are connected in the axial direction via a connecting support portion, and the upper shaft portion and the lower shaft portion are configured such that relative displacement in the vertical direction is restricted and relative displacement in the rotational direction is permitted.

8. The milking system according to claim 6, characterized in that the height-direction position detection unit has one end provided on the upper part of the vertical support shaft and the other end extends horizontally to provide a detection horizontal bar of a predetermined length that can contact the upper end position of the dairy cow.

9. The milking system according to claim 8, characterized in that the detection horizontal bar has a pair of left and right contact portions on the other end that contact the upper end position of the dairy cow.

10. The milking system according to claim 8, characterized in that the detection horizontal bar has a hook-shaped portion on a part of its other end that is curved or bent along the direction extending from the upper end position of the dairy cow.

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