Robot Milking Device With Adaptive Arm Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot milking devices face issues with teat soiling and increased tension on milking lines due to the robot arm's proximity to the teats, limiting the animal's freedom of movement and increasing the risk of teat cup detachment during unexpected movements.
Innovation Solution
The robot arm is configured to maintain a rest position during milking that is close to the teats to minimize tension and ensure freedom of movement, while adapting to a greater distance from the teats upon detection of a cup separation signal, particularly for front teats, using teat and animal position determination devices to dynamically adjust the arm's position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the robot arm is positioned close to the teat cups during milking, then the tension on milking lines and withdrawal elements is minimized and freedom of movement for the dairy animal is ensured, but the teats may come into contact with the robot arm or protective cover causing soiling and inflammation
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm dynamically adjusts its rest position based on the attachment status of teat cups. When all teat cups are attached, the arm maintains a rest position close to the teat cups to minimize tension and ensure freedom of movement. Upon detecting cup separation, the control device adapts the rest position to a greater distance from the teats, preventing contact and soiling while the animal moves unexpectedly.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device continuously monitors the attachment status of teat cups through cup separation signals. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect when a teat cup is no longer attached or will be detached, triggering an adaptive response by moving the robot arm to a safer rest position that prevents teat contact and potential soiling.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the robot arm is positioned at a greater distance from the teats, then teat soiling is reduced, but tension on milking lines and withdrawal elements increases and freedom of movement is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between two rest position configurations based on real-time monitoring of teat cup attachment status. During normal milking with all cups attached, the arm operates in close proximity to minimize tension. When cup separation is detected, the arm transitions to a distant rest position to prevent soiling, creating an adaptive system that resolves the contradiction contextually.
Solution Approach 2:
Upon detecting cup separation, the control device proactively moves the robot arm to a distant rest position before unexpected animal movements can cause teat contact. This preliminary action prevents the harmful effect of soiling while the system prepares for potential reattachment or milking termination.
3Reliability
If the robot arm remains close to the teat cups during milking, then quick response to cup separation is enabled, but the exposed teat is vulnerable to contact with the robot arm or protective cover during unexpected movements
Solution Approach 1:
The control device uses real-time feedback from cup separation signals to determine when to adjust the robot arm's rest position. This feedback mechanism enables reliable detection of attachment status changes while simultaneously triggering protective positioning actions that prevent teat contact and associated harmful effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary protective action by moving the robot arm to a distant rest position as soon as cup separation is detected, before unexpected animal movements can occur. This proactive response ensures both reliable monitoring and prevention of teat soiling through timely positional adjustment.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
A robot milking device (1) for fully automatic milking comprises milking means with a plurality of teat cups (10), a robot arm (2) for moving the teat cups (10) and connecting these to the teats (102), and provided with one teat cup (10) holder for each teat cup (10), for removably placing the teat cup (10) thereon in a rest state, a teat position determination device (6) for determining teat (102) positions, and a control device for the robot milking device (1) and for moving the robot arm (2) on the basis of the determined teat (102) positions. The control device is configured to move the robot arm (2) into a rest position during milking and to detect a cup separation signal which indicates that no teat cup (10) is attached to at least one front teat (102). The control device is furthermore configured to adapt the rest position as a function of the cup separation signal. This offers the possibility of moving the arm, with protruding parts such as the teat detection system, with respect to the nearest teat, in order to prevent that teat from touching the robot arm (2) and thereby becoming soiled. A corresponding method is also provided.