DE20018682U1 - Drench device and nozzle head, insertion hose and storage container therefor - Google Patents

Description

BUSE · MENTZEL · LÜÖEWlGJ. j. ·U patent attorneys

EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

PO Box 2014 62 Kleiner Werth 34 Dipl.-Phys. Mentzel

,. D-42214 Wuppertal D-42275 Wuppertal Dipl.-Ing. Ludewig

Wuppertal-Wuppertal,

70

Password: "Drenching device"

H. Hauptner and Richard Herberholz GmbH & Co. KG Kuller Str. 38-44,
D-42651 Solingen

Drenching device

and nozzle head, insertion tube

and storage containers for this

The invention relates to a drenching device of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 14 and to a nozzle head, insertion tube and storage container that can be used therewith according to the preambles of claims 1, 2 and 7. Drenching devices are used in veterinary medicine and in agriculture, for example, to inject a large volume of an active substance, which is usually in granular form, i.e. as a powder or granulate, or also pure liquid, into the stomach of an animal.

The main application is the administration of preferably warm water with or without minerals, especially calcium or energy sources, especially propylene glycol or propionates, to cows shortly after calving. This measure is primarily used to prevent hypocalcaemia, known as "milk fever", an acute calcium deficiency that occurs primarily in high-performance breeds after calving and is often fatal, but in any case requires immediate consultation with a veterinarian. Drenching can also prevent the cow from dehydrating and stimulate the cow's appetite.

STADTSPARKASSE WUPPERTAL 765677 - BLZ 33050000 TELEPHONE +49(0)2 02/255 35-0

CREDIT- U. VOLKSBANK EG WUPPERTAL 103 490014 - BLZ 330 60098 FAX +49(0)202/255 35-29

CREDIT- U. VOLKSBANK EG WVPfERT ₁ AL IBAN^ DE£4330 600 980 103 490014 e-mail: PAe @ patbumelu.de

COMMERZBANK AG WUPPERTAL»4329805 -«L2 330*4000*1*· ·* ·**· ·"·**..". hJtp:iVww.patbumelu.de
POSTBANK COLOGNE 72634506 - iJLZ *37J)10050 ·* * * * * * .".:"..". .'I'. I
VAT no. DE 121035988 ·*·.*.·**.·* .1. *..* '..''..'.I.. '..'.'..

ft ft
ft ft
ft ft
ft ft ft ft ·

A filled rumen also reduces the risk of displacement of the abomasum. The active substances to be slurried, particularly the minerals, are usually sold as crystalline granules. This results in relatively large volumes that do not allow the required doses to be injected, for example. An intravenous infusion would be possible, but this is complex and expensive. The simple oral administration by adding it to the feed is hampered by the bad taste of the granules and, in the case of calcium, the burning sensation on the mucous membranes. The granules are therefore usually dissolved or slurried in around 10-15 l of water and administered directly into the animal's stomach using a drenching device.

Known drenching devices essentially consist of an insertion tube with a nozzle head at its front end. The length and thickness of the insertion tube are adapted to the anatomy of the animal species to be treated. To protect the insertion tube against kinking and thus against accidental closure, it is often reinforced with a metal spiral. An intermediate line, usually a conventional hose line, can be connected to the insertion tube and is connected to a device for transporting the slurried material from a storage container into the animal's stomach. Suitable hand or electric pumps are used as transport devices. They pump the slurried mass, which was previously mixed in a bucket serving as a mixing and storage container, through the insertion tube into the animal's stomach. This state of the art has various disadvantages.

The usual nozzle heads, which introduce the slurried material into the stomach through a central bore in the direction of the hose axis, as it is aligned in the area of the nozzle head, cause considerable, localized stresses on the

·

• W

stomach wall, which leads to reduced tolerance in the animal. As a consequence, the animal strongly resists the administration, which can easily lead to injuries both to the animal itself and to the person administering the medication.

The reinforcement of conventional insertion tubes protects the tube effectively against kinking, but is usually too weak to prevent the tube from closing in the mouth area if the animal tries to defend itself by biting the tube. In addition, it is difficult to apply sufficient force to the flexible tube in the mouth area to prevent the tube from slipping out of the animal's throat.

Finally, with the state-of-the-art drenching devices, the granulate must be mixed by hand in a storage and mixing container before being fed in. This means an additional work step. In addition, it is often not possible to predict in advance what total amount can be given to the animal. Too much mixed granulate cannot be stored and reused for an unlimited period of time, which can result in costly waste of material. In addition, the mixed granulate is usually not in dissolved, i.e. liquid, form, but as a pasty, granular sludge. Material in this form is extremely difficult to pump. On the one hand, it easily clogs the pump. On the other hand, there is also the risk that only a thin fraction is pumped out, while the thicker part settles in the storage and mixing container, which means that constant stirring is necessary. Since the person feeding the liquid is already fully occupied with the animal, stirring must be done by another person, so one-man operation is not possible.

A primary object of the invention is to increase the tolerance of the input for the animal. A further object of the invention is to ensure easier and safer handling of a drenching device, which in particular prevents blockage even if the animal bites on the insertion tube. Finally, it is an object of the invention to create a drenching device which can be operated by a single person and makes separate mixing unnecessary. This should save work and costs.

The first-mentioned object is solved by the features of claim 1. The second-mentioned object is solved by the features of claim 2, which has independent inventive significance. Finally, the last-mentioned object is solved by the features of claim 7, which also has independent inventive significance. A particularly advantageous device according to the invention has several of the aforementioned features according to claim 13.

The inventive features of claim 1 have the following meaning in detail. Instead of using a nozzle head with an axial opening, a nozzle head according to the invention has several, essentially radial openings through which the material flow is split into several, weaker partial jets. This reduces the jet pressure on the stomach walls compared to a single, axial jet, which leads to increased compatibility. In the stomach, the nozzle head often lies with its tip directly on the stomach wall. With only a single, axial jet, the point load in such a case is therefore extremely high. If, on the other hand, the partial jets are essentially radial, they first have to overcome a certain distance before they hit the stomach walls at a reduced speed. This also reduces the load

reduced and the compatibility increased. Finally, with the arrangement of the nozzle openings according to the invention it is not possible for liquid to flow back into the throat and possibly penetrate into the windpipe. Of course, it is also possible to provide an axial hole in addition to the essentially radial holes, which cannot produce a sharp jet as in the prior art due to the reduced material flow per opening.

The inventive features of claim 2 have the following meaning in detail. The reinforcement in the form of a spiral turns into a rigid tube in the end area of the insertion tube, i.e. in the area of the animal's mouth when inserted. The tube, like the spiral part of the reinforcement, is preferably made of rust-proof metal. However, it is also conceivable to make it from a suitable, hard plastic, although this must be able to withstand the strong mechanical and, particularly during cleaning, thermal stress. The length of the tube corresponds approximately to the depth of the throat of the animal species to be treated. The animal defending itself will only be able to bite on the stable tube, which means that the tube cannot close off. At the same time, the tube offers the person treating it a much more stable force approach than a flexible tube, so that they can counteract the tube slipping out of the throat much more effectively. To ensure even easier handling, a handle can be provided at the end of the tube.

The inventive features of claim 7 have the following meaning in detail. A storage container is provided for receiving the dry material. A liquid flow is passed through this storage container, which slurries dry material and carries it along according to the principle of the water jet pump. The inlet and outlet are advantageously arranged in such a way that optimal entrainment

of the slurry material is ensured. The slurry is preferably fed via an intermediate line, which can be a conventional hose, to the actual feed hose through which it can then be introduced into the animal's stomach. Separate mixing is not necessary. Constant stirring is also superfluous, since a constant amount of dry material is always slurryed out per unit of time, determined by the dimensions of the container and the flow rate and speed. The liquid flow can be passed through the storage container in different ways. It is particularly advantageous to provide a connection for a conventional water pipe on the storage container and to use the water line pressure to operate the device. This variant can be used near water connections, i.e. in particular in stables, where the treatment usually takes place. On pastures, on the other hand, you will have to use a special pump, which can be operated manually or electrically. Nevertheless, the maintenance difficulties of the pump mentioned above are also eliminated here, as it is best to connect it in the direction of flow upstream of the storage tank. The hand pump can be designed in the manner of a bilge pump, for example. In another, particularly advantageous variant, an electric pumping device, in particular a submersible pump, is provided, which forms an integral unit with the storage tank. It is irrelevant whether the pump housing encloses the storage tank or the storage tank encloses the pump. Of course, both elements can also be designed separately and enclose a common housing. The result is just a single device into which the granulate is to be filled and which can then be immersed in a water reservoir, e.g. a drinking trough. The path to the cow to be supplied can be bridged with a conventional hose. The electrics of a pump used in one of the aforementioned variants

· I

is advantageously designed for connection to a vehicle socket. This means that the device according to the invention can also be used with cows in remote pastures.

Further advantages of the invention emerge from the following specific description, the remaining subclaims and the drawing. They show

Fig. 1 a drenching device according to the invention in

perspective overall view,

Fig. 2 shows a nozzle head according to the invention in perspective view,

Fig. 3 View of the rear section of an insertion tube according to the invention,

Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional drawing of a storage tank with integrated submersible pump.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective overall view of a drenching device 10 for cows according to the invention in an advantageous embodiment. The insertion tube 20, the intermediate line 30 and the storage container 40 are shown. The insertion tube 20 is designed to be flexible in its largest, middle area and is provided with a metal, non-rusting spiral reinforcement on the outside to protect it from kinks. It opens into the nozzle head 21 at its front end, which is inserted into the cow's stomach. This is shown in Fig. 2 in an enlarged manner compared to Fig. 1. It consists of a metal or plastic cap 211 which is securely attached, e.g. glued, to the front end of the reinforced area. However, it is also possible to detach the cap 211 for cleaning or replacement purposes.

design, whereby, however, dissolution in the animal's stomach must be prevented. The cap 211 ends in a blunt tip, on the flanks of which several outlet holes 212 are arranged. Through these, the liquid-granulate mixture to be introduced emerges from the introduction tube 20 in several partial jets. The jet direction points diagonally forwards, with a considerable radial component in each case. The jet direction preferably forms an angle of approximately 60° to the axis of the nozzle head 211. In the embodiment shown, an axial outlet hole 213 is also provided, through which a further, weakened jet can emerge in the axial direction from the introduction tube 20. This arrangement ensures that the liquid is introduced into the animal's stomach in a particularly gentle manner. Of course, the outlet holes 212 can also be arranged differently in detail or differ in size and number from the example shown. What is essential, however, is the division of the liquid flow into several partial jets, at least some of which have a significant radial component.

In the area of the rear end of the insertion tube 20, the spiral reinforcement merges into a rigid, also metal tube 23. The tube 23 is preferably glued to the spiral reinforcement. This tube 23 allows the operator of the drenching device according to the invention to achieve very good handling, so that slipping out of the throat can be prevented much more easily than with conventional drenching devices, whose insertion tube 20 is completely flexible. The rigid tube 23 also offers reliable bite protection, so that the cow cannot interrupt the flow of liquid by biting the tube. This would not be guaranteed with the pure spiral reinforcement 22, which, if it were designed to be strong enough to withstand a powerful bite from the cow, would be too inflexible for the insertion tube 20 to be inserted without causing injury.

could be introduced into the cow's stomach. Fig. 3 shows an enlarged illustration of the tube 23 compared to Fig. 1 with its transition to the spiral reinforcement 22 on the one hand and to the plastic handle 24 on the other. Under conditions of use, the tube 23 is wet and slippery from the cow's saliva, among other things. A suitably profiled handle serves to ensure safer handling. To ensure further protection, the handle 24 can also be provided with a protective bell at its front end. At the rear end of the handle 24, a connecting piece 25 is provided for the intermediate line 30, which in the example shown consists of a conventional hose and is fixed to the connecting piece 25 with commercially available hose couplings. The inventive

Introducing hose 20 can be connected in a conventional manner to a pump, e.g. a submersible pump, which conveys previously mixed material from a mixing and storage container, e.g. a bucket. However, it is more advantageous to connect the introducing hose 20 instead to a storage container 40 according to the invention in the manner described below.

Furthermore, the nose forceps 50 can be seen in Fig. 3, which are preferably attached in the area of the handle 24 and are suitable for one-handed operation due to a spring mechanism. The nose forceps 50 make it easier to control the animal.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the intermediate line 30 is connected with its rear end to the outlet 45 of the storage container 40. The storage container 40 advantageously consists of a housing 41 made of impact-resistant plastic with a filling nozzle 42 that can be closed with a lid 43, preferably a screw cap. The dry material to be added, in particular a mineral granulate 60, can be filled into this storage container 40, as can be seen from Fig. 4, which shows a further embodiment.

A liquid flow can be passed through the inlet 44 through the storage container 40, which slurries the mineral granulate 60 and introduces it from the outlet 45 via the intermediate line 30 through the introduction hose 20 into the animal's stomach. In order to ensure optimal slurrying of the dry material, the inlet 44 and the outlet 45 are preferably arranged in a horizontal plane, but as far apart from each other as possible and approximately at right angles to each other. In the example in Fig. 1, in which the outlet 45 is arranged in the lower left corner of the front housing wall, the inlet 44 is arranged in the lower right corner of the right housing wall. Of course, other relative arrangements of the inlet and outlet (44, 45) are also possible, and a connection can also be arranged in the upper housing area. The embodiment shown in Fig. 1 allows a direct connection to a water pipe, so that the line pressure can be used to transport the material. It is of course also possible to install a separate pumping device upstream of the storage container 40. The automatic slurrying in the storage container 40 eliminates the need for separate manual mixing. Constant stirring is also unnecessary, as the granulate 60 is automatically rinsed out. By installing the pressure generation upstream (line pressure or pump), there are no maintenance problems with the pump, which cannot become clogged with undissolved granulate.

In a further embodiment shown schematically in Fig. 4, the pump, here a submersible pump, consisting of a pump motor 46 and intake port 47, is integrated into the storage container 40. The entire housing 41, whose cover 42 preferably closes watertight, is at least partially submerged in a water container. The pump 46, 47 sucks in water according to the flow arrows 70. This liquid flow is guided through the stored granulate 60.

ft··

The slurried granulate 60 is then transported to the animal's stomach according to the flow arrow 71. This embodiment is particularly suitable for mobile use, as it is a single, compact device that does not require any special connections. It can also be used very well on pastures, as it can be assumed that there is a sufficiently large supply of water on every pasture, be it in the form of a drinking trough or in the form of a natural water reservoir, such as a pond or stream. For mobile use, it is particularly advantageous to design the electrical system of the pump 46, 47 (not shown in detail in Fig. 4) in such a way that it can be fed from the voltage source of a vehicle. In this case, use on remote pastures does not pose any major difficulties. It is of course also possible to use a battery-operated pump.

Of course, the embodiments shown are only particularly favorable examples of the drenching device according to the invention, which are intended to illustrate the invention and not to limit it in any way. In particular, the proportions of the device are to be adapted to the respective target animal species. The individual parts of the device according to the invention mentioned in the independent claims can also be used advantageously individually or in any combination together with components of conventional devices.

BUSE · MENTZEL ·

EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

PO Box 2014 62
D-42214 Wuppertal

42275 Wuppertal

•PATENT ATTORNEYS

Dipl.-Phys. Mentzel Dipl.-Ing. Ludwig

Wuppertal-Wuppertal,

70

Password: "Drenching device"

H. Hauptner and Richard Herberholz GmbH & Co. KG Kuller Str. 38-44, D-42651 Solingen

List of reference symbols

10 Drenching device 50 Nose forceps 20 Intake tube 21 Nozzle head 60 Mineral granules 211 cap 212 radial exit hole 70 Flow arrow 213 axial exit hole 71 Flow arrow 22 Spiral reinforcement 23 rigid pipe 24 Handle 25 Connection piece

30 Intermediate line

40 storage containers

41 Housing

42 Closure

43 Filler neck

44 Inlet

45 Outlet

46 Pump motor

47 Intake manifold

STADTSPARKASSE WUPPERTAL 765677 - BLZ 33050000 TELEPHONE +49(0)2 02/25535-0 CREDIT- U. VOLKSBANK EG WUPPERTAL 103490014 - BLZ 33060098 TELEPHONE +49(0)2 02/25535-29 CREDIT- U. VOLKSBANK EG WU«*RTAl· &Igr;&Bgr;&Agr;&Ngr;&iacgr;*&Egr;9·&Igr;*306&bgr;&bgr;980 10J490«44 .. ·· .. e-mailiPAe.@patbumelu.de COMMERZBANK AG WUPPERTAL J $*«05 - &Bgr;*&iacgr;&zgr;&dgr;&4&dgr;&idiagr;''· *.·* i&mdash; *..* * &iacgr;ht$>.7/www4>atbumelu.de POSTBANK KÖLN 72634506 - BIiZ 3<?(H0050 .'.ItI illilll."'.I'. VAT-No. DE 121035988 * * ** **"

Claims (16)

1. Nozzle head for use in a device for introducing liquid and/or active substances suspended or dissolved in liquid into the stomach of an animal, in particular a cow, wherein the nozzle head is positioned at the front end of an introduction tube through which the material to be introduced is guided into the animal's stomach, characterized in that the nozzle head ( 21 ) has a plurality of nozzle holes ( 212 , 213 ) which are arranged at an angle to the tube axis in the region of the nozzle head ( 21 ) and through which the material to be introduced reaches the stomach of the animal in a plurality of essentially radial partial jets. 2. An introduction tube for use in a device for introducing active substances in liquid and/or suspended or dissolved in liquid into the stomach of an animal, in particular a cow, wherein the introduction tube serves to introduce the material to be introduced from a storage container into the animal's stomach, characterized in that it has a reinforcement ( 22 ) designed as a spiral which runs into a rigid tube ( 23 ) the length of which corresponds approximately to the depth of the throat of the animal species to be treated. 3. Insertion tube according to claim 2, characterized in that a handle ( 24 ) is connected to the region of the reinforcement ( 22 ) designed as a rigid tube ( 23 ). 4. Insertion tube according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the spiral ( 22 ) and the rigid tube ( 23 ) are each made of metal or plastic. 5. Insertion tube according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the spiral ( 22 ) and the rigid tube ( 23 ) are glued together. 6. Insertion tube according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the handle ( 24 ) is made of plastic. 7. Storage container for use in a device for introducing liquid and/or active substances suspended or dissolved in liquid into the stomach of an animal, in particular a cow, wherein it serves to store material to be introduced, which is introduced into the animal's stomach via an introduction tube, characterized in that it serves to store essentially dry, granular material, and can be permeated with a liquid flow, by means of which the stored dry material is gradually slurried through the introduction tube ( 20 ) into the animal's stomach. 8. Storage container according to claim 7, characterized in that an inlet ( 44 ) and an outlet ( 45 ) in the lower region of the housing ( 41 ) are located approximately diametrically opposite one another in a common horizontal plane, the liquid flows passing through them being substantially perpendicular to one another. 9. Storage container according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that it has an inlet ( 44 ) which can be connected to a conventional water pipe and an outlet ( 45 ) which can be coupled to the introduction hose ( 20 ) via an intermediate line ( 30 ). 10. Storage container according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that it has an inlet ( 44 ) which can be connected to an electrical or mechanical pump device and an outlet ( 45 ) which can be coupled to the introduction tube ( 20 ) via an intermediate line ( 30 ). 11. Storage container according to claim 10, characterized in that the pump device comprises a hand pump. 12. Storage container according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that it forms an integral unit together with an electric pumping device. 13. Storage container according to claim 12, characterized in that the electrical system of the pumping device is designed for connection to a motor vehicle voltage source. 14. Storage container according to one of claims 7 to 13, characterized in that it is made of impact-resistant plastic. 15. Device for introducing liquid and/or active substances suspended or dissolved in liquid into the stomach of an animal, in particular a cow, comprising an introduction tube with a nozzle head and a device for transporting the material to be introduced from a storage container into the animal's stomach, characterized in that the nozzle head ( 21 ) is designed according to claim 1 and/or the introduction tube ( 20 ) according to one of claims 2 to 6 and/or the storage container ( 40 ) according to one of claims 7 to 13. 16. Device according to claim 15, characterized in that a one-handed nasal forceps ( 50 ) is attached in the region of the rear end of the insertion tube ( 20 ).