Milking cluster and milking parlor having such a milking cluster

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9968069-B2
Application number	US-201114002610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2011
Priority date	Mar 18, 2011
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A milking cluster used for milking a dairy animal in a milking parlor, the milking cluster including a teat cup unit, a teat cup, a drive device, a hose arrangement joined to the teat cup, a hose guide engaging the hose arrangement, and a flexible element that pivots the hose guide between a fixed position and a second position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A milking cluster for a milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, the milking cluster comprising:
a housing defining an opening;
a teat cup unit having a teat cup;
a drive device disposed at least partially in the housing;
a hose arrangement extending between the drive device and the teat cup, and through the housing opening;
a hose guide pivotable between a fixed position and a second position to guide the hose arrangement, wherein the hose arrangement extends through the hose guide; and
a flexible element extending between the drive device and the hose guide, wherein, in the fixed position, the teat cup is fixed abutting against the hose guide, and the hose guide abuts a fixing piece, the fixing piece being fastened on the housing so as to be pivotable; wherein, in the second position, the teat cup is released from abutting against the hose guide, and the hose guide is released out of the fixing piece.

2. The milking cluster of claim 1 , wherein the teat cup unit is movable between a park position in which the teat cup assumes a position inclined with respect to the perpendicular, a positioning position in which the teat cup is in a substantially perpendicular position, and a milking position in which the teat cup is connected to an associated teat of the animal to be milked.

3. The milking cluster of claim 1 , wherein the drive device of the teat cup unit is operatively connected to the hose arrangement and to the hose guide.

4. The milking cluster of claim 3 , wherein the drive device has a first position that exerts a pulling force on the teat cup and the hose arrangement to assume a positioning position in abutment against the hose guide and the hose guide is held in a fixed position, and a second position that does not exert a pulling force on the teat cup.

5. The milking cluster of claim 1 , and further comprising:
an adjustable guide roller operatively connected to the drive device and the hose arrangement, and the drive device is operatively connected to the hose guide by the flexible element for moving the teat cup unit between a positioning position and a milking position.

6. A milking cluster for a milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, the milking cluster comprising:
a teat cup unit having a teat cup;
a housing;
a drive device joined to the housing;
a hose arrangement joined to the teat cup;
a hose guide pivotable between a fixed position and a second position to guide the hose arrangement;
a flexible element extending between the drive device and the hose guide; and
an adjustable guide roller operatively connected to the drive device and the hose arrangement, and the drive device is operatively connected to the hose guide by the flexible element for moving the teat cup unit between a positioning position and a milking position;
wherein the drive device is an adjusting cylinder with a piston rod at a first end portion of which the guide roller is attached and at a second end portion of which the flexible element is attached; and
wherein, in the fixed position, the teat cup is fixed abutting against the hose guide, and the hose guide abuts a fixing piece, the fixing piece being fastened on the housing so as to be pivotable; wherein, in the second position, the teat cup is released from abutting against the hose guide, and the hose guide is released out of the fixing piece.

7. The milking cluster of claim 6 , and further comprising:
a force-storing element joined to the flexible element and the piston rod.

8. The milking cluster of claim 1 , wherein the teat cup unit further comprises:
a pivot drive device for pivoting the teat cup between a positioning position and a park position.

9. A milking cluster for a milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, the milking cluster comprising:
a housing defining an opening;
a teat cup unit having a teat cup;
a drive device disposed at least partially in the housing;
a hose arrangement extending between the drive device and the teat cup, and through the housing opening;
a hose guide pivotable between a fixed position and a second position to guide the hose arrangement, wherein the hose arrangement extends through the hose guide;
a flexible element extending between the drive device and the hose guide, wherein, in the fixed position, the teat cup is fixed abutting against the hose guide, and the hose guide abuts a fixing piece, the fixing piece being fastened on the housing so as to be pivotable; wherein, in the second position, the teat cup is released from abutting against the hose guide, and the hose guide is released out of the fixing piece;
a pivotable fixing piece joined to the hose guide; and
a pivot drive arranged to move the pivotable fixing piece between a fixed position, a park position, and a positioning position.

10. The milking cluster of claim 9 , wherein the flexible element is guided by a guide portion of the pivotable fixing piece.

11. The milking cluster of claim 1 , wherein the hose guide includes rollers for axially guiding the hose arrangement.

12. The milking cluster of claim 1 , wherein the hose arrangement comprises:
a plurality of hoses.

13. The milking cluster of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of hoses comprises:
a double hose.

14. A milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, the milking parlor comprising:
a milking cluster having:
a housing;
a teat cup unit having a teat cup, a drive device disposed at least partially in the housing, and a hose arrangement joined between the drive device and extending out of the housing opening to the teat cup, a hose guide pivotable between a fixed position and a second position to guide the hose arrangement wherein the hose arrangement extends through the hose guide; and
a flexible element extending between the drive device and the hose guide wherein, in the fixed position, the teat cup is fixed abutting against the hose guide, and the hose guide abuts a fixing piece, the fixing piece being fastened on the housing so as to be pivotable; wherein, in the second position, the teat cup is released from abutting against the hose guide, and the hose guide is released out of the fixing piece.

15. The milking parlor of claim 12 , and further comprising:
a supporting arm device on which the milking cluster is supported.

16. The milking parlor of claim 12 , and further comprising:
a robot arm on which the milking cluster is supported.

17. The milking parlor of claim 14 , and further comprising:
a supporting arm device on which the milking cluster is supported.

18. The milking parlor of claim 14 , and further comprising:
a robot arm on which the milking cluster is supported.

19. A milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, the milking parlor comprising:
a milking cluster having:
a housing;
a teat cup unit having a teat cup, a drive device disposed at least partially in the housing, and a hose arrangement joined between the drive device and extending out of the housing opening to the teat cup, a hose guide pivotable between a fixed position and a second position to guide the hose arrangement wherein the hose arrangement extends through the hose guide; and
a flexible element extending between the drive device and the hose guide wherein, in the fixed position, the teat cup is fixed abutting against the hose guide, and the hose guide abuts a fixing piece, the fixing piece being fastened on the housing so as to be pivotable; wherein, in the second position, the teat cup is released from abutting against the

Assignees

• Krone Otto
• Gea Farm Technologies Gmbh

Inventors

• Krone Otto

Classifications

• A01K1/12

  Milking stations · CPC title

• A01J5/0175

  Attaching of clusters · CPC title

• A01J5/017

  Automatic attaching or detaching of clusters · CPC title

• A01J5/00 Primary

  Milking machines or devices (A01J1/00, A01J3/00 take precedence) · CPC title