Pre-curved milk tube
AssigneeDEC International, Inc.
InventorGary C. Steingraber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible formed pre-curved milk tube (50) extends outwardly from a milking claw inlet (26) and naturally curves upwardly to a teat cup (20), minimizing stress otherwise occurring in a straight milking tube (40), such that the pre-curved tube (50) maintains increased clearance (52) between the pre-curved tube and the claw inlet opening (44) to maximize the inner cross sectional area of the tube and create less restriction to flow as compared to the reduced clearance (46) caused by stressing a straight tube (40) to a curved connected condition. Rotation of the pre-curved tube (50) from the unstressed position to a downward non-milking position provides a greater range of motion than a straight tube (40), which greater range of motion provides a better shut-off seal.
Claims17
Milking apparatus comprising:
- a teat cup;
- a milking claw having a plurality of inlets and having a discharge outlet;
- a flexible milk tube connected between said teat cup and a respective claw inlet, said tube being a formed pre-curved member extending outwardly from said claw inlet and curved upwardly to said teat cup, and wherein said tube also curves upwardly when non-connected to said teat cup, such that said tube normally and naturally extends outwardly and upwardly from said claw inlet to minimize stress otherwise occurring in a straight tube which is curved upwardly from said claw inlet, which stress tends to deform the tube adjacent said claw inlet to reduce the inner cross sectional area of the tube and restrict flow.
Milking apparatus comprising:
- a teat cup;
- a milking claw having a plurality of inlets and having a discharge outlet;
- a flexible milk tube connected between said teat cup and a respective claw inlet, said tube being a formed pre-curved member having an unstressed position extending outwardly from said claw inlet and curved upwardly to said teat cup, and wherein said tube also curves upwardly when non-connected to said teat cup, such that said tube normally and naturally extends outwardly and upwardly from said claw inlet,
- said apparatus having a milking position with said teat cup above said claw inlet,
- said apparatus having a non-milking position with said teat cup below said claw inlet and said tube bent downwardly, opposite to said upward curving, and shutting off said claw inlet to prevent flow there-through, the rotation of said pre-curved tube from its unstressed position to the downward non-milking position providing a greater range of motion than a straight tube, which greater range of motion creates more deformation of the tube in the downward shut-off position, effecting a better shut-off seal.
In milking apparatus having a teat cup, a milking claw having a plurality of inlets and having a discharge outlet, and a flexible mil tube connected between said teat cup and a respective claw inlet, an improved milk tube comprising a formed pre-curved member having an unstressed position extending outwardly from said claw inlet and curved upwardly to said teat cup, said pre-curved tube also curving upwardly when non-connected to said teat cup, such that said pre-curved tube normally and naturally extends outwardly and upwardly from said claw inlet to minimize stress otherwise occurring in a straight tube, such that said pre-curved tube maintains increased clearance between said pre-curved tube and said claw inlet opening to maximize the inner cross sectional area of the tube and create less restriction to flow.
In milking apparatus having a teat cup, a milking claw having a plurality of inlets and having a discharge outlet, and a flexible milk tube connected between said teat cup and a respective claw inlet, an improved milk tube comprising a formed pre-curved member connected between said claw inlet and said teat cup and curved both before and after connection to said teat cup, said pre-curved milk tube having a first end portion of a given outer diameter prior to said connection, said pre-curved milk tube having a tapered portion tapered along the tube from said first end portion and of increasing outer diameter as said tapered portion tapers away from said first end portion, said pre-curved milk tube having a shoulder portion extending along the tube from said tapered portion and of extended outer diameter greater than said given outer diameter, said pre-curved milk tube having a second end portion distally opposite said first end portion and having an outer diameter prior to said connection less than said extended outer diameter of said shoulder portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.