公开(公告)号：US10653101B2

公开(公告)日：2020-05-19

申请号：US15953258

申请日：2018-04-13

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Mark A. Foresman ,  Bradley J. Prevost ,  Marinus P. Van Aart

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  G06T7/136 ,  G06T7/73 ,  G06T7/33 ,  G06T7/11

Abstract: A system that includes a robotic arm, a laser, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to position the laser adjacent to a dairy livestock and to modify teat location information for one or more teats of the dairy livestock based on a robot position offset between the dairy livestock and the robotic arm. The processor is further configured to generate a teat position associated with an unknown teat based on a scan of the dairy livestock and to determine a position distances between the teat position and teats of the dairy livestock. The processor is further configured to identify a teat of the dairy livestock with the smallest position distance, to associate a teat identifier for the unknown teat with the identified teat, and to store the association in the memory.

公开(公告)号：US10602712B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-31

申请号：US14644784

申请日：2015-03-11

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

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

IPC: A01J7/00 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J5/00 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01J7/02

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a cup holder bracket and a cup holder. The cup holder bracket comprises a hinge that allows the cup holder bracket to pivot between a substantially horizontal position when closed to a substantially vertical position when opened. The cup holder is coupled to the cup holder bracket and comprises a rimmed structure configured to hold an attachment end of a cup when the cup holder bracket is closed.

公开(公告)号：US10595498B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-24

申请号：US15953185

申请日：2018-04-13

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Mark A. Foresman ,  Bradley J. Prevost

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  G06T1/00 ,  H04N13/204 ,  G06T7/136 ,  G06T7/11 ,  G06T7/73

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：US10588289B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-17

申请号：US15016661

申请日：2016-02-05

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Robert J. Godfrey ,  Eugene P. Frakes

IPC: A01K7/04 ,  A01J7/04 ,  A01K13/00

Abstract: A teat preparation liner comprising an inlet for fluid flow into the liner, an opening, a liner cavity and a spray ring. The liner cavity is positioned adjacent to the opening inside the liner and surrounds a portion of the liner. The spray ring has a hollow interior and a plurality of apertures. The spray ring is coupled to the inlet so that fluid flows from the inlet into the hollow interior of the spray ring and out of the spray ring through the plurality of apertures. The spray ring is positioned inside the liner cavity so that the plurality of apertures face the inside of the liner opening. The spray ring is operable to encircle a dairy animal teat that is positioned inside the liner via the liner opening to simultaneously direct fluid flow from the inlet onto multiple portions of the teat via the apertures.

公开(公告)号：US10558855B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-11

申请号：US15947583

申请日：2018-04-06

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Mark A. Foresman ,  Richard B. Voigt

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  A01J5/017 ,  H04N13/271 ,  G06K9/62

Abstract: A vision system that includes a robotic arm and a three-dimensional (3D) camera operably coupled to a processor. The processor is configured to position the robotic arm adjacent to the dairy livestock and acquire a 3D image using the 3D camera. The processor is further configured to identify a set of teat candidates within the 3D image and to filter the set of teat candidates based on one or more filtering rules. The processor is further configured to determine an aggregate teat candidate score for the consolidated set of teat candidates, compare the aggregate teat candidate score to a score threshold value, and update teat location information for the dairy livestock in response to determining the aggregate teat candidate score is greater than or equal to the score threshold value.

公开(公告)号：US10512243B2

公开(公告)日：2019-12-24

申请号：US15831616

申请日：2017-12-05

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Ejvind D. Hansen ,  Joergen Frederiksen

IPC: A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017

Abstract: A system includes a cylinder and a piston that moves within the cylinder from a retracted position to an extended position. A vacuum port facilitates application of a vacuum pressure to the cylinder that results in a vacuum force being applied to the piston, which causes the piston to move toward a top end of the cylinder to the retracted position. A spring member applies a spring force to the piston when the piston is in the retracted position. The spring force offsets at least a portion of the vacuum force. A sensor generates a displacement signal in response to detecting movement of the piston from the retracted position toward the extended position. A control unit receives the displacement signal generated by the sensor and generates a valve control signal to be communicated to a valve located on a vacuum line connecting a vacuum source to the vacuum port.

公开(公告)号：US10477828B2

公开(公告)日：2019-11-19

申请号：US15637247

申请日：2017-06-29

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 ,  G05B19/042

Abstract: A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock comprises moving a robotic arm along a track in relation to a rotary milking platform housing a dairy livestock and independent of any physical coupling between the robotic arm and the rotary milking platform. The rotary milking platform has a substantially circular perimeter. The track is positioned outside the perimeter of the rotary milking platform. At least a portion of the track is straight and offset in relation to the rotary milking platform. The robotic arm comprises an arm member operable to pivot about an axis that is parallel to the track, and a spray tool attached to one end of the arm member. The method further comprises extending the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock while the rotary milking platform rotates such that the spray tool is located at a spray position from which it may discharge disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.

公开(公告)号：US10477826B2

公开(公告)日：2019-11-19

申请号：US15596792

申请日：2017-05-16

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

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

IPC: A01J5/00 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01K1/00 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J7/04 ,  A01J5/007 ,  B25J13/08 ,  B25J19/02 ,  A01J9/00 ,  A01J7/02 ,  A01K5/02 ,  A01J5/06 ,  A01J5/013 ,  A01K11/00 ,  G06K9/00 ,  G06T7/70 ,  A01J5/01 ,  G06T1/00 ,  A01J5/04

Abstract: A method includes positioning a robotic attacher under a dairy livestock located in a milking stall, wherein the robotic attacher comprises a nozzle. The method continues by rotating the robotic attacher such that the nozzle is positioned generally on the top of the robotic attacher and performing a spraying operation using the nozzle. The method concludes by retracting the robotic attacher from under the dairy livestock.

公开(公告)号：US10362760B2

公开(公告)日：2019-07-30

申请号：US16150467

申请日：2018-10-03

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Henk Hofman

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

Abstract: A milking robot includes a movable arm having a first end that couples to a frame and a free extremity at a second end that extends telescopically in a longitudinal direction. The milking robot further includes at least one gripper coupled to the free extremity of the movable arm at the second end, wherein the gripper is extendable away from the movable arm in the longitudinal direction based at least in part upon the telescopic extension of the free extremity.

公开(公告)号：US10362759B2

公开(公告)日：2019-07-30

申请号：US15895473

申请日：2018-02-13

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

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

IPC: A01J5/00 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01K1/00 ,  H04N13/204 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J7/04 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J7/00 ,  B25J13/08 ,  B25J19/02 ,  A01J9/00 ,  A01J7/02 ,  A01K5/02 ,  H04N5/247 ,  A01J5/06 ,  A01J5/013 ,  A01K5/00 ,  A01K11/00 ,  G06K9/00 ,  G06T7/70 ,  A01J5/01 ,  G06T1/00 ,  A01J5/04

Abstract: A system comprises a milking box, a robotic attacher, a sensor, and a controller. The milking box has a stall to accommodate a dairy livestock. The stall comprises a first exit gate on a first side of the stall leading to a first sorting region and a second exit gate on a second side of the stall leading to a second sorting region. The robotic attacher extends from the rear between the hind legs of the dairy livestock. The sensor identifies the dairy livestock within the milking box stall. The controller selects and opens the first exit gate or the second exit gate based at least in part upon the identity of the dairy livestock.