SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLEANING TEATS OF A MILK-PRODUCING ANIMAL
First Claim
1. A system for cleaning teats of milk-producing animals, wherein the animals are housed in a parlor area and the teats are cleaned or disinfected before a milking operation is started, the system comprising:
- an aqueous chlorine dioxide disinfectant solution provided at the parlor area, wherein the disinfectant solution has a viscosity and/or vapor pressure substantially equal to water;
a hand-held applicator having a housing volume within which one or more scrubbing elements are positioned for engaging a teat of the milk-producing animal having been inserted in the volume for cleaning;
a delivery station in fluid communication with the hand-held applicator and the disinfectant solution source, for delivering the disinfectant solution to the housing volume of the hand-held applicator with a predetermined concentration of chlorine dioxide;
a controller, in electrical communication with the hand-held applicator and the delivery station, that is configured to initiate the actuation of the scrubbing elements and delivery of the disinfectant solution to the hand-held applicator as the scrubbing elements are actuated; and
,wherein the hand-held applicator is remotely operable relative to the disinfectant solution source.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of the invention is directed to a system for cleaning teats of multiple milk-producing animals, wherein the animals are housed in a parlor area and the teats are cleaned or disinfected before a milking operation is started. The system comprises an aqueous chlorine dioxide disinfectant solution source provided at the parlor area; and, a hand-held applicator having a housing volume within which one or more scrubbing elements are positioned for engaging a teat of the milk-producing animal having been inserted in the volume for cleaning. The hand-held applicator is remotely operable relative to the disinfectant solution source.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A system for cleaning teats of milk-producing animals, wherein the animals are housed in a parlor area and the teats are cleaned or disinfected before a milking operation is started, the system comprising:
-
an aqueous chlorine dioxide disinfectant solution provided at the parlor area, wherein the disinfectant solution has a viscosity and/or vapor pressure substantially equal to water; a hand-held applicator having a housing volume within which one or more scrubbing elements are positioned for engaging a teat of the milk-producing animal having been inserted in the volume for cleaning; a delivery station in fluid communication with the hand-held applicator and the disinfectant solution source, for delivering the disinfectant solution to the housing volume of the hand-held applicator with a predetermined concentration of chlorine dioxide; a controller, in electrical communication with the hand-held applicator and the delivery station, that is configured to initiate the actuation of the scrubbing elements and delivery of the disinfectant solution to the hand-held applicator as the scrubbing elements are actuated; and
,wherein the hand-held applicator is remotely operable relative to the disinfectant solution source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A system for cleaning teats of multiple milk-producing animals, wherein the animals are housed in a parlor area and the teats are cleaned or disinfected before a milking operation is started, the system comprising:
-
an aqueous chlorine dioxide disinfectant solution source provided at the parlor area; a hand-held applicator having a housing volume within which a plurality of rotatable brushes are positioned for engaging a teat of the milk-producing animal having been inserted in the volume for cleaning; a delivery station in fluid communication with the hand-held applicator and the disinfectant solution source, for delivering the disinfectant solution to the housing volume of the hand-held applicator with a predetermined concentration of an active disinfectant compound in the solution; a controller, in electrical communication with the hand-held applicator and the delivery station, that is configured to simultaneously initiate the rotations of the brushes and delivery of the disinfectant solution to the hand-held applicator; and
,wherein the hand-held applicator is remotely operable relative to the disinfectant solution source and at least one first brush engages an end of the teat through which milk is released and the brush includes an array of bristles including a first set of bristles having a first radial length and a second set of bristles having a second radial length that is longer than the first radial length. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for cleaning teats of multiple milk-producing animals during a milking operation, wherein the animals are housed in a parlor area and the teats are cleaned or disinfected before the milking operation is started, the method comprising:
-
providing a source of an aqueous chlorine dioxide disinfectant solution at a location within or at the parlor; delivering, for a first predetermined time duration, the aqueous chlorine dioxide disinfectant solution containing a predetermined concentration of about 150 ppm of chlorine dioxide by volume to a housing of an hand-held applicator having a teat inserted within a volume of the housing and the applicator having movable scrubbing elements in the housing element; and
,simultaneously actuating the scrubbing elements for cleaning the teats in the presence of the solution for the predetermined time duration, wherein the applicator is remotely operable relative to the solution source. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23)
-
-
21. A disinfectant solution for cleaning teats of a milk producing animal, comprising:
an aqueous chlorine dioxide solution having a viscosity and/or vapor pressure that is substantially equal to that of water.
Specification