# US 11,304,399 B2 · Seal in a teat cleaner and a teat cleaner > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,304,399 B2 - Document ID: US11304399B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/322,393 - Filed: 2017-10-23 - Published: 2019-06-13 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-27 - Assignees: DeLaval Holding AB - Applicants: Delaval Holding AB - Inventors: Frank Adriansson; Nils-Erik Holmertz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304399B2 ## CPC - A01J 7/04: for treatment of udders or teats, e.g. for cleaning - A01J 5/08: Teat-cups with two chambers - A01K 13/001: {Washing, cleaning, or drying devices (for veterinary purposes A61D7/00, A61D11/00)} - F16J 15/104: {characterised by structure} - A01J: MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS - F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS ## Abstract A teat cleaning cup (130) for cleaning a teat (120) includes a teat cleaner (300) having an inner body (270) forming a central cavity (280) for enclosing the teat (120), the inner body (270) including an inner surface (271), an outer surface (272), and a set of apertures (275) extending from the outer surface (272) to the inner surface (271); an exterior part (220) enclosing the inner body (270); a set of channels (291, 292), which set of channels (291, 292) connects to the set of apertures (275); a lower part (230) removably attached to the teat cleaner (300), which lower part (230) includes at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260), and a drain (250); and a seal (235) configured to distribute liquid from the cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) into the set of channels (291, 292). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A seal (235) in combination with a teat cleaning cup (130) for cleaning a teat (120) of an udder (110), wherein the cleaning cup (130) comprises a teat cleaner (300) having an exterior part (220) that encloses an inner body (270) that forms a central cavity (280) configured to enclose the teat (120), the teat cleaner (300) further having a set of channels (291, 292) located between the exterior part (220) and the inner body (270), the set of channels (291, 292) extending along a longitudinal direction of the teat cleaner (300), the inner body (270) comprising a set of apertures (275) that connect the central cavity (280) to the set of channels (291, 292), and wherein the cleaning cup (130) further comprises a lower part (230) removably attached to the teat cleaner (300), which lower part (230) comprises at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) connectable to a cleaning liquid supply, and a drain (250) for draining used cleaning liquid from the teat cleaner (300), wherein the set of channels (291, 292) and the set of apertures (275) provide a fluid path for the cleaning liquid supply to flow from the at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) into the central cavity (280) for spraying the teat (120) with the cleaning liquid, wherein the seal is located between the teat cleaner (300) and the lower part (230), and the seal (235) comprises a first surface (231) facing the teat cleaner (300) and a second surface (232) facing the lower part (230), the seal (235) including at least a first aperture (401, 403) in fluid communication with the at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) to receive the cleaning liquid from the at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) and distribute the cleaning liquid from the at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) into the set of channels (291, 292) in the teat cleaner (300) and via the set of apertures (275) in the inner body (270) of the teat cleaner (300) to the central cavity (280) for spraying the teat (120) with the cleaning liquid, wherein the seal (235) includes at least one first set of apertures (401, 402, 403, 404) which include the at least a first aperture (401, 403) and a second aperture (402, 404) extending through the seal (235) from the first surface (231) to the second surface (232), and wherein the seal (235) forms at least one recess (233, 234) in the second surface (232), connecting the first aperture (401, 403) to the second aperture (402, 404). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The seal (235) in combination with the teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) in the lower part (230) comprises a first cleaning liquid valve (240) and a second cleaning liquid valve (260), each of the first cleaning liquid valve (240) and the second cleaning liquid valve (260) being connectable to the cleaning liquid supply; and wherein the set of channels (291, 292) in the teat cleaner (300) comprises a first channel subset (291) and a second channel subset (292); and wherein the seal (235) includes a first group of apertures (401, 402) and a second group of apertures (403, 404), wherein each of the first and second groups of apertures (401, 402, 403, 404) comprises the at least one first aperture (401, 403) and the second aperture (402, 404) and the at least one recess (233, 234) connecting the at least one first aperture (401, 403) to the second aperture (402, 404), respectively; and wherein the at least one recess (233) of the first group of apertures (401, 402) receives liquid from the first cleaning liquid valve (240) and distribute the liquid via the first aperture (401) and the second aperture (402) to the first channel subset (291) in the teat cleaner (300); and the at least one recess (234) of the second group of apertures (403, 404) receives liquid from the second cleaning liquid valve (260) and distribute the liquid via the first aperture (403) and the second aperture (404) to the second channel subset (292) in the teat cleaner (300) when the seal (235) is situated in a sealing position between the teat cleaner (300) and the lower part (230), during operation of the teat cleaning cup (130). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The seal (235) in combination with the teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 1, wherein the seal further comprises at least one protrusion (501, 502), protruding from the first surface (231) and fitting into the teat cleaner (300). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The seal (235) in combination with the teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 1, wherein the seal comprises an aperture (236) extending from the first surface (231) to the second surface (232) of the seal (235), configured for guiding used cleaning liquid from the teat cleaner (300) to the drain (250) of the lower part (230) when the seal (235) is situated in a sealing position between the teat cleaner (300) and the lower part (230), during operation of the teat cleaning cup (130). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The seal (235) in combination with the teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 1, wherein the lower part (230) is removably attached to the teat cleaner (300) by at least one fastening element, and wherein the seal (235) forms one fastening element aperture (237, 238) extending through the seal (235) from the first surface (231) to the second surface (232), for each fastening element. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The seal (235) in combination with the teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 1, wherein the seal is manufactured of a polymer. ### Claim 7 A teat cleaning cup (130) for cleaning a teat (120) of an udder (110), which teat cleaning cup (130) comprises: a teat cleaner (300) comprising an inner body (270), forming a central cavity (280) configured to enclose a teat (120) of an udder (110), wherein the inner body (270) comprises an inner surface (271), facing the central cavity (280), an outer surface (272), and a set of apertures (275) extending from the outer surface (272) to the inner surface (271); an exterior part (220), enclosing the inner body (270); and a set of channels (291, 292) situated between the inner body (270) and the exterior part (220), which set of channels (291, 292) extend along a longitudinal direction of the teat cleaner (300) and connect to the set of apertures (275); a lower part (230) removably attached to the teat cleaner (300), which lower part (230) comprises at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) connectable to a cleaning liquid supply, and a drain (250) for draining used cleaning liquid from the teat cleaner (300); and a seal (235) located between the teat cleaner (300) and the lower part (230), the seal (235) comprising a first surface (231) facing the teat cleaner (300) and a second surface (232) facing the lower part (230), the seal (235) including at least a first aperture (401, 403) in fluid communication with the at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) to receive the cleaning liquid from the at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) and distribute the cleaning liquid into the set of channels (291, 292) and via the set of apertures (275) to the central cavity (280) for spraying the teat (120) with the cleaning liquid, wherein the seal (235) includes at least one first set of apertures (401, 402, 403, 404) which include the at least a first aperture (401, 403) and a second aperture (402, 404) extending through the seal (235) from the first surface (231) to the second surface (232), and wherein the seal (235) forms at least one recess (233, 234) in the second surface (232), connecting the first aperture (401, 403) to the second aperture (402, 404). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 7, wherein a first subset of the set of channels (291, 292) are connectable to any of the at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) while a second subset of the set of channels (291, 292) are connected to ambient air via at least one aperture (310) in the teat cleaner (300), thereby supplying the second subset of the set of channels (291, 292) with air of standard atmosphere pressure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 8, wherein at least the set of apertures (275) connected to the first subset of the set of channels (291, 292) are angled tangentially with the central cavity (280) of the inner body (270). ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 7, wherein the teat cleaner (300) comprises at least one threaded insert (237), connectable to a respective fastening element for removably attaching the lower part (230) to the teat cleaner (300). ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 7, wherein the teat cleaner (300) is produced by a two-step injection moulding. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 7, further comprising: a teat cleaner cup collar (210) mounted at an upper part (221) of the teat cleaner (300), opposite to the drain (250). ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 12, wherein the upper part (221) of the teat cleaner (300) comprises a set of exterior flanges (225), at least partly circumventing the teat cleaner (300), and wherein the teat cleaner cup collar (210) comprises a set of recesses (212), configured to fit into the set of exterior flanges (225) of the teat cleaner (300) for fixating the teat cleaner cup collar (210) to the upper part (221) of the teat cleaner (300). ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 12, comprising an edge (215) surrounding an opening of the teat cleaner cup collar (210), which opening is configured to enclose the teat (120), wherein the edge (215) is configured to physically remove dirt from the teat (120) when inserted into the central cavity (280) of the teat cleaning cup (130). ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The teat cleaning cup (130) according to claim 7, comprising a handle (227). ### Claim 16 A seal (235) of a teat cleaning cup (130) comprising a teat cleaner (300) and a lower part (230), the seal (235) comprising: at least a first aperture (401, 403); a first surface (231) configured for facing the teat cleaner (300) comprising an exterior part (220) that encloses an inner body (270) that forms a central cavity (280) configured to enclose the teat (120), a set of channels (291, 292) located between the exterior part (220) and the inner body (270), the set of channels (291, 292) extending along a longitudinal direction of the teat cleaner (300), the inner body (270) comprises a set of apertures (275) that connect the central cavity (280) to the set of channels (291, 292); and a second surface (232) configured for facing the lower part (230) of the teat cleaner (300), which lower part (230) comprises at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) connectable to a cleaning liquid supply, and a drain (250) for draining used cleaning liquid from the teat cleaner (300), the set of channels (291, 292) and the set of apertures (275) providing a fluid path for the cleaning liquid supply to flow from the at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) into the central cavity (280) for spraying the teat (120) with the cleaning liquid; wherein with the seal located between the teat cleaner (300) and the lower part (230), the at least a first aperture (401, 403) is in fluid communication with the at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) to receive the cleaning liquid from the at least one cleaning liquid valve (240, 260) and distribute the cleaning liquid into the set of channels (291, 292) and via the set of apertures (275) to the central cavity (280) for spraying the teat (120) with the cleaning liquid, and the seal (235) includes i) at least one first set of apertures (401, 402, 403, 404) which include the at least a first aperture (401, 403), ii) a second aperture (402, 404) extending through the seal (235) from the first surface (231) to the second surface (232), and iii) a recess (233, 234) in the second surface (232), connecting the first aperture (401, 403) to the second aperture (402, 404). ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The seal (235) according to claim 16, wherein, the at least one first set of apertures (401, 402, 403, 404) includes a first group of apertures (401, 402) and a second group of apertures (403, 404), each of the first and second groups of apertures (401, 402, 403, 404) comprises the at least one first aperture (401, 403) and the second aperture (402, 404) and the recess (233, 234) connecting the at least one first aperture (401, 403) to the second aperture (402, 404), respectively, and the recess (233) of the first group of apertures (401, 402) receives liquid from a first cleaning liquid valve (240) and distributes the liquid via the first aperture (401) and the second aperture (402) to the first channel subset (291); and the recess (234) of the second group of apertures (403, 404) receives liquid from a second cleaning liquid valve (260) and distribute the liquid via the first aperture (403) and the second aperture (404) to the second channel subset (292) in the teat cleaner (300) with the seal (235) situated in a sealing position between the teat cleaner (300) and the lower part (230), during operation of the teat cleaning cup (130). ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The seal (235) according to claim 16, wherein, the seal further comprises at least one protrusion (501, 502), protruding from the first surface (231) and fitting into the teat cleaner (300).