Patent ID: 6510812
Filing Date: 2003-01-28
Classification: A01J

Abstract:
A method for milking an animal, by using a milking a machine, which comprises at least one pair of teatcups each comprising a liner for receiving a teat of the animal, wherein these liners internally are subjected to a subpressure for extracting milk from the respective teats and which comprises a pulsator arranged, via a pulsation chamber of each teatcup, to subject the liner of the teatcup to a cyclically pulsating pressure from the outside, including the step of subjecting the liner to a cycle of pulsating pressure with a time period T, wherein said cycle comprises:a first opening phase, which has a first time period ta and during which the pressure in the pulsation chamber drops from a first pressure level to a second pressure level; a second open phase, which has a second time period tb and during which the pressure in the pulsation chamber is substantially constant at the second pressure level; a third closing phase, which has a third time period tc and during which the pressure in the pulsation chamber rises from the second pressure level to the first pressure level; and a fourth closed phase, which has a fourth time period td and during which the pressure in the pulsation chamber is substantially constant at the first pressure level, wherein when both the second tb and fourth td time periods are less than the half time period T for the total cycle, the cyclically pulsating pressures of the respective pulsation chambers are controlled in such a way that a flow of milk is prevented between the two teatcups of the respective pair.