JPH0755890Y2 - Milking line system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application] The present invention relates to a milking line system, and more particularly to a milking line system with improved workability by improving the material and shape of a mechanical milking line for dairy milk. Is.

[Prior Art] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a system currently used in a milking line for dairy milk.

The teat cup 1 to be attached to the teat of a dairy cow is composed of a liner 2 which tightly attaches the teat cup to the teat and gives pulsation to the teat during milking and massage, and a teat cup shell 3 which holds the liner. An air line 4 for pulsation is connected. The air line 4 is connected to one end of a pulsator 5.

The other end of the liner 2 of the teat cup 1 is tubularly extended from the lower end of the teat cup shell to which a milk line 6 is connected, and the milk line 6 discharges milk by a releaser 7.
The releaser 7 is connected to the other end of the pulsator 5.

The air line and the milk line are kept in a constant depressurization range by the vacuum pump 8 and the pressure regulating valve 9. Further, the milk collected in the releaser is sent to the bulk cooler 11 by the milk pump 10.

The above is the outline of the dairy milking line system shown in Fig. 1. Currently, mainly acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (hereinafter abbreviated as NBR) or vulcanized rubber such as silicone rubber is used as the liner of the teat cup, while milk is used. NBR or soft vinyl chloride resin (hereinafter P
(Abbreviated as VC) is used.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] However, in a milking line process using a liner made of vulcanized rubber and a milk line hose, various vulcanizing agents and vulcanization accelerators remaining in the vulcanized rubber are not used. There was a problem such as the elution of the additive in milk and the transfer of odor.

In addition, in the milking line process using a milk line hose made of PVC, in addition to the problems of elution of plasticizer contained in PVC into milk and transfer of odor, the flexibility and rubber elasticity of PVC are not sufficient. Therefore, the decompression during pulsation during milking (reducing pressure during milking-repetition of normal pressure) is 38-42.
It becomes as large as mmHg, and as a result, the liner rises to the upper part, damaging around the teat of the cow or widening the opening of the teat tip, and as a result, mastitis and other diseases are likely to occur. In addition, since the plasticizer elutes, PVC becomes less flexible, and the line hose becomes stiff during winter when the temperature drops, transporting four liners, connecting to the milk liner, and attaching the liner to the teat. In addition, it has a drawback that the milking workability such as desorption is significantly deteriorated.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional milking line system using a vulcanized rubber liner, a milk line hose and a PVC milk line hose. There is little elution of agents such as milk into the milk, there is no transfer of odor, materials with good flexibility and rubber elasticity are used, and by reducing the decompression of pulsation during milking, damage around the teat and mastitis etc. It is to prevent the generation of milk and improve the workability of milking at low temperature.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention is achieved by selecting a specific material and shape.
It was made by finding that this purpose is achieved.

That is, in the present invention, in the milking line, the milk line hose and the liner are made of a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer having a hardness of 35 to 60, which is measured according to JIS-K6301 consisting of the following components (A) to (D). A milking line system characterized in that the milk line hose has a shape of an inner diameter of 12 to 16 mm and a wall thickness of 4 to 7 mm.

(A) Hydrogenated product of block copolymer of styrene and butadiene or isoprene 30 to 50% by weight (B) Olefin resin 5 to 15% by weight (C) Softening agent for rubber 40 to 55% by weight (D) Inorganic Filler 0 to 20% by weight Styrenic thermoplastic elastomer The styrene thermoplastic elastomer used in the present invention is a styrene-butadiene (or isoprene) copolymer composed of at least one polystyrene block and at least one polybutadiene block or polyisoprene block. Hydrogenated product (hydrogenation rate of 90% or more) 30 to 50% by weight, olefin resin (eg polypropylene, polyethylene, etc., preferably propylene resin) 5 to 15% by weight, softening agent for rubber (eg paraffin oil) , Naphthenic oil, polybutene, etc., preferably paraffinic oil) 40 ~ 55% by weight, inorganic filler (talc, etc.) 0
It contains 20% by weight and, if necessary, various additives (stabilizer, slip agent, carbon black, pigment, etc.). Here, the ratio of each component is based on the standard that the total amount is 100% by weight.

This thermoplastic elastomer has a hardness of 35 to 60, preferably 40 to 55, measured according to JIS-K6301. When the hardness exceeds the above range, the flexibility is poor, the milking workability is deteriorated, and the pressure reduction of the pulsation during milking is large. On the other hand, when the amount is less than the above range, the hose is too soft, and thus there is a problem that the hose is greatly flattened or crushed due to the reduced pressure during milking.

Among the olefin-based resins that are one component that constitutes such a thermoplastic elastomer, propylene homopolymers, and crystallinity of random or block copolymers of propylene and other α-olefins such as ethylene, butene, pentene, and hexene. Propylene resin is particularly preferred.

Here, the blending ratio of the hydrogenated product of the styrene / butadiene block copolymer or the hydrogenated product of the styrene / isoprene block copolymer is the flexibility and the rubber elasticity, because the pulsation depressurization during milking is appropriately maintained. Also,
The blending ratio of the olefin resin is selected from the viewpoints of extrudability, flexibility, milking workability, and reasonably maintaining the pulsation depressurization during milking.

Shape The milk line hose used for the milking line of the present invention is
It has an inner diameter of 12 to 16 mm and a wall thickness of 4 to 7 mm, preferably 5 to 6 mm. The inner diameter is chosen because the milk line provides good connectivity with other equipment or connectors, but its wall thickness is chosen in relation to the hardness of the material. That is, if the wall thickness exceeds 7 mm, the pulsation decompression during milking becomes too large, and if it is less than 4 mm, the hose tends to be flat or crushed, and it is difficult to bend or bend the pipe during work. There is a problem.

Example 1 A styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer having the following composition was melt-kneaded by a biaxial kneader to prepare.

The hardness of the obtained elastomer was 50.

Ingredients Hydrogenated product of styrene / butadiene block copolymer ("Clayton-G" manufactured by Shell Chemical Co., styrene content about 30% by weight) 44% by weight Polypropylene homopolymer (Mitsubishi Yuka Co., Ltd., "Mitsubishi Polypro MH") -4 ", MFR = 5g / 10 minutes) 12% by weight Paraffin oil (Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.," Diana Process Oil PW90 ") 44% by weight Using this elastomer, a milk line hose with an inner diameter of 14 mm and a wall thickness of 5 mm is used. A prototype was prepared by extrusion molding, and a liner was molded by injection molding using the same elastomer, and the assembly was tested in a milking line system as shown in FIG.

As a result, the following remarkable effects were obtained.

(1) Little elution of additives and the like into milk, and almost no odor transfer.

(2) The flexibility and rubber elasticity were good, and this property was maintained for a long time.

(3) Pulsation decompression during milking is appropriate, and cattle mastitis and other diseases are less likely to occur.

(4) Workability was good without becoming hard in winter.

Comparative Example 1 A styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer having the following composition was melt-kneaded in a biaxial kneader using the same types of components as those used in Examples to prepare. The hardness of the obtained elastomer was 26.

Ingredients Clayton-G 43% by weight Mitsubishi Polypro MH-4 4% by weight Diana Process Oil PW90 53% by weight Using this elastomer, a milk line hose was prototyped and evaluated in the same manner as in the example, and as a result, it was found that it was too soft and was milked. The hose was crushed by depressurization and milking was not possible.

Comparative Example 2 A styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer having the following composition was melt-kneaded with a biaxial kneader using the same types of components as those used in the examples to prepare. The hardness of the obtained elastomer was 67.

Ingredients Clayton-G 37% by weight Mitsubishi Polypro MH-4 18% by weight Diana Process Oil PW90 45% by weight A milk line hose was prototyped using this elastomer in the same manner as in the example and evaluated. The decompression of the sation was as large as 39 mmHg, which was not preferable, and the milking workability such as connecting the milk liner to the milk liner and attaching and detaching the liner to the teat was extremely poor.

Comparative Example 3 A milk line hose having an inner diameter of 14 mm and a wall thickness of 3 mm was prototyped using the same styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer as that used in the example, and as a result of evaluation, it was difficult to connect the piping and the hose was decompressed during milking. Flattened or crushed, and bent due to bending during milking.

Comparative Example 4 A milk line hose having an inner diameter of 14 mm and a wall thickness of 8 mm was prototyped using the same styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer as that used in the example, and as a result of evaluation, the reduced pressure of pulsation during milking was as large as 38 mmHg, Moreover, the weight of the hose was heavy, and the milking operation was difficult.

Comparative Examples 5 to 7 Milk line hoses and liners were molded using the soft materials shown in Table 1 and evaluated in the same manner as in Examples. The results are not favorable as shown in Table 1.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flow sheet showing a milking line system. 1 ... Tea cup, 2 ... Liner, 3 ... Tea cup shell, 4 ... Air line, 5 ... Pulsator, 6 ... Milk line, 7 ... Releaser, 8 ... Vacuum pump, 9 ... Pressure regulating valve, 10 ... Milk pump, 11 … Bulk cooler, 12… Pipeline, 13… Connector.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. In a milking line, a milk line hose and a liner are composed of the following components (A) to (D), and a styrene thermoplastic elastomer having a hardness of 35 to 60 measured according to JIS-K6301. And a milk line hose having an inner diameter of 12 to 16 mm and a wall thickness of 4 to 7 mm. (A) Hydrogenated product of block copolymer of styrene and butadiene or isoprene 30 to 50% by weight (B) Olefin resin 5 to 15% by weight (C) Softening agent for rubber 40 to 55% by weight (D) Inorganic Filler 0-20% by weight