WO2006005158A1

WO2006005158A1 - Guided machine for use in an animal barn

Info

Publication number: WO2006005158A1
Application number: PCT/CA2005/001020
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jonathan Kleinsasser
Original assignee: Crystal Spring Colony Farms Ltd.
Priority date: 2004-07-15
Filing date: 2005-06-30
Publication date: 2006-01-19

Abstract

A machine is provided which can carry out different functions in an animal barn and includes a base member having ground wheels and a drive system for driving movement of the base member and a guide system for guiding movement of the base member which may include a guide track on the barn floor. A working tool which may be a washing nozzle or a feeding head or other tool is mounted on the base member for transportation therewith for effecting a required operation in the barn at required locations therein. The machine includes a sensor for receiving transmitted signals providing position information for the base member within the barn and a control unit carried on the machine for controlling operation of the guide system, drive system and working tool in dependence upon position information derived by the control unit from the sensor. The control unit can be programmed by input from training by manual movement of the tool or by a suitable input interface.

Description

GUIDED MACHINE FOR USE IN AN ANIMAL BARN

This invention relates to a guided machine for use in an animal barn.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION US patent 6,439,162 (van den Berg) issued August 27^th, 2002 discloses a robot device which can move around in an animal barn and, amongst other things, effect a cleaning action within the barn. The device is apparently remote controlled so that it can run from place to place under control of an operator to effect the necessary actions. A further US application 2002/0133899 also by Van den Berg shows a minor improvement to this construction.

US patent 6,142,102 (Mack) issued November 7^th, 2000 discloses a remote control device which is initially used for transporting a hog around the barn. However a similar device manufactured by the same company associated with this patent also provides a cleaning action by mounting a cleaning nozzle on a similar remote controlled robot structure.

Floor cleaning robots are also known for cleaning various equipment or for other purposes but often these are remote controlled by an operator thus requiring operator attention at all times. Other attempts have been made to render the device more self sufficient by controlling its position by measurement of the distance through which it is moved.

One particular function which is of importance in a barn is that of cleaning since the bam must be fully cleaned and disinfected after it is emptied from one set of animals for replacement by a fresh set to be raised within the barn. The devices disclosed above can provide a cleaning action but this is limited to a spraying action throughout the whole barn which thus may be inadequate in some areas or too much in other areas leading to a wastage of water and a collection of that water within the sewage system within the barn.

In US patent 6,477,984 (Kleinsasser) issued November 12^th 2002 is disclosed a movable gate arrangement which is remote controlled. In US patent 6,336,426 (Kleinsasser) issued January 8^th 2002 is disclosed a boar cart for carrying boar within a barn which is again remote controlled.

SKIOLD Echberg of Denmark have released a machine some details of which are shown in a news release from the company which provides a robot cleaning machine for use in barns.

A yet further machine of this type is manufactured by Ramsta Robotics of Sweden. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one object of the invention to provide a machine for use in a barn which provides improved control over different functions for the machine depending upon its location in the barn.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a machine for use on an animal barn comprising: a base member having ground wheels for transporting the base member over a floor of the animal barn; a drive system for driving movement of the base member; a guide system for guiding movement of the base member; a working tool mounted on the base member for transportation therewith for effecting a required operation in the barn at required locations therein; a sensor carried on the machine for receiving transmitted signals providing position information for the base member within the barn; and a control unit carried on the machine for controlling operation of the guide system, drive system and working tool in dependence upon position information derived by the control unit from the sensor.

In one preferred arrangement, the working tool is a cleaning nozzle for cleaning the barn.

Preferably the cleaning nozzle includes a spray jet movable relative to the base member so as to direct a spray of cleaning fluid onto the barn at required locations.

Preferably the control unit is arranged to control the spray jet so as to repeatedly spray over certain selected areas of the barn.

Preferably the control unit is arranged to receive a control input by manual operation of the movement of the spray nozzle in a training process. Preferably the spray nozzle is mounted on a retractable arm allowing it to be raised up for spraying over obstacles.

In another preferred arrangement the working tool comprises a feed cart with a feed dispensing head.

Preferably the control unit is arranged to control the feed head to deposit a controlled amount of feed at each of a plurality of selected locations.

In another preferred arrangement the working tool comprises a transport carrier for transporting animals within the barn.

In another preferred arrangement the working tool comprises a portable barrier for temporarily preventing passage along an alleyway in the barn. In another preferred arrangement the base member is arranged such that it can carry each of a number of different tools which are readily mountable on and demountable from the base member.

Preferably the guide system includes a guide track on the floor of the barn and the control unit is arranged to locate where on the guide track the base member is located by the position sensing signals.

Preferably the transmitted signals are GPS signals.

Preferably the transmitted signals are local triangulation signals.

Preferably the control unit is arranged to receive a control input by manual operation of the movement of the working tool in a training process. Preferably the control unit is programmable.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provide a barn cleaning machine comprising: a base member having ground wheels for transporting the base member over a floor of the animal barn; a drive system for driving movement of the base member; a guide system for guiding movement of the base member; a tank mounted on the base member for transporting cleaning fluid; a high pressure pump carried on the base member for generating a high pressure stream of the cleaning fluid; a jet nozzle mounted on the base member for transportation therewith for effecting a cleaning of the barn at required locations therein; a sensor carried on the machine for receiving transmitted signals providing position information for the base member within the barn; and a control unit carried on the machine for controlling operation of the guide system, drive system and jet nozzle in dependence upon position information derived by the control unit from the sensor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a of a barn for raising animals such as hogs including a machine according to present invention which is designed and arranged to travel through alleys within then barn for effecting various functions within the barn.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine of Figure 1 configured for cleaning the barn.

Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the machine of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a front elevation view of the machine of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an isometric view of the machine of Figure 2.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In Figure 1 is shown a barn 10 having an inlet door 11 through which a vehicle 12 can pass. Within the bar is provided a plurality of pens 13 with alleyways 14 so that the vehicle can enter into the barn through door 11 and move around the barn under control of a program in a controlled unit schematically indicted at 14 on the vehicle. The ground wheels 15 of the vehicle are driven by a drive motor 16 generally in a two pair arrangement so that the wheels on each side are driven as a pair for a skid-steer operation of the vehicle for directing it along the alleyways, around the corners into the next alleyway and between the pens. The location of the vehicle is detected by a GPS system utilizing an antenna 17 on the vehicle which detects signal from a GPS system schematically indicated at 18 which is preferably satellite based. The control system utilizes local corrections so that the position of the vehicle within in the barn can be detected to within a small distance of the order of a few inches. This allows the vehicle to be located at a particular one of the pens and for its position to be detected when it reaches a particular pen. In this way a vehicle can be steered and driven by the drive motor 16 and the control of the control unit in the manner which locates it directly at a pen and to one side or other of the alleyway so to be located at pens on the left-hand side or on the right-hand side as required.

As an alternative to the GPS system, the location of the vehicle may be determined by a local triangulation transmission system schematically indicated at 19 and 20 within the barn or adjacent to the barn so that the position of the vehicle can be accurately be determined by a triangulation system. The vehicle can be used for many different functions so the vehicle includes a base member which includes the control unit and the drive systems together with separate elements which can be mounted on the vehicle.

In the alternative the vehicle maybe dedicated to a particular function and the vehicle shown in Figures 2 through 4 is primarily the type dedicated to the cleaning function particularly bearing in mind that the vehicle must therefore be resistant to spray from the spray nozzles being reflected back to the vehicle and to very heavy humidity within the barn while the spraying action is occurring. It will be appreciated that during spraying with very hot water and solvents the atmosphere within the barn becomes very humid and steam may prevent normal vision within the barn and may provide an atmosphere which is damaging to the electronics of the vehicle. The vehicle must therefore be manufactured in a manner which overcomes these difficulties and ensures that the vehicle can operate in these conditions.

The other functions which the vehicle can be used for can include a supply hopper which can supply feed to individual feed containers at the pens.

The supply hopper can be operated to supply predetermined amounts of food to each of the pens depending upon a program for feeding to particular animals depending upon their current condition. Thus the operator can set the amount of feed to be supplied at each pen so that the animal receives the correct amount of feed depending upon its condition.

A further function which can be mounted on the base comprises a transportation carrier for transporting animals to different locations within the barn. This can include the transportation of live animals in which they are directed to go out from within the pen into a container on the vehicle. With it can also be used for transportation of deceased animals so the winch or the lifting system is necessary for pulling the deceased animal form the pen onto a carrier on the vehicle.

A further function which can be provided by the vehicle is that of a temporary barrier which can be transported along the alleyway and erected or located at a particular location. A suitable arrangement for the gateway or barrier is shown in the above patent of Kleinsasser.

Other tools can be mounted on the base portion of the vehicle for transportation to the required locations within the barn.

The device can be operated by remote control to move a required location where the device has knowledge at all times of its current location due to its positioning system which communicates with the control unit.

Turing now to Figures 2 through 4 there is shown the vehicle having a base 30 on which is mounted a tank 31 containing heat water to water to be heated. The vehicle may have a gas fired heater for heating the water which may be powered by propane which can also be used as a propulsion fuel. Thus the vehicle may have an internal combustion engine which generators power for an electric battery where the wheels are driven by electric motors. Alternatively the system may utilize hydraulic transmission for driving a pump by the internal combustion engine which then drives the wheels hydraulically. The vehicle further includes a compressor 32 driven by the power unit for compressing the water or cleaning fluid from the tank 31. The controlled unit 17 is said to be located on the vehicle and in the embodiment shown is mounted on the tank. The vehicle further includes a mast 33 which carries a broom 34 for pivotal movement about two transverse joints 35 and 36 and rotational movement about a vertical axis 37 of the mast 33. A nozzle 37 is provided at the outer end of the beam and can twist around a longitudinal axis of the broom so as to direct fluid from the nozzle in required direction. The mast 33 thus locates the base of the broom at a position above the height of the pens so that the broom can extended downwardly into pens to operated a cleaning action within the pens. The control unit is arranged to be trained by programming or by the operator effective manual movement of the system in an initial training action so that the nozzle moves in required movement patterns to effect the required cleaning action. In this way the cleaning can be tailored to the particular pen and can provide an initial wash down followed by a greater concentration at higher pressure or for greater period of time so as to provide an aggressive cleaning action at locations which requires such action. In this way the whole pen can be washed down generally but then specific areas can be cleaned more effectively particularly in the feeding area and the rear area while minimizing the amount water necessary for the cleaning action. As the operation is carried out by the vehicle knowing its location due to the control system and due to the training action of the broom, the operation can be carried out without the necessity for visual control either by optical detection on the vehicle or by viewing by the operator so that high levels of steam or spray do not interfere with the operation.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the Claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A machine for use on an animal barn comprising: a base member having ground wheels for transporting the base member over a floor of the animal barn; a drive system for driving movement of the base member; a guide system for guiding movement of the base member; a working tool mounted on the base member for transportation therewith for effecting a required operation in the barn at required locations therein; a sensor carried on the machine for receiving transmitted signals providing position information for the base member within the barn; and a control unit carried on the machine for controlling operation of the guide system, drive system and working tool in dependence upon position information derived by the control unit from the sensor.

2. The machine according to Claim 1 wherein the working tool is a cleaning nozzle for cleaning the barn.

3. The machine according to Claim 2 wherein the cleaning nozzle includes a spray jet movable relative to the base member so as to direct a spray of cleaning fluid onto the barn at required locations.

4. The machine according to Claim 3 wherein the control unit is arranged to control the spray jet so as to repeatedly spray over certain selected areas of the barn.

5. The machine according to Claim 4 wherein the control unit is arranged to receive a control input by manual operation of the movement of the spray nozzle in a training process.

6. The machine according to Claim 4 or 5 wherein the spray nozzle is mounted on a retractable arm allowing it to be raised up for spraying over obstacles.

7. The machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the working tool comprises a feed cart with a feed dispensing head.

8. The machine according to Claim 7 wherein the control unit is arranged to control the feed head to deposit a controlled amount of feed at each of a plurality of selected locations.

9. The machine according to one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the working tool comprises a transport carrier for transporting animals within the barn.

10. The machine according to one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the working tool comprises a portable barrier for temporarily preventing passage along an alleyway in the barn.

11. The machine according to one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the base member is arranged such that it can carry each of a number of different tools which are readily mountable on and demountable from the base member.

12. The machine according to one of Claims 1 to 11 wherein the guide system includes a guide track on the floor of the barn and the control unit is arranged to locate where on the guide track the base member is located by the position sensing signals.

13. The machine according to one of Claims 1 to 12 wherein the transmitted signals are GPS signals.

14. The machine according to one of Claims 1 to 12 wherein the transmitted signals are local triangulation signals.

15. The machine according to one of Claims 1 to 14 wherein the control unit is arranged to receive a control input by manual operation of the movement of the working tool in a training process.

16. The machine according to one of Claims 1 to 15 wherein the control unit is programmable.

17. A barn cleaning machine comprising: a base member having ground wheels for transporting the base member over a floor of the animal barn; a drive system for driving movement of the base member; a guide system for guiding movement of the base member; a tank mounted on the base member for transporting cleaning fluid; a high pressure pump carried on the base member for generating a high pressure stream of the cleaning fluid; a jet nozzle mounted on the base member for transportation therewith for effecting a cleaning of the barn at required locations therein; a sensor carried on the machine for receiving transmitted signals providing position information for the base member within the barn; and a control unit carried on the machine for controlling operation of the guide system, drive system and jet nozzle in dependence upon position information derived by the control unit from the sensor.

18. The machine according to Claim 17 wherein the jet nozzle is mounted on an articulating arm for movement to different location and to different angles.

19. The machine according to Claim 18 wherein the arm includes a mast and a rotatable mounting at the top of the mast and an arm having at least two pivot joints.

20. The machine according to one of Claims 17 to 19 wherein the control unit is arranged to control the spray jet so as to repeatedly spray over certain selected areas of the barn.

21. The machine according to one of Claims 17 to 20 wherein the control unit is arranged to receive a control input by manual operation of the movement of the spray nozzle in a training process.

22. The machine according to one of Claims 17 to 21 wherein the spray nozzle is mounted on a retractable arm allowing it to be raised up for spraying over obstacles.

23. The machine according to one of Claims 17 to 22 wherein the transmitted signals are GPS signals.

24. The machine according to one of Claims 17 to 22 wherein the transmitted signals are local triangulation signals.

25. The machine according to one of Claims 17 to 24 wherein the control unit is programmable.

26. The machine according to one of Claims 17 to 25 wherein the base member carries a cleaning fluid supply tank and a high pressure pump driven by a power source on the base member such that the machine is self- contained.

27. The machine according to one of Claims 17 to 26 wherein there are four ground wheels arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the base member which are driven on opposite sides in a skid steer arrangement.