US4075355A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for regulating the fat content of milk
Assignee: Ott Gebr AG
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Filing: 1976-06-25
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Granted: 1978-02-21
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Expires: 1996-06-25
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for regulating the fat content of milk, including that of cream, by separating whole milk into skim milk and cream, mixing part of the cream with the skim milk, determining the respective densities of the skim milk and of the mixture, and controlling the mixture ratio as a function of the difference between these densities by means of an electronic control unit connected to a dosing pump. The fat content of cream may also be regulated by using a pressure control valve, and the fat content of milk intended for cheese production may be regulated in proportion to the nonfat solids content.
Inventors
- 👤 Tibor Pato
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 12:45
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/02; G01N33/04; G01N33/06; A; A01; A01J; A01J11/00; A01J11/10; A23; A23C; A23C9/00; A23C9/15; A23C9/1508; G05; G05D; G05D11/00; G05D11/02; G05D11/13; G05D11/135; G05D11/137
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
A method of producing standardized milk with a given fat content from whole milk, said method comprising the steps of: separating said whole milk into skim milk and cream; passing said skim milk along a path without substantial temperature change; measuring at an upstream measuring location in said path the density of said skim milk and producing a skim-milk output corresponding to the measured density; introducing into said path at a mixing location downstream of said measuring location and mixing with said skim milk a variable portion of said cream; measuring at a downstream measuring location downstream of said mixing location in said path the density of the mixture of said skim milk and said variable portion of said cream and producing a mixture output corresponding to the measured density of said mixture, whereby the variation between said mixture and skim-milk outputs is substantially only indicative of the fat content of said mixture; and comparing said outputs and varying the size of said variable portion in dependence on the variation between said outputs so as to impart to said mixture said given fat content.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
184 words
A method of producing standardized milk with a given fat content from whole milk, said method comprising the steps of: separating said whole milk into skim milk and cream; passing said skim milk along a path without substantial temperature change; measuring at an upstream measuring location in said path the density of said skim milk and producing a skim-milk output corresponding to the measured density; introducing into said path at a mixing location downstream of said measuring location and mixing with said skim milk a variable portion of said cream; measuring at a downstream measuring location downstream of said mixing location in said path the density of the mixture of said skim milk and said variable portion of said cream and producing a mixture output corresponding to the measured density of said mixture, whereby the variation between said mixture and skim-milk outputs is substantially only indicative of the fat content of said mixture; and comparing said outputs and varying the size of said variable portion in dependence on the variation between said outputs so as to impart to said mixture said given fat content.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method defined in claim 1, wherein said variable portion is at substantially the same temperature as said skim milk in said path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method defined in claim 2, wherein said outputs are electrical signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method defined in claim 3, wherein said electrical signals have frequencies corresponding to the respective densities.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method defined in claim 2, wherein said skim milk takes a predetermined time to travel in said path from said upstream to said downstream measuring location, said method further comprising the step of delaying said skim-milk output for substantially said predetermined time before comparing same with said mixture output.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method defined in claim 2; further comprising the steps of passing said cream after separation from said whole milk along a cream path separate from the skim-milk path and withdrawing said variable portion from said cream path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method defined in claim 6; further comprising the step of maintaining both of said paths under substantially constant pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined in claim 6; further comprising the step of maintaining both of said paths under substantially the same constant pressure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
119 words
The method defined in claim 6; further comprising the steps of: measuring in said cream path at a location downstream from the place at which said portion is withdrawn the density of said cream and producing a cream output corresponding to the measure density of said cream; introducing into said cream path at a mixing location downstream of the measuring location in said cream path a variable portion of said mixture and mixing same with said cream; and comparing said cream output and said mixture output and varying the size of said variable portion of said mixture in dependence on the variation between said cream and mixture outputs so as to impart to said cream a given fat content.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
278 words
A method of producing standardized milk from whole milk, said method comprising the steps of: separating said whole milk into skim milk and cream; passing said skim milk and said cream along respective skim-milk and cream paths without substantial temperature change; maintaining a body of substantially pure water at a temperature substantially equal to the temperature in said paths; rendering the fat content of said cream in said cream path substantially uniform; mesuring at an upstream measuring location in said skim-milk path the density of said skim milk and producing a skim-milk output corresponding to the measured density; measuring the density of said body of water at said temperature and producing a water output corresponding to the measured density of said body; comparing said water output and said skim-milk output and generating a difference signal corresponding to the percentage of nonfat solids in said skim milk in said skim-milk path; introducing into said skim-milk path at a mixing location therein downstream of said measuring location a variable portion of said cream from said cream path and mixing said skim milk with said variable portion; measuring at a downstream measuring location downstream of said mixing location the density of the mixture of said skim milk with said variable portion and producing a mixture output corresponding to the measured density of said mixture; comparing said mixture output and said skim-milk output and generating a difference signal corresponding to the fat content of said mixture; and comparing said signals and varying the size of said variable portion in dependence on the ratio therebetween so as to impart to said mixture a predetermined ratio between fat content and content of nonfat solids.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
278 words
A method of producing standardized milk from whole milk, said method comprising the steps of: separating said whole milk into skim milk and cream; passing said skim milk and said cream along respective skim-milk and cream paths without substantial temperature change; maintaining a body of substantially pure water at a temperature substantially equal to the temperature in said paths; rendering the fat content of said cream in said cream path substantially uniform; mesuring at an upstream measuring location in said skim-milk path the density of said skim milk and producing a skim-milk output corresponding to the measured density; measuring the density of said body of water at said temperature and producing a water output corresponding to the measured density of said body; comparing said water output and said skim-milk output and generating a difference signal corresponding to the percentage of nonfat solids in said skim milk in said skim-milk path; introducing into said skim-milk path at a mixing location therein downstream of said measuring location a variable portion of said cream from said cream path and mixing said skim milk with said variable portion; measuring at a downstream measuring location downstream of said mixing location the density of the mixture of said skim milk with said variable portion and producing a mixture output corresponding to the measured density of said mixture; comparing said mixture output and said skim-milk output and generating a difference signal corresponding to the fat content of said mixture; and comparing said signals and varying the size of said variable portion in dependence on the ratio therebetween so as to impart to said mixture a predetermined ratio between fat content and content of nonfat solids.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method defined in claim 10, wherein said body of water is maintained at the same temperature as the temperature in said paths by heat exchange with the liquid in at least one of the paths.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method defined in claim 11, wherein said heat exchange is indirectly effected between said skim milk and said water.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method defined in claim 10; further comprising the step of maintaining the pressure in said skim-milk path substantially constant.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method defined in claim 10, wherein the fat content of said cream is rendered substantially uniform by varying the pressure in said cream path in dependence on the density of said cream in said path and said skim-milk output.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-02-20 | 1981-08-22 | 1982-02-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-02-20 | 1985-08-22 | 1986-02-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-02-20 | 1989-08-22 | 1990-02-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |