System and method of attaching cups to a dairy animal
View Patent ↗In certain embodiments, a robotic attacher retrieves cups from the right side of an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock and attaches the cups to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching a first cup to the right front teat, a second cup to the left front teat, a third cup to the right rear teat, and a fourth cup to the left rear teat. In certain alternative embodiments, the robotic attacher retrieves cups from the left side of the equipment area, and the sequence comprises attaching a first cup to the left front teat, a second cup to the right front teat, a third cup to the left rear teat, and a fourth cup to the right rear teat.
1. A method, comprising:
retrieving, by a robotic attacher, a first cup from the right side of an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock;
attaching the first cup to a right front teat of the dairy livestock;
retrieving a second cup from the right side of the equipment area after attaching the first cup;
attaching the second cup to a left front teat of the dairy livestock;
retrieving a third cup from the right side of the equipment area after attaching the second cup;
attaching the third cup to a right rear teat of the dairy livestock;
retrieving a fourth cup from the right side of the equipment area after attaching the third cup; and
attaching the fourth cup to a left rear teat of the dairy livestock.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching the first cup comprises:
determining a location of a reference point;
positioning the teat cup relative to the reference point; and
determining a location of the right front teat from the reference point.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth cups comprises a teat cup.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
retracting the robotic attacher into the equipment area after attaching the fourth cup;
detaching the cups after the robotic attacher releases grip of the cups; and
retracting the cups into the equipment area independently of the robotic attacher gripping the cups.
5. A method comprising:
retrieving, by a robotic, attacher, a preparation cup from the left side of an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock;
attaching and detaching the preparation cup to each teat of a dairy livestock in a sequence of right front teat, left front teat, left rear teat, and right rear teat;
retrieving, a first teat cup from the right side of the equipment area after attaching and detaching the preparation cup;
attaching the first teat cup to the right front teat of the dairy livestock;
retrieving a second teat cup from the right side of the equipment area after attaching the first teat cup;
attaching the second teat cup to the left front teat of the dairy livestock;
retrieving a third teat cup from the right side of the equipment area after attaching the second teat cup;
attaching the third teat cup to the right rear teat of the dairy livestock;
retrieving a fourth teat cup from the right side of the equipment area after attaching the third teat cup; and
attaching the fourth teat cup to the left rear teat of the dairy livestock.