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US 12,411,119 B2Granted
In-line sensor, milking cluster and associated methods
AssigneeBovonic Limited
InventorsLiam George Kampshof, Gary Edwin Campbell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein is an in-line sensor for sensing properties of a pulsed milk flow on a continuous basis. A milking cluster comprising multiple pulsed milk flow inputs from lactating animal teats and a mixing point or claw for the multiple inputs is described that includes multiple in-line sensors for each pulsed milk flow input. Methods of use of the in-line sensor and milking cluster are also described. The in-line sensor described may be easily integrated into existing milking apparatus, is reliable, has a low cost, and is self-cleaning/self-emptying.
Claims18
An in-line sensor configured to measure a sensed property of milk collected from a lactating animal, the in-line sensor comprising:
- an elongated housing with an inlet configured to receive a pulsed milk flow from a milking cup and an outlet configured to discharge the pulsed milk flow from the elongated housing to a claw, the elongated housing being continuous and straight and which directs the pulsed milk flow from the inlet to the outlet, the inlet, in use, being positioned generally above the outlet to allow gravity to assist with said pulsed milk flow through the elongated housing;
- and
- a liquid diverter inside the elongated housing, the liquid diverter configured to split the pulsed milk flow through the elongated housing into a primary flow of milk through the elongated housing and a secondary flow of milk through the liquid diverter, the liquid diverter configured to capture less than 40% by volume of a total pulsed milk flow through the in-line sensor as the secondary flow into the liquid diverter, a majority of the total pulsed milk flow through the in-line sensor moving as an unimpeded primary flow of milk through the elongated housing and wherein the liquid diverter is configured to capture and measure characteristics of a foremilk portion of each pulse of the pulsed milk flow passing through the in-line sensor;
- wherein the liquid diverter comprises:
- a liquid receiver inlet that receives the secondary flow of milk therein;
- a sensor measuring a property of the secondary flow of milk received in the liquid receiver inlet;
- a flow restrictor outlet configured to restrict a flow rate of the secondary flow of milk from the liquid diverter;
- wherein the liquid diverter is configured to:
- in use, be aligned so that the liquid receiver inlet is positioned generally above the flow restrictor outlet;
- retain said secondary flow of milk about the sensor between pulses of the pulsed milk flow to the in-line sensor;
- and
- when the pulsed milk flow ceases through the in-line sensor, said secondary flow of milk retained about the sensor, self-empties and drains fully via gravity from the liquid diverter via the flow restrictor outlet;
- and,
- wherein the liquid diverter is offset to one side of the elongated housing so as to be offset relative to said primary flow of said pulsed milk flow through the elongated housing.
11 more elements
A milking cluster for pulsed milk flow collection comprising:
- two or more milking cups and a claw, the two or more milking cups each configured to connect to and directing pulsed milk flows from each of the two or more milking cups to the claw, the claw configured to receive and mix the pulsed milk flows;
- and,
- an in-line sensor intermediate to each milking cup of said two or more milking cups and intermediate to the claw,
- wherein each in-line sensor of said in-line sensor intermediate to said each milking cup and said claw comprises
- an elongated housing with an inlet configured to receive a pulsed milk flow from a milking cup and an outlet configured to discharge the pulsed milk flow from the elongated housing to a claw, the elongated housing being continuous and straight and which directs the pulsed milk flow from the inlet to the outlet, the inlet, in use, being positioned generally above the outlet to allow gravity to assist with said pulsed milk flow through the elongated housing;
- and
- a liquid diverter inside the elongated housing, the liquid diverter configured to split the pulsed milk flow through the elongated housing into a primary flow of milk through the elongated housing and a secondary flow of milk through the liquid diverter, the liquid diverter configured to capture less than 40% by volume of a total pulsed milk flow through the in-line sensor as the secondary flow into the liquid diverter, a majority of the total pulsed milk flow through the in-line sensor moving as an unimpeded primary flow of milk through the elongated housing and wherein the liquid diverter is configured to capture and measure characteristics of a foremilk portion of each pulse of the pulsed milk flow passing through the in-line sensor;
- wherein the liquid diverter comprises:
- a liquid receiver inlet that receives the secondary flow of milk therein;
- a sensor measuring a property of the secondary flow of milk received in the liquid receiver inlet;
- a flow restrictor outlet configured to restrict a flow rate of the secondary flow of milk from the liquid diverter;
- wherein the liquid diverter is configured to:
- in use, be aligned so that the liquid receiver inlet is positioned generally above the flow restrictor outlet;
- retain said secondary flow of milk about the sensor between pulses of the pulsed milk flow to the in-line sensor;
- and
- when the pulsed milk flow ceases through the in-line sensor, said secondary flow of milk retained about the sensor, self-empties and drains fully via gravity from the liquid diverter via the flow restrictor outlet;
- and,
- wherein the liquid diverter is offset to one side of the elongated housing so as to be offset relative to said primary flow of said pulsed milk flow through the elongated housing;
- wherein said each in-line sensor is configured to sense a characteristic of the pulsed milk flow from an individual milking cup prior to mixing of the pulsed milk flow in the claw.
16 more elements
A method of sensing a property or a characteristic of a pulsed milk flow, comprising:
- providing a pulsed milk flow from a milking cup to an in-line sensor configured to measure a sensed property of milk collected from a lactating animal, wherein said in-line sensor comprises
- an elongated housing with an inlet configured to receive said pulsed milk flow from said milking cup and an outlet configured to discharge the pulsed milk flow from the elongated housing to a claw, the elongated housing being continuous and straight and which directs the pulsed milk flow from the inlet to the outlet, the inlet, in use, being positioned generally above the outlet to allow gravity to assist with said pulsed milk flow through the elongated housing;
- and
- a liquid diverter inside the elongated housing, the liquid diverter configured to split the pulsed milk flow through the elongated housing into a primary flow of milk through the elongated housing and a secondary flow of milk through the liquid diverter, the liquid diverter configured to capture less than 40% by volume of a total pulsed milk flow through the in-line sensor as the secondary flow into the liquid diverter, a majority of the total pulsed milk flow through the in-line sensor moving as an unimpeded primary flow of milk through the elongated housing and wherein the liquid diverter is configured to capture and measure characteristics of a foremilk portion of each pulse of the pulsed milk flow passing through the in-line sensor;
- wherein the liquid diverter comprises:
- a liquid receiver inlet that receives the secondary flow of milk therein;
- a sensor measuring a property of the secondary flow of milk received in the liquid receiver inlet;
- a flow restrictor outlet configured to restrict a flow rate of the secondary flow of milk from the liquid diverter;
- wherein the liquid diverter is configured to:
- in use, be aligned so that the liquid receiver inlet is positioned generally above the flow restrictor outlet;
- retain said secondary flow of milk about the sensor between pulses of the pulsed milk flow to the in-line sensor;
- and
- when the pulsed milk flow ceases through the in-line sensor, said secondary flow of milk retained about the sensor, self-empties and drains fully via gravity from the liquid diverter via the flow restrictor outlet;
- and,
- wherein the liquid diverter is offset to one side of the elongated housing so as to be offset relative to said primary flow of said pulsed milk flow through the elongated housing;
- and
- passing the pulsed milk flow through the in-line sensor and receiving sensed characteristics of the pulsed milk flow from the in-line sensor.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.