Patent ID: 8210123

Claim:
A flexible teat cup liner for engaging about a teat of an animal to be milked, comprising: a barrel portion having an interior; a head portion disposed at one end of said liner and provided with a mouth through which the teat is engageable with the interior of said barrel portion, said head portion having an internal annular cavity that is between said mouth and said interior of said barrel portion and that is continuous with said interior of said barrel portion, said cavity, when the animal's teat is inserted into said liner, forming a void between said teat and said head portion internally delimited by a side of said teat; a milk discharge passageway at an opposite end of said liner; nozzle means arranged to discharge fluid into said internal annular cavity of said head portion of said liner, said nozzle means comprising at least one nozzle within said head portion and that exits into said void, said at least one nozzle being configured to direct fluid discharged from said at least one nozzle inwardly into said void and downwardly into the interior of said barrel portion, whereby said at least one nozzle is enabled to direct fluid into said void for wiping down the outside of the teat, upon takeoff of an associated teat cup, and direct fluid into the liner when said associated teat cup is inverted after take-off; and a check valve via which said at least one nozzle is connectable to a fluid delivery tube; said check valve being arranged to allow fluid delivery to said at least one nozzle and being mounted in or adjacent said head portion of said liner.