Patent ID: 8176872

Claim:
A tubular element for conducting milk, comprising: a first straight portion ( 9 a ) of a first material, the first straight portion having a terminal end suitable for connection with a teat cup and, in use, having a generally vertical orientation; a second straight portion ( 9 a ) for connection with a milking cluster and, in use, having a generally horizontal orientation, the second straight portion being of the first material; a curved portion ( 9 e ) connecting the first and second straight portions, the curved portion being of the first material, the first straight portion, the curved portion and the second straight portion together having an inner space forming a milk passage for conducting milk, during a milking operation, from a connected teat cup to the milking cluster; and an opening penetrating through a wall of one of the first straight portion, the curved portion and the second straight portion, the wall opening defining a contact area ( 9 d ); an additional material portion ( 9 b ) comprising a vent passage ( 9 c ) defining a through hole of the wall supplying surrounding air to the inner space, the additional material portion fixedly connected to the contact area such that the additional material portion and the wall opening form an integrated unit with the additional material portion ( 9 b ) fixedly connected to the wall opening defining the contact area ( 9 d ), the through hole dimensioned to allow the surrounding air into the inner space in a quantity sufficient, during use of the teat cup in the milking operation, to prevent a decreased pressure in the inner space to a pressure level where conducted milk is sucked backwards in the milk passage, thereby preventing a backflow of the conducted milk in the inner space, wherein outer and inner surfaces of the additional material portion are co-planar with corresponding adjacent outer and inner surfaces of the wall opening.