Milking device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10791700-B2
Application number	US-201515546188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2015
Priority date	Jan 26, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A milking device including at least one milking cup with a teat space and a pulsation space, a pulsator connected by a pulsation line to the pulsation space of the milking cup and provided with a vacuum source, a vacuum line provided with a first controllable valve between the vacuum source and the pulsation line, an aeration line provided with a second controllable valve between the pulsation line and a source of higher pressure, and a pulsator control system for the first and second valves. The pulsator control system includes a flushing mode for opening and holding open the first and second valves during at least a predefined flushing time which is at least as long as the pulsation period.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A milking device for performing milkings, comprising:
at least one milking cup with a teat space and a pulsation space,
a pulsation system comprising the pulsation space and a pulsator, the pulsator connected by a pulsation line to the pulsation space of the milking cup, and the pulsator provided with:
a vacuum source for supplying a vacuum pressure suitable for pulsation of the pulsation space during milking,
a vacuum line between the vacuum source and the pulsation line, and provided with a first controllable valve,
an aeration line between the pulsation line and a source of higher pressure than said vacuum pressure, and provided with a second controllable valve, and
a pulsator control system for pulsation of the milking cup, and configured for controlling the first and second valves with a pulsation period and configured to control a flushing mode for flushing the pulsation system to remove dirt, and/or measure pressure drops in the milking device, and/or measure air flow in the milking device, the flushing mode comprising simultaneously holding open the first and second valves during at least a predefined flushing time which is at least as long as the pulsation period.

2. The milking device according to claim 1 , wherein the pulsation period is variable or adjustable, and wherein the flushing time is longer than a momentary pulsation period at a moment of triggering the flushing mode.

3. The milking device according to claim 1 , comprising an input device with which a user can enter into the pulsator control system an instruction for triggering the flushing mode.

4. The milking device according to claim 1 , wherein the pulsator control system is configured for automatically triggering the flushing mode after completion of a predefined number of makings.

5. The milking device according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined flushing time is at least 2 seconds.

6. The milking device according to claim 1 , furthermore comprising a sensor device operatively connected to the pulsator control system for determining a parameter value which relates to the pulsation, wherein the pulsator control system is configured for triggering the flushing mode on the basis of the determined parameter value.

7. The milking device according to claim 6 , wherein the sensor device comprises an air flow meter in at least one of the vacuum line and the aeration line, which air flow meter is configured for measuring an air flow in the respective vacuum and/or aeration line.

8. The milking device according to claim 7 , wherein the pulsator control system is configured for registering a measurement from the sensor device at the time of flushing.

9. The milking device according to claim 6 , wherein the sensor device comprises a pressure monitor for determining a pressure in the pulsation space.

10. The milking device according to claim 7 , wherein the aeration line contains an air filter between the second valve and a source of higher pressure.

11. The milking device according to claim 7 , furthermore comprising an air filter in the pulsation line and/or the vacuum line, wherein the pulsator control system is configured for registering said pressure during flushing as a function of time, and wherein the pulsator control system is configured for emitting a warning signal if said pressure as a function of time does not comply with a predefined criterion.

12. The milking device according to claim 11 , wherein the pulsator control system is configured for emitting a warning signal if said pressure as a function of time does not does not drop below a predefined second threshold pressure within a predefined time after a start of the flushing mode.

13. The milking device according to claim 7 , wherein the pulsator control system is configured for emitting a warning signal if said measured air flow in the flushing mode does not at least reach a predefined threshold air flow.

14. The milking device according to claim 9 , wherein the pulsator control system is configured for emitting a warning signal if the presure was determined by the presure monitor and said determined pressure in the flushing mode does not drop below a predefined first threshold value.

15. The milking device according to claim 1 , furthermore comprising a flushing liquid connection which is connected or connectable to the aeration line, wherein the pulsator control system is configured for having a liquid flushing action performed in the milking device, the liquid flushing action comprising triggering the flushing mode, connecting the aeration line to the flushing liquid source, and by means of the vacuum source flushing the flushing liquid through at least the aeration line.

16. The milking device according to claim 15 , wherein the flushing liquid connection is connected to a flushing liquid source.

17. The milking device according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined flushing time is longer than the pulsation period.

18. The milking device according to claim 1 , wherein the pulsation period is variable or adjustable, and wherein the flushing time is longer than a longest pulsation period settable by the pulsation control.

19. The milking device according to claim 1 , wherein the pulsator control system is configured for automatically triggering the flushing mode after expiry of a predefined time period and after completion of any momentary milking.

20. The milking device according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined flushing time is at least 10 seconds.

21. A milking device for performing makings, comprising:
at least one milking cup with a pulsation space,
a pulsator connected by a pulsation line to the pulsation space of the milking cup and provided with:
a vacuum source for supplying a vacuum pressure suitable for pulsation of the pulsation space during milking,
a vacuum line between the vacuum source and the pulsation line, and provided with a first controllable valve,
an aeration line between the pulsation line and a source of higher pressure than said vacuum pressure, and provided with a second controllable valve, and
a pulsator control system for pulsation of the milking cup and configured for controlling the first and second valves with a pulsation period, and

a flushing liquid connection which is connected or connectable to the aeration line,
wherein the pulsator control system comprises a flushing mode for simultaneously holding open the first and second valves during at least a predefined flushing time which is at least as long as the pulsation period, and
wherein the pulsator control system is configured to perform a liquid flushing action in the milking device, the liquid flushing action comprising triggering the flushing mode, connecting the aeration line to the flushing liquid source, and by means of the vacuum source flushing the flushing liquid through at least the aeration line.

22. A method of flushing a milking device, the milking device comprising at least one milking cup with a teat space and a pulsation space,
a pulsation system comprising the pulsation space and a pulsator, the pulsator connected by a pulsation line to the pulsation space of the milking cup, and the pulsator provided with
a vacuum source for supplying a vacuum pressure suitable for pulsation of the pulsation space during milking,
a vacuum line between the vacuum source and the pulsation line, and provided with a first controllable valve,
an aeration line between the pulsation line and a source of higher pressure

Assignees

• Lely Patent Nv

Inventors

• Van Dorp Michiel Adriaan
• Schutten Erik Henk Christiaan

Classifications

• A01J5/04

  with pneumatic manipulation of teats · CPC title

• A01J5/047

  Vacuum generating means, e.g. by connecting to the air-inlet of a tractor engine (vacuum pumps F04) · CPC title

• A01J5/044

  Milk lines or coupling devices for milk conduits · CPC title

• A01J5/007 Primary

  Monitoring milking processes; Control or regulation of milking machines · CPC title

• A01J5/16

  Teat-cups with pulsating devices · CPC title