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US 6,647,919 B2Granted
Device for determining the position of a teat of an animal
AssigneeLely Enterprises AG
InventorHèlèna geralda Maria Vijverberg
Life of this patent
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AssigneeLely Enterprises AG
InventorHèlèna geralda Maria Vijverberg
Estimating the term…
A device for determining the spatial position of an animal's teat having a first transmitter element for emitting a first ray or beam of rays in a first sub-area of a space which includes the presence of the teat, and a second transmitter element differing from the first transmitter element for emitting a second ray or beam of rays in a second sub-area in such space, the first sub-area and the second sub-area overlapping by a few degrees where the join. A first receiver element receives a reflection of the first ray or beam of rays and a second receiver element differing from the first receiver element receives a reflection of a second ray or beam of rays. A mirror having reflections or both of the rays or beams of rays from the transmitter elements. At least three of the reflective sides of the mirror have different angles relative to the axis of rotation so that the teat is essentially simultaneously detected at different levels, the location of the teat in general and its disposition at the different levels being determined by triangulation.
A device for determining the spatial position of an animal's teat, said device comprising a first transmitter element for emitting a first ray or beam of rays in a first sub-area of a space, a second transmitter element differing from said first transmitter element for emitting a second ray or beam of rays in a second sub-area of said space, said space consisting essentially of said first sub-area and said second sub-area, a first receiver element arranged to receive a reflection of said first ray or beam of rays, a second receiver element differing from said first receiver element arranged to receive a reflection of said second ray or beam of rays, a mirror rotatable about an axis of rotation for directing said ray or beam of rays emanating from each said transmitter element or their reflections or both to a relevant said receiver element, said mirror being provided with biasing means for vertically biasing the direction of said ray of beams or rays or the reflections thereof as received by a said relevant receiver element whereby such relevant receiver element receives information as to the essentially simultaneous positions of two vertically spaced apart locations of said teat.
A device for determining the position of an animal's teat relative to the device which comprises a transmitter element for emitting a ray or beam of rays, at least one receiver element arranged to receive a ray or beam of rays reflected by said teat, at least one reflective surface which is rotatable about an axis of rotation for directing said ray or beam of rays emanating from said transmitter element to said teat or the reflections therefrom to said receiving element or both, an orientation changing means for changing the orientation of said reflective surface relative to said teat while said reflective surfaces are being rotated wherein essentially simultaneous positions of said teat are determined at two vertically spaced apart locations thereof.
A device for determining the position of an animal's teat relative to the device, said device comprising a transmitter element for emitting a ray or beam of rays wherein said teat is present, at least one receiver element arranged to receive a ray or beam of rays reflected by said teat, a mirror which is rotatable about an axis of rotation for directing said ray or beam of rays emanating from said transmitter element to said teat or reflections therefrom to said receiver element, said mirror comprising a polygon having at least two reflective surfaces, at least one of said reflective surfaces being at a different angle relative to said axis of rotation than another of said reflective surfaces.
A device for determining the position of an animal's teat relative to the device comprising a transmitter element for emitting a ray or beam of rays, at least one receiver element arranged to receive a ray or beam of rays reflected by said teat, at least one reflective surface which is rotatable about axis of rotation for reflecting said ray or beam of rays emanating from said transmitter element to a teat or reflections therefrom emanating from said teat to said receiver element, a housing, a window in said housing through which said ray or said beam of rays emanating from said transmitter element or reflected from said teat pass, heating means integrated into said window, said heating means being continuously activated independently of environmental conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.