# US 10,477,826 B2 · Milking box with robotic attacher > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,477,826 B2 - Document ID: US10477826B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/596,792 - Filed: 2017-05-16 - Published: 2017-08-31 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-28 - Assignees: Technologies Holdings Corp. - Applicants: Technologies Holdings Corp. - Inventors: Henk Hofman; Peter Willem van der Sluis; Ype Groensma - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10477826B2 ## CPC - A01J 5/003: Movable milking machines - A01J 5/007: Monitoring milking processes; Control or regulation of milking machines - A01J 5/013: On-site detection of mastitis in milk - A01J 5/017: Automatic attaching or detaching of clusters - A01J 5/0175: {Attaching of clusters} - A01J 5/06: Teat-cups with one chamber - A01J 7/00: Accessories for milking machines or devices - A01J 7/025: {Teat cup cleaning, e.g. by rinse jetters or nozzles} - A01J 7/04: for treatment of udders or teats, e.g. for cleaning - A01J 9/00: Milk receptacles - A01K 1/0023: {Sorting gates} - A01K 1/0029: {Crowding gates or barriers} - A01K 1/12: Milking stations - A01K 5/02: Automatic devices {(automatic identification devices for stock A01K11/006)} - A01K 11/006: {Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals (identification systems for access to feeding pens A01K1/0209; ear tags with electronic identification means A01K11/004)} - B25J 13/08: by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices - B25J 19/023: {including video camera means} - G06V 40/10: Human or animal bodies, e.g. vehicle occupants or pedestrians; Body parts, e.g. hands - H04N 13/204: using stereoscopic image cameras (stereoscopic photography G03B35/00) - A01J 5/01: Milkmeters; Milk flow sensing devices {(air or gas separators in combination with liquid meters G01F15/08)} - A01J 5/04: with pneumatic manipulation of teats - G05B 2219/45113: Animal handling, milking robot - G06T 1/0014: {Image feed-back for automatic industrial control, e.g. robot with camera (robots B25J19/023)} - G06T 7/70: Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) - Y10S 901/02: Arm motion controller - Y10S 901/47: Optical - A01J: MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A method includes positioning a robotic attacher under a dairy livestock located in a milking stall, wherein the robotic attacher comprises a nozzle. The method continues by rotating the robotic attacher such that the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the robotic attacher and performing a spraying operation using the nozzle. The method concludes by retracting the robotic attacher from under the dairy livestock. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: positioning a robotic attacher under a dairy livestock located in a milking stall, wherein the robotic attacher extends along a longitudinal axis and comprises a nozzle; rotating the robotic attacher about the longitudinal axis such that the nozzle moves to a position generally on the top of the robotic attacher; performing a spraying operation using the nozzle; and retracting the robotic attacher from under the dairy livestock. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the milking stall is a part of a milking box that comprises a front wall and a rear wall opposite the front wall, and the robotic attacher is positioned adjacent the rear wall such that it extends between the hind legs of the dairy livestock. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the milking box comprises a side wall between the front wall and a rear wall, the side wall comprising an entrance gate and an exit gate, and the method further comprising controlling the opening and closing of the entrance gate and the exit gate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the milking box comprises: a first side wall extending between a front wall and a rear wall, the first side wall comprising an entrance gate; and a second side wall extending between the front wall and the rear wall, the second side wall comprising an exit gate; the method further comprising controlling the opening and closing of the entrance gate and the exit gate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the milking box comprises: a first side wall extending between the front wall and the rear wall, the first side wall adjacent to a first sorting region and comprising a first exit gate; and a second side wall extending between the front wall and the rear wall, the second side wall adjacent to a second sorting region and comprising a second exit gate; and the method further comprising: identifying the dairy livestock within the milking stall; and opening at least one of the first exit gate and the second exit gate based at least in part upon the identity of the dairy livestock in order to direct the dairy livestock into either the first sorting region or the second sorting region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the milking box comprises an equipment portion located adjacent to the rear wall, and the robotic attacher is located in the equipment portion of the milking box. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising moving a feed bowl positioned proximate the front wall toward or away from the rear wall. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: identifying the dairy livestock within the milking stall; and moving the feed bowl toward the rear wall by a distance that is based at least in part upon the identity of the dairy livestock. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining whether to milk the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the identity of the dairy livestock; and dropping feed into the feed bowl if it is determined that the dairy livestock is to be milked. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic attacher is suspended into position in the milking box by a rail. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic attacher comprises: a main arm; a supplemental arm coupled to the main arm; and a gripping portion coupled to the supplemental arm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising tilting a wrist of the gripping portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising pivoting a wrist of the gripping portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the nozzle is positioned on the gripping portion of the robotic attacher. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the robotic attacher in at least one direction along the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the robotic attacher further comprises a vision system positioned on a first surface of the robotic attacher and wherein the nozzle is positioned on a second surface substantially opposite the first surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: retrieving a preparation cup using the robotic attacher; and attaching the preparation cup to a teat of the dairy livestock. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: retrieving a teat cup using the robotic attacher; and attaching the teat cup to a teat of the dairy livestock. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching multiple preparation cups to the dairy livestock simultaneously using the robotic attacher. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching multiple teat cups to the dairy livestock simultaneously using the robotic attacher.