公开(公告)号：US10292360B2

公开(公告)日：2019-05-21

申请号：US15138597

申请日：2016-04-26

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Rafael A. Fematt ,  Yuan Ma

IPC: A01J5/01 ,  A01J7/00 ,  G01F1/00 ,  G01F1/34 ,  G01F1/56 ,  G01F1/64 ,  A01J5/013 ,  G01F23/14 ,  G01F23/18 ,  G01F23/24

Abstract: A milk meter operably coupled to a controller, the milk meter comprising an inlet, an outlet, an inner column coupled to an opening of the outlet. The milk meter further comprises a conductivity sensor comprising a first conductive strip positioned at a first portion of the milk meter and a second conductive strip positioned substantially parallel to the first conductive strip wherein the conductivity sensor measures a change in resistance between the first and second conductive strips as fluid collects inside the milk meter before the fluid exits the milk meter through the outlet opening. The controller is operable to receive data about the fluid from the conductivity sensor and calculate a total quantity of fluid flow through the milk meter over a period of time.

公开(公告)号：US10143178B2

公开(公告)日：2018-12-04

申请号：US15800234

申请日：2017-11-01

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Henk Hofman

IPC: A01J5/017 ,  A01J5/04 ,  A01K1/12

Abstract: A milking robot comprises a movable arm having a length in a longitudinal direction, and at least one gripper swivably mounted to the movable arm such that it moves between a first position parallel to the movable arm's longitudinal direction and a second position at which the gripper extends sideways in a horizontal plane away from the movable arm's longitudinal direction.

公开(公告)号：US10143177B2

公开(公告)日：2018-12-04

申请号：US15910461

申请日：2018-03-02

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Mark A. Foresman ,  Bradley J. Prevost

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G06K9/62 ,  G06K9/46 ,  G06T7/50 ,  G06T7/13 ,  G06T7/246 ,  G06T7/33

Abstract: A system that includes a laser configured to generate a profile signal of at least a portion of a dairy livestock and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the profile signal and detect one or more edge pair candidates in the profile signal, compare the complementary distance gradients of each of the one or more edge pair candidates to a minimum distance gradient length to be considered an edge pair, and identify an edge pair from among the one or more edge pair candidates as a teat candidate based on the comparison. The processor is further configured to determine position information for the teat candidate.

公开(公告)号：US20180228113A1

公开(公告)日：2018-08-16

申请号：US15953185

申请日：2018-04-13

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Mark A. Foresman ,  Bradley J. Prevost

IPC: A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  H04N13/204 ,  G06T1/00

CPC classification number: A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01J5/0175 ,  G06T1/0014 ,  G06T7/11 ,  G06T7/136 ,  G06T7/75 ,  G06T2207/10028 ,  H04N13/204

Abstract: A system that includes a robotic arm, a laser, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, and a processor. The processor is configured to send instructions to position the robotic arm adjacent to a dairy livestock, to send a signal that initiates scanning a portion of the dairy livestock, and to generate teat candidate position information based on the scan of the dairy livestock. The processor is further configured receive target teat information, identify a teat candidate within a teat location range of the target teat, and link the identified teat candidate with a teat identifier. The processor is further configured to send instructions to the robotic arm to move at least a portion of the robotic arm toward the target teat based on the teat candidate position information for the identified teat candidate that is linked with the teat identifier.

公开(公告)号：US20180206445A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-26

申请号：US15904676

申请日：2018-02-26

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Hendrik Hofman ,  Peter van der Sluis

IPC: A01J5/017 ,  B25J15/06

CPC classification number: A01J5/0175 ,  A01J7/04 ,  B25J11/0045 ,  B25J15/0052 ,  B25J15/0616 ,  F16B1/00 ,  F16B2001/0035 ,  Y10S901/40

Abstract: This invention is related to a double grab, its rinsing cup and milking machine provided therewith, and the method for automatically applying teat cups to the teats of an udder of an animal to be milked. The double grab, according to the invention, includes: —a first housing part provided with a first magnet designed to hold a first teat cup; —a second housing part, installed substantially in a horizontal plane next to the first housing part, provided with a second magnet designed to hold a second teat cup whereby each housing part is provided with separate pivoting means that can be activated and is designed to make the related housing part pivot around a pivoting axis which in use, extends substantially in a horizontal direction, substantially in a widthwise direction of the arm.

公开(公告)号：US09980459B2

公开(公告)日：2018-05-29

申请号：US15289446

申请日：2016-10-10

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Cor de Ruijter ,  Menno Koekoek ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis

IPC: A01J5/017 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01K1/12 ,  B25J9/10 ,  B25J9/04

CPC classification number: A01J5/0175 ,  A01K1/12 ,  B25J9/04 ,  B25J9/045 ,  B25J9/104 ,  Y10S901/14 ,  Y10S901/19 ,  Y10S901/21 ,  Y10S901/29 ,  Y10S901/31

Abstract: A robotic attacher includes a main arm that is suspended vertically from a rail, and a supplemental arm that is coupled to and extends horizontally from the main arm along a longitudinal axis. The supplemental arm includes a pivot assembly that pivots a gripping portion around a vertical axis that is substantially parallel to the main arm of the robotic attacher, in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the supplemental arm, and between at least a maximum-left position, a maximum-right position, and a centered position. The pivot assembly includes a first actuator that extends and retracts a first cable coupled to a left side of the gripping portion in order to pivot the gripping portion. The pivot assembly further includes a second actuator that extends and retracts a second cable coupled to a right side of the gripping portion in order to pivot the gripping portion.

公开(公告)号：US09930862B2

公开(公告)日：2018-04-03

申请号：US15332029

申请日：2016-10-24

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Ype Groensma

IPC: A01J7/00 ,  A01J5/013 ,  A01J3/00 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/01 ,  A01J5/04

CPC classification number: A01J7/005 ,  A01J3/00 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/01 ,  A01J5/013 ,  A01J5/0133 ,  A01J5/0135 ,  A01J5/0138 ,  A01J5/04

Abstract: A method comprises receiving a flow of milk at an inlet of a manifold. The inlet comprises a first end coupled to a hose that receives a flow of milk from a teat cup and a second end terminating in a chamber of the manifold. The manifold comprises one or more other inlets and a plurality of outlets. The plurality of outlets includes one or more milk collector outlets and one or more drain outlets. The method proceeds by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding milk collector outlet by causing a shut-off valve corresponding to the inlet to open, and by causing a drain valve corresponding to the inlet to close. The method concludes by causing the flow of milk to be directed to a corresponding drain outlet by causing the drain valve corresponding to the inlet to open.

公开(公告)号：US20180053302A1

公开(公告)日：2018-02-22

申请号：US15239425

申请日：2016-08-17

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Mark A. Foresman ,  Bradley J. Prevost

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  A01J7/00 ,  A01K29/00 ,  H04N13/02 ,  G06T1/00

CPC classification number: G06T7/11 ,  A01J7/00 ,  A01K29/00 ,  G06T1/0014 ,  G06T7/0042 ,  G06T7/0081 ,  G06T7/0083 ,  G06T7/13 ,  G06T7/194 ,  G06T7/33 ,  G06T7/50 ,  G06T7/75 ,  G06T2200/04 ,  G06T2207/10012 ,  G06T2207/10028 ,  G06T2207/20136 ,  H04N13/204

Abstract: A system that includes a three-dimensional (3D) camera configured to capture a 3D image of a rearview of a dairy livestock in a stall, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain the 3D image, identify one or more regions within the 3D image comprising depth values greater than a depth value threshold, and apply the thigh gap detection rule set to the one or more regions to identify a thigh gap region. The processor is further configured to demarcate an access region within the thigh gap region and demarcate a tail detection region. The processor is further configured to partition the 3D image within the tail detection region to generate a plurality of image depth planes, examine each of the plurality of image depth planes, and determine position information for the tail of the dairy livestock in response to identifying the tail of the dairy livestock.

公开(公告)号：US09894875B2

公开(公告)日：2018-02-20

申请号：US14728033

申请日：2015-06-02

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Henk Hofman

IPC: A01J5/017 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J5/04

CPC classification number: A01J5/017 ,  A01J5/0175 ,  A01J5/041 ,  A01K1/126

Abstract: A milking robot comprises a frame that is movable along a guide track that is positioned adjacent to a rotary platform such that the frame can move in conjunction with the movement of the rotary platform. The milking robot further comprises a moveable arm having a first end that couples to the frame and a second end that extends in a longitudinal direction, and at least one gripper coupled to the movable arm at the second end. The gripper is extendable in the longitudinal direction of the movable arm.

公开(公告)号：US09888664B2

公开(公告)日：2018-02-13

申请号：US15397939

申请日：2017-01-04

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Ype Groensma

IPC: A01J7/04 ,  A01K13/00 ,  B25J9/16 ,  A01K29/00 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01K1/12 ,  G06T1/00 ,  G06T7/73 ,  A01J7/00 ,  B25J11/00 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G06T7/13 ,  B25J9/00 ,  H04N7/18

CPC classification number: A01J7/04 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/0175 ,  A01J7/00 ,  A01K1/126 ,  A01K13/001 ,  A01K29/00 ,  B25J9/0027 ,  B25J9/0093 ,  B25J9/0096 ,  B25J9/1679 ,  B25J9/1684 ,  B25J9/1697 ,  B25J11/0045 ,  G05B19/042 ,  G05B2219/2661 ,  G05B2219/45113 ,  G06T1/0014 ,  G06T7/0004 ,  G06T7/13 ,  G06T7/73 ,  G06T7/74 ,  G06T2200/04 ,  G06T2207/10004 ,  G06T2207/10021 ,  G06T2207/10028 ,  H04N7/183 ,  Y10S901/02 ,  Y10S901/06 ,  Y10S901/07 ,  Y10S901/09 ,  Y10S901/41 ,  Y10S901/43 ,  Y10S901/47

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock includes a carriage mounted on a track, the carriage operable to translate laterally along the track. The system further includes a robotic arm including a first member pivotally attached to the carriage such that the first member may rotate about a point of attachment to the carriage, a second member pivotally attached to the first member such that the second member may rotate about a point of attachment to the first member, and a spray tool member pivotally attached to the second member such that the spray tool member may rotate about a point of attachment to the second member. The robotic arm further includes a spray tool attached to the spray tool member. The system further includes a controller operable to cause at least a portion of the robotic arm to extend between the hind legs of a dairy livestock such that the spray tool is located at a spray position from which the spray tool may discharge an amount of disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.