# US 8,540,821 B2 · Teat cup cleaning device and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,821 B2 - Document ID: US8540821B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/971,048 - Filed: 2010-12-17 - Published: 2011-04-14 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2004-03-26 - Assignees: Maasland N.V. - Applicants: Karel Van Den Berg; Gerard Mostert - Inventors: Karel Van Den Berg; Gerard Mostert - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540821B2 ## CPC - A01J 7/025: {Teat cup cleaning, e.g. by rinse jetters or nozzles} - A01J: MANUFACTURE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS ## Abstract A teat cup cleaning device comprises a heating chamber provided with a discharge outlet that is closable by a valve and arranged for connection to a teat cup. A filling device is arranged for filling the heating chamber with an amount of cleaning liquid and retaining a given quantity of gas. The chamber is provided with a heating arrangement arranged to heat the contents of the heating chamber to a temperature T higher than the boiling point Tk of the cleaning liquid at ambient pressure. On operation of the valve superheated cleaning liquid is discharged to clean a teat cup. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Teat cup cleaning device comprising: a pressurizable heating chamber configured to contain a superheated liquid, the pressurizable heating chamber having a discharge outlet and a valve, wherein the valve is configured to close the discharge outlet, and the discharge outlet releases directly into at least one teat cup; a sealing edge for sealing the teat cup cleaning device onto the at least one teat cup a filling device for filling the heating chamber with an amount of cleaning liquid; a gas retention arrangement for maintaining a predetermined quantity of gas within the heating chamber on filling the heating chamber with the amount of cleaning liquid; a valve controlling element, arranged to open the valve; and a heating arrangement for heating the contents of the heating chamber to a predetermined condition having a temperature T higher than a boiling point Tk of the cleaning liquid at ambient pressure such that the liquid is superheated liquid upon opening of the valve of the heating arrangement; wherein valve when opened releases at least the superheated liquid via the discharge outlet into the teat cup. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the gas retention arrangement is arranged to ensure that between 3% and 90% by volume of gas is retained within chamber when initially filled and prior to heating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the filling device comprises a supply line that is connected to the discharge outlet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature T amounts to at least 160° C. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the valve comprises a pressure-relief valve. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein the valve controlling element is arranged to open the valve at an overpressure OD of at least 8 bar absolute pressure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the valve controlling element is arranged to open the valve at an adjustable overpressure OD in the heating chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the valve controlling element is arranged to open the valve at a predetermined temperature OT, in the heating chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the filling device comprises a cleaning liquid storage container which is connectable to the heating chamber by a second valve. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning liquid is water. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning liquid comprises a disinfecting agent. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the heating arrangement has an adjustable heating power. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the heating arrangement comprises a control device arranged to control the heating arrangement in such a way that the predetermined condition is not reached until it is desired to discharge the cleaning liquid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according claim 1, wherein the discharge outlet comprises a discharge duct projecting over a distance L beyond a wall of the chamber, wherein L is at most equal to the internal depth of the teat cup to be cleaned. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) Teat cup cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the valve is controlled by interaction with a teat cup to be cleaned. ### Claim 16 Method of cleaning a teat cup, comprising: providing a pressurizable heating chamber having a discharge outlet closable by a valve, the discharge outlet releasing directly into at least one teat cup; sealing the heating chamber to the at least one teat cup; supplying an amount of cleaning liquid to the pressurizable heating chamber sufficient to maintain a predetermined quantity of gas within the heating chamber; closing the heating chamber; heating the cleaning liquid in the heating chamber to a condition with a temperature T that is higher than a boiling point Tk of the cleaning liquid at ambient pressure such that cleaning liquid becomes a superheated liquid; and opening the valve and directing the superheated liquid of the heating chamber via the discharge outlet into the at least one teat cup. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) Method according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined quantity of gas is between 3% and 90% by volume of the chamber when initially filled and prior to heating. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) Method according to claim 16, wherein between 10 ml and 25 ml of cleaning liquid is supplied to the heating chamber per teat cup. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) Method according to claim 16, wherein the cleaning liquid is water. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) Method according to claim 16, wherein the cleaning liquid comprises a disinfecting agent. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) Method according to claim 16, wherein the valve is controlled to open at an adjustable threshold value of temperature, pressure or energy content within the chamber. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) Method according to claim 21, wherein the threshold value is an overpressure OD in the heating chamber of at least 8 bar absolute pressure. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) Method according to claim 21, wherein the threshold value is a temperature OT in the heating chamber of at least 160° C.