Abstract: A time-of-flight (TOF) camera system for a robot milking system includes a housing accommodating a light source, imaging optics, an image sensor, and electronics; a front part including a light transparent window disposed in front of the light source and the imaging optics; and fasteners. The housing has a front side and a back side, and the front part has a front side and a backside, the surface of the front side being flat and including a front surface of the light transparent window. The fasteners releasably mechanically fasten the front part to the housing with the back side of the front part and the front side of the housing facing each other. The fasteners are maneuverable from the back side of the housing to fasten the front part to, and release the front part from, the housing, thereby enabling the front part to be replaceable.

Abstract: An encoder arrangement (2) adapted to be used with a rotary milking platform includes an encoder axle rotatable about an encoder axis (12), an encoder wheel (6) connected to the encoder axle, and a suspension arrangement (8) supporting the encoder and the encoder wheel (6). The encoder and the encoder wheel (6) are arranged on a movable portion (14) of the suspension arrangement (8). The movable portion (14) is biased towards the rotary milking platform. The movable portion (14) is pivotable about a pivot axis (16), and the pivot axis (16) extends perpendicularly to the encoder axis (12).

Abstract: An arrangement for cleaning an end effector (21) carried by a robotic manipulation device (9a, 9b, 9c) includes an end effector cleaning station (18) mounted within a working area of the robotic manipulation device (9a, 9b, 9c), with a spray device (26) configured to provide at least one liquid jet. A control unit (11) is, when it is time to clean the end effector (21), configured to activate the robotic manipulation device (9a, 9b, 9c) such that it moves the end effector (21) downwards from a position above the end effector cleaning station (18) to a position where it is hit by the liquid jet, wherein during this movement the end effector (21) is substantially vertical.

Abstract: A camera cleaning system and method for a milking system which includes a rotating platform, plural milking stalls thereon, a robot for performing an animal related operation with respect to the animals in the milking stalls passing by the robot, and a camera in response to signals from which the robot moves, the camera cleaning system includes usage identifying arrangement to identify a future usage demand of the camera; a processing device to analyze the future usage demand of the camera to find at least one time slot when the camera is not to be used and which also occurs during certain conditions; and a cleaning arrangement arranged to clean the lens arrangement of the camera during the determined time slot.

Abstract: A device and method for detecting lameness in a standing animal uses at least one optical imaging device coupled to processing arrangement. The optical imaging device is arranged in a position to capture at least one image showing the lower portions of at least one leg of an animal and to forward the image to the processing arrangement, which, in turn, analyses the image to determine a condition of lameness when said at least one leg is held in a raised position on or above ground level. The system is particularly suited to detecting lameness in dairy animals and can be integrated in a milking or feeding stall or with an automatic or semi-automatic milking system.

Abstract: A time-of-flight (TOF) camera system for a robot milking system includes a housing accommodating a light source, imaging optics, an image sensor, and electronics; a front part including a light transparent window disposed in front of the light source and the imaging optics; and fasteners. The housing has a front side and a back side, and the front part has a front side and a backside, the surface of the front side being flat and including a front surface of the light transparent window. The fasteners releasably mechanically fasten the front part to the housing with the back side of the front part and the front side of the housing facing each other. The fasteners are maneuverable from the back side of the housing to fasten the front part to, and release the front part from, the housing, thereby enabling the front part to be replaceable.

Abstract: An end effector that mounts to a robot and discharges animal treating fluid onto the teats of a milking animal includes a rigid inner arm section and a flexible outer arm section, and a camera with a front window. An inner end portion of the inner arm section is mountable to the robot, the inner end portion of the outer arm section is rigidly connected to outer end portion of the inner arm section, the camera is mounted on an upper side of the inner arm section with the front window facing the outer arm section, and the outer arm section is provided with at least one nozzle in the outer end portion, the nozzle being directed upwards such that animal treating fluid can be discharged through the nozzle and upwards towards a teat of a milking animal during use of the robot.

Abstract: An encoder arrangement (2) adapted to be used with a rotary milking platform includes an encoder axle rotatable about an encoder axis (12), an encoder wheel (6) connected to the encoder axle, and a suspension arrangement (8) supporting the encoder and the encoder wheel (6). The encoder and the encoder wheel (6) are arranged on a movable portion (14) of the suspension arrangement (8). The movable portion (14) is biased towards the rotary milking platform. The movable portion (14) is pivotable about a pivot axis (16), and the pivot axis (16) extends perpendicularly to the encoder axis (12).

Abstract: An arrangement for cleaning an end effector (21) carried by a robotic manipulation device (9a, 9b, 9c) includes an end effector cleaning station (18) mounted within a working area of the robotic manipulation device (9a, 9b, 9c), with a spray device (26) configured to provide at least one liquid jet. A control unit (11) is, when it is time to clean the end effector (21), configured to activate the robotic manipulation device (9a, 9b, 9c) such that it moves the end effector (21) downwards from a position above the end effector cleaning station (18) to a position where it is hit by the liquid jet, wherein during this movement the end effector (21) is substantially vertical.

Abstract: An animal treating arrangement includes a carrying device beside a milking platform rotating with a velocity and having animal places housing animals. The carrying device includes a fundament, a first bearing device (12) provided on the fundament, an arm (13) connected to the first bearing device permitting the arm to rotate in relation to the fundament around a first axis, a support platform (15) connected to the arm (13). A drive arrangement moves the support platform and includes a first drive member (31) rotating the arm around the first axis. A sensor (37) communicates with a control unit (36) and senses an instantaneous value of the velocity. The control unit controls the first drive member to move the support platform to follow the milking platform from a start position to an end position during a part of the rotation of the milking platform.

Abstract: A detecting arrangement is provided for a teat cleaning device including a teat cleaning cup in which teats of milking animals are contained during cleaning thereof. The detecting arrangement comprises a measuring device provided for automatically measuring a teat related parameter in or adjacent to the teat cleaning cup at completion of a teat cleaning process, and a processing device operatively connected to the measuring device and provided for automatically comparing the measured teat related parameter with a reference value and for automatically determining whether the teat of the milking animal has been contained in the teat cleaning cup unfolded during the teat cleaning process based on the comparison.

Abstract: A device and method for detecting lameness in a standing animal uses at least one optical imaging device coupled to processing arrangement. The optical imaging device is arranged in a position to capture at least one image showing the lower portions of at least one leg of an animal and to forward the image to the processing arrangement, which, in turn, analyses the image to determine a condition of lameness when said at least one leg is held in a raised position on or above ground level. The system is particularly suited to detecting lameness in dairy animals and can be integrated in a milking or feeding stall or with an automatic or semi-automatic milking system.

Abstract: A camera cleaning system and method for a milking system which includes a rotating platform, plural milking stalls thereon, a robot for performing an animal related operation with respect to the animals in the milking stalls passing by the robot, and a camera in response to signals from which the robot moves, the camera cleaning system includes usage identifying arrangement to identify a future usage demand of the camera; a processing device to analyze the future usage demand of the camera to find at least one time slot when the camera is not to be used and which also occurs during certain conditions; and a cleaning arrangement arranged to clean the lens arrangement of the camera during the determined time slot.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for attaching teat cups to teats of a milking animal in a rotary milking system having a milking stall for housing the milking animal during milking. The arrangement comprises a three-dimensional camera configured to be directed towards the udder of the milking animal in the milking stall and to repeatedly record three-dimensional images of the udder of the milking animal in real time. The three-dimensional camera is further configured to be directed towards the teat cups located in a magazine and to repeatedly record three-dimensional images of the teat cups in real time. The arrangement also includes an image processing device configured to repeatedly detect the teats of the milking animal and determine the positions of the teats in three spatial dimensions based on said repeatedly recorded three-dimensional images of the teats.

Abstract: A gripping arrangement is provided including a storing device (10) adapted to hold a teat cup (1) in a parked position and a gripping device (2) adapted to grip the parked teat cup (1) in the storing device (10). The gripping device (2) includes a contact surface (6a) which is adapted to be moved to a position in which it comes in contact with a contact surface (1d) of the teat cup (1) during a gripping operation of the teat cup (1). The arrangement includes an adjusting part which is able to adjust the position of at least one of the contact surfaces (1d, 6a) in relation to the other contact surface (1d, 6a) from an initial contact position to a grip position in which the gripping device is able to grip the teat cup in the storing device.

Abstract: A milking arrangement in includes a milking robot with a gripper (10). The robot includes a base, a link arrangement attached to the base and rotatable around a base axis via a base joint. The gripper (10) has a proximal end and a distal end and is attached to the link arrangement at the proximal end. The gripper has an extension plane and a longitudinal center axis (x4) extending in the extension plane through the proximal end and the distal end. The longitudinal center axis divides the gripper in a primary side (10a) and a secondary side (10b). The gripper has a plurality of separate gripping recesses (11-14), each being configured to grip a respective teatcup. The gripping recesses are asymmetrically positioned with respect to the longitudinal center axis.

Abstract: A milking arrangement includes a milking robot (10) having a first link (L1), a second link (L2), a third link (L3), an end effector (E), sensor (16) and a control unit (15). The first link is rotatable to a first angle within a first angle range (?1) via a first joint (11). The second link is rotatable to a second angle within a second angle range (?2) via a second joint (12). The third link (L3) is rotatable to a third angle within a third angle range (?3) via third joint (13). The links (L1, L2, L3) are rotatable so that the end effector is movable within a three-dimensional workspace (W). Each position of the end effector within the workspace corresponds to a single combination of the first, second and third angles.

Abstract: A milking arrangement includes a milking robot (10) having a first link (L1), a second link (L2), a third link (L3), an end effector (E), sensor (16) and a control unit (15). The first link is rotatable to a first angle within a first angle range (?1) via a first joint (11). The second link is rotatable to a second angle within a second angle range (?2) via a second joint (12). The third link (L3) is rotatable to a third angle within a third angle range (?3) via third joint (13). The links (L1, L2, L3) are rotatable so that the end effector is movable within a three-dimensional workspace (W). Each position of the end effector within the workspace corresponds to a single combination of the first, second and third angles.

Abstract: A milking arrangement in includes a milking robot with a gripper (10). The robot includes a base, a link arrangement attached to the base and rotatable around a base axis via a base joint. The gripper (10) has a proximal end and a distal end and is attached to the link arrangement at the proximal end. The gripper has an extension plane and a longitudinal center axis (x4) extending in the extension plane through the proximal end and the distal end. The longitudinal center axis divides the gripper in a primary side (10a) and a secondary side (10b). The gripper has a plurality of separate gripping recesses (11-14), each being configured to grip a respective teatcup. The gripping recesses are asymmetrically positioned with respect to the longitudinal center axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for milking an animal and provides a milking parlor (1) including first and second robotic manipulation devices (100, 200) and a plurality of milking stalls (5) provided on a platform (3) moveable relative to the robotic manipulation devices (100, 200) wherein the robotic manipulation devices (100, 200) are positioned so as to be capable of simultaneously servicing neighboring milking stalls (5) on the platform (3).