Milking Unit Hose Coupling with Clamping Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing milking systems face challenges in maintaining a secure, fluid-tight connection between milk hoses and milking components, leading to potential slippage and increased mounting effort, which limits material choices and complicates maintenance and cleaning processes.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a milking unit design with separate sealing and connecting functions, utilizing a coupling element and clamping element to create a fluid-tight connection, where the coupling element is often frustoconical and self-centering, and the clamping element provides a force-locking mechanism to secure the milk hose, allowing for easy mounting and frequent replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a force-locking connection is created between the milk hose and connector using static friction, then the connection can hold the weight of the milking cluster, but the connector must be absolutely free of grease and clean to achieve sufficient adhesion, limiting material choices and complicating maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into two distinct functional elements: a coupling element that provides fluid-tight sealing and a clamping element that provides mechanical force-locking. This segmentation allows each element to be optimized independently - the coupling element for sealing performance and the clamping element for mechanical strength - while eliminating the need for absolute cleanliness requirements that limited material choices in the single-element friction-based connection.
2Reliability
If the milk hose is clamped off at the obliquely trimmed end to prevent slippage, then the connection can hold the milking cluster weight, but once the hose slips off during milking, it can be mounted only with considerable mounting effort
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling element acts as an intermediary component between the milk hose and the connector. It provides a dedicated seating surface with an oblique trim that guides and secures the hose during normal operation, preventing slippage. When removal is needed, the clamping element can be released to allow easy re-mounting, as the coupling element's structured geometry facilitates proper alignment and insertion without requiring considerable mounting effort.
3Device complexity
If a single-component connection design is used between milk hose and milking component, then the structure is simpler, but the connection must simultaneously provide both sealing and mechanical strength, limiting design flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into two distinct functional elements: a coupling element that provides fluid-tight sealing and a clamping element that provides mechanical force-locking. This segmentation allows each element to be optimized independently - the coupling element for sealing performance and the clamping element for mechanical strength - while eliminating the need for absolute cleanliness requirements that limited material choices in the single-element friction-based connection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design simplifies the handling and maintenance of milk hoses by ensuring a secure, fluid-tight connection that reduces the forces acting on the hose connection, extends the hose's operating period, and minimizes ozone cracking, while allowing for easy replacement and cleaning, thus improving hygiene and reducing labor costs.
Implementation Method 1
a clamping element (9), which interacts with the coupling element (1) in such a way that an essentially fluid-tight connection arises between the milk hose (5) and the milk collecting component (7)
Implementation Method 2
Due to the static friction between the milk hose and the connector, it is absolutely necessary for the connector to be free of grease and clean upon the mounting of the milk hose, in order to achieve sufficient adhesion
Implementation Method 3
a clamping element (9), which interacts with the coupling element (1) in such a way that an essentially fluid-tight connection arises between the milk hose (5) and the milk collecting component (7)
Implementation Method 4
the coupling element (1) is often frustoconical and self-centering
Implementation Method 5
reduces the forces acting on the hose connection, extends the hose's operating period, and minimizes ozone cracking
Data Source
AI summary
A milking unit is proposed, comprising at least one milk hose, having a first end section and a second end section, and a milk collecting component, which is connected to the first end section of the milk hose. The milk collecting component has at least one coupling element, which cooperates with the first end section of the milk hose. A clamping element is provided, which cooperates with the coupling element so that an essentially fluid-tight connection is generated between the milk hose and the milk collecting component.