# US 10,477,828 B2 · Automated system for applying disinfectant to the teats of dairy livestock

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- Number: US 10,477,828 B2
- Document ID: US10477828B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/637,247
- Filed: 2017-06-29
- Published: 2017-10-19
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2010-08-31
- Assignees: Technologies Holdings Corp.
- Applicants: Technologies Holdings Corp.
- Inventors: Henk Hofman; Peter Willem van der Sluis; Ype Groensma
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10477828B2

## CPC

- A01J 7/04: for treatment of udders or teats, e.g. for cleaning
- A01J 5/003: Movable milking machines
- A01J 5/007: Monitoring milking processes; Control or regulation of milking machines
- A01J 5/0175: {Attaching of clusters}
- A01J 7/00: Accessories for milking machines or devices
- A01K 1/126: {Carousels}
- A01K 13/001: {Washing, cleaning, or drying devices (for veterinary purposes A61D7/00, A61D11/00)}
- A01K 29/00: Other apparatus for animal husbandry
- A01K 29/004: {for influencing biological activity}
- B25J 9/0027: {Means for extending the operation range}
- B25J 9/0093: {co-operating with conveyor means}
- B25J 9/0096: {co-operating with a working support, e.g. work-table}
- B25J 9/1679: {characterised by the tasks executed}
- B25J 9/1684: {Tracking a line or surface by means of sensors}
- B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems}
- B25J 11/0045: {Manipulators used in the food industry}
- G05B 19/042: using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence)
- G06T 1/0014: {Image feed-back for automatic industrial control, e.g. robot with camera (robots B25J19/023)}
- G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection}
- G06T 7/13: Edge detection
- G06T 7/73: using feature-based methods
- H04N 7/183: {for receiving images from a single remote source}
- G05B 2219/2661: Milking robot
- G05B 2219/45113: Animal handling, milking robot
- G06T 7/74: {involving reference images or patches}
- G06T 2200/04: involving 3D image data
- G06T 2207/10004: Still image; Photographic image
- G06T 2207/10021: Stereoscopic video; Stereoscopic image sequence
- G06T 2207/10028: Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
- Y10S 901/02: Arm motion controller
- Y10S 901/06: Communication with another machine
- Y10S 901/07: Conveyor
- Y10S 901/09: Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement
- Y10S 901/41: Tool
- Y10S 901/43: Spray painting or coating
- 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})
- 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
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock comprises moving a robotic arm along a track in relation to a rotary milking platform housing a dairy livestock and independent of any physical coupling between the robotic arm and the rotary milking platform. The rotary milking platform has a substantially circular perimeter. The track is positioned outside the perimeter of the rotary milking platform. At least a portion of the track is straight and offset in relation to the rotary milking platform. The robotic arm comprises an arm member operable to pivot about an axis that is parallel to the track, and a spray tool attached to one end of the arm member. The method further comprises extending the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock while the rotary milking platform rotates such that the spray tool is located at a spray position from which it may discharge disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock, comprising:
moving a robotic arm along a track in relation to a rotary milking platform housing a dairy livestock and independent of any physical coupling between the robotic arm and the rotary milking platform, wherein the rotary milking platform has a substantially circular perimeter, the track is positioned outside the perimeter of the rotary milking platform, at least a portion of the track is straight and offset in relation to the rotary milking platform, and the robotic arm comprises:
an arm member operable to pivot about an axis that is parallel to the track; and
a spray tool attached to one end of the arm member;
extending the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock while the rotary milking platform rotates such that the spray tool is located at a spray position from which it may discharge disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
pivoting the arm member about the axis; and
rotating the spray tool about a point of attachment to the arm member.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing a rotary encoder signal generated by a rotary encoder of the rotary milking platform, the rotary encoder signal based at least in part upon a rotational speed of the rotary milking platform.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein moving the robotic arm comprises moving the robotic arm along the track at a speed based at least in part upon the rotational speed of the rotary milking platform.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising applying disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock using the spray tool.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a milking cluster is attached to the teats of the dairy livestock prior to extending the robotic arm.

### Claim 7

A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock, comprising:
determining that a stall of a rotary milking platform having a substantially circular perimeter and housing a dairy livestock is located adjacent to a track that is positioned outside the perimeter of the rotary milking platform;
moving a robotic arm along the track in relation to the rotary milking platform and independent of any physical coupling between the carriage and the rotary milking platform; and
extending at least a portion of the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock while the rotary milking platform rotates.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising accessing a rotary encoder signal generated by a rotary encoder of the rotary milking platform, the rotary encoder signal based at least in part upon a rotational speed of the rotary milking platform.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein moving the robotic arm comprises moving the robotic arm along the track at a speed based at least in part upon the rotational speed of the rotary milking platform.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the robotic arm comprises:
an arm member operable to pivot about an axis that is parallel to the track; and
a spray tool attached to one end of the arm member.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
pivoting the arm member about the axis; and
rotating the spray tool about a point of attachment to the arm member.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the robotic arm extends between the hind legs of the dairy livestock such the spray tool is located at a spay position from which it may discharge an amount of disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising applying disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock using the spray tool.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising determining whether a milking cluster is attached to the teats of the dairy livestock prior to extending the robotic arm.

### Claim 15

A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock, comprising:
accessing a rotary encoder signal generated by a rotary encoder of a rotary milking platform having a substantially circular perimeter, the rotary encoder signal based at least in part upon a rotational speed of the rotary milking platform, wherein the rotary milking platform comprises a stall housing a dairy livestock;
determining that the stall of the rotary milking platform housing the dairy livestock is located adjacent to a track positioned outside the perimeter of the rotary milking platform;
moving a robotic arm along the track in relation to the rotary milking platform and independent of any physical coupling between the robotic arm and the rotary milking platform, wherein the robotic arm moves at a speed based at least in part upon the rotational speed of the rotary milking platform; and
extending the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the robotic arm comprises:
an arm member operable to pivot about an axis that is parallel to the track; and
a spray tool attached to one end of the arm member.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising:
pivoting the arm member about the axis; and
rotating the spray tool about a point of attachment to the arm member.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the robotic arm extends between the hind legs of the dairy livestock such that the spray tool is located at a spay position from which the spray tool may discharge an amount of disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising applying disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock using the spray tool.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising determining whether a milking cluster is attached to the teats of the dairy livestock prior to extending the robotic aim.