Automated System for Moving a Robotic Arm Along a Rotary Milking Platform

Abstract

A system for operating a robotic arm comprises a carriage, a controller communicatively coupled to the carriage and a robotic arm coupled to the carriage. The carriage is mounted on a track adjacent to a rotary milking platform having a stall for a dairy livestock. The carriage moves along the track in a direction corresponding to a direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform. The controller determines a rate for the carriage to move along the track based at least in part upon a speed of rotation of the rotary milking platform. The robotic arm extends between the legs of the dairy livestock.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for operating a robotic arm, comprising:
 a carriage mounted on a track positioned adjacent to a rotary milking platform having a stall for a dairy livestock, the carriage operable to move along the track in a direction corresponding to a direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform;   a controller communicatively coupled to the carriage and operable to determine a rate for the carriage to move along the track based at least in part upon a speed of rotation of the rotary milking platform; and   a robotic arm coupled to the carriage and operable to extend between the legs of the dairy livestock.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm is further operable to remain extended between the legs of the dairy livestock as the stall rotates adjacent to the robotic arm. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the robotic arm is further operable to retract from between the legs of the dairy livestock as the stall rotates adjacent to the robotic arm. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a spray tool coupled to the robotic arm and operable to discharge a substance to at least some of the teats of the dairy livestock when the robotic arm is extended between the legs of the dairy livestock. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the spray tool comprises:
 a linear member operable to rotate about a point of attachment;   a first spray nozzle coupled to the linear member proximate a first end of the linear member; and   a second spray nozzle coupled to the linear member proximate a second end of the linear member.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the rate for the carriage to move along the track in response to a signal indicating the speed of rotation of the rotary milking platform. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a rotary encoder attached to the rotary milking platform and operable to generate the signal. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the controller is operable to determine whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock; and   the robotic arm extends between the legs of the dairy livestock if the controller determines that a milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm is operable to extend between the hind legs of the dairy livestock. 
     
     
         10 . A method for operating a robotic arm, comprising:
 determining a speed of rotation of a rotary milking platform, the rotary milking platform having a stall for a dairy livestock;   determining a rate for a carriage to move along a track positioned adjacent to the rotary milking platform, the rate determined based at least in part upon the determined speed of rotation of the rotary milking parlor;   moving the carriage along the track at the determined rate.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising extending a robotic arm that is coupled to the carriage between the legs of the dairy livestock as the rotary milking platform rotates. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the robotic arm remains extended between the legs of the dairy livestock as the stall rotates adjacent to the robotic arm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising retracting the robotic arm from between the legs of the dairy livestock as the stall rotates adjacent to the robotic arm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising discharging a substance to at least some of the teats of the dairy livestock when the robotic arm is extended between the legs of the dairy livestock. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock; and   extending the robotic arm between the legs of the dairy livestock if it is determined that a milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein extending the robotic arm comprises extending the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock. 
     
     
         17 . A method for operating a robotic arm, comprising:
 determining a speed of rotation of a rotary milking platform having a stall for a dairy livestock;   determining a rate of lateral movement for a carriage along a track positioned adjacent to a rotary milking platform, wherein the rate of lateral movement is based at least in part upon the determined speed of rotation of the rotary milking platform; and   moving the carriage along the track at the determined rate of lateral movement.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising extending a robotic arm that is coupled to the carriage between the legs of the dairy livestock. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising retracting the robotic arm from between the legs of the dairy livestock as the stall rotates adjacent to the robotic arm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising discharging a substance to at least some of the teats of the dairy livestock when the robotic arm is extended between the legs of the dairy livestock. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 determining whether a milking cluster is attached to the dairy livestock; and   extending the robotic arm between the legs of the dairy livestock if it is determined that a milking cluster is not attached to the dairy livestock.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein extending the robotic arm comprises extending the robotic arm between the hind legs of the dairy livestock.