Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of milking a cow using a milking cup of the type including a shell and a flexible liner, said liner including a hollow bore for receiving an animal's teat at a top end thereof, and for being connected to a vacuum source at the lower end thereof; the liner and shell being disposed relative to one another to create a pulsation volume between them in which fluid pressure can be controlled in order to control a pressure differential across the liner between its bore and the pulsation volume to thereby control movement of the liner and the application of air pressure to the animal's teat, the method including: Applying a vacuum to the lower end of the liner; Modulating the pressure in the pulsation volume according to a pulsation cycle to cause a milking operation on a teat of an animal that is inserted into the top end of the bore; said modulation including an "on" phase in which the vacuum applied to the liner bore is less than a vacuum applied to the pulsation volume to thereby enable milk flow from the teat, and an "off" phase in which the pulsation volume is at an increased pressure relative to the "on" phase to close the liner bore to thereby stop milk flow from the teat, said modulation including applying positive pressure to the pulsation volume to apply compressive load to the teat wherein the pulsation cycle has a duration of less than 1 second.

IPC Classes  ?

• A01J 5/007 - Monitoring milking processesControl or regulation of milking machines
• A01J 5/16 - Teat-cups with pulsating devices
• A01J 5/04 - Milking machines or devices with pneumatic manipulation of teats

Abstract

A claw usable with in a milking system. The claw can include at least one milk collecting bowl defining at least part of a chamber formed within the claw for holding a vacuum within the claw and for receiving milk, the collecting bowl having an operationally upper and lower ends. It can further include a plurality of milk inlets in fluid communication with the chamber, each connectable to a respective one a plurality of milk tubes to receive milk from a milking cup liner that is in fluid communication with the milk inlet. The claw can include a plurality of outlets arranged at the operationally lower end of the milk collecting bowl.

IPC Classes  ?

• A01J 5/04 - Milking machines or devices with pneumatic manipulation of teats
• A01J 5/007 - Monitoring milking processesControl or regulation of milking machines

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of milking a mammal which includes, applying a vacuum to the lower end of a milking cup liner; and modulating the pressure in the pulsation volume to cause a milking operation on a teat of an animal that is inserted into the top end of the bore. The modulation includes an "on" phase in which the vacuum applied to the liner bore is less than a vacuum applied to the pulsation volume to thereby enable milk flow from the teat, and an "off" phase in which the pulsation volume is at an increased pressure relative to the "on" phase to close the liner bore to thereby stop milk flow from the teat. The modulation includes applying positive pressure to the pulsation volume to apply compressive load to the teat.

IPC Classes  ?

• A01J 5/16 - Teat-cups with pulsating devices
• A01J 5/04 - Milking machines or devices with pneumatic manipulation of teats