# US 2018/0020632 A1 · Space divider of a milking parlor arrangement, and milking parlor arrangement

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- Number: US 2018/0020632 A1
- Document ID: US20180020632A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/720,405
- Filed: 2017-09-29
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-14
- Assignees: GEA Farm Technologies GmbH
- Applicants: GEA Farm Technologies GmbH
- Inventors: Otto Krone; Derk Hensel; Thomas Mader; Rolf Teckentrup; Armin Hönscheid; Dieter Hille; Magnus Wiethoff; Marc Trossehl; Reinhard Balkenhol; Adip Matty
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180020632A1

## CPC

- A01J 5/041: {Milk claw}
- A01J 5/003: Movable milking machines
- A01J 5/007: Monitoring milking processes; Control or regulation of milking machines
- A01J 5/017: Automatic attaching or detaching of clusters
- A01J 5/0175: {Attaching of clusters}
- A01J 7/02: for cleaning or sanitising milking machines or devices
- A01J 7/025: {Teat cup cleaning, e.g. by rinse jetters or nozzles}
- A01K 1/12: Milking stations
- A01K 1/123: {Mobile milking parlours}
- A01K 1/126: {Carousels}
- A01J: MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS

## Abstract

A space divider of a milking parlor arrangement for at least one milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, wherein the space divider is arranged approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the animal to be milked, has an arm device having a milking cluster, which can be adjusted from a parking position to a working position and back. The arm device is arranged with the milking cluster in the parking position in the space divider and can be adjusted into the working position laterally to the animal to be milked between the front and rear legs thereof. The space divider may include a replaceable service unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A divider for a longitudinal side of a milking parlor milking stall for milking milk producing animals, the divider comprising:
an arm device for supporting a milking cluster, and the arm device is adjustable between a parked position arranged in the divider and an operating position between front and hind legs of the milk-producing animal; and
a service unit which is insertable and removeable.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, wherein the divider defines an accommodating space in which the service unit is disposed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The divider of claim 2, wherein the accommodating space is positioned in a hindquarter portion of the divider.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The divider of claim 2, wherein the accommodating space is closable by a cover.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, wherein the service unit contains service-specific parts.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, wherein the service unit contains milk-channeling parts.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The divider of claim 2, wherein the service unit is disposed within the accommodating space and is connected to an installation by a connecting device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The divider of claim 2, wherein the service unit has a carrying frame disposed in the accommodating space to support milk-channeling parts.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The divider of claim 2, and the service unit further comprises:
a central communication line connected between the service unit and a control unit that is arranged on an upper side of a central portion of the divider.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, wherein the arm device is further adjustable between an attachment position and the parked position and the operating position, and the attachment position is predetermined to support the milking cluster in a position for an automatic attachment of the milking cluster to teats of the milk-producing animal, and the divider further comprises:
a position sensor operatively associated with the arm device and directed to obtain teat position data of the milk-producing animal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, wherein the arm device operating position is a fixed preliminary position defined by a stop and to support the milking cluster in the fixed preliminary position.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, wherein the arm device comprises:
an upper arm; and
a lower arm coupled to the upper arm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:
a drive unit arranged at an above-animal position and operatively engaged with the arm device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:
an arm device drive unit arranged beneath a milking platform elevation and the arm device drive unit is operatively engaged with the arm device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:
an arm device drive unit releasably engagable with the arm device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The divider of claim 15, wherein the arm device drive unit is arranged beneath a milking platform elevation.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, and further comprising: an arm device drive unit including a servomotor operatively engaged with the arm device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:
an arm device drive unit including a direct drive operatively engaged with the arm device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:
an arm device the drive unit including a torque motor operatively engaged with the arm device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1 wherein, the arm device in the parked position is arranged in an opening defined by the divider.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The divider of claim 20, and further comprising:
a protective covering for the opening of the divider.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:
a milking cluster cleaning device joined to the divider.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, wherein the arm device includes a parallel milking cluster guide.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The divider of claim 23, wherein the parallel milking cluster guide includes a plurality of rods.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The divider of claim 23, wherein the arm device includes parallel-guide drive elements.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The divider of claim 25, wherein the parallel-guide drive elements include a traction device.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The divider of claim 26, wherein the traction device includes a belt.

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, wherein the arm device includes a device drive.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The divider of claim 28, wherein the traction device includes belts.

### Claim 30 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, wherein the divider and the arm device are preassembled into a modular unit.

### Claim 31 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, wherein the arm device is adjusted into the parked position in a scissors movement.

### Claim 32 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, further comprising:
a cladding joined to the divider, and the cladding includes two self-supporting half-shells.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The divider of claim 32, wherein the two self-supporting half-shells are hydro-formed from a stainless-steel sheet.

### Claim 34 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, and further comprising: at least one removable service unit.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The divider of claim 34, wherein the service unit includes service-specific functional groups and components.

### Claim 36 (depends on 34)

The divider of claim 34, wherein the service unit includes milk-channeling functional groups and components.

### Claim 37 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:
quick-acting connectors for connecting the divider to an infrastructure of a milking stall.

### Claim 38 (depends on 1)

The divider of claim 1, and further comprising:
transporting rollers.

### Claim 39

A milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, having at least one divider for a longitudinal side of a milking stall, the divider comprising:
an arm device for supporting a milking cluster and the arm device is adjustable between a parked position arranged in the divider and an operating position between front and hind legs of the milk-producing animal; and
a service unit which is insertable and removeable.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The milking parlor of claim 39, wherein the milking parlor is a rotary milking parlor.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The milking parlor of claim 40, wherein the rotary milking parlor is an external rotary milking parlor.

### Claim 42 (depends on 39)

The milking parlor of claim 39, wherein the milking parlor divider can be adjusted between the longitudinal direction of the milking stall, and an animal access position.

### Claim 43 (depends on 39)

The milking parlor of claim 39, wherein the divider is adjustable between a longitudinal direction milking position and an access position, wherein an end of the divider is oriented in the direction of a partitioning of a pit for milkers and is arranged in closer proximity to the pit partitioning in the milking position than in the access position.

### Claim 44 (depends on 43)

The milking parlor of claim 43, wherein the divider is adjustable with other dividers, between longitudinal direction and animal access positions.

### Claim 45 (depends on 42)

The milking parlor of claim 42, wherein the dividers in the access position at least partially define a sub-region of the associated milking stall, and at least partially define a full milking stall in the milking position.

### Claim 46 (depends on 42)

The milking parlor of claim 42, and further comprising:
a through passage-detection system joined to at least one divider.