Voltage compensation circuit and method for reducing...

Animal husbandry – Milkers – Milking station arrangements; e.g. – parlors

Reexamination Certificate

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C119S014080

Reexamination Certificate

active

06234108

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to a milking system, and more specifically to a milking system for reducing electric shocks to animals.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Stray voltages have been identified on farms that raise cows. Stray voltages may arise from the utility power distribution system In addition, electrical faults of electrical equipment, such as poor electrical connections, corrosion of switches, and frayed insulation, may also create stray voltages.
Because of stray voltages, a voltage potential may be introduced across a cow. As a result, electric shocks are applied to the cow, and more specifically, to the teat of the cow. Although the cow is not necessarily injured physically, the cow will react negatively during milking and tend to withhold its milk. In addition, the cow may become conditioned to the adverse environment and as a result may resist with physical violence against being moved into the milking area.
FIG. 1
illustrates an example of a conventional milking system
800
that is attached to a cow
810
when milking is performed on the cow
810
. The conventional milking system
800
includes at least one liner
860
connected between a teat
840
of the cow
810
and a claw
870
, a flexible plastic tube
880
connected between the claw
870
and a stainless steel, milk pipeline
820
, and a milk tank
830
into which the pipeline
820
deposits milk from the cow
810
and other cows that are indicated by X's. Typically, the milk tank
830
is remotely located from the cows.
FIG. 2
is an enlarged view of a conventional milking system
100
that is attached to a teat
40
of a cow (not shown). In
FIG. 2
, a rubber liner
42
is connected between the teat
40
and one of four milk receiving holes
48
of a claw
50
. Note that only two admission holes of the claw
50
are shown. In addition, the rubber liner
42
is partially surrounded by a shell
72
that is typically formed from aluminum or stainless steel. The enclosure
72
has a suction hole
71
connected to one of four air admission holes
46
of the claw via a flexible plastic tube
70
. Note that only two air admission holes are illustrated. With respect to the claw
50
, it also has two pulsation holes
43
that are connected to a pulsator (not shown) that is in turn connected to a vacuum (not shown). Although
FIG. 1
only shows the connection between the claw
50
and only one teat
40
of the cow, up to four teats may be connected to the claw
50
for milking. Typically one claw is used for each cow.
When milking is desired, the vacuum is turned on and operated in conjunction with the pulsator so as to produce pressure changes within the enclosure
72
. As a result, the rubber liner
42
is caused to squeeze and then release the teat
40
. Consequently, milk
44
comes out of the teat
40
and a milk stream
45
moves along the rubber liner
42
toward the milk receiving hole
48
and into a milk chamber
47
of the claw
50
. As explained above, other teats of the cow also provide milk through the other milk receiving holes
48
of the claw
50
so that the milk chamber
47
usually has some milk deposited therein. To drain the milk chamber
47
, the milk chamber
48
has a duct
52
connected to a tube flexible plastic tube
54
for transporting the deposited milk to a milk pipeline (not shown) that also receives milk from other cows via flexible plastic tubes similar to the flexible plastic tube
54
. The milk within the milk pipeline eventually is deposited into a remote milk tank.
As the deposited milk within the milk chamber
47
is drained through the flexible plastic tube
54
, a continuous milk stream is formed from the milk chamber
47
to the milk tank. This milk stream provides a conducting path for any current that may be generated by a voltage potential difference between the cow and the milk pipeline. As a result, an electric shock is applied to the teat
40
of the cow when the milk
44
makes contact with the milk stream
45
flowing to the milk chamber
47
.
As apparent from the above discussion, a need exists for a milking system and a method that reduces electric shocks to the cow when milking is performed on the cow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a milking system having a voltage compensation circuit that reduces electric shocks to animals when milking is performed on such animals.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a voltage compensation circuit adapted for use with current milking systems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a voltage compensation circuit that is simple and inexpensive to produce.
These and additional objects are accomplished by a voltage compensation circuit adapted for use with the current, conventional milking system. The voltage compensation circuit is coupled to a tube, such as the flexible plastic tube
54
of FIG.
2
. When the milk stream flows through the tube from the cow to the milk pipeline, the voltage compensation circuit makes direct contact with the milk stream. By monitoring potential differences along the milk stream, the current from the cow to the milk pipeline is prevented by the voltage compensation circuit so that the electric shock to the cow is effectively eliminated.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be understood form the following description of the preferred embodiments, which description should be taken in conjunction with the actual drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3773016 (1973-11-01), Needham et al.
patent: 3874337 (1975-04-01), Unbaugh et al.
patent: 4355595 (1982-10-01), Ackerman et al.
patent: 4401055 (1983-08-01), Street et al.
patent: 4551633 (1985-11-01), Winter et al.
patent: 5465051 (1995-11-01), Graham
patent: 5487359 (1996-01-01), Montreuil
“Milking Systems and Milking Management,” Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Services, Proceedings from the Milking Systems and Milking Management Symposium, Harrisburg, PA, Jan. 13-14, 1988, pp. 10, 24-28 and 34-39.

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