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US 12,520,813 B2Granted
System and method for monitoring cleaning process in milking installation
AssigneeDeLaval Holding AB
InventorsErik Lundkvist, Christian Schmitz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosure concerns a system (1) for monitoring a cleaning process in a milking installation (2). A central controller (3) obtains from a pressure sensor arrangement (36) at each milking point (10) of the installation (2) an identity indicator indicative, a series of measured values of pressure levels indicative of pressure levels, and temporal indicators. The central controller (3) is configured: —for each pressure sensor arrangement (36) to store in a database (5), —to evaluate the series of measured values of pressure levels to determine a progress of a slug of cleaning liquid along a common milk line (4), and—to issue a notification signal related to the progress of the slug of cleaning liquid along the common milk line (4).
Claims20
A system (1) for monitoring a cleaning process in a milking installation (2), the system (1) comprising:
- a central controller (3) and a database (5), wherein the milking installation (2) comprises:
- a common milk line (4),
- a vacuum source (12),
- a receiver (6) connected to the common milk line (4) and connected to the vacuum source (12),
- an air injector (8) connected to the common milk line (4),
- a number, n, of milking points (10) configured for milking animal individuals and each said milking point (10) of the number, n, of milking points (10) being connected to the common milk line (4) at a connecting position (14),
- a cleaning system (22) configured to utilize a cleaning liquid and being connected to the number, n, of milking points (10) and to the common milk line (4),
- wherein each said milking point (10) of the number, n, of milking points (10) comprises an associated pressure sensor arrangement (36) configured to measure values of pressure levels, which pressure levels are indicative of pressure levels at least within a portion of the associated milking point (10) and at the connecting position (14) of the associated milking point (10), each of the pressure sensor arrangements being configured to generate measurement data comprising:
- an identity indicator defining the milking point with which the pressure sensor arrangement is associated,
- measured values of the pressure levels obtained by the pressure sensor arrangement, and
- for each of the measured values of pressure levels, a temporal indicator defining a point in time when the value of pressure level was measured,
- wherein the central controller (3) is configured to receive the measurement data from the pressure sensor arrangement (36) at each said milking point (10), and
- wherein the central controller (3) is further configured:
- for each said pressure sensor arrangement (36) to store in the database (5) the identity indicator, the series of the measured values of pressure levels, and the temporal indicator of each said measured value of the series of measured values of pressure levels,
- to evaluate the series of measured values of pressure levels from at least a first said pressure sensor arrangement (36) of a first said milking point (10) of the number, n, of milking points (10) and a second said pressure sensor arrangement (36) of a second said milking point (10) of the number, n, of milking points (10) in order to determine a progress of a slug of the cleaning liquid along the common milk line (4) at the respective connecting positions (14) of the first and second milking points (10), and
- to issue a notification signal related to the progress of the slug of the cleaning liquid along the common milk line (4).
13 more elements
A method (200) of monitoring a cleaning process in a milking installation (2), wherein
- the milking installation (2) comprises:
- a common milk line (4),
- a vacuum source (12),
- a receiver (6) connected to the common milk line (4) and connected to the vacuum source (12),
- an air injector (8) connected to the common milk line (4),
- a number, n, of milking points (10) configured for milking animal individuals and each milking point (10) of the number, n, of milking points (10) being connected to the common milk line (4) at a discrete connecting position,
- a cleaning system (22) configured to utilise a cleaning liquid and being connected to the number, n, of milking points (10) and to the common milk line (4), wherein
- each milking point (10) of the number, n, of milking points (10) comprises an associated pressure sensor arrangement (36) configured to measure values of pressure levels, which pressure levels are indicative of pressure levels at least within a portion of the associated milking point (10) and at the connecting position of the milking point (10), wherein
- the method (200) comprises steps of:
- obtaining (202) from the pressure sensor arrangement (36) at each milking point (10) an identity indicator indicative of the respective pressure sensor arrangement (36), a series of measured values of pressure levels, and temporal indicators designating points in time when each measured value of the series of measured values of pressure levels was measured,
- for each said pressure sensor arrangement (36), storing (204) in a database (5) the identity indicator, the series of measured values of pressure levels, and the temporal indicator of each measured value of the series of measured values of pressure levels,
- evaluating (206) the series of measured values of pressure levels from at least a first pressure sensor arrangement (36) of a first said milking point (10) of the number, n, of milking points (10) and a second pressure sensor arrangement (36) of a second said milking point (10) of the number, n, of milking points (10) in order to determine a progress of a slug of cleaning liquid along the common milk line (4) at the respective connecting positions (14) of the first and second milking points (10), and
- issuing (208) a notification signal related to the progress of the slug of cleaning liquid along the common milk line (4).
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.