Device for detecting parameters in the automatic milking operations of animals

Abstract

A device for detecting parameters in the automatic milking operations of animals, in particular but not critically of cattle, comprises a milk collection unit (10) consisting of two or four teat cups (12) and respective milk lines, connectable to a milk claw (14); said device is provided with a multifunction detector (18) positioned near the animal's udder, inside the milk claw (14) where the milk exits from each individual teat.

Description

[0001] “Device for detecting parameters in the automatic milking operations of animals.”

[0002] Description

[0003] The present invention relates to a device for detecting parameters in the automatic milking operations of animals, mainly but not only cattle.

[0004] More in particular, the present invention relates to a device for milking units, comprising a plurality of sensors adapted to take specific measurements during the extraction of milk from the udder of animals.

[0005] As is known, automated milking apparatuses comprise one or more suction heads, each of which is provided with two or four teat cups; such apparatuses are further provided with a milk collection manifold, a conveyance duct thereof and a tube connectable to an air suction pump. In this type of milking, alternating vacuum and air pressure is used to pump the milk and conduct it through food-grade rubber or silicone tubes to the collection container. Several measurements are taken during milking to verify that the procedure being carried out is correct, to reduce the risks of mammary infection in the animal and to enable good quality milk to be obtained; such measurements concern, for example, the temperature of the milk and its electrical conductivity, the elevation of which, compared to normal values, is a symptom of inflammation of the mammary gland. US 6,378,455 describes a device for analysing milked milk and its composition, comprising data processing means arranged in a housing in which detection sensors are installed. From WO 2015 / 187109, a device is known for detecting mastitis-like illnesses in animals during the milking process; said device comprises sensors positioned on the milk ducts to measure the electrical conductivity thereof.

[0006] The known devices for measuring the above-mentioned parameters, with particular reference to measuring the conductivity of milked milk, have a major drawback related to the fact that they comprise two simple electrodes per cell, wired with multicore cable for connection to external devices adapted to interpret the measurement, limited to conductivity. The measurement of other parameters on this basis would require the presence of further wiring and physical connections with the exterior of the claw, a solution which would entail considerable implementation / operational difficulties.

[0007] A further drawback of the known devices is the fact that the conductivity control of the milked milk is performed with a methodology which does not allow the separate measurement of milk coming from the individual teats of the animal; the same applies in relation to the measurement of the temperature of the milked milk. A further drawback of the known devices is that the sensors used to measure the various parameters do not guarantee total safety with regard to the risk of contamination coming from outside the milk, a risk which can also affect the measurements themselves due to contacts or connections which may come from the outside. The object of the present invention is to resolve the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0008] More in particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a device for detecting parameters in the automatic milking operations of animals which allows to perform the detection / measurement of different parameters without requiring external connections or wiring.

[0009] A further object of the invention is to provide a device as defined above capable of allowing the separate measurement of both the conductivity and temperature of milk coming from the individual teats of the animal.

[0010] Last but not least, an object of the invention is to provide a device in which the sensors used for measuring the various parameters are completely isolated from the exterior, thus guaranteeing total safety as regards the risk of contamination coming from the outside.

[0011] A further object of the invention is to provide users with a device which allows to remotely identify the presence and identity of the animal being milked.

[0012] A further object of the invention is to provide users with a device capable of guaranteeing a high level of reliability over time, in addition such as to be economically made.

[0013] These and other objects are achieved by the device for detecting parameters in the automatic milking operations of animals in accordance with the main claim. The construction and functional features of the device of the present invention will be more clearly comprehensible from the description below in which reference is made to the appended drawings / diagrams which show a preferred and non-limiting embodiment and in which: figure 1 schematically depicts an exploded view of the device of the present invention; figure 2 schematically depicts an enlargement of figure 1; figure 3 depicts the functional block diagram of the device of the invention; figure 4 depicts the block diagram of operation of the basic program of the device of the invention.

[0014] With initial reference to figure 1, the device for detecting parameters in the automatic milking operations of animals of the present invention comprises a milk collection unit 10 comprising four teat cups 12 and respective milk lines, connectable to a milk claw, indicated overall with 14 in figure 1.

[0015] According to the invention, the device for detecting parameters in the automatic milking operations of animals is provided with a multifunction detector, indicated overall with 18 in figure 1 and illustrated in detail in figure 2, which is positioned near the udder, inside the milk claw 14 where the milk exits from each individual teat. The multifunction detector 18 (figure 2) comprises a mushroomshape body consisting of a cap 24 and a lid or base 26 which are then constrained to each other by means of hermetic seals with adhesives, lasers or other suitable means. The multifunction detector 18, connectable to a milk tube manifold 16 and to a vacuum distributor

[0016] 19 with a screw 21 and a gasket 23, integrates one or more sensors

[0017] 20 adapted to measure the level or absence of vacuum inside the milk claw 14; such a sensor is advantageously housed in the centre of the cap 24 and is protected by a thin membrane which prevents the contact thereof with milk. The manifold 16 is combined with a cup 25 from which the milked milk exits; the cup 25 is connectable to the manifold 16 by means of a ring nut 27 provided with a sealing gasket 29.

[0018] A miniaturised electronic board 22 accommodates two or more conductivity and temperature sensors, preferably four conductivity and temperature sensors 28, adapted to separately measure the conductivity of the milk milked from each teat and the relative temperature; the same board accommodates a Wi-Fi 30 and Bluetooth 32 device, or any other non-wired communication / data transmission method for the wireless communication of the measured values.

[0019] The values measured through the sensors 20 and 28 are in fact transmitted in real time with wireless technology, for immediate or subsequent processing, to a gateway or other external data processing and / or storage system (not illustrated). Based on the presence or absence of vacuum, the multifunction detector 18 can assume different working modes autonomously and determined on the basis of the management software of the various functions, commonly referred to as fi ' rmware' (figure 4).

[0020] One or more batteries 21' are installed on or near the miniaturised electronic board 22 for the autonomous power supply of the multifunction detector 18, the duration of which is sufficient for the entire production life thereof, hermetically sealed; alternatively, the batteries 21' can be recharged with wireless technology. The multifunction detector 18 communicates and transmits in real time the measurements taken by the sensors to the gateway or external processing system, which stores the values coming from the detector 18 itself and, on the basis of specific and predetermined algorithms and programmes, processes them, also cross-referencing them on a time scale; said external processing system also provides a series of information, warnings and indications, which are fundamental for the correct management of the milking parlour and the welfare of the animals being milked.

[0021] The multifunction detector 18, as mentioned, supports different operating modes, the fi ' irmware which governs it substantially being software; the operating modes it manages can be encoded both in number and in different types as desired. Furthermore, the operating parameters of the individual work modes are also governed by the 'firmware' and can therefore be changed / adjusted according to specific needs (e.g., the vacuum sampling frequency, which can be 1 Hz, but also higher or lower). The creation and definition of new and / or different work modes, as well as different work parameters, can be guided by characteristic or specific types of milking plants, the development of new functionalities, the development / improvement of the multifunction detector, and / or new hardware components assembled on board. The following is a basic example of operation as diagrammed in figure 4, which in this case is exemplary and not limiting, which supports five operating modes, namely Dormant, Milking Stand-by, Milking^ Washing Stand-by and Washing In Dormant mode, the sensor(s) 20 monitor(s) the presence of vacuum at intervals; if the vacuum is present, the multifunction detector 18 switches to Milking Stand-by mode, in which said sensor(s) 20 control the presence of vacuum at 1 Hz. If such a value is present for a preset time, the multifunction detector 18 switches to Milking mode, during which the vacuum level, temperature and conductivity of the milk are measured; the measured values are transmitted to the gateway. If the vacuum is lost, and until it is restored, the system intermpts the conductivity and temperature measurements, unless it returns to Milking Stand-by mode if the lack of vacuum extends beyond a set time. In Washing Stand-by mode, the system checks for the presence of a 1 Hz. vacuum, in which case it switches to Washing mode, in which the system continuously measures the 1 Hz. vacuum level, temperature and conductivity and transmits the measured values to the gateway; if the vacuum is lost, the system stops measuring conductivity and temperature. The multifunction detector 18 is further capable of uniquely identifying the animal present at the milking point, thanks to its collar, ear tag or other 'transponder' device which, using wireless technology (Bluetooth or other similar technology), transmits a unique animal identification code.

[0022] Given the above features, the multifunctional detector object of the present invention is suitable to be used in any milk claw and in any milking plant.

[0023] From the functional block diagram of figure 3, the operation of the multifunction detector of the present invention can easily be deduced, called 'Wireless Sensor', in which the control device, consisting of the miniaturised electronic board 22 (figure 2) in which the basic management program or firmware resides, is connectable to the Bluetooth device 32 and to the various sensors 20 and 28.

[0024] As can be detected from the above, the advantages of the invention are obvious.

[0025] The multifunction detector of the present invention allows to perform real-time measurement of several parameters without the need for wiring and physical connections to the outside world; the possibility of separately measuring the conductivity of the milked milk from each teat and its temperature is particularly advantageous. Furthermore, the hermetic sealing of the mushroom-shape body consisting of the cap 24 and the lid 26, which are constrained together by means of a hermetic seal, avoids the danger of altered measurements due to contact with the outside, as well as possible contamination of the milk.

[0026] Despite the invention having been described above with particular reference to one of its embodiments, given solely by way of non- limiting example, numerous modifications and variants will appear evident to a person skilled in the art in the light of the above description. The present invention therefore sets out to embrace all the modifications and variants which fall within the scope of protection of the following claims.

Claims

Claims1) A device for detecting parameters in the automatic milking operations of animals, in particular but not critically of cattle, comprising a milk collection unit (10) consisting of two or four teat cups (12) and respective milk lines, connectable to a milk claw (14), characterised in that it is provided with a multifunction detector (18) comprising a cap (24), positioned near or adjacent to the animal's udder, inside the milk claw (14) where the milk exits from each individual teat, integrating one or more sensors (20) for measuring the level or absence of vacuum inside the milk claw (14), wherein the sensor (20) for measuring the level or absence of vacuum inside the milk claw (14), is housed in the centre of the cap (24) and is protected by a thin membrane which prevents the contact thereof with milk, said multifunction detector (18) supports different operating modes defined by steps called - Dormant, Milking Stand-by, Milking, Washing Stand-by and Washing.2) The device according to claim 1, characterised in that the multifunction detector (18) consists of a mushroom-shape body comprising said cap (24) and a lid or base (26) constrained to each other by means of hermetic seals with adhesives, lasers or other suitable means, said multifunction detector (18) being connectable to a milk tube manifold (16) and to a vacuum distributor (19) with a screw (21) and a gasket (23)-3) The device according to claim 2, characterised in that the multifunction detector (18) is provided with a miniaturised electronic board (22), placed inside the cap (24), which accommodates two or more conductivity and temperature sensors (28) adapted to separately measure the conductivity of the milk milked from each teat of the animal and the relative temperature.4) The device according to claim 3, characterised in that a WiFi (30) and Bluetooth (32) device, or other possible real-time communication / data transmission systems and / or technologies with wireless technology to a gateway, are positioned on the miniaturised electronic board (22) for immediate or subsequent data processing.5) The device according to claim 4, characterised in that on or near said miniaturised electronic board (22), batteries (21’) are installed for the autonomous power supply of the multifunction detector (18), sufficient to power the device for its entire period of operation (lifetime), or alternatively until the batteries themselves are recharged by means of wireless technology.6) The device according to claim 2, characterised in that said manifold (16) is combined with a cup (25) from which the milked milk exits.7) The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the multifunction detector (18)interacts with an external processing system to transmit the measurements made by the sensors (20) and (28) in real time.8) The device according to claim 7, characterised in that the data transmissions are based on wireless technologies without any type of wiring and / or physical contact with the outside, ensuring total isolation from milk contamination and / or interference in the measurements.9) The device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it interacts directly with its Gateway, representing in itself an integrated system for the collection, storage, analysis and processing of totally stand-alone measurements, however without any preclusion to integrating with other third-party milking plant management systems.10) The device according to claim 1, characterised in that it performs continuous measurements of the state of the vacuum existing inside the milk claw (14) to allow a management of the single milking point near or adjacent to the animal where said device is positioned, and by extension of the entire milking plant.11) The device according to claim 3, characterised in that the miniaturised board (22) which communicates and interacts with the outside with wireless technologies, certainly identifies the animal which is being milked, uniquely matching the parameters detected during the milking of the specific milked animal.

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