A milking device for milking a dairy animal comprises a teat cup with a cup wall and a teat liner and a pulsation space situated in between, to which pulsation space a pulsation device is connected which is configured to apply a pressure that varies in pulsations to the pulsation space in order to open and close the teat liner, and which pulsation device comprises a supply line which is controllable by a first operable valve, in particular closable, for supplying a first pressure, a supply line which is controllable by a second operable valve, in particular closable, for supplying a second pressure, which is a lower pressure than the first pressure, and a control unit which is configured to generate control signals for operating the first valve and the second valve, wherein the first valve, and preferably also the second valve, is a controllable valve having a passage which is adjustable by means of the control signals, wherein the passage of the first valve, and preferably of the second valve, respectively, is adjustable during at least one pulsation phase by the control unit via the control signals.

A milking device for milking a dairy animal comprises a teat cup with a cup wall and a teat liner and a pulsation space situated in between, to which pulsation space a pulsation device is connected which is configured to apply a pressure that varies in pulsations to the pulsation space in order to open and close the teat liner, and which pulsation device comprises a supply line which is controllable by a first operable valve, in particular closable, for supplying a first pressure, a supply line which is controllable by a second operable valve, in particular closable, for supplying a second pressure, which is a lower pressure than the first pressure, and a control unit which is configured to generate control signals for operating the first valve and the second valve, wherein the first valve, and preferably also the second valve, is a controllable valve having a passage which is adjustable by means of the control signals, wherein the passage of the first valve, and preferably of the second valve, respectively, is adjustable during at least one pulsation phase by the control unit via the control signals.

A milking device for milking a dairy animal includes a teat cup with a cup wall and a teat liner and a pulsation space situated in between, the pulsation space being connected to a pulsation device that is configured to apply a pressure that varies in pulsations to the pulsation space in order to open and close the teat liner. The pulsation device includes a supply line controllable by a first operable valve for supplying a first pressure, a supply line controllable by a second operable valve for supplying a second pressure lower than the first pressure, and a control unit configured to generate control signals for operating the first and second valves. At least the first valve is a controllable valve having a passage that is adjustable during at least one pulsation phase by the control unit.

A milking device for milking a dairy animal includes a teat cup with a cup wall and a teat liner and a pulsation space situated in between, the pulsation space being connected to a pulsation device that is configured to apply a pressure that varies in pulsations to the pulsation space in order to open and close the teat liner. The pulsation device includes a supply line controllable by a first operable valve for supplying a first pressure, a supply line controllable by a second operable valve for supplying a second pressure lower than the first pressure, and a control unit configured to generate control signals for operating the first and second valves. At least the first valve is a controllable valve having a passage that is adjustable during at least one pulsation phase by the control unit.

A method and system for enhancing expression of milk from breast alveoli includes providing a pump that delivers a pulsed vacuum. The pulsed vacuum may be delivered by a vacuum pump employing a rigid piston that operates as a multi-stroke accumulator pump. In an embodiment, a piston head of the rigid piston undergoes a non-linear motion relative to a sidewall of a cylinder of the pump, resulting in an oscillatory impulse on the interior of the vacuum chamber in the cylinder. The vacuum pulse frequency of the pump is applied over a cyclical vacuum frequency that would otherwise be applied had the piston head only moved up and down while maintaining a perpendicular relationship to the sidewall of the cylinder.

Animal milking claws, assemblies, and methods of making and using same. Upper and lower claw portions, the upper claw portion having front and rear milk inlets, and the lower claw portion including a milk outlet. Milk inlets positioned generally tangentially to the upper claw portion force milk to flow on geodesic curves on the internal surface of the upper milk claw. Milk is forced to impact upon the vertical partition in the lower claw portion. The milk outlet has a reinforced portion extending at least a portion of a length of the milk outlet, with one or more reinforcing chamfers where the reinforced portion connects with the lower claw portion. Coolant for heat transfer may be provided to the milk outlet or the lower claw portion, or both.

Animal milking claws, assemblies, and methods of making and using same. Upper and lower claw portions, the upper claw portion having front and rear milk inlets, and the lower claw portion including a milk outlet. Milk inlets positioned generally tangentially to the upper claw portion force milk to flow on geodesic curves on the internal surface of the upper milk claw. Milk is forced to impact upon the vertical partition in the lower claw portion. The milk outlet has a reinforced portion extending at least a portion of a length of the milk outlet, with one or more reinforcing chamfers where the reinforced portion connects with the lower claw portion. Coolant for heat transfer may be provided to the milk outlet or the lower claw portion, or both.

There is provided a method for improving the reliability and performance of a valve device that transitions between the pressure and vacuum phases for the purpose of milking animals. The improvement properly biases the movable parts and reduces physical wear of the movable parts within the valve device while ensuring proper function of said movable parts.

There is provided a method for improving the reliability and performance of a valve device that transitions between the pressure and vacuum phases for the purpose of milking animals. The improvement properly biases the movable parts and reduces physical wear of the movable parts within the valve device while ensuring proper function of said movable parts.

A milking device for milking a dairy animal includes a teat cup with a cup wall and a teat liner and a pulsation space situated in between, to which pulsation space a pulsation device is connected which is configured to apply a pressure that varies in pulsations to the pulsation space in order to open and close the teat liner. The pulsation device includes a supply line which is controllable by a first operable valve, in particular closable, for supplying a first pressure, a supply line which is controllable by a second operable valve, in particular closable, for supplying a second pressure, which is a lower pressure than the first pressure, and a control unit which is configured to generate control signals for operating the first valve and the second valve, wherein the first valve, and preferably also the second valve, is a controllable valve having a passage which is adjustable by means of the control signals, wherein the passage of the first valve, and preferably of the second valve, respectively, is adjustable during at least one pulsation phase by the control unit via the control signals.