Safety valve for an automated milker unit backflushing and teat dip applicator system

Abstract

A system for cleaning a dairy animal milker unit and applying dip to a dairy animal, the system includes a main control, an air supply, a water supply, a backflush fluid supply, a dip supply, a stall control for receiving the air, water, backflush fluid and dip supplies, and a safety valve that is adjacent to a downstream portion of the milker unit to control backflush and dip fluids being fed to the milker unit.

1 . An automated teat dip application system comprising:
 a main control;   a water supply in communication with the main control;   a dip supply in communication with the main control;   a mixer in communication with the dip supply and the water supply; and   a safety valve in fluid communication with the mixer and a downstream portion of a milker unit, and a dip valve piston for movement between a milking position and a backflush position.   
     
     
         2 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 an air supply in fluid communication with the dip valve piston for moving the dip valve piston between the milking position and the backflushing position.   
     
     
         3 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 1 , wherein the main control generates signals to control a supply of water and dip to the safety valve. 
     
     
         4 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a plurality of stall controls in communication with the mixer, and wherein the main control generates signals to deliver a mixture of water and dip to the plurality of stall controls.   
     
     
         5 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a stall control in communication with the mixer and the stall control generates signals to deliver a mixture of water and dip to the safety valve.   
     
     
         6 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 1 , wherein the safety valve comprises:
 a first dip valve piston seal;   a second dip valve piston seal spaced apart from the first dip valve piston seal; and   a dip valve piston vent disposed between the first dip valve piston seal and the second dip valve piston seal.   
     
     
         7 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 1 , wherein the safety valve comprises:
 a first dip valve piston seal;   a second dip valve piston seal spaced apart from the first dip valve piston seal to define a vent space; and   a dip valve piston vent in communication with the vent space.   
     
     
         8 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 1 , wherein the mixer is a dosing meter. 
     
     
         9 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 1 , wherein the mixer is an in-line mixer. 
     
     
         10 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 1 , wherein the safety valve further comprises:
 a backflush piston.   
     
     
         11 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a dosage valve in communication with the mixer and defining a dip storage chamber, and the dip storage chamber is in communication with the safety valve.   
     
     
         12 . An automated teat dip application system comprising:
 a main control;   a water supply in communication with the main control;   a dip supply in communication with the main control;   a mixer in communication with the dip supply and the water supply; and   a safety valve in fluid communication with the mixer and a downstream portion of a milker unit, and the safety valve includes:
 a first valve; 
 a second valve; 
 a third valve; and 
 a valve member that moves the safety valve between: a closed position, in which the first valve and the second valve are closed, and the third valve is open to a vent; and an open position in which the first valve and the second valve are open to a fluid flow channel between the first valve and the the second valve, and the third valve is closed to the vent. 
   
     
     
         13 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 12 , wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve each include a valve element joined to the valve member. 
     
     
         14 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 12 , wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve comprise:
 a common valve seat element defining a valve seat for each respective valve, and   the valve member includes a plurality of valve elements, and each valve element is engagable with a corresponding valve seat.   
     
     
         15 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 12 , wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve are at least partially formed in a common valve seat element comprising:
 a cylindrical cup element.   
     
     
         16 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 12 , wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve are at least partially formed by openings in a common valve seat element including:
 a cylindrical cup element having a closed end and an open end; and   wherein the closed end defines a first valve seat and a second valve seat, and the open end defines a third valve seat.   
     
     
         17 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 12 , wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve comprise:
 a common valve seat element including:
 a cylindrical cup having a closed end and an open end; and the closed end defines a first valve seat and a second valve seat, and the open end defines a third valve seat; and 
 the valve member is at least partially disposed in the cylindrical cup element and includes a first valve element disposed to engage the first valve seat when the first valve is closed, a second valve element disposed to engage the second valve seat when the second valve is closed, and a third valve element disposed to engage the third valve seat when the third valve is closed to the vent. 
   
     
     
         18 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 12 , wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve comprise:
 a common valve seat element including:
 a cylindrical cup having a closed end and an open end; and the closed end defines a first valve seat and a second valve seat, and the open end defines a third valve seat; and 
 the valve member is at least partially disposed in the cylindrical cup element and includes a first valve element having a valve head at least partially disposed outside of the cylindrical cup element when the first valve is open, a second valve element having a valve head at least partially disposed outside of the cylindrical cup element when the second valve is open, and the third valve element at least partially disposed outside the cylindrical cup when the third valve is open to the vent. 
   
     
     
         19 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 12 , wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve comprise:
 a common valve seat element including:
 a cylindrical cup having a closed end and an open end; and the closed end defines a first valve seat and a second valve seat, and the open end defines a third valve seat; and 
 a valve member at least partially disposed in the cylindrical cup element and having a first valve element disposed to engage the first valve seat when the first valve is closed, a second valve element disposed to engage the second valve seat when the second valve is closed, and a third valve element disposed to substantially close the cylindrical cup open end when the third valve is closed to the vent. 
   
     
     
         20 . The automated teat dip application system of  claim 12 , wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve comprise:
 a common valve seat element including:
 a cylindrical cup having a closed end and a tapered open end; and the closed end defines a first valve seat and a second valve seat, and the open end forms a third valve seat; and 
 a valve member at least partially disposed in the cylindrical cup element and having a first valve element disposed to engage the first valve seat when the first valve is in the closed position, a second valve element disposed to engage the second valve seat when the second valve is in the closed position, and a third valve element disposed to be spaced apart from the tapered open end when the third valve is open to the vent and disposed to engage the third valve seat when the third valve is closed to the vent.