Delaval Holding Ab

Alfa Laval Agri Ab

Alfa-laval Agriculture International Ab

Torbjorn Petterson

Bohao Liao

Ola Sandberg

Jan Kassibrahim

Hans Flodin

Christoffer Hagglund

Thomas Axelsson

Michael Persson

Lars Andersson

Marie-Louise Gustafsson

Leif Lindholm

Otto Hellekant

Raza Mehinovic

Karl-Olof Sandgren

Gunvor Nilsson

Jerker Aberg

Jonas Lundwall

Pernilla Hanssen

A milk sampling device includes a housing forming an inner space, an inlet opening to the inner space, a deflector member with an upper surface mounted in the inner space of the housing in a position vertically below the inlet opening, a flow passage formed between a periphery edge portion of the deflector member and an inner surface of the housing, and a milk sampling passage provided with an opening which constitutes a part of the flow passage. The upper surface of the deflector member comprises a plurality of a upwardly extending members arranged at a distance from each other in the vicinity of the periphery edge portion of the deflector member such that flow channels are formed between adjacent upwardly extending members.

Milk sampling device

A flow measuring device includes a first sensor device that responds to one stimulus caused by a fluid medium flowing through a measurement section by registering a first measure representing a first type of physical characteristic of the fluid medium, and a second sensor device that responds to another stimulus caused by the fluid medium by registering a second measure representing a second type of physical characteristic of the fluid medium, the second measure being independent from the first measure, and the first and second measures both being dependent on the flow of the first fluid and on the flow of the second fluid in the fluid medium in the measurement section, the first measure and the second measure being sufficient to solve both a first function that defines the flow of the first fluid and a second function that defines the flow of the second fluid.

Multiphase flow measurement

A flow measurement device includes a first sensor device that responds to stimulus from fluid medium flowing through a measurement section by registering a measure representing a physical characteristic, a processor, and a data storage including a look-up table containing a first collection of values representing a first value of flow of a first fluid or a first value of flow of a second fluid, and a second look-up table containing a second collection of the values representing a second value of the flow of the first fluid or a second value of the flow of the second fluid, the processor receiving the measures registered during a measurement time interval and estimating a flow pattern of the fluid medium during the measurement interval where the flow pattern describes how the first and second fluids are distributed in the measurement section over the measurement time interval.

A milking method and system for preventing detachment of a teat cup from a teat of an animal during a milking process where the milking system includes a milk line connected to the teat cup, a vacuum system that applies at least two different vacuum levels to the teat cup, a measuring device configured to measure the air flow in the milk line during the milking process, and a control unit () that receives information about measured air flow values and to determine if the teat cup is about to be detached from the teat by comparing the measured air flow values (q) with an acceptable value (q, &#x394;q/&#x394;t), and when the measured air flow values are not acceptable, to control the vacuum system to apply a higher vacuum level to the teat cup than the present vacuum level.

Milking system and a method for preventing detachment of a teat cup from a teat during a milking process

A method for controlling the milking by a milking machine includes, during an initial phase of the milking, increasing a milking vacuum and/or a maximum pulsation vacuum for the milking gradually from a first selected vacuum level (L) towards a second selected vacuum level (L) to thereby improve teat stimulation and decreasing the risk of a second milk letdown. When a second milk letdown (ML) is detected, the maximum pulsation vacuum is preferably immediately lowered to a third selected vacuum level (L), and is kept at that third selected vacuum level until a certain milk flow has been established, whereupon the pulsation vacuum level is then again increased gradually until the second selected vacuum level is reached.

Method and arrangement for controlling the milking by a milking machine

A method for controlling the milking by a milking machine includes, during an initial phase of the milking, increasing a milking vacuum and/or a maximum pulsation vacuum for the milking gradually from a first selected vacuum level (1L) towards a second selected vacuum level (2L) to thereby improve teat stimulation and decreasing the risk of a second milk letdown. When a second milk letdown (2ML) is detected, the maximum pulsation vacuum is preferably immediately lowered to a third selected vacuum level (3L), and is kept at that third selected vacuum level until a certain milk flow has been established, whereupon the pulsation vacuum level is then again increased gradually until the second selected vacuum level is reached.

The invention refers to a milking arrangement including a milking box () adapted to received an animal to be milked and a milking device having a milk conduit and a set of teatcups () to be applied manually by an operator to the teats of an animal. Each teatcup has an upper opening for introducing the respective teat. The milking device draws milk from the animal via the teatcups and the milk conduit through the use of a low pressure. A support device () carries the teatcups in at least an idle position, in which the teatcups are located not to interfere with the animal and the operator, and an intermediate position, in which the teatcups are located more closely to the teats. Control equipment controls the support from the idle position to the intermediate position.

Milking arrangement

The invention refers to a milking device for milking an animal during a milking operation. A milking member () includes at least one teatcup () to be attached to a teat of the animal. A long milk conduit () extends from the milking member for being connected to a milking machine. A support device () comprises a mounting device () mounted to a stationary structure (), and a support arm () in parallel to an arm axis and connected to the mounting device. The milking member is freely movable along the support arm. The milking member is attached to the support arm and displaceable on the support arm. The support arm includes a primary arm element (') connected to the mounting device and a secondary arm element (&#x2033;) holding the milking member. The primary arm element is telescopically introduceable into the secondary arm element, which is displaceable on the primary arm element.

Milking device

A teatcup liner adapted to be mounted in a shell to form a teatcup to be applied to a teat of an animal, and a method of mounting a teatcup liner. The liner defines an inner space for receiving the teat and a longitudinal center axis. The liner has a head portion, a tubular barrel portion and, a tubular lower portion defining a milk channel having a cross-section area perpendicular to the center axis. The tubular lower portion has a primary engagement member to be engaged by a secondary engagement member of the shell. The liner includes a grip member extending from the tubular lower portion to be gripped by an operator when the liner is to be mounted. The grip member defines a force application zone on which a pulling force is to be applied and which seen along the center axis is located within the cross-section area.

Teatcup liner

The invention refers to a teatcup part and a teatcup to be attached to a teat of an animal. The teatcup includes the teatcup part () and a connection part (). The teatcup part is disengageably mountable to the connection part. The teatcup part () includes a shell () and a teatcup liner () having an upper opening () and a lower opening (). The liner forms an inner space () for receiving the teat through the upper opening and a pulsation chamber () between the liner and the shell. The connection part includes a milk-discharging member for the discharge of milk from the teatcup, and a milk channel () extending between the lower opening of the inner space of the liner and the milk-discharging member. The connection part also includes a pulse-supplying member for the supply of a pulsating pressure to the pulsation chamber, and a pulse channel extending between the pulsation chamber and the pulse-supplying member.

Teatcup, and a teatcup part

This invention refers to a teatcup liner and a teatcup. The liner () is mounted in a shell () of the teatcup and defines an inner space () for receiving a teat. The liner includes a primary component () forming a barrel. The primary component includes a peripheral portion (), a primary connecting ring () and a lip () defining an opening (). The secondary component includes a secondary peripheral portion () and a secondary connecting ring (). The primary component is connectable to the secondary component for releasing the liner by a mutual engagement of the connecting rings. At least one of the connecting rings abuts the peripheral portion of the other component to form a sealing abutment between the two components.

Teatcup liner and a teatcup

A diaphragm valve for shutting off milk flow through a claw ( ) of a vacuum driven milking machine has, in a preferred embodiment, a lever ( ) linked ( ), outside the milk flow, to the diaphragm ( ), thereby avoiding any bushings which are prone to leakage. The lever ( ) can be swung manually to a position holding the diaphragm away from its seat thereby permitting milk flow. In the automatically closing embodiments, the lever is swung in this case against the bias of a spring ( ) and is retained in this open position if the suction force acting on the diaphragm ( ) and the link ( ) is sufficient to overcome the bias of the spring ( ), which will be the case when there is normal milk flow through the valve. Upon detachment of the tea from the animal's teat only air will flow through the valve, thereby reducing the suction force exerted on the link ( ) and allowing the spring ( ) to swing the lever away from its valve-open position to a diaphragm-release position where the air suction will pull the diaphragm to seal against its seat and cut off potentially contaminating air-flow through the system. This inventive principle can, for example, also be embodied in a rotary knob ( ) linked to the diaphragm ( ) and interacting with indined grooves ( ) and springs ( ) biasing the knob to advance to a diaphragm-release position when there is insufficient milk flow. Such a system is particularly useful in sheep or goat dairies where there is frequent attachment and detachment of the clusters.

Valve, milking claw and milking system

The present invention relates to a method for automatic separation of foremilk and/or milk not suitable for consumption from the milk line system of a milking plant and an apparatus for carrying out said method. A separating device ( ) is arranged at the ends of a milk line ( ) and a test milk line ( ), said milk lines being parallel. The separating device is designed with a damper means ( ) attached to a cup ( ). When milk is fed through the outlet ( ), the cup ( ) is filled up and its weight pivots the separating device from a first position, in which the inlet to a milk line ( ) is closed by means of the damper mean, to a second position, in which the milk in cup is poured into a test milk line ( ) and the damper means is lifted off the inlet ( ) to the milk line ( ).

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Gnesta, Sweden

Torbjorn Petterson