IP Library Granted Patent US 7,584,715
Granted Patent B2
US 7,584,715 · App. 11/470,089 · Granted Sep 8, 2009

Process and rotary milking parlor for the identification of a milking stall and an animal, in particular a cow, in a rotary milking parlor

Assignee: GEA WestfaliaSurge GmbH
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,584,715
App. No.
11/470,089
Granted
Sep 8, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

For the determination of the occupancy of a milking stall by an animal, in particular a cow, in a rotary milking parlor with a plurality of milking stalls which are disposed on a rotatable milking platform, a process is proposed in which the identification of the animal only takes place after it has entered the milking stall in which it is supposed to be milked.

Claims (17)

1. A rotary milking parlor comprising:

a plurality of milking stalls, which are disposed on a rotary milking platform;

an entrance path;

an exit path;

an animal recognition unit for recognizing an animal that enters a milking stall; and

a milking stall recognition unit for recognizing a milking stall in the plurality of milking stalls, said milking stall recognition unit comprising:

a fixed milking stall recognition unit; and

a rotating milking stall recognition unit that is entrained with the milking stall;

wherein the animal recognized by the animal recognition unit can be associated with a particular milking stall based on data from the animal recognition unit and the milking stall recognition unit.

2. The rotary milking parlor according to claim 1 , wherein the animal recognition unit and the fixed milking stall recognition unit are disposed adjacent to one another.

3. The rotary milking parlor according to claim 1 , wherein the animal recognition unit and the fixed milking stall recognition unit form one unit.

4. The rotary milking parlor according to claim 1 , wherein the animal recognition unit is disposed on an outer side or on an inner side of the milking platform.

5. The rotary milking parlor according to claim 1 , wherein the animal recognition unit is disposed below or above the milking platform.

6. The rotary milking parlor according to claim 1 , wherein a milking process on the animal is started after an evaluation of identification data for the animal from the animal recognition unit and identification data for the milking stall from the milking stall recognition unit.

7. The rotary milking parlor according to claim 1 , wherein a milking process on the animal is started after the animal is associated with the particular milking stall.

8. The rotary milking parlor according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating milking stall recognition unit is disposed on an outer side or on an inner side of the milking platform.

9. The rotary milking parlor according to claim 1 , wherein the fixed milking stall recognition unit is disposed below or above the milking platform.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 2, 2010
From: GEA WESTFALIASURGE GMBH
To: GEA FARM TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
Reel/Frame 024170/0947 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 6, 2008
From: WESTFALIASURGE GMBH
To: GEA WESTFALIASURGE GMBH
Reel/Frame 021651/0346 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 100 33 706 · Jul 12, 2000 · national
Continuity (3)
Division 1034090800 · Jan 10, 2003
Continuation PCTEP010702500 · Jun 21, 2001
Related Publication 20070022962A1 · Feb 1, 2007