Milking device including tube-shaped filter component

A milking device for milking a dairy animal, comprising:

• milking means,
• a control unit for the milking device,
• a milk line for transporting milk from the milking means to a milk tank,
• a milk filter for filtering the milk passing through the milk line, and
• a cleaning device for cleaning the milk filter with cleaning liquid,
• wherein the milk filter further comprises:
• a housing which surrounds a filter volume, and which housing further comprises a milk supply opening part with a milk supply opening, a milk discharge opening part with a milk discharge opening, and a circumferential outer wall in between, and
• a tube-shaped filter component with a longitudinal dimension which is provided in the filter volume and which divides the filter volume into a central inner filter volume which is connected to the milk discharge opening, and an outer filter volume surrounding the central inner filter volume, and connected to the milk supply opening,
• wherein the filter component further comprises wire with a unilaterally tapering cross-sectional profile and a frame, which wire is provided in a spiral shape with a plurality of windings or in a series of individual parallel rings, wherein the frame is configured to keep the windings or the rings at a mutual distance, as a result of which a plurality of filter openings is provided between the windings or the rings,
• wherein the milk filter is configured to be flushed, in use, in a first direction with the milk to be filtered, which first direction runs from the milk supply opening to the milk discharge opening,
• wherein the cleaning device is configured to clean the milk filter by passing cleaning liquid through the milk filter in a countercurrent direction opposite to the first direction in at least two consecutive pulses, in such a way that in every pulse:
• during a first pulse stage, more cleaning liquid is supplied than is discharged, and
• subsequently, during a second pulse stage, at least as much cleaning liquid flows from the filter volume as is supplied, so that an amount of cleaning liquid collects in the filter volume up to a liquid level which surrounds at least a portion of the plurality of filter openings, and
• wherein the cleaning device is configured so cleaning liquid from a subsequent pulse collides with liquid at a liquid level from a preceding pulse in the filter.