公开(公告)号：US10172320B2

公开(公告)日：2019-01-08

申请号：US15274213

申请日：2016-09-23

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

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

IPC: A01J5/017 ,  A01J5/00 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J7/04 ,  A01K13/00

Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm positioned in an equipment area of a milking box that includes a stall portion housing a dairy livestock with four teats. The robotic arm retrieves a cup, and for a plurality of teats of the dairy livestock, the robotic arm attaches the cup to a teat, detaches the cup from the teat, and maintains the cup within the stall portion of the milking box from the time that the cup is attached to a first teat of the dairy livestock through the time that the cup is attached to a last teat of the dairy livestock. The cup is retracted into the equipment portion of the milking box after it is detached from the last teat of the dairy livestock.

公开(公告)号：US10051832B2

公开(公告)日：2018-08-21

申请号：US15282479

申请日：2016-09-30

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

Inventor： Mark A. Foresman ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis ,  Robert J. Godfrey

IPC: G06K9/00 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01J7/00 ,  G06T7/00 ,  B25J9/16

CPC classification number: A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/0175 ,  A01J7/00 ,  B25J9/1697 ,  G05B2219/45113 ,  G06T7/70 ,  G06T2207/10028

Abstract: A system includes a robotic arm, an imaging device coupled to the robotic arm, a tail positioner coupled to the robotic arm, and a processor. The imaging device captures imaging data of a rearview of a dairy livestock through a field of view of the imaging device. The tail positioner is able to move from a down position to an up position. The processor is coupled to both the imaging device and the tail positioner and is configured to identify a tail of the dairy livestock within the imaging data captured by the imaging device and send one or more instructions to raise the tail positioner from the down position to the up position, thereby moving the tail out of the field of view of the imaging device.

公开(公告)号：US09980460B2

公开(公告)日：2018-05-29

申请号：US15333836

申请日：2016-10-25

Applicant: Technologies Holdings Corp.

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

IPC: A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/017 ,  G06T1/00 ,  G06T7/73

CPC classification number: A01J5/0175 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  G06T1/0014 ,  G06T7/73

Abstract: A system comprises a robotic arm, camera, and a controller. The camera is positioned on a surface of the robotic arm and emits a laser signal at an upward, non-zero angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the robotic arm. The controller instructs the robotic arm to grip a milking cup, and determines a position of a teat of the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the non-zero angle of the laser signal emitted by the camera. The controller instructs the robotic arm to move the milking cup towards the determined position of the teat between the hind legs of the dairy livestock from the rear, release the milking cup in response to the milking cup being attached to the teat. move in an upward direction towards an udder of the dairy livestock in conjunction with the robotic arm releasing the milking cup, and to move away from the teat.

公开(公告)号：US09930861B2

公开(公告)日：2018-04-03

申请号：US15239992

申请日：2016-08-18

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

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

IPC: A01J5/00 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01K1/00 ,  A01J5/017 ,  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 ,  H04N13/02 ,  G06T7/70 ,  A01J5/01 ,  G06T1/00

CPC classification number: A01J5/00 ,  A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/01 ,  A01J5/013 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01J5/0175 ,  A01J5/04 ,  A01J5/06 ,  A01J7/00 ,  A01J7/025 ,  A01J7/04 ,  A01J9/00 ,  A01K1/0023 ,  A01K1/0029 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01K5/00 ,  A01K5/02 ,  A01K11/006 ,  B25J13/08 ,  B25J19/023 ,  G05B2219/45113 ,  G06K9/00362 ,  G06T1/0014 ,  G06T7/70 ,  H04N5/247 ,  H04N13/204 ,  Y10S901/02 ,  Y10S901/47

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 in order to direct the first dairy livestock into either the first sorting region or the second sorting region.

公开(公告)号：US20180084753A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-29

申请号：US15828553

申请日：2017-12-01

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

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

IPC: A01J7/04 ,  G05B19/042 ,  B25J9/00 ,  B25J9/16 ,  H04N7/18 ,  G06T7/13

Abstract: A system for operating a robotic arm, comprises a controller and a robotic arm. The controller accesses an image of the rear of dairy livestock located in a stall of a rotary milking platform and, in conjunction with the stall of the rotary milking platform in which a dairy livestock is located moving into an area adjacent a robotic arm, determines whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the image. The robotic arm is communicatively coupled to the controller and extends between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock. The robotic arm does not extend between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock.

公开(公告)号：US09894876B2

公开(公告)日：2018-02-20

申请号：US15614693

申请日：2017-06-06

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: A system for operating a robotic arm, comprises a camera, a controller and a robotic arm. The camera captures an image of a rear of a dairy livestock located in a stall of a rotary milking platform. The controller receives the image and in conjunction with the stall of the rotary milking platform in which a dairy livestock is located moving into an area adjacent a robotic arm, determines whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock based at least in part upon the image. The robotic arm is communicatively coupled to the controller and extends between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock. The robotic arm does not extend between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that the milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock.

公开(公告)号：US20170245454A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-31

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: A01J5/003 ,  A01J5/017 ,  A01J5/04 ,  A01J7/04 ,  A01J9/00 ,  H04N5/247 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01K5/02 ,  A01K11/00 ,  B25J13/08 ,  B25J19/02 ,  G06K9/00 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01K1/00

Abstract: A method comprises 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：US09737048B2

公开(公告)日：2017-08-22

申请号：US14963314

申请日：2015-12-09

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

Inventor： Henk Hofman ,  Cor de Ruijter ,  Menno Koekoek ,  Michael A. Mills ,  Peter Willem van der Sluis

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

CPC classification number: A01K1/12 ,  A01J5/00 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J5/0175

Abstract: A system includes includes a first milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a first dairy livestock and a second milking box stall of a size sufficient to accommodate a second dairy livestock. The first and second milking box stalls face opposite directions. An equipment portion is located between the first milking box stall and the second milking box stall. A robotic attacher is housed in the equipment portion and configured to service both stalls at different times.

公开(公告)号：US09737043B2

公开(公告)日：2017-08-22

申请号：US15177375

申请日：2016-06-09

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: A method for applying disinfectant to the teats of a dairy livestock, comprises moving a carriage along a track. The carriage carries a robotic arm and the track is adjacent to a stall of a rotary milking platform housing a dairy livestock. The robotic arm comprises a first member pivotally attached to the carriage, a second member pivotally attached to the first member, and a spray tool member pivotally attached to the second member. The method continues by extending the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock while the rotary milking platform rotates such that a spray tool of the spray tool member is located at a spray position from which the spray tool may discharge disinfectant to the teats of the dairy livestock.

公开(公告)号：US09737042B2

公开(公告)日：2017-08-22

申请号：US15257952

申请日：2016-09-07

Applicant: TECHNOLOGIES HOLDINGS CORP.

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

IPC: A01J5/017 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J7/00 ,  A01J7/02 ,  A01K13/00 ,  G05B15/02

CPC classification number: A01J5/0175 ,  A01J5/007 ,  A01J7/00 ,  A01J7/025 ,  A01K1/12 ,  A01K13/003 ,  G05B15/02 ,  G05B2219/2661 ,  G05B2219/45113 ,  Y10S901/02 ,  Y10S901/40 ,  Y10S901/47

Abstract: A robotic attacher retrieves a preparation cup from an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock and attaches and detaches the preparation cup to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching and detaching the preparation cup to the left front teat, the right front teat, the right rear teat, and the left rear teat.