Dairy inflation

Abstract

A dairy inflation includes a barrel portion connected to a milk tube portion for extracting milk from a teat of an animal. The barrel portion includes an axial passage defined by a wall, the wall having an exterior surface defining an outer periphery having a substantially circular shape. The wall further includes an interior surface defining an inner periphery having a substantially elliptical shape. The elliptical inner periphery includes a major axis and a minor axis, and the disposition of the elliptical inner periphery within the circular outer periphery creates reduced-thickness regions on opposing sides of the wall along the major axis. The reduced-thickness regions allow a controlled collapse of the barrel portion during milking operations.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A dairy inflation comprising:
 a mouth portion having an opening to receive the teat of an animal;   a barrel portion having an axial passage defined by a wall and fluidly connected to the opening of the mouth portion, the wall having at least one reduced thickness region at a cross-section of the wall perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the axial passage, the reduced thickness region being a portion of the wall at the cross-section that is of lesser thickness than another portion of the wall at the cross-section, the reduced thickness region allowing controlled collapse of the barrel portion during milking operations;   a milk tube portion connected to the barrel portion, the milk tube portion having an axial passage fluidly connected to the axial passage of the barrel portion; and   a shell member having an axial passage that receives the barrel portion, a proximal end of the shell member engaging the mouth portion;   wherein the barrel portion is not constrained by the shell member to prevent collapse of the barrel portion within the axial passage of the shell member.   
     
     
         2 . The dairy inflation of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a parting line formed on the wall of the barrel portion and oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the axial passage of the barrel portion; and   wherein the controlled collapse of the barrel portion directs the highest stresses imposed on the wall away from the parting line.   
     
     
         3 . The dairy inflation of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the wall of the barrel portion includes an exterior surface defining an outer periphery having one of a substantially circular shape and a substantially elliptical shape;   the wall of the barrel portion includes an interior surface defining an inner periphery having the other of the substantially circular shape and the substantially elliptical shape; and   the elliptically shaped periphery includes a major axis and a minor axis.   
     
     
         4 . The dairy inflation of  claim 3 , wherein the reduced thickness region is on opposing sides of the wall along the major axis. 
     
     
         5 . The dairy inflation of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a parting line formed on the wall of the barrel portion and oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the axial passage of the barrel portion;   wherein the controlled collapse of the barrel portion directs the highest stresses imposed on the wall away from the parting line;   wherein the wall of the barrel portion includes an exterior surface defining an outer periphery having one of a substantially circular shape and a substantially elliptical shape;   wherein the wall of the barrel portion includes an interior surface defining an inner periphery having the other of the substantially circular shape and the substantially elliptical shape; and   wherein the elliptically shaped periphery includes a major axis and a minor axis.   
     
     
         6 . The dairy inflation of  claim 5 , wherein the reduced thickness region is on opposing sides of the wall along the major axis. 
     
     
         7 . The dairy inflation of  claim 5 , wherein the elliptically shaped periphery is oriented such that the minor axis passes through the parting line. 
     
     
         8 . The dairy inflation of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the barrel portion is made from a compound having a first methyl vinyl silicone polymer from about 45 to 65 weight percent, a second methyl vinyl silicone polymer from about 1 to 10 weight percent, treated fumed silica from about 20 to 40 weight percent, dimethylsiloxane fluid OH end block from about 1 to 10 weight percent, silicone hydride from about 0.1 to 25 weight percent, a platinum catalyst from about 0.1 to 5 weight percent, and an inhibitor from about 0.05 to 5 weight percent;   the first methyl vinyl silicone polymer includes about 0.2 weight percent end-blocked vinyl; and   the second methyl vinyl silicone polymer includes about 13.0 weight percent pendant and end-blocked vinyl.   
     
     
         9 . A dairy inflation comprising:
 a barrel portion having an axial passage defined by a wall, the wall having an exterior surface defining an outer periphery having one of a substantially circular shape and a substantially elliptical shape; the wall further having an interior surface defining an inner periphery having the other of the substantially circular shape and the substantially elliptical shape, the elliptically shaped periphery having a major axis and a minor axis, the wall having a reduced thickness region on opposing sides of the wall along the major axis; and   a milk tube portion connected to the barrel portion, the milk tube portion having an axial passage fluidly connected to the axial passage of the barrel portion.   
     
     
         10 . The dairy inflation of  claim 9 , wherein the reduced thickness regions allow a controlled collapse of the barrel portion during milking operations. 
     
     
         11 . The dairy inflation of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a parting line disposed along the wall of the barrel portion and oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the axial passage of the barrel portion; and   wherein the controlled collapse of the barrel portion directs the highest stresses imposed on the wall away from the parting line.   
     
     
         12 . The dairy inflation of  claim 11 , wherein the elliptically shaped periphery is oriented such that the minor axis passes through the parting line. 
     
     
         13 . The dairy inflation of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the barrel portion is made from a compound having a first methyl vinyl silicone polymer from about 45 to 65 weight percent, a second methyl vinyl silicone polymer from about 1 to 10 weight percent, treated fumed silica from about 20 to 40 weight percent, dimethylsiloxane fluid OH end block from about 1 to 10 weight percent, silicone hydride from about 0.1 to 25 weight percent, a platinum catalyst from about 0.1 to 5 weight percent, and an inhibitor from about 0.05 to 5 weight percent;   the first methyl vinyl silicone polymer includes about 0.2 weight percent end-blocked vinyl; and   the second methyl vinyl silicone polymer includes about 13.0 weight percent pendant and end-blocked vinyl.   
     
     
         14 . A dairy inflation comprising an axial passage defined by a wall having at least one region of reduced thickness at a cross-section of the wall perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the axial passage, the region of reduced thickness being a portion of the wall at the cross-section that is of lesser thickness than another portion of the wall at the cross-section, the region of reduced thickness allowing a controlled collapse of the wall to reduce stress at a parting line formed on the wall. 
     
     
         15 . The dairy inflation of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the wall includes an exterior surface defining an outer periphery having one of a substantially circular shape and a substantially elliptical shape;   the wall includes an interior surface defining an inner periphery having the other of the substantially circular shape and the substantially elliptical shape; and   the elliptically shaped periphery includes a major axis and a minor axis.   
     
     
         16 . The dairy inflation of  claim 15 , wherein the reduced thickness region is on opposing sides of the wall along the major axis. 
     
     
         17 . The dairy inflation of  claim 15 , wherein the elliptically shaped periphery is oriented such that the minor axis passes through the parting line. 
     
     
         18 . The dairy inflation of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the wall is made from a compound having a first methyl vinyl silicone polymer from about 45 to 65 weight percent, a second methyl vinyl silicone polymer from about 1 to 10 weight percent, treated fumed silica from about 20 to 40 weight percent, dimethylsiloxane fluid OH end block from about 1 to 10 weight percent, silicone hydride from about 0.1 to 25 weight percent, a platinum catalyst from about 0.1 to 5 weight percent, and an inhibitor from about 0.05 to 5 weight percent;   the first methyl vinyl silicone polymer includes about 0.2 weight percent end-blocked vinyl; and   the second methyl vinyl silicone polymer includes about 13.0 weight percent pendant and end-blocked vinyl.