Integrated Suction Teat Valve for Hygienic Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing teat arrangements for automatic calf feeders face challenges in easy manufacturing, assembly, and cleaning, particularly in preventing calves from contacting cleaning liquids during the process.
Innovation Solution
The teat arrangement integrates a solenoid valve with an adjustable valve member and a branch connection directly into the teat holder, allowing for compact and efficient cleaning without exposing the teat to cleaning agents, with the valve positioned between the supply and branch connections to ensure thorough flushing and easy disassembly for maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the valve and branch connection are integrated into the teat holder, then the cleaning process becomes more efficient and the teat is better protected from cleaning agents, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the valve and branch connection directly into the teat holder, combining multiple components into a single unit. This merging allows cleaning liquid to be directed through the valve and branch connection without contacting the teat, improving cleaning efficiency while protecting the teat from cleaning agents.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the valve is positioned between the supply and branch connections, then cleaning liquid can be effectively directed away from the teat, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve and branch connection are merged into the teat holder structure, creating integrated flow paths that precisely control cleaning liquid direction. This integration ensures that cleaning liquid is effectively directed away from the teat while maintaining manufacturability through the unified design.
3Ease of repair
If the teat holder, valve, and branch connection are integrated, then assembly and disassembly become easier for maintenance, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The teat holder, valve, and branch connection are combined into an integrated assembly that can be easily removed as a single unit for maintenance. This merging simplifies assembly and disassembly operations while the modular design allows for standardized manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated assembly is designed as a separate module that can be independently removed from the feeding system. This segmentation allows the teat holder assembly to be easily detached for cleaning and maintenance without disassembling the entire system, facilitating ease of repair while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
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 configuration enables quick, economical, and hygienic cleaning of the teat arrangement, preventing animal exposure to cleaning agents while allowing for precise control of feed supply and adaptation to different animal suction capacities, facilitating easy installation and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
the valve being a solenoid valve having an electric control line
Data Source
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AI summary
Suction teat arrangement for an automatic feeder for feeding livestock, in particular calves, with a suction teat holder, which has a suction teat receiver for receiving a suction teat, a fastening device for fastening the suction teat holder on a feed stand and a supply connection for connection with a supply line, a valve, with which a liquid supply from the supply line to the suction teat can be released and blocked, and a branch connection for connection with a branch line, characterized in that the valve and the branch connection are integrated into the suction teat holder.