Teat cup cleaning device and method

Abstract

A teat cup cleaning device comprises a heating chamber provided with a discharge outlet that is closable by a valve and arranged for connection to a teat cup. A filling device is arranged for filling the heating chamber with an amount of cleaning liquid and retaining a given quantity of gas. The chamber is provided with a heating arrangement arranged to heat the contents of the heating chamber to a temperature T higher than the boiling point Tk of the cleaning liquid at ambient pressure. On operation of the valve superheated cleaning liquid is discharged to clean a teat cup.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Teat cup cleaning device comprising:
 a pressurizable heating chamber configured to contain a superheated liquid, the pressurizable heating chamber having a discharge outlet and a valve, wherein the valve is configured to close the discharge outlet, and the discharge outlet is arranged for connection to at least one teat cup;   a filling device for filling the heating chamber with an amount of cleaning liquid;   a gas retention arrangement for maintaining a predetermined quantity of gas within the heating chamber on filling the heating chamber with the amount of cleaning liquid;   a heating arrangement for heating the contents of the heating chamber to a predetermined condition having a temperature T higher than a boiling point Tk of the cleaning liquid at ambient pressure such that the liquid is superheated liquid; and   a valve controlling element, arranged to open the valve to release at least the superheated liquid via the discharge outlet to the teat cup.   
     
     
         2 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas retention arrangement is arranged to ensure that between 3% and 90% by volume of gas is retained within chamber when initially filled and prior to heating. 
     
     
         3 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the filling device comprises a supply line that is connected to the discharge outlet. 
     
     
         4 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature T amounts to at least 160° C. 
     
     
         5 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a pressure-relief valve. 
     
     
         6 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 5 , wherein the valve controlling element is arranged to open the valve at an overpressure OD of at least 8 bar absolute pressure. 
     
     
         7 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve controlling element is arranged to open the valve at an adjustable overpressure OD in the heating chamber. 
     
     
         8 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve controlling element is arranged to open the valve at a predetermined temperature OT, in the heating chamber. 
     
     
         9 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the filling device comprises a cleaning liquid storage container which is connectable to the heating chamber by a second valve. 
     
     
         10 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning liquid is water. 
     
     
         11 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning liquid comprises a disinfecting agent. 
     
     
         12 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating arrangement has an adjustable heating power. 
     
     
         13 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating arrangement comprises a control device arranged to control the heating arrangement in such a way that the predetermined condition is not reached until it is desired to discharge the cleaning liquid. 
     
     
         14 . Teat cup cleaning device according  claim 1 , wherein the discharge outlet comprises a discharge duct projecting over a distance L beyond a wall of the chamber, wherein L is at most equal to the internal depth of the teat cup to be cleaned. 
     
     
         15 . Teat cup cleaning device according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve is controlled by interaction with a teat cup to be cleaned. 
     
     
         16 . Method of cleaning a teat cup, comprising:
 providing a pressurizable heating chamber having a discharge outlet closable by a valve, the discharge outlet being arranged for connection to at least one teat cup;   supplying an amount of cleaning liquid to the pressurizable heating chamber sufficient to maintain a predetermined quantity of gas within the heating chamber;   closing the heating chamber;   heating the cleaning liquid in the heating chamber to a condition with a temperature T that is higher than a boiling point Tk of the cleaning liquid at ambient pressure such that cleaning liquid becomes a superheated liquid; and   opening the valve and directing the superheated liquid of the heating chamber via the discharge outlet into a teat cup.   
     
     
         17 . Method according to  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined quantity of gas is between 3% and 90% by volume of the chamber when initially filled and prior to heating. 
     
     
         18 . Method according to  claim 16 , wherein between 10 ml and 25 ml of cleaning liquid is supplied to the heating chamber per teat cup. 
     
     
         19 . Method according to  claim 16 , wherein the cleaning liquid is water. 
     
     
         20 . Method according to  claim 16 , wherein the cleaning liquid comprises a disinfecting agent. 
     
     
         21 . Method according to  claim 16 , wherein the valve is controlled to open at an adjustable threshold value of temperature, pressure or energy content within the chamber. 
     
     
         22 . Method according to  claim 21 , wherein the threshold value is an overpressure OD in the heating chamber of at least 8 bar absolute pressure. 
     
     
         23 . Method according to  claim 21 , wherein the threshold value is a temperature OT in the heating chamber of at least 160° C.