APPARATUS FOR MILKING ANIMALS, IN PARTICULAR COWS

Abstract

The device for milking animals, in particular cows, is provided with a teat cup (10, 10A, 10C, 10D) having an outer sleeve (12) and an elastic teat-receiving tube (30). The teat-receiving tube (30) abuts the ends (14, 16) of the outer sleeve (12) in an air-tight manner. The teat-receiving tube (30) is surrounded by an annular space (46) which is divided in axial extension into at least two or three annular chambers (48, 50) which are separated from each other in an air-tight manner by a partition wall (52). Each annular chamber (48, 50) is in fluid communication with a pneumatic line via which the respective annular chamber (48, 50) can be selectively and independently of the respective adjacent annular chamber (48, 50) subjected to negative and/or positive pressure and atmospheric pressure in accordance with a predeterminable time-dependent pulsation pattern.

Claims

1. A device for milking animals, comprising at least one teat cup having a rigid outer sleeve and an elastic teat-receiving tube being arranged in the outer sleeve, wherein the outer sleeve comprises an open first end and an open second end opposite thereto, wherein the teat-receiving tube has a teat-receiving end abutting the first end of said outer sleeve in an air-tight manner and a connection end projecting beyond the second end of the outer sleeve for connection to a milk discharge system and abutting the second end of the outer sleeve in an air-tight manner, wherein the teat-receiving tube is surrounded by an annular space and extends under axial tension within the outer sleeve between the two ends thereof, wherein the annular space is divided in axial extension into at least two or three annular chambers which are separated from each other in an air-tight manner by a partition wall, wherein each annular chamber is in fluid communication with a pneumatic line via which the respective annular chamber can be selectively and independently of the respective adjacent annular chamber subjected to negative and/or positive pressure and atmospheric pressure in accordance with a predeterminable time-dependent pulsation pattern, and a pneumatic control unit for exerting a negative pressure in the teat-receiving tube with simultaneous cyclic pressurization of the annular chambers by alternately applying negative and/or positive pressure and atmospheric pressure in accordance with a predeterminable time-dependent pulsation pattern, wherein the at least one partition wall is formed as an elastomeric annular membrane extending from the teat-receiving tube and having an outer circumferential region facing away from the teat-receiving tube, with which the annular membrane abuts in its outer circumferential region against the inner side of the outer sleeve and is held sealingly against the inner side of the outer sleeve by a retaining ring which is tightly surrounded radially outwardly by the outer circumferential region of the annular membrane, wherein the retaining ring is formed as a radially outwardly biased spring ring the diameter of which can be reduced by generating an outwardly directed biasing force, and wherein a circumferential receiving groove is formed on the inner side of the outer sleeve for receiving the spring ring in its region enclosed by the outer circumferential region of the annular membrane.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve is cylindrical or has a partial section tapering towards the second end of the outer sleeve, in which the receiving groove is formed.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the spring ring is slotted and has two ends facing each other which, in the relaxed state of the spring ring, have are spaced apart from one another, or that the spring ring is slotted and has two ends facing each other which overlap in the relaxed state of the spring ring.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the two ends of the spring ring are radially or axially adjacent to each other or radially or axially offset from each other.

5. A device for milking animals, comprising at least one teat cup having a rigid outer sleeve and an elastic teat-receiving tube being arranged in the outer sleeve, wherein the outer sleeve comprises an open first end and an open second end opposite thereto, wherein the teat-receiving tube has a teat-receiving end abutting the first end of said outer sleeve in an air-tight manner and a connection end projecting beyond the second end of the outer sleeve for connection to a milk discharge system and abutting the second end of the outer sleeve in an air-tight manner, wherein the teat-receiving tube is surrounded by an annular space and extends under axial tension within the outer sleeve between the two ends thereof, wherein the annular space is divided in axial extension into at least two or three annular chambers which are separated from each other in an air-tight manner by a partition wherein each annular chamber is in fluid communication with a pneumatic line via which the respective annular chamber can be selectively and independently of the respective adjacent annular chamber subjected to negative and/or positive pressure and atmospheric pressure in accordance with a predeterminable time-dependent pulsation pattern, and a pneumatic control unit for exerting a negative pressure in the teat-receiving tube with simultaneous cyclic pressurization of the annular chambers by alternately applying negative and/or positive pressure and atmospheric pressure in accordance with a predeterminable time-dependent pulsation pattern, wherein the outer sleeve is cylindric and has a partial section tapering towards the second end of the outer sleeve, and wherein the outer sleeve has a number of axially successive outer sleeve sections equal to the number of ring membranes, and wherein the outer circumferential region of the at least one ring membrane is arranged in an air-tight manner between the mutually facing ends of two adjacent outer sleeve sections.

6. The device according to claim 5, two adjacent outer sleeve sections are screwed together in an air-tight releasable manner and/or are connected to each other in a releasable manner by individual connecting elements, such as screws or screws with screw nuts or by a bayonet lock, and/or are inserted into each other in an air-tight releasable manner.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one annular membrane is integrally formed with the teat-receiving tube or is bonded thereto in an air-tight manner by bonding.

8. The device for milking animals, comprising at least one teat cup having a rigid outer sleeve and an elastic teat-receiving tube being arranged in the outer sleeve wherein the outer sleeve comprises an open first end and an open second end opposite thereto, wherein the teat-receiving tube has a teat-receiving end abutting the first end of said outer sleeve in an air-tight manner and a connection end projecting beyond the second end of the outer sleeve for connection to a milk discharge system and abutting the second end of the outer sleeve in an air-tight manner, wherein the teat-receiving tube is surrounded by an annular space and extends under axial tension within the outer sleeve between the two ends thereof, wherein the annular space is divided in axial extension into at least two or three annular chambers which are separated from each other in an air-tight manner by a partition wherein each annular chamber is in fluid communication with a pneumatic line via which the respective annular chamber can be selectively and independently of the respective adjacent annular chamber subjected to negative and/or positive pressure and atmospheric pressure in accordance with a predeterminable time-dependent pulsation pattern, and a pneumatic control unit for exerting a negative pressure in the teat-receiving tube with simultaneous cyclic pressurization of the annular chambers by alternately applying negative and/or positive pressure and atmospheric pressure in accordance with a predeterminable time-dependent pulsation pattern, wherein the at least one partition wall is designed as an inner flange projecting from the inner side of the outer sleeve into the annular space and having an inner circumferential edge, and wherein the teat-receiving tube is provided with at least one outer circumferential groove, in which the inner circumferential edge of the inner flange is received in an air-tight manner, or is provided with at least one outer circumferential rib which is received in an air-tight manner in a groove on the inner circumferential edge of the inner flange.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein at least one retaining projection and preferably several retaining projections arranged distributed along the inner circumferential edge of the inner flange protrude in axial extension of the outer sleeve, wherein the projection or projections, in order to ensure the air-tight contact of the teat-receiving tube with the inner circumferential edge of the inner flange, engages or engage with the teat-receiving tube in the event of contraction of the teat-receiving tube.

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the outer sleeve has a number of outer sleeve sections equal to the number of partition wherein at least one outer sleeve section has an inner flange at one of its ends, and wherein adjacent outer sleeve sections can be releasably connected to one another in an air-tight manner.

11. The device according to claim 8, wherein the teat-receiving tube has a round, in particular circular, or an oval or a polygonal, in particular triangular or quadrangular cross-section, wherein the teat-receiving tube can have several sections with the same or different cross-sections in axial extension.

12. The device according to claim 8, comprising four teat cups, the teat-receiving tubes of which are connected at their connection ends to a collecting piece of a milk discharge system comprising a housing with a collecting chamber, wherein the housing of the collecting piece has a connection for a milk discharge line of the milk discharge system and a number of pressure distributors equal to the number of annular chambers of a teat cup are arranged on the housing of the collecting piece, each pressure distributor having an input connection and four output connections, wherein the output connections of each pressure distributor are in fluid communication with different annular chambers per teat cup or per group of teat cups.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the cyclic pressurization of the ring chambers of the four teat cups is carried out alternately for two pairs of teat cups or simultaneously for all four teat cups and/or by alternating negative pressure with atmospheric pressure or by alternating positive pressure with atmospheric pressure and/or by pulsation patterns controlled depending on the milk quantity.

14. The device according to claim 8, configured to milk cows.

Description

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a teat cup 10 according to the invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the teat cup 10 has a two-part outer sleeve 12 made of, for example, metal or plastic, the outer sleeve 12 having an open, upper end 14 and an open, lower end 16. The outer sleeve 12 is provided with an upper outer sleeve section 18 and a lower outer sleeve section 20 which have facing axial ends 22, 24 that are each provided with an outer flange 26, 28 at which the two outer sleeve sections 18, 20 are mechanically connected to one another. The upper outer sleeve section 18 in FIG. 1 defines the upper end 14 of the outer sleeve 12, while the lower outer sleeve section 20 in FIG. 1 defines the lower end 16 of the outer sleeve 12.

[0055] A teat-receiving tube 30 is arranged within the outer sleeve 12, the teat-receiving tube 30 having a head piece 32 fitted to the upper end 14 of the outer sleeve 12 in an air-tight manner, the head piece 32 having a teat-receiving end 34 from which a tube section 36 extends through the outer sleeve 12, the tube section 36 having a connection end 38 outside the outer sleeve 12. The teat-receiving tube 30 is made of elastomeric material such as rubber. As already mentioned above, the head piece 32 seats in an air-tight manner on the upper end 14 of the outer sleeve 12. At the lower end 16 of the outer sleeve 12, the latter also sealed in an air-tight manner by the teat-receiving tube 30. This is done, for example, by means of an outer circumferential thickening 40 on the tube section 36 of the teat-receiving tube 30, said thickening 40 having an outer circumferential annular groove 41 into which the inwardly directed opening edge 42 of the lower end 16 of the outer sleeve 12 is immersed.

[0056] A peculiarity of the teat cup 10 according to FIG. 1 is that the annular space 46 formed between the teat-receiving tube 30 and the inner side 44 of the outer sleeve 12 is divided axially into an upper annular chamber 48 and a lower annular chamber 50. A partition wall 52 extends between the two annular chambers 48 and 50 and separates the two annular chambers 48, 50 from each other in an air-tight manner. In this exemplary embodiment, this partition wall 52 is configured as an annular membrane formed integrally with the tube section 36 of the teat-receiving tube 30, the outer circumferential region 56 of which is arranged in an air-tight manner between the outer flanges 26 and 28 of the two outer sleeve sections 18, 20. Both annular chambers 48, 50 are each provided with a pneumatic connecting piece 58, 60 via which the two annular chambers 48, 50 can be pressurized independently of one another (with negative or positive pressure).

[0057] By dividing the annular space 46 into the upper annular chamber 48 and the lower annular chamber 50, it is now possible to cause each annular chamber to contract independently of the other by means of pulsation patterns known per se, and thus to process different sections of a teat received by the teat-receiving tube 30 in a locally different manner in order to feed the milk out of the cistern 62 of the teat 61 via the teat canal 64. Referring to the embodiment of FIG. 1, for example, during the milking process, with negative pressure permanently applied to the interior 66 of the teat-receiving tube 30 during a processing cycle for the teat 61, the tube section 36 would first be allowed to contract in its upper section 68 extending through the upper annular chamber 48, while the lower section 70 of the tube section 36 is not contracted. With the contraction of section 68 maintained, the lower section 70 would then be allowed to contract, for example, either to relax the upper section 68 shortly thereafter, or to relax both sections 68, 70 simultaneously thereafter. With this method of treatment, a contraction beginning at the udder 72 would be successively applied to the teat 61 until it reaches the teat canal 64 or the lower end 74 of the teat 61, which would be similar to the milking process by hand.

[0058] The annular space 46 can also be divided, for example, into three axially successive annular chambers. The process described above would then be performed accordingly with respect to three differently controllable contraction sections of the teat-receiving tube within its section surrounding the teat 61.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a first alternative exemplary embodiment of a teat cup 10A. Insofar as the individual parts or individual elements of the teat cup 10A of FIG. 2 are structurally or functionally the same as those of the teat cup 10 according to FIG. 1, they are provided in FIG. 2 with the same reference sign as in FIG. 1.

[0060] The difference between the two teat cups 10 and 10A is the way in which the partition wall 52 for dividing the annular space 46 into the upper annular chamber 48 and the lower annular chamber 50 is formed. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the partition wall 52 is formed as an annular membrane 54 placed around a retaining ring 76 in the form of a “skirt” 78 projecting outwardly from the teat-receiving tube 30, for example. In its outer circumferential region 56, the annular membrane 54 is placed around the outside of the retaining ring 76 and is sealingly attached thereto (e.g., by bonding) and is thus located between the retaining ring 76 and the inner side 44 of the outer sleeve 12 or the inner side 44 of the lower outer sleeve section 20. The annular membrane 54 is formed as part of a tube sleeve or skirt 78, for example, which in turn is arranged in an air-tight manner on the outside of the tube section 36 of the teat-receiving tube 30, which can be done, for example, by bonding or, in the case of elastomeric material such as rubber as the material for the skirt 78 and the teat-receiving tube 30, by vulcanization. The retaining ring 76 is also preferably bonded to the outer circumferential region 56 of the annular membrane 54. The two outer flanges 26, 28 of the outer sleeve 12 lie against each other in an air-tight manner by means of a sealing ring 79 and are mechanically connected to each other. In this exemplary embodiment, however, the outer sleeve 12 can also be designed as a single piece.

[0061] With reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, a third exemplary embodiment of a teat cup 10B is described below. Insofar as the individual parts or individual elements of the teat cup 10B of FIGS. 3 to 5 are structurally or functionally similar to those of the teat cups 10 and 10A according to FIGS. 1 and 2, they are indicated in FIGS. 3 to 5 with the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0062] As can be seen from FIG. 3, the outer sleeve 12 is formed in one piece, with its upper outer sleeve section 18′ being tapered towards the lower second end 16. The lower second outer sleeve section 20′ is cylindrical. Within the conical outer sleeve section 18′, there is a circumferential annular receiving groove 81 on the inner side 44 of the outer sleeve 12, which serves to receive the retaining ring 76 and the outer circumferential region 56 of the annular membrane 54, which tightly encloses its outer side.

[0063] In FIG. 4a, the teat cup 10B is shown in the state of pre-assembly of the teat-receiving tube 30 in the outer sleeve 12. With its head piece 32, the t teat-receiving tube 30 sits on the first axial end 14 of the outer sleeve 12, wherein in this state the tube section 36 of the teat-receiving tube 30 extends, without being axially tensioned, through the outer sleeve 12 and protrudes with its connection end from the second axial end 16 of the outer sleeve 12. If this connection end 38 is now pulled, the retaining ring 76 slides along the conically tapering inner side 44 of the conical outer sleeve section 18′, wherein the retaining ring 76 is increasingly radially compressed. For this purpose, the retaining ring 76 is formed as a spring ring 77, which will be described further below. Finally, the retaining ring 76 reaches the level of the receiving groove 81 and engages therein due to its radially outwardly acting pretensioning force (see FIG. 4b). The outer circumferential region 56 of the annular membrane 54 is now held clamped between the receiving groove 81 and the outwardly biased retaining ring 76, thus sealingly separating the upper annular chamber 48 from the lower annular chamber 50. By further pulling on the connection end 38 of the teat-receiving tube 30, the latter engages as known at the second axial end 16 of the outer sleeve 12, whereby the teat-receiving tube 30 is then held overall under axial tension in the outer sleeve 12 (see FIG. 3).

[0064] FIGS. 5a and 5b show two exemplary embodiments of the retaining ring 76 formed as a spring ring 77. These are cross-sectional views along the line V-V of FIG. 4. According to FIG. 5a, the spring ring 77 is slotted with a distance 75 between its two ends 73a and 73b. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5b, the slit of the spring ring 77 does not run radially, but at an acute angle thereto, so that the two ends 73a, 73b of the spring ring 77 overlap. In both cases, the design of the spring ring 77 permits its radial compression, which results in the then radially outwardly acting pretensioning force of the spring ring 77, which in this respect can also be called a snap ring.

[0065] In FIG. 6, a further exemplary embodiment of a teat cup 10C is described. Here too, insofar as the individual parts or individual elements of the teat cup 10C of FIG. 6 are structurally or functionally similar to those of the teat cup 10 according to FIG. 1, they are provided in FIG. 6 with the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1.

[0066] The main difference of the construction of the teat cup 10C compared to those of the teat cups 10, 10A and 10B of FIGS. 1 to 5 is that the teat cup 10C according to FIG. 3 has a different construction of the partition wall 52. In this exemplary embodiment, the outer sleeve 12 is formed in one piece and is formed of metal, for example. An inner flange 82 is formed on the inner side 44 of the outer sleeve 12 by a curling, i.e., circumferential constriction 80, which is formed in an air-tight manner from an outer circumferential thickening 84 in the tube section 36 of the teat-receiving tube 30. This outer circumferential thickening 84 has a circumferential receiving groove 86 that surrounds the inner flange 82 internally and forms an air-tight seal.

[0067] FIGS. 4 and 5 show two phases of inserting the teat-receiving tube 30 into the outer sleeve 12 according to FIG. 4. First, the teat-receiving tube 30 is placed with its head piece 32 onto the upper end 14 of the outer sleeve 12. The tube section 36, which is now loose, i.e. without the axial tension typically found in teat cups, is now axially tensioned in the teat cup 10C so that the outer circumferential thickening 84 “locks” with the inner flange 82. This results in the situation according to FIG. 5. If the teat-receiving tube 30 is now further axially tensioned, the outer circumferential thickening 40 and the opening edge 42 at the lower end 16 of the outer sleeve 12 engage with each other in a sealing manner, resulting in the installation situation according to FIG. 3.

[0068] The advantage of the embodiment of the teat cup 10C is that the air-tight closures of the two annular chambers 48 and 50 as well as at the lower end 16 of the outer sleeve 12 are produced automatically in a simple manner by merely axially tensioning the teat-receiving tube 30.

[0069] In this respect, an equally advantageous configuration of a teat cup 10D is shown in FIG. 6. Again, in FIG. 6, those elements of the teat cup 10D which have the same function or the same design as the individual components of the teat cups of the previously described embodiments are provided with the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0070] The difference of the teat cup 10D compared to the previously described exemplary embodiments of the teat cups can be seen in the design of the partition wall 52. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 6, the partition wall 52 is implemented by an inner flange 88 on the upper outer sleeve section 18. The upper outer sleeve section 18 can be bolted to the lower outer sleeve section 20. Again, as in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, the teat-receiving tube 30 has an outer circumferential thickening 84 that is in air-tight engagement with the inner flange 88. The two outer sleeve sections 18, 20 are joined together in an air-tight manner by means of a sealing ring 89 when they are screwed together.

[0071] The assembly of the teat cup 10D is shown step by step in FIGS. 7 to 10. According to FIG. 7, first the head piece 32 of the teat-receiving tube 30 is placed on the upper end 14 of the upper outer sleeve section 18. At this point, the lower outer sleeve section 20 can be unscrewed. When the tube section 36 is now pulled, the outer circumferential thickening 84 and its groove 86 engage with the inner flange 88 in an air-tight manner, as shown in FIG. 8. The inner flange 88 expediently has a corrugation or similar retaining protrusions 90 on both its upper and lower sides, or on one of these two sides. The corrugation or retaining projections 90 mechanically engage the inner flange 88 with the outer circumferential thickener 84 and hold it in position, whereby slippage of the outer circumferential thickening 84 from the inner flange 88 can be safely prevented.

[0072] Starting from the situation according to FIG. 8, the lower outer sleeve section 20 is now screwed on, as shown in FIG. 9. In this situation, the outer circumferential thickening 40 is still located above the lower end 16 of the outer sleeve section 20. If the tube section 36 of the teat-receiving tube 30 is now pulled axially, the outer circumferential thickening 40 engages with the opening edge 42 of the outer sleeve section 20. This then results in the situation according to FIG. 6.

[0073] FIG. 10 schematically shows a milking equipment 92 with four teat cups 10 according to the invention, which in this example are each designed as described above with reference to FIG. 1. The milking equipment also includes a milk collecting piece 94 having four connections 96 for the connection ends 38 of the four teat cups 10. The collecting piece 94 has an outlet connection 98 which is in fluid communication with the milk collection system (not shown) and is subjected to negative pressure via the corresponding line system. This negative pressure is applied to the connection ends 38 of the teat-receiving tubes 30 of the teat cups 10 by means of the collecting piece 94.

[0074] Two pressure distributors 102, 104 are arranged on the housing 100 of the collecting piece 94. A separate pneumatic line 106, 108 leads to each pressure distributor 102, 104, and pressure pulsation patterns can be applied to said lines separately via a control valve device 110. The pressure present in each of the lines 106 and 108, respectively, is then applied accordingly to the lower annular chambers 50 and the upper annular chambers 48 of the teat cups 10. The two pneumatic lines 106, 108 may be formed in one piece as a double hose line, thereby reducing the number of individual tubes leading to the collecting piece 94. Likewise, it is possible for the two pneumatic lines 112, 114, each leading to a teat cup 10, to be designed as a double hose line, each of which is “fanned out” at its ends in order to be connected, on the one hand, to the pressure distributors 102, 104 and, on the other hand, to the connecting pieces 58, 60 of the teat cups 10.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0075] 10 teat cup

[0076] 10A teat cup

[0077] 10C teat cup

[0078] 10D teat cup

[0079] 12 outer sleeve

[0080] 14 first axial end of outer sleeve

[0081] 16 second axial end of outer sleeve

[0082] 18 outer sleeve section

[0083] 18′ upper conical outer sleeve section

[0084] 20 outer sleeve section

[0085] 20′ lower cylindric outer sleeve section

[0086] 22 axial end of outer sleeve section 18

[0087] 24 axial end of outer sleeve section 20

[0088] 26 outer flange

[0089] 28 outer flange

[0090] 30 teat-receiving tube

[0091] 32 head piece of teat-receiving tube

[0092] 34 teat-receiving end

[0093] 36 tube section of teat-receiving tube

[0094] 38 connection end of teat-receiving tube

[0095] 40 outer circumferential thickening

[0096] 41 outer circumferential annular groove

[0097] 42 opening edge

[0098] 44 inner side of outer sleeve

[0099] 46 annular space

[0100] 48 annular chamber

[0101] 50 annular chamber

[0102] 52 partition wall between annular chambers

[0103] 54 annular membrane

[0104] 56 outer circumferential region

[0105] 58 pneumatic connecting pieces

[0106] 60 pneumatic connecting pieces

[0107] 61 teat

[0108] 62 cistern

[0109] 64 teat canal

[0110] 66 inside of teat-receiving tube

[0111] 68 section of teat-receiving tube

[0112] 70 section of teat-receiving tube

[0113] 72 udder

[0114] 73a end of spring ring

[0115] 73b end of spring ring

[0116] 74 end of teat

[0117] 76 retaining ring

[0118] 77 spring ring

[0119] 78 skirt

[0120] 79 sealing ring

[0121] 80 constriction

[0122] 87 receiving groove

[0123] 82 inner flange

[0124] 84 outer circumferential thickening

[0125] 86 circumferential receiving groove

[0126] 88 inner flange

[0127] 89 sealing ring

[0128] 90 retaining projection

[0129] 92 milking equipment

[0130] 94 milk collection piece

[0131] 96 connections at milk collecting piece

[0132] 98 outlet connection of milk collecting piece

[0133] 100 housing of milk collecting piece

[0134] 102 pressure distributor

[0135] 104 pressure distributor

[0136] 106 pneumatic line

[0137] 108 pneumatic line

[0138] 110 control valve device

[0139] 112 pneumatic line

[0140] 114 pneumatic line