FIELD OF ENGINEERING

The invention relates to a device for controlling the frequency of milking in automated and robotic milking machines, in particular for controlling the pulse frequency in milking, which will find application for improving processes in an automated and robotic cow milking.

PRIOR ART

A robotic milking arm and method for placing milking cups is known [1], comprising a robotic milking group (cluster) comprising a plurality of milking cups connected to a tank, a retractor for retrieving the milking cups so that they are positioned below the tank; a robotic arm that is not permanently attached to the milking group having a plurality of grippers provided to collect and hold the plurality of milking cups from the cluster while they are positioned below the tank, and actuators for moving the milking cups toward the animal; one or more guide arms for assisting in locating the milking cups as the milking cups approach the robotic gripper arm. The design of the robotic milking arm does not control the actual milking process but is designed to grip the milking cups and deliver them to the udder of the animal.

In addition, the additional guide arms of the Milking Robot Arm also do not control the milking process but serve to assist in positioning a group of milking cups. A Milking Robot [2] is known, housed in a milking box, comprising an arm consisting of two parts connected together and an actuator serving to position the milking cups on the udder of the animal. The arm of the robot is suspended above the animal, wherein one portion of the arm is connected to the milking apparatus and an actuator is mounted to the other portion of the arm, wherein the portion of the arm connected to the milking box is rotatable in a vertical plane relative to the milking box and the other portion of the arm connected to the actuator is rotatable in a vertical plane relative to the portion of the arm connected to the milking box. The end result is the mobility of the milking robot throughout the operating range, wherein an additional device is mounted to the milking robot to compensate for the weight of the milking robot. The design of the Milking Robot does not control the actual milking process but is only intended to control the actuator over the entire range of the milking box.

The additional spring device fitted to the Milking Robot also does not control the milking process, but only serves to compensate for the weight of the Milking Robot arm.

A portable cow milking manipulator is known [3], comprising a milking apparatus comprising milking cups with a sub-chamber and an intermediate chamber, and a four-section manifold, the sections of which are united at the bottom by a milking tank. In their upper parts the sections of the manifold are connected by a calibrated duct to constant pressure and by a two-pass electric valve and a calibrated duct to the atmosphere, each section having a control chamber in which the constant pressure chamber is separated by a diaphragm from the working pressure chamber situated in it, and the intermediate chambers are connected by a distribution chamber to a pulsator. The intensity of the milk leakage into the milk reception tank is determined by a magnetic float located therein.

The design of the portable milking manipulator does not serve to control the milking process, but through the magnetic float regulates the flow rate of the outflowing milk.

In addition, the additional calibrated channels and the two-way electric valve do not control the milking process but only serve to securely attach and easily detach the manipulator from the udder of the animal.

A vacuum milking apparatus with a pulse switch is known [4], consisting of a milk collection tank, milking cups, pulse switch, and thermostatic bellows. The vacuum milking machine ensures that the pulsator is switched off after milk has flowed from the udder if the pressure in the milk collection tank drops, thus avoiding so-called 'empty milking'.

The pulse switch of the Vacuum Milker serves only to switch the pulsator on and off according to the pressure in the milk collection tank, which depends on the amount of milk produced and does not control the actual milking process. In addition, the pulsator of the Vacuum Milker is set to one operating frequency and only switches off without being able to control the milking process.

TECHNICAL ESSENCE

The object of the invention is to provide a Device for controlling the frequency of milking in automated and robotic milking machines having a simplified design and easy control of the milking process, whereby the milking frequency (number of milking cup pulsations around the udder of the animal per unit time) can be controlled according to the heart rate of the milking animal.

The problem of the invention is solved by a device for controlling the frequency of milking in automated and robotic milking machines, comprising a carrying robotic arm (1) milking cups (2), a milking apparatus (3), a pulsator (4) and a sensor (5) with feedback.

At the end of the carrying robotic arm (1), milking cups (2) are mounted with a milking sock (2a) in each milking cup (2). A milking apparatus (3) is mounted to the carrying robotic arm (1) with a pulsator (4) connected thereto, transmitting the pulsations to the milking apparatus (3), and a regulator (6) with a feedback system having an input (7) for receiving the feedback signal of the sensor (5) is mounted at the input of the pulsator (4).

The sensor (5) senses the contraction-systole (8) and relaxation-diastole (9) periods of the myocardium of the animal and transmits the signal to the input (7) of the regulator (6) as feedback. The frequency of the milking pulsations is maintained by the pulsator (4), the frequency of which is determined by the regulator (6) depending on the signal provided by the sensor (5) as feedback to the input (7), so that, during the period of systole (8), the milking socks (2a) in the milking cups (2) are stretched, and during the diastole period (9) the milking socks (2a) in the milking cups (2) are deformed, which is accomplished by alternatively supplying and shutting off constant atmospheric pressure in the space between the milking socks (2a) and the walls of the milking cups (2).

An advantage of the invention is that the milking rate is varied or maintained via the regulator (6) of the pulsator (4).

Furthermore, it is an advantage that the variation of the milking rate depends on the variation of the contraction-systole (8) and relaxation-diastole (9) rates of the myocardium of the animal.

Also, the high accuracy of the regulation realized with the commercially available components - hardware and software for the regulator (6) and the sensor (5) is an advantage.

Another advantage is the possibility to set different control laws in the regulator (6) - Proportional, Integral, Differential, or a combination of them.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACHED FIGURES

The invention is better explained by the appended FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram of a Device for controlling the frequency of milking in automated and robotic milking machines.

EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT

The exemplary embodiment of the device for controlling the frequency of milking in automated and robotic milking machines includes a carrying robotic arm (1), milking cups (2), a milking apparatus (3), a pulsator (4), and a feedback sensor (5). At the end of the carrying robotic arm (1), milking cups (2) are mounted with a milking sock (2a) in each milking cup (2). A milking apparatus (3) is mounted to the carrying robotic arm (1) with a pulsator (4) connected thereto, transmitting the pulsations to the milking apparatus (3), and a regulator (6) with a feedback system having an input (7) for receiving the feedback signal of the sensor (5) is mounted at the input of the pulsator (4). The sensor (5) senses the contraction-systole (8) and relaxation-diastole (9) periods of the myocardium of the animal and transmits the signal to the input (7) of the regulator (6) as feedback. The frequency of the milking pulsations is maintained by the pulsator (4), the frequency of which is determined by the regulator (6) depending on the signal provided by the sensor (5) as feedback to the input (7), so that, during the period of systole (8), the milking socks (2a) in the milking cups (2) are stretched, and during the diastole period (9) the milking socks (2a) in the milking cups (2) are deformed, which is accomplished by alternatively supplying and stopping atmospheric pressure in the space between the milking socks (2a) and the walls of the milking cups (2).

USE OF THE INVENTION

The invention A device for controlling the frequency of milking in automated and robotic milking machines operates as follows:

A signal from the sensor (5) is fed to the controller (6) with an input feedback system (7). The controller (6), in accordance with the contraction-systole (8) and relaxation-diastole (9) periods of the animal's myocardium, sets time values of the milking pulses to the pulsator (4), which are transmitted from the pulsator (4) to the milking apparatus (3) and thence to the milking cups (2). Pressure lower than atmospheric pressure is always maintained on the inside of the milking cups (2a) - the 'milking vacuum' - by having the milking cups (2) with milking cups (2a) over the teat of the animal. During the period of systole (8), the atmospheric pressure to the milking cups (2) is stopped, whereby an equal pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure - milking vacuum - is produced on the inside and on the outside of each milking sock (2a) inserted in the milking cup

(2), whereby the milking sock (2a) is stretched and the milking vacuum sucks the milk from the teat of the animal and the milking stroke is performed. During the diastole period (9), a constant atmospheric pressure is applied to the space between the outside of the milking sock (2a) and the walls of the milking cups (2), whereby the milking sock (2a) is deformed inwards, and the massage stroke is performed. The alternation of the strokes is accomplished by alternatively applying and releasing atmospheric pressure in the space between the walls of the milking cups (2) and the outside of the milking socks (2a), with constant low-pressure-"milking vacuum" - on the inside of the milking socks (2a) in the milking cups (2). In each of the milking cups (2), the low-pressure zone (milking vacuum) is separated from the zone where the constant atmospheric pressure is supplied by a milking sock (2a).

LITERATURE:

[1]. Mark Hamish Seaton, Thomas Glover, Bryan Gordon Grimshaw, Matthew Iain McKenzie., ROBOT Milking Arm and a Method of Attaching Milking Cups., US Patent No US 9,402,364 B2, Aug. 2, 2016.

[2]. Dirk KraaijMichiel Brevet., Milking robot, US Patent No US 10,609,896 B2, Apr. 7 , 2020.

[3]. Uzhik Vladimir Fedorovich., Portable manipulator for milking cows., Patent No. RU 2649668 MPK A01J7/00, 10.03.2017.

[4]. V.M. Ulyanov, V.A. Khripin, S.E. Krygin, V.A. Parshina, N.V. Bubnov., Investigations of milking apparatus with pulse switch., Bulletin of Agrarian Science Don - Technologies, means of mechanization and power equipment, As 2 (46) 2019, UDC 637.11 : 636.034