WO2004073771A1

WO2004073771A1 - Pressure controller and milking device including the pressure controller

Info

Publication number: WO2004073771A1
Application number: PCT/KR2004/000321
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sanghun Kim
Original assignee: EVERBABY Co Ltd
Current assignee: EVERBABY Co Ltd
Priority date: 2003-02-18
Filing date: 2004-02-17
Publication date: 2004-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 2005-08-18
Also published as: KR200313778Y1

Abstract

A pressure controller, disposed between an air pressure generating device and a suction device, for indirectly adjusting pressure and a milking device including the same. The pressure controller includes an air pressure connecting pipe connected to an air passage for connecting an air pressure generating device with a suction device for sucking an object by using air pressure generated from the air pressure generating device, an air inlet pipe for connecting the air pressure connecting pipe with an external air source, an air flow rate adjusting valve, installed to the air inlet pipe, for controlling the air pressure generated from the suction device by adjusting an open degree of the air inlet pipe, an air discharging pipe connected with the air pressure connecting pipe, and a check valve, installed to the air discharging pipe, for passing only an air flow from the air pressure connecting pipe, so that both the suction force and discharging force of air can be adjusted. Moreover, the milking device can be simply constructed with the pressure controller and a single-acting air cylinder.

Description

PRESSURE CONTROLLER AND MILKING DEVICE INCLUDING THE

PRESSURE CONTROLLER TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a pressure controller of a milking device, and more particularly, to a pressure controller for adjusting suction force in an apparatus including an air pressure generating device and a suction device such as a milking device for milking breast of a lying-in woman by force and a milking including the pressure controller.

BACKGROUND ART There is a milking device as an example for adjusting suction pressure. The milking device is a device for milking human milk mother's breast by force. After delivery, if milk remains in mother's breast or baby does not suck the milk, the milk remains in the breast too much, so that may bring cruel pain neighbor the breast. The milking device may be used to milk the remained milk in the breast by force. At present, there are disclosed a plenty of milking devices, which are divided into a manual type and an electric type by the operation style.

First, the manual milking device has a horn-shaped suction pipe to be covered onto the breast, a rubber ball-shaped air pressure generating device for making air pressure in the suction pipe, and a milk bottle for containing the milk introduced in the suction pipe. The manual milking device milks the mother's milk the mother's breast by means of the operation of covering the suction pipe on the breast by an assistant with one-side hand and pressing and releasing the air pressure generating device with other hand. However, in this manual milking device has drawbacks that it is not efficient a low milking efficiency because of generating the air pressure by the grasping power of a user and not generating powerful air pressure, and it is not convenient to adjust the air pressure. Moreover, since the grasping power should be supplied repeatedly, the user should spend excessive power and get tired.

Meanwhile, the electric-type milking device generally has an air pressure generating device automatically operated by a motor and an air cylinder, a suction pipe connected to the vacuum generating section, and a milk bottle for containing the milk introduced in the suction pipe.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional electric-type milking device, FIG. 2 shows a cross- sectional view of a conventional pressure controller. A pressure adjusting section shown in FIG. 1 is installed in the electric-type milking device and can adjust the pressure.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the suction pipe 2 is connected to the air pressure generating device 1 in which the motor and the air cylinder are installed via a hose 4. The milk bottle 3 for containing the mother's milk is connected to the suction pipe 2.

Meanwhile, a pressure controller for adjusting degree of the air pressure from the air pressure generating devicel to the suction pipe 2 has an adjusting bolt 6 which is fastened to a passage of air connected to the suction pipe 2 through the hose 4. The adjusting bolt 6 has a partially cut V-shaped inclined cross-section 7. According to the construction, the adjusting bolt 6 is released when the pressure onto the mother's breast is too high. The more the V-shaped cross-section 7 exposed to exterior is increased, the more a hole formed by the cross-section 7 is expanded. The more the hole is expanded, the more the amount of the air discharged to the exterior through the hole is increased and the less the pressure transmitted to the suction section is decreased. On the contrary, if the pressure against the breast is too low, the adjusting bolt 6 is fastened. Then, the less the V-shaped cross-section 7 exposed to the exterior is decreased, the less the hole formed by the cross-section 7 is reduced. The less the hole is reduced, the less, the less the amount of the air discharged through the hole is decreased and the more the pressure is transmitted to the suction section is increased. At that time, the conventional adjusting bolt 6 is directly fastened to the air passage

5 and undergone the air pressure. Due to this, it is required excessive force when to fasten or release the bolt. Particularly, in a case of releasing the bolt 6, since there is no structure for restricting degree of release of the adjusting bolt 6 from the air passage 5, the adjusting bolt 6 is excessively released so that there are frequently happened the event that the adjusting bolt 6 is excessively released, and, in the event, is fully released from the air passage 5.

The major one of the function of the milking device is to adjust -the suction force and the discharging force. Namely, the suction force of the milking device should be adjustable according to the choice of the user, and the discharging force thereof should generate a low pressure relative to the suction force so that it can be prevented from being pushed back by force.

Particularly, the air pressure generating device including an air cylinder simply comprised of a cylinder and a piston supplies the discharging force to the breast excessively and directly. Described in more detail, the air pressure generating device including the single- acting air cylinder performs repeatedly a suction stroke for milking the breast by which the piston goes away from the suction device and a discharging stroke for discharging air within the cylinder by which the piston returns to the original position. In general, a pressure controller adjusts the suction force, and rare pressure controller can adjust the discharging force.

DISCLOSURE OFINVENTON

Therefore, the present invention is made to solve such the problems, it is an object of the invention to provide a pressure controller capable of indirectly and precisely adjusting air pressure so that it is convenient to use.

It is other object of the present is to provide a pressure controller capable of adjusting suction force and discharging force.

It is another object of the present invention is to provide a milking device capable of indirectly adjusting air pressure, adjusting suction force and discharging force, and having a simple structure.

The above object of the present invention is achieved by providing a pressure controller including an air pressure connecting pipe, an air inlet pipe, a flow rate adjusting vale, an air discharging pipe, and a check vale. The air pressure connecting pipe connects an air passage for connecting the air pressure generating device to a suction device with the pressure controller, the pressure controller adjusts the suction force generated from the suction device by indirectly controlling transmission of the air pressure generating by the air pressure generating device through the air pressure connecting pipe. The air pressure connecting pipe communicates with the air inlet pipe and the air discharging pipe. The air inlet pipe, which is connected with an external air source, lowers the suction force of the suction device by which the air introduces through the air inlet pipe from the external air source during the suction stroke. The air inlet pipe is provided with the flow rate adjusting valve for varying opening rate of the air inlet pipe so as to adjust the degree of a drop of the suction force.

The air discharging pipe communicates the air pressure connecting pipe with the exterior, of which one side is positioned between the air pressure connecting pipe and the flow rate adjusting valve so as to communicate the air inlet pipe. The air discharging is installed with the check vale that makes the air flow in one direction, namely, makes the air flow from the air inlet pipe to the exterior, and prevents the air from flowing into the pressure controller from the exterior. Thus, the check valve prohibits the air from introducing through the discharging pipe from the exterior to the inside of the pressure controller during the suction stroke of the air cylinder, and is open by internal pressure of the pressure controller during the discharging stroke of the air cylinder so as to discharge the air through the discharging pipe. Since the air is discharged through the discharging pipe during the discharging stroke, the discharging force generated from the suction device is dropped additionally and a discharging force lower than the suction force is generated.

The other object of the present invention is achieved by providing a milking device including an air pressure generating member, a suction device for sucking an object, an air conveying pipe for connecting the air pressure generating member with the suction device and transmitting suction force, an air pressure connecting pipe connected to the air conveying pipe, an air inlet pipe for connecting the air pressure connecting pipe with an external air source, an air flow rate adjusting valve installed at the air inlet pipe, an air discharging pipe connected to the air pressure connecting pipe, and a check valve installed at the air discharging pipe.

The air pressure connecting pipe, the air inlet pipe, the air flow rate adjusting valve, the air discharging pipe, and the check valve construct a pressure controller that adjusts the suction force transmitted through the air conveying pipe and remarkably reduces a discharging force so as to provide the convenience during the operation of the milking device to a user.

Since the pressure controller can provide both the suction force and the discharging , the air pressure generating member can perform the function of the pressure controller sufficiently even though including a single-acting air cylinder, and since the air cylinder can be simply constructed so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRD7TION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional electric type milking device;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of a pressure controlling section; FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating a suction phase of a pressure controller according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a discharging phase of the pressure controller in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a fully closed state of an air flow rate vale in order to illustrate the air flow rate adjusting function of the pressure controller in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view a fully open state of an air flow rate vale in order to illustrate the air flow rate adjusting function of the pressure controller in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a milking device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the milking device in FIG. 7.

BESTMODEFORCARRYINGOUTTHEINVENTION

Although, hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention cannot be limit or restricted by these embodiments.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show sectional views illustrating a pressure controller according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 illustrates an air stream during a suction stroke of an air pressure generating member, and FIG. 4 illustrates an air stream during a discharging stroke of the air pressure generating member. By referring FIGS. 3 and 4, the pressure controller 100 includes an air pressure connecting pipe 120, an air inlet pipe 130, an air flow rate adjusting valve 140, an air discharging pipe 150, and a check^' valve 160, wherein these components are installed inside a body 110.

An air conveying pipe 105 connects a suction device with an air pressure generating device (not shown). If the air pressure generating device is installed in the milking device, an upper end of the air conveying pipe, in the view of drawing, is connected to the suction device for sucking mother's milk from mother's breast, and a lower end thereof is connected to the air pressure generating device. The air pressure generating device includes a single- acting air cylinder having a cylinder and a piston, and provides suction force and discharging force to the suction device in response to the suction stroke and the discharging stroke of the piston. The air pressure connecting pipe 120 connects the air conveying pipe 105 with interior of the pressure controller 100 so as to transmit the suction force and the discharging force from the air pressure generating device to the pressure controller 100 and to affect the effect of pressure adjustment by the pressure controller 100 to the air conveying pipe 105. The pressure controller 100 is not directly installed at the air conveying pipe 105 to directly control an air flow rate and transmission of air pressure, but is indirectly installed by the air pressure connecting pipe 120 branched from the air conveying pipe 105 so as to indirectly control the air flow rate and the air pressure transmission.

The air pressure connecting pipe 120 communicates with the air inlet pipe 130 that connects the air pressure connection pipe 120 with an external air source (not shown). The external air source may be an environment air around the pressure controller or may be a separated device such as an air containing tank installed at the pressure controller.

The air inlet pipe 130 is installed with the air flow rate adjusting valve 140 for varying the open degree of the air inlet pipe 130. The air flow rate adjusting valve 140 includes an air flow rate adjusting vale body 142 and a valve spool 144.

The valve spool 144 adjusts the open degree of the air inlet pipe 130 while partially penetrates and moves inside the air flow rate adjusting valve body 142. The valve spool 144 has a cylindrical shape and is formed with a male screw at an outer circumferential surface thereof, and a hole corresponding to the air flow rate adjusting valve body 142 is formed with a female screw. The valve spool 144 moves in forward and rearward directions in the air flow rate adjusting valve 140 while being rotated, and the open degree of the air inlet pipe 130 varies according to the distance that the vale spool 144 moves. In this embodiment, although the distance of the valve spool 144 relative to the valve body 142 is adjusted by using a screw, it is possible to adjust the distance of the valve spool 144 by means of face friction without the screw or other way of moving the valve spool 144.

The valve spool 144 has a tapered end portion, and the air flow rate adjusting valve body 142 is formed with a recess 146 corresponding to the tapered end portion of the valve spool 144. The tapered end portion of the valve spool 144 is inserted into the recess 146 so that the air flow can be effectively blocked and controlled. Moreover, other end portion of the valve spool 144 is connected to a pressure adjusting knob (not shown), and the rotation of the knob or an input signal is transmitted to the valve spool 144 so that the distance of the valve spool 144 is determined. The air pressure connecting pipe 120 is connected with the air discharging pipe 150 which connects the air pressure connecting pipe 120 with the exterior. The air discharging pipe 150 is installed with a ball check valve 160 so that passes only the air flow from the air pressure connecting pipe 120 and blocks a reverse air flow. The ball check valve 160 includes a ball for blocking an inlet of the air discharging pipe 150, a spring for biasing the ball against the inlet of the air discharging pipe 150, and a check valve body for receiving the ball and the spring and supporting the spring against the ball.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the air inlet pipe 130, the air flow rate adjusting valve body 142, the air discharging pipe 150, and the check valve 160 can be integrated in one body 110.

Hereinafter, the function of the pressure controller 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

At the suction stroke of the piston of the air pressure generating device, the suction force is generated in the suction device. At that time, the air can be introduced into the air conveying pipe 105 through the air inlet pipe 130, the air flow rate adjusting valve 140, and the air pressure connecting pipe 120 from the external air source, and the suction force generated in the suction device can be adjusted in response to the amount of the introduced air from the external air source. The air flow from the exterior to inside the pressure controller is blocked by the ball check valve 160, and the air is not introduced through the air discharging pip 150 during the suction stroke of the piston.

Meanwhile, the discharging force is generated inside the suction device during the discharging stroke of the piston of the air pressure generating device. During the discharging stroke, the air flows in the reverse direction and is introduced into the pressure controller 100 through the air pressure connecting pipe 120. The introduced air is discharged to the exterior through the air inlet pipe 130 or the air discharging pipe 150. At that time, the ball check valve 160 is open. If the suction device is closed, the suction device has a large resistance relative to the pressure controller 100, so that almost the air can be discharged through the pressure controller 100 having a relatively low resistance. Thus, there is generated a very lower discharging force in the suction device. FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views illustrating the air flow rate adjusting function of the pressure controller, FIG. 5 shows a fully closed state of the air flow rate adjusting valve 140, and FIG. 6 shows a fully open state of the air flow rate adjusting valve 140. Referring FIGS. 5 and 6, the valve spool 144 lowers and adheres closely to the recess 146 so as to blocks the air inlet pipe 130, and the highest suction force in the suction device is generated during the suction stroke of the piston. On the contrary, the valve spool

144 raises and the air inlet pipe 130 is fully open, then the lowest suction force in the suction device is generated during the suction stroke of the piston.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a milking device according to other embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the milking device in FIG. 7. In the description for this embodiment, the description for the pressure controller in the previous embodiment can be referred, and also the description for the same element will be omitted.

Referring FIGS. 7 and 8, a milking device 200 includes an air pressure generating member, a suction device 220, an air conveying pipe 205, and the pressure controller 100.

The pressure controller 100 includes the air pressure connecting pipe 120, the air inlet pipe

130, the air flow rate adjusting valve 140, the air discharging pipe 150, and the check valve 160 that are installed in the body 110 (See FIG. 3).

The air pressure generating member includes an air pressure generating section 240 and a driving section 250. The air pressure generating section 240 is a single-acting air cylinder comprised of an air cylinder 242 and a piston 244 so that provides the suction force and the discharging force to the suction device 220 by means of the reciprocal movement of the piston 244. The driving section 250 includes a motor 252, a reducer 254, and a crank 256. Driving power generated from the motor 252 makes the crank 256 to rotate through the reducer 254, and the rotation of the crank 256 drives the piston to move reciprocally.

A case 210 of the milking device 200 is installed with a period adjusting knob 230 and a pressure adjusting knob 235. The period adjusting knob 230 is for controlling a reciprocal period of the piston 244 and can reduce the rotation speed and the reduce ratio of the reducer 254, and the pressure adjusting knob 235 is for controlling the suction force of the suction device 220 and can adjust the moving distance of the valve spool 144. An adjusting amount of the knobs 230 and 235 is transmitted to the driving section 250 or the pressure controller 100 through a controlling member 260. It is preferred that the full opening and closure of the air inlet pipe 130 and the adjustment of the period of the piston are performed within one rotation of the knobs 230 and 235.

The suction device 220 includes a suction plate 222, a connecting section 224, and an accumulating vessel 226. The suction plate 220 adheres to the mother's breast, and the milked mother's milk is accumulated in the accumulating vessel 226. The suction plate 220 and the accumulating vessel 226 communicate with each other, and the connecting section 224 is installed there between. The air conveying pipe 205 is connected to the connecting section 224 so that the suction force from the air pressure generating member is generated in the suction plate 220 and the accumulating vessel 226 through the connecting section 224.

Since the air pressure generating section 240 according to this embodiment is a single-acting air cylinder and has a simple structure, the manufacturing and maintenance thereof is very convenient and the manufacturing cost is low so that it is advantageous that the price can be reduced. Moreover, the function of adjusting the discharging force is provided not to the air pressure generating section 240 but to the pressure controller 100 so that the function of the milking device can be embodied simply and low in price.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the pressure controller includes the function of adjusting the suction and discharging force, it is convenient to adjust the pressure between the air pressure generating device and the suction device. Since an air pressure generating device with a simple structure is adopted or the structure of the air pressure generating device can be designed simply, so that the pressure controller is conveniently manufactured and has an economic advantage.

Moreover, since the pressure controller is indirectly connected to the air conveying pipe through a branch passage called the air pressure connecting pipe, the pressure can be more easily adjusted.

In addition, since the milking device includes the pressure controller capable of adjusting the suction force and the discharging force, an air cylinder and a piston of simple structures can be utilized, and this structure of the milking device can be manufactured and assembled easily as well as the manufacturing cost and the assembling cost can be reduced remarkably.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and sprit of the invention, scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A pressure controller comprising: an air pressure connecting pipe connected to an air passage for connecting an air pressure generating device with a suction device for sucking an object by using air pressure generated from the air pressure generating device; an air inlet pipe for connecting the air pressure connecting pipe with an external air source; an air flow rate adjusting valve, installed to the air inlet pipe, for controlling the air pressure generated from the suction device by adjusting an open degree of the air inlet pipe; an air discharging pipe connected with the air pressure connecting pipe; and a check valve, installed to the air discharging pipe, for passing only an air flow from the air pressure connecting pipe.

2. The pressure controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air flow rate adjusting valve comprises : an air flow rate adjusting valve body installed to the air inlet pipe; and a valve spool, movably installed in the air flow rate adjusting valve body, for adjusting the open degree of the air inlet pipe.

3. The pressure controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the valve spool is formed with a partial male screw at an outer circumferential surface thereof and the air flow rate adjusting valve body is formed with a female screw corresponding to the male screw, so that the valve spool adjusts the open degree of the air inlet pipe.

4. The pressure controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the valve spool has a tapered end portion, and the air flow rate adjusting valve body has a recess corresponding to the tapered end portion of the valve spool.

5. The pressure controller as claimed in claim 2, wherein the air inlet pipe, the air flow rate adjusting valve body, the air discharging pipe, and the check valve are integrated in one body.

6. The pressure controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the check vale comprises a ball check valve.

7. A milking device comprising: an air pressure generating means; a suction device for sucking an object by using air pressure generated from the air pressure generating means; an air conveying pipe for connecting the air pressure generating means with the suction device; an air pressure connecting pipe connected to the air conveying pipe; an air inlet pipe for connecting the air pressure connecting pipe with an external air source; an air flow rate adjusting valve, installed to the air inlet pipe, for controller the air pressure generated from the suction device by adjusting an open degree of the air inlet pipe; an air discharging valve connecting the air pressure connecting pipe; and a check valve, installed to the air inlet pipe, for passing only an air flow from the air pressure connecting pipe.

8. The milking device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the air pressure generating means comprises a single-acting air cylinder including a cylinder and piston.

9. The milking device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the suction device comprises: a suction plate adhered to mother's breast; an accumulating vessel, communicated with the suction plate, for accumulating the object; and a connection section, installed between the suction plate and the accumulating vessel and connected with the air pressure connecting pipe, for providing the air pressure to the suction plate.

10. The milking device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the air flow rate adjusting valve comprise: an air flow rate adjusting valve body installed to the air inlet pipe; and a valve spool, movably installed in the air flow rate adjusting valve body, for adjusting the open degree of the air inlet pipe.

11. The milking device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the valve spool is formed with a partial male screw at an outer circumferential surface and the air flow rate adjusting valve body is formed with a female screw corresponding to the male screw, so that the valve spool adjusts the open degree of the air inlet pipe.

12. The milking device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the air inlet pipe, the air flow rate adjusting valve body, the air discharging pipe, and the check valve are integrated in one body.

13. The milking device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the check vale comprises a ball check valve.