ROBOTIC ARM WITH DOUBLE GRABBER AND METHOD OF OPERATION

摘要

A robotic attacher comprises a main arm suspended from a rail, a supplemental arm coupled to the main arm, and a gripping portion coupled to an extension of the supplemental arm. The gripping portion comprises a first grabber positioned side-by-side with a second grabber. The first grabber is operable to attach a first teat cup to a first teat of a dairy livestock and the second grabber is operable to tilt downward independent of the first grabber in conjunction with the first grabber attaching the first teat cup. The second grabber is operable to attach a second teat cup to a second teat of the dairy livestock and the first grabber is operable to tilt downward independent of the second grabber in conjunction with the second grabber attaching the second teat cup.

主权项

1. A robotic attacher, comprising:
a main arm suspended from a rail; a supplemental arm coupled to the main arm; and a gripping portion coupled to an extension of the supplemental arm and comprising a first grabber positioned side-by-side with a second grabber; the first grabber comprising:
a first magnet stored in a first housing and operable to contact a first teat cup; anda first air cylinder coupled to the first magnet and operable to extend the first magnet such that the first magnet contacts the first teat cup, and to retract the first magnet such that the first magnet releases the first teat cup; the second grabber comprising:
a second magnet stored in a second housing and operable to contact a second teat cup; anda second air cylinder coupled to the second magnet and operable to extend the second magnet such that the second magnet contacts the second teat cup, and to retract the second magnet such that the second magnet releases the teat cup.