MONITORING A MILK MACHINE

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement (1), comprising: a milking machine (2) which has a line portion (3) for a fluid; a monitoring device (4) for monitoring contents of the fluid when the fluid flows through the line portion (3), which monitoring device comprises: o a light-source unit (5) which emits light into the line portion (3), o a detection unit (6) for spectrally resolved detection of light exiting the line portion (3), wherein the detection unit (6) is designed to output a signal on the basis of which the contents of the fluid flowing through the line portion (3) can be determined.

Claims

1. An arrangement, comprising: a milking machine having a line section for a fluid, a monitoring device for monitoring constituents of the fluid when the fluid is flowing through the line section, comprising a light source unit, which emits light into the line section, and a detection unit for the spectrally resolved recording of light which emerges from the line section, the detection unit being adapted to output a signal, with the aid of which the constituents of the fluid flowing through the line section can be determined.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the milking machine furthermore has a main line, and wherein the line section branches off from the main line and debouches into the main line.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the line section has an at least partially transparent region, and wherein the monitoring device is configured as a handheld instrument, in such a way that when the handheld instrument is held on the at least partially transparent region of the line section, light emitted by the light source unit enters the line section and light emerging from the line section reaches the detection unit.

4. A method for the analysis of a fluid in a line section of a milking machine, comprising: a) introduction of light into the line section, b) spectrally resolved detection of light which emerges from the line section, c) analysis of the fluid in respect of constituents with the aid of the light detected according to step b).

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the method is carried out with an arrangement as claimed in claim 1.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein steps a) to c) are carried out at least at two monitoring locations, and wherein the results obtained in step c) for the at least two monitoring locations are compared with one another.

7. The method as claimed claim 4, wherein steps a) and b) are carried out with a handheld instrument which in step c) transmits the information recorded according to step b) to a central computer, and wherein in step c) the central computer furthermore carries out the analysis and transmits the result to the handheld instrument.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein steps a) to c) are carried out cyclically, and wherein a respective calibration is carried out between successive cycles.

9. A method for the analysis of a fluid in a milking machine, comprising: A) branching of a part of the fluid off from a line section of the milking machine, B) introduction of light into the fluid branched off according to step a), C) spectrally resolved detection of light which emerges from the fluid, and D) analysis of the fluid in respect of constituents with the aid of the light detected according to step C).

Description

[0098] FIG. 1: shows a first embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention,

[0099] FIG. 2: shows a second embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention,

[0100] FIG. 3: shows a third embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention.

[0101] FIG. 1 shows an arrangement 1 having a milking machine 2. The milking machine 2 comprises a milking cluster 18 and a milk tank 17. The milking cluster 18 is connected by a main line 7 to the milk tank 17. Provided in parallel with the main line 7, there is a branch line 20 which branches off from the main line 7 and debouches back into the main line 7. The main line 7 and the branch line 20 are likewise part of the milking machine 2. A fluid such as milk can be analyzed in a line section 3 of the branch line 20. The milking cluster 18 is connected to the milk tank 17 via the branch line 20, and to this extent via the line section 3. In order to analyze the fluid, the arrangement 1 has a monitoring device 4. The monitoring device 4 has a halogen lamp as a light source unit 5, which emits light having a continuous wavelength spectrum into the line section 3. The monitoring device 4 furthermore has a detection unit 6 for the spectrally resolved recording of light which emerges from the line section 3. The detection unit 6 is connected to an evaluation unit 19 of the monitoring device 4. The evaluation unit 19 is adapted to analyze the fluid in respect of constituents with the aid of signals of the detection unit 6. The fluid may, for example, be analyzed when it is fed through the line section 3 starting from the milking cluster 18. During the analysis, it is possible to determine whether at least one predetermined constituent in the fluid exceeds a respective limit value. The monitoring device 4 is configured as a handheld instrument 10, which can be held on the line section 3. For this purpose, the line section 3 has an at least partially transparent region 8.

[0102] FIG. 2 shows an arrangement 1 which is similar to the arrangement from FIG. 1. The only difference here is that the light source unit 5 and the detection unit 6 are arranged on mutually opposite sides of the line section 3. According to FIG. 2, the absorption of light can therefore be measured, while according to FIG. 1 the reflection can be measured.

[0103] FIG. 3 shows an arrangement 1 having a milking machine 2. The milking machine 2 has a milking cluster 18 with, for example, four milking cups 11. Extracted milk can be introduced from the milking cups 11 through a milk claw 12 into a milking line 13. Through the milking line 13, the milk can be introduced via a milk airlock 14 and a distributor 15 into a milk tank 17. A vacuum used for the milking is located upstream of the milk airlock 14. Downstream of the milk airlock 14, there is no vacuum. The distributor 15 is adjusted, during the milking, in such a way that the milking line 13 is connected to the milk tank 17. The milk tank 17 may be connected to more than the one milking cluster 18 shown.

[0104] The lines of the milking machine 2 may be cleaned with a cleaning fluid. For this purpose, when a milking process is not taking place, a cleaning fluid is introduced from a cleaning fluid tank 16 via a feed line 21 into the milking cups 11. The cleaning fluid can pass through the milking cups 11, the milk claw 12, the milking line 13 and the milk airlock 14 to the distributor 15, while imparting a cleaning effect. From the distributor 15, the cleaning fluid may be disposed of via a discharge 22 or returned to the cleaning fluid tank 16.

[0105] The milking machine 2 comprises the milking cluster 18, the milk claw 12, the milking line 13, the milk airlock 14, the distributor 15, the cleaning fluid tank 16, the milk tank 17 and the lines between them, including the feed line 21 and the discharge 22.

[0106] A monitoring device 4 configured as a handheld instrument 10 can be held at a respective at least partially transparent region 8 of a corresponding line section 3 at various monitoring locations 9. The milk or the cleaning fluid can thus be monitored in respect of constituents. The indicated positions of the monitoring locations 9 are exemplary. It is sufficient for the arrangement 1 to have any desired one of the monitoring locations 9 indicated. The arrangement 1 may also have any desired combination of a plurality of the monitoring locations 9 indicated or all the monitoring locations 9 indicated. In addition, the arrangement 1 may have one or more further monitoring locations.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0107] 1 arrangement [0108] 2 milking machine [0109] 3 line section [0110] 4 monitoring device [0111] 5 light source unit [0112] 6 detection unit [0113] 7 main line [0114] 8 at least partially transparent region [0115] 9 monitoring locations [0116] 10 handheld instrument [0117] 11 milking cup [0118] 12 milk claw [0119] 13 milking line [0120] 14 milk airlock [0121] 15 distributor [0122] 16 cleaning fluid tank [0123] 17 milk tank [0124] 18 milking cluster [0125] 19 evaluation unit [0126] 20 branch line [0127] 21 feed line [0128] 22 discharge