Control System for Robotic Milking Systems

A system for controlling the operation of a pre-scheduled wash/milk procedure for a robotic milking system having at least one robotic milker, a milk receiving vessel, a bulk tank, a buffer tank, a source of filtered air, automated milkers and sources of water, a detergent and a sanitizer, comprising:

• a sensor associated with each of said milk receiving vessel, said buffer tank, said bulk tank and said at least one robotic milker, each said sensor being operable to output selectively a low signal and a high signal;
• a microprocessor operatively connecting said robotic milking system, including said sensors, said microprocessor receiving said low and high signals from said sensors;
• a milk delivery line interconnecting said milk receiving vessel, said buffer tank and said bulk tank;
• at least two valves associated with said milk delivery line, each valve being selectively positionable to divert fluid passing through said milk delivery line to a drain;
• a filtered air line interconnecting said source of filtered air and said milk delivery line;
• said microprocessor being operable to delay the start of the pre-scheduled wash procedure until said at least one robotic milker is functionally between milking operation, said sensor for said robotic milker switching to a low signal when said robotic milker is between milking operations, once the microprocessor has initiated the wash procedure, the at least one robotic milker is functionally operate until the microprocessor allows the sensor to output a high signal;
• and
• once the wash procedure has started, the source of filtered air sends an air purge into said milk delivery line, the at least two valves are then shifted to drain and water and detergent are passed through the milk delivery line and drained through said at least two valves, upon completion of the wash procedure, the microprocessor allows the sensor for the robotic milker to shift to a high output and to re-start milking procedures.

A system for operating a teat cleaning apparatus connected to a source of filtered air and associated with supplies of water, detergent and sanitizer through a spray nozzle, comprising:

• said teat cleaning apparatus including a pair of cantilevered counter-rotating roll brushes operably connected to a drive motor to power the rotation thereof, and an air knife operably connected to said source of filtered air and being oriented to direct an air flow across a top surface of said roll brushes;
• said teat cleaning apparatus being washed at a home position with water, detergent and sanitizer such that said counter-rotating roll brushes are wet;
• said teat cleaning apparatus being moved into an operative position in engagement with each of a cow's teats that is about to be milked, then passed downwardly along each teat to complete a cleaning pass;
• said teat cleaning apparatus being returned to said home position and cleaned;
• and
• then, said teat cleaning mechanism being re-engaged with said cow's teats to pass downwardly along each said teat to make a sanitizing pass by applying sanitizer to said teats with said air flow from said air knife drying the teat being sanitized by the counter-rotating roll brushes.