Teat Cleaning Device with Three-Axis Brush Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing teat cleaning devices often fail to evenly clean all sides of a teat due to insufficient coverage by brushes, requiring manual adjustment and increasing cleaning time.
Innovation Solution
A teat cleaning device with three axles, each with a brush, where the axes of rotation are non-parallel and form a closed path, allowing full teat coverage without manual adjustment, using bevel gears to transfer rotational force among axles, and incorporating resilient paddles to enhance cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If two counter-rotating brushes are used to clean the teat, then the structure is simple, but the cleaning coverage is insufficient and some sides of the teat are not adequately cleaned
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device divides the teat surface into multiple zones by using three separate brushes arranged at different angular positions (0°, 120°, 240°). Each brush is responsible for cleaning a specific segment of the teat circumference, ensuring complete coverage without requiring complex mechanical adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional cleaning approach (two brushes rotating in one plane) to a three-dimensional arrangement by positioning three brushes at angular intervals around the teat. This spatial distribution in multiple dimensions ensures all surfaces of the teat are accessible to cleaning brushes.
2Manufacturing precision
If the device is manually rotated beneath the animal to clean all sides of the teat, then complete cleaning coverage is achieved, but the operation becomes inconvenient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning device performs self-positioning and self-cleaning by utilizing the natural insertion of the teat into the cavity. The teat's own movement during insertion automatically positions it correctly relative to the three brushes, eliminating the need for operator manipulation or device rotation. The system serves itself by converting the teat's insertion motion into effective cleaning action.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of rotating the device to bring brushes to the teat, the invention inverts the approach by having the teat passively move through a stationary multi-angular brush arrangement. The cleaning action is achieved by the teat's own insertion motion rather than active device manipulation.
3Area of moving object
If two brushes each cover 180 degrees of the teat circumference, then the brush width can be reduced, but the cleaning of all teat surfaces becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The total 360-degree cleaning requirement is segmented into three 120-degree zones, each handled by a separate brush. This segmentation allows each brush to have a narrower effective width while collectively providing complete coverage, optimizing the balance between brush size and cleaning completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
Each brush is positioned at a specific angular location (0°, 120°, 240°) to clean a specific local zone of the teat. This localized assignment of cleaning responsibility ensures that each brush operates at optimal effectiveness for its designated area while maintaining overall complete coverage.
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
Ensures thorough teat cleaning without operator error, reducing time and effort by allowing all sides of the teat to be cleaned efficiently with minimal mechanical intervention.
Implementation Method 1
each axle supports a brush configured to rub against the teat of the animal when the teat is received in the cavity and the axle is rotated
Implementation Method 2
The rotational force may be passed between each pair of immediately adjacent axles by toothed wheels that mesh with one another at the ends of the two axles
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
There is provided a teat cleaning device (1) and a method of cleaning a teat of an animal prior to milking the animal. The device (1) comprises a cavity for receiving a teat of an animal with a length of the teat aligned along a length of the cavity, and three axles (33), each axle having an axis of rotation (33c) that is perpendicular to the length of the cavity. Each one of the three axles (33) forms a respective part of a path extending around the cavity, and each axle (33) supports a brush (38) configured to rub against the teat of the animal when the teat is received in the cavity and the axle is rotated.