# US 2021/0239671 A1 · Measuring arrangement for optically measuring milk during milking > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0239671 A1 - Document ID: US20210239671A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/052,027 - Filed: 2019-05-09 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-15 - Assignees: GEA Farm Technologies GmbH - Applicants: GEA Farm Technologies GmbH - Inventors: Olaf SUHR; Adib MATTY - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210239671A1 ## CPC - G01N 33/04: Dairy products - G01N 21/05: Flow-through cuvettes (G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10) - G01N 21/31: Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry {(G01N21/72 takes precedence)} - G01N 21/53: within a flowing fluid, e.g. smoke - G01N 21/85: Investigating moving fluids or granular solids - G01N 33/06: Determining fat content, e.g. by butyrometer - G01N 2021/0389: {Windows} - G01N 2021/052: {Tubular type; cavity type; multireflective} - G01N 2021/054: {Bubble trap; Debubbling} - G01N 2021/8557: {Special shaping of flow, e.g. using a by-pass line, jet flow, curtain flow} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract An optical milk measuring arrangement operative during a milking operation, and including an optical measuring device for measuring optical properties of milk in a measuring region, in which at least part of the milk fed to the measuring arrangement collects. The measuring arrangement includes a main channel and a measuring channel, and these channels are in fluid communication with one another in a region of a common inlet and a common outlet, and the measuring channel has a lower flow velocity than a flow velocity in the main channel. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 -16. (canceled) ### Claim 17 An optical milk measuring apparatus comprising: a main milk channel having an inlet and an outlet; and a milk measurement channel in fluid communication with the main milk channel between the inlet and the outlet, defining a measurement region, and having a milk flow rate that is less than a milk flow rate in the main milk channel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the milk measurement channel is disposed below the main channel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, and further comprising: a screen is disposed between the inlet and the milk measurement channel. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the main milk channel has a substantially constant cross-sectional flow area between the inlet and the outlet. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the milk measurement channel defines a cross-sectional area that increases from an inlet region toward the measurement region. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the milk measurement channel defines a run-off in fluid communication with the main milk channel. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the milk measurement channel defines a lower liquid milk phase run-off and an upper milk foam run-off. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the milk measurement channel defines a first lower liquid milk phase run-off and a second lower liquid milk phase run-off; and the optical milk measuring apparatus further comprises: a valve in fluid communication with the second lower liquid milk phase run-off, and movable between a closed position and an open position. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the milk measurement channel defines a first lower liquid milk phase run-off and a second liquid milk phase run-off each have a flow cross-section that is substantially less than a flow cross-section of the milk measurement channel. ### Claim 26 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the milk measurement channel defines a milk run-off, and the optical milk measuring apparatus further comprises: a valve disposed in fluid communication with the milk run-off, and movable between a closed position and an open position. ### Claim 27 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the milk measurement channel defines a milk run-off with a milk flow cross-section that is substantially equal to a milk flow cross-section of the main milk channel. ### Claim 28 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the milk measurement channel defines a light-in window and a light-out window, and the optical milk measuring apparatus further comprises: an optical sensor in communication with the light-in window and the light-out window. ### Claim 29 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, wherein the milk measurement channel includes a substantially transparent cuvette; and the optical milk measurement device further comprises: an optical sensor in communication with the milk measurement channel through the substantially transparent cuvette. ### Claim 30 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, and further comprising: an optical milk sensor having a light-in coupling and a light-out coupling in releasable engagement with the milk measurement channel. ### Claim 31 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, and further comprising: an optical milk sensor in communication with the milk measurement channel, a light-in coupling and a light-out coupling, and the light-in coupling and the light-out coupling are disposed on the same side of the milk measurement channel in a reflection geometry with one another. ### Claim 32 (depends on 17) The optical milk measuring apparatus of claim 17, and further comprising: a sensor in communication with the measurement flow channel, and the sensor is selected from the group comprising: a temperature sensor; a conductance sensor; and an impedance sensor.