Patent ID: 6860228
Filing Date: 2005-03-01
Classification: A01J

Abstract:
1. A milking cup comprising: a cup sleeve; a teat rubber comprising a head piece and a hollow intake socket, the intake socket having a proximal end integral with the head piece and a distal end, the intake socket being inserted into the sleeve and forming a clearance between the cup sleeve and the intake socket, said head piece including an interior space for receiving a teat and a separate hole extending through said head piece and opening into the interior space; a milk discharge conduit connected to the distal end of said intake socket; a first conduit having a first end connected to the distal end of the intake socket; an air inlet valve connected to a second end of said first conduit, said air inlet valve being configured to provide atmospheric air through said first conduit into said intake socket at the distal end during a relief phase, the relief phase periodically occurring when an air pressure within the clearance between the cup sleeve and the intake socket is greater than the air pressure of a milking vacuum present within the milk discharge conduit and the intake socket which causes a folding-in of the intake socket; and a second conduit connected at one end to said hole of said head piece and at another end to said air inlet valve so as to supply atmospheric air within the interior space of said head piece, wherein said air inlet valve provides communication between the first conduit and the second conduit so that a teat portion enclosed in the interior space of the head piece is supplied with a vacuum during a suction phase sufficient to adhere a teat portion to the milking cup.