Unmanned vehicle adapted to be used in a stable, such as a cowshed

Abstract

An unmanned vehicle for cleaning and disinfecting the floor in a stable such as is used for dairy cattle. The vehicle is provided with a manure displacement device which has an extensible member capable of being moved to locations in the stable remote from the vehicle. The manure displacement device comprises a manure slide and is provided with a pressure setting mechanism to govern the force with which the manure displacement device is active on the stable floor. The manure displacement device may be extendible by a telescopic carrier or an articulated arm which is hingedly mounted to a housing of the vehicle. The vehicle also carries sensors to determine the presence and recent departure of animals in cubicles on the stable floor and for detecting undesired substances including manure on the stable floor.

1 . An unmanned vehicle ( 1 ) which is adapted to be used in a stable, such as a cowshed, characterized in that the unmanned vehicle ( 1 ) is provided with a manure displacing device ( 2 ) which is disposed at a distance from the vehicle and/or is capable of being moved to a place at a distance from the vehicle.  
     
     
         2 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the manure displacing device ( 2 ) comprises a telescopic carrier ( 11 ) and/or a hingeable arm construction ( 21 ).  
     
     
         3 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that the manure displacing device ( 2 ) comprises a manure slide ( 7 ) which is preferably made of rubber or synthetic material.  
     
     
         4 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , characterized in that the manure displacing device comprises motor-drivable manure displacing members and/or a spraying unit and/or a compressed air unit.  
     
     
         5 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in  claim 4 , characterized in that the manure displacing members are constituted by brushes.  
     
     
         6 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manure displacing device ( 2 ) comprises pressure setting means ( 12 ) for setting the force with which the manure displacing device ( 2 ) is active on a floor.  
     
     
         7 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in  claim 6 , characterized in that the pressure setting means ( 12 ) comprise a control cylinder ( 13 ).  
     
     
         8 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manure displacing device ( 2 ) forms part of a wall of the unmanned vehicle ( 1 ).  
     
     
         9 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the unmanned vehicle ( 1 ) comprises detection means ( 18 ) for determining whether and/or where manure and/or other dirt are/is present on the stable floor.  
     
     
         10 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in  claim 9 , characterized in that the detection means ( 18 ) comprise a camera, such as e.g. an infrared camera.  
     
     
         11 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in  claim 9  or  10 , characterized in that the detection means comprise a humidity meter for determining the electric conductivity on a floor part in the stable.  
     
     
         12 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the unmanned vehicle ( 1 ) comprises a second manure displacing device ( 6 ) which is disposed below the vehicle.  
     
     
         13 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second manure displacing device ( 6 ) constitutes a support for the vehicle.  
     
     
         14 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the unmanned vehicle ( 1 ) comprises cleaning and/or disinfecting means ( 16 ).  
     
     
         15 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in  claim 14 , characterized in that the cleaning and/or disinfecting means ( 16 ) comprise a spraying unit ( 17 ).  
     
     
         16 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in  claim 14  or  15 , characterized in that the cleaning and/or disinfecting means ( 16 ) are disposed on the manure displacing device ( 2 ).  
     
     
         17 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the unmanned vehicle ( 1 ) comprises signalling means ( 19 ) which are adapted to keep the animals at a distance from the unmanned vehicle.  
     
     
         18 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in  claim 17 , characterized in that the signalling means ( 19 ) emit optic and/or acoustical signals.  
     
     
         19 . An unmanned vehicle as claimed in  claim 17  or  18 , characterized in that the signalling means ( 19 ) comprise an electric shock device.  
     
     
         20 . A method of displacing manure over a stable floor by means of an unmanned vehicle provided with a manure displacing device as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  19 , whereby the unmanned vehicle and/or the stable are/is provided with detection means for determining whether an animal has visited a cubicle after the relevant cubicle has been cleaned by means of the manure displacing device, while the detection means emit a control signal to the unmanned vehicle when said animal has left the cubicle, on the basis of which control signal the unmanned vehicle cleans the relevant cubicle with the aid of the manure displacing means.