Leg spreading device to be mounted in a milking stall

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9675041-B2
Application number	US-201314440602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2013
Priority date	Nov 21, 2012
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A leg spreading device for an animal in a milking stall includes a first and second elongated elements forming a first raised surface provided with a left side edge and a second raised surface provided with a right side edge. The elongated elements are oriented in a manner such that a transverse distance (w) between the left side edge of the first raised surface and the right side edge of the second raised surface increases continuously in a longitudinal direction of the elongated elements from a first transverse distance in the first longitudinal position to a second transverse distance in a second longitudinal position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A leg spreading device ( 10 ) in combination with a milking stall, the leg spreading device ( 10 ) being attached on a floor surface of the milking stall ( 3 ), the leg spreading device ( 10 ) comprising:
a first elongated element ( 10 a ) forming a first raised surface ( 10 a ) defined by a left side edge ( 10 a 1 ); and
a second elongated element ( 10 b ) forming a second raised surface ( 10 b ) defined by a right side edge ( 10 b 1 ),
wherein the first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) are attached in a position on the floor surface of the milking stall ( 3 ) such that a transverse distance (w) between the left side edge ( 10 a 1 ) of the first raised surface and the right side edge ( 10 b 1 ) of the second raised surface increases continuously in a longitudinal direction of the first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) from a first transverse distance (w 1 ) at a first longitudinal position (l 1 ) to a second transverse distance (w 2 ) at a second longitudinal position (l 2 ), and, when an animal ( 1 ) is standing in a milking position on the floor surface of the milking stall ( 3 ), the first and second raised surfaces ( 10 a , 10 b ) are located between rear legs ( 1 a , 1 b ) of the animal ( 1 ), the leg spreading device ( 10 ) being attached in the position on the floor surface of the milking stall ( 3 ) such that, when an animal ( 1 ) is standing in a milking position on the floor surface of the milking stall ( 3 ), the first and second raised surfaces ( 10 a , 10 b ) are located between the rear legs ( 1 a , 1 b ) of the animal ( 1 ) standing in the milking position in the milking stall ( 3 ).

2. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein the first transverse distance (w 1 ) at the first longitudinal position (l 1 ) is at least 20 cm.

3. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein said first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) are attached in the position on the floor surface of the milking stall ( 3 ) such that the first longitudinal position (l 1 ) is located adjacent a rear edge ( 2 b ) of the milking stall ( 3 ).

4. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein the transverse distance (w) increases linearly in the longitudinal direction of the elongated first and second elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) from the first longitudinal position (l 1 ) to the second longitudinal position (l 2 ).

5. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein said first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) have a longitudinal length of at least 25 cm between the first longitudinal position (l 1 ) and the second longitudinal position (l 2 ).

6. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein the first raised surface ( 10 a ) and the second raised surface ( 10 b ) are located at least 5 cm above the floor surface in the milking stall.

7. The leg spreading device according to claim 6 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein the first and second raised surfaces slope at least partly in relation to the floor surface ( 3 a ) in the milking stall ( 3 ).

8. The leg spreading device according to claim 6 , in combination with the milking stall, further comprising an additional element ( 10 c ) forming an additional raised surface, the additional element ( 10 c ) being at least partly between the first elongated element ( 10 a ) and the second elongated element ( 10 b ).

9. The leg spreading device according to claim 8 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein the additional element ( 10 c ) is at least partly in front of the second longitudinal position (l 2 ).

10. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein the first elongated element ( 10 a ) and the second elongated element ( 10 b ) are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of a central vertical longitudinal plane ( 3 b ) between said first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ).

11. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein,
the first elongated element ( 10 a ) comprises a right side edge ( 10 a 2 ) arranged in parallel with the left side edge ( 10 a 1 ) of the first elongated element ( 10 a ), and
the second elongated element ( 10 b ) comprises a left side edge ( 10 b 2 ) arranged in parallel with the right side edge ( 10 b 1 ) of the second elongated element ( 10 b ).

12. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, further comprising an adjusting mechanism ( 24 , 25 ) that provides adjustment of the transverse distance (w) between the left side edge ( 10 a 1 ) of the first elongated element ( 10 a ) and the right side edge ( 10 b 1 ) of the second elongated element ( 10 b ).

13. The leg spreading device according to claim 12 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein the adjusting mechanism ( 24 ) provides adjustment of the first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) at the first longitudinal position (l 1 ) and thereby an adjustment of the first transverse distance (w 1 ) at the first longitudinal position (l 1 ).

14. The leg spreading device according to claim 12 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein the adjusting mechanism ( 24 ) provides adjustment of the first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) at the second longitudinal position (l 2 ) and thereby an adjustment of the second transverse distance (w 2 ) at the second longitudinal position (l 2 ).

15. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, further comprising an elevating mechanism ( 23 ) that moves the first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) between a raised position in which an upper surface of the first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) are at a first height above the floor surface ( 3 a ) in the milking stall ( 3 ) and a lowered position in which the upper surface of the first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) are at a lower, second height above the floor surface ( 3 a ) than the first height in the raised position.

16. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein the first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) are separate units which are individually attached in the position on the floor surface of the milking stall.

17. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, further comprising a connected member ( 26 ) that connects the first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) to each other such the first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) are attached in the position on the floor surface of the milking stall ( 3 ) as a unit.

18. The leg spreading device according to claim 1 , in combination with the milking stall, wherein,
the leg spreading device ( 10 ) is attached in the position on the floor surface of the milking stall ( 3 ) such that the first longitudinal position (l 1 ) is located nearer a rear edge ( 2 b ) of the milking stall ( 3 ) than the second longitudinal position (l 2 ),
said first and second elongated elements ( 10 a , 10 b ) have a longitudinal length of at least 25 cm betwe

Assignees

• Delaval Holding Ab

Inventors

• Eriksson Jan
• Olander Henrik

Classifications

• A01K1/12 Primary

  Milking stations · CPC title

• A01K1/126

  Carousels · CPC title

• A01J7/00

  Accessories for milking machines or devices · CPC title

• A01J5/0175

  Attaching of clusters · CPC title