METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT, IN PARTICULAR TEMPERATURE CONTROL, HEATING AND/OR COOLING, OF LIQUID FOOD FOR ANIMALS

Abstract

In a device for freezing milk, in particular colostrum (3), in a container (5) comprising a temperature control element (10), the temperature control element remains in the frozen milk.

Claims

1. Device for freezing milk, especially colostrum comprising: a container with a temperature control element; a lid with a teat configured for milk consumption to young animals, especially calves, wherein the temperature control element is usable for freezing and thawing the milk and can remain in the frozen milk after the freezing.

2. Device as per claim 1, further wherein the temperature control element is a heat exchanger.

3. Device as per claim 1, further wherein the temperature control element is a kind of immersion heater operated electronically.

4. Device as per claim 1, further comprising a cavity located and remaining inside the container, wherein the cavity can be filled with treatment medium.

5. Device as per claim 4, further wherein the cavity is spiral-shaped.

6. Device as per claim 4, further wherein the cavity has a filler hole.

7. Device as per claim 6, further wherein the filler hole is located outside of the container.

8. Device as per claim 4, further wherein the cavity is equipped with an outlet.

9. Device as per claim 8, further wherein the outlet is located outside of the container.

10. Device as per claim 9, further wherein the outlet and the filler hole are located on the same side of the container.

11. Device as per claim 4, further wherein the cavity is located inside an immersion heater-like device which can be inserted into and removed from the container.

12. Device as per one of the claims 1, further wherein the device can be directly coupled to a milking system.

13. Device as per claim 1, further wherein the container is equipped with an outer and/or inner thread at an upper edge.

14. (canceled)

15. Device as per claim 1, further wherein the teat is eccentric.

16. Device as per claim 1, further wherein the teat is a fixed part of the lid or can be removed.

17. Device as per claim 1, further comprising a handle that has been attached to the lid.

18. Device as per claim 17, further wherein the handle is a fixed part of the lid or can be removed.

19. Device as per claim 1, further wherein the lid is equipped with a thread.

20. Device as per claim 1, further comprising an outer container located around the container to form a chamber.

21. Device as per claim 20, further wherein a tempering medium can be transferred to the chamber.

22. Device as per claim 1, further comprising at least one element that is inserted into the container and has a volume which can be modified through pulsation.

23. Process for freezing and thawing of milk, especially colostrum, in a container, comprising: freezing and thawing the milk with a temperature control element; wherein, the temperature control element remains in the frozen milk after the freezing.

24. (canceled)

Description

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0035] Additional benefits, features, and details of the invention can be found in the following description of preferred design examples and as per drawing. It shows in

[0036] FIG. 1 a side view of the invented device for treating milk;

[0037] FIG. 2 a block diagram of the invented device as per FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 3 a side view of another design example of the invented device;

[0039] FIG. 4 a perspective view of a lid of the invented device as per FIG. 3;

[0040] FIG. 5 a side view of another design example of the invented device;

[0041] As per FIG. 1 and the invention at hand, device V contains a container 5 with one or several installations therein 10 to temper the content of the container 5 with one or several cavities 2. The cavity 2 may be formed in different shapes and sizes. Ideally, this cavity 2 is spiral-shaped in the preferred design example and has a filler opening 1 as well as an outlet 4.

[0042] A temperature sensor 6 is allocated to the container as well. The temperature in the inside of the container 5 is measured through the temperature sensor 6.

[0043] In accordance with the design example of the invention as shown in FIG. 1, the filler hole 1 and outlet 4 should be located on the same side of the container. That way, the device 10 can be easily inserted into and removed from the container 5. It is also conceivable to design the device differently, with the filler hole 1 and the outlet 4 in a different location on the container.

[0044] The cavity 2 is intended to hold a tempering medium. Any medium suitable for temperature exchange is suitable to be used as tempering medium. For the sake of simplicity, water is naturally the preferred medium.

[0045] This is the functionality of the invention at hand:

[0046] In a preferred design example, the container 5 is used to treat colostrum. The colostrum is to be pasteurized, heated to 60 C., for example. To this end, the colostrum is filled into the container 5 and the device 10 is inserted into the container 5. Then, the corresponding tempering medium is filled into the cavity 2 and the colostrum pasteurized.

[0047] After that, a cooler tempering medium can lower the temperature, so that it is available for consumption immediately. Temperature sensor 6 determines when the colostrum 3 has reached the desired temperature. Once that temperature has been reached, the device 10 can be removed from the container 5 and/or the tempering medium can be discharged from outlet 5. The colostrum 3 can now be fed to the calf.

[0048] If the colostrum does not need to be available immediately for drinking, it can be frozen as well. This is achieved in combination with device 10. To prepare the milk for drinking, a warm tempering medium is filled into cavity 2. In practical applications, it was determined that the invented device 10 enables fast and uniform thawing of the colostrum. Warm water in the cavity 2, for example, transfers its heat to the colostrum 3 and gently heats it. To thaw the colostrum 3 as fast as possible, cooled water can be discharged through the outlet 4 and new, warmer water can be added through the filler hole 1. This process can be repeated until the colostrum 3 has reached the desired temperature for consumption. It can then be fed to the animal.

[0049] The device V can also be applied in direct combination with a milking system 7. For this purpose, the colostrum can be guided from the milking system 7 directly into the container 5, as shown in FIG. 2. After that, a cooling medium is administered through the filler hole 1 which transfers its cold to the colostrum and gently freezes it. Or the cold is administered from the outside to freeze the device 10 together with the milk.

[0050] The temperature sensor 6 checks the freezing progress of the colostrum. The already heated cooling medium can also be discharged through the outlet 4 and new medium added through the filler hole 1.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows another design example of the device V1 at hand. In this example, the container 5 is equipped with an outer thread 13. A lid 8 is screwed on this outer thread 13.

[0052] FIG. 4 presents a perspective view of the lid 8. This lid 8 is equipped with a thread 9 which will be referred to as inner thread 9 as it is located on the inside in the corresponding design example.

[0053] Furthermore, the lid 8 is equipped with a handle 11 and a teat 12, both of which can be attached to the lid or removable. It is preferred for the handle to be attached to the lid and outside facing the container 5.

[0054] The teat 12 is eccentrically structured to simplify the suction process for the calf. However, it can be in the center as well. That way, the calf can be fed directly after the colostrum has thawed without it having to be refilled into a suction bottle.

[0055] As per FIG. 5, a device V2 is also equipped with an outside container 14, with a chamber 15 between the container 5 and the outside container 14, into which the tempering medium can be transferred, as indicated by the arrow 16. It is then conceivable to add the tempering medium back to the cycle using a circulating pump.