Patent ID: 6601535
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: A01J

Abstract:
A method for detecting liner slips in a milking machine system having at least one milking unit, each of said at least one milking unit including a clawpiece and a cluster of teat cups connected to the clawpiece, wherein each teat cup has a shell body and an internal flexible liner, said liner comprising a mouthpiece and a body part, whereby the liner extends through the bottom of the shell body as a short milk tube and is connected to the clawpiece and further, by way of a long milk tube, to a source of steady vacuum, an annular space located between the teat cup shell body and the teat cup liner being connected to the clawpiece by a pulse tube and further to a source of pulsating vacuum, said method including the steps of:sensing the pressure of the milk-air mixture in the system downstream of said long milk tube, and detecting a liner slip in dependence of a predetermined change in said sensed pressure.