Abstract: A breast pump includes a main body, a breast milk suctioning shield, and one or more air pumps. The breast milk suctioning shield is assembled in an accommodation space of the main body and detachably connected to the main body. A front end of the breast milk suctioning shield has a breast shielding portion, and a nipple passage extends from a rear end of a center portion of the breast shielding portion. One or more deformable members and a non-deformable supporting member are assembled with an annular connection portion located between the breast shielding portion and the nipple passage. The air pump has an intake port and an exhaust port. The intake port is controlled by a first valve controller to suction the nipple passage and generate a negative pressure, and the exhaust port is controlled by a second valve controller to inflate or deflate the deformable member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber teat element which, on account of the radial expandability of the head part, is able to adapt to different teat geometries, in particular in the case where an animal has small, thin and short teats. A teat cup and a milking cluster with a corresponding rubber teat element are also provided.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are improved devices, systems, and methods for the expression and collection of breast milk, such as human breast milk. A breast shield assembly for expression of breast milk may comprise a breast interface and an actuatable assembly interface fluidly coupled with a tube, wherein the breast interface is configured to engage the breast and the actuatable assembly interface is configured to removably couple to an actuatable assembly. The breast shield assembly may comprise an enclosed fluid reservoir extending between the breast interface and the actuatable assembly interface, the fluid reservoir physically separated from the expressed breast milk and filled with a driving fluid comprising a liquid. The breast shield assembly may further comprise a fill port configured to allow addition or removal of the driving fluid to or from the fluid reservoir.

Abstract: An apparatus for biomimetic expression of breast milk can comprise a breast interface having an expandable membrane configured to mimic the geometry of an infant's mouth. Various regions of the expandable membrane may be configured to simulate the structure and/or function of various parts of an infant's mouth. The expandable membrane may comprise one or more of a distal sealing region configured to simulate the lips, a superior region configured to simulate the hard palate, an inferior protruding region configured to simulate the gums, an intermediate curved region configured to simulate the tongue, and one or more internal expansion regions configured to simulate the soft palate and the throat. The expandable membrane may have a varying thickness throughout the one or more various regions to enable movement of the regions similar to the movement of the corresponding regions of an infant's mouth during nursing.

Abstract: A method for operating a breastpump unit for expression of human breastmilk and various breast shields for use in this method allow a maximum pumping performance and a minimum pumping duration per pumping session. The breast shield has an inner chamber for receiving a nipple of the breast and also at least one outer chamber which at least partially surrounds the nipple. The inner chamber is subjected to a constant pressure and the at least one outer chamber is subjected to a pulsating pressure.

Abstract: A connector configured for receiving a cartridge for forming a teatcup where the cartridge includes an elongated sleeve and a barrel pre-mounted in the elongated sleeve and having an inner space for receiving a teat and the connector includes a lower base member and a shell extending from the lower base member and surrounding a receiving space for receiving the cartridge, the lower base member and the shell foringm one piece of a plastic material, and the shell being configured to extend along an axial length of the elongated sleeve at least to the upper end of the sleeve when the cartridge is received in the connector.

Abstract: A milker unit teat cup assembly for dairy animals having a shell and liner combination that resists twisting by the liner barrel relative to the shell using a recess in the liner that is spaced apart from the longitudinal axis in the liner and engaged by a key in the shell.

Abstract: A mechanical fluid pressure modification valve, or “MFLP-valve”, is set forth. The MFLP-valve can be actuated upon movement of a movable pressure system member of a medical pressure system reaching a selected position. Additionally, the MFLP-valve can be actuated based on a pressure condition of the system. When the MFLP-valve unseals, a pressure differential between a pressure chamber and a volume outside of the chamber can be relieved. Disengagement of the movable pressure system member from the MFLP-valve can enable the MFLP-valve to re-seal. The MFLP-valve may include a flag that indicates the position of the movable pressure system member. The MFLP-valve may be provided in a diaphragm-type pressure source.

Abstract: A teat treatment apparatus comprising a tubular outer housing containing a tubular inner shell. The tubular inner shell includes a side wall defining a teat treatment cavity, including a central side wall portion. An inlet port extends through a side wall of the tubular outer housing and is in fluid communication with an annular cavity formed by the inner side surface of the tubular housing and an upper annular ridge, recessed central side surface, and lower annular ridge of the side wall of the tubular inner shell. Orifices are provided in the central side wall portion of the tubular inner shell. Each of the orifices is in fluid communication with the annular cavity and the treatment cavity, and each of the orifices defines an orifice axis directed at an oblique angle with respect to the central axis of the treatment cavity and downwardly with respect to the treatment cavity plane.

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.

Abstract: A mechanical fluid pressure modification valve, or “MFLP-valve”, is set forth. The MFLP-valve can be actuated upon movement of a movable pressure system member of a medical pressure system reaching a selected position. Additionally, the MFLP-valve can be actuated based on a pressure condition of the system. When the MFLP-valve unseals, a pressure differential between a pressure chamber and a volume outside of the chamber can be relieved. Disengagement of the movable pressure system member from the MFLP-valve can enable the MFLP-valve to re-seal. The MFLP-valve may include a flag that indicates the position of the movable pressure system member. The MFLP-valve may be provided in a diaphragm-type pressure source.

Abstract: An apparatus for biomimetic expression of breast milk can comprise a breast interface having an expandable membrane configured to mimic the geometry of an infant's mouth. Various regions of the expandable membrane may be configured to simulate the structure and/or function of various parts of an infant's mouth. The expandable membrane may comprise one or more of a distal sealing region configured to simulate the lips, a superior region configured to simulate the hard palate, an inferior protruding region configured to simulate the gums, an intermediate curved region configured to simulate the tongue, and one or more internal expansion regions configured to simulate the soft palate and the throat. The expandable membrane may have a varying thickness throughout the one or more various regions to enable movement of the regions similar to the movement of the corresponding regions of an infant's mouth during nursing.

Abstract: A protective device for a milking cup including a milking cup part enclosing a portion of the milking cup at a location of a connection, the milking cup part including a wall. The milking cup part includes an opening in the wall for passing through at least one of a milk discharge line and pulsating line, and a single-part or multipart line part connectable to form a circumferential wall for enclosing at least a part of the at least one of the milk discharge line and the pulsating line. The line part is connected to the milking cup part around the opening in the wall, wherein the line part, from the milking cup part, successively encloses first, second, and third parts, wherein at least the third part is dimensionally stable and the second part is, for example, at least ten times more flexible than the third part.

Abstract: A milking cup comprising a body having a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion has a first lip formed thereon and the bottom portion has a second lip formed thereon. The first lip and the second lip are separated by a distance. The milking cup further comprises a rotating shell positioned between and secured by the first lip and the second lip, wherein the rotating shell encircles the body and is operable to rotate around the body independently of the movement of the other portions of the body. The rotating shell has a length that corresponds to the distance between the first lip and the second lip.

Abstract: A teat cup shell (2) includes a substantially tubular body having a center axis (4). A plane (6) extending along the center axis (4) defines a first shell portion (8) and a second shell portion (10) on opposite sides of the plane (6). The first shell portion (8) includes a magnetic material, and an outer surface (12) adapted to abut against at least one surface of an electromagnetic device. The first shell portion (8) and the second shell portion (10) differ from each other with respect to material composition and/or material thickness. The amount of magnetic material in the first shell portion (8) is higher than in the second shell portion (10). Further, a teat cup and an arrangement for automatically milking animals includes at least one robot arm (32) adapted to attach the teat cup (16) to a teat of an animal.

Abstract: A method of disinfecting or cleaning a body part of an animal including the steps of: impregnating a web of material with a disinfectant liquid and capable of generating a foam; causing the liquid within the web to foam; applying foaming liquid to the body part with the web including wiping the animal body part with the impregnated web; allowing the foaming liquid thus applied to the body part to evaporate from the body part.

Abstract: An exchangeable expendable part of a milking arrangement includes an identification tag with data by which a model or a manufacturing date of the exchangeable expendable part is uniquely identified. The tag is readable by a reader arranged to repeatedly read the tag and to forward the readings to a computer system, whereby the computer system identifies the model and/or a manufacturing date of the part based on the readings; and, in response to the identified model and/or manufacturing date, i) alerts an operator, ii) monitors and/or controls the milking arrangement, and/or iii) makes the model and/or the manufacturing date of the part available to an operator. Exchangeable expendable parts include teat cup liners, cartridges including teat cup liners, and milk or vacuum tubes connected to teat cups.

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.

Abstract: A cleaning unit for cleaning at least one head section of a teat cup including a chamber that has a substantially circular cross-section, is delimited by a wall and has an opening delimited by a scaling element. The chamber has at least one inlet and is characterized in that at least one section of the sealing element or at least one section of the wall adjoining the opening and a section of the sealing element is or are flexible around the circumference of the chamber.

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.

Abstract: A teatcup liner comprises an upper mouthpiece, an intermediate barrel and a lower connecting tube. The upper mouthpiece further comprises a mouthpiece transition, a mouthpiece lip, and a groove formed in an outer surface of the upper mouthpiece. The intermediate barrel extends along an axial direction for receiving a teat inserted axially thereinto through said mouthpiece. An inner dimension of the upper mouthpiece defines a cavity bore and the groove is located substantially in line with the largest diameter of the cavity bore.

Abstract: A teatcup and a teatcup liner for a teatcup to be attached to a teat of an animal for the performance of a milking operation. The teatcup liner defines an inner space for receiving the teat and a longitudinal center axis extending through the inner space. The teatcup liner is composed of at least three separate annular sections, which are attached to each other and arranged successively after each along the longitudinal center axis. A first section forms an upper part having an opening for allowing the teat to be introduced into the inner space. A second section forms a tube part engaging the teat during the milking operation. A third section forms a ring module having an inner surface facing the inner space. The ring module includes a functional member providing an additional function to the milking operation.

Abstract: A teatcup liner, for use in a method of providing enhanced teat massage during a milking operation, includes a cross-sectional shape defining plural corner portions and plural side portions with a first side portion being a weak side and each remaining side portion being a strong side; with the weak side having a greater flexibility than each strong side such that during a collapse phase, the collapse of the weak side occurring first and being greater than the collapse of each strong side creates an asymmetric pressure distribution with a greater pressurized area resulting in a prolonged contact surface against the teat end across a first surface region of the cross-sectional shape opposite the weak side as compared to a remainder of the cross-sectional shape, the increased pressurized area across the first surface region providing an enhanced teat massage during the collapse phase.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a dairy harvesting facility including valves and valve assemblies that prevent contaminants from reaching a central milk collection system.

Abstract: A milker unit teat cup assembly for dairy animals having a shell and liner combination that resists twisting by the liner barrel relative to the shell using a recess in the liner that is engaged by a key in the shell.

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.

Abstract: A milking device for milking a dairy animal, including at least one teat cup including a flexible cup liner around a teat space, and a single pulsation space and a milk line, a milking vacuum pump connected to the milk line, for providing a milking vacuum, a pulsator connected to the pulsation space, for providing a controllable air pressure therein, and a control device for controlling at least the pulsator during at least a milking action. The control device is configured to cause the pulsator and/or the milking vacuum pump to provide, in a period of time consecutive to a milking action wherein a dairy animal is milked and a teat is located in the teat space, such a substantially stable, non-pulsating pressure difference between the pulsation space and the teat space, that the cup liner shuts off the teat space from the milk line.

Abstract: A teatcup and a cartridge to be attached to a teat of an animal to be milked. The cartridge includes a sleeve having an upper end and a lower end, and a teatcup liner mounted in the sleeve and having an inner space for receiving the teat. A pulsation chamber is provided between an inner side of the sleeve and an outer side of the teatcup liner. The teatcup liner includes an upper end portion located at the upper end of the sleeve, a barrel portion and a lower end portion extending beyond the lower end of the sleeve. The lower end portion forms an end nozzle beyond the lower end of the sleeve. The end nozzle has a tapering external shape configured to be received in a milk conduit for transporting the milk from the cartridge to the milk conduit.

Abstract: A teatcup liner comprises an upper mouthpiece, an intermediate barrel and a lower connecting tube. The upper mouthpiece further comprises a mouthpiece transition, a mouthpiece lip, and a groove formed in an outer surface of the upper mouthpiece. The intermediate barrel extends along an axial direction for receiving a teat inserted axially thereinto through said mouthpiece. An inner dimension of the upper mouthpiece defines a cavity bore and the groove is located substantially in line with the largest diameter of the cavity bore.

Abstract: A milking liner for an automated milking machine includes a barrel that moves between an uncollapsed position and a collapsed condition when it is subjected to a vacuum milking condition. The barrel defines at least three parallel channels open to the inner surface of the barrel. The configuration of the sidewall of the barrel and the channels cause the barrel to uniformly collapse when the barrel is subjected to a vacuum milking condition. In one configuration, ribs protrude from the barrel sidewall and define channels with the same wall thickness as the sidewall segments disposed between the ribs.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a milking process by a milking apparatus with a teatcup with a pulsation space and a pulsation airline configured to deliver varying levels of pressure to the pulsation space, including measuring at least one property of a vibrational signal within the airline with a vibration sensor; comparing a value of the measured property with a reference value; and determining a condition of the milking process based on the comparison. The vibrational signal can be a sound signal from to the displacement of air into and out of the pulsation space. This sound in the airline correlates to the extent to which a teat has entered a teatcup, and is a good indication of the connection of the teatcup to that teat. The sound is furthermore a cleaner signal than a sound signal in a milkline. Also provided is a robotic automatic milking implement incorporating the method.

Abstract: A teatcup liner comprises an upper mouthpiece, an intermediate barrel and a lower connecting tube. The upper mouthpiece further comprises a mouthpiece transition, a mouthpiece lip, and a groove on an outer surface of the upper mouthpiece to provide flexibility in the upper mouthpiece. The intermediate barrel extends along an axial direction for receiving a teat inserted axially thereinto through said mouthpiece.

Abstract: An implement for automatically milking a dairy animal, such as a cow, comprises a milking parlor, a sensor for observing a teat, and a milking robot for automatically attaching a teat cup to the teat. The milking robot comprises a robot control that is connected to the sensor. The sensor comprises a radiation source for emitting light, a receiver for receiving electromagnetic radiation reflected from the dairy animal, a lens, and sensor control unit. The sensor comprises a matrix with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of receivers. The sensor control unit is designed to determine for each of the receivers a phase difference between the emitted and the reflected electromagnetic radiation in order to calculate the distance from the sensor to a plurality of points on the part to be observed of the dairy animal.

Abstract: A system includes a milking box and a robotic arm. The milking box comprises a stall portion that houses a dairy livestock with four teats. The robotic arm performs the following operation for a plurality of teats of the dairy livestock: retrieves a cup; attaches the cup to a teat; and detaches the cup from the teat. The cup is maintained within the stall portion of the milking box from the time that the cup is attached to a first teat of the dairy livestock through the time that the cup is attached to a last teat of the dairy livestock. The cup is retracted into an equipment area of the milking box after it is detached from the last teat of the dairy livestock.

Abstract: A milking liner includes an integrated short air tube and short milk tube. In one configuration, the pulsation air is delivered through the bead of the milking liner directly inside the shell through a plurality of outlets. The disclosure also provides alignment features that assist the person assembling a milking liner and shell. The features limit rotation between the liner and the shell. The liner includes a short air tube that extends beyond a short milk tube with each having a sealing bead. The sealing beads are offset from each other.

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.

Abstract: A robotic milking system suitable for use with conventional milking clusters. Clusters are withdrawn to a generally known position upon release from a cow with the cups hanging down below the bowl. The cups are then located in a confined region from where they are picked up by a robotic arm and attached to teats of a cow. The arrangement allows a single robotic arm to service multiple bales of a rotary milking parlour.

Abstract: A milking teat cup liner including a rigid shell comprising a head portion having a skirt and a barrel housed within a shell. A shell liner with an oval tapered barrel and sidewalls having thinner longer axes and thicker shorter axes adapted to collapse inwardly along a minor axis from an open position while maintaining adjacent openings in the vacuum channel. The barrel has two locking wedges mounted to its outer surface to lock the liner in position. The liner has a short milk tube with a series of compression ribs running down its length, allowing it to compress without collapsing and to distort into an oval cross-section without closing the open internal tube. There are at least two notches between the compression ribs to allow the short milk tube to bend approximately 90 degrees relative to the liner without restricting milk flow to a milk claw.

Abstract: A milking liner for an automated milking machine includes a barrel that moves between an uncollapsed position and a collapsed condition when it is subjected to a vacuum milking condition. The barrel defines at least three parallel channels open to the inner surface of the barrel. The configuration of the sidewall of the barrel and the channels cause the barrel to uniformly collapse when the barrel is subjected to a vacuum milking condition. In one configuration, ribs protrude from the barrel sidewall and define channels with the same wall thickness as the sidewall segments disposed between the ribs.

Abstract: The invention relates to a milking unit comprising a milk collection part and at least two milk tubes that are connected to the milk collection part. At least one end of the milk tube has an essentially spherical clamping body, the central point of the clamping body being offset in relation to the longitudinal axis (S) of the milk tube and/or the clamping body having a channel with a mouth. The longitudinal axis (S) penetrates a plane, on which the cross-sectional surface of the mouth lies at an angle that is not equal to 90°.

Abstract: A teat cup inflation comprises a mouthpiece having a vent for the limited admission of ambient air into the inflation barrel above the lower tip of the teat. One or more airflow passages are formed by the configuration of the barrel and extend along the length of the barrel to vent air from mouthpiece to the short milk tube. The one or more airflow passage can be formed between the sides of barrels that are multisided in cross-section.

Abstract: A safety valve for use in a dairy backflushing and dipping system. The safety valve is situated on or near a milker unit to seal and protect downstream dairy milk lines from teat dip and cleaning fluids that are fed through the safety valve to upstream milker unit components. All of the fluids, including dip, cleansers, water, and air pass through and are controlled by the safety valve.

Abstract: A gripping arrangement is provided including a storing device (10) adapted to hold a teat cup (1) in a parked position and a gripping device (2) adapted to grip the parked teat cup (1) in the storing device (10). The gripping device (2) includes a contact surface (6a) which is adapted to be moved to a position in which it comes in contact with a contact surface (1d) of the teat cup (1) during a gripping operation of the teat cup (1). The arrangement includes an adjusting part which is able to adjust the position of at least one of the contact surfaces (1d, 6a) in relation to the other contact surface (1d, 6a) from an initial contact position to a grip position in which the gripping device is able to grip the teat cup in the storing device.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is directed to a system for cleaning teats of multiple milk-producing animals, wherein the animals are housed in a parlor area and the teats are cleaned or disinfected before a milking operation is started. The system comprises a disinfectant solution source provided at the parlor area; and, a hand-held applicator having a housing volume within which one or more scrubbing elements are positioned for engaging a teat of the milk-producing animal having been inserted in the volume for cleaning. The scrubbing elements include a brush that has an array of bristles including a first set of bristles having a first radial length and a second set of bristles that have a second radial length that is longer than the first radial length.

Abstract: A method for applying teat dip to a dairy animal and backflushing a milker unit using a safety valve. The method includes the steps of: closing the safety valve to seal off the milker unit from a dairy pipeline system, forcing teat dip through the safety valve and a dip channel to a teat dip applicator on a milker unit teat cup, forcing backflush fluid through the safety valve and the milker unit, forcing water through the safety valve and milker unit, forcing air through the safety valve and the milker unit, and opening the safety valve so that the milker unit is in fluid communication with the dairy pipeline system.

Abstract: A teat cup liner for use in a milking cup is disclosed. The teat cup liner has a head with an insertion opening for an animal's teat. Joined to the head is a shaft and a holding rim. The holding rim at least partially surrounds and is spaced apart from the shaft. The teat cup liner holding rim has an inner surface that defines a number of recesses to enhance the durability of the liner. The recesses can be disposed circumferentially around the inner surface of the holding rim, and they can be disposed so that they are in contact with or near an end of the teat cup sleeve.

Abstract: A dairy inflation includes a barrel portion connected to a milk tube portion for extracting milk from a teat of an animal. The barrel portion includes an axial passage defined by a wall, the wall having an exterior surface defining an outer periphery having a substantially circular shape. The wall further includes an interior surface defining an inner periphery having a substantially elliptical shape. The elliptical inner periphery includes a major axis and a minor axis, and the disposition of the elliptical inner periphery within the circular outer periphery creates reduced-thickness regions on opposing sides of the wall along the major axis. The reduced-thickness regions allow a controlled collapse of the barrel portion during milking operations.

Abstract: To improve the transportation away of the milk within an arrangement comprising a teat rubber and a milk hose which has a curved section, wherein the arrangement has a flow path for conducting away milked milk, which flow path is connected to the surrounding atmosphere via a channel, it is proposed that the channel is designed in such a manner that the flow direction of the air flowing through the channel into the flow path of the milk corresponds essentially to the flow direction of the milk, and the channel is formed in one of the walls of the curved section.

Abstract: The invention provides a system for connecting a teat cup to a teat, including a teat cup with an opening for receiving a teat, a robot arm for moving the teat cup, a teat cup positioning system with a 3D-sensor and a sensor device for measuring a control quantity, and for connecting the teat cup under the control of the 3D-camera and the control quantity. The sensor device includes at least two electrodes around the opening and a capacitive sensor configured to measure a quantity connected with the capacitance between the electrodes, in particular the capacitance between two electrodes. This system provides a reliable positioning with respect to a teat by, for example, maximization of the measured capacitance. The positioning system supports an optical 3D-sensor for the first, global positioning.

Abstract: A dairy inflation includes a barrel portion connected to a milk tube portion for extracting milk from a teat of an animal. The barrel portion includes an axial passage defined by a wall, the wall having an exterior surface defining an outer periphery having a substantially circular shape. The wall further includes an interior surface defining an inner periphery having a substantially elliptical shape. The elliptical inner periphery includes a major axis and a minor axis, and the disposition of the elliptical inner periphery within the circular outer periphery creates reduced-thickness regions on opposing sides of the wall along the major axis. The reduced-thickness regions allow a controlled collapse of the barrel portion during milking operations.