WO2012046227A1 - Appareils pour plier des articles textiles - Google Patents

Appareils pour plier des articles textiles Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2012046227A1
WO2012046227A1 PCT/IL2011/000766 IL2011000766W WO2012046227A1 WO 2012046227 A1 WO2012046227 A1 WO 2012046227A1 IL 2011000766 W IL2011000766 W IL 2011000766W WO 2012046227 A1 WO2012046227 A1 WO 2012046227A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
middle section
article
unit
folded
fold plate
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IL2011/000766
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Gal Rozov
Original Assignee
Fold For Me Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fold For Me Ltd. filed Critical Fold For Me Ltd.
Publication of WO2012046227A1 publication Critical patent/WO2012046227A1/fr

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Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F89/00—Apparatus for folding textile articles with or without stapling
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B63/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged
    • B65B63/04—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged for folding or winding articles, e.g. gloves or stockings
    • B65B63/045—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged for folding or winding articles, e.g. gloves or stockings for folding garments, e.g. stockings, shirts

Definitions

  • the invention is related to the field of manufacturing and caring for clothing and other textile articles. Specifically the invention relates to machinery for folding clothing and other textile articles.
  • US 3,989, 172 describes an essentially rectangular "stiffening panel", which is placed on the back of a shirt and about which the sides of the shirt are manually folded.
  • US 2009/0045231 describes a hanger comprised of a hook from which is suspended a central horizontal section. At each end of the central section are extensions that are attached to the central section by means that allow them to be pivoted and folded. A shirt is hung on the hanger with the central section and extensions in a straight configuration. The extensions are then moved in a predetermined manner at least partially folding the shirt.
  • US 6,814,269 describes a device comprised of a central panel and other panels, which are attached by hinges to the sides of the central panel.
  • the garment to be folded is laid over the panels centered on the central panel.
  • the other panels are then manually folded over one at a time in a predetermined sequence resulting at the end of the process in a folded garment resting on the central panel.
  • the invention is a textile article folding apparatus.
  • the apparatus is comprised of the following three main units:
  • a gate unit adapted to receive the article to be folded from the user and to perform vertical folds
  • a tilt unit adapted to take the article from the gate unit after the vertical folding has been completed and to make two horizontal folds
  • a collector unit adapted to receive the completely folded article from the tilt unit.
  • the apparatus of the invention may comprise a control system comprised of sensors of various types and a central processing unit.
  • the control system may be adapted to activate electric motors and/or pneumatic pistons in a predetermined sequence to control the operation of the various parts of the apparatus that are involved in the process of folding the article.
  • the entire folding process is carried out automatically by means of the control system.
  • the central processing unit of the control system is connected to counters and other sensors adapted to allow statistical information related to the operation of the apparatus, to be collected and stored.
  • the central processing unit can be connected to a business's computer system thereby allowing the statistical information gathered to be integrated with other information needed to manage the business.
  • the gate unit comprises: a) a supporting structure;
  • a support plate suspended from the supporting structure by means of a pneumatic piston or screw driven by an electric motor that is adapted to move the support plate and anything attached to it up and down relative to the supporting structure;
  • attachment means pivotably attached beneath the support plate for attaching the article to be folded to the support plate
  • the supporting structure can bo either a rectangular frame made up of two vertical posts connected at their tops by a horizontal beam; or the ceiling of the room in which the apparatus is set up.
  • the attachment means can be one or more of: clamps, vacuum, hooks, or a combination of vacuum and clamps.
  • Embodiments of the apparatus of the invention may comprise two or more paddles.
  • the tilt unit comprises four main components: a top fold plate, a garment holder, a bottom fold plate, and a middle section.
  • the top fold plate is pivotally attached to the middle section and is adapted to be rotated downwards through an angle of 180 degrees from a straight configuration in which the top fold plate is parallel to the top of the middle section and extends straight outwards from it to a folded configuration wherein it is parallel to the upper surface of the middle section.
  • the garment holder is adapted to be moved back and forth along an arm that is rigidly connected to the edge of the top fold plate; wherein the garment holder is constrained in an open configuration at an angle of 90 degrees to the arm for most of the distance that it travels along the arm and is forced to rotate towards the top fold plate through an angle of 90 degrees until it is in a folded configuration parallel to the upper surface of the top fold plate as it approaches the end of the arm that is closest to the top fold plate.
  • the bottom fold plate is pivotally attached to the middle section and is adapted to be rotated upwards through an angle of 180 degrees from a straight configuration in which the bottom fold plate is parallel to the top of the middle section and extends straight outwards from it to a folded configuration wherein it is parallel to the upper surface of the middle section.
  • the middle section comprises doors that cover its top, wherein the doors are adapted to be fixedly held in a position parallel to the top of the middle section in order to provide a rigid surface against which the top fold plate and the bottom fold plate can press the article to be folded and to be released and to swing downward or outward to allow the folded article to drop straight into the collector unit after the horizontal folding has been completed.
  • Embodiments of the apparatus of the invention may also comprise a trousers edge folder pivotally attached to the middle section of the tilt unit and adapted to be rotated inwards from a straight configuration in which the trousers edge folder is parallel to the top of the middle section and extends straight outwards from it through an angle of 180 degrees to a folded configuration wherein it is parallel to the upper surface of the middle section.
  • the doors are attached to the middle section by means of an intermediate mechanism or an elevator mechanism that is adapted to change the distance between the top of the doors and the bottom of the top fold plate, the bottom fold plate, and the trousers edge folder in their folded configurations to accommodate garments made of different thickness material.
  • the bottom of the front wall of the middle section is pivotally connected to the top of the front wall of the collector unit and the apparatus comprises a raising/lowering mechanism adapted to tilt the middle section to change the angle of the bottom of the middle section relative to a horizontal plane defined by the top surface of the collector unit.
  • the raising/lowering mechanism can be adapted to tilt the middle section between three fixed positions:
  • the gate unit is adapted to be tilted, after it has completed the vertical folds, from an upright orientation perpendicular to the floor to an orientation parallel to the top surface of the tilt unit when the middle section of the tilt unit is in its starting position and the upper fold plate, the pants edge folder, and the lower fold plate are in their straight configurations, thereby draping the vertically folded article over the upper surface of the tilt unit.
  • control system is adapted to simultaneously activate the garment holder causing it to move to its folded configuration pressing the top of the article against the upper fold plate and to open the attachment means, after the vertically folded article is draped over the upper surface of the tilt unit, thereby releasing the article from the gate unit.
  • Fig. 1 schematically shows the main features of the gate unit
  • Fig.2 schematically shows the main features of the tilt unit and the collector unit
  • FIG. 3 schematically shows the apparatus of the invention ready to have an article, e.g. a shirt, attached by a user to the gate unit;
  • Fig. 4 to Fig. 7 schematically show the steps carried out in performing the vertical folds for a shirt
  • Fig. 8 to Fig. 16 schematically show the steps carried out in performing the horizontal folds for both shirts and trousers;
  • Fig. 17 to Fig. 19 schematically show some of the steps carried out in performing the vertical folds for a pair of trousers;
  • Figs. 20A and 20B are enlarged schematic views of the support plate showing the clamps in their opened and closed configurations respectively;
  • Fig. 21 is a schematic view showing another embodiment of the support plate and some of the components mounted on it.
  • the textile article folding apparatus of the invention is comprised of three main units: a gate unit, a tilt unit, and a collector unit.
  • the main features of the gate unit are schematically shown in Fig. l and the main features of the tilt unit and the collector unit are schematically shown in Fig. 2.
  • the functions of the three units, how they perform their functions, and the interactions between them will be described in detail herein below.
  • the gate unit is adapted to receive the article to be folded from the user and to perform vertical folds.
  • the tilt unit is adapted to take the article from the gate unit after the vertical folding has been completed and to make two horizontal folds. After the horizontal folding is completed, the completely folded article is released by the tilt unit and received by the collector unit where it is stacked or from which it is transferred, for example by a conveyor belt, to another location.
  • the apparatus of the invention has been designed to fold a wide variety of textile articles produced from a wide range of materials.
  • the types of textile articles can include, for example, shirts (long and short sleeved), blouses, skirts, dresses, sweaters, light coats, trousers (long and short), overalls (trousers usually with a bib and shoulder straps), coveralls (a one-piece outer garment worn to protect other garments), and towels.
  • the materials from which the textile articles can be made can range from the very thin, e.g. silk or polyester to the very thick, e.g. wool or thick layers of thermal insulating material.
  • the "standard" embodiment is designed for folding shirts and trousers sized small to extra large manufactured from all types of materials in home, institutional, commercial, and industrial settings.
  • the standard embodiment of the apparatus can easily be modified mutatis mutandis to accommodate any width or size of textile item and embodiments can be designed for special requirements.
  • a taller embodiment can be provided to fold the jump suit/overall type garments worn by mechanics or inmates at penal institutions, a wider and taller version to fold sheets or curtains in a commercial laundry, and a more heavy duty embodiment might be required to fold bulky coats in a manufacturing facility.
  • a more heavy duty embodiment might be required to fold bulky coats in a manufacturing facility.
  • an embodiment of the apparatus designed to fold the textile item in a particular manner is described to illustrate the invention, other embodiments can easily be designed to fold garments in different ways and also in different final folded sizes.
  • control system comprising sensors of various types and a central processing unit.
  • the control system can comprise means for manually inputting information such as the type of garment, i.e. shirt or trousers, and the relative thickness of the material.
  • control system can comprise additional features, such as a counter and memory unit to record and store statistical information on the amount and types of articles folded and sensors and safety devices, for example to immediately stop all operation if a persons hand passes into a danger zone.
  • control system can comprise communication equipment to allow exchange of information between the processor of the apparatus and a remote processing station, for example via the internet or a cellular telephone network.
  • the gate unit 10 is comprised of a rectangular frame 32 made up of two vertical posts 34 connected at their tops by horizontal beam 36.
  • Support plate 38 is suspended beneath horizontal beam 36 by means of pneumatic piston 42, which can move support plate 38 and anything attached to it up and down relative to horizontal beam 36.
  • pneumatic piston 42 can be replaced by a long screw that is turned by a reversible electric motor.
  • Two guide shafts 40 that are attached to support plate 38 slidingly fit through holes bored through beam 36 to prevent support plate 38 from twisting or rotating about the vertical axis of piston 42.
  • Beneath support plate 38 are suspended attachment means for attaching the article to be folded to the gate unit 10.
  • the attachment means are shown as clamps 44 although other attachment means, e.g. vacuum, hooks, or a combination of vacuum and clamps, can be used.
  • two "paddles" 50 that are used to keep the edges of the article straight when the vertical folds are made and slots 48 in support plate 38 that are used to guide the attachment means keeping them aligned when the distance between them is changed, e.g. while making the vertical fold in trousers.
  • the clamps 44 and paddles 50 are shown in their configuration after the gate unit has carried out the vertical folds in a shirt (not shown in Fig. 1 for clarity).
  • Support plate 38 and the components mounted on it, including electric motors 46, will be described in greater detail herein below.
  • the description of the frame 32 of of gate unit 10 above is for an embodiment chosen for illustrative purposes only.
  • the supporting structure from which the piston 42, support plate 38, and the components attached to the support plate are suspended can have many different forms.
  • the gate unit does not comprise a frame 32 at all.
  • support plate 38 and the components mounted on it can, for example, be hung from the ceiling of the room in which the apparatus is set up or from the ceiling of an enclosure that surrounds the apparatus.
  • the collector unit 30 is essentially a four sided hollow box with its top and in some embodiments its bottom removed.
  • Collector unit 30 functions as a stable base to which tilt unit 20 is pivotally connected, for example by piano hinge 66 to allow the angle of the middle section 58 of tilt section 20 to be changed by rotating middle section 58 about pin 68, which defines the axis about which the hinge 66 swivels.
  • the folded article is released from the middle section 58 of tilt section 20 and drops into collector unit 30 from which it is withdrawn through opening 70.
  • the collector unit is adapted to fit the requirements of the user, e.g. to stack a few folded items that are manually withdrawn for household use or for use with a conveyor belt, which moves the folded items to another station for packaging, labeling, and shipping in a manufacturing plant or commercial laundry.
  • tilt unit 20 is comprised of five main components: top fold plate 56, garment holder 52, middle section 58, trousers edge folder 64, and bottom fold plate 62.
  • top fold plate 56 top fold plate 56
  • garment holder 52 middle section 58
  • trousers edge folder 64 trousers edge folder 64
  • bottom fold plate 62 bottom fold plate 62
  • Middle section 58 is a rigid frame made of four rectangular walls 72a, 72b, 72c, and 72d. At the top of the frame is comprised of two doors 60 that are shown in this embodiment pivotally connected to walls 72a and 72c respectively, for example by hinges 74.
  • doors 60 are fixedly held in a position parallel to the tops of walls 72a to 72d in order to provide a rigid surface against which top fold plate 56, trousers edge folder 64, and bottom fold plate 62 can press the article to be folded.
  • the doors 60 are released and allowed to swing downward, thereby allowing the folded article to drop straight into the collector unit 30.
  • doors 60 are not rigidly attached to the walls of middle section 58 but are attached with an intermediate mechanism, e.g. relatively stiff springs, that allows the distance between the top of the doors and the bottom of either top fold plate 56 or bottom fold plate 62 in their fully closed configurations to change to accommodate garments of different thicknesses.
  • an elevator mechanism to which the doors 60 are attached is provided inside of middle section 58 in order to allow the fold plates to make a sharp and straight fold in articles made from materials having different thicknesses.
  • the elevator mechanism moves the doors up and down and can be, for example, driven by an electric step motor controlled by the controller according to information provided by the user when the article was initially attached to the gate unit or by sensors that automatically measure the thickness of the material.
  • doors 60 are replaced by one, two, or more stiff plates and a mechanism that is adapted to rapidly move the plates back and forth in a plane parallel to the top edge of middle section 58. Initially the plates are in a closed configuration covering the open top of middle section 58 to provide the surface upon which the horizontal folds are carried out. After the garment is completely folded, the mechanism pushes the plates outward allowing the garment to fall into collector unit 30.
  • the bottom of wall 72d of middle section 58 is pivotally connected to the top of the front wall of collector unit 30 by means of hinges, e.g. piano hinge 66, another type of hinge, or any other means known in the art to pivotally connect two parts.
  • a mechanism is provided to raise and lower the top wall 72b relative to the horizontal plane defined by the top surface of collector unit 30.
  • the raising/lowering mechanism is comprised of one or two pneumatic pistons attached at one end of the piston to one of the side walls of collector unit 30 and the other end of the piston attached to either wall 72a, 72b, or 72c of the middle section 58 of tilt unit 20.
  • the raising/lowering mechanism is a reversible electric motor either attached directly or through a gear train to pin 68.
  • Other embodiments e.g. an electric motor coupled to a rack and pinion gear, or a screw, can also be adapted to raise/lower tilt unit 20.
  • the middle unit 58 In operation there are three fixed positions into which the middle unit 58 is locked by the raising/lowering mechanism, while other activities connected with the folding operation are carried out.
  • middle section 58 In the starting position, shown for example in Fig. 2, middle section 58 is tilted backwards at an angle of. 20 degrees to 40 degrees, with respect to the vertical.
  • the intermediate position see for example Fig. 10
  • the middle section 58 is locked at an angle with the horizontal of 20 to 40 degrees.
  • the lowest position see for example Fig.
  • middle section 58 is horizontal resting on the top edge of collector unit 30.
  • op fold plate 56 and bottom fold plate 62 are respectively pivotally attached by means of hinges 74 to walls 72b and 72d of middle section 58 of tilt unit 20.
  • Means e.g. an electric motor, with or without a gear train, or pneumatic pistons, are provided to rotate top fold plate 56 and bottom fold plate 62 from the straight configuration shown in Fig. 2 through an angle of 180 degrees to a folded configuration (see for example Fig. 11 and Fig. 14) in which the surfaces of the plates are parallel to the plane defined by the closed doors 60.
  • Holes 76 are provided in top fold plate 56 and bottom fold plate 62, as well as in garment holder 52 and trousers edge folder 64, to allow air trapped between the article being folded and the plates and between the layers of material created by the folds to escape.
  • ⁇ pneumatic piston or a reversible electric motor that rotates a long screw or that activates a gear system causes garment holder 52 to move back and forth along arm 54 that is rigidly connected to the edge of top fold plate 56.
  • Guide means e.g. pins, on garment holder 52 that slidingly fit into slots 78 on the top and bottom edges of arm 54 keep the garment holder 52 in an open configuration, i.e. pointed forward at an angle of 90 degrees to arm 54 as shown in Fig. 2, for most of the distance that it travels along arm 54.
  • Fig. 3 schematically shows the apparatus of the invention ready to have an article attached by a user to the gate unit 10 by means of clamps 44 to initiate the automatic folding process. Since the methods of doing the vertical folds are somewhat different for trousers and trouser-like articles, e.g. coveralls, and for shirts and shirt-like articles, e.g. shirts, sweaters, dresses, and light coats, the two methods will be described and shown in the figures separately. It is noted that there are types of articles that can be folded using either method, e.g. towels, aprons, and curtains.
  • Fig. 4 to Fig. 7 schematically show the steps carried out in performing the vertical folds for a shirt.
  • the user approaches gate unit 10 and with the front of the shirt facing the frame 32 of gate unit 10, places the shoulders of shirt 80 between the jaws of clamps 44.
  • Paddles 50 (shown with dashed lines since, at this stage, they are on the side of the shirt opposite to the user) are oriented vertically. The function of the paddles is to keep the garment straight during the folding process. In the figures only two paddles 50 are shown; however, embodiments of the invention may comprise four or more paddles. In some embodiment the paddles comprise means to releaseably grip the garment at predetermined locations to allow a much more precise fold than can normally be achieved relying only on gravity to keep the seams straight.44. Figs.
  • FIG. 20A and 20B are enlarged schematic views of the support plate 38 showing clamps 44 in their opened and closed configurations respectively.
  • reversible electric motors 46 are shown mounted on the top and brackets 88 are shown mounted on the bottom of base plates 86.
  • the base plates can be moved back and forth in slots 48 on support plate 38 by electric motors 46', thereby allowing the distance between the two base plates (and everything attached to them) to be changed.
  • Clamps 44 are pivotably attached to bracket 88 and can be rotated about an axis perpendicular to support plate 38 by means of motor 46.
  • Paddles 50 are also pivotably attached to bracket 88 and each can be rotated about an axis essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of support plate 38 by means of a small electric motor (not shown in the figures) that is attached to bracket 88.
  • Clamps 44 are initially in an open configuration as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 20A.
  • the two jaws of the clamps are separated to allow an edge of the garment to be folded, e.g. the shoulders of shirt 80, to be slipped between them by the user.
  • a device symbolically represented by sensor 84, is activated to initiate activation of an electric motor (not shown in the figures) that rotates at least one of the jaws of clamp 44, causing the clamp to close and firmly grasp the shoulder of the shirt 80.
  • Sensor 84 can be any suitable sensor known in the art ranging from a simple foot switch on the floor depressed by the user to a mechanical contact switch positioned between the jaws of the clamp and triggered by contact with the material of the shirt as it is slipped between the jaws, to an optical sensor based on a laser or LED light source and photo detector pair that activates the motor when the optical path between sensor and detector is blocked by the material of the shirt.
  • Fig. 21 is a schematic view of another embodiment of support plate 38 and some of the components mounted on it. In this embodiment both motors 46 and 46' are mounted on top of support plate 38 and motors 46' move the brackets 88 and attached clamps 44 by means of a rack and pinion gear 90. It will be obvious to skilled persons that some or all of the electric motors described in relation Figs. 20A, 20B, and 21 can be replaced by pneumatic pistons and accessories.
  • piston 42 is fully extended lowering support plate 38 and all components mounted on it. If the shirt has buttons, zippers, etc, then, before attaching the shirt to the gate unit, the user closes at least some of them. Also note that if necessary, motors 46' (Figs. 20A and 20H) can be activated to adjust the distance between the clamps according to the width of the shirt. The shirt is held by its shoulders and placed between the jaws of the clamps. When this is done the user either presses the switch or the sensors send a signal to operate the motors that close the clamps. The user now moves away and can begin preparing the next article to be folded. From this point onwards, all of the folding operations are carried out automatically by the various components of the apparatus that are activated by the control system of the apparatus according to predetermined instructions that have been entered into its processor.
  • FIG. 5 shows the shirt after the completion of about 50% of the vertical folds.
  • one of the motors 46 is activated to cause the clamp 44 attached to its shaft to begin to rotate as shown in the figure.
  • the second motor 46 is activated to cause the second clamp to rotate. Rotation of the clamps continues until they have been rotated through an angle of 180 degrees; thereby folding approximately 1/4 of the shirt's width on each side over its back as shown in Fig. 6.
  • Fig. 6 shows the shirt 80 suspended from clamps 44 in gate unit 10 after completion of the two vertical folds. Also shown in Fig.
  • collector unit 30 and tilt unit 20 are collector unit 30 and tilt unit 20 in order to see the relative configuration of the units of the apparatus at the end of the vertical folding procedure.
  • the tilt unit is shown in its extended configuration inclined at angle ⁇ for example 70 degrees, with respect to the floor on which the apparatus stands.
  • the frame 32 of gate unit 10 is in an upright orientation perpendicular to the floor.
  • Fig. 17 and Fig. 18 schematically show the steps carried out in performing the vertical folds for a pair of trousers 82.
  • trousers In the case of trousers, only one vertical fold along the center line is required. In this case the user straightens the trousers and inserts the waistband between the jaws of clamps 44, which then close grasping the trousers as shown in P'ig. 17.
  • the jaws of clamp 44 are parallel to the floor as opposed to the case of shirts in which the jaws are angled downwards to account for the slope of the shoulders.
  • a small reversible motor (not shown in the figures) is provided to change angle of the jaws of the clamp with respect to the horizontal.
  • motor 46 on one of the sides is activated causing the corresponding clamp to begin to rotate.
  • motor 46' is activated moving the rotating clamp along slot 48 in order to bring the side of the trousers that is grabbed by the rotating clamp into alignment with the other side of the trousers.
  • the rate of turning of motors 46 and 46' has to be synchronized such that at the end of the process the rotated clamp is parallel to the stationary one and, with the aid of the paddles 50, the trousers are neatly folded and hanging suspended by clamps 44 under support plate 38 inside frame 32 of the gate of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 18.
  • ⁇ alternative way of using the apparatus is to manually fold the pair of pants along the center line and to insert the waist band directly into clamp 44 as shown in Fig, 18.
  • a mechanism for example comprising one or more pneumatic pistons or electric motors, is activated by the control system to cause frame 32 to tilt backwards until it is parallel to and just over the extended surface of tilt unit 20.
  • a mechanism for example comprising one or more pneumatic pistons or electric motors, is activated by the control system to cause frame 32 to tilt backwards until it is parallel to and just over the extended surface of tilt unit 20.
  • Fig. 7 for shirt 80
  • the article is draped over the upper surface of tilt unit 20.
  • the piston (or equivalent arrangement for raising or lowering the support plate) is attached at its upper end to a mechanism that is adapted to move the support plate forward and backwards relative to the surface of the tilt unit.
  • the support plate is spaced far enough apart from the tilt unit to allow the article to hang freely while it is being attached and, after the garment is grasped by the clamps, the support plate is moved closer to drape the article over the upper surface of the tilt unit.
  • Fig. 8 to Fig. 16 and Fig. 19 schematically show the steps carried out in performing the horizontal folds for both shirts and trousers.
  • the motors that cause paddles 50 to rotate are activated raising paddles 50 as seen in Fig. 8 so that they do not interfere with the remainder of the folding process.
  • the pneumatic piston that causes garment holder 52 to move towards top fold plate 56 and to rotate in order to press the top of the article between it and top fold plate 56 is activated by the control system of the apparatus.
  • the clamps 44 automatically release the shirt 80 from the gate unit 10.
  • Fig. 8 schematically shows the situation at this stage. Frame 32 is then brought to the upright position and the user can attach the next article to be folded while the apparatus of the invention continues to automatically carry out the horizontal folding of the first article.
  • Figures 9 to 16 and Fig. 19 show the rest of the process without either the gate unit 10 or the article being folded shown in order to more clearly illustrate the mechanical actions of the various components of the tilt unit 20.
  • Fig. 9 shows the same state as that in Fig. 8. The article is held against the top fold plate 56 by garment holder 52 and hangs down over the doors 60 of middle section 58 and part of lower fold plate 62.
  • trousers edge folder 64 is replaced by additional paddles 50 on the gate unit. These additional paddles are located and activated in order to straighten the trousers and to fold in the extra material as the vertical fold is made.
  • additional paddles and or clips may be provided at various locations on the tilt unit to help achieve accurate folding of the item. The use of additional paddles on the tilt unit may be especially called for in manufacturing facilities in which large production runs of articles are involved; thereby justifying "specialization" of the apparatus to achieve the most esthetic result for the finished product.
  • the raising/lowering mechanism of the tilt unit 20 that has been described herein above is activated by the control system to lower and lock middle section 58 in the intermediate position at an angle with the horizontal of 20 to 40 degrees as shown in Fig. 10.
  • the mechanism that begins rotating bottom fold plate 62 is activated.
  • Fig. 1 1 shows bottom fold plate 62 completely rotated such that it is parallel to the surface of the doors 60 and pressing the article firmly against the surface beneath it.
  • the bottom fold plate 62 is shown starting to be opened after completing the bottom fold.
  • the raising/lowering mechanism described above is activated by the control system to lower middle section 58 towards the lowest position on top of collector unit 30.
  • the pneumatic piston is activated to raise garment holder 52 and start to move it along arm 54 away from top fold plate 56 as shown in Fig. 13.
  • Fig. 14 shows middle section 58 lowered into and locked in its lowest position on top of collector unit 30, bottom fold plate 62 completely opened, and garment holder 52 moved to the end of arm 54.
  • the controller activates the mechanism that causes top fold plate 56 to rotate forward and also activates the elevation mechanism in middle section 58 to lower the doors 60 if necessary to accommodate the thickness of the item being folded, thereby completing the second horizontal fold.
  • Top fold plate 56 is then rotated backward off of the article (Fig. 15) leaving the folded article resting on the doors 60, which are then opened (Fig. 16) allowing the folded article to drop into collector unit 30.
  • modules to automatically attach bar codes, RFID tags, or to spray the folded item with scent can easily be integrated into the apparatus.
  • the collector unit of the apparatus can easily be coupled to other modules where the folded textile item can be dry or steam ironed and/or packaged.
  • the textile item folding apparatus of the invention can be built that are easily moved and can be easily changed from an open operative configuration to a compact closed configuration for storage.
  • the apparatus can be coupled to an automatic feed module, for example a overhead carousel type conveyor system.
  • a feed module can, on the one hand allow the textile items to be moved efficiently from one location in the plant to another and, on the other hand, allows several workers to load the items into the system in order to increase the throughput of the folding apparatus.
  • multiple sets of the components of the gate unit that are responsible for creating the vertical fold can be attached to the feed module and the vertical fold can be carried out while the item is being transported through the plant. As each item arrives at the tilt unit the vertical fold has been completed and the item is automatically released from the feed module while being transferred to the tilt unit.
  • the central processing unit of the control system is connected to counters and other sensors that allow statistical information related to the operation of the apparatus, e.g. the number, type, and size of the items folded, to be collected and stored.
  • the central processing unit and/or memory modules connected to it can be connected to a business's computer system to allow the statistical information gathered to be integrated with other information needed to manage the business.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un appareil de pliage d'articles textiles composé de trois unités principales : une unité de grille conçue pour recevoir l'article à plier de l'utilisateur et pour effectuer des plis verticaux, une unité d'inclinaison conçue pour prendre l'article provenant de l'unité de grille une fois que le pliage vertical a été accompli et pour réaliser deux plis horizontaux, et une unité collectrice conçue pour recevoir l'article complètement plié de l'unité d'inclinaison. L'appareil comprend un système de commande conçu pour activer des moteurs électriques et/ou des pistons pneumatiques selon une séquence prédéterminée pour commander le fonctionnement des différentes parties de l'appareil qui sont impliquées dans le processus de pliage de l'article. L'ensemble du processus de pliage, à l'exception de la fixation de l'article sur l'unité de grille, peut être effectué automatiquement au moyen du système de commande.
PCT/IL2011/000766 2010-10-03 2011-10-02 Appareils pour plier des articles textiles WO2012046227A1 (fr)

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IL208400A IL208400A0 (en) 2010-10-03 2010-10-03 Apparatus for folding textile articles
IL208400 2010-10-03

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WO2012046227A1 true WO2012046227A1 (fr) 2012-04-12

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ITMI20130642A1 (it) * 2013-04-19 2014-10-20 Ind Tessile Gastaldi & C Spa Sistema e metodo di piegatura per biancheria utilizzabile in ristoranti e/o alberghi
US8973792B1 (en) 2012-11-14 2015-03-10 Foldimate, Inc. Fabric article folding machine and method
EP3243955A1 (fr) * 2016-05-13 2017-11-15 Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH Dispositif de pliage de textiles, de préférence de vêtements
CN107735524A (zh) * 2015-05-29 2018-02-23 七梦科技株式会社 被处理物的处理装置
CN109385874A (zh) * 2017-08-04 2019-02-26 南宁市黑晶信息技术有限公司 一种短袖t恤快速折叠装置
CN109402999A (zh) * 2018-09-07 2019-03-01 北京蓝天清科控股有限公司 一种布草分类方法、装置以及布草折叠机
CN110004693A (zh) * 2019-05-15 2019-07-12 上海海事大学 一种自动折衣机
CN110485139A (zh) * 2018-05-14 2019-11-22 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 一种家用叠衣护理装置
CN110485137A (zh) * 2018-05-14 2019-11-22 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 一种家用叠衣护理装置
CN110485138A (zh) * 2018-05-14 2019-11-22 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 一种家用叠衣护理装置的控制方法
CN110512407A (zh) * 2019-07-24 2019-11-29 西安交通大学 叠衣机器人及其叠衣方法
CN111169750A (zh) * 2020-01-10 2020-05-19 朱金宝 一种面膜折叠压缩装置
CN111455640A (zh) * 2020-04-17 2020-07-28 广州大学 一种裤子折叠装置及折叠方法
CN111691169A (zh) * 2019-03-13 2020-09-22 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 一种叠衣机的控制方法及叠衣机
IT201900004853A1 (it) * 2019-04-01 2020-10-01 Welcome S P A Stazione e metodo di profumazione automatica per lavanderia industriale
CN113186699A (zh) * 2021-06-04 2021-07-30 温州大学 一种基于纵向折叠的叠衣机
TWI745956B (zh) * 2020-05-06 2021-11-11 禾格實業有限公司 自動包裝服飾裝置
CN113911481A (zh) * 2021-10-13 2022-01-11 阜阳市豹子头服饰科技有限公司 一种衬衫加工用自动折叠工艺
US11486084B2 (en) 2020-07-01 2022-11-01 Monotony.ai, Inc. Autonomous laudry folding devices, systems, and methods of use
US11680365B2 (en) 2020-07-01 2023-06-20 Monotony.ai, Inc. Autonomous laundry folding devices, systems, and methods of use
CN116654402A (zh) * 2023-07-27 2023-08-29 潍坊玛迪蓝服饰有限公司 一种纺织生产线的服装翻面折叠装置

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US4106260A (en) * 1976-09-29 1978-08-15 Hanes Corporation Article folding and packaging system
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Cited By (31)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8973792B1 (en) 2012-11-14 2015-03-10 Foldimate, Inc. Fabric article folding machine and method
USRE47186E1 (en) 2012-11-14 2019-01-01 Foldimate, Inc. Fabric article folding machine and method
ITMI20130642A1 (it) * 2013-04-19 2014-10-20 Ind Tessile Gastaldi & C Spa Sistema e metodo di piegatura per biancheria utilizzabile in ristoranti e/o alberghi
EP2792786A1 (fr) * 2013-04-19 2014-10-22 Industria Tessile Gastaldi & C SPA Procédé et dispositif pour plier le linge
CN107735524A (zh) * 2015-05-29 2018-02-23 七梦科技株式会社 被处理物的处理装置
EP3305978A4 (fr) * 2015-05-29 2019-01-23 Seven dreamers laboratories, inc. Dispositif de traitement d'objet à traiter
CN107735524B (zh) * 2015-05-29 2020-06-23 七梦科技株式会社 被处理物的处理装置
EP3243955A1 (fr) * 2016-05-13 2017-11-15 Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH Dispositif de pliage de textiles, de préférence de vêtements
CN109385874A (zh) * 2017-08-04 2019-02-26 南宁市黑晶信息技术有限公司 一种短袖t恤快速折叠装置
CN110485138A (zh) * 2018-05-14 2019-11-22 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 一种家用叠衣护理装置的控制方法
CN110485139A (zh) * 2018-05-14 2019-11-22 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 一种家用叠衣护理装置
CN110485137A (zh) * 2018-05-14 2019-11-22 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 一种家用叠衣护理装置
CN109402999A (zh) * 2018-09-07 2019-03-01 北京蓝天清科控股有限公司 一种布草分类方法、装置以及布草折叠机
CN109402999B (zh) * 2018-09-07 2020-12-25 北京蓝天清科控股有限公司 一种布草分类方法、装置以及布草折叠机
CN111691169A (zh) * 2019-03-13 2020-09-22 青岛海尔洗衣机有限公司 一种叠衣机的控制方法及叠衣机
WO2020202020A1 (fr) * 2019-04-01 2020-10-08 Welcome S.P.A. Station de diffusion automatique de parfum pour blanchisserie industrielle
IT201900004853A1 (it) * 2019-04-01 2020-10-01 Welcome S P A Stazione e metodo di profumazione automatica per lavanderia industriale
CN110004693A (zh) * 2019-05-15 2019-07-12 上海海事大学 一种自动折衣机
CN110512407A (zh) * 2019-07-24 2019-11-29 西安交通大学 叠衣机器人及其叠衣方法
CN111169750A (zh) * 2020-01-10 2020-05-19 朱金宝 一种面膜折叠压缩装置
CN111169750B (zh) * 2020-01-10 2021-07-16 江门市雅姿晴日用百货有限公司 一种面膜折叠压缩装置
CN111455640A (zh) * 2020-04-17 2020-07-28 广州大学 一种裤子折叠装置及折叠方法
TWI745956B (zh) * 2020-05-06 2021-11-11 禾格實業有限公司 自動包裝服飾裝置
US11486084B2 (en) 2020-07-01 2022-11-01 Monotony.ai, Inc. Autonomous laudry folding devices, systems, and methods of use
US11680365B2 (en) 2020-07-01 2023-06-20 Monotony.ai, Inc. Autonomous laundry folding devices, systems, and methods of use
US11932986B2 (en) 2020-07-01 2024-03-19 Monotony.ai, Inc. Autonomous laundry folding devices, systems, and methods of use
CN113186699A (zh) * 2021-06-04 2021-07-30 温州大学 一种基于纵向折叠的叠衣机
CN113911481A (zh) * 2021-10-13 2022-01-11 阜阳市豹子头服饰科技有限公司 一种衬衫加工用自动折叠工艺
CN113911481B (zh) * 2021-10-13 2023-01-20 阜阳市豹子头服饰科技有限公司 一种衬衫加工用自动折叠工艺
CN116654402A (zh) * 2023-07-27 2023-08-29 潍坊玛迪蓝服饰有限公司 一种纺织生产线的服装翻面折叠装置
CN116654402B (zh) * 2023-07-27 2023-09-29 潍坊玛迪蓝服饰有限公司 一种纺织生产线的服装翻面折叠装置

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