The present disclosure relates to a spray head to clean a teat of a dairy animal.
In dairy farming, milk is typically extracted from dairy animals by means of a milking apparatus comprising one or more teat cups. Each of the teat cups may be placed on a respective one of the dairy animal's teats either by hand or in an automated manner, as is the case in automated milking robots.
During a process of extracting milk from a dairy animal an adequate level of hygiene is of paramount importance. The reason for this is twofold. Firstly, when a dairy animal excretes milk, the milk ducts within the teats of the dairy animal dilate. This results in an increased likelihood for foreign matter—including bacteria and other potentially harmful microorganisms—to enter said milk duct, which may result in an infection of the mammary gland of the dairy animal. Secondly, extracted milk is typically ultimately intended for human consumption while simultaneously being susceptible to spoilage, in particular when contaminated with potential contaminants that are present in a farm environment.
It is for the above reasons that dairy farmers often take extensive hygiene precautions, one of which being cleaning of the teats of the dairy animal prior to placement of the teat cups and subsequent milk extraction. Cleaning of the teats of a dairy animal may be time-consuming and labour-intensive, as it is not unheard of for the teats of dairy animals to be covered in grime and/or feces.
As such, there exist a number of specialised devices in the art for the purpose of cleaning a dairy animal's teats prior to milk extraction. These devices are known to be relatively large and bulky, making them suitable for only certain dairy farming environments. Moreover, such devices are typically relatively costly and require a substantial financial investment when purchased. Another identified drawback of known teat cleaning devices is the fact that they are often reliant on mechanically driven brushes, which has been observed to induce discomfort and anxiety in some dairy animals when their teats are cleaned using such devices.
An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a teat cleaning device for dairy animals that is improved relative to the prior art and wherein at least one of the above stated problems is obviated or abated. This objective is achieved with a spray head according to the present invention, which is configured to clean a teat of a dairy animal and comprises a body comprising an inner contour at least partly enclosing a cleaning zone that is configured to receive the teat of the dairy animal; a fluid inlet; and at least one nozzle that is in fluid connection with the fluid inlet and is arranged along at least part of the inner contour of the body.
The spray head according to the present invention may be compactly sized on account of the above stated features and easily connected to an available fluid (water) source, thereby abating one of the aforementioned primary drawbacks of known teat cleaning devices. Moreover, the spray head according to the present invention exhibits a design that is simplified relative to known prior art devices and comprises few or none moving parts. Consequently, said spray head can be manufactured relatively cheaply using low-costs manufacturing techniques, such as injection moulding or metal stamping, and exhibits a high degree of reliability during use.
The present disclosure moreover relates to a milking apparatus comprising a spray head according to the present disclosure.
Preferred embodiments of a spray head in accordance with the present invention are subject of the appended dependent claims.
The various aspects and features described and shown in the disclosure can be applied, individually, wherever possible, or can be applied in combination. These individual aspects, and in particular the aspects and features described in the appended dependent claims, may be made subject of further divisional patent applications.
In the following description preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated with reference to the drawing, in which:
As is best illustrated in
In the depicted embodiments of spray head 1 each one of nozzles 5 comprises or is formed by an aperture in body 2.
Fluid inlet 6 preferably comprises a connector configured to connect spray head 1 to an available fluid or water source, such as a hose connected to a tap of the type that is commonly present on the majority of dairy farms. In the exemplary embodiment of
Because body 2 comprises inner contour 3 at least partly enclosing cleaning zone 4 with at least one nozzle 5 being arranged along inner contour 3, fluid that is forcefully discharged through the at least one nozzle 5 may be discharged in at least two different radial directions of cleaning zone 4, thus impacting and cleaning different faces of the teat received therein simultaneously. As such, said teat is cleaned in a manner that is efficient both in terms of required cleaning time and achieved cleaning result.
In the embodiments depicted in the appended figures, body 2 is embodied by a housing 2 comprising an inner space V. As is best illustrated in
In embodiments wherein body 2 is a housing 2, the aforementioned fluid connection between fluid inlet 6 and nozzle 5 may be arranged in the inner space of housing 2. For example, the fluid connection may comprise a hose or tube (not shown) arranged in the inner space of housing 2 and fluidly connecting nozzle 5 to inlet 6. However, in more preferred embodiments, as 2 may be best derived from the appended
It is noted here that the skilled person will recognise that body 2 may be embodied by alternative means other than a housing. For example, in a (not depicted) alternative embodiment body 2 may be constituted by a hollow or solid body with the at least one nozzle 5 being embodied by a nozzle member in fluid connection to fluid inlet 6 by means of tubing.
In the described and illustrated exemplary embodiments of spray head 1, body 2 comprises a circular or ring shape. The skilled person will nevertheless recognise that the aforementioned advantageous effects of the present invention may likewise be achieved with a body 2 exhibiting an alternative closed shape that is not circular, such as a triangular or polygonal shape, but still fully encloses cleaning zone 4. Moreover, body 2 may alternatively comprise a non-closed shape, such as a U-shape, that still exhibits inner contour 3 partly enclosing cleaning zone 4 and having arranged there along at least one nozzle 5.
Referring again to
In the depicted embodiment, each one of slit-shaped nozzles 5 is arranged to have its width extend along inner contour 3 of body 2. The aforementioned planar jet of fluid stemming from nozzle 5 is thus oriented to have its width oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of a teat received in cleaning zone 4, parallel to insertion direction I, which has been found to result in a particularly efficient cleaning of said teat.
In additional or alternative embodiments of spray head 1, at least one nozzle 5 may be configured to discharge fluid in a direction that is angled relative to a radial direction—said radial direction being approximately perpendicular to the aforementioned longitudinal direction I—of the teat when received in cleaning zone 4. The presence of such an angle of the ejected fluid jet has likewise been found to result in a further improved cleaning operation. Said angle of the ejected fluid jet may furthermore differ from one nozzle 5 to another one nozzle 5, resulting in a teat received in cleaning zone 4 to be simultaneously cleaned over a substantial portion of the length thereof. In addition, the angle of a forcefully ejected fluid jet to a radial direction of the teat may be sufficiently large to allow for fluid to be ejected in a longitudinal direction outside of cleaning zone 4. Such embodiments of spray head 1 are considered beneficial in cases in which it is desired to clean an area at which a teat of a dairy animal connects to its udder.
Spray head 1 preferably additionally comprises a brush 8a arranged at or near cleaning zone 4. Brush 8a is preferably arranged such that when a teat of the dairy animal is received in cleaning zone 4 brush 8a contacts said teat, thereby removing or at least loosening up debris or dirt attached to the teat. Moreover, during cleaning of a teat it may be expedient to move body 2 having attached thereto brush 8a in a longitudinal direction I of the to-be-cleaned teat to remove particularly firmly attached debris therefrom.
Spray head 1 may additionally or alternatively comprise a brush 8b at or near a side of body 2 for the removal of debris from a to-be-cleaned teat that is no received by cleaning zone 4.
Housing 2 additionally comprises a first inner half 2a′ and a second inner half 2b′, that are likewise configured to be form fittingly attached to one another and arranged in between first and second outer halves 2a, 2b in an assembled state of spray head 1. In such an assembled state of spray head 1, the aforementioned inner space V of housing 2 is thus jointly formed by first and second outer halves 2a, 2b and first and second inner halves 2a′, 2b′, the inner space of housing 2 thereby extending in between the spaces defined respectively by first outer half 2a and first inner half 2a′ and second outer half 2b and second inner half 2b′.
Each one of first and second outer halves 2a, 2b furthermore comprises on an inner surface thereof a plurality of concentrically arranged ribs 10. Each one of ribs 10 is configured to be received in a respective one of a plurality of corresponding notches 11 arranged concentrically on inner surfaces of first and second inner halves 2a′, 2b′. Ribs 10 thus function as spacers between respectively first outer half 2a and first inner half 2a′ and second outer half 2b and second inner half 2b′ and define the slit-shaped nozzles 5 most clearly illustrated in
In additional or alternative embodiments of the present invention, spray head 1 may additionally comprise a stimulator (not shown) configured to stimulate either one of both of an udder and a teat of a dairy animal by emitting kinetic pulses thereto.
Stimulation of the teats and/or udder of a dairy animal prior to milking has been found to stimulate the release of the peptide hormone oxytocin in the brain (paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus) of a dairy animal, which is associated with a decreased amount of time needed for milk let-down to occur and an increase in milk flow and total milk yield during milking.
The above described stimulator may comprises a motor that is powered electrically, pneumatically or alternatively by a flow of liquid through spray head 1 that is ultimately ejected through nozzles 5 as described above.
Referring now to
Inner section 10 is circular shaped and comprises a plurality of nozzles 12; of which each one is embodied by through hole in fluid connection with fluid inlet 6. The nozzles 12 can be the same as or similar to nozzles 5 as previously described. As can be discerned from
Each one of the plurality of nozzles 5, 12 is preferably configured to discharge a fluid jet 20 therefrom at an angle α away from the outer edge of cleaning zone 4 and/or substantially into a direction downwards towards a center or at least the center plane X of cleaning zone 4. As such, no or merely a minimal amount of fluid is dispersed upward out of cleaning zone 4, thereby preventing a user from splashing himself during use of spray head 1. Moreover, the directions of the plurality of fluid jets discharged by each one of nozzles 12 can result in the ejected fluid to exhibit a spiral-like motion, which has been found to result in an improved degree of cleaning, for example by providing the nozzles 5, 12 such that the jet 20 has a tangential component in its direction, as schematically shown in
In the embodiment depicted in
In the embodiment depicted in
Each one of ribs 11 is at least partially arranged at a distance from an inner contour of inner section 10 or alternatively body 2 of spray head 1 to define a drainage space 13 there between. In the depicted embodiment, drainage space 13 extends along the inner perimeter of inner section 10 or inner contour of body 2; and is configured to receive therein fluid of which a momentum has been reduced by ribs 11. Fluid received within drainage space 13 may subsequently flow downward out of drainage space 13 along a fluid guide 15 arranged downstream of cleaning zone 4.
In the depicted embodiment of spray head 1, fluid guide 15 is a flange that is arranged at or near an edge of cleaning zone 4 situated substantially opposite the edge of cleaning zone 4 at or near which the one or more nozzles 12 is arranged. Here, fluid guide 15 extends along an inner perimeter of inner section 10 and is configured to guide and drain off fluid received from drainage space 13.
Spray head 1 moreover comprises a fluid guard 14 arranged downstream of the at least one nozzle. In the depicted embodiment, fluid guard 14 is likewise embodied by a flange extending along an inner perimeter of inner section 10 to prevent fluid from creeping upward out of drainage space 13. Consequently, nearly all fluid is forced downward to exit drainage space 13 along fluid guide 15, thereby preventing said fluid from splashing in unwanted directions during usage of spray head 15.
Spray head 1 according to
In the embodiment of
A spray head as disclosed in
A spray head 1 according to the present disclosure can be relatively light, and is preferably hand held during operation, for example by attaching it to a spray gun or similar high pressure supply, such that the spray head can be moved relatively easily between dairy animals and over and away from teats, and can be easily cleaned and maintained. In embodiments the at least one nozzle can comprise several openings 5, 12.
In other additional or alternative embodiments of the present invention, spray head 1 may furthermore comprise at least one sensor (not shown) configured to sense a value indicative of a level of cleanliness of a to-be-cleaned teat. The sensor may be a visual sensor configured to sense an amount of debris remaining on a to-be-cleaned teat and for this purpose may be arranged at an appropriate location, for example at or near cleaning zone 4. Alternatively, the sensor may be configured to sense an amount of fluid used to clean a to-be-cleaned teat; and/or measure an amount of time that has passed since cleaning of the to-be-cleaned teat has commenced.
In other additional or alternative embodiments of the present invention, spray head 1 may be comprised by a milking apparatus (not shown) from cleaning of a dairy animal teat prior to milking. Such milking apparatus may comprise automated (robotic) milking systems and traditional milking systems.
The aforementioned sensor may furthermore be connected to an indicator (not shown) comprised by or arranged on an exterior of spray head 1, wherein the indicator is configured to indicate whether a to-be-cleaned that has been sufficiently cleaned based on the value output by the sensor. The indicator may be a visual indicator comprising a light source. Alternatively, the indicator may be configured to output an audio signal.
It is emphasised here that the skilled person will recognise that the various features comprised by the various embodiments of the present invention may freely be combined without departing from the inventive concept in accordance present disclosure. For example, the skilled person will recognise that the brush 8b of the embodiment of spray head 1 depicted in
The above described embodiments are intended only to illustrate the invention and not to limit in any way the scope of the present invention. Based on the above description of specific and particular embodiments of the present invention, the scope of protection according to the appended claims has been substantiated, whereas clearly additional and/or alternative embodiments are possible, feasible and potentially desirable within the scope of protection according to those appended claims. Features of the specific embodiments can not and should not result in limitation of the scope of protection thereto, unless defined in independent claims, whereas even the features defined in the appended independent claims can be replaced by obvious alternatives. Accordingly, it should be understood that where features mentioned in the appended claims are followed by reference signs, such signs are included solely for the purpose of enhancing the intelligibility of the claims and are in no way limiting on the scope of the claims. The scope of the invention is defined solely by the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2024718 | Jan 2020 | NL | national |
2025652 | May 2020 | NL | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/NL2021/050037 | 1/21/2021 | WO |