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US 2003/0150397 A1Published application
Automated foot bath apparatus and method
OwnerRick Vander Veeninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated cleaning system, where dairy cows pass through a foot bath region. The foot bath is periodically changed by implementing an agitation phase where high velocity water jets agitate the waste material in the foot bath and causes these to be discharged, followed by a drain phase where the liquid flows out an outlet. Then, a flushing phase removes the further debris, with the foot bath then being refilled with water and chemical disinfecting liquid for a subsequent cycle where another group of cows would pass through the foot bath region.
Claims19
An automated foot bath system for animals consisting of cows or other animals, said system comprising:
- a) a foot bath structure having a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a floor, said foot bath structure defining a liquid containing region comprising a front containing area and a rear containing area, said foot bath structure being arranged to permit the animals to walk over the floor and through a foot bath liquid in the liquid containing region,
- b) a water inlet section arranged to supply water to said liquid containing region water, and to supply at least a portion of said water so as to be directed into said front water containing area and as high velocity jet flow to be able to cause a flow pattern in said liquid containing region of eddy current flow or turbulent flow, or a combination of eddy current flow and turbulent flow, with said high velocity jet flow being capable of moving waste material in said liquid containing region,
- c) a discharge section which is at the rear containing region and which has a closed configuration to contain liquid in said liquid containing region and an open configuration to discharge liquid from said liquid containing area,
- d) a chemical supply section to provide a quantity of a chemical component as an ingredient of a foot bath liquid for the liquid containing region,
- e) a control section arranged to
- i) cause said water inlet section to operate in a time frame to supply water to said water to liquid containing region to cause said high velocity jet flow pattern to move waste material in said liquid containing area and to provide water as a constituent for foot bath water in said liquid,
- ii) to cause said discharge section to selectively move between the closed and open configuration to contain liquid or permit an outflow of liquid in the liquid containing region, and
- iii) to cause said chemical supply section to provide said quantity of said chemical component for said foot bath liquid.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.