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EP-4739101-A1 - MILK SAMPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING A SELF CLEANING FILTER DEVICE

EP4739101A1EP 4739101 A1EP4739101 A1EP 4739101A1EP-4739101-A1

Abstract

A system (100) comprising a milk sampling device (110) configured to extract a milk sample from a milk line; a first fluid connection line (115) attached to the milk sampling device (110) and configured to receive the milk sample; a milk analytic instrument (120); a filter holder (130) arranged to hold a filter device (140), wherein the filter holder (130) is connected to the first fluid connection line (115), to a second fluid connection line (135), which in turn is con- nected to a drain (150); a first pump (160) operable to transport the milk sample to the second fluid connection line (135); and the filter device (140) When the filter device (140) is hold in the filter holder (130), a fluid passing from the first fluid connection line (115) to the second fluid connection line (135) rinsing over the first side (141) of the filter device (140).

Inventors

  • GUDMUNDSSON, KRISTJAN FREYR

Assignees

  • DeLaval Holding AB

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240626

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A system (100) comprising: a milk sampling device (110) configured to extract a milk sample from a milk line comprising milk; a first fluid connection line (115) attached to the milk sampling device (110) and configured to receive the milk sample from the milk sampling device (110); a milk analytic instrument (120) configured to receive the milk sample and perform an analysis on the received milk sample; a filter holder (130) arranged to hold a filter device (140), wherein the filter holder (130) is connected to the first fluid connection line (115), and to a second fluid connection line (135); a first pump (160) operable to transport the milk sample from the milk sampling device (110) along the first fluid connection line (115), to the second fluid connection line (135); and the filter device (140) comprising a first side (141) and a second side (142), which is opposite to the first side (141); wherein, when the filter device (140) is hold in the filter holder (130), a fluid that passes from the first fluid connection line (115) to the second fluid connection line (135) performs a rinse action over the first side (141) of the filter device (140).
  2. 2. The system (100) according to claim 1 , wherein the filter holder (130) is connected to a third fluid connection line (145), which in turn is connected to the milk analytic instrument (120); and wherein a fluid that passes from the first fluid connection line (115) through the filter device (140), from the first side (141) of the filter device (140) to the second side (142) of the filter device (140), to the third fluid connection line (145) will be filtered by the filter device (140).
  3. 3. The system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: a second pump (170) operable to transport the milk sample from the first side (141) of the filter device (140) to the second side (142) of the filter device (140) along the third fluid connection line (145) to the milk analytic instrument (120).
  4. 4. The system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: a drain (150), connected to the second fluid connection line (135).
  5. 5. The system (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: a controller (200) communicatively connected to the milk sampling device (110), to the first pump (160), and to the milk analytic instrument (120); and wherein the controller (200) is configured to send a control signal to the milk sampling device (110), to extract the milk sample; and send a control signal to the first pump (160), to transport the milk sample along the first fluid connection line (115) and the second fluid connection line (135) to the drain (150).
  6. 6. The system (100) according to any one of claims 3-5, wherein the controller (200) is communicatively connected to the second pump (170); and wherein the controller (200) is configured to send a control signal to the second pump (170), to transport a part of the milk sample from the first side (141) of the filter device (140) to the second side (142) of the filter device (140) along the third fluid connection line (145) to the milk analytic instrument (120), thereby enabling the milk analytic instrument (120) to analyse the part of the milk sample.
  7. 7. The system (100) according to any one of claims 5-6, comprising: a cleaning liquid inlet (181) of the milk sampling device (110), configured to provide cleaning liquid via the milk sampling device (110) to the first fluid connection line (115); a cleaning liquid inlet regulating device (180) communicatively connected to the controller (200), wherein the cleaning liquid inlet regulating device (180) is configured to adjust inlet of cleaning liquid to the cleaning liquid inlet (181); and wherein the controller (200) is configured to send a control signal to the cleaning liquid inlet regulating device (180), to allow inlet of cleaning liquid to the milk sampling device (110) via the cleaning liquid inlet (181); send a control signal to the first pump (160), to transport the cleaning liquid along first fluid connection line (115) to the second fluid connection line (135), thereby performing a cleaning action over the first side (141) of the filter device (140).
  8. 8. The system (100) according to any one of claims 5-7, wherein the controller (200) is configured to send a control signal to the second pump (170), to transport the cleaning liquid from the first side (141) of the filter device (140) to the second side (142) of the filter device (140) along the third fluid connection line (145), thereby performing a cleaning action of the filter device (140) and the third fluid connection line (145).
  9. 9. The system (100) according to any one of claims 5-8, comprising: a second cleaning liquid inlet (191) of the milk analytic instrument (120), wherein a second cleaning liquid inlet (191) is configured to provide cleaning liquid to the third fluid connection line (145); the second cleaning liquid inlet regulating device (190) communicatively connected to the controller (200), wherein the second cleaning liquid inlet regulating device (190) is configured to adjust inlet of cleaning liquid via the second cleaning liquid inlet (191) to the third fluid connection line (145); and wherein the controller (200) is configured to send a control signal to the second cleaning liquid inlet regulating device (190), to allow inlet of cleaning liquid of the milk analytic instrument (120) via the second cleaning liquid inlet (191); and send a control signal to the second pump (170), to transport the cleaning liquid, along the third fluid connection line (145) via the second side (142) of the filter device (140) to the first side (141) of the filter device (140).
  10. 10. The system (100) according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein the controller (200) is configured to send a control signal to the first pump (160), to prevent transporting of cleaning liquid along the first fluid connection line (115) to the milk sampling device (110), thereby causing the cleaning liquid to pass from the second side (142) of the filter device (140) to the first side (141) of the filter device (140) via the second fluid connection line (135) to the drain (150).
  11. 11. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein the filter device (140) is configured to filter a plurality of milk samples, extracted from distinct animals, wherein a cleaning action is performed in between each respective milk sample.
  12. 12. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1-11 , wherein the filter device (140) comprises a wired mesh filter.
  13. 13. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1-11 , wherein the filter device (140) comprises an etched metal foil.
  14. 14. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1-13, wherein the filter device (140) comprises openings of about 40-100 pm.
  15. 15. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1-14, wherein the filter holder (130) is arranged to provide the milk sample from the first fluid connection line (115) to the first side (141) of the filter device (140) at a first angle displacement (a) in relation to a normal (N) of the first side (141), thereby flushing away residues that are stuck on the first side (141) of the filter device (140) via the second fluid connection line (135).
  16. 16. The system (100) according to claim 15, wherein the first angle displacement (a) in relation to the normal (N) of the first side (141) of the filter device (140), is at least 30 degrees.
  17. 17. The system (100) according to any one of claims 15-16, wherein the first angle displacement (a) in relation to the normal (N) of the first side (141) of the filter device (140) is at least 45 degrees but not exceeding 75 degrees.
  18. 18. The system (100) according to any one of claims 15-17, wherein the filter holder (130) is arranged to evacuate fluid after having rinsed the first side (141) of the filter device (140) via the second fluid connection line (135) at a second angle displacement (P) in relation to the normal (N) of the first side (141) of the filter device (140); and wherein the second angle displacement (P) is at least 30 degrees.
  19. 19. The system (100) according to claim 18, wherein the second angle displacement (P) in relation to the normal (N) of the first side (141) of the filter device (140) is at least 45 degrees but not exceeding 75 degrees.
  20. 20. The system (100) according to any one of claims 15-19, wherein the first angle displacement (a) of the first fluid connection line (115) and the second angle displacement (P) of the second fluid connection line (135) are arranged substantially symmetrically in relation to the normal (N) of the first side (141) of the filter device (140).

Description

MILK SAMPLING SYSTEM COMPRISING A SELF CLEANING FILTER DEVICE TECHNICAL FIELD This document discloses a system comprising a filter device according to the appended claims. BACKGROUND On a dairy farm, it is sometimes desired to analyse a milk sample of milk from a particular animal in a milk analytic instrument. The reason may be to investigate whether the animal is suffering from Mastitis, Ketosis, or some decease or condition that may affect the milk yield and/ or milk quality; or measuring a parameter reflecting milk quality itself, for example percentage of fat. A convenient way of extracting the milk sample is when the animal is being milked in a milking station, for example by a milking robot, or in a rotary parlour. A milk sampling device may then extract the milk sample from a milk line comprising milk of the animal and provide the milk sample to the milk analytic instrument. There may be undesired impurities in the milk sample to be removed before analysing the milk sample, such as for example hair, fodder, or bedding particles. An often used solution to this problem is to apply a filter, filtering the milk sample before reaching the milk analytic instrument. The currently used filters are made of paper and require frequent exchange, i.e. , between each milk sample, to disallow carry-over effect between animals, but also for assuring that the milk flow through the filter is not blocked by filtered particles, and/ or that bacteria are allowed to grow in the residues in the filter, which would influence the outcome of the milk analysis. Paper filters may also bring other problems, they may for example break in case they have not been stored and/ or handled appropriately (due to humidity/ liquid, or rough handling etc.). The frequent filter exchanges are time consuming for the farmer; consequences of forgetting to change filters are severe, and the consumption of paper material adds over time, wasting natural resources. Metal filters made of a mesh of stainless steel wires may be used instead of the paper filters. Thereby, paper material is saved. The metal filter may be reused, but then has to be cleaned, preferably between each animal to avoid the above-mentioned carry-over effect. This is unfortunately even more time consuming for the farmer than to just exchange the paper filter. It would be desired to reassuringly solve the issue of filtering undesired particles from milk to be analysed in a milk analytic instrument, while reducing maintenance requirements and save labour, time and money for the farmer. SUMMARY It is therefore an object of this invention to solve at least some of the above problems and facilitate filtering of milk, in particular in association with milk sample analysis. According to a first aspect of the invention, this objective is achieved by a system comprising a milk sampling device, configured to extract a milk sample from a milk line comprising milk. The system also comprises a first fluid connection line attached to the milk sampling device. The first fluid connection line is configured to receive the milk sample from the milk sampling device. Also, system comprises a milk analytic instrument, configured to receive the milk sample and perform an analysis on the received milk sample. In addition, the system also comprises a filter holder, arranged to hold a filter device. The filter holder is connected to the first fluid connection line, and to a second fluid connection line. The system also comprises a first pump, operable to transport the milk sample from the milk sampling device along the first fluid connection line, to the second fluid connection line. The filter device comprises a first side and a second side, which is opposite to the first side. A fluid that passes from the first fluid connection line to the second fluid connection line performs a rinse action over the first side of the filter device, when the filter device is hold in the filter holder. By flushing the first side of the filter, i.e. , the outside of the filter, with milk, particles/ residue on the outside of the filter is washed away. Optionally, the filter holder may be connected to a third fluid connection line, which in turn may be connected to the milk analytic instrument. A fluid that passes from the first fluid connection line through the filter device, from the first side of the filter device to the second side of the filter device, to the third fluid connection line will be filtered by the filter device. Thereby, particles in the milk sample are filtered away before being provided to the milk analytic instrument. Optionally, the system may comprise a second pump operable to transport the milk sample from the first side of the filter device to the second side of the filter device along the third fluid connection line, to the milk analytic instrument. The second pump assures a reliable regulation of milk passage through the filter and the third fluid connection line, to the milk analytic inst