Quick-coupling device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10966404-B2
Application number	US-201615578981-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2016
Priority date	Jun 5, 2015
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A quick-coupling device for a milking module of a milking system for milking dairy animals that forms a releasable and re-establishable connection between the milking module and a milk pipe and includes a valve mechanism for opening and closing a feeding port and a discharge port using a number of articulated clamps.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A quick-coupling device for a milking module of a milking system for milking dairy animals, wherein the quick-coupling device forms a releasable and re-establishable milk pipe connection to the milking module, and the quick-coupling device comprises:
a valve mechanism movable between a closed state and an open state;
a feeding port having a milking module end and a second end, and including a feeding port sealing flange with a feeding seal;
a discharge port having a first end and a milk pipe end, and a discharge port sealing flange engaged with the feeding seal and with a discharge seal of the first end of the discharge port and with the sliding clamp;
a first clamp releasably joined to the feeding port milking module end;
a second clamp releasably joined to the feeding port second end and the discharge port first end, and the second clamp is a sliding clamp defining a slot; and
the valve mechanism is at least partially arranged between the second end of the feeding port and the first end of the discharge port.

2. A quick-coupling device for a milking module of a milking system for milking dairy animals, wherein the quick-coupling device forms a releasable and re-establishable milk pipe connection to the milking module, and the quick-coupling device comprises:
a valve mechanism movable between a closed state and an open state, and the valve mechanism comprises:
a feeding seal;
a discharge seal; and
a slide movable between the feeding seal and the discharge seal to move the valve mechanism between the open state and the closed state;

a feeding port having a milking module end and a second end;
a discharge port having a first end and a milk pipe end;
a first clamp releasably joined to the feeding port milking module end; and
a second clamp releasably joined to the feeding port second end and the discharge port first end.

3. The quick-coupling device of claim 2 , wherein the valve mechanism is in the open state when the slide is removed from between the feeding seal and the discharge seal, and in the closed state when the slide is arranged between the feeding seal and the discharge seal.

4. The quick-coupling device of claim 2 , wherein the slide is received and held between the feeding seal and the discharge seal in a contact plane in which the feeding seal and the discharge seal are in contact with one another when the valve mechanism is in the closed state.

5. The quick-coupling device of claim 2 , and
the discharge port sealing flange comprises:
a slide guide having guide slots integrally formed in segments and including a latching portion which in the closed state of the valve mechanism is in engagement with a latching opening of the inserted slide.

6. The quick-coupling device of claim 5 , wherein the segments of the sealing flange of the discharge port protrude in an axial direction of the feeding port, and recesses are arranged between the segments in the axial direction of the feeding port, and the recesses are countersunk relative to the segments and forming with the segments a profile engaged with a lower face of the sealing flange of the feeding port, and in a non-rotational manner.

7. The quick-coupling device of claim 2 , wherein in the closed position of the valve mechanism, the slide extends through a slot defined by the sliding clamp.

8. The quick-coupling device of claim 2 , wherein in the closed position of the valve mechanism, the slide forms a sealed connection with the discharge seal when the first clamp, the second clamp, and the feeding port are removed.

9. A quick-coupling device for a milking module, the quick-coupling device comprising:
a feeding port including a milking module end and a second end wherein the feeding port second end includes:
a feeding port sealing flange;

a discharge port having a first end and a milk pipe end and a discharge port sealing flange releasably engaged with the feeding port;
a seal is arranged between the feeding port sealing flange and the discharge port sealing flange;
a first clamp releasably joined to the feeding port milking module end;
a second clamp releasably joined to the feeding port second end and the discharge port first end, wherein the first clamp and the second clamp are of substantially the same configuration;
a valve mechanism movable between a closed state and an opened state; and
the valve mechanism is arranged between the second end of the feeding port and the first end of the discharge port.

10. The quick-coupling device of claim 9 , wherein the valve mechanism comprises:
a valve body;
a valve rod operatively engaged with the valve body;
a valve seat in the sealing flange of the discharge port; and
an actuator operatively engaged with the valve rod.

11. The quick-coupling device of claim 10 , wherein the valve body is fixedly connected to an upper rod end of the valve rod, a sealing surface of the valve body corresponds to the valve seat in the sealing flange of the discharge port, and in the closed state of the valve mechanism, the valve body closes the valve seat with its sealing surface, and in the open state of the valve mechanism the sealing surface of the valve body is spaced apart from the valve seat.

12. The quick-coupling device of claim 10 , wherein the valve rod extends through a connecting line of a body of the discharge port into a bearing portion of the discharge port and through the bearing portion into the actuator, and wherein a lower rod end of the valve rod is fixedly connected to an actuator body of the actuator.

13. The quick-coupling device of claim 12 , wherein the valve rod in the bearing portion of the discharge port is longitudinally displaceably guided in a bushing and is sealed by a seal relative to the connecting line of the body of the discharge port.

14. The quick-coupling device of claim 10 , wherein the actuator comprises:
a bearing flange with a sleeve portion;
an actuator body slidably disposed in the sleeve portion; and
a slotted guide.

15. The quick-coupling device of claim 14 , wherein the slotted guide is integrally formed in a wall of the sleeve portion and, with a radially extending guide connected to the actuator body, forms a stable state, in both the closed state and the open state.

16. The quick-coupling device of claim 9 , wherein at least one portion of the feeding port and at least one portion of the discharge port are arranged coaxially relative to one another.

Assignees

• Gea Farm Technologies Gmbh

Inventors

• Balkenhol Reinhard
• Wiethoff Magnus
• Noeverman Niek
• Grundner Harald

Classifications

• F16L55/105

  Closing devices introduced radially into the pipe or hose · CPC title

• F16L23/10

  with a pivoting or swinging pin · CPC title

• A01J5/044 Primary

  Milk lines or coupling devices for milk conduits · CPC title

• F16K1/12

  with streamlined valve member around which the fluid flows when the valve is opened · CPC title

• F16K1/38

  of conical shape · CPC title