Adaptive Milk Interval Control for Dairy Teat Cup Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automatic milking systems face challenges in determining individual milk intervals for dairy animals, leading to suboptimal milk yield and potential teat injuries due to inconsistent milking frequencies, which can result in mastitis and inefficient use of milking equipment.

Innovation Solution

A milk system that includes an animal identifier, milk flow meter, time measurement device, and database, connected to a control unit that analyzes milk flow data to determine the optimal time for subsequent milk permissions based on udder fill, allowing robotic arms to attach teat cups when the udder is full, thereby optimizing milk extraction sessions and reducing animal occupancy time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a fixed time interval is used for all animals, then the system is simple to operate, but milk yield is reduced and teat injuries may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesimplicity of milk interval settingVSAvoidmilk yield

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the milk interval for each animal based on real-time monitoring of udder fill status, milk flow rate, and individual animal characteristics. Instead of using a fixed time interval, the control unit continuously adapts the milking schedule to match each animal's physiological state, thereby maximizing milk yield while preventing teat injuries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback control by monitoring milk flow rate, udder fill level, and animal behavior during milking sessions. This data is fed back to the control unit, which uses it to optimize future milking intervals for each individual animal, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and milk production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If milking interval is extended, then teat injury risk is reduced, but milk yield decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveteat injury riskVSAvoidmilk yield

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of udder fill status and milk flow characteristics before initiating each milking session. By evaluating these parameters in advance, the system determines the optimal timing for milk extraction that prevents both teat injury (from overly frequent milking) and milk yield loss (from overly infrequent milking).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the temporal parameter of milking interval based on measured physiological parameters such as udder fill level, milk flow rate, and animal-specific characteristics. This dynamic parameter adjustment allows the system to prevent teat injuries while maintaining high milk yield by milking at the precise moment when the udder is optimally full.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If milking interval is shortened, then milk yield is maintained, but animal occupancy time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemilk yieldVSAvoidanimal occupancy time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces mechanical timing mechanisms with sensor-based detection of udder fill status and milk flow characteristics. This substitution allows for precise identification of the optimal milking moment, maintaining high milk yield while minimizing the time each animal occupies the milking equipment by extracting milk in a single efficient session.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Productivity

If individualized milk intervals are implemented, then milk yield is optimized, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemilk yieldVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables animals to effectively 'self-report' their milking needs through sensors that detect udder fill status, milk flow rate, and behavioral indicators. This self-service approach allows the system to automatically determine optimal individualized milking intervals without requiring complex manual intervention or oversight, thereby optimizing milk yield while managing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250017165A1Milk system for allowing attachment of teat cups

Publication Date: 2025.01.16 DELAVAL HLDG AB

AI summary

A milk system, including a milk extracting arrangement; an animal identifier device; a milk flow meter; a time measurement device; and a database storing milk flow data. The milk flow data includes milk flow rates of a milk session; and a measured time period between milk sessions; and a control unit, configured to: obtain the milk flow data from the database; determine a criterion of the milk flow rates at a moment of the milk session; set the time period of a milk interval; and allow the milk extracting arrangement to attach the teat cups to the animal when the set time period has passed.