JP2805186B2 - Milk flow detector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the flow rate of milk attached to a milking machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an apparatus for detecting the flow rate of milk attached to a milking machine, there is known an electric resistance detecting apparatus for milk disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-45170.

In the electrical resistance detecting device disclosed in the publication, a pair of electrodes facing a milk feeding flow path are arranged in a milk feeding flow path of a distributor connected to a milk pipeline, and protrude into the milk feeding flow path. The electrode rod is used as one electrode, and the conductive connecting pipe connected to the milk tube is used as the other electrode.

[0004]

However, such a conventional flow detecting device (electric resistance detecting device) has the following problems.

[0005] First, when retrofitting a milking machine, it is necessary to process the distributor and attach the electrodes, which makes the installation difficult. In addition, since attachment to parts other than the distributor is not considered, the versatility is poor, for example, it may not be possible to attach to a milking machine of a different model.

[0006] Second, when an electrode is provided in the middle of a milk tube, the detection is usually stabilized by providing the electrode in a milk chamber for temporarily storing milk as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-169427. However, if it is directly attached to the distributor, stable and accurate detection cannot be guaranteed because the milk chamber does not exist.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the problems existing in the prior art, and is easy to retrofit, excellent in versatility, and capable of ensuring stable and accurate detection of milk flow. The purpose is to provide the device.

[0008]

The milk flow detecting device 1 according to the present invention has an inflow-side connection port 2i and an outflow-side connection port 2o connected to the middle of a milk tube T for feeding milk at both ends. The flow path 2 including a pair of curved paths 2x and 2y facing in opposite directions is connected to the inflow side connection port 2i and the outflow side connection port 2o.
A pair of electrodes 3 and 4 for detecting the flow rate of milk are provided in the flow path 2 behind the curved path 2x located on the inflow side and arranged in between.

In this case, according to the preferred embodiment, the curved paths 2x and 2y are formed in an arc shape curved in an angle range of about 180 °, and the connection port on the inflow side is arranged downward 2i. 2 is formed to have substantially the same diameter from the connection port 2i on the inflow side to the connection port 2o on the outflow side. The electrodes 3 and 4 are arranged on the inner surface of the flow path 2 located outside the center of curvature of the curved path 2x located on the inflow side. On the other hand, the curved roads 2x, 2
y is formed by flexible tube members 5 and 6,
It may be constituted by connecting a tubular pipe member 7 provided with electrodes 3 and 4 between a pair of tube members 5 and 6, or may be integrally formed by a pipe member 8 as a whole.

[0010]

According to the milk flow detecting device 1 of the present invention, the flow path 2 from the inflow side connection port 2i to the outflow side connection port 2o.
Includes a pair of curved paths 2x and 2y facing in opposite directions, so that the inflow-side connection port 2i and the outflow-side connection port 2o face the opposite sides, respectively. Therefore, the flow rate detection device 1 can cut an arbitrary position in the milk tube T for feeding milk, and can easily be retrofitted in the middle of the milk tube T.

On the other hand, milk at the time of milking flows in through the connection port 2i on the inflow side arranged downward, passes through the curved path 2x located on the inflow side, passes through the electrodes 3, 4, and further, After passing through the curved path 2y located on the outflow side, it reaches the connection port 2o on the outflow side. At this time, if the electrodes 3 and 4 are arranged on the inner surface of the flow path 2 located outside the center of curvature of the curved path 2x located on the inflow side, the inclination state of the flow path 2 where the electrodes 3 and 4 are disposed Regardless of the above, the milk passing through the curved path 2x always passes through the electrodes 3 and 4 due to the centrifugal force, and the flow rate is stably and accurately detected. In this case, since the milk that has passed through the curved path 2x located on the inflow side flows downward, it does not flow back to the inflow connection port 2i side. Further, since the flow path 2 is formed to have substantially the same diameter from the connection port 2i on the inflow side to the connection port 2o on the outflow side, pressure loss is eliminated, and adverse effects on milking are prevented.

[0012]

Next, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of the flow rate detecting device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

The flow detecting device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is roughly divided into flexible tube members 5, 6 formed of rubber or the like.
And a pipe member 7 provided with electrodes 3 and 4.
Each of the tube members 5 and 6 is curved over an angle range of 180 °, and is turned in the opposite direction to form a pair of curved paths 2x and 2y.

On the other hand, the pipe member 7 is formed of a synthetic resin or the like into a cylindrical shape. A small-diameter connection portion 7o that can be fitted (press-fitted) into one end of the tube member 6 is provided at an end on the milk outflow side, and a cylindrical conductive member is formed on the milk inflow end. A part of the flange pipe 11 is fixed. This flange tube 11 constitutes one electrode 4 and
The portion protruding from the pipe member 7 becomes a small-diameter connection portion 7i that can be fitted (press-fitted) into one end of the other tube member 5.

In this case, the inner diameters of the tube members 5 and 6, the pipe member 7, and the flange tube 11 are formed to have the same diameter, preferably the same diameter as the milk tube to be connected.

At the middle position of the pipe member 7, the other electrode 3 integrally formed of a conductive material is attached.
As shown in FIG. 2, the electrode 3 includes an intermediate flange portion 12, an electrode rod portion 13 projecting at right angles from one end surface of the flange portion 12, and a lead connection screw portion projecting at right angles from the other end surface of the flange portion 12. 1
Consists of four. In addition, a mounting screw portion 15 is provided at an intermediate portion of the electrode rod portion 13. Therefore, if the screw hole 16 is provided in the pipe member 7, the seal ring 17 is interposed between the pipe member 7 and the flange portion 12, and the mounting screw portion 15 of the electrode rod portion 13 is screwed into the screw hole 16, the electrode 3 is formed. Can be installed. Thus, the electrode rod 13 protrudes by a certain length into the inside of the pipe member 7 (the flow path 2). In this case, the electrode 3
Are disposed on the inner surface of the flow path 2 located outside the center of curvature of the curved path 2x located on the inflow side.

Then, one lead 18 is connected to the lead connection screw portion 14 by a nut 19. On the other hand, the pipe member 7 and the flange pipe 1
1 is provided with a screw hole 20 penetrating therethrough, and a connection screw 21 is screwed into the screw hole 20 to connect the other lead 22 to the flange tube 11 (electrode 4).

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, when one end of the tube member 5 is connected to the connecting portion 7i of the pipe member 7 and one end of the tube member 6 is connected to the connecting portion 7o, the flow rate detecting device 1 is constructed. Is done. Thereby, the other end of the tube member 5 is connected to the connection port 2i on the inflow side and the tube member 6.
The other end becomes a connection port 2o on the outflow side, and a flow path 2 from the connection port 2i to the connection port 2o is formed.

Next, the mounting method and function of the flow rate detecting device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, a schematic structure of a milking machine provided with the flow detecting device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG.
30 is a milk pipeline and 31 is a vacuum pipeline. A milk tap 32 is provided at a predetermined position of each of the pipelines 30 and 31 so as to be inclined obliquely upward. A distributor 33 is attached to and detached from the milk tap 32. The distributor 33 includes a pulsator 34, through which an air tube 35 and a vacuum pipeline 31 are inserted, and a milk tube T for feeding milk through a flow path in the distributor 33.
And the milk pipeline 30 is inserted. Further, the tip of the milk tube T is connected to a milk claw 36, and a plurality of teat cup liners 37 are connected to the milk claw 36. The air tube 35 is branched and connected to each teat cup liner 37. Reference numeral 38 denotes a control device including an alarm function.

On the other hand, the flow detecting device 1 according to the present embodiment
It can be retrofitted to the milk tube T in such a milking machine. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, an arbitrary position of the milk tube T is cut and divided into an upper milk tube Tu and a lower milk tube Td. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the lower milk tube Td is connected to the tube member 5.
The connection is made by inserting the upper milk tube Tu into the connection port 2o of the tube member 6, while connecting the connection port 2i.

Therefore, at the time of milking, the milk sent from the milk claw 35 flows in from the connection port 2i on the inflow side, passes through the curved path 2x located on the inflow side, and then passes through the electrodes 3, 4. After passing through the curved path 2y located on the outflow side,
It reaches the outlet 2o on the outflow side. At this time, the milk passing through the curved path 2x always passes through the electrodes 3 and 4 due to the centrifugal force, regardless of the inclination state of the flow path 2 in which the electrodes 3 and 4 are arranged, and the stable and accurate detection of the flow rate is achieved. Done. The flow rate is detected by measuring the electric resistance between the electrodes 3 and 4. in this case,
If the milk is present, the electrical resistance between the electrodes 3 and 4 will decrease,
In the absence of milk, the electrical resistance increases. In addition, since the milk that has passed through the curved path 2x located on the inflow side flows downward, it does not flow backward to the inflow connection port 2i side. Furthermore, since the flow path 2 is formed to have substantially the same diameter from the inflow side connection port 2i to the outflow side connection port 2o, there is no pressure loss.

FIG. 4 shows a modified embodiment. The modified embodiment is different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that the whole is integrally formed by a pipe member 8 and the connection port 2i and the connection port 2o are arranged on the same side. Therefore, in the embodiment of FIG.
Although a flow path 2 having the shape of a circle is formed, in an alternative embodiment, a flow path 2 having an “O” shape is formed. The rest can be configured according to the embodiment of FIG. For this reason, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, the configuration is clarified, and the detailed description is omitted.

The embodiment has been described in detail above.
The present invention is not limited to such an embodiment,
The details of the configuration (such as the structure of the electrode), the shape (the bending range of the curved path, etc.), the material, and the like can be arbitrarily changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0026]

As described above, the milk flow rate detection device according to the present invention has a connection port on the inflow side and a connection port on the outflow side connected to the middle of the milk tube for feeding milk at both ends, and is opposite to each other. A flow path including a pair of curved paths formed in the direction is provided between the connection port on the inflow side and the connection port on the outflow side, and the flow rate of milk is detected in the flow path behind the curved path located on the inflow side. Since a pair of electrodes are provided, the following remarkable effects are obtained.

[0027] Since it can be directly attached to an existing milk tube, retrofitting is easy, and it can be attached to any milking machine irrespective of the model, which is excellent in versatility.

Since the milk can be collected on one side of the flow path by centrifugal force, stable and accurate detection of the flow rate can be guaranteed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view of a flow detecting device according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of an electrode in the flow rate detection device.

FIG. 3 is an external view of a milking machine provided with the flow detection device,

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view of a flow detection device according to a modified embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Flow rate detection apparatus 2 Flow path 2i Inflow side connection port 2o Outflow side connection port 2x Curved path 2y Curved path 3 Electrode 4 Electrode 5 Tube member 6 Tube member 7 Pipe member 8 Pipe member T Milk tube

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-57-137815 (JP, A) JP-A-61-153525 (JP, A) JP-A-60-70021 (JP, A) JP-A-59-169427 (JP) , A) Japanese Utility Model Showa 64-27651 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A01J 7/00

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A flow path including a pair of curved passages having an inflow-side connection port and an outflow-side connection port connected to the middle of a milk tube for feeding milk at both ends, and including a pair of curved paths facing in opposite directions. And a pair of electrodes for detecting the flow rate of milk are provided in the flow path behind the curved path located on the inflow side, between the connection port on the side and the connection port on the outflow side. Milk flow rate detection device. 2. The milk flow detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the curved path is formed in an arc shape curved in an angle range of about 180 °, and the connection port on the inflow side is arranged downward. . 3. The milk flow detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the flow path is formed to have substantially the same diameter from the inflow side connection port to the outflow side connection port. 4. The milk flow detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are arranged on an inner surface of a flow path located outside a center of curvature of a curved path located on an inflow side. . 5. The curved path is formed by a flexible tube member, and a cylindrical pipe member provided with an electrode is connected between a pair of tube members. The milk flow rate detection device according to claim 4. 6. The milk flow detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the whole is integrally formed by a pipe member.