The present invention relates to a washing system for washing a teat cleaning apparatus, wherein the washing system comprises an inlet passage adapted to convey washing liquid to at least the teat cleaning member of the teat cleaning apparatus.
Many times, the teats of a milking animal are cleaned by a teat cleaning apparatus before the teat cups are attached to the teats. The teat cleaning apparatus may comprise a teat cleaning cup provided with means for supplying cleaning liquid to a teat in the teat cup. Furthermore, the teat cleaning apparatus may comprise an outlet conduit adapted to remove the used teat cleaning liquid from the teat cleaning cup and a container adapted to receive the used teat cleaning liquid. Alternatively, the teat cleaning apparatus may comprise rollers, brushes, belts, sponges, cloths or the like which together with a cleaning liquid performs a cleaning treatment of the teats.
The teat cleaning apparatus has to be washed with regular intervals. It is known to use a common washing system for washing the teat cleaning apparatus and the milking equipment in a milking stall. In this case, washing liquid is supplied to and circulated in a circuit in which the washing liquid washes both the teat cleaning apparatus and the milking equipment. However, the teat cleaning cup may be relatively dirty. Thereby, the washing liquid, which comes in contact with the teat cleaning cup, may become contaminated by bacteria and materials which are not allowed to be mixed with the milk in the milking stall. Therefore, it is not suitable to use such contaminated washing liquid for washing milking equipment in a milking stall such as teat cups, milk conduits and milk tanks.
The object of the present invention is to provide a washing system for washing a teat cleaning apparatus in an effective manner and where the used washing liquid does not risk coming in contact with other components with higher hygienic requirements.
This object is achieved by the washing system initially defined, which is characterised in that the washing system comprises a return passage adapted to recirculate washing liquid from the teat cleaning apparatus to the inlet passage such that a closed separate flow circuit is formed for the washing liquid, and circulating means adapted to circulate the washing liquid in the separate closed flow circuit during a washing process of at least the teat cleaning member of the teat cleaning apparatus. Thus, the washing system comprises a separate closed flow circuit in which the washing liquid only cleans the teat cleaning apparatus. Since the flow circuit is separate and closed, there is no risk that the washing liquid will come in contact with other components in the milking stall such as teat cups, milk conduits and milk tanks which have higher hygienic requirements. The return passage may be formed by a return conduit and the inlet passage may be formed by an inlet conduit. The teat cleaning member of the teat cleaning apparatus may be a teat cleaning cup, one or several rollers, brushes, belts, sponges, cloths or the like which together with a cleaning liquid is adapted to perform a cleaning process of the teats of a milking animal.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the washing system comprises a connecting member adapted to be connected to the teat cleaning member of the teat cleaning apparatus when a washing process is to be performed. The teat cleaning member such as a teat cleaning cup, may be moved to the connecting member by means of, for example, a robot arm when a washing process is to be performed. Alternatively, the connecting member will be moved to the teat cleaning member. According to a third alternative, the teat cleaning member is parked on the connecting member when it not is used. The connecting member may comprise a part of the inlet passage, which is adapted to supply washing liquid to the teat cleaning member of the teat cleaning apparatus. The washing liquid may be supplied to the teat cleaning member by means of the connecting member through one or several outlet openings.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the teat cleaning member comprises a recess adapted to receive a teat of an animal during a teat cleaning process, wherein washing liquid is adapted to flow into the recess of the teat cleaning member during a washing process. Such a recess of a teat cleaning cup comes in direct contact with the teats of a milking animal during the cleaning process of the teats. Since the teat of a milking animal may be very dirty, there is a great risk that the surfaces of the recess will be contaminated. The supply of washing liquid to the recess guarantees that it will be washed in a successful way. The teat cleaning apparatus may comprise an outlet passage connected to the teat cleaning member, wherein the washing liquid is adapted to flow through the out passage during a washing process. The outlet passage may be formed by the inner space of an outlet conduit connected to the teat cleaning member. The teat cleaning apparatus may comprise a container connected to the outlet passage, wherein the washing liquid is adapted to flow through this container during the washing process. Such a container may be used to receive used cleaning liquid when the teat cleaning apparatus is used to clean the teat of a milking animal.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the container is provided with a level meter adapted to measure the quantity of liquid in the container. Since the washing liquid is circulated in a closed circuit, it is suitable to supply a desired quantity of washing liquid to the circuit before the washing process is started. When the level meter indicates that the container has been filled with the desired quantity of washing liquid, the filling process of washing liquid to the circuit is ceased.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the washing system comprises feeding means adapted to supply washing liquid to the inlet passage. Such feeding means may be able to supply washing liquid with a desired composition and temperature to the inlet passage. The feeding means may comprise a washing liquid source, a feeding conduit, and a control valve in the feeding conduit adapted to control the supply of washing liquid from the washing liquid source to the inlet passage. The washing source may be a washing unit supplying washing liquid with a desired composition and temperature to a washing trough which supplies the washing liquid to the feeding conduit.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the circulating means comprises a pump member arranged in the return passage. A relatively small pump may be used to circulate the washing liquid in the closed circuit during the washing process. The pump may be of different kinds. It is also possible to use other kinds of circulating means than pumps.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the washing system comprises a one-way valve arranged in the inlet passage. Such a one-way valve guarantees that the supplied washing liquid flows in a desired direction in the circuit. The washing system may comprise a control unit adapted to control the washing process of the teat cleaning apparatus. The control unit may be a computer or the like provided with a suitable software for this purpose.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the washing liquid is adapted to be circulated in the closed flow circuit during a predetermined period of time during a cleaning process of the teat cleaning apparatus. The pump member may, for example, circulate the washing liquid during a period of time of about six minutes. Thereby, the teat cleaning apparatus achieves an effective washing process. Preferably, the washing system comprises drain means adapted to draw off washing liquid from the circuit when a washing process has been finished. The drain means may be arranged in the teat cleaning apparatus and be the same drain means as used for drawing off used cleaning liquid from the teat cleaning apparatus after a cleaning process of the teats of a milking animal has been finished.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the washing system also comprises a closed flow passage for circulation of washing liquid through milking equipment. In this case, the washing system may supply cleaning liquid to the closed circuit for washing the teat cleaning apparatus and the closed circuit for washing the milking equipment at the same time. Thereafter, the washing liquid is circulated during a predetermined period of time in the two separate circuits. When the washing processes have been finished, the used washing liquid is drawn off from the respective separate circuits.
The present invention is now to be explained more closely by means of preferred embodiments, which are disclosed as examples, and with reference to the attached drawings.
A milking robot or an operator moves the teat cleaning cup 1 in proper order to the teats of a cow for cleaning the teats before a milking process is started. As soon as a teat has been moved into the recess 1a of the teat cleaning cup 1, the control unit 12 opens the control valve 4 such that cleaning liquid is supplied from the cleaning liquid source 2, via the inlet line 3, to the teat in the teat cleaning cup 1. At the same time, the control unit 12 opens the control valve 9 such that a vacuum pressure is applied, via the vacuum line 8, to the inner space of the container 6 and the outlet conduit 5. The vacuum pressure in the outlet conduit 5 helps keeping the teat in a predetermined position in the teat cleaning cup 1 at the same time as it sucks out used cleaning liquid from the inner space 1 of the teat cleaning cup 1. The used cleaning liquid flows through the outlet conduit 5 to the container 6. When the cleaning process of a teat is finished, the control unit 12 closes the control valve 4 such that the supply of cleaning liquid to the teat cleaning cup 1 is ceased. The control unit closes the control valve 9 such that the connection between the vacuum source 7 and the container 6 is ceased. The teat cleaning cup 1 is moved from the teat and to the next teat. When all teats of a cow have been cleaned, the teat cleaning cup is retracted to a parking position in a storing device 26. The parking position is defined by a number of rollers 26. The opening to the recess 1a of the teat cleaning cup 1 is directed downwards in the parked position. Finally, the control unit 12 opens the control valve 11 such that the used cleaning liquid collected in the container 6 is drained off via the drain line 10.
The teats of the cows may be very dirty and the teat cleaning apparatus has to be washed with regular intervals. A washing system for washing the teat cleaning apparatus is shown in
The washing system comprises a washing unit 21 adapted to supply washing liquid of a desired composition and temperature to a washing trough 22 via a control valve 23. A feeding conduit 24 is adapted to convey washing liquid from the washing trough 22 to the inlet conduit 14. The feeding conduit 24 comprises a control valve 25. The container 6 comprises a level meter 27. The control unit 12 is also adapted to control the washing process of the teat cleaning apparatus.
When a washing process is to be performed of the teat cleaning apparatus, the control unit 12 activates the washing unit 21 such that it generates washing liquid with a desired composition and temperature. The control unit 12 opens the control valve 23 such that the washing liquid is supplied to the washing trough 22. The control unit 12 opens the control valve 25 such that washing liquid flows from the washing trough 22 and the feeding conduit 24 to the inlet conduit 14. The supplied washing liquid flows then through the one-way valve 17 to the connecting member 13. The washing liquid is then supplied to the recess 1a of the teat cleaning cup 1 by means of the nozzle of the connecting member 13. Thereafter, the washing liquid flows into the outlet conduit 5 and to the container 6. The control unit 12 receives information from the level meter 27 about the washing liquid level in the container 6. As soon as a predetermined washing liquid level is reached in the container 6, the control unit 12 closes the control valves 23, 25 such that no more washing liquid is supplied to the inlet conduit 14. The closed circuit formed by the inlet conduit 14, the teat cleaning apparatus and the return conduit 15 is now filled with a required quantity of washing liquid.
The control unit 12 starts the pump 16. The pump circulates washing liquid from the container 6 to the return conduit 15. A smaller part of the washing liquid flows from the return conduit 15 into the conduit 18 and back to the container 6. However, the main flow in the return conduit 15 flows to the inlet conduit 14. The washing liquid flows from the inlet conduit 14, via the one-way valve 17 and the connecting member 13, into the recess 1a of the teat cleaning cup 1. The washing liquid flows from the teat cleaning cup into the outlet conduit 5 and back to the container 6. The pump 16 circulates the washing liquid during a predetermined period of time in the closed circuit. During the circulation of the washing liquid, it comes in contact with all inner surfaces of the teat cleaning apparatus which have been in contact with used cleaning liquid. The washing liquid removes particles and contaminations from the teat cleaning apparatus. When the washing process is finished, the control unit 12 opens the control valve 11 such that the washing liquid is removed via the drain line 10.
The washing system comprises substantially the same components for washing the teat cleaning apparatus as in
When a washing process is to be performed, a milking robot or an operator moves the teat cleaning cup 1 from its parked position in the storing device 26 to a position on the connecting member 13 which is shown in
The invention is not restricted to the described embodiment but may be varied freely within the scope of the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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0950425-9 | Jun 2009 | SE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2010/057794 | 6/3/2010 | WO | 00 | 12/8/2011 |