DE102024001131A1 - Teatcup liner and flow calming device - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a teatcup liner and a flow calming device suitable for such a teatcup liner, which is designed to calm the milk flow within the teatcup liner and to reduce backflow.

Description

The invention relates to a teatcup liner according to the preamble of claim 1 and a flow calming device for such a teatcup liner.

In mechanical milking, gentle teat treatment is crucial and is ensured, for example, by the use of milking systems in which vacuum relief occurs during the massage cycle, also known as the massage phase, as is the case with natural calf suckling. This vacuum relief has a demonstrably positive effect on teat condition. Such a milking system is used, for example, in EP 1 119 235 B1 revealed.

These milking systems use liners that have a liner head with an adjoining hose section for holding the teat. A vacuum connection, formed for example by a slanted end, opens into an interior space surrounded by the hose section, to which the milking vacuum is applied. Such a liner is clamped in a teat cup, with an annular space defined by the hose section being pressurized with atmosphere, overpressure, or even vacuum via a pulsator control. In this way, the massage cycle can be controlled by controlling the pressure difference between the interior of the hose section and the outer annular space. If the vacuum connection is designed as a slanted end, the hose section is designed as a thin-walled area in a section adjacent to it, which folds in during the massage phase and seals off the slanted end from the vacuum.

In the DE 10 2006 026 271 A1 and the associated supplementary instructions describe teatcup liners in which an air inlet nozzle is formed in the teatcup liner head, through which the interior of the head is ventilated to the atmosphere. The resulting permanent air inlet ensures that an excessive vacuum cannot develop in the teatcup liner head.

Under unfavorable operating conditions, particularly during the massage cycle when the liner is opening, milk can flow in the opposite direction to the direction specified by the vacuum, causing milk to splash against the teat and thus flood the teat opening. This is particularly unfavorable because such backflow towards the teat can allow pathogens to enter the teat and thus pose a significant risk of infection. This can also infect the other quarters of the udder or other animals when the milking cluster is changed. This is particularly the case with any milking system with higher milking yields and is further favored with alternate cycle milking and vacuum relief. This effect is intensified by the vacuum buildup after each relief and the associated simultaneous opening of the liner, as this vacuum buildup acts like a vacuum pump and intensifies the backflow.

To avoid such a backflow, for example, the publications DE 10 2006 026 271 , DE 10 2006 040 079 A1 and EP 1 219 166 A2 It has been proposed to connect the interior of the teat liner, located below the teat cup receiving space, to the atmosphere via a channel in the teat liner wall. This intentional "leakage" ensures that the liquid column below the teat is detached during milk flow, thus reducing backflow. In practice, however, it has been shown that even with such channels, backflow cannot be reliably prevented.

Furthermore, solutions are known in which a check valve is integrated into the milk hose to prevent such backflow (also called backspray). However, the disadvantage of such concepts is that, for example, when cleaning the teat assembly, the teat cup liner is subjected to backflow (backflush), which means that the check valve must be blocked in a complex manner to allow the backflush. Furthermore, the document DS Croy, LM Rode, RC Philippe and K.-J. Cheng; 1990; Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 73:1232 - 1238 A study was presented which concluded that such a check valve does not reduce the risk of mastitis infection.

In contrast, the invention is based on the object of creating a teat rubber by means of which backflow and the associated risk of infection can be reduced.

This object is achieved by a teat rubber having the features of patent claim 1.

Part of the solution according to the invention is also a flow calming device, also called FCS device, with which a teat rubber according to the invention can be designed.

Advantageous further developments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.

This teatcup liner has, in a conventional manner, a teatcup liner head and a hose section that forms a teat receiving space for a teat. According to the invention, at least one movable or stationary flow body of a flow calming device is arranged downstream of the teat receiving space. This device is designed according to the invention, particularly during a suction cycle and optionally also during a massage cycle and in the transition region between these phases, to at least reduce backflow effects and/or to even out or calm the flow due to a flow around the flow body. This can also be accompanied by a reduction in turbulence, so that the turbulent backspray effects observed in conventional milking clusters can be significantly reduced or completely avoided. By calming the flow according to the invention by means of the flow body around which the milk flows, the foaming of the milk and the associated mechanical stress, which is frequently observed in conventional systems and leads to the breaking up of the fat globules on the milk surface and thus to the formation of free fatty acids, can be reliably prevented or at least reduced.

In other words, in the design according to the invention, a flow body is introduced into the milk flow path, around which the milk flows during the intended use of the teat cup liner and, due to this flow, the milk flow is evened out and thus backflow is prevented or at least greatly reduced.

In one embodiment of the invention, the flow body is approximately spherical or elliptical/streamlined, wherein a flow-induced axial and/or radial movement is limited by stop/guide elements of the flow calming device.

In a particularly simply constructed embodiment of the invention, the movement of the flow body in and against the milk flow direction is limited by a pin arranged in the area of the flow cross-section or by stop knobs or other stop elements.

The positioning of the flow body is further simplified if its radial position is limited by preferably more than two guide elements distributed around the circumference, which are formed, for example, by guide strips provided in one piece on the teat rubber or on the flow calming device.

In one embodiment of the invention, the teat rubber is designed in a manner known per se with an inclined end, wherein the flow calming device with the flow body is arranged approximately in the area between an inclined end and a clamping bead.

In an alternative solution, the flow calming device with the flow body can also be positioned in a milk hose like a sight glass.

In principle, it is also possible to arrange two such flow calming devices or two flow bodies one behind the other in the direction of flow.

The advantageous effects of the invention (calming the flow, reducing backflow, reducing foam formation) can be further improved if the flow body is positioned in a radial extension of the flow calming device, wherein dimensions, in particular a diameter of the flow body, are equal to or greater than the clear width of sections of the flow channel opening into the radial extension. An effective flow cross-section of the flow calming device is preferably designed such that it is at least approximately as large as the flow cross-section of the adjacent sections of the flow channel. In other words, the flow cross-section in the region of the flow calming device is at least as large as the effective flow cross-section upstream and downstream of the flow calming device, so that the milk flow is not or only insignificantly throttled or subjected to turbulence.

In a particularly versatile embodiment, the flow body is arranged in a preferably multi-part housing of the flow calming device, which is detachably attached to a short milk hose or another flow path of the teat rubber or is integrated into it.

As indicated above, the flow calming device can also be designed with two flow bodies, preferably one behind the other in the direction of flow, which in turn are mounted stationary or movable.

The flow calming device according to the invention is particularly suitable for a conventional teatcup liner, so that conventional teatcup liners can be retrofitted with a flow calming device to prevent backspray.

The flow calming device has a preferably multi-part housing on which an inlet and an outlet nozzle are formed, between which a preferably radially expanded flow calming chamber for a stationary or movable flow body is provided. In the latter alternative, for example, stop and/or guide elements are provided in the flow calming chamber to limit the radial and/or axial position of the flow body. The dimensions, in particular a diameter of the flow body, are preferably selected to be equal to or greater than the clear width of the inlet and outlet nozzles opening into the radial expansion, wherein a flow cross-section in the flow calming chamber is preferably at least approximately as large as the flow cross-section of the adjacent sections of the flow channel, in particular the flow cross-section of the inlet and outlet nozzles.

The flow calming device can - as mentioned above - be designed in the manner of a sight glass with a housing that is at least partially transparent, wherein the flow body is preferably designed as an indicator for contamination, so that possible contamination can be easily identified by the milker based on the discoloration of the flow body.

The teat cup liner can be designed with an air inlet nozzle.

• 1 einen Längsschnitt eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Zitzengummis, der mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Strömungsberuhigungs-Einrichtung ausgeführt ist;
• 2 einen Radialschnitt entlang der Linie A-A in 1 ;
• 3 einen Längsschnitt eines weiteren Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Zitzengummis;
• 4 eine Detaildarstellung des Zitzengummis gemäß 3;
• 5 einen Radialschnitt entlang der Linie B-B in 4;
• 6 ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Zitzengummis;
• 7 eine Detaildarstellung des Zitzengummis gemäß 6;
• 8 einen Radialschnitt entlang der Schnittlinie C-C in 7;
• 9 ein viertes Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Zitzengummis;
• 10 eine Detaildarstellung des Zitzengummis gemäß 9 und
• 11 eine weitere Variante einer Strömungsberuhigungs-Einrichtung.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. They show:

• 1 a longitudinal section of a first embodiment of a teatcup rubber according to the invention, which is designed with a flow calming device according to the invention;
• 2 a radial section along the line AA in 1 ;
• 3 a longitudinal section of a further embodiment of a teatcup rubber according to the invention;
• 4 a detailed view of the teatcup liner according to 3 ;
• 5 a radial section along the line BB in 4 ;
• 6 a third embodiment of a teatcup liner according to the invention;
• 7 a detailed view of the teatcup liner according to 6 ;
• 8 a radial section along the section line CC in 7 ;
• 9 a fourth embodiment of a teatcup liner according to the invention;
• 10 a detailed view of the teatcup liner according to 9 and
• 11 another variant of a flow calming device.

In 1 is a longitudinal section through a liner 1 of a milking cluster, which is clamped into a teat cup (not shown). With regard to the basic structure of such a milking cluster, reference is made to the prior art described above. In such a so-called two-chamber teat cup, the milking vacuum is applied to the teat during the suction stroke, so that milk can flow from the teat through the liner 1 and a milk hose to a claw. During the massage stroke, the liner 1 is folded in (collapsed) by admitting atmosphere or overpressure into the annular space mentioned above between the outer circumference of the liner 1 and an inner circumferential wall of the teat cup, so that the blood is massaged back from the teat tip to the teat base.

The 1 The illustrated embodiment of the teat rubber 1 has a hose part 2 which is 1 upper end section into a teatcup head 4. This has a head sleeve 6, which extends downwards at a distance from this end section of the hose part 2 away from the teatcup head 4 (view according to 1 ), so that an annular space 8 is formed into which the upper end portion of the teat cup (not shown) is inserted. A lower end portion of this teat cup sits on a clamping bead 10 of the teat rubber 1, which is formed so as to project in the radial direction at the lower end portion of the hose part 2, so that the teat rubber 1 is clamped into the teat cup.

An insertion opening 12 is formed on the teat cup head 4, into which a teat 14 (indicated by dashed lines) is inserted when the milking cluster is attached. The teat cup head 4, which is radially expanded relative to the tube part 2, forms a head space 16 that surrounds the teat 14 in sections in a ring-shaped manner.

When the teat 14 is inserted, the tube part 2 forms a teat receiving space 18 surrounding the teat 14 and an interior space 20 located underneath. The latter can be connected to the head space 16 via a groove 22. In concrete terms, in the illustrated embodiment, this groove 22 is formed by a groove which is preferably parallel to the longitudinal The channel is formed in the teat cup wall 26, which runs along the axis 24 of the teat cup liner 1, and extends from the interior space 20 into the head space 16 widening away from the hose part 2. However, such a groove 22 is an optional feature.

In the embodiment according to 1 An air inlet nozzle 28 is provided in the teatcup head 4, through which the head space 16 is ventilated to the atmosphere. This ventilation ensures that no excessive vacuum can develop in the teatcup head 4. Further details of such air inlet nozzles 28 are described in the prior art, in particular DE 10 2006 040 079 A1 , explained.

Not shown are thin-walled areas of the teat rubber wall 26 in the area of the tube part 2, which enable the tube part 2 to collapse during the massage cycle and the vacuum to be created. Massage bars (not shown) can be provided on the teat rubber wall 26 in the area of the teat receiving space 18, which support the massage effect up to the tip of the teat 14. Such massage bars are disclosed, for example, in the parallel application, which is incorporated into the disclosure of the present application.

In the 1 In the embodiment shown, a flow calming device 30 - also called FCS device - is arranged in the area of the interior 20, ie upstream of the clamping bead 10, which is designed, in particular during the suction cycle, to calm the liquid flow and/or to prevent foaming of the milk and/or to prevent or at least greatly restrict backflow at the beginning of the suction phase, wherein the milking vacuum is not impaired.

This is done in the embodiment according to 1 This is achieved by positioning a flow body 32 at a distance from the teat 14, around which the milk flows during the milking process. In the illustrated embodiment, the flow body 32 is designed as a sphere; however, other geometries optimized for a flow that minimizes pressure loss can of course also be realized.

In the illustrated embodiment, the flow body 32 is movable within the 1 in the area of the hose part 2 marked with A. In principle, however, a position-fixed flow body 32 can also be used.

In this embodiment, the movement of the flow body 32 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 24 is limited by stop knobs 34, 36, which act as stop elements for the flow body 32, so to speak, so that it can only move along the area A. Lateral guidance transverse to the longitudinal axis 24 is provided by centering strips 38, which are also formed on the inner circumferential wall of the hose part 2. This area of the flow calming device 30 thus forms a flow calming chamber.

Further details of this flow body guidance are 2 removable.

This shows a section along the 1 indicated radial section plane AA, which thus runs vertically to the longitudinal axis 24 and the plane of the drawing. This section extends through the tube part 2, so that the teat rubber wall 26 of the tube part 2, which encompasses the interior space 20, is cut accordingly.

Accordingly, three downstream stop knobs 36a, 36b, 36c are formed on the inner peripheral wall 30 of the teat rubber wall 26, which are arranged, for example, offset by 120° on a pitch circle corresponding to the diameter of the inner peripheral wall 40. The vertices 42 of the stop knobs 36a, 36b, 36c lie on a 2 The diameter D of the flow body 32 is smaller than the diameter S of the dashed circle, so that its axial movement is limited by running into the stop knobs 36a, 36b, 36c. The upstream stop knobs 34 (34a, 34b, 34c) are designed accordingly.

As furthermore the cut in 2 The lateral guidance of the flow body 32 is carried out by three centering strips 38a, 38b, 38c, which are also offset by 120° to each other and which, in the embodiment according to the 1 and 2 between stop knobs 34a, 36a; 34b, 36b; 34c, 36c, which are arranged one above the other in the direction of flow, so that the pressure loss through the elements projecting from the inner circumferential wall is minimized. The vertices 44 of the centering strips 38 lie on a pitch circle d, the diameter of which is larger than the effective diameter S (see 1 ) of the flow body 32. The dimensions S, D, d can be selected such that the flow body 32 is guided laterally with a clearance fit or with a comparatively large clearance, so that the flow of the flow body 32 is not impeded.

Such a design has, compared to the state of the art described at the beginning, Check valves have the significant advantage that no blocking of the check valve is required in backflush or other systems. Surprisingly, it was found that with such a flow-calming device 30, the liquid flow is significantly calmed compared to conventional solutions and the backflow, especially at the beginning of the suction cycle, is greatly reduced without compromising the milking vacuum.

3 shows an embodiment of a teatcup liner 1 in which a slanted end 46 is provided in the area of the interior 20 upstream of the clamping bead 10. This slanted end 46 is covered by a thin-walled region 48 of the teatcup liner wall 26 during the massage stroke to interrupt the connection to the vacuum. This embodiment also shows the two massage bars 49, 51, which support the massage of the teat 14 during the massage stroke. As mentioned, these massage bars 49, 51 can be designed as articulated massage bars to improve elasticity.

In this variant, a groove 22 is also provided at least along the teat receiving space 18, which opens into the head space 16. An air inlet nozzle 28 can also be provided on the teat rubber head 4 - this is shown in the illustration according to 3 not visible.

According to the invention, a flow calming device 30 is provided downstream of the inclined closure 46 in the region of the clamping bead 10, by means of which the milk flow is calmed and backflow is prevented.

4 shows a detailed view of the teatcup liner 1 according to 3 in the area of the sloping end 46 and 5 a radial section along the section line BB in 4 . Accordingly, in this embodiment, the flow calming device 30 is also designed with a spherical flow body 32, the axial movement of which - as in the embodiment according to the 1 and 2 - by stop knobs 34, 36 and whose radial movement is limited by centering strips 38. According to the radial section in 5 The positioning of the stop knobs 34a, 34b, 34c and the centering strips 38a, 38b, 38c is carried out in the same way as in the embodiment according to the 1 and 2 , so that further explanations are unnecessary.

For the teatcup liner 1 according to the 3 and 4 The connection of the teatcup rubber 1 with a claw is made via a different connection than in the embodiment according to the 1 and 2 longer milk hose 50 formed in one piece with the teat rubber 1.

The 6 and 7 show a variant of the embodiment according to the 3 and 4 , wherein the flow calming device 30 is formed with a radial extension 52 encompassing the flow body 32, which ensures improved all-round flow around the flow body 32. In the illustrated embodiment, this radial extension 52 is again formed in the region of the clamping bead 10 downstream of the inclined closure 46.

In this exemplary embodiment, the circumferential wall of the radial extension 52 and the outer circumference of the flow body 32 form an approximately annular flow cross-section, wherein the diameter ratios are preferably designed such that the effective flow cross-section within the radial extension 52 is larger than or at least equal to the flow cross-section in the adjacent regions. Accordingly, the approximately spherical radial extension 52 is designed such that the flow can flow around the flow body 32 with minimal pressure loss, thereby smoothing the flow and preventing the occurrence of turbulence. Furthermore, the ingress of air and the associated foaming are prevented.

Further details of this embodiment are shown in the detailed illustration in 7 explained.

In the illustrated embodiment, the diameter S of the flow body 32 is slightly larger than the inner diameter I of the milk hose 50 and the inner diameter Q of the flow channel 54 extending between the inclined closure 46 and the flow calming device 30. The diameter R of the radial extension 52 is substantially larger than the diameter S of the flow body 32 and the diameters Q, I of the adjacent flow channel sections.

In order to prevent the flow body 32 from closing the connection between the radial extension 52 and the adjacent flow sections (milk channel 50, flow channel 54) during the flow through by contacting the mouth areas 56, 58 of the radial extension 52, stop knobs 34, 36 are again provided in this area, whereby - as in the previously described embodiments - according to the 8 shown radial section along the section line CC again three stop knobs 34a, 34b, 34c and 36a, 36b, 36c (only the latter in 8 Instead of the stop knobs 34, 36, stop pins (see 9 , 10 ) or the like limit the axial movement of the flow body 32.

In the previously described embodiments, the teatcup liner 1 must be designed with the functional elements of the flow calming device 30 formed integrally on the teatcup liner wall 26, unlike conventional solutions, so that a separate tool is required to manufacture this teatcup liner 1. Retrofitting existing teatcup liners is only possible with comparatively high expenditure, whereby insert parts must be used instead of the stop nubs 34, 36 and centering strips 38 formed integrally with the teatcup liner 1, which in turn involves considerable assembly effort.

In the 9 to 11 Embodiments are shown in which a simple retrofitting of a teat rubber with a flow calming device 30 according to the invention is possible.

9 shows a teatcup rubber, the basic structure of which is similar to that of 6 In this variant, however, the milk hose 50 provided on the teat rubber 1 is comparatively short and connected to the flow-calming device 30 designed like a sight glass. The downstream area of this flow-calming device 30 is then attached—as in a sight glass—to a long milk hose 60 leading to the claw.

10 shows the flow calming device 30 designed as a compact assembly according to 9 in detail. Accordingly, it is designed—similar to a sight glass—with an inlet nozzle 62 and an outlet nozzle 64, between which a housing 66 accommodating the flow body 32 is arranged. The latter can be constructed in several parts to simplify production, with a positive connection being made by gluing/welding or the like after production by injection molding or the like. A channel 68 passes through the inlet nozzle 62, the outlet nozzle 64, and the housing 66, the diameter K of which corresponds approximately to the diameter Q of the short milk hose 50 or the diameter J of the long milk hose 60.

In this embodiment, too, the effective diameter S of the flow body 32 is smaller than the diameter J of the milk hose 50 or the diameter Q of the channel 68 formed between the inclined closure 46 and the FCS device 30.

As in the previously described embodiments, this geometry ensures a virtually loss-free flow around the movable flow body 32 and a concomitant flow calming.

In the flow calming device 30 according to the 9 and 10 The axial movement is limited by two stop pins 70, 72, which are each inserted into the housing 66 approximately along a diagonal in the radial direction and thus extend transversely through the channel 68 and thus prevent the flow body 32 from accessing the nozzles 62, 64.

Of course, instead of such stop pins 70, 72, stop knobs can also be provided on the inner circumferential wall of the channel 68 as in the previously described embodiments. In the embodiment according to the 9 and 10 The channel 68 is designed to be continuous with a constant diameter K. Guidance in the radial direction is again provided by centering strips 38, preferably three distributed around the circumference, which are mounted on the inner circumferential wall of the channel 68 in the region of the housing 66. These centering strips 38 can also be designed, for example, as pins, which can be positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis 74, for example, penetrating the end collars 76, 78 of the housing 66.

11 shows a variant in which the housing - similar to the embodiment according to the 6 , 7 and 8 - is designed with a radial extension 52, the geometry of which essentially corresponds to that of the previously described embodiments. This means that the diameter S of the flow body 32 is somewhat larger than the diameter K of the nozzles 62, 64 adjacent to the radial extension 52 of the housing 66, wherein the inner diameter R of the radial extension 52, which limits the flow cross-section, and the diameter S of the flow body 32 are in turn designed such that the flow around it is possible with minimal pressure loss. In this embodiment too, the axial movement of the flow body 32 is limited either by stop knobs 34, 36 or by stop pins 70, 72 (similar to the embodiment according to the 9 , 10 ) so that the flow body 32 cannot close the opening region 56, 58 in the transition to the inlet nozzle 62 or the outlet nozzle 64. The guidance in the radial direction can again be carried out via guide strips 38, which are inserted into the housing 66 parallel to the longitudinal axis 74 or are arranged integrally on the inner circumferential wall of the housing 66 or the radial extension 52 in order to center the flow body 32 with respect to the longitudinal axis 74. In this embodiment, the geometries are also designed such that the flow cross-section in the area of the radial extension 52 is at least as large as the flow cross-section of the adjacent areas, ie in the inlet nozzle 62 and in the outlet nozzle 64. In the illustrated embodiment, a parting plane 80 of the two-part housing 66 runs centrally through the radial extension 52.

In all of the previously described embodiments, the flow-calming device 30 is designed with a single flow body 32. In principle, it can also be configured with two or more flow bodies positioned one behind the other in the flow direction or next to each other with respect to the flow direction. As explained above, the flow body 32 can also be fixed in the flow cross-section, thus ensuring a constant flow around the flow body, while at the same time eliminating the need for guide elements to position the flow body 32.

Disclosed are a teatcup liner and a flow calming device suitable for such a teatcup liner, which is designed to calm the milk flow within the teatcup liner and to reduce backflow.

List of reference symbols:

1

teat cup liner

2

Hose part

4

Teatcup rubber head

6

head muff

8

Annular space

10

clamping bead

12

Insertion opening

14

teat

16

Headspace

18

Teat receiving room

20

Interior

22

gutter

24

Longitudinal axis

26

Teat liner wall

28

Air intake nozzle

30

Flow calming device/FCS device

32

Flow body

34

Stop knob

36

Stop knob

38

Centering bar

40

inner peripheral wall

42

Parting

44

Parting

46

Sloping finish

48

Thin-walled area

49

Massage bar

50

milk hose

51

Massage bar

52

Radial expansion

54

flow channel

56

Mouth area

58

Mouth area

60

long milk hose

62

Inlet nozzle

64

drain nozzle

66

Housing

68

channel

70

stop pin

72

stop pin

74

Longitudinal axis

76

Headband

78

Headband

80

Parting line

QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 1 119 235 B1 [0002]
• DE 10 2006 026 271 A1 [0004]
• DE 10 2006 026 271 [0006]
• DE 10 2006 040 079 A1 [0006, 0032]
• EP 1 219 166 A2 [0006]

Cited non-patent literature

• D. S. Croy, L. M. Rode, R. C. Philippe and K.-J. Cheng; 1990; Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 73:1232 - 1238 [0007]

Claims (11)

A teatcup rubber with a teatcup rubber head (4) and a hose part (2) which forms a teat receiving space (18) for a teat (14), characterized in that at least one movable or stationary flow body (32) of a flow calming device (30) is arranged downstream of the teat receiving space (18), which flow calming device is designed, in particular during a suction cycle and in the transition region between a massage cycle and the suction cycle, to at least reduce backwash effects and/or to even out the flow due to a flow around the flow body (32). Teatcup rubber after Patent claim 1 , wherein the flow body (32) is approximately spherical or elliptical, wherein a flow-induced axial and/or radial movement is limited by stop/guide elements of the flow calming device (30). Teatcup rubber after Patent claim 1 or 2 , wherein the movement of the flow body (32) in and against the milk flow direction is limited by a pin (70, 72) arranged in the region of the flow cross-section or by stop knobs (34, 36) or other stop elements. Teatcup rubber according to one of the preceding claims, wherein guide elements which limit a radial position of the flow body (32), preferably more than two guide elements distributed around the circumference, are formed by centring strips (38) which are preferably provided in one piece on the teatcup rubber (1) or on the flow calming device (30). Teatcup rubber according to one of the preceding claims, wherein it is designed with an inclined end (46) and the flow calming device (30) with the flow body (32) is arranged approximately in the region between the inclined end (46) and a clamping bead (10). Teatcup rubber according to one of the Patent claims 1 until 4 , wherein the flow calming device (30) with the flow body (32) is positioned in a milk hose (50, 60) in the manner of a sight glass. Teatcup liner according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the flow body (32) is positioned in a radial extension (52) of the flow calming device (30), wherein its dimensions, in particular a diameter (S) of the flow body (32), are equal to or greater than the clear width of sections of the flow channel (54) opening into the radial extension (52), and wherein preferably an effective flow cross-section of the flow calming device (30) is at least approximately as large as the flow cross-section of the adjacent sections of the flow channel (54). Teatcup rubber according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the flow body (32) is arranged in a preferably multi-part housing (66) of the flow calming device (30), which is detachably attached to a milk hose (50, 60) or another flow path of the teatcup rubber (1) or is integrated into it. Teatcup rubber according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the flow calming device (30) is formed with two flow bodies (32), preferably arranged one behind the other in the flow direction. Flow calming device, in particular for a teat cup rubber (1) according to one of the preceding claims, with a preferably multi-part housing (66) on which an inlet and an outlet connection piece (62, 64) are formed, between which a, preferably radially expanded, flow calming chamber for a stationary or movable flow body (32) is provided, wherein in the latter alternative, stop and/or guide elements for limiting the radial and/or axial position of the flow body (32) are provided in the flow calming chamber and wherein dimensions, in particular a diameter (S), of the flow body (32) are preferably equal to or greater than the clear width of the sections of the flow channel (54) opening into the radial expansion (52), wherein an effective flow cross-section of the flow calming chamber is preferably at least approximately as large as the flow cross-section of the adjacent sections of the flow channel (54). Flow calming device according to Patent claim 10 , wherein the housing (66) is at least partially transparent and wherein preferably the flow body (32) is designed as an indicator for contamination.