Gripper, a milking robot and a milking arrangement
AssigneeDeLaval Holding AB
InventorThomas Axelsson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A milking arrangement in includes a milking robot with a gripper (10). The robot includes a base, a link arrangement attached to the base and rotatable around a base axis via a base joint. The gripper (10) has a proximal end and a distal end and is attached to the link arrangement at the proximal end. The gripper has an extension plane and a longitudinal center axis (x4) extending in the extension plane through the proximal end and the distal end. The longitudinal center axis divides the gripper in a primary side (10a) and a secondary side (10b). The gripper has a plurality of separate gripping recesses (11-14), each being configured to grip a respective teatcup. The gripping recesses are asymmetrically positioned with respect to the longitudinal center axis.
Claims20
A gripper (10) configured for a milking robot, the gripper comprising:
- a proximal end (10′) configured to be attached to the milking robot (5);
- a distal end (10″);
- an extension plane (p) extending through the proximal end and the distal end;
- a longitudinal center axis (x4) extending in the extension plane (p) through the proximal end and the distal end,
- the longitudinal center axis (x4) dividing the extension plane (p) into a primary side (10a) and a secondary side (10b) with a primary border line (21) on the primary side (10a) and a secondary border line (22) on the secondary side (10b);
- a body (30) connected to the proximal end, a longitudinal length of the body extending with the longitudinal center axis (x4);
- a plurality of separate gripping elements (31-34) mounted to the body, the gripping elements located one adjacent another along the length of body,
- wherein the gripping elements each have a respective separate gripping recess (11-14), each gripping recess configured to grip a different respective teatcup (3), each gripping recess having an opening to accept the respective teatcup, the openings of at least two adjacent gripping recesses facing the primary border line (21),
- wherein each gripping recess has a respective center line (15-18), each center line having a respective projection extending from the gripping element, through the opening, and intersecting the longitudinal center axis (x4), and
- wherein the gripping recesses are asymmetrically positioned with respect to the longitudinal center axis (x4).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.