JP4037042B2 - Control device for a milk collection pump in a patrol car - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to air bubbles generated at the start of milk collection and at the end of milk collection in a collection truck for patroling contracted farms that produce milk and collecting the milk stored in each farm's storage tank. The present invention relates to a control device for a milk collection pump that prevents the occurrence of milk collection measurement errors by minimizing contamination of the milk.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, milk production is performed daily by each farmer from milk cows raised by the farmer, and the milk that has been milked is temporarily stored in a storage tank installed in the farmer. And the milk stored in the storage tank in this way is collected by the milk collection truck of the milk collection company that is circulating by contract. This milk truck is equipped with a milk collection tank and a milk collection pump that sucks milk into the milk collection tank, and the amount of milk milked by each farmhouse is measured by a gauge attached to the storage tank. The current situation is that the scale is read directly by visual observation, and the person in charge of milk collection fills in the slip by hand and uses it as the actual volume of milk collection.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the work of patroling the contracted farmers and collecting milk in this way, each time the milk collection work is performed, the scale of the gauge is directly read in advance by visual inspection before the start of the work. When the milk collection work in the tank is completed and the work is completed, the gauge scale is read again visually and the difference is entered in the slip as the actual volume of milk collection. Reading errors, or making mistakes in reading or writing errors. Therefore, recently, a flow meter that measures the amount of milk collected is installed in the milk collection cart, and this is connected to the milk collection pump for measurement. However, air bubbles are present in the stirred milk. For this reason, if air is supplied to the flow meter with air bubbles, an error will occur between the actual amount of collected milk and the air mixed between the milk collection pump and the flow meter. In order to separate the milk from milk, a tank-shaped air separator is always provided.
[0004]
By providing an air separator in this way, bubbles mixed in milk sucked by the milk collection pump are separated in this, but it is the most measurement error to collect milk without sucking this bubble It is well known that this does not occur. However, in reality, collecting milk in such a way that air bubbles are not mixed requires a skill of the person in charge of collecting milk with respect to the operation of the collection pump and takes time. In addition, when the person in charge of collecting the milk changes, there are also problems such as variations in the operation of the milk collecting pump and variations in the measurement error.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to control a milk collection pump that eliminates such a problem so that bubbles are not mixed as much as possible during milk collection and that the suction speed of the milk collection pump can be changed according to the tank pressure of the air separator. Is to get the equipment.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
An object of the present invention is a traveling milk cart that collects milk by a milk collecting pump 11 from a farm tank in which milk is stored, into a milk collecting tank 1 mounted on the milk collecting cart 2 from the farm's storage tank 12. 2, an air separator 5 is connected to the milk collecting pump 11 via a connecting pipe 6, and a flow meter 10 is connected to the air separator 5 via a connecting pipe 4. The flow meter 10 and the milk collecting tank 1 are connected to the air separator 5. And a milk collection tube 7 connected to the milk collection pump 11 to collect milk from the circulation storage tank 12 to the milk collection tank 1, and the milk collection pump 11 is connected to a control unit 21 that controls the suction speed from low speed to high speed or from high speed to stop. The control section 21 detects the change in pressure in the air separator 5 to detect the suction speed of the milk collection pump 11. Control of the milk collection pump It is achieved by providing a location. In addition to the above-described configuration, the purpose of the control unit is to change the suction speed of the milk collection pump 11 by the pressure sensor 23 incorporated in the air separator 5 when the tank pressure in the air separator 5 reaches the pressure upper limit Ph. This can also be achieved by providing a control device for a milk collection pump configured to give a start signal to a timer that outputs a signal to be output.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a milk collection tank mounted on the milk collection cart 2, and the other end of the supply pipe 3 having one end connected to the flow meter 10 is fixed to the upper part of the milk collection tank 1. ing. An air separator 5 is connected to the flow meter 10 via a connecting pipe 4, and a milk collection pump 11 is connected to the air separator 5 via another connecting pipe 6. The milk collection pump 11 collects milk via an autosampler 13 that extracts a sample for inspecting whether or not foreign matter is mixed in the milk collection from the milk storage tank 12 installed in each farmhouse. A tube 7 is connected, and the tip of the milk collection tube 7 is connected to the milk storage tank 12 by extending it.
[0008]
The flow meter 10 has a built-in transmitter (not shown) that emits a pulse signal when a fluid flows, and the milk sucked by the milk collection pump 11 and air separated by the air separator 5. Flows in the flow meter 10 and is supplied into the milk collection tank 1, so that a pulse signal is transmitted accordingly. As shown in FIG. 1, the transmitter of the flow meter 10 is connected to an operation processing unit 20, and the milk collection amount measured by the operation processing unit 20 is output to the outside.
[0009]
Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 21 in the operation processing unit 20 is connected to a pump drive unit 22 that outputs a signal for driving the milk collection pump 11 at a low speed or a high speed. A pump high-speed drive timer (not shown) that outputs an operation signal to the pump drive unit 22 after a predetermined time has elapsed, to stop the milk collection pump 11 from a low speed to a high speed, and to stop after a predetermined time during high-speed driving, and a pump stop timer (Not shown) is built-in. Each of these timers is started by receiving a sensor signal from a pressure sensor 23 built in a tank-shaped air separator into which milk to be collected enters. As shown in FIG. When the tank pressure in the air separator 5 reaches a preset pressure upper limit Ph, a sensor signal is output. The pressure rise in the air separator 5 increases as the bubbles mixed during milk collection decrease, that is, the liquid level of the milk rises so that the exhaust valve 8 of the air separator 5 is closed and rises. Yes. On the other hand, when milk is not filled in the air separator 5, that is, when air is sucked in as bubbles, the exhaust valve 8 is opened due to insufficient pressure in the air separator 5, and the pressure upper limit Ph The pressure sensor 23 is set not to operate.
[0010]
The pressure sensor 23 outputs a sensor signal to the pump high-speed drive timer when the tank pressure of the air separator 5 reaches a point P1 exceeding a preset pressure upper limit value Ph, and the pump high-speed drive timer is started and set. The milk collection pump 11 is driven at a high speed after the predetermined time T1 has elapsed. Further, when the tank pressure reaches the point P2 at which the milk pump 11 is driven at a high speed, the pressure sensor 23 outputs a sensor signal again, and the milk pump 11 receives a pump signal. A stop signal is output after a predetermined time T2 has passed through the stop timer. Further, the pressure upper limit value Ph, the pump high-speed drive timer time T1, and the pump stop timer time T2 can be set by the operation unit 24 connected to the control unit 21, respectively.
[0011]
In the milk collection work by the milk collection truck 2 configured in this way, when a person in charge of milk collection visits a contracted farmhouse with the milk collection truck 2 and performs a milk collection work at each farmhouse, the milk collection truck 2 When the patrol milk collection operation is completed, the milk collection tank 1 and each device through which the milk flows are in a state of being washed and sterilized, and the milk in the milk collection tank 1 is empty before the first milk collection operation on this day. It has become. In this state, the milk collecting cart 2 patrols the farmhouse, and when the first farm starts the first milk collection work, the work starts by first connecting the milk collection tube 7 to the milk storage tank 12. Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, when the switch (not shown) for starting the milk collection operation (step S1) is turned on, the operation processing unit 20 is activated and the milk collection pump 11 is driven at a low speed (step S1). S2), milk collection work begins. The milk collected thereby enters the air separator 5, where the milk from which the air has been separated passes through the flow meter 10. At this time, since a pulse signal is transmitted from the flow meter 10, this signal enters the operation processing unit 20, and the collected milk data is integrated.
[0012]
At the initial stage of the milk collection operation, since a large amount of air is mixed in as bubbles in the milk at the same time as the milk, it is sucked into the air separator 5 in this mixed state. Therefore, as shown in FIG. The exhaust valve 8 remains open, and the pressure therein does not increase. Therefore, the milk collection pump 11 is in a low-speed drive state, and as shown in FIG. 4, a small amount of milk collection work is performed while the pressure determination (step S3) is repeated. In this state, only a minimum amount of air is mixed into the milk in the air separator 5 and the liquid level of the milk in the air separator 5 rises. When the liquid level of the milk rises and the exhaust valve 8 is closed in this way, the pressure in the air separator 5 rises. When the pressure reaches the upper pressure limit Ph shown in FIG. The pump high-speed drive timer starts to operate (step S4). When a delay time T1 preset in this pump high-speed drive timer elapses (step S5), the milk collection pump 11 is driven at high speed (step S6), and a large amount of milk is collected in the milk collection tank 1.
[0013]
On the other hand, at the start of the first milk collection work, the milk collection pump 11 is operated and the milk collection work is being performed, but milk is still flowing through the flow meter 10 just by being supplied to the pipe and the air separator 5. No signal is output because it is not. That is, the measured milk collection amount is a measurement value that is smaller than the actual milk collection amount from the milk storage tank 12 by a predetermined amount. For this reason, an operation for adding a milk collection amount corresponding to the milk storage amount in the piping from the milk collection pump 11 to the flow meter 10 and the air separator 5 set in advance by the person in charge of milk collection at the same time when the work is started. By turning on a switch (not shown), the milk collection amount as the initial addition amount is added in advance. Subsequently, the milk that has passed through the pipe and the air separator 5 continuously passes through the flow meter 10, and a pulse signal is transmitted from the flow meter 10. As a result, the milk collection amount in the milk collection tank 1 is subjected to the milk collection integration process by the operation processing unit 20 and added to the initial addition amount to correct the actual milk collection amount.
[0014]
In this way, when a predetermined amount of milk is collected and the remaining amount decreases, a large amount of air bubbles are again inhaled. As a result, the pressure in the air separator 5 decreases, and the pressure determination for the pressure upper limit value Ph is repeated. When the tank pressure reaches the pressure upper limit value Ph (step S7), the pressure sensor 23 is activated again and the pump stop timer is set. When a predetermined delay time T2 elapses (step S9), a pump stop signal is output (step S10) and the milk collection pump 11 stops (step S11). ). Thereby, the milk collection work is finished (step S12). On the other hand, the pulse signal from the flow meter 10 is also stopped, and the milk collection integration process in the operation processing unit 20 is also ended. In this embodiment, the addition operation of the initial addition amount is performed at the start of the work. However, the operation is not limited to this, and the addition is performed after the measurement of the milk collection amount is completed. It may be an actual amount.
[0015]
Thereafter, when an output switch (not shown) to the printer 30 of the operation processing unit 20 is turned on, necessary information such as the producer name, the actual milk collection amount, and the date is printed on the slip. Then, this slip is handed over to the producer, the milk collecting tube 7 is removed from the storage tank 12, and the milk collecting tube 7 is stored in the milk collecting cart 2, whereby the first milk collection operation in the farm is completed. On the other hand, milk collection data in this milk collection operation is stored and stored in the memory card 31. Subsequently, the person in charge of milk collection moves the milk collection truck 2 to the next contract farmer, connects the milk collection pipe 7 to the milk storage tank 12 again, and starts the milk collection work at the destination. Since the milk at the time of the first milk collection has already accumulated in the piping from the milk collection pump 11 to the flow meter 10 and the air separator 5 at this time, the subsequent correction of the actual amount of milk collection becomes unnecessary.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
As will be apparent from the embodiment described above, in the circulating milking cart 2 that collects the milk from the milk storage tank 12 into the milk collecting tank 1 by the milk collecting pump 11, the connecting pipe 6 is connected to the milk collecting pump 11. An air separator 5 is connected to the air separator 5 and a flow meter 10 is connected to the air separator 5 via a connection pipe 4, a supply pipe 3 is connected between the flow meter 10 and the milk collection tank 1, and milk collection The milk collecting tube 7 is connected to the pump 11 so as to collect milk from the storage tank 12 to the milk collecting tank 1, and the suction speed of the milk collecting pump is controlled from low speed to high speed or from high speed to stop. A control unit 21 is connected, and this control unit 21 is a control device for the milk collection pump that operates the suction speed of the milk collection pump 11 by detecting a change in the pressure in the air separator 5.
[0017]
In this way, milk from which air has been separated by the air separator can be reliably collected, and the amount of milk collected can be measured with little measurement error. This eliminates the need for skill in the operation of the milk collection pump by the person in charge of milk collection, and promotes the automation of high-precision milk collection work. Further, by promoting the automation of the milk collection work, there is no variation in the operation of the milk collection pump by the person in charge of milk collection, the variation in measurement error is reduced, and constant milk collection measurement is always obtained. Furthermore, air bubbles can be prevented from entering the flow meter as much as possible, and measurement errors can be minimized. In addition, since the speed of the milk collection pump is changed by the delay time of the timer based on the signal from the pressure sensor, a specific effect such as reliable removal of bubbles can be obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a milk collection system using the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a rear front view of the milking cart.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control state in a milk collection operation.
FIG. 5 is a graph showing a control relationship between a pressure change in the air separator and a milk collection pump.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Milk collection tank 2 Milk collection truck 3 Supply pipe 4 Connection pipe 5 Air separator 6 Connection pipe 7 Milk collection pipe 8 Exhaust valve 10 Flow meter 11 Milk collection pump 12 Milk storage tank 13 Autosampler 20 Operation processing unit 21 Control part 22 Pump Drive unit 23 Pressure sensor 24 Operation unit 30 Printer 31 Memory card

Claims (2)

A traveling collection where the milk is collected by the collection pump (11) from the farm's storage tank (12) to the collection tank (1) mounted on the collection truck (2) from the farm where the milk is stored In a pram,
An air separator (5) is connected to the milk pump via a connection pipe (6), and a flow meter (10) is connected to the air separator via a connection pipe (4). A supply pipe (3) is connected to the tank, and a milk collection pipe (7) is further connected to the milk collection pump so as to collect the milk from the circulation destination storage tank to the milk collection tank. A control unit (21) for controlling the suction speed of the milk pump from a low speed to a high speed or from a high speed to a stop is connected to the milk pump, and the control section detects a change in the pressure in the air separator to detect the suction speed of the milk collection pump. A control device for a milk collection pump, wherein the control device is operated. When the tank pressure in the air separator reaches the pressure upper limit value Ph, the control unit gives a start signal to a timer that outputs a signal for changing the suction speed of the milk pump by the pressure sensor (23) built in the air separator. The control device of the milk collection pump according to claim 1, wherein

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