Claw for a milking machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10111400-B2
Application number	US-201314649621-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2013
Priority date	Dec 19, 2012
Publication date	Oct 30, 2018
Grant date	Oct 30, 2018

Abstract

A claw for a milking machine includes an enclosure having an upper part and a lower part and enclosing an inner space for a milk flow during a milking operation. A center axis extends through the enclosure and through the upper lower parts. The upper part includes an upper end defining an upper end point, and a lower annular end extending along a periphery of the claw in a connection plane. The lower part is detachably connected to the upper part along the connection plane, and rotary symmetric with respect to an axis of rotation being perpendicular to the connection plane. The connection plane is inclined with respect to the center axis so that the enclosure has a first height at a first peripheral position greater than and a second height at a second peripheral position diametrically opposite to the first peripheral position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A claw (C) for a milking machine, comprising:
an enclosure having an upper part ( 1 ) and a lower part ( 2 ) that together enclose an inner space ( 3 ) for a milk flow during a milking operation, the enclosure having a center axis (x) extending through the upper part ( 1 ) and the lower part ( 2 ), the center axis (x) defining a height direction of the enclosure,
wherein the lower part ( 2 ) is detachably connected to the upper part ( 1 ) along a connection plane (p),
wherein the upper part ( 1 ) comprises i) an upper end ( 5 ) defining an upper end point ( 5 ′), ii) an upper wall ( 16 ) adjoining the upper end ( 5 ), and iii) a lower annular end ( 7 ) at a periphery of the claw (C) in the connection plane (p),
wherein the lower part ( 2 ) comprises a bottom surface ( 4 ) facing the inner space ( 3 ) with the center axis (x) extending through the bottom surface ( 4 ),
wherein the lower part ( 2 ) is rotationally symmetric with respect to an axis (x′) of rotation being perpendicular to the connection plane (p),
wherein the center axis (x) is non-coincident with the axis (x′) of rotation, and
wherein the connection plane (p) is inclined with respect to the center axis (x) such that the enclosure has i) a first height at a first peripheral position (p 1 ) of the upper part, and ii) a second height at a second peripheral position (p 2 ) of the upper part, the second peripheral position (p 2 ) being diametrically opposite to the first peripheral position (p 1 ), the first height being greater than the second height; and
an outlet nipple ( 12 ) extending from the end ( 5 ) and outwardly with respect to the center axis (x), the outlet nipple ( 12 ) providing a milk discharge path from the inner space ( 3 ), the outlet nipple ( 12 ) configured for connection to a long milk conduit ( 13 ) for discharge of milk from the inner space ( 3 ), wherein,
the upper wall ( 16 ) further comprises a plurality of inlet members ( 8 ), each inlet member ( 8 ) configured for receiving a respective short milk conduit ( 9 ), and
the lower annular end ( 17 ) comprises a lower side wall ( 17 ) adjoining a lower part of the upper wall ( 16 ) to the periphery of the claw (C) in the connection plane (p).

2. The claw (C) according to claim 1 , wherein the side wall ( 17 ) has varying wall thickness along the periphery with a first wall thickness at the first peripheral position (p 1 ) and a second wall thickness at the second peripheral position (p 2 ), the first wall thickness being larger than the second wall thickness.

3. The claw (C) according to claim 2 , wherein the upper wall ( 16 ) extends along an imaginary cone being rotationally symmetric around the center axis (x).

4. The claw (C) according to claim 1 , wherein the upper wall ( 16 ) extends along an imaginary cone being rotationally symmetric around the center axis (x).

5. The claw (C) according to claim 1 , wherein the upper part ( 1 ) is at least partly made of a transparent material to enable observation of the milk flow in the inner space ( 3 ) during the milking operation.

6. The claw (C) according to claim 1 , wherein the upper part ( 1 ) has a transparent zone extending inside the first peripheral position (p 1 ).

7. The claw (C) according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet nipple ( 12 ) extends outwardly from the upper part ( 1 ) towards the first peripheral position (p 1 ).

8. The claw (C) according to claim 1 , further comprising a bayonet coupling that enables the lower part ( 2 ) to be detachably connected to the upper part ( 1 ) along the connection plane (p).

9. The claw (C) according to claim 8 , wherein the bayonet coupling comprises:
at least two pins ( 26 ) extending from one of the upper part ( 1 ) and the lower part ( 2 ), and
at least two grooves ( 27 ) in the other of the upper part ( 1 ) and the lower part ( 2 ),
each of the at least two grooves configured to receive a respective one of the at least two pins ( 26 ).

10. The claim according to claim 1 , further comprising a suction tube ( 20 ) connecting the inner space ( 3 ) to the outlet nipple ( 12 ) and providing a path that conveys the milk from the inner space ( 3 ) to the outlet nipple ( 12 ),
wherein the suction tube ( 20 ) comprises a lower tube section ( 20 a ) positioned in proximity of the bottom surface ( 4 ) with a gap present between the lower tube section ( 20 a ) and the bottom surface ( 4 ), and
wherein the lower part ( 2 ) further comprises a central depression ( 25 ) extending inwardly toward the upper part ( 1 ), the center axis (x) and the axis (x′) of rotation of the lower part extending through the depression ( 25 ).

11. The claim according to claim 10 , wherein,
the upper wall ( 16 ) further comprises a plurality of inlet members ( 8 ), each inlet member ( 8 ) configured for receiving a respective short milk conduit ( 9 ), and
the upper part ( 1 ) further includes a transparent zone that enables observation of the milk flow in the inner space ( 3 ) during the milking operation.

12. A claw (C) for a milking machine, comprising:
an enclosure having an upper part ( 1 ) and a lower part ( 2 ) that together enclose an inner space ( 3 ) for a milk flow during a milking operation, the enclosure having a center axis (x) extending through the upper part ( 1 ) and the lower part ( 2 ), the center axis (x) defining a height direction of the enclosure,
wherein the lower part ( 2 ) is detachably connected to the upper part ( 1 ) along a connection plane (p),
wherein the upper part ( 1 ) comprises i) an upper end ( 5 ) defining an upper end point ( 5 ′), ii) an upper wall ( 16 ) adjoining the upper end ( 5 ), and iii) a lower annular end ( 7 ) at a periphery of the claw (C) in the connection plane (p),
wherein the lower part ( 2 ) comprises a bottom surface ( 4 ) facing the inner space ( 3 ) with the center axis (x) extending through the bottom surface ( 4 ),
wherein the lower part ( 2 ) is rotationally symmetric with respect to an axis (x′) of rotation being perpendicular to the connection plane (p),
wherein the center axis (x) is non-coincident with the axis (x′) of rotation, and
wherein the connection plane (p) is inclined with respect to the center axis (x) such that the enclosure has i) a first height at a first peripheral position (p 1 ) of the upper part, and ii) a second height at a second peripheral position (p 2 ) of the upper part, the second peripheral position (p 2 ) being diametrically opposite to the first peripheral position (p 1 ), the first height being greater than the second height; and
an outlet nipple ( 12 ) extending from the end ( 5 ) and outwardly with respect to the center axis (x), the outlet nipple ( 12 ) providing a milk discharge path from the inner space ( 3 ), the outlet nipple ( 12 ) configured for connection to a long milk conduit ( 13 ) for discharge of milk from the inner space ( 3 ), further comprising a peripheral ring ( 29 ) extending along the periphery at the connection plane (P).

13. The claw (C) according to claim 12 , wherein the peripheral ring ( 29 ) is made of a rubber material.

14. The claw (C) according to claim 13 , wherein the peripheral ring ( 29 ) comprises at least one outwardly extending wing ( 30 ) positioned between the first peripheral position (p 1 ) and the second peripheral position (p 2 ).

15. The claw (C) according to claim 12 , wherein the peripheral ring ( 29 ) comprises at least one outwardly extending wing ( 30 ) positioned between the first peripheral position (p 1 ) and the second peripheral position (p 2 ).

16. The claw (C) according to claim 15 , wherein the upp

Assignees

• Delaval Holding Ab

Inventors

• Bonnier Tor
• Back Nathalie
• Olsson Emil
• Stridsberg Markus

Classifications

• A01J5/041 Primary

  Milk claw · CPC title

• A01J5/044

  Milk lines or coupling devices for milk conduits · CPC title

• A01J5/04 Primary

  with pneumatic manipulation of teats · CPC title