Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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DEVICE FOR DETECTING GESTATION
The invention relates to a device for detecting pregnancy in livestock.
Another aspect of
the invention concerns a method for detecting pregnancy in livestock.
Devices and method for detecting pregnancy in livestock are basically known
and are
used to establish whether a livestock animal is pregnant or not. It is
desirable to establish
this at an early stage in pregnancy and also with a high degree of
reliability. Both
requirements are of essential importance for animal breeding procedures and
for the
health of the mother animal.
Prior art devices and methods are based on a veterinary examination of the
animal and
apply devices and methods that are also known from the field of human medicine
for
performing the respective kinds of diagnosis. Such an examination is typically
performed
with the aid of an ultrasound scanning device which generates a two-
dimensional
recorded image, on the basis of which a skilled person can evaluate whether
the animal
is pregnant. For that purpose, an ultrasound scanning head is placed in such a
way on
the skin of the animal to be examined that the scanning range of the
ultrasound scanning
head includes the uterus of the animal and can thus detect and display an
image of one
or more embryos therein. However, this technique is costly if a diagnosis is
to be made
with the desired level of certainty, yet also at an early phase, because it
requires that the
animal be examined by qualified personnel at short intervals, using costly
testing
equipment.
Such a device is known from EP 0 386 503 B1. This prior art device is used to
determine
whether a large female animal is pregnant. The patent specification describes
an
ultrasound apparatus in which the face of the scanning head has a specific
design.
Although this prior art technology provides better ultrasound propagation from
the
ultrasound scanning head in certain applications, in particular on hairy
livestock, and thus
allows pregnancy to be assessed more reliably on the basis of better imaging,
this prior
art device does not deliver any advantages with regard to the costs of the
examination
technique and the possibility of checking at short intervals.
Another ultrasound scanning head is known from EP 0 173 837. This system is
likewise
designed as a hand-held device and requires that the examination and
assessment be
carried out by a qualified expert. The costs for an examination are not
reduced with this
prior art apparatus, nor are any opportunities created for efficient
monitoring at short
intervals.
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Another ultrasound apparatus aimed at semi-automatic pregnancy detection is
known
from DE 94 05 822. In said apparatus, ultrasound images recorded by a
qualified expert
are automatically analysed and a signal indicating pregnancy is outputted. The
disadvantage of this apparatus is that the costs involved cannot be reduced in
this case
either, if checks are performed at short intervals. It has also been found
that automated
image analysis with this device produces unreliable results, as a consequence
of which it
is not possible with the system to state with any reliability whether an
animal is pregnant
or not.
Another ultrasound testing unit aimed at detecting pregnancy of a livestock
animal on the
basis of an attenuation coefficient of the ultrasound signal is known from
WO 2007/085073. However, the method described in this prior art likewise uses
a costly
apparatus that must be operated by a qualified expert and which merely
provides an
alternative or supplementary basis for diagnosis. The disadvantages of this
prior art,
therefore, are also that costs cannot be reduced with the method, that the
reliability of
diagnosis can only be increased by conducting additional measures, yet no
increase in
reliability is achieved is an alternative assessment is based purely on the
attenuation
coefficient.
Within this context, the object of the invention is to provide a pregnancy
testing device
which allows pregnancy to be detected with a degree of reliability at least
equal to that of
the prior art but at reduced overall cost, or with a greater degree of
reliability in pregnancy
detection while keeping costs at least equal.
This object is achieved, according to the invention, by a pregnancy testing
device for
livestock, comprising the following steps:
an accommodation unit defining an accommodation space for a livestock animal
being tested for pregnancy, and
a holder for an ultrasound scanning head connected to a frame which can be
moved relative to the accommodation unit, and
a data evaluation unit in signal communication with the ultrasound scanning
head.
The invention is based on the realisation that it is possible to both simplify
the test
procedure and also to increase the reliability of the pregnancy testing result
by
reproducibly positioning an ultrasound scanning head in relation to a
livestock animal to
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be tested. Several factors are involved in achieving such a result. Firstly,
the test
procedure is simplified by the accommodation unit and by the holder, disposed
on the
moveable frame, for the ultrasound scanning head, in that the livestock animal
can be
brought into a defined position and body posture, on the one hand, and in
that, on this
basis, both the location and the orientation of the ultrasound signal
transmitted from the
ultrasound scanning head can be reproducibly set for the respective animal for
each
series of scans, on the other hand. This means that several scans on the one
animal and
also on several different animals are performed with the ultrasound scanning
head in
same position and orientation. This allows the test to be carried out by
personnel who
have not completed any basic veterinary training, or specific training
relating to the
conducting of pregnancy tests. Furthermore, the device according to the
invention
produces measurement results which can be used significantly better for
automatic
analysis of the image data, due to the positioning and orientation of the
produced image
always being constant, than measurement data obtained with a device that is
manually
guided by skilled personnel. The reason for this is that, as the inventors
have discovered,
customary methods of analysis and filtering can be automated in such image
analysis
procedures if such analysis is based on a typical, constantly recurring image
with typical
recurring artefacts. However, such an image is not usually obtained when the
recorded
image is manually optimised by skilled personnel, because different artefacts
are
produced irregularly every time, from one image to the next, in the search for
the best
picture with the smallest artefact, and because such artefacts cannot be
filtered out in a
reliable manner using automated analytical procedures. Another reason for the
advantage achieved with the invention, finally, is the possibility of
conducting the
pregnancy test when animals are separated from each other inside the livestock
building,
for example when feeding the animals, thus allowing checks to be carried out
at short
intervals without having to apply major additional effort in respect of the
apparatus being
used, or in respect of the daily routine of the livestock animal.
A accommodation unit within the meaning of the inventive device is understood
to be a
single- or multi-part device which encloses a three-dimensional space into
which exactly
one livestock animal fits. It is preferred thereby that both the position and
also the posture
of the animal is predetermined as precisely as possible by the accommodation
unit. This
position and posture should be reproducibly identical when using the
accommodation unit
for a plurality of different animals, in order that the holder with the
ultrasound scanning
head can be reliably positioned by the frame. One example of such a
accommodation unit
is an alleyway bounded by two side walls, for example, into which a livestock
animal can
enter in order to find a feeding station at the front end and to eat feed
provided there. The
side walls position the animal laterally, and the feeding station positions
the animal in the
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longitudinal direction of the alleyway, the feeding process ensuring a typical
posture of
the animal, i.e. typically avoiding the animal sitting or lying.
The purpose of the holder provided in accordance with the invention for the
ultrasound
scanning head is to allow an ultrasound scanning head to be mounted preferably
detachably therein. Said holder may be embodied in different ways, depending
on the
specific design of the ultrasound scanning head, for example in the form of
one or more
threaded holes, in the form of a positive-engagement and/or force-locked
holder in which
the ultrasound scanning head can be clamped, for example, or in some other
construction.
Another component of the device according to the invention is a frame to which
said
holder is attached and which can be moved relative to the accommodation unit.
Said
frame can be moved easily in relation to one spatial axis only, be it with a
translational
movement or a rotatory movement, in order to guide the holder, with the
ultrasound
scanning head disposed thereon, to the body of the livestock animal. It is
particularly
preferred that the frame be fixed to the accommodation unit and provides
relative mobility
by means of a pivot axis or a linear guide or a plurality of such pivot axes
or linear guides,
or combinations thereof. It should be understood, as a basic principle, that
the reason for
the particular number of degrees of freedom that this mobility involves, is to
ensure that
the number of degrees of freedom are provided that are needed to position the
ultrasound
scanning head such that it delivers reliable data, and that any additional
degrees of
freedom are to be avoided. Preferred embodiments in this regard are described
in the
subsequent claims.
According to the invention, finally, a data evaluation unit is provided which
receives by
signal transmission the. data captured by the ultrasound scanning head. This
data
evaluation unit may preferably be connected to the ultrasound scanning head by
wire, or
may be connected wirelessly, if necessary, and it is preferably designed in
such a way
that the ultrasound images can be analysed automatically, for example in the
form of a
greyscale analysis, in order to derive a clear conclusion from the ultrasound
image as to
whether or not the animal is pregnant.
According to a first preferred embodiment, the accommodation unit has two side
walls
defining an accommodation space for the livestock animal during the test and
that the
frame has a bridge designed to be moved along said side walls, in particular
by means of
a guide device attached to the side walls.
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With this configuration, the is designed to be moveable, in special
cooperation with the
accommodation unit, in order in this way to position in a defined manner the
livestock
animal to be examined, and to allow the holder of the ultrasound scanning head
to be
position relative to the variable body length of the livestock animal by
moving the bridge
along the side walls. The bridge is preferably mounted on the upper edges of
the side
walls and can thus be moved horizontally into a scanning position, in
particular from a
neutral position in which the animal is not hindered from entering the
accommodation
unit. Side walls are understood in this embodiment to be solid wall surfaces,
on the one
hand, and in other embodiments the side walls may also be provided in the form
of struts,
grids or the like. The bridge preferably extends from one side wall to the
other side wall in
a direction perpendicular to the planes defined by the side walls.
It is still further preferred that the accommodation unit has two side walls
defining an
accommodation space for the livestock animal during the test and that the
frame has a
vertical strut to which the holder is connected for vertical mobility of the
ultrasound
scanning head, in particular in such a way that the vertical strut is
connected to a bridge
which can be moved horizontally along the side walls, and the vertical strut
can be moved
vertically in conjunction with the ultrasound scanning head to said bridge, or
the
ultrasound scanning head can be moved vertically along the vertical strut.
Such a frame
design with vertical struts allows the holder to be positioned in the vertical
direction, in
order to move the holder to different heights and thus to position the
ultrasound scanning
head with precision at a desired scanning position for different heights of
animal. This
vertical mobility can basically be achieved by disposing the ultrasound
scanning head on
the vertical strut and allowing the vertical strut itself to be vertically
mobile, or by making
the vertical strut itself immobile, but allowing the holder for the ultrasound
scanning head
to move along the vertical strut. In the particularly preferred embodiment of
a frame with a
bridge and vertical strut, the mobility of the holder for the ultrasound
scanning head is
provided in two axis directions, as a result of which the holder can be moved,
with regard
to the resultant scanning position, relative to different lengths of the
livestock animals to
be examined, and relative to different heights of the livestock animals to be
examined.
This ensures that livestock animals of different lengths and heights can be
tested reliably
with the device according to the invention.
It is still further preferred that the holder is mounted on the end of a link
chain comprising
a plurality of links, in which chain two respectively adjacent chain links can
be pivoted
relative to each other about a respective chain link axis lying parallel to
the longitudinal
axis of the livestock animal as defined by the accommodation space, in
particular
horizontal and parallel to the side walls defining the accommodation space.
This
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development addresses a specific problem in connection with fully or partially
automatic
testing of livestock animals with diagnostic equipment. The aim of the
ultrasound
scanning technology deployed here is that the ultrasound scanning head be
applied with
a particular application pressure to a flat surface. The inclination of the
body surface of
the livestock animal in the region of and adjacent to the scanning position
cannot usually
be predicted with any reliability and is dependent, inter alia, on the posture
of the animal,
its corpulence and similar factors. An ultrasound scanning head must be
applied in such a
way that the animal is not startled by the contact or that might lead to a
startled response
on the part of the animal, and hence that reliable scanning is performed. It
has been
discovered in connection with this development of the invention that, by
disposing the
holder at the end of a link chain, it is possible to apply the ultrasound
scanning head
disposed in the holder to the body surface of the animal in a defined manner.
The
particular advantage achieved here is that no rigid members are used to guide
the holder
on the frame in the relevant region close to the body of the animal and hence
that no local
compressive forces can be exerted on the body of the animal that might startle
the
animal. The link chain allows the holder to be guided in a defined manner and
at the
same time for the frame to be placed almost without pressure against the body
of the
livestock animal in the region around the holder, with reliable scanning being
favoured as
a result. This is specifically achieved whenever the link chain is arranged in
such a way in
zo respect of its chain axes that it can nestle against the body of the
animal in its vertical
longitudinal extension and thus achieve the desired pressureless contact with
the body of
the animal.
It is particularly preferred that the link chain can be pivoted about at least
a plurality of
chain link axes by means of an actuator, preferably by means of a pulling
cable which is
guided spaced apart within the link chain from the chain link axis and which
is connected
to an actuator-activated pulling device. The link chain can be actuated by
different
actuators. More particularly, it is also possible to use actuators that are
disposed outside
link chain and that act only on the holder, for example, in order to position
the latter on the
body surface of the livestock animal. These actuators may extend from a point
on the
frame to the link chain. Particularly advantageous mobility of the link chain
is achieved,
however, when a pulling pulling cable is used to pivot the chain links
relative to each
other. This can be achieved particularly efficiently when the pulling cable is
placed within
the chain and is guided therein by the individual chain links being designed
accordingly. If
it runs spaced apart from at least some axes of the link chain, a pulling
cable guided in
such a manner may induce in the chain, when placed until tension, a variable
curvature
that rests against an irregularly curved surface. This tensioning of the
pulling cable may
be actuated by an actuator, wherein such tensioning is to be understood as a
respective
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way of manually tensioning the pulling cable by means of a tensioning device
in the form
of a lever, for example, or tensioning of the pulling cable that is effected
by an actuator
which is driven electrically, pneumatically or in some other manner.
According to another preferred embodiment, the holder for the ultrasound
scanning head
is coupled to an actuator for positioning the ultrasound scanning head at a
predetermined
place on the body of the livestock animal, the frame permits relative mobility
of the holder
for the ultrasound scanning head in at least one axis and a controller is
provided for
active positioning and passive repositioning of an ultrasound scanning head
held in the
holder, said controller being configured to actively position the holder
locally, in a
positioning mode, by means of one or more actuators of the frame, in such a
way that the
frame performs only actuator-activated movements of the holder, and to guide
the holder
through the frame in at least one axis, in a scanning mode, in such a freely
moveable
manner that the holder can passively follow movements made by the livestock
animal.
This embodiment achieves exact positioning of the holder on the livestock
animal, by
providing a frame configuration for that purpose that is generally stiff in
the positioning
mode, and in which the holder can be moved to the desired scanning position by
movements within the frame, relative to one or more axes. This active
positioning of the
holder can be understood, more particularly, to be a horizontal displacement
of a bridge
of the frame, a vertical displacement of the holder by means of or along a
vertical strut
and/or lateral placement of the holder on the body surface of the livestock
animal, for
example by means of a link chain on which tensile force is applied by a
pulling cable.
Once the scanning head has been place in the desired scanning position on the
body
surface of the livestock animal, a degree of adhesion is produced by the
compressive
force exerted there. In order for the scan to be carried out over a particular
period of time
after such placement, and not be impaired by movements of the livestock
animal, it is
advantageous then if the frame is taken out of the rigid frame configuration
into a frame
configuration in which it can follow such movements of the livestock animal in
at least one
axis. The frame may have a horizontal axis lying above the livestock animal
and
extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the livestock animal, and
allowing the
holder to be arranged on struts extending vertically downwards from said axis
and to be
pivoted about said axis, thus allowing it to follow movements of the livestock
animal in its
longitudinal direction. It should be understood in this regard that the
positioning mode can
also be achieved when, due to the inertia of the frame, a defined position of
the holder
can be reproducibly set, for example using the force of gravity, even after
individual frame
members have been moved, without a moveable axis having to be blocked for that
purpose. With such a frame configuration, it is therefore possible to dispense
with any
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active blocking and release of a frame axis, without having to abandon the
advantage of
exact positioning and repositioning of the holder.
According to another preferred embodiment, a wetting device is provided for
feeding a
pasty or liquid acoustic coupling medium onto the transmitting and receiving
surface of
the ultrasound scanning head, said wetting device comprising a reservoir for
the acoustic
medium, a connection line for conducting the acoustic coupling medium from the
reservoir to a discharge opening and arranged in such a way that acoustic
coupling
medium exiting the discharge opening is applied to the transmitting and
receiving surface
of the ultrasound scanning head, and a conveying device for conveying the
acoustic
coupling medium from the reservoir to the discharge opening. This development
of the
invention achieves automatic wetting of the scanning head with a coupling
medium, thus
increasing still further the efficiency and reliability of the device
according to the invention.
The wetting device may be disposed immediately beside the holder, thus
allowing the
coupling medium to be applied directly to the ultrasound scanning head in any
position of
the frame. In another configuration, the wetting device is disposed on the
frame or the
accommodation unit in such a way that the ultrasound scanning head can be
guided by
means of the holder to the discharge opening for coupling medium, where it is
wetted and
then guided away again from the wetting device in order to carry out the scan.
It is particularly preferred that the device according to the invention is
designed in such a
zo way that the accommodation unit has two side walls defining an
accommodation space
for the livestock animal during the test and that the frame has a bridge
designed to be
moved along said side walls, a vertical strut is connected to the bridge, the
holder for the
ultrasound scanning head is mounted on the end of a link chain comprising a
plurality of
links, in which chain two respectively adjacent chain links can be pivoted
relative to each
other about a respective chain link axis running parallel to the longitudinal
axis of the
livestock animal as defined by the accommodation space, in particular running
horizontal
and parallel to the side walls defining the accommodation space, the link
chain
comprising a plurality of links is displaceably mounted at a variable height
on the vertical
strut and pivotably about a horizontal repositioning axis extending
transversely to the
longitudinal axis of the accommodation space, and the repositioning axis can
preferably
be locked, in a positioning mode, by means of a positioning and repositioning
mechanism, and can be freely moved in a scanning mode. This configuration
provides a
degree of frame mobility that allows the holder to be guided to a scan
position on the
body surface of a livestock animal, at a defined angle in relation to the
horizontal, and to
take typical anatomical variations in the size of the livestock animals into
consideration.
More specifically, this frame design allows numerous movements of the holder
required
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for positioning to be carried out, before the holder or other parts of the
frame come into
contact with the livestock animal, and pressureless contact of the frame and
the
ultrasound scanning head against the body surface of the animal to be produced
in a final
step by placing the link chain on the body surface of the animal.
It is still further preferred that the device according to the invention has a
two- or three-
dimensional image detection device for detecting the contour of a portion of
the contour of
the livestock animal, an image analysis unit in signal communication with said
image
detection device and configured to determine a scanning point or scanning
region on the
basis of the detected contour or detected contour portion, a controller for
the scanning
head holder, said controller being in signal communication with the image
analysis unit
and in signal communication with one or more actuators for moving the holder
for the
ultrasound scanning head, and configured to move the holder in such a way that
an
ultrasound scanning head accommodated therein is guided to the scanning point
or into
the scanning region. This development of the invention allows the positioning
of the
scanning head on the body surface of the animal and also the orientation of
the scanning
head, if necessary, to be automated by determining the required anatomical
dimensions
of the animal by means of image detection. It should be understood in this
regard that the
livestock animal does not necessarily have to be scanned over its entire
anatomy in order
to obtain the data required for positioning. In many cases, instead, it is
possible to draw
zo conclusions about the anatomical dimensions relevant for positioning the
ultrasound
scanning head on the basis of individual anatomical dimensions that have been
determined on the basis of experiential values stored in the image analysis
unit, such as
the total length of the animal and the width of the animal at a particular
point. It is usually
only necessary to perform two-dimensional image detection, therefore, in order
to
calculate the positioning data with sufficient accuracy.
It should be understood in this regard that the image analysis unit may also
be designed
to store such an anatomical detection and calculation, also with assignment of
a code
characterising the livestock animal, in order to have recourse to these data
again when
subsequent scans are taken.
It should also be understood that two- or three-dimensional image detection is
used not
only to detect anatomical dimensions of the livestock animal, but can also be
used to
determine the position and posture of the animal inside the accommodation
unit. In many
cases, it is not adequate or feasible to define and fix a livestock animal in
the
accommodation unit in respect of its position and posture in such a way that
the
positioning of the ultrasound scanning head can be determined reliably and
reproducibly
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with knowledge of the scanning position relative to the body. Instead, the
image detection
device according to the invention can be used to determine the position and
posture of
the animal from one or more recorded images, with positioning being based on
an
analysis of images captured in such a manner, in order to then hold the
ultrasound
scanning head, once it has been placed on the animal, in the scanning position
during
scanning by active or passive repositioning to the scanning position.
Finally, the device according to the invention can be further developed by a
horizontal
pivot axis disposed on the holder, by means of which the holder can be pivoted
about a
horizontal axis lying parallel to the longitudinal axis of the animal and
preferably also
characterised by a pivot actuator mechanically coupled between the frame and
the
holder, by means of which the holder can be pivoted about said horizontal
pivot axis. This
development of the invention provides the holder with a defined mobility which
allows it to
change the scanning angle of the ultrasound scanning head relative to the
horizontal.
This change in scanning angle has been discovered, according to the invention,
to be an
important factor for successful scanning and for reliable statements
concerning
pregnancy. For such a statement, it is specifically preferred that the holder
can be pivoted
about this horizontal longitudinal axis in order to carry out several
successive scans from
different angles relative to the horizontal. This sequence of scans can then
be analysed,
either with all images being analysed, or with one or individual relevant
images being
selected and then only those images being subsequently analysed.
Another aspect of the invention concerns a pregnancy testing method for
livestock, said
method comprising the steps of: receiving the livestock animal in a defined
accommodation space, measuring the contours of the animal by means of a
detection
device for detecting two- or three-dimensional images, evaluating the animal
contour data
and determining a scanning point for an ultrasound test based on comparing the
animal
contour data with stored anatomical data, guiding an ultrasound scanning head
held in a
holder to the scanning point by moving the holder relative to the
accommodation space
by means of a frame, detecting scanning data by means of the ultrasound
scanning head,
evaluating the measurement data by image recognition of features which can be
used to
distinguish whether the livestock animal is pregnant. This method provides an
efficient
and fully or partially automated pregnancy test for livestock that delivers
reliable results.
The method can be developed according to claims 13 to 16. With regard to the
specific
design of these developments of the method and the advantage achieved as a
result,
reference is made to the description of the respective apparatuses and
developments
thereof in the foregoing.
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A preferred embodiment shall now be described with reference to the attached
Figures, in
which:
Fig. 1 shows a front view of a pregnancy testing device according to the
invention, with a
livestock animal schematically depicted therein,
Fig. 2 shows a side view of the device in Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the device in Fig. 1,
Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the pregnancy testing device according to
the
invention, seen at an angle from above and to the left,
Fig. 5 shows a view corresponding to Fig. 4, at an angle from the front and
from top right,
Fig. 6 shows a detailed perspective view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4,
Fig. 7 shows a detailed side view of the embodiment in Fig. 4,
Fig. 8 shows a detailed perspective view of a wetting device for a coupling
medium, in the
embodiment shown in Fig. 4,
Fig. 9 shows a front perspective view of a holder with an inserted ultrasonic
scanning
head of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4,
Fig. 10 shows a detailed perspective view of the wetting device shown in Fig.
8, and
Fig. 11 shows an overall view of the wetting device.
It can be seen, by referring to Figures 1 to 3, that an accommodation area in
the device
according to the invention is limited by side walls 11, 12. The accommodation
space
213 defines a central longitudinal axis 100. A livestock animal, in this
case a sow, has space
to stand in accommodation area 10. It should be understood that the standing
position of
the livestock animal can be further defined by a front and rear boundary in
the
accommodation area, in order to thus ensure that the livestock animal is
standing in a
particular position relative to the axial direction 100 of the accommodation
area.
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Above the accommodation area, a rectangular frame with rounded corners is
placed on
the two side walls by means of four struts. Frame 20 is stationarily fixed to
the side walls,
but can be moved horizontally along the side walls for basic adjustment and
then fixed in
a substantially suitable position for subsequent scanning.
Two longitudinal bars 21, 22 extend parallel and symmetrically to the central
longitudinal
axis 100 of frame 20, from a front frame bar 23 to a rear frame bar 24 and are
securely
welded to said two frame bars.
Referring also now to Figures 4 and 5, which show the pregnancy testing device
according to the invention without the side walls, it can be seen that a
vertical strut 30 is
arranged above longitudinal bars 21, 22 and extends in the vertical direction.
Vertical strut
30 can be moved horizontally along longitudinal bars 21, 22.
A receiving block 40 is mounted vertically slideably on vertical strut 30.
Receiving block
40 can be moved by means of an actuator 41 in the vertical direction along the
vertical
strut.
=
Due to the combined translational displaceability of the vertical strut 30
along longitudinal
bars 21, 22 and of receiving block 40 along vertical strut 30, the receiving
block can be
moved and positioned in two axes within a particular range defined by the
dimensions of
longitudinal bars 21, 22 and of vertical strut 30.
A bracket 50 extending in the horizontal direction and perpendicularly to the
longitudinal
bars through receiving block 40 is fixed to receiving block 40. Outside the
receiving block,
bracket 50 is curved downwards on both sides and two portions 51, 52 of the
bracket
extend perpendicularly downwards laterally to the outside of longitudinal bars
21, 22. At
the end of portions 51, 52 extending perpendicularly downwards, a link chain
61, 62
comprising a plurality of links is attached to the respective ends of the
bracket and
extends vertically downwards. A holder 71, 72 is disposed at the end of each
link chain
61, 62. Holder 71, 72 is adapted to accommodate an ultrasound scanning head
81, 82.
Fig. 6 shows the device according to the invention in a position in which
receiving block
40 has been moved to the top end of vertical strut 30. In this position, as
can be seen,
bracket 50, link chains 61, 62 and holders 71, 72 with the ultrasound scanning
heads
disposed thereon are arranged above frame 20 and have this been moved out of
the
accommodation area 10 of the livestock animal. In this position, the livestock
animal can
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enter accommodation area 10 without any risk of the pregnancy testing device
being
damaged.
By lowering receiving block 40 along vertical strut 30 and by moving vertical
strut 30
previously, simultaneously or subsequently along longitudinal bars 21, holders
71, 72 with
ultrasound scanning heads 81, 82 disposed thereon can be positioned in the
region of a
desired scanning position at the livestock animal. For the purpose of such
positioning, an
outline image of the livestock animal can be taken from above or from the side
in order to
determine the desired scanning position on the basis of an image analysis and
previously
stored data on appropriate scanning positions. To that end, one or more
respective image
io recording devices can be fixed to holder 20 or elsewhere on the
apparatus according to
the invention.
Fig. 7 shows receiving block in a lowered position. In this lowered position,
as can be
seen, bracket 50 extends downwards into the accommodation area, and link
chains 61,
62 disposed on bracket 50 run laterally along the body of the livestock
animal.
Bracket 50 is pivotable mounted in receiving block 40 and, as shown by
positions 50a,b,c
in Fig. 7, can move in such a way, by pivoting about a horizontal axis, that
holders 71, 72
at the end of link chains 61, 62 can follow forward or backward movements of
the
livestock animal.
As can be seen from Fig. 6, in particular, each link chain has comprises a
plurality of
chain links 61a,b,c,... Each chain link 61a,b,c,... is pivotably connected to
the chain link
adjacent thereto. This pivotable connection is provided by an axis running
horizontally
and parallel to longitudinal bars 21, 22. The pivot axes of link chains 61, 62
are close to
the outer sides of the chain links, inside the link chain.
A control cable 63, extending from the bottom chain link 61z attached to the
holder in the
direction of the top chain link 61a and onwards from there through the inner
space of
bracket 50, also runs inside the link chain. In the region beside receiving
block 40, this
control cable 63 is guided out of bracket 50 and can be placed under traction
by an
actuator 42. Actuator 42 places the two control cables running inside link
chain 61 and
link chain 62 simultaneously under traction. The control cables run close to
the inner wall
of link chains 61, 62 and are therefore spaced apart from the pivot axes of
the chain links
in said link chains. Whenever the control cables are placed under traction,
this produces
a moment that acts about said pivot axes and which leads to the link chain
being
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CA 02811344 2013-03-14
deformed in such a way that it adopts an outwardly convex and therefore
inwardly
concave shape, and to holders 71,72 moving towards each other in the process.
This deformation of the link chains and movement of the holders, produced by
exerting a
traction force on the control cables, results in the link chains coming into
contact with the
body surface of the livestock animal in an almost pressureless manner, and to
the holders
being guided to the desired scanning position in such a way that the
ultrasound scanning
heads 81, 82 accommodated inside the holders come into contact with the skin
surface.
Fig. 8 shows, in greater detail, holder 71 with an ultrasound scanning head 81
disposed
therein. As can be seen, holder 71 includes two blocks 73, 74 made of plastic
and
defining a recess 75. Blocks 73, 74 are connected to each other by a toggle
clamp 76. By
opening toggle clamp 76, blocks 73, 74 can be separated from each other, as a
result of
which recess 75 is divided and ultrasound scanning head 81 can be inserted
into the
recess. When toggle clamp 76 is subsequently closed again, ultrasound scanning
head
81 is securely anchored in holder 71.
Fig. 9 shows a system for using the ultrasound scanning head with a coupling
medium.
This system is part of the preferred embodiment of the pregnancy testing
device
according to the invention. The system has three containers 91 a ¨ c which
accommodate
a supply of coupling medium and from which said coupling medium is conducted
via
tubes 92, 93 to dispensing devices 94, 95. Coupling medium can thus be
conveyed from
containers 91a ¨ c into a slot-shaped cavity in dispensing devices 94, 95. In
order to
cover the ultrasound scanning heads obtain uniformly yet thriftily with the
coupling
medium, dispensing devices 94, 95 each have a brush curtain arranged on either
side in
front of the slot. This brush curtain is used to clean the respective
ultrasound scanning
head after a completed scan, before it is coated with new coupling medium for
a new
scan. The coupling medium is conveyed for this purpose into the cavity and
thus applied
to the ultrasound scanning heads.
Fig. 10 shows ultrasound scanning head 81 inserted into delivery device 94. As
can be
seen, the ultrasound scanning head touches the brush curtain, is cleaned in
the process
and then covered afterwards with the coupling medium. When ultrasound scanning
head
81 enters the slot in dispensing device 94, a sensor is triggered which causes
a hose
pump, shown in Fig. 11, to convey coupling medium for a brief period through
tubes 92,
93, and thus to the ultrasound scanning head. When the ultrasound scanning
head is
then removed from the slot, it is sufficiently covered with coupling medium
for reliable
scanning.
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CA 02811344 2013-03-14
As can be seen from Fig. 6, in particular, dispensing devices 94, 95 are
mounted in the
region just below longitudinal bars 21, 22, such that ultrasound scanning
heads 81, 82
can be inserted into dispensing devices 94, 95 when receiving block 40 is in
the raised
position.
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