Teat cup holder rack

• US 6,401,654 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Delaval Holding AB (Tetra Laval Holdings BV)
• Original Assignee: Delaval Holding AB (Tetra Laval Holdings BV)
• Inventors: Horberg, Ann Louise Maria, Hallsten, Goran, Johannesson, Leif
• Primary Examiner(s): ABBOTT, YVONNE RENEE
• Application Number:
  US09/720,457
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 119/14.01, 119/14.02, 119/14.51, 119/14.18, 134/166.C, 134/169.C
• US Class Current: 119/14.18
• CPC Class Codes: A01J 7/025 Teat cup cleaning, e.g. by rinse jetters or nozzles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and a method for cleaning teat cups (21) in a milking machine. It comprises a teat cup holding rack (1) having a teat cup (21) connected to a milk line (11), teat cup cleaning device (25) with cleaning fluid supply device such as a nozzle (41) and teat cup storing (19′, 19″), milk line actuator (9, 53, 55) for retracting the milk line (11) until the teat cup (21) is positioned upside down and in contact with the teat cup storing device (19′, 19″); and teat cup cleaning driver actuator (13″) for moving the cleaning fluid supply device (41) from a position not underneath said teat cup (21) to a position substantially vertically below the teat cup (21).

Claims

1. Teat cup holding rack (1) for use in a milking machine comprising a teat cup (21) connected to a milk line (11), teat cup cleaning means (25) with cleaning fluid supply means (41), and teat cup storing means (19′

, 19″

), characterized in that it further comprises milk line retracting means (9, 53, 55) for retracting said milk line (11) until said teat cup (21) is positioned upside down and in contact with said teat cup storing means (19′

, 19″

); and

teat cup cleaning means actuating means (13″

) for moving said cleaning fluid supply means (41) from a position not underneath said teat cup (21) to a position substantially vertically below said teat cup (21).

2. Teat cup holding rack (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a second teat cup cleaning means actuating means (13′

) for moving said cleaning fluid supply means (41) from said position substantially vertically below said teat cup (21) to a position where said cleaning fluid supply means (41) are inside said teat cup (21).

3. Teat cup holding rack (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises cleaning nozzles (63) for cleaning the exterior of the teat cup (21) and milk line (11).

4. Teat cup holding rack (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said teat cup cleaning means (25) is pivotable from said position not underneath said teat cup (21) to said position substantially vertically below said teat cup (21).

5. Teat cup holding rack (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (13′

, 47, 27) for lowering said teat cup into a sealing position on a sealing means (61) on said teat cup cleaning means (25).

6. Teat cup holding rack (1), characterized in that said milk line retracting means (9, 53, 55) comprise an actuator means (9) and a retractor line (55) wherein said retractor line (55) is attached to a pulley (53) supporting said milk line (11) or to said milk line (11) or to a teat cup (21) attached to said milk line (11).

7. Method for cleaning teat cups (21) in a teat cup holding rack (1) for use in a milking machine, wherein said teat cup holding rack (1) comprises a teat cup (21) connected to a milk line (11), teat cup cleaning means (25) with cleaning fluid supply means (41), and teat cup storing means (19′

, 19″

), characterized by the steps of;

retracting said milk line (11) until said teat cup (21) is positioned upside down and in contact with said teat cup storing means (19′

, 19″

);

moving said cleaning fluid supply means (41) from a position not underneath said teat cup (21) to a position where said cleaning fluid supply means (41) is substantially vertically below said teat cup (21); and

,

spraying cleaning fluid out of said cleaning fluid supply means (41) into said teat cup (21).

8. Method in accordance with claim 7, characterized by the further step of:

raising said cleaning fluid supply means (41) into said teat cup (21).

9. Method in accordance with claim 7, characterized by the further steps of:

lowering said teat cup (21) until it is in sealing contact with sealing means (61) on cleaning fluid supply means (41); and

applying a vacuum to milk line (11).

10. Method in accordance with claim 7, characterized by the steps of:

providing equipment spraying means (61) for spraying cleaning fluid onto said milk line (11) and said teat cup holding rack, when said milk line (11) is being retracted; and

spraying cleaning fluid onto said milk line (11) when it is being retracted.