EP2113606B1 - Method and device for sorting, separating and/or transferring laundry items - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves determining a sorting criterion e.g. color and/or structure, on items of linen hanging from a transportation device (11) by image recognition. The image recognition is carried out in a darkened region along the transportation device during continuous onward transportation of the respective item of linen. The items of linen are individually transferred to a distributor conveyor (57) via an intermediate conveyor (56) after determining the criterion. The items of linen are moved away from the distributor conveyor by compressed air. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a method for singling out items of linen (2) a method for transferring an individual item of linen to a conveyor (3) a device for singling out items of linen, comprising a sensor (4) a device for transferring an item of linen to a subsequent conveyor, comprising a gripper (5) a device for sorting items of linen to be washed, comprising a transportation device.

Description

The invention relates to a method for sorting items to be washed according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to a device for sorting items of laundry according to the preamble of claim 6.

The washing of laundry is preceded by several treatments. The laundry, for example, in laundry bags delivered dirty laundry is in a heap usually different laundry items. It can be a mess of white linen and colorful linen, especially a mix of clothing and flat linen. The laundry items must first be individually removed from the laundry pile before they can be sorted according to different sorting criteria in order to then be able to wash them in the requirements of the way.

The separation and sorting of the laundry is done so far partly automated, partly manually. The manual activities are partly also because the laundry must be handed over several times to different facilities for the mechanization of separation and sorting.

From the US 4,036,365 A It is known that objects to be sorted are subjected to a material which generates secondary radiation after irradiation with X-radiation, gamma radiation or the like. By detecting this secondary or fluorescent radiation by means of appropriate detector systems, an object can be registered and sorted accordingly. From the WO 01/86267 A It is known that articles made of a polymer are moved by a transport system and be sorted. The sorting is done by illuminating the objects and analyzing the reflected radiation by an optical spectroscopy method. This allows the type of polymer to be determined and the item to be sorted accordingly. From the US 5,966,205 A It is known that by means of optical methods, color and optical properties of objects can be determined

Based on the above, the present invention seeks to provide a method and an apparatus, with which laundry items to be washed (dirty laundry) can be automatically prepared for the laundry.

A method for achieving this object comprises the measures of claim 1. According to this, it is provided that, when sorting dirty laundry, the color or structure representing a sorting criterion, if appropriate also the color and structure, of the respective item of laundry can be determined by image recognition. The image recognition scans contactlessly a part of the respective laundry article, which is sufficient to make statements about the color or structure of the laundry article. The structure, in particular of the surface of the item of laundry, makes it possible to draw conclusions about the type of fabric so that the respective item of laundry can be sorted according to the treatment required for the type of fabric, in particular laundry. Similarly, based on the color, for example, the laundry can be sorted by coloreds and white laundry, which also requires different washing treatments.

Furthermore, it is procedurally provided to perform the image recognition in a darkened area. As a result, scattered light influencing is avoided in the area of the image recognition, whereby the reliability and quality of the determination of the respective structure and / or color of the laundry item subjected to the image recognition is ensured.

According to a particular embodiment of the method, it is provided to transfer the items of laundry after determining their at least one sorting criterion, preferably via a transfer conveyor to a distribution conveyor. Preferably, the laundry items are dropped from the conveyor system on the transfer conveyor, which deposits them one by one, each individually, on the distribution conveyor. It is thus possible for each individual piece of laundry to be supplied in a targeted manner to the respective individual treatment according to the determined sorting criterion by the distributor conveyor or to be converted into a respectively suitable store for items of laundry with sorting criteria which permit the same treatment. In particular, compressed air is used for this purpose. So that can easy and quick sorting of the laundry items done by the distribution conveyor from the relevant piece of laundry is blown off at the appropriate location from the distribution conveyor so to speak.

Furthermore, according to the method it is provided that each individual item of laundry is transferred with a corner to a transporting clamp of the transporting device. Preferably, at least one sorting criterion of the item of laundry is determined in the state of the item of laundry hanging on the transporting clip. Subsequently, if appropriate, the respective individual item of laundry is deposited on a distributor conveyor and transported away from the distributor conveyor pneumatically at a location corresponding to the ascertained sorting criterion. This embodiment allows for a chain of pretreatments of the laundry items, all of which take place automatically, ie without manual intermediate steps.

It is preferably provided that the respective item of laundry is checked according to several sorting criteria along the conveying path of the transport device, in particular according to the structure and / or color of the respective item of laundry. The color is important for sorting according to coloreds and whites, while the structure allows conclusions about the type of fabric of the respective laundry. It can be sorted the laundry items sorted the required post-treatment can be supplied. In this case, it is also possible to differentiate within a sorting criterion, for example by coloreds also being sorted according to specific types of fabric. The sorting then takes place after a specific combination of several sorting criteria.

The claim 6 relates to a device for solving the above object. This device is designed in such a way that a transport device forming the following conveyor has at least one image capture device, with which at least one sorting criterion of the laundry articles can be determined. By the image capture device having at least one digital camera, but also complex sorting criteria can be reliably detect, for example, the color of the laundry items and / or the surface structure thereof, which conclusions about the type of tissue are possible.

Fig. 1

eine Draufsicht auf die erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung,

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht eines Teils der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung, nämlich im Bereich der Vereinzelung der Wäschestück und Übergabe vereinzelter Wäschestücke an eine Transporteinrichtung, und

Fig. 3

eine vergrößerte Einzelheit III aus der Fig. 2.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. In this show:

Fig. 1

a top view of the device according to the invention,

Fig. 2

a side view of a portion of the device according to the invention, namely in the field of separation of the laundry item and transfer of individual items of laundry to a transport device, and

Fig. 3

an enlarged detail III from the Fig. 2 ,

The device shown here is used for automatic separation and sorting of laundry items to be washed. The laundry items are not shown in the figures.

The device has a separating device 10, a subsequent transport device 11 and a sorting station 12 arranged downstream of the transport device 11. In the Fig. 1 is the singulator 10 only symbolically represented (by a dot-dashed rectangle). Detailed show the Fig. 2 and 3 the separating device 10. The separating device 10, the transport device 11 and the sorting station 12 are designed and linked with each other so that a fully automatic preparation, in particular sorting, of the laundry items to be washed, namely dirty laundry, takes place for the subsequent washing process.

The separating device 10 has a frame 13 with a hopper 14 for receiving a laundry pile. The oblique side walls having, in particular pyramidal or conical shaped, funnel 14 may at its narrowing lower end a in the Fig. 3 shown catcher bag 15 for falling out of the laundry items, such as disposable syringes from medical gowns have.

Above the hopper 14 a along a vertical trajectory 18 up and down movable gripper 16 is arranged. The gripper 16 is located at the lower end of a fixedly mounted on the top of the frame 13 of the singulator 10 lifting member, which may be, for example, a pneumatic cylinder 17. Other linear drives, such as spindle drives or pulleys, are conceivable. The gripper 16 is associated with a sensor, which may be, for example, a proximity sensor, not shown in the figures. The sensor is moved up and down together with the gripper 16 by the pneumatic cylinder 17. With the proximity sensor, the immersion depth of the open gripper 16 in the laundry heap in the hopper 14 is determined. The sensor is associated with a controller which interrupts the downward movement of the gripper 16 in the laundry pile in the hopper 14, as soon as the proximity switch has detected a predetermined depth of immersion of the open gripper 16 in the laundry pile. The control also activates this at a certain immersion depth Successful closing of the gripper 16 and the subsequent lifting of the gripper 16 with a piece of laundry taken by this.

On one side next to the vertical trajectory 18 of the gripper 16, a belt conveyor 19 is arranged. The belt conveyor 19 is based on the illustration in the Fig. 2 at a slight distance to the left of the path of movement 18, specifically below the maximum raised gripper 16. The belt conveyor 19 extends substantially horizontally. In the exemplary embodiment shown, an upper strand 20 of the belt conveyor 19 rises slightly in the conveying direction, namely in the direction of the transport device 11. The length of the belt conveyor 19 is dimensioned such that it ends next to the frame 13 of the sorting station 12. A (seen in the conveying direction) rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19, which points to the subsequent transport device 11, thus located outside the range of the sorting station 12th

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the front end 22 of the belt conveyor 19 facing the movement path 18 is assigned a pressure means 23. This is according to the representation of the Fig. 2 around a non-driven, freely rotatable pressure roller, which extends over at least part of the width of the belt conveyor 19, preferably the same width. The pinch roller is seen as seen in the conveying direction just behind a driven pulley at the front end 22 of the belt conveyor 19. The pressure roller of the pressure means 23 can be pressed against the upper run 20 of the belt conveyor 19 with a predetermined force, for example spring-loaded.

In the region of the rear end 21, the belt conveyor 19 is associated with a preferably non-contact detection means. The detection means not shown in the figures determines the rear end, preferably a rear corner, of the laundry article passing by the detection means in the area of the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19.

The area of the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19 is assigned a fixing device 24 at a distance above the upper strand 20 thereof. In the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 19, the fixing member 24 is behind the detection means for the trailing end of the laundry article. In the illustrated embodiment, the fixing member 24 on a clamping plate 25 which is movable by a fixedly mounted on the frame 13 linear drive, such as a pneumatic cylinder on a perpendicular to the upper strand 20 trajectory against the upper run 20 of the belt conveyor 19 for temporary Clamping a rear end, in particular a rear corner, of the laundry item on the belt conveyor 19th

The rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19 is further assigned a sword-like transfer means 26. The transfer means 26 is mounted under the belt conveyor 19. The transfer means 26 is formed from a flat, plate-like tongue 27, which is fastened with its side facing the front end 22 of the belt conveyor 19 to a linear drive, in particular a pneumatic cylinder 28. From the pneumatic cylinder 28, the tongue 27 on a parallel under the upper strand 20 of the belt conveyor 19 extending path of movement 29 toward the transport device 11 and away from this wegbewegbar. When the tongue 27 is moved back completely by the transport device 11, a free end 30 thereof is located below the foremost point of the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19.

On the opposite side of the belt conveyor 19, in addition to the vertical trajectory 18 of the gripper 16, a feed means 31 is provided, which serves to transfer the suspended from the gripper 16, individual items of laundry to the belt conveyor 19. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the feed means 31 is formed by a blowing nozzle 32. However, it is also possible to use a plurality of blowing nozzles 32, in particular a row of juxtaposed blowing nozzles 32, for forming the pneumatic feeding means 31. Alternatively, the supply means 31 may also be formed by mechanical slides or the like. The at least one tuyere 32 is fixed to the frame 13, with a blowing direction on the upper run 20 at the front end 22 of the belt conveyor 19. In the illustrated embodiment, in which over the front end 22 of the belt conveyor 19, the roller having a pressure means 23 itself is located, the blowing jet of at least one tuyere 32 is directed into a gap between the pressure roller of the pressure means 23 and the driven deflection drum at the front end 22 of the belt conveyor 19.

Under the laterally adjacent to the frame 13 rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19 and the transfer means 26 under the belt conveyor 19, a return conveyor 33 is fixedly arranged laterally next to the frame 13. In the illustrated embodiment, the return conveyor 33 is formed as a belt conveyor with slightly inclined to the frame 13 towards increasing upper run 34. The circulating conveyor belt of the return conveyor 33 is driven so that the upper run 34 a falling upon transfer from the belt conveyor 19 to the subsequent transport device 11 laundry bag and transported it back into the hopper 14 of the singulator 10. For this purpose ends a rear end 35 of the return conveyor facing the funnel 14, in the region of an edge of the funnel 14, preferably projects slightly beyond the edge of the funnel 14 towards the center thereof.

The transport device 11 has a circumferential, endless conveyor track, which is formed from interconnected rail sections. The rail sections form a peripheral conveyor rail 36, in which a plurality of carriages 37 are movable. Each carriage 37 carries a transport clamp 38 into which an edge region of a laundry item, in particular a corner region of a laundry item, can be clamped. The transport brackets 38 are transported by the carriage 37 along the conveyor rail 36, and in part driven and partly undriven. In descents of the transport device 11, the carriages 37 are movable with or without hanging laundry items without drive. Along other sections of the conveyor rail 36, in particular along horizontal or rising sections, there is a drive of the carriage 37 with the underlying transport clamps 38 by, for example, a circumferentially driven transport chain. In the illustrated embodiment, only selected sections of the conveyor rail 36 peripheral drives 39, 40, 41 are assigned. Each drive 39, 40, 41 has a circulating conveyor chain, which is moved by, for example, an electric motor. The conveyor chain has at regular intervals on drivers, such as transport pawls 50, which come into contact with each carriage 37 or the attached transport clamp 38 and thereby move the carriage 37 with the transport clamp 38 disposed thereon in the transport direction 42 along the conveyor rail 36. The distance of the carrier of the conveyor chain of the drives 39, 40 and 41 simultaneously determines the distance with which the carriage 37 with the transport brackets 38 along the conveyor rail 36 are moved.

The transport device 11 has a in the Fig. 2 In the area of this loading station 43, the conveyor rail 36 has a U-shaped course with two parallel, vertical sections, one of the singulator 10 facing down conveyor section 44 and an underlying upward conveying section 45. At the lower end of the loading station 43 are the downward conveying section 44 and the upward conveying section 45 are connected by a semicircular arc section 46. By the drive 39, the carriage 37, each with a transport clamp 38 spaced from each other transported by the loading station 43. A lower end region of the downward conveying portion 44 of the loading station 43 is located at a small distance in front of the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19 of the singulator 10. As a result, in each case a single transport clamp 38 can be positioned at a loading point 47 in front of the loading end 43 facing the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19. The transport brackets 38 are arranged on the respective carriage 37, that at the loading point 47, the open side of a clamp mouth 48 of the respective transport bracket 38 to the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19, in such a way that the movement path 29 of the tongue 27 of the transfer means 26 in the clamp mouth 48 of the respective held at the loading point 47 transport clamp 38 is directed.

The subsequent to the loading station 43 section of the transport device 11 may have any gradients. It can also be provided branches to form a plurality of memory links. The part of the transport device 11 adjoining the loading station 43 can run horizontally in one plane, but also in changing planes with ascending and descending paths. In the Fig. 1 only a schematic course of the conveying path of the transport device 11 is shown, namely an elongated oval. However, the inventions are not limited thereto. The oval of the conveyor line has an elongated, in plan view straight section in which the loading station 43 is located. A parallel, straight portion is provided with the drives 40 and 41, which are separated from each other, wherein the drive 41 extends over a majority of the length of the conveyor rail 36 of the associated track section.

Along the straight portion of the conveyor rail 36 of the transport device 11, to which the drives 40 and 41 are associated, various means for determining the sorting criteria of the laundry extend. In the exemplary embodiment shown, these are devices for determining the weight, the size, the color and the structure of the laundry items. For each of the mentioned sorting criteria a separate device is provided, these devices in the transport direction 42 along the straight conveyor section immediately and / or closely follow one another. Between the drives 40 and 41 of the conveyor rail 36 is associated with a singler 49, which separates the carriage 37 with the transport brackets 38 and the laundry articles hanging down there, namely to a defined distance from each other. This is followed by the drive 41 with spaced-apart transport pawls 50, which transports the carriages 37 with the transporting clamps 38 and the items of laundry hanging thereon at always the same distance through the region of the determination of the sorting criteria. As seen in the transport direction 42, the separator 49 is followed by a weighing device 51, which has a short section of the conveyor rail 36, which is separated from the preceding and subsequent part of the conveyor rail 36. The short section of the conveyor rail 36 in the region of the weighing device 51 is attached to a balance with preferably at least one electronic weight sensor. This short section of the conveyor rail 36 in the region of the weighing device 51 is designed such that there is always only one carriage 37 with a transporting clamp 38 and a piece of laundry hanging thereon. Due to the known weight of the short section of the conveyor rail 36, the carriage 37 and the transport clamp 38, the weight of each hanging on the transport clamp 38 laundry item can be determined individually.

On the weighing device 51 follows in the transport direction 42, a length measuring device 52. This preferably has an elongated, vertical sensor rod, whereby the lower end, in particular a lower corner of the freely suspended by the transport clamp 38 laundry item is detected without contact. From the position of the sensor, which detects the lower corner of the laundry article, the length of the laundry article in the region of the length measuring device 42 can then be calculated.

A color measuring device 53 follows the length measuring device 52 as seen in the transport direction 42 and a structure measuring device 54 immediately thereafter. The color measuring device 53 and the structure measuring device 54 have imaging means in the form of digital cameras. The images captured by the digital cameras of the color measuring device 53 and the structure measuring device 54 are preferably evaluated separately from each other. This evaluation takes place in such a way that the images obtained during the image acquisition allow conclusions to be drawn about the color of the item of laundry in the color measuring device 53 and the structure of the item of laundry in the structure measuring device 54. As a result, it can be recognized whether the respective item of laundry is coloreds or white linen and what structure the respective items of laundry have, from which conclusions can be drawn about the material, in particular the fabric, of the respective item of laundry. It is conceivable to provide only one common digital camera for the color measuring device 53 and the structure measuring device 54. Then practically the color measuring device 53 and the structure measuring device 54 move together spatially. The jointly captured image is only evaluated or further processed separately according to the color and the structure of the respective item of laundry.

Both in the area of the color measuring device 53 and in the area of the structure measuring device 54 is a box-like cover or a tent-like curtain present, whereby the respective laundry is at least laterally and optionally surrounded from above. This creates a measuring space formed in the interior of the housing or the tent-like curtain, which seals off the at least one camera of the color measuring device 53 and the structure measuring device 54 from the ambient light or other external influences. This makes it possible, even without disturbing external influences, especially daylight, to record meaningful images of the particular item of laundry.

After the sorting criteria of each individual hanging down on the transport brackets 38 laundry items have been determined in the transport device 11, each individual piece of laundry is gradually released from the holding this transport clip 38 and dropped onto an intermediate conveyor 56 at an Abwurfstelle 55 behind the structure measuring device may be provided at the discharge point 55 at the location of the intermediate conveyor 56 and a chute. The intermediate conveyor 56 transports the discarded individual items of laundry transversely to the transport direction 42 of the transport device 11 to a distribution conveyor 57 arranged next to the transport device 11. The intermediate conveyor 57 optionally bridges a height difference between the discharge point 55 and the preferably horizontally extending distributor conveyor 57. The distribution conveyor is preferably located 57 on a comparison with the discharge point 55 lower level, so that at the discharge point 55 freely hanging on the transport bracket 38 laundry suspended on the intermediate conveyor 56 and can be placed by this on the top of the distribution conveyor 57.

The distributor conveyor 57 is preferably designed as a belt conveyor, on whose upper strand 58 preferably a plurality of successively spaced laundry items can be transported simultaneously in the sorting direction 59. The sorting direction 59 can - as in the Fig. 1 shown - parallel to the transport direction 42 of the laundry items on the straight portion of the conveyor rail 36, where the sorting criteria are determined run, but also anti-parallel or transverse thereto. The distribution conveyor 57 has a sufficient length to order on one side next to the same so many laundry storage or other discharge points can, as required for the sorting. In the exemplary embodiment shown, four preferably identical laundry stores 60, 61, 62, 63 are arranged on one side next to the distribution conveyor 57. The laundry stores 60 to 63 follow each other at the same distance in the sorting direction 59. The laundry stores 60, 61, 62 and 63 may be laundry carts, laundry bags or the like. But it is also conceivable, at the point of laundry storage 60 to 63 in addition to the distribution conveyor 57 to provide a conveyor system, from which the sorted laundry items of the respective subsequent treatment device, for example, different washing machines, are supplied. The laundry storage 60, 61, 62, 63 each take laundry for a similar treatment, in particular a same laundry on. These are items of laundry that meet the same sorting criteria. The invention is not limited to four laundry stores 60, 61, 62 and 63 adjacent to the distribution conveyor 57. If more than one sorting criterion is to be met, more than four laundry stores 60, 61, 62, 63 may be arranged next to the then correspondingly longer distribution conveyor 57. It is also conceivable, in addition to the distribution conveyor 57 less than four laundry storage 60, 61, 62 and 63 to be arranged.

On the laundry tanks 60, 61, 62 and 63 opposite longitudinal side of the distribution conveyor 57, a number of nozzles 64 is arranged. In each case at least one blowing nozzle 64 is opposite a laundry storage 60, 61, 62 and 63, in that a blast air jet emerging from the respective blowing nozzle 64 is directed centrally onto the respective laundry storage 60, 61, 62 and 63, respectively. In height, the blowing nozzles 64 are arranged next to the distributor conveyor 57 such that the compressed air jets issuing from the blowing nozzles 64 flow past the upper run 58 of the distributor conveyor 57 closely, thereby transferring the respective laundry item across the distribution conveyor 57 into the designated laundry store 60, 61, 62 or 63 bubbles.

• Die erfindungsgemäße Vereinzelung mit der Vereinzelungseinrichtung 10 beginnt mit dem Herausziehen jeweils eines Wäschestücks aus dem Wäschehaufen. Der Wäschehaufen befindet sich im Trichter 14 der Vereinzelungseinrichtung 10. Die Wäschestücke werden kontinuierlich durch einen Förderer oder diskontinuierlich, nämlich postenweise, dem Trichter 14 zugeführt. Aus dem sich dabei im Trichter 14 bildenden Wäschehaufen wird vom auf- und abbewegbaren Greifer 16 jeweils ein einzelnes Wäschestück vereinzelt herausgepickt. Dazu wird der Greifer 16 von einer oberen Ausgangsstellung senkrecht vom Pneumatikzylinder 17 nach unten gefahren, und zwar so weit, bis der dem Greifer 16 zugeordnete Näherungssensor oder dergleichen eine bestimmte Eintauchtiefe des vorderen Endes bzw. der Spitze des Greifers 16 in den Wäschehaufen detektiert. Die Eintauchtiefe wird vorher durch Versuche ermittelt, nämlich so festgelegt, dass mit größtmöglicher Zuverlässigkeit bei einer bestimmten Eintauchtiefe der Greifer stets nur ein einzelnes Wäschestück ergreift. Wird nun diese bestimmte Eintauchtiefe vom Näherungssensor festgestellt, wird die Abwärtsbewegung des Greifers 16 gestoppt und der Greifer 16 geschlossen. Dabei wird vom Greifer 16 ein einzelnes Wäschestück an einer beliebigen Stelle ergriffen und anschließend vom Pneumatikzylinder 17 der Greifer 16 mit dem einzelnen daran hängenden Wäschestück angehoben.

The methods according to the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the apparatus described above for automatically separating, transferring and sorting items of laundry:

• The separation according to the invention with the singulator 10 begins with the extraction of a piece of laundry from the laundry pile. The clothes heap is located in the hopper 14 of the singulator 10. The garments are fed continuously to the hopper 14 by a conveyor or discontinuously, namely, by the way. From the laundry pile forming in the funnel 14, a single item of laundry is picked out individually by the gripper 16 which can be moved up and down. For this purpose, the gripper 16 is moved from an upper starting position vertically from the pneumatic cylinder 17 down, and indeed until the gripper 16 associated proximity sensor or the like detects a certain immersion depth of the front end or the tip of the gripper 16 in the laundry pile. The immersion depth is determined beforehand by tests, namely determined so that with the greatest possible reliability at a certain immersion depth of the gripper always only grabbing a single piece of laundry. If this particular immersion depth is detected by the proximity sensor, the downward movement of the gripper 16 is stopped and the gripper 16 is closed. In this case, grabbed by the gripper 16, a single piece of laundry at any point and then raised by the pneumatic cylinder 17 of the gripper 16 with the single piece of laundry hanging thereon.

The gripper 16 and held by this single piece of laundry are moved when lifting along the movement path 18 between the belt conveyor 19 and its associated pressure means 23 on the one hand and the feed means 31, namely the tuyere 32, on the other side. When the laundry item is fully raised, the middle or the end of the first third thereof is approximately between the belt conveyor 19 and the tuyere 32. The blowing jet of the tuyere 32 directed into the gap between the front end 22 of the belt conveyor 19 and the pressure means 23 will now be Laundry item between the front end 22 of the belt conveyor 19 and the pressure means 23 moves. The laundry item is then frictionally conveyed into the gap between the belt conveyor 19 and the pressure means 23. In this case, it comes to pulling the garment on the belt conveyor 19, namely by the laundry with a front end portion ahead about U-shaped hanging over the belt conveyor 19, with a middle portion of the laundry is on the upper run 20 of the belt conveyor 19. Once the garment has been drawn so far into the gap between the belt conveyor 19 and the pressing means 23 that it can no longer fall off the belt conveyor 19, the gripper 16 leaves the gripped upper end, which is anywhere on any edge of the Laundry can act, go.

The laundry item is moved further from the belt conveyor 19 to the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19. A front part of the laundry item passes over the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19 as seen in the transport direction, so that it is in front of the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19, namely behind the belt conveyor 19, free hanging down.

A detection means preferably determines contactlessly the rear end of the laundry article on the upper strand 20 of the belt conveyor 19. This is always a rear corner or a rear corner region of the laundry article. The rear corner is detected shortly before it reaches or has passed the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19 facing the transport device 11. It is then stopped the drive of the belt conveyor 19 and the fixing member 24, the rear end and the rear corner of the Garment fixed just before the rear end of the belt conveyor 19. In this case, the rear corner region or the rear corner of the laundry article between the upper strand 20 at the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19 and the clamping plate 25 is clamped so that the now largely dangling before the rear end 21 laundry does not slip off the belt conveyor 19.

Below the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19, the return conveyor 33 is provided, which catches a possibly falling laundry item and transports it back into the hopper 14 of the singulator 10. The return conveyor 33 conveys such a piece of laundry back, which has not been properly transferred to the subsequent transport device 11. Even if the gripper 16 exceptionally should have taken two pieces of laundry at the same time, the second piece of laundry from the return conveyor 33 to the hopper 14 is fed again. Optionally, the return conveyor 33 may also serve to support a lower portion of the laundry hanging down from the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19 which has been fixed to the rear corner on the upper run 20 of the belt conveyor 19 just before the rear end 21.

The method according to the invention further provides for automatically transferring the laundry provided with the rear corner in the region of the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19 to the transport device 11, in each case into a transporting clamp 38. The purpose of a transfer means 26, which enters the rear end region, in particular the rear corner region of the item of laundry clamped at the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19, from the belt conveyor 19 into the transport clamp 38.

The plate-like tongue 27 of the transfer means 26 is on a rectilinear, in the embodiment shown slightly to the transport bracket 28 rising toward movement path 29 back and forth. The movement path 29 opens into the open clamping mouth 48 of the transporting clamp 38, which is currently kept waiting to be transferred in front of the transfer means 26. The rear corner region of the hanging down before the rear end 21 laundry settles when advancing the tongue 27 in the direction of the transport clamp 38 with the rear facing away from the transport bracket 38 back to the free end 30 of the tongue 27. In the further forward movement of the tongue 27 enters the open staple mouth 48, wherein the rear corner portion of the garment partially wrapped around the tongue 37 comes into contact with the clamping surfaces of the staple mouth 48 of the transporting staple 38 and is clamped in the automatically closing stapling mouth 48 of the transporting staple 38 when the front portion moved into the stapling mouth 48 the tongue 27 is moved back into the The free end 30 of the tongue 27 is formed by a preferably straight edge of the tongue 27, which is perpendicular to the movement path 29 and at least as wide as the transport bracket 38th

With the moving back of the tongue 27 of the transfer means 26 to the starting position under the rear end 21 of the belt conveyor 19, the transfer of the rear corner region or the rear corner of the laundry article to a transporting clamp 38 of the transport device 11 is completed.

Along the transport device 11, a plurality of identical transporting clamps 38 are arranged, in each of which a transfer item from the separating device 10 is transferred by the transfer means 26. The laundry items which are held by the transporting clamps 38 at a rear corner and are suspended continuously are moved continuously along a conveying rail 36, which is usually formed from a plurality of sections. The conveyor rail 36 determines the course of the conveying path of the transport device 11, which can be arbitrary. The transport device 11 also serves as a buffer for a plurality of individual items of laundry through the plurality of transpore clips 38. Some sections of the conveyor rail 36, the drives 39 to 41 are assigned. The drive 39 in the region of the loading station 43 of the transport device 11 serves to transport the empty transporting clamps 38 at a specific distance from one another on the downwards conveying section 44 to the loading point 47 and to stop there for a short time to transfer a piece of laundry from the singling device 10. At the same time, the drive 39 always stops an empty transporting clamp 38 at the loading point 47 for a short time. The drive 39 is the only one, the transport brackets 38 with short interruptions, that is discontinuous, drives. Incidentally, the transport brackets 38 are driven continuously. A rear corner of a laundry item is pushed by the tongue 27 of the transfer means 26, which is moved on the movement path 29 into the open clamp mouth 48, into the open clamp mouth 48 of the transport clamp 38 that is momentarily stationary at the loading point 47. After hanging a piece of laundry in the respective transport clamp 38 at the loading station 43 is the drive 39, the respective loaded transport clamp 38 moves up the conveying section 45 and brought to such a height level that the loaded transport brackets 38 below automatically, so without a drive, via a Most of the conveyor rail 36 of the transport device 11 can move on.

From the drive 40 in front of a singler 49 in the course of the conveyor rail 36, the loaded transport clamps 38 are fed to the singler 49. The loaded transport clamps 38 follow each other tightly, if appropriate with any distance.

In the area of the separator 49, the transport clamps 38 with the laundry items hanging thereon are gradually introduced into the subsequent region of the conveyor rail 36 and transported further by the transport pawls 50 of the drive 41 with a predetermined defined distance from one another. During this further transport, in each case a transporting clamp 38 with a piece of laundry hanging down freely therefrom passes into the area of the weighing device 51, which determines the weight of the item of laundry hanging on the transporting clamp 38. Following the weight determination, the transport clamp 38 is transported past the item of laundry at the length measuring device 52. Here is determined by a preferably vertical sensor bar, the length of hanging down from the transport clamp 38 laundry. After the length measurement, the laundry item is transported by a color measuring device 54 and the subsequent structure measuring device 54. In both, the color and the structure of the respective piece of laundry hanging down from the transport clamp 28 are determined contact-free by at least one imaging method, preferably only qualitatively. So it is sufficient for the color measurement, that is recognized, whether it is a light (white) laundry or a dark laundry (coloreds). In the structure measurement of the laundry item, the differences in height between the highest and lowest areas of the fabric are determined, from which conclusions can be drawn on a coarse-structured garment (for example terry cloth) or a finely structured garment (for example flat linen). The transport clamps 38 are transported with the laundry items hanging thereon with a uniform spacing that is sufficient for the measurements without interrupting the movement, ie continuously, by the weighing device 51, the length measuring device 52, the color measuring device 53 and the structure measuring device 54.

The measured weight of each individual item of laundry, the length, the color and the structure represent sorting criteria for the subsequent sorting of the items of laundry. The sorting can be carried out according to individual sorting criteria, but also after a combination of several sorting criteria. For example, the sorting is done after color washing and white washing. It can be distinguished between large and heavy items of laundry and small and light items of laundry. For example, then sorted by small coloreds and large coloreds and small and large table linen. A special sorting can be done according to special tissues, such as large structured fabrics such as terry. Terry cloths can also be sorted into white and colored items of laundry and / or large and small items of laundry.

The sorting of the items of laundry takes place according to a special method according to the invention in the sorting station 12. This takes place on the determination of the last sorting criterion, ie in the exemplary embodiment shown on the structure measuring device 54.

Each individual piece of laundry is - after the sorting criteria have been determined - during the continuous movement along the conveyor rail 36 of the transport clamp 38 released and dropped at the discharge point 55 to an intermediate conveyor 56. The discharge of successive laundry items from the transport clamps 38 takes place with such a distance, that the items of laundry arrive one by one at the intermediate conveyor 56.

From the intermediate conveyor 56, the respectively dropped laundry item in the illustrated embodiment is transported transversely to the course of the conveyor rail 36 from the discharge point 55 to the distribution conveyor 57. The intermediate conveyor 56 can transport the respective laundry horizontally or also rising or falling as needed, depending on which Height level of the distribution conveyor 57 is located.

The distributor conveyor 57 transports the respective item of laundry in the sorting direction 59, which runs parallel to the section of the conveyor rail 36 in the region of the discharge point 55 in the exemplary embodiment shown, past the individual sorting points. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the upper run 58 of the distributor conveyor 57 lies in a horizontal plane and runs in a straight line in the sorting direction 59. On one side next to the distributor conveyor 57 several successive sorting points are arranged, which in the exemplary embodiment shown are designed as laundry stores 60, 61, 62 and 63. On four laundry storage 60 to 63, the invention is not limited. Depending on how many criteria the laundry items are to be sorted, a corresponding number of laundry stores 60 to 63 or other sorting points are arranged on one side next to the distributor conveyor 57. On the longitudinal side of the distributor conveyor 57 lying opposite the laundry tanks 60 to 63, there are by far successive blast nozzles 64. The blast nozzles 64 blow the respective laundry item during the continuous further transport of the distributor conveyor 57 perpendicular to the sorting direction 59 from the distributor conveyor 57 down into the designated laundry storage 60, 61, 62 or 63. For example, if the respective laundry satisfies the sorting criteria for laundry in the laundry storage 63, it is from the distribution conveyor 57 in the sorting direction 59 at the laundry tanks 60, 61, 62 transported over to the laundry storage 63. When the item of laundry in question is located in front of or next to the laundry storage 63, the blower nozzle 64 is activated, which moves the laundry item transversely to the sorting direction 59 from the upper run 58 of the distribution conveyor 57, namely blown down, into the laundry storage 63. At the same time, several items of laundry may be on the distribution conveyor 57. However, these items of laundry at a distance sufficient to selectively transfer only a single item of laundry in the designated laundry storage 60, 61, 62 or 63.

The invention is characterized by a plurality of independently protectable methods and devices, which have been described above together. Protection is claimed for an overall system, both a method and a device, but also for the individual methods and devices for separating the items of laundry, for transferring the separated items of laundry to the transport device 11, for determining the sorting criteria of the items of laundry and for sorting the laundry items.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

separating device

11

transport means

12

sorting station

13

frame

14

funnel

15

Collection bag

16

grab

17

pneumatic cylinder

18

trajectory

19

Belt conveyors

20

obertrum

21

rear end

22

front end

23

pressure means

24

fixing member

25

clamp

26

Transfer means

27

tongue

28

pneumatic cylinder

29

trajectory

30

free end

31

feeding

32

blow nozzle

33

return conveyor

34

obertrum

35

rear end

36

conveyor rail

37

carriage

38

transport clamp

39

drive

40

drive

41

drive

42

transport direction

43

loading

44

Downstream conveyor section

45

Upstream conveyor section

46

arc section

47

Loading point

48

clamp mouth

49

separating

50

transport pawl

51

weighing System

52

Length measuring device

53

Color measurement device

54

Structure measuring device

55

Intercept position

56

intermediate conveyor

57

distribution conveyor

58

obertrum

59

sort direction

60

underwear store

61

underwear store

62

underwear store

63

underwear store

64

blow nozzle

Claims (6)

1. A method for sorting items of linen to be washed, at least one sorting criterion being determined on the items of linen hanging from at least one transportation device (11), characterized in that the color, as a sorting criterion, and/or the surface structure, which allows conclusions to be made as to the type of fabric of the respective item of linen, is determined by an image recognition which scans part of the respective item of linen in a contactless manner.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the image recognition is carried out in a darkened region along the transportation device (11), preferably during the continuous onward transportation of the respective item of linen through the region of the image recognition.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, once their at least one sorting criterion has been determined, the items of linen are individually transferred to a distributor conveyor (57), preferably via an intermediate conveyor (56), in particular individually discharged onto the distributor conveyor (57) and/or the items of linen are moved away from the distributor conveyor (57) by compressed air as sorted in accordance with at least one previously determined sorting criterion.
4. The method as claimed in one of the previous claims, characterized in that the individual item of linen is transferred by one corner to a transportation clamp (38), and/or in the state hanging from the transportation clamp (38) at least one sorting criterion of the respective item of linen is determined, and/or the item of linen is deposited on a distributor conveyor (57) and is removed from the distributor conveyor (57) at a position corresponding to the sorting criterion.
5. The method as claimed in one of the previous claims, characterized in that along a conveying section of the transportation device (11) each item of linen is checked for a plurality of sorting criteria and the sorting takes place as a function of one sorting criterion or a combination of a plurality of sorting criteria.
6. A device for sorting items of linen to be washed with a transportation device (11) for the hanging onward transportation of the items of linen and with at least one device associated with the transportation device (11) for determining at least one sorting criterion of the respective item of linen, in particular as claimed in at least one of the other claims, characterized in that the transportation device (11) is assigned at least one image recognition device, which has at least one digital camera for the purpose of determining the colour and/or surface structure of the respective item of linen.

Images