Patents by Inventor Kevin L. Torgerson

Kevin L. Torgerson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170363087
    Abstract: A milk pump that is connected to, but electrically isolated from dairy lines, pipes, and other electrically conductive components using insulators in the milk pump between a motor and a pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Matthew J. Stuessel, Jeffrey S. Hanson, Kevin L. Torgerson, Duane F. Sellner
  • Patent number: 9770006
    Abstract: A milker unit liner dome having an inner surface and flow diverters joined to the inner surface to redirect teat dip from an inlet to provide more uniform coverage of dip on a teat. The liner dome can also include more than one flow diverter for redirecting teat dip flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L. Torgerson, Duane F. Sellner
  • Patent number: 9765785
    Abstract: A milk pump that is connected to, but electrically isolated from dairy lines, pipes, and other electrically conductive components using insulators in the milk pump between a motor and a pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew J. Stuessel, Jeffrey S. Hanson, Kevin L. Torgerson, Duane F. Sellner
  • Patent number: 9763421
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a dairy harvesting facility including valves and valve assemblies that prevent contaminants from reaching a central milk collection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L Torgerson, Duane F Sellner
  • Patent number: 9686958
    Abstract: The present invention relates to preparing dairy animal teats for being milked, and more particularly to teat preparation, rinsing, and milking that all take place in a milking machine teat cup liner. Such a method includes: applying a teat sanitizer to the teat; injecting air into the liner to force the teat sanitizer toward a waste milk line connected to the liner; pulsating the liner at a first pulsation rate; drawing a rinsing milk from the teat; directing the teat sanitizer, the air, and the rinsing fluid to the waste milk line; pulsating the liner at a second pulsation rate to draw additional milk from the teat; and directing the additional milk to a good milk line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Duane F. Sellner, Kevin L. Torgerson
  • Publication number: 20170164576
    Abstract: A safety valve device for a milking installation for milking milk-producing animals having a first valve with a first port and with a first port connector, a second valve with a second port and with a second port connector, a third valve with a third port and a third port connector, a drive, a common actuator, and at least one valve spring, and arranged so that the first port connector of the first valve is in fluid communication with the second port connector of the second valve, and the safety valve device can be moved between a first switching position, in which the first valve and the second valve are closed in order to block the first port and the second port and the third valve, is open a transition position, in which the first valve, the second valve and the third valve are closed, and a second switching position, in which the first valve and the second valve are open to connect the first port to the second port and the third valve is closed to block the third port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Reinhard Balkenhol, Jake Kallenbach, Matthew J. Stuessel, Kevin L. Torgerson
  • Publication number: 20170079234
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin L. Torgerson, Nathan Hedlund, Matthew J. Stuessel
  • Publication number: 20170035020
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin L. Torgerson, Nathan Hedlund, Matthew J. Stuessel
  • Patent number: 9545079
    Abstract: A milker unit liner dome having an inner surface and flow diverters joined to the inner surface to redirect teat dip from an inlet to provide more uniform coverage of dip on a teat. The liner dome can also include more than one flow diverter for redirecting teat dip flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L. Torgerson, Duane F. Sellner
  • Patent number: 9526224
    Abstract: A safety valve device for a milking installation for milking milk-producing animals having a first valve with a first port and with a first port connector, a second valve with a second port and with a second port connector, a third valve with a third port and a third port connector, a drive, a common actuator, and at least one valve spring, and arranged so that the first port connector of the first valve is in fluid communication with the second port connector of the second valve, and the safety valve device can be moved between a first switching position, in which the first valve and the second valve are closed in order to block the first port and the second port and the third valve, is open a transition position, in which the first valve, the second valve and the third valve are closed, and a second switching position, in which the first valve and the second valve are open to connect the first port to the second port and the third valve is closed to block the third port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Balkenhol, Jake Kallenbach, Matthew J. Stuessel, Kevin L. Torgerson
  • Patent number: 9510556
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L Torgerson, Nathan Hedlund, Matthew J Stuessel
  • Patent number: 9504226
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are used at the end of a dairy animal milking process to stop milking pulsation in an off position and then applying a teat dip into a milker unit teat cup liner to improve dip coverage on the teat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L Buck, Kevin L Torgerson, Matthew J. Stuessel
  • Patent number: 9491925
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L Torgerson, Nathan Hedlund, Matthew J Stuessel
  • Patent number: 9468189
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L. Torgerson, Nathan Hedlund, Matthew J. Stuessel
  • Publication number: 20160249581
    Abstract: The present invention relates to preparing dairy animal teats for being milked, and more particularly to teat preparation, rinsing, and milking that all take place in a milking machine teat cup liner. Such a method includes: applying a teat sanitizer to the teat; injecting air into the liner to force the teat sanitizer toward a waste milk line connected to the liner; pulsating the liner at a first pulsation rate; drawing a rinsing milk from the teat; directing the teat sanitizer, the air, and the rinsing fluid to the waste milk line; pulsating the liner at a second pulsation rate to draw additional milk from the teat; and directing the additional milk to a good milk line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Kevin L. Torgerson, Duane F. Sellner
  • Publication number: 20160205888
    Abstract: A milker unit liner dome having an inner surface and flow diverters joined to the inner surface to redirect teat dip from an inlet to provide more uniform coverage of dip on a teat. The liner dome can also include more than one flow diverter for redirecting teat dip flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Kevin L. Torgerson, Duane F. Sellner
  • Publication number: 20150342141
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Kevin L. Torgerson, Nathan Hedlund, Matthew J. Stuessel
  • Publication number: 20150334978
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Kevin L. Torgerson, Nathan Hedlund, Matthew J. Stuessel
  • Patent number: 9072273
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: GEA Farm Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L. Torgerson, Nathan Hedlund, Matthew J. Stuessel
  • Publication number: 20150181830
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Kevin L. Torgerson, Nathan Hedlund, Matthew J. Stuessel