Milking of Animals with Reduced Teat Stress

Abstract

A dairy harvesting milk machine milk tube having an end, and a clamping body joined to the end and defining a duct with an outlet, and an axis of the outlet is at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the milk tube, and the angle is different from 90°.

1 . A milk tube comprising:
 an end; and   a clamping body joined to the end and defining a duct with an outlet, and an axis of the outlet is at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the milk tube, and the angle is different from 90°.   
     
     
         2 . The milk tube clamp of  claim 1 , wherein the clamping body is substantially spherical in shape and has a center lying offset with respect to a longitudinal axis of the milk tube. 
     
     
         3 . The milk tube of  claim 1 , wherein the clamping body is formed from a plurality of spherical cap portions, each spherical cap portion having a substantially spherical shape and each spherical cap portion having a radius that is different from the radius of at least one other spherical cap portion. 
     
     
         4 . The milk tube of  claim 3 , wherein two of the spherical cap portions are joined along a parting plane, and the parting plane is inclined at an angle of between 35° to 40° with respect to the milk tube longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . The milk tube of  claim 3 , wherein two spherical cap portions each have an axis lying on a straight line, wherein the straight line lies in a plane of symmetry of the milk tube. 
     
     
         6 . The milk tube of  claim 1 , wherein at least one part of the clamping body has a cross section that is substantially elliptical in shape. 
     
     
         7 . The milk tube of  claim 1 , wherein the clamping body has a surface area that is substantially elliptical in shape. 
     
     
         8 . The milk tube of  claim 1 , wherein the clamping body has a region with a substantially cylindrical surface area. 
     
     
         9 . The milk tube of  claim 8 , wherein the region has an axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the milk tube. 
     
     
         10 . The milk tube of  claim 1 , wherein the clamping body is formed integrally with the milk tube. 
     
     
         11 . The milk tube of  claim 1 , wherein the milk tube has a milker unit liner connection end. 
     
     
         12 . A teat cup liner and milk tube comprising:
 a teat cup liner having an outlet end; and   a milk tube having:
 a first end joined to the teat cup liner outlet end; 
 a second end, and 
 a clamping body that is substantially spherical in shape and joined to the milk tube second end, and the clamping body is substantially spherical in shape and joined to the end, the clamping body having a center lying offset with respect to a longitudinal axis of the milk tube, and wherein the clamping body defines a duct with an outlet, and the outlet lies in a plane that is disposed at an angle to the milk tube axis, and the angle is different from 90°. 
   
     
     
         13 . The teat cup liner and milk tube of  claim 12 , wherein the teat cup liner is formed integrally with the milk tube. 
     
     
         14 . The teat cup liner and milk tube of  claim 12 , wherein the teat cup liner is releasably joined to the milk tube. 
     
     
         15 . The teat cup liner and milk tube of  claim 12 , wherein the clamping body comprises:
 two spherical cap portions each having an axis lying on a straight line, wherein the straight line lies in a plane of symmetry of the milk tube.   
     
     
         16 . The teat cup liner and milk tube of  claim 12 , wherein at least one part of the clamping body has a cross section that is substantially elliptical in shape. 
     
     
         17 . The teat cup liner and milk tube of  claim 12 , wherein the clamping body has a surface area that is substantially elliptical in shape. 
     
     
         18 . The teat cup liner and milk tube of  claim 12 , wherein the clamping body has a region with a substantially cylindrical surface area. 
     
     
         19 . The teat cup liner and milk tube of  claim 18 , wherein the region has an axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the milk tube. 
     
     
         20 . The teat cup liner and milk tube of  claim 12 , wherein the clamping body is formed integrally with the milk tube.