WO2024061458A1

WO2024061458A1 - Method and system for automatic feeding laundry pieces to a laundry processing device

Info

Publication number: WO2024061458A1
Application number: PCT/EP2022/076251
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Wollants; Yves Dabrowiecki; Dimitri COKELAERE; Kris DECLERCK; Angelo VANHOORNE; Thomas BULCKAERT
Original assignee: Texprofin
Priority date: 2022-09-21
Filing date: 2022-09-21
Publication date: 2024-03-28

Abstract

The invention provides a laundry picking device (100) comprising a first gripping system (310) for gripping a laundry piece (900), optionally at a gripping position detected by a first detection system (210), from a pile (800) of laundry pieces in a pick-up zone (110), a second detection system (220) for detecting a first corner (901) of said piece (900), a second gripping system (320) for gripping the first corner (901) and lifting it, a third gripping system (330) for gripping the first corner (901) from the second gripping system (320), a third detection system (230) for detecting a bottom portion (910) of said piece (900) hanging from the second or third gripping system (320, 330), a fourth gripping system (340) for gripping said piece (900) at the bottom portion (910), the third and fourth gripping system (330, 340) configured for tilting said piece diagonally, a fourth detection system (240) for detecting a free hanging corner (903) of said diagonally tilted piece (900), and a fifth gripping system (350) for gripping the free hanging corner (903).

Description

Method and system for automatic feeding laundry pieces to a laundry processing device

Technical field

The present invention relates to a laundry picking device. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a laundry picking method.

Background art

Laundry picking for feeding rectangular laundry pieces, such as for example towels or sheets, to a laundry processing device, such as for example a laundry folding device or a laundry ironing device, is usually performed manually by a person. Thereby, a single rectangular laundry piece is first picked from a pile of rectangular laundry pieces by the person. Subsequently, the person grips said rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece. Finally, the person puts said rectangular laundry piece with the gripped short edge first on an input conveyor of a further laundry processing device to feed said rectangular laundry piece into the laundry processing device.

Manual laundry picking does however have the disadvantage that the person performing the laundry picking is not able to follow the higher speeds at which the laundry processing device is able to operate, i.e. the person is not able to feed rectangular laundry pieces into the laundry processing device at the required rate for the laundry processing device at high production levels, i.e. at a high speed. As such, the manual laundry picking causes delays in the further laundry processing.

Disclosure of the invention

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a laundry picking device and method, which allows to quickly grip a rectangular laundry piece from a pile of rectangular laundry pieces, and quickly grip said rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece.

This aim is achieved according to the invention with a laundry picking device and a laundry picking method showing the technical characteristics of the independent claims. Therefore, the present invention provides, according to a first aspect, a laundry picking device. The laundry picking device comprises a pick-up zone configured for receiving a pile of rectangular laundry pieces. Optionally, the laundry picking device comprises a first detection system configured for detecting a gripping position for a rectangular laundry piece on the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. Preferably, the gripping position is a highest point of the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. The laundry picking device comprises a first gripping system configured for gripping a rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces. If the first detection system is present, the first gripping system is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position. The first gripping system is further configured for lifting said rectangular laundry piece up at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. The laundry picking device comprises a second detection system configured for detecting a first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the first gripping system. This first lowest point corresponds to a first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. The laundry picking device comprises a second gripping system configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the first gripping system at the first corner. Meaning that the second gripping system is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner, and that the first gripping system is configured for subsequently releasing said rectangular laundry piece. The second gripping system is further configured for lifting said rectangular laundry piece up at the first corner at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. The laundry picking device comprises a third gripping system configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the second gripping system at the first corner. Meaning that the second gripping system and the third gripping system are configured for transferring the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece from the second gripping system to the third gripping system. The laundry picking device comprises a third detection system configured for detecting a bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from at least one of the second gripping system and the third gripping system. The laundry picking device comprises a fourth gripping system configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the bottom portion when said rectangular laundry piece is hanging from one of the second gripping system and the third gripping system. Meaning that the fourth gripping system may be configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the bottom portion when said rectangular laundry piece is hanging from the second gripping system, or when said rectangular laundry piece is hanging from the third gripping system, or when said rectangular laundry piece is being transferred from the second gripping system to the third gripping system. Thereby, at least one of the second gripping system and the third gripping system may be configured for moving said rectangular laundry piece with the bottom portion into the fourth gripping system for gripping the bottom portion with the fourth gripping system, or the fourth gripping system may be configured for moving towards the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece for gripping the bottom portion with the fourth gripping system. The third gripping system and the fourth gripping system are further configured for tilting said rectangular laundry piece diagonally between the first corner and the bottom portion. Thereby, the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system are preferably configured for stretching said rectangular laundry piece between the first corner and the bottom portion. The laundry picking device comprises a fourth detection system configured for detecting a free hanging corner of said rectangular laundry piece when tilted diagonally by the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system. This free hanging corner is a corner of a vertically or horizontally hanging short edge of said rectangular laundry piece. The laundry picking device comprises a fifth gripping system configured for gripping the free hanging corner of said rectangular laundry piece. Preferably, the third gripping system, the fourth gripping system and the fifth gripping system are further configured for releasing any portion of said rectangular laundry piece not being a corner of a short edge gripped at opposing corners of said rectangular laundry piece, and for moving said rectangular laundry piece onto a conveyor of the laundry picking device. Preferably, at least one of the first detection system, if present, the second detection system, the third detection system and the fourth detection system is an optical detection system.

The laundry picking device of the present invention offers the advantage that by means of a limited number of steps a rectangular laundry piece can be gripped quickly and easily from a pile of rectangular laundry pieces, and gripped further at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece. The fourth gripping system being configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece hanging from one of the second gripping system and the third gripping system at the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece detected by the third detection system, is beneficial as it allows said rectangular laundry piece to be gripped at a large bottom portion at a certain distance above a second corner of said rectangular laundry piece diagonally opposite of the first corner. This gripping of a large bottom portion can be done quickly and easily without requiring much precision.

The third gripping system being configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the second gripping system at the first corner is beneficial, since it allows the second gripping system to be freed quickly from a first rectangular laundry piece. In this way, the second gripping system is able to proceed quickly with gripping a second rectangular laundry piece from the first gripping system at the first corner and lifting the second rectangular laundry piece up at the first corner at least until the second rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely, while in the meantime the third gripping system assists in the further steps for gripping the first rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge. In this way a plurality of rectangular laundry pieces from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone can be processed more quickly.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the third detection system is configured for detecting a second lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from at least one of the second gripping system and the third gripping system. This second lowest point corresponds to a second corner of said rectangular laundry piece diagonally opposite of the first corner.

Detecting the second lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece, i.e. the second corner of said rectangular laundry piece, is beneficial, as it is a portion of said rectangular laundry piece that can be detected relatively easy and quickly with respect to other portions of said rectangular laundry piece. The second corner of said rectangular laundry piece also forms a good starting point on the basis of which to quickly and easily detect the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece to be gripped by means of the fourth gripping system. This allows the laundry picking device to quickly proceed from gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces and gripping said rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the third detection system is configured for determining a diagonal length of said rectangular laundry piece from spatial coordinates of the second corner of said rectangular laundry piece determined by the third detection system and spatial coordinates of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece determined by the one of the second gripping system and the third gripping system from which said rectangular laundry piece is hanging, and for determining the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece based on the diagonal length of said rectangular laundry piece.

The diagonal length of said rectangular laundry piece forms a good starting point on the basis of which to quickly and easily determine and thus detect the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece to be gripped by means of the fourth gripping system. Said bottom portion may for example be detected in a predetermined range above the second corner of said rectangular laundry piece along the diagonal length of said rectangular laundry piece. This allows the laundry picking device to quickly proceed from gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces and gripping said rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the third detection system is configured for detecting the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece at a predetermined distance above the second corner of said rectangular laundry piece.

Detecting the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece at a predetermined distance above the second corner of said rectangular laundry piece for being gripped by the fourth gripping device offers the advantage that a large portion of said rectangular laundry piece can be gripped, which can be done quickly and easily without requiring much precision, certainly in comparison with gripping for example only the second corner or an edge of said rectangular laundry piece. This allows the laundry picking device to quickly proceed from gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces and gripping said rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the predetermined distance is at least 5 cm, preferably at least 6 cm, more preferably at least 7 cm, even more preferably at least 8 cm, yet even more preferably at least 9 cm. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the predetermined distance is at most 15 cm, preferably at most 14 cm, more preferably at most 13 cm, even more preferably at most 12 cm, yet even more preferably at most 11 cm. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the predetermined distance is most preferably 10 cm. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the third detection system is configured for detecting the second corner of said rectangular laundry piece as the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the fourth gripping system comprises a longitudinal clamp. The longitudinal clamp comprises a first clamping bar and a second clamping bar. The first clamping bar and the second clamping bar are arranged parallel to each other, i.e. parallel in a longitudinal direction of the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar. The first clamping bar and the second clamping bar are moveable towards and away from each other, i.e. in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar, for receiving and gripping the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece between the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar. Preferably, the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar have a predetermined length.

The longitudinal clamp offers the advantage that a wide range is provided over which the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece can be gripped, such that the bottom portion can be gripped quickly and easily by means of the fourth gripping system without requiring much precision. This allows the laundry picking device to quickly proceed from gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces and gripping said rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention each of the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar is provided at a corresponding end with a diverging bar portion.

The first clamping bar and the second clamping bar being provided with the diverging end portions, such that the longitudinal clamp of the fourth gripping system substantially has a Y-shape, offers the advantage of guiding the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece between the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar when said rectangular laundry piece is moved with the bottom portion into the longitudinal clamp of the fourth gripping system and/or when the longitudinal clamp of the fourth gripping system is moved towards the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece with the ends of the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar provided with the diverging bar portion facing towards said rectangular laundry piece. In this way the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece can be positioned quickly and accurately between the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar for being gripped between the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar. This allows the laundry picking device to quickly proceed from gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces and gripping said rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar are plate shaped. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar have a length of at least 50 cm, preferably at least 55 cm, more preferably at least 60 cm, even more preferably at least 65 cm. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar have a length of at most 90 cm, preferably at most 85 cm, more preferably at most 80 cm, even more preferably at most 75 cm. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar have most preferably a length of 70 cm. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar have a width of at least 6 cm, preferably at least 7 cm, more preferably at least 8 cm, even more preferably at least 9 cm. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar have a width of at most 14 cm, preferably at most 13 cm, more preferably at most 12 cm, even more preferably at most 11 cm. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar have most preferably a width of 10 cm.

The plate shaped first clamping bar and second clamping bar with the given length and/or width offer the advantage that a wide range is provided over which the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece can be gripped, such that the bottom portion can be gripped quickly and easily by means of the fourth gripping system without requiring much precision. This allows the laundry picking device to quickly proceed from gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces and gripping said rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the fourth gripping system is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the bottom portion at a first end of the longitudinal clamp when said rectangular laundry piece is a large rectangular laundry piece, and at a second end of the longitudinal clamp, opposite of the first end of the longitudinal clamp, when said rectangular laundry piece is a small rectangular laundry piece.

This embodiment offers the advantage that both the free hanging corner of the large rectangular laundry piece and the free hanging corner of the small rectangular laundry piece get positioned in the field of view of the fourth detection system when each of these rectangular laundry pieces is tilted diagonally between the first corner and the bottom portion by means of the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system. This allows for a quick and accurate detection of the free hanging corner of rectangular laundry pieces of different sizes, such that said free hanging corner can be gripped quickly by means of the fifth gripping system.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention at least one of the second gripping system and the third gripping system is configured for moving said rectangular laundry piece with the bottom portion between the first clamping bar and the second clamping bar.

This may for example be done beneficially while the second gripping system and the third gripping system are moving towards each other for transferring the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece from the second gripping system to the third gripping system. In this way the step of the third gripping system gripping the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece and the step of the fourth gripping system gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the bottom portion is performed at the same time, which speeds up the whole process of the laundry picking device gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces and gripping said rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention at least one of the first gripping system, the second gripping system, the third gripping system and the fifth gripping system comprises a robot arm provided at a distal end with a gripping member.

The present invention also provides, according to a second aspect, a laundry picking device. The laundry picking device comprises at least one gripping system for gripping a rectangular laundry piece. The at least one gripping system comprises a robot arm provided at a distal end with a gripping member.

The inventors have found that the robot arm with the gripping member is beneficial for quickly and accurately gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces, and for quickly and accurately gripping said rectangular laundry piece at any one of its corners.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the robot arm is moveable in a horizontal plane. The robot arm is mounted at a proximal end on a vertical guide such that the robot arm is moveable in a height direction on the vertical guide.

The inventors have found that the robot arm configured as such can be controlled easily and moved quickly to the desired position for the gripping member to grip said rectangular laundry piece.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the robot arm comprises a first arm portion connected at a proximal end to the vertical guide via a first joint. The first arm portion is rotatable around the first joint in the horizontal plane by means of a first motor. The robot arm comprises a second arm portion connected at a proximal end to a distal end of the first arm portion via a second joint. The second arm portion is rotatable around the second joint in the horizontal plane by means of a second motor. The gripping member is connected to a distal end of the second arm portion via a third joint .The gripping member is rotatable around the third joint in the horizontal plane.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the first motor and the second motor are arranged at the proximal end of the robot arm. Preferably, the first motor and the second motor are arranged at the proximal end of the robot arm at the first joint.

The first motor and the second motor being arranged at the proximal end of the robot arm offers the advantage that the main portion of the mass of the robot arm is located at the proximal end of the robot arm close to the vertical guide. In this way, the robot arm can be moved more quickly and easily along the height direction on the vertical guide, and the robot arm can be moved more quickly and easily in the horizontal plane. Thereby, undesired vibrations of the robot arm are also reduced, which would reduce the accuracy of the robot arm in positioning the gripping member.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the robot arm is configured such that the gripping member rotates around the third joint contrary to the rotation of the first arm portion around the first joint and contrary to the rotation of the second arm portion around the second joint. Preferably, the gripping member is mechanically linked to the first arm portion such that a rotation of the first arm portion around the first joint causes the gripping member to rotate around the third joint contrary to the rotation of the of the first arm portion around the first joint. Preferably, the gripping member is mechanically linked to the second arm portion such that a rotation of the second arm portion around the second joint causes the gripping member to rotate around the third joint contrary to the rotation of the of the second arm portion around the second joint.

This embodiment offers the advantage that the gripping member of the robot arm is always pointed in the same direction, independent of the rotation of the first arm portion around the first joint and independent of the rotation of the second arm portion around the second joint. This is beneficial for quickly gripping said rectangular laundry piece, certainly at a corner of said rectangular laundry piece, by means of the gripping member.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the robot arm is provided with a first pulley at the first joint. The first pulley is connected to the second motor such that the first pulley is rotatable by means of the second motor. The robot arm is provided with a second pulley at the second joint. The second pulley is connected to the second arm portion such that the second arm portion is rotatable around the second joint in the horizontal plane by means of a rotation of the second pulley. The robot arm is provided with a first drive belt connecting the first pulley and the second pulley for transferring a rotation of the first pulley to the second pulley. The robot arm is provided with a third pulley at the first joint. The third pulley is mounted fix on the first joint. The robot arm is provided with a fourth pulley at the second joint. The fourth pulley is mounted freely rotatable on the second joint. The robot arm is provided with a fifth pulley at the third joint. The fifth pulley is connected to the gripping member such that the gripping member is rotatable around the third joint in the horizontal plane by means of a rotation of the fifth pulley. The robot arm is provided with a second drive belt connecting the third pulley and the fourth pulley for transferring a rotation of the first arm portion to the fourth pulley. The robot arm is provided with a third drive belt connecting the fourth pulley and the fifth pulley for transferring a rotation of the fourth pulley to the fifth pulley.

This embodiment offers the advantage that the gripping member rotates passively, i.e. without being driven actively, around the third joint contrary to the rotation of the first arm portion around the first joint and contrary to the rotation of the second arm portion around the second joint. Hence, no active drive mechanism, such as for example a third motor, is required for driving the rotation of the gripping member around the third joint contrary to the rotation of the first arm portion around the first joint and contrary to the rotation of the second arm portion around the second joint. In this embodiment the desired effect is achieved by the mechanical linkage provided by the different pulleys and drive belts.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the gripping member comprises a central suction zone configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece by suction. The gripping member further comprises a plurality of gripping pens arranged around the central suction zone and pointed towards the central suction zone. The gripping pens are moveable towards the central suction zone for further gripping said rectangular laundry piece when gripped by the suction in the central suction zone. Preferably, this embodiment relates to the case of the first gripping system.

The present invention also provides, according to a third aspect, a laundry picking device. The laundry picking device comprises at least one gripping system for gripping a rectangular laundry piece, preferably from a pile of rectangular laundry pieces. The at least one gripping system comprises a gripping member for gripping said rectangular laundry piece. The gripping member comprises a central suction zone configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece by suction. The gripping member further comprises a plurality of gripping pens arranged around the central suction zone and pointed towards the central suction zone. The gripping pens are moveable towards the central suction zone for further gripping said rectangular laundry piece when gripped by the suction in the central suction zone.

The gripping member having the central suction zone and the plurality of gripping pens is beneficial to quickly and accurately grip said rectangular laundry piece, certainly from a pile of rectangular laundry pieces. The central suction zone is thereby used first for sucking said rectangular laundry piece already slightly into the gripping member, such that said rectangular laundry piece can be gripped more easily by means of the gripping pens. The gripping member being configured for first sucking said rectangular laundry piece into the central suction zone is also beneficial to ensure that only said rectangular laundry piece is gripped from a pile of rectangular laundry pieces and no further rectangular laundry pieces.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the gripping pens are arranged on opposing sides of the central suction zone.

This embodiment is beneficial to ensure that said rectangular laundry piece is gripped well from different sides, thereby further improving the grip on said rectangular laundry piece. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the gripping pens are needles with their pointed tips arranged towards the central suction zone.

This embodiment is beneficial for gripping into said rectangular laundry piece by means of the gripping pens, thereby further improving the grip on said rectangular laundry piece.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the gripping member comprises at least three gripping pens, preferably at least four gripping pens, and more preferably at least five gripping pens. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the gripping member comprises at most nine gripping pens, preferably at most eight gripping pens, and more preferably at most seven gripping pens. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the gripping member comprises most preferably six gripping pens.

The inventors have found that a number of gripping pens in this range is beneficial for providing a good grip on said rectangular laundry piece.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the gripping member is a clamp. Preferably, this embodiment relates to the case of any one of the second gripping system, the third gripping system and the fifth gripping system.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the clamp of at least the second gripping system, and optionally also of the third gripping member and/or the fifth gripping member, extends along a horizontal longitudinal axis from the distal end of the robot arm. The clamp is rotatable around the horizontal longitudinal axis. Preferably, the second gripping system is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the first gripping system at the first corner with the clamp rotated at a first predetermined angle, and for rotating the clamp to a second predetermined angle, different from the first predetermined angle, after or while lifting said rectangular laundry piece up at the first corner at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely.

This embodiment is beneficial to ensure that said rectangular laundry piece is not hanging over the clamp with the first corner pointing downwards when said rectangular laundry piece has been lifted up at the first corner by the second gripping system at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely, since this situation makes it more difficult for the third gripping system to grip said rectangular laundry piece from the second gripping system at the first corner. If said rectangular laundry piece would be hanging from the clamp in this way, this embodiment offers the advantage that the clamp can be rotated around the horizontal longitudinal axis until the main portion of said rectangular laundry piece is hanging below the clamp and the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece is pointing upwards. For the third gripping system and/or the fifth gripping system this may also be used beneficially for orienting the gripped corner and the main portion of said rectangular laundry similarly to the desired position.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the second detection system is configured for tracking the motion of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. The second gripping system is configured for simultaneously moving towards the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece, i.e. for the purpose of gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner.

The present invention also provides, according to a fourth aspect, a laundry picking device. Optionally, the laundry picking device comprises a pick-up zone configured for receiving a pile of rectangular laundry pieces. Optionally, the laundry picking device comprises a first detection system configured for detecting a gripping position for a rectangular laundry piece on the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. Preferably, the gripping position is a highest point of the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. The laundry picking device comprises a first gripping system configured for gripping a rectangular laundry piece. Optionally, the first gripping system is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces. If the first detection system is present, the first gripping system is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position. The first gripping system is further configured for lifting said rectangular laundry piece up at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. The laundry picking device comprises a second detection system configured for detecting a first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the first gripping system. This first lowest point corresponds to a first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. The laundry picking device comprises a second gripping system configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner. The second detection system is configured for tracking the motion of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. The second gripping system is configured for simultaneously moving towards the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece, i.e. for the purpose of gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner.

The second detection system tracking the swinging motion of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece after said rectangular laundry piece has been lifted up by the first gripping system, while the second gripping system is moved simultaneously towards the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece, offers the advantage that the second gripping system is already positioned close to the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece at the moment that the motion of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece has stabilised enough for the second gripping system to grip the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. This allows the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece to be gripped more quickly.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the second detection system is configured for extrapolating the motion of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. The second gripping system is configured for moving towards an extrapolated position of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece for gripping the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece when the rate of motion of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece has decreased below a predetermined threshold.

This embodiment offers the advantage that the position, i.e. the extrapolated position, where the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece will end up at the moment the swinging motion of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece has stabilised enough for the second gripping system to grip the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece, can be predicted, and that the second gripping system can already be moved in advance to this position for the purpose of gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner. This allows the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece to be gripped even more quickly by the second gripping system.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the laundry picking device comprises a stabilisation component configured for stabilising the motion of said rectangular laundry piece when said rectangular laundry piece is lifted up by the first gripping system. Preferably, the stabilisation component comprises at least one upright plate. Preferably, the first gripping system is configured for moving said rectangular laundry piece against the stabilisation component before, and preferably while, lifting said rectangular laundry piece up. Preferably, the second gripping system is configured for simultaneously moving towards a predetermined region above the stabilisation component while the first gripping system is lifting said rectangular laundry piece up.

The present invention also provides, according to a fifth aspect, a laundry picking device. Optionally, the laundry picking device comprises a pick-up zone configured for receiving a pile of rectangular laundry pieces. Optionally, the laundry picking device comprises a first detection system configured for detecting a gripping position for a rectangular laundry piece on the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. Preferably, the gripping position is a highest point of the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. The laundry picking device comprises a first gripping system configured for gripping a rectangular laundry piece. Optionally, the first gripping system is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces. If the first detection system is present, the first gripping system is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position. The first gripping system is further configured for lifting said rectangular laundry piece up at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. The laundry picking device comprises a stabilisation component configured for stabilising the motion of said rectangular laundry piece when said rectangular laundry piece is lifted up by the first gripping system. Preferably, the first gripping system is configured for moving said rectangular laundry piece against the stabilisation component before, and preferably while, lifting said rectangular laundry piece up. Optionally, the laundry picking device comprises a second detection system configured for detecting a first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the first gripping system. This first lowest point corresponds to a first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. Optionally, the laundry picking device comprises a second gripping system configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner. Preferably, the second gripping system is configured for simultaneously moving towards a predetermined region above the stabilisation component while the first gripping system is lifting said rectangular laundry piece up.

This embodiment offers the advantage that any swinging motion of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece after said rectangular laundry piece has been lifted up by the first gripping system is greatly reduced. This allows the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece to be gripped more quickly by the second gripping system. Moving the second gripping system towards a predetermined region above the stabilisation component while the first gripping system is lifting said rectangular laundry piece up, offers the advantage that the second gripping system is already positioned in the vicinity of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece for a quick gripping of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece by means of the second gripping system.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the stabilisation component comprises a first plate and a second plate. The first plate and the second plate are arranged upright and against each other to form a corner between each other. The first gripping system is configured for moving said rectangular laundry piece into said corner before, and preferably while, lifting said rectangular laundry piece up. Preferably, the second gripping system is configured for simultaneously moving towards a predetermined region above the corner between the first plate and the second plate while the first gripping system is lifting said rectangular laundry piece up.

The inventors have found that the stabilisation component with the upright first plate and second plate forming a corner and the first gripping system being configured for moving said rectangular laundry piece into said corner before lifting said rectangular laundry piece up is beneficial for efficiently and quickly reducing the swinging motion of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. This allows the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece to be gripped more quickly by the second gripping system.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the second detection system comprises a 3D stereo camera and a projector configured for projecting a predetermined pattern on said rectangular laundry piece. Preferably, the predetermined pattern is a predetermined (pseudo)random pattern. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the predetermined pattern is projected at a frequency of at least 10 frames per second, preferably at least 12 frames per second, more preferably at least 14 frames per second, even more preferably at least 16 frames per second, yet even more preferably at least 18 frames per second. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the predetermined pattern is projected at a frequency of at most 30 frames per second, preferably at most 28 frames per second, more preferably at most 26 frames per second, even more preferably at most 24 frames per second, yet even more preferably at most 22 frames per second. In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the predetermined pattern is most preferably projected at a frequency of 20 frames per second.

The inventors have found the second detection system with the 3D stereo camera and the projector for projecting a predetermined pattern on said rectangular laundry piece to be very beneficial for accurately tracking the swinging motion of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece after said rectangular laundry piece has been lifted up by the first gripping system. Thereby, the projection of the predetermined pattern is beneficial to obtain an accurate image of the topology of said rectangular laundry piece. This allows the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece to be gripped more accurately and quickly by the second gripping system.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the second detection system is combined with the third detection system.

This embodiment is beneficial for reducing the number of components of the laundry picking device, and thus the complexity of the device. The combined second detection system and third detection system may for example be configured for first detecting the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece and subsequently the second corner of said rectangular laundry, on the basis of which second corner of said rectangular laundry piece the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece can be further determined such described with respect to embodiments above.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention at least one of the first detection system, if present, and the fourth detection system comprises a light detection and ranging, LIDAR, camera or a 3D time of flight, TOF, camera.

The inventors have found that a LIDAR camera or a 3D TOF camera as part of the first detection system is beneficial for quickly and accurately detecting the gripping position for said rectangular laundry piece on the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. This allows said rectangular laundry piece to be quickly gripped from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position, preferably the highest point of the pile of rectangular laundry pieces, by means of the first gripping system. The inventors have found that a LIDAR camera or a 3D TOF camera as part of the fourth detection system is beneficial for quickly and accurately detecting a free hanging corner of said rectangular laundry piece when tilted diagonally by the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system. This allows said rectangular laundry piece to be quickly gripped at the free hanging corner by means of the fifth gripping system.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the laundry picking device comprises a first compartment and a second compartment. The first gripping system, the second gripping system, the first detection system, if present, and the second detection system are arranged in the first compartment. The third gripping system, the fourth gripping system, the fifth gripping system and the fourth detection system are arranged in the second compartment. The third detection system is arranged in either one of the first compartment and the second compartment.

The laundry picking device being divided in the first compartment and the second compartment is beneficial for separating the initial steps of gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces and gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner, and the further steps for gripping said rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece as much as possible. This allows two rectangular laundry pieces to be processed simultaneously in the first compartment and the second compartment without hindering each other. In this way a plurality of rectangular laundry pieces from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone can be processed more quickly. It should be noted that the same is applicable to the combination of two laundry picking devices, such as described below, which are configured similarly to the first compartment and the second compartment.

The present invention also provides, according to a sixth aspect, a laundry picking device. The laundry picking device comprises a pick-up zone configured for receiving a pile of rectangular laundry pieces. Optionally, the laundry picking device comprises a first detection system configured for detecting a gripping position for a rectangular laundry piece on the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. Preferably, the gripping position is a highest point of the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. The laundry picking device comprises a first gripping system configured for gripping a rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces. If the first detection system is present, the first gripping system is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position. The first gripping system is further configured for lifting said rectangular laundry piece up at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. The laundry picking device comprises a second detection system configured for detecting a first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the first gripping system. This first lowest point corresponds to a first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. The laundry picking device comprises a second gripping system configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the first gripping system at the first corner. Meaning that the second gripping system is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner, and that the first gripping system is configured for subsequently releasing said rectangular laundry piece. Optionally, the second gripping system is further configured for lifting said rectangular laundry piece up at the first corner at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. Optionally, the laundry picking device comprises a third detection system configured for detecting a bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the second gripping system.

The present invention also provides, according to a seventh aspect, a laundry picking device. The laundry picking device is configured for receiving a rectangular laundry piece from a prior laundry picking device, said prior laundry picking device gripping said rectangular laundry piece at a first corner. The laundry picking device comprises a third gripping system configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the prior laundry picking device at the first corner. Meaning that the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece is transferred from the prior laundry picking device to the third gripping system. Optionally, the third gripping system is further configured for lifting said rectangular laundry piece up at the first corner at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. The laundry picking device may comprise a third detection system configured for detecting a bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the third gripping system. Alternatively, the laundry picking device may be configured for receiving a position of a bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece when said rectangular laundry piece is received from the prior laundry picking device. The laundry picking device comprises a fourth gripping system configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the bottom portion when said rectangular laundry piece is hanging from the third gripping system. Meaning that the fourth gripping system may be configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the bottom portion when said rectangular laundry piece is hanging from the third gripping system, or when said rectangular laundry piece is being transferred from the prior laundry picking device to the third gripping system. Thereby, the third gripping system may be configured for moving said rectangular laundry piece with the bottom portion into the fourth gripping system for gripping the bottom portion with the fourth gripping system, or the fourth gripping system may be configured for moving towards the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece for gripping the bottom portion with the fourth gripping system. The third gripping system and the fourth gripping system are further configured for tilting said rectangular laundry piece diagonally between the first corner and the bottom portion. Thereby, the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system are preferably configured for stretching said rectangular laundry piece between the first corner and the bottom portion. The laundry picking device comprises a fourth detection system configured for detecting a free hanging corner of said rectangular laundry piece when tilted diagonally by the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system. This free hanging corner is a corner of a vertically or horizontally hanging short edge of said rectangular laundry piece. The laundry picking device comprises a fifth gripping system configured for gripping the free hanging corner of said rectangular laundry. Preferably, the third gripping system, the fourth gripping system and the fifth gripping system are further configured for releasing any portion of said rectangular laundry piece not being a corner of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece, and for moving said rectangular laundry piece onto a conveyor of the laundry picking device. Preferably, at least one of the first detection system, if present, the second detection system, the third detection system and the fourth detection system is an optical detection system.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking device according to the present invention the laundry picking device comprises at least one further second compartment. Each of the at least one further second compartment comprises a further third gripping system, a further fourth gripping system, a further fifth gripping system and a further fourth detection system configured similarly as respectively the third gripping system, the fourth gripping system, the fifth gripping system and the fourth detection system. In case the second compartment comprises the third detection system, each of the at least one further second compartment comprises a further third detection system configured similarly as the third detection system.

This embodiment is beneficial for distributing rectangular laundry pieces coming from the first compartment to the second compartment and the at least one further second compartment. This is beneficial since the initial steps in the first compartment of gripping said rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces and gripping said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner can usually be performed more quickly than the further steps in the second compartment for gripping said rectangular laundry piece at two opposing corners of a short edge of said rectangular laundry piece. In this way, the processing of a next rectangular laundry piece in the first compartment is not delayed by the further processing of a previous rectangular laundry piece in the second compartment, since when a rectangular laundry piece has been processed in the first compartment, said rectangular laundry piece can always be transferred immediately from the first compartment to any one of the second compartment and the at least one further second compartment in which at that time no rectangular laundry piece is being processed, and the first compartment can immediately start processing a next rectangular laundry piece.

Furthermore, the present invention also provides, according to the first aspect, a laundry picking method performed by means of a laundry picking device. The method comprises the step of positioning a pile of rectangular laundry pieces in a pick-up zone of the laundry picking device. Optionally, the method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a first detection system of the laundry picking device, a gripping position for a rectangular laundry piece on the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. Preferably, the gripping position is a highest point of the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a first gripping system of the laundry picking device, a rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces. If the gripping position is detected by the first detection system, said rectangular laundry piece is gripped from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position. The method comprises the step of lifting said rectangular laundry piece up by means of the first gripping system at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. The method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a second detection system of the laundry picking device, a first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the first gripping system. This first lowest point corresponds to a first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a second gripping system of the laundry picking device, said rectangular laundry piece from the first gripping system at the first corner. Meaning that the second gripping system grips said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner, and that the first gripping system subsequently releases said rectangular laundry piece. The method comprises the step of lifting, by means of the second gripping system, said rectangular laundry piece up at the first corner at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a third gripping system of the laundry picking device, said rectangular laundry piece from the second gripping system at the first corner. Meaning that the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece is transferred from the second gripping system to the third gripping system. The method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a third detection system of the laundry picking device, a bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from least one of the second gripping system and the third gripping system. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a fourth gripping system of the laundry picking device, said rectangular laundry piece at the bottom portion when said rectangular laundry piece is hanging from one of the second gripping system and the third gripping system. Meaning that the fourth gripping system may grip said rectangular laundry piece at the bottom portion when said rectangular laundry piece is hanging from the second gripping system, or when said rectangular laundry piece is hanging from the third gripping system, or when said rectangular laundry piece is being transferred from the second gripping system to the third gripping system. Thereby, at least one of the second gripping system and the third gripping system may move said rectangular laundry piece with the bottom portion into the fourth gripping system for gripping the bottom portion with the fourth gripping system, or the fourth gripping system may move towards the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece for gripping the bottom portion with the fourth gripping system. The method comprises the step of tilting, by means of the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system, said rectangular laundry piece diagonally between the first corner and the bottom portion. Thereby, said rectangular laundry piece is preferably stretched between the first corner and the bottom portion by means of the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system. The method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a fourth detection system of the laundry picking device, a free hanging corner of said rectangular laundry piece when tilted diagonally by the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system. This free hanging corner is a corner of a vertically or horizontally hanging short edge of said rectangular laundry piece. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a fifth gripping system of the laundry picking device, the free hanging corner of said rectangular laundry piece. Preferably, the method further comprises the step of releasing, by means of the third gripping system, the fourth gripping system and the fifth gripping system, any portion of said rectangular laundry piece not being a corner of a short edge gripped at opposing corners of said rectangular laundry piece, and for moving said rectangular laundry piece onto a conveyor of the laundry picking device.

Furthermore, the present invention also provides, according to the second aspect, a laundry picking method performed by means of a laundry picking device. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of at least one gripping system of the laundry device a rectangular laundry piece. Said rectangular laundry piece is gripped by means of a gripping member at a distal end of robot arm of the at least one gripping system. Furthermore, the present invention also provides, according to the fourth aspect, a laundry picking method performed by means of a laundry picking device. Optionally, the method comprises the step of positioning a pile of rectangular laundry pieces in a pick-up zone of the laundry picking device. Optionally, the method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a first detection system of the laundry picking device, a gripping position for a rectangular laundry piece on the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. Preferably, the gripping position is a highest point of the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a first gripping system of the laundry picking device, a rectangular laundry piece. Optionally, said rectangular laundry piece is gripped from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces. If the gripping position is detected by the first detection system, said rectangular laundry piece is gripped from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position. The method comprises the step of lifting said rectangular laundry piece up by means of the first gripping system at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. The method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a second detection system of the laundry picking device, a first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the first gripping system. This first lowest point corresponds to a first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. The method comprises the step of tracking, by means of the second detection system, the motion of the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. The method comprises the step of simultaneously moving a second gripping system of the laundry picking device towards the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of the second gripping system, said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner.

Furthermore, the present invention also provides, according to the fifth aspect, a laundry picking method performed by means of a laundry picking device. Optionally, the method comprises the step of positioning a pile of rectangular laundry pieces in a pick-up zone of the laundry picking device. Optionally, the method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a first detection system of the laundry picking device, a gripping position for a rectangular laundry piece on the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. Preferably, the gripping position is a highest point of the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a first gripping system of the laundry picking device, a rectangular laundry piece. Optionally, said rectangular laundry piece is gripped from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces. If the gripping position is detected by the first detection system, said rectangular laundry piece is gripped from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position. The method comprises the step of lifting said rectangular laundry piece up by means of the first gripping system at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. Thereby, said rectangular laundry piece is moved against a stabilisation component of the laundry picking device before, and preferably while, lifting said rectangular laundry piece up. Optionally, the method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a second detection system of the laundry picking device, a first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the first gripping system. This first lowest point corresponds to a first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. Optionally, the method comprises the step of simultaneously moving a second gripping system of the laundry picking device towards a predetermined region above the stabilisation component while the first gripping system is lifting said rectangular laundry piece up. Optionally, the method comprises the step of gripping, by means of the second gripping system, said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner.

Furthermore, the present invention also provides, according to the sixth aspect, a laundry picking method performed by means of a laundry picking device. The method comprises the step of positioning a pile of rectangular laundry pieces in a pick-up zone of the laundry picking device. Optionally, the method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a first detection system of the laundry picking device, a gripping position for a rectangular laundry piece on the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. Preferably, the gripping position is a highest point of the pile of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a first gripping system of the laundry picking device, a rectangular laundry piece from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces. If the gripping position is detected by the first detection system, said rectangular laundry piece is gripped from the pile of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position. The method comprises the step of lifting said rectangular laundry piece up by means of the first gripping system at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. The method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a second detection system of the laundry picking device, a first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the first gripping system. This first lowest point corresponds to a first corner of said rectangular laundry piece. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a second gripping system of the laundry picking device, said rectangular laundry piece from the first gripping system at the first corner. Meaning that the second gripping system grips said rectangular laundry piece at the first corner, and that the first gripping system subsequently releases said rectangular laundry piece. Optionally, the method comprises the step of lifting, by means of the second gripping system, said rectangular laundry piece up at the first corner at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. Optionally, the method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a third detection system of the laundry picking device, a bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the second gripping system.

Furthermore, the present invention also provides, according to the seventh aspect, a laundry picking method performed by means of a laundry picking device. The method comprises the step of receiving a rectangular laundry piece from a prior laundry picking device, said prior laundry picking device gripping said rectangular laundry piece at a first corner. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a third gripping system of the laundry picking device, said rectangular laundry piece from the prior laundry picking device at the first corner. Meaning that the first corner of said rectangular laundry piece is transferred from the prior laundry picking device to the third gripping system. Optionally, the method comprises the step of lifting, by means of the third gripping system, said rectangular laundry piece up at the first corner at least until said rectangular laundry piece is hanging freely. The method may comprise the step of detecting, by means of a third detection system of the laundry picking device, a bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece when hanging from the third gripping system. Alternatively, the method may comprise the step of receiving a position of a bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece when said rectangular laundry piece is received from the prior laundry picking device. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a fourth gripping system of the laundry picking device, said rectangular laundry piece at the bottom portion when said rectangular laundry piece is hanging from the third gripping system. Meaning that the fourth gripping system may grip said rectangular laundry piece at the bottom portion when said rectangular laundry piece is hanging from the third gripping system, or when said rectangular laundry piece is being transferred from the prior laundry picking device to the third gripping system. Thereby, the third gripping system may move said rectangular laundry piece with the bottom portion into the fourth gripping system for gripping the bottom portion with the fourth gripping system, or the fourth gripping system may move towards the bottom portion of said rectangular laundry piece for gripping the bottom portion with the fourth gripping system. The method comprises the step of tilting, by means of the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system, said rectangular laundry piece diagonally between the first corner and the bottom portion. Thereby, said rectangular laundry piece is preferably stretched between the first corner and the bottom portion by means of the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system. The method comprises the step of detecting, by means of a fourth detection system of the laundry picking device, a free hanging corner of said rectangular laundry piece when tilted diagonally by the third gripping system and the fourth gripping system. This free hanging corner is a corner of a vertically or horizontally hanging short edge of said rectangular laundry piece. The method comprises the step of gripping, by means of a fifth gripping system of the laundry picking device, the free hanging corner of said rectangular laundry piece. Preferably, the method further comprises the step of releasing, by means of the third gripping system, the fourth gripping system and the fifth gripping system, any portion of said rectangular laundry piece not being a corner of a short edge gripped at opposing corners of said rectangular laundry piece, and for moving said rectangular laundry piece onto a conveyor of the laundry picking device.

In an embodiment of the laundry picking method according to the present invention the method is performed by means of the laundry picking device according to the present invention.

Different aspects of the present invention are described which may be, but do not have to be, implemented separate from each other. The embodiments are described with respect to all the aspects of the present invention, as far as they relate to features described with respect to each of the aspect of the present invention.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be further elucidated by means of the following description and the appended figures.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view on a front top right corner of a laundry picking device according to an embodiment of the present invention including the housing.

Figure 2 shows a perspective on a top front right corner of the laundry picking device of Figure 1 without the housing.

Figure 3 shows a perspective on a top front left corner of the laundry picking device of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows a perspective from a top back right corner of the laundry picking device of Figure 2.

Figure 5 shows a perspective from a top back left corner of the laundry picking device of Figure 2.

Figure 6 shows a back view of the laundry picking device of Figure 2.

Figure 7 shows a front view of the laundry picking device of Figure 2.

Figure 8 shows a right side view of the laundry picking device of Figure 2.

Figure 9 shows a left side view of the laundry picking device of Figure 2.

Figure 10 shows a top view of the laundry picking device of Figure 2.

Figure 11 shows a perspective view on a robot arm of the laundry picking device of Figure 1.

Figure 12 shows a cross-section through the robot arm of Figure 11 .

Figure 13 shows a detailed view of the gripping member of the first gripping system of the laundry picking device of Figure 1 .

Figure 14 shows a rectangular laundry piece 900 to be picked up with the laundry picking device of Figure 1 .

Figure 15 illustrates a step of gripping a rectangular laundry piece from a pile of rectangular laundry pieces with the first gripping system.

Figure 16 illustrates a step for stabilising the motion of the rectangular laundry piece by means of a stabilisation component when said rectangular laundry piece is lifted up by the first gripping system. Figure 17 illustrates a step of gripping the rectangular laundry piece at the first corner by means of the second gripping system.

Figure 18 illustrates a step of gripping the free hanging corner of the rectangular laundry piece by means of the fifth gripping system.

Figure 19 shows a schematic representation of a further embodiment of the laundry picking device of Figure 1 comprising a further second compartment.

Modes for carrying out the invention

The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not necessarily correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order. The terms are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention can operate in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. The terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and the embodiments of the invention described herein can operate in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

The term “comprising”, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It needs to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression “a device comprising means A and B” should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B. Figure 1 shows a laundry picking device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The interior of the laundry picking device 100 is shown in the Figures 2-10 from different angles. The laundry picking device 100 is configured for picking up rectangular laundry pieces 900, of which one as shown in Figure 14, thereby also indicating the different parts of the rectangular laundry piece 900 to which will be referred to further below.

The main components of the laundry picking device 100 are enclosed by housing 103, in which a first compartment 101 and a second compartment 102 of the laundry picking device 100 can be distinguished, as can be seen in Figure 1 .

At the exterior of the housing 103, the laundry picking device 100 is provided with a hopper 111 in which a pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces can be dropped for being processed in the laundry picking device 100. Below the hopper 111 the laundry picking device 100 is provided with an input conveyor 112, which is configured for transporting the pile 800 of laundry pieces dropped in the hopper 111 from the exterior of the laundry picking device 100 towards a pick-up zone 110 located in the first compartment 101 at the interior of the laundry picking device 100.

In the first compartment 101 , the laundry picking device 100 is further provided with a first detection system 210. The first detection system 210 is configured for detecting a gripping position for a rectangular laundry piece 900 on the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone 110. Preferably, the gripping position is the highest point of the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone 110, which can be detected quickly and easily. In alternative embodiments any other suitable gripping position can be chosen for being detected by the first detection system 210. In this embodiment, the first detection system 210 is an optical detection system comprising a light detection and ranging, LIDAR, camera or 3D time of flight, TOF, camera. In alternative embodiments other suitable types of detection system can however also be used as the first detection system 210. The first detection system 210 is mounted on a bridge 211 passing over the input conveyor 112 in the interior of the laundry picking device 100. Thereby, the camera of the first detection system 210 is directed downwards towards the pick-up zone 110 to look down upon the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone 110. In the first compartment 101 , the laundry picking device 100 is further provided with a first gripping system 310. The first gripping system 310, as illustrated in Figure 15, is configured for gripping a rectangular laundry piece 900 from the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position detected by the first detection system 210. In alternative embodiments the laundry picking device 100 may also be provided without the first detection system 210, in which case the first gripping system 310 is configured for just reaching into the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone 110 and randomly gripping a rectangular laundry piece 900 on the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone 110.

In this embodiment, the first gripping system 310 comprises a robot arm 400. The robot arm 400 is arranged such that the robot arm 400 can move in a horizontal plane. At a proximal end, the robot arm 400 is mounted on a vertical guide 480 in a slideable manner, such that the robot arm 400 as a whole can be moved up and down on the vertical guide 480 in a height direction H. At a distal end, the robot arm 400 is provided with a gripping member 460, which is the part of the first gripping system 310 which is effectively used for gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900. Further details of the robot arm 400 will be discussed further below.

The gripping member 460 of the first gripping system 310, as can be seen in further detail in Figure 13, extends downwards from the robot arm 400. The gripping member 460 is provided at the bottom end with a central suction zone 461 , which is configured gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 from the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces by means of suction when the gripping member 460 is lowered onto said rectangular laundry piece 900 on the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position. In this way, said rectangular laundry piece 900 is sucked slightly into the gripping member 460. This is beneficial to ensure that only said rectangular laundry piece 900 is gripped by the gripping member 460, and no other rectangular laundry pieces on the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces which are located directly below said rectangular laundry piece 900 on the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces. The gripping member 460 further comprises six needle shaped gripping pens 462 which are arranged around the central suction zone 461 three by three on opposing sides of the central suction zone 461. The gripping pens 462 are pointing towards the central suction zone 461 with the pointed tips of the needle shaped gripping pens 462 directed towards the central suction zone 461. The gripping pens 462 are arranged such that the gripping pens 462 are moveable towards and away from the central suction zone 461. This allows the gripping pens 462 to be moved away first from the central suction zone 461 such that said rectangular laundry piece 900 can first be gripped with the central suction zone 461 by means of suction, after which the gripping pens 462 are moved towards the central suction zone 461 for further gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the portion sucked into the central suction zone 461. To release said rectangular laundry piece 900 from the gripping member 460 the gripping pens 462 are moved away from the central suction zone 461 and any suction at the central suction zone 461 is stopped. In alternative embodiments, the number of gripping pens 462 may however be different, preferably at least three gripping pens 462, and preferably at most nine gripping pens 462. The arrangement of the gripping pens 462 around the central suction zone 461 may also be different. The shape of the gripping pens 462 may also be different.

The first gripping system 310 is further configured for lifting said rectangular laundry piece 900 up after said rectangular laundry piece 900 has been gripped from the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces, and this at least until said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging freely. To stabilise any swinging motion of said rectangular laundry piece 900 as much as possible while said rectangular laundry piece 900 is being lifted up by means of the first gripping system 310, the laundry picking system 100 is provided in the first compartment 101 with a stabilisation component 500. The stabilisation component 500 is omitted in Figures 2-10, but the principle of the stabilisation component is illustrated in Figure 16. The stabilisation component 500 comprises a first plate 501 and a second plate 502, which first plate 501 and second plate 502 are arranged upright and against each other to form a corner between them. To achieve the stabilisation of the swinging motion of said rectangular laundry piece 900 as much as possible while said rectangular laundry piece 900 is being lifted up by means of the first gripping system 310, the first gripping system 310 is configured for first moving said rectangular laundry piece 900 into the corner formed between the first plate 501 and the second plate 502 before lifting said rectangular laundry piece 900 up while being pushed against the first plate 501 and the second plate 502 in said corner. In this way, said rectangular laundry piece 900 can be lifted up quickly by means of the first gripping system 310 with only a limited swinging motion of said rectangular laundry piece 900.

In the first compartment 101 , the laundry picking device 100 is further provided with a second detection system 220. The second detection system 220 is configured for detecting a first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece

900 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging freely from the first gripping system 310. This first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece 900 corresponds to a first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900. In this embodiment, the second detection system 220 is an optical detection system comprising a 3D stereo camera and a projector. The projector is configured for projecting at a high frequency, such as for example like a stroboscope, a predetermined pattern, preferably a predetermined (pseudo)random pattern, on said rectangular laundry piece 900. The combination of the 3D stereo camera and the projector offers the advantage that the 3D position of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 can be detected with high accuracy, and that the change in the 3D position over time, i.e. the motion, of the first corner

901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 can be tracked with high accuracy. In alternative embodiments other suitable types of detection system can however also be used as the second detection system 220. The second detection system 220 is positioned at the bottom of the laundry picking device 100. Thereby, the 3D stereo camera and the projector of the second detection system 220 is directed upwards towards the first gripping system 310 to look from below on said rectangular laundry piece 900 hanging freely from the first gripping system 310.

In the first compartment 101 , the laundry picking device 100 is further provided with a second gripping system 320. The second gripping system 320, as illustrated in Figure 17, is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 from the first gripping system 310 at the first corner 901 , i.e. the second gripping system 320 is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the first corner 901 , and the first gripping system 310 is configured for subsequently releasing said rectangular laundry piece 900.

The second gripping system 320 is arranged similarly to the first gripping system 310 as a robot arm 400 mounted on a vertical guide 480, with the difference that the robot arm 400 of the second gripping system 320 is provided at the distal end with a different type of gripping member 470 more suitable for gripping corners of said rectangular laundry piece 900. In this case, a clamp 471 is used as the gripping member 470.

To allow the second gripping system 320 to quickly grip said rectangular laundry piece 900, the second gripping system 320 is configured for simultaneously moving towards a predetermined region above the stabilisation component 500, in this case above the corner between the first plate 501 and the second plate 502, while the first gripping system 310 is lifting said rectangular laundry piece 900 up against the stabilisation component 500. In this way, the second gripping system 320 is already positioned in the vicinity of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 for a quick gripping of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 by means of the second gripping system 320.

To further allow the second gripping system 320 to quickly grip said rectangular laundry piece 900, the second detection system 220 is configured for tracking the motion of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 has been lifted up against the stabilisation component 500 by means of the first gripping system 310 and is hanging from the first gripping system 310. Thereby, the second detection system 220 is also configured for extrapolating the motion of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900, i.e. for predicting future positions of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 by means of extrapolation of the past trajectory of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900. The second gripping system 320 on the other hand is configured for simultaneously moving, i.e. moving the gripping member 470 with the robot arm 400, towards the position of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900, as soon as the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 is detected by the second detection system 220. In this way, the second gripping system 320 is already positioned in close proximity to the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 while the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 is still moving. The second gripping system 320 is further configured for moving towards an extrapolated position of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 for gripping the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 when the rate of motion, i.e. the velocity, of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 has decreased below a predetermined threshold, which may be determined based on for example the speed and/or accuracy of movement of the second gripping system 320. Thereby, the extrapolated position and the rate of motion of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece

900 are determined by the second detection system 220. In this way, the second gripping system 320 does not have to wait until the motion of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 has fully stopped before gripping the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900, but the second gripping system 320 is already positioned in the most optimal position for gripping the first corner

901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 when the motion of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 is slowing down. Thereby, it is a great advantage that the amount of motion of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece has already been reduced considerably by said rectangular laundry piece 900 having been lifted up with the first gripping system 310 against the stabilisation component 500, such that the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 slows down quickly and can be gripped quickly by means of the second gripping system 320.

The second gripping system 320 is further configured for lifting said rectangular laundry piece 900 up at the first corner 901 after said rectangular laundry piece 900 has been gripped at the first corner 901 by the second gripping system 320 and after said rectangular laundry piece 900 has been released by the first gripping system 310. Thereby, said rectangular laundry piece 900 is lifted up by the second gripping system 320 at least until said rectangular laundry piece

900 is hanging freely.

The clamp 471 of the second gripping system 320 extends along a horizontal longitudinal axis A from the distal end of the robot arm 400 and is rotatable around the horizontal longitudinal axis A, such as can be seen in Figure 11. Thereby, the second gripping system 320 is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 from the first gripping system 310 at the first corner

901 with the clamp 471 rotated at a first predetermined angle, and for rotating the clamp 471 to a second predetermined angle, different from the first predetermined angle, after or while lifting said rectangular laundry piece 900 up at the first corner 901 at least until said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging freely. In this way it can be prevented that said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging over the clamp 471 with the first corner 901 pointing downwards when said rectangular laundry piece 900 has been lifted up at the first corner 901 by the second gripping system 320 at least until said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging freely, this by rotating the clamp 471 around the horizontal longitudinal axis A until the main portion of said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging below the clamp 471 and the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 is pointing upwards.

In the first compartment 101 , the laundry picking device 100 is further provided with a third detection system 230. The third detection system 230 is configured for detecting a bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging freely from the second gripping system 320. In this embodiment, the second detection system 220 and the third detection system 230 are the same detection system 220, 230 which is configured to perform the functions described with respect to both the second detection system 220 and the third detection system 230. Combining the second detection system 220 and the third detection system 230 in this embodiment has the advantage that the high accuracy and speed with which a corner of said rectangular laundry piece 900 can be detected and tracked by the combination of the 3D stereo camera is shared, without having to duplicate this functionality which would make the system more expensive and complex. In any embodiment having a combined second and third detection system 220, 230, the first gripping system 310 and the second gripping system 320 are preferably positioned such that both the first gripping system 310 and the second gripping system 320 are located in the field of view of the combined second and third detection system 220, 230, or at least such that said rectangular laundry piece 900 is located in the field of view of the combined second and third detection system 220, 230 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging freely from any one of the first gripping system 310 and the second gripping system 320. In this embodiment, the first gripping system 310 and the second gripping system 320 are therefore arranged opposite of each other, not directly opposite of each other but with a certain offset in a transverse direction. The robot arm 400 of the first gripping system 310 is pointed thereby towards the second gripping system 320, and the robot arm 400 of the second gripping system 320 is pointed thereby towards the first gripping system 310. In alternative embodiments, the second detection system 220 and the third detection system 230 can however also be provided as separate detection systems.

The third detection system 230 is configured for detecting a bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 by first detecting a second lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece 900 when hanging from the second gripping system 320. This second lowest point corresponds to a second corner 902 of said rectangular laundry piece 900, which second corner 902 is the corner located diagonally opposite of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900. Then, the third detection system 230 determines a diagonal length D of said rectangular laundry piece 900 from spatial coordinates of the second corner 902 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 determined by the third detection system 230 and spatial coordinates of the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 determined by the second gripping system 320 from which said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging gripped at the first corner 901. Finally, the third detection system 230 determines the bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece at a predetermined distance d, preferably within the range from 5 cm to 15 cm, above the second corner 902 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 along the diagonal length D of said rectangular laundry piece 900.

In this embodiment, the third detection system 230 being configured to detect the bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the predetermined distance d above the second corner 902 of said rectangular laundry piece 902 offers the advantage that, since at this position said rectangular laundry piece 900 is relatively wide when hanging freely from the first corner 901 , said rectangular laundry piece 900 can be gripped at the bottom portion 910 quickly and easily without requiring much precision by means of a fourth gripping system 340 of the laundry picking device 100, which will be discussed further below.

In the second compartment 102, the laundry picking device 100 is further provided with a third gripping system 330. The third gripping system 330 is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 from the second gripping system 320 at the first corner 901 . Thereby, said rectangular laundry piece 900 is thus transferred from the second gripping system 320 to the third gripping system 330 by the third gripping system 330 gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the first corner 901 and the second gripping system 320 releasing said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the second corner 902. Thereby the second gripping system 320 may move towards the third gripping system 330, or the third gripping system 330 may move towards the second gripping system 320, or the second gripping system 320 and the third gripping system 330 may move both towards each other. In this way, the third gripping system 330 frees the second gripping system 320 from said first rectangular laundry piece 900, such that the second gripping system 320 can be used for processing a further rectangular laundry piece 900 gripped by the first gripping system 310 from the pile 800 of rectangular laundry pieces, while in the meantime the third gripping system 330 aids in the further processing of said rectangular laundry piece 900.

The third gripping system 330 is arranged similarly to the second gripping system 320 as a robot arm 400 mounted on a vertical guide 480. Thereby, the robot arm 400 is also provided at the distal end with a clamp 471 as a gripping member 470.

In the second compartment 102, the laundry picking device 100 is further provided with the fourth gripping system 340, as already mentioned above. The fourth gripping system 340 is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the bottom portion 910 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging from one of the second gripping system 320 and the third gripping system 330. In this embodiment, the fourth gripping system 340 is located at a fixed position in the laundry picking device 100. The fourth gripping system 340 is able to grip said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the bottom portion 910 by either one of the second gripping system 320 and the third gripping system 330 moving said rectangular laundry piece 900 with the bottom portion into the fourth gripping system 340. This may for example be done by the second gripping system 320 while said rectangular laundry piece 900 is also transferred to the third gripping system 330 with the second gripping system 320, which has the advantage that time can be saved by performing both operations simultaneously. This may for example also be done by the third gripping system 330 after having gripped said rectangular laundry piece 900 from the second gripping system 320. In alternative embodiments, the fourth gripping system 340 may however also be provided in a moveable manner, such that the fourth gripping system 340 can be moved towards the bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 for gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the bottom portion 910 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging from one of the second gripping system 320 and the third gripping system 330.

In this embodiment, the fourth gripping system 340 comprises a longitudinal clamp 341 . The longitudinal clamp 341 comprises a first clamping bar 342 and a second clamping bar 344. The first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344 are arranged parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction of the first clamping bar 341 and the second clamping bar 344. The first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344 are moveable in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. Thereby, the first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344 are moveable towards and away from each other, such that when the first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344 are moved away from each other said rectangular laundry piece 900 can be received with the bottom portion 910 between the first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344, and such that when the first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344 are moved towards each other said rectangular laundry piece 900 can be gripped at the bottom portion 910 between the first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344. The first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344 have a predetermined length, preferably in the range 50 cm to 90 cm, and a predetermined width, preferably in the range from 6 cm to 14 cm, such that said rectangular laundry piece 900 can easily fit between the first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344. Corresponding ends of the first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344 are each provided with a diverging bar portion 343, 345. The diverging bar portions 343, 345 of the first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344 extend obliquely away from each other in the transverse direction, such that the longitudinal clamp 341 of the fourth gripping system 340 has in general a Y-shape. The diverging bar portions 343, 345 are beneficial for guiding the bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 between the first clamping bar 342 and the second clamping bar 344 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 is moved with the bottom portion 910 into the longitudinal clamp 341 of the fourth gripping system 340.

The fourth gripping system 340 may be configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the bottom portion 910 at different ends 341 A,

size of said rectangular laundry piece 900. A large rectangular laundry piece 900 having a large diagonal length D may be gripped at the bottom portion 910 at a first end 341 A of the longitudinal clamp 341 , such as shown in Figure 18. A small rectangular laundry piece 900 having a short diagonal length D may be gripped at the bottom portion 910 at a second end 341 B, opposite of the first end 341 A, of the longitudinal clamp 341 B.

In alternative embodiments, the third detection system 230 may also be configured for detecting a bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging freely from the third gripping system 330. Thereby, the third detection system 230 is preferably provided separately from the second detection system 220. Thereby, the third detection system 230 is preferably also arranged in the second compartment 102 together with the third gripping system 330. This is for example beneficial in case the first compartment 101 and the second compartment 102 are provided as separate laundry picking devices which can be combined with each other to form a laundry picking device 100 as shown in the Figures. In this case, the laundry picking device according to the second compartment 102 is itself provided with the functionality for detecting the bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900. Alternatively, the laundry picking device according to the second compartment 102 may however also be configured for receiving a position of the bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 is transferred from the laundry picking device according to the first compartment 101. In alternative embodiments, the third detection system 230 may also configured for detecting a bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 is hanging freely from the second gripping system 320 and the third gripping system 320. This is beneficial for continuously monitoring the position of the bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 is transferred between the second gripping system 320 and the third gripping system 330. In alternative embodiments, when the second detection system 220 and the third detection system 230 are provided separately from each other, the third detection system 230 may also be provided in the second compartment 102 of the laundry picking device 100. The third gripping system 330 and the fourth gripping system 340, as illustrated in Figure 18, are further configured for tilting, preferably stretching, said rectangular laundry piece 900 diagonally between the first corner 901 gripped by the third gripping system 330 and the bottom portion 910 gripped by the fourth gripping system 330. In this embodiment, this is done by the third gripping system 330 moving the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 while the fourth gripping system 340 holds the bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece in a fixed position, and this until said rectangular laundry piece 900 is tilted diagonally between the first corner 901 and the bottom portion 910. When said rectangular laundry piece 900 is tilted diagonally in this way, the short edge 920 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 which ends at the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 will hang substantially vertically downwards from the third gripping system 330, such that a free hanging corner 903 of said short edge 920, opposite of the first corner 901 , becomes accessible to be gripped. In alternative embodiments, wherein the fourth gripping system 340 is also moveable, the fourth gripping system 340 may also aid in tilting said rectangular laundry piece 900 diagonally between the first corner 901 and the bottom portion 910 by the fourth gripping system 340 moving the bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900.

In the second compartment 102, the laundry picking device 100 is further provided with a fourth detection system 240. The fourth detection system 240 is configured for detecting the free hanging corner 903 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 when said rectangular laundry piece 900 is tilted diagonally between the first corner 901 and the bottom portion 910 by means of the third gripping system 330 and the fourth gripping system 340. In this embodiment, the fourth detection system 240 is an optical detection system comprising a light detection and ranging, LIDAR, camera or 3D time of flight, TOF, camera. In alternative embodiments other suitable types of detection system can however also be used as the fourth detection system 240.

The fourth gripping system 340 in an embodiment being configured for gripping a large rectangular laundry piece 900 at the bottom portion 910 at the first end 341 A of the longitudinal clamp 341 and a small rectangular laundry piece 900 at the bottom portion 910 at the second end 341 B of the longitudinal clamp

rectangular laundry piece 900 and the free hanging corner 903 of the small rectangular laundry piece 900 are positioned approximately in the field of view of the fourth detection system 240, to allow for an accurate detection of said free hanging corner 903. It should be clear that this can be determined based on for example the size of the rectangular laundry pieces 900 to be processed by the laundry picking device 100, the length of the longitudinal clamp 341 , the field of view of the fourth detection system 240, the positioning of the fourth gripping system 340 and the fourth detection system 240 with respect to each other in the laundry picking device 100, etc.

In the second compartment 102, the laundry picking device 100 is further provided with a fifth gripping system 350. The fifth gripping system 350, as illustrated in Figure 18, is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the free hanging corner 903 which has been detected by the fourth detection system 240. The fifth gripping system 350 is arranged similarly to the second gripping system 320 and the third gripping system 330 as a robot arm 400 mounted on a vertical guide 480. Thereby, the robot arm 400 is also provided at the distal end with a clamp 471 as a gripping member 470.

With the fifth gripping system 350 gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the free hanging corner 903 and the third gipping system 330 gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the first corner 901 the short edge 920 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 is gripped at its two opposing corners 901 , 903. At that moment the fourth gripping system 340 can release said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the bottom portion 910, such that the third gripping system 330 and the fifth gripping system 350 together can put said rectangular laundry piece with the gripped short edge 920 first on an output conveyor 120 of the laundry picking device 100. The output conveyor 120 is located in the second compartment 102 of the laundry picking device 10 and extends to the exterior of the laundry picking device 100. The output conveyor 120 is configured for transporting said rectangular laundry piece 900 towards a further laundry processing device, such as for example a laundry folding device or a laundry ironing device.

In further embodiments, the laundry picking device 100 may also be provided with at least one further second compartment 102’, such as for example shown schematically in Figure 19. In such a further second compartment 102’ the same components of the laundry picking device 100 are arranged as in the second compartment 102. Hence, in this case, such a further second compartment 102’ would comprise a third gripping system 330, a fourth gripping system 340, a fifth gripping system 350, a fourth detection system 240 and an output conveyor 120 such as in the second compartment 102. The further second compartment 102’ may for example be located after the input conveyor 112, i.e. after the first compartment 101 , or at the side of the first compartment 101 opposite of the side of the first compartment 101 where the second compartment 102 is located. The positions of the components within the further second compartment 102’ do not necessarily have to be the same as the positions of the components within the second compartment 102, but these positions may be adapted to the position of the further second compartment 102’ with respect to the first compartment 101 to at least allow for an optimal transfer of rectangular laundry pieces 900 from the first compartment 101 to the further second compartment 102’. The at least one further second compartment 102’ allows to distribute rectangular laundry pieces 900 coming from the first compartment 101 between the second compartment 102 and the at least one further second compartment 102’, such that the processing of laundry pieces 900 in the first compartment 101 is not delayed by the processing of the laundry pieces 900 in the second compartment 102 and the at least one second compartment 102’, which typically takes a longer time than the processing of laundry pieces 900 in the first compartment 101 .

In alternative embodiments, the third detection system 230 may also be configured for detecting the second corner 902 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 as the bottom portion 910 of said rectangular laundry piece 900. When the fourth gripping system 340 has then gripped said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the second corner 902, and when said rectangular laundry piece 900 has been tilted diagonally by means of the third gripping system 330 and the fourth gripping system 340 between the first corner 901 gripped by the third gripping system 330 and the second corner 902 gripped by the fourth gripping system 330, then the short edge 920 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 which ends at the first corner 901 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 will hang substantially vertically downwards from the third gripping system 330, such that a free hanging corner 903 of said vertically hanging short edge 920, opposite of the first corner 901 , becomes accessible to be gripped, and a short edge 930 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 which ends at the second corner 902 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 will hang substantially horizontally, such that also a free hanging corner 904 of said horizontally hanging short edge 930, opposite of the second corner 902, becomes accessible to be gripped. Hence, two free hanging corners 903, 904 are available for detection by the fourth detection system 240 and for being gripped by the fifth gripping system 350, such that the optimal free hanging corner 903, 904 can be chosen for quick and easy gripping. In such alternative embodiments, the fourth gripping system 340 is preferably a moveable gripping system suitable for gripping corners of said rectangular laundry piece 900, such as for example a gripping system such as the second gripping system 320, the third gripping system 330 and the fifth gripping system 350 of the embodiment shown, comprising a robot arm 400 mounted on a vertical guide 480, and with a clamp 471 as a gripping member 470 provided at the distal end of the robot arm 400. In the case of the fifth gripping system 350 gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the free hanging corner 903 of the vertically hanging short edge 920, the vertically hanging short edge 920 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 is gripped at its two opposing corners 901 , 903. At that moment the fourth gripping system 340 can release said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the second corner 902, such that the third gripping system 330 and the fifth gripping system 350 together can put said rectangular laundry piece with the gripped short edge 920 first on the output conveyor 120 of the laundry picking device 100. In the case of the fifth gripping system 350 gripping said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the free hanging corner 904 of the horizontally hanging short edge 930, the horizontally hanging short edge 930 of said rectangular laundry piece 900 is gripped at its two opposing corners 902, 904. At that moment the third gripping system 330 can release said rectangular laundry piece 900 at the first corner 901 , such that the fourth gripping system 340 and the fifth gripping system 350 together can put said rectangular laundry piece with the gripped short edge 930 first on the output conveyor 120 of the laundry picking device 100.

The robot arm 400, as used in the first gripping system 310, the second gripping system 320, the third gripping system 330 and the fifth gripping system 350, will now be discussed in further detail at the hand of Figures 11 and 12.

The robot arm 400 comprises a first arm portion 401 which is connected at a proximal end to the vertical guide 480 via a first joint 411 in a slideable manner such that the robot arm 400 as a whole can be moved up and down on the vertical guide 480 in the height direction H. The first arm portion 401 is rotatable around the first joint 411 in the horizontal plane by means of a first motor 421 of the robot arm 400. The first motor 421 is arranged on the bottom side of the robot arm 400 at the first joint 411 . The first motor 421 is connected to the first arm portion 401

The robot arm 400 further comprises a second arm portion 402 which is connected at a proximal end to a distal end of the first arm portion 401 via a second joint 412. The second arm portion 402 is rotatable around the second joint 412 in the horizontal plane by means of a second motor 422 of the robot arm 400. The second motor 422 is arranged on the top side of the robot arm 400 at the first joint 411. For driving the rotation of the second arm portion 402 around the second joint 412 in the horizontal plane by means of the second motor 422, the robot arm 400 is provided at the first joint 411 with a first pulley 431 connected to the second motor 422, such that the first pulley 431 is rotatable by means of the second motor 422. At the second joint 412, the robot arm 400 is provided with a second pulley 432 connected to the second arm portion 402 such that the second arm portion 402 is rotatable around the second joint 412 in the horizontal plane by means of a rotation of the second pulley 432. The first pulley 431 and the second pulley 432 are connected to each other by means of a first drive belt 451 extending through the first arm portion 401. The drive belt 451 is provided for transferring a rotation of the first pulley 431 to the second pulley 432. In this configuration, a rotation of the second motor 422 causes a rotation of the second arm portion 402 around the second joint 412 in het horizontal plane via the first pulley 431 , the first drive belt 451 and the second pulley 432.

In this embodiment, the first motor 421 and the second motor 422 are thus both arranged at the first joint 411 of the robot arm 400 and thus at the proximal end of the robot arm 400. This has the advantage that the robot arm 400, when being moved around in the horizontal plane, does not have to move the first motor 421 and the second motor 422 around, such that the robot arm 400 can be moved more quickly and easily in the horizontal plane. Positioning the weight of the first motor 421 and the second motor 422 close to the vertical guide 480 also has the advantage that the robot arm 400 can be moved more quickly and easily along the height direction H on the vertical guide 480. Hence, as such inertia phenomena are limited and the speed/velocity at which the robot arm 400 can operate is increased.

The robot arm 400 further comprises the gripping member 460, 470 which is connected to a distal end of the second arm portion 402 via a third joint 413. The gripping member 460, 470 is rotatable around the third joint 413 in the horizontal plane. Thereby, the robot arm 400 is configured such that the gripping member 460, 470 rotates around the third joint 413 contrary to the rotation of the first arm portion 401 around the first joint 411 and contrary to the rotation of the second arm portion 402 around the second joint 412. In this way the gripping member 460, 470 of the robot arm 400 is always pointed in the same direction, independent of the rotation of the first arm portion 401 around the first joint 411 and independent of the rotation of the second arm portion 402 around the second joint 412. Therefore, the robot arm 400 is also provided at the first joint 411 with a third pulley 433 which is mounted fix on the first joint 411. The robot arm 400 is also provided at the second joint 412 with a fourth pulley 434 which is mounted freely rotatable on the second joint 412. It should be noted that the fourth pulley

434 is composed of two pulley portions which are fixed to each other. Thereby one pulley portion is located at the level of the first arm portion 401 and another pulley portion is located at the level of the second arm portion 402. The robot arm 400 is provided at the third joint 413 with a fifth pulley 435 connected to the gripping member 460, 470 such that the gripping member 460, 470 is rotatable around the third joint 413 in the horizontal plane by means of a rotation of the fifth pulley 435. The third pulley 433 and the fourth pulley 434 are connected to each other by means of a second drive belt 452 extending through the first arm portion 401. The second drive belt 452 is provided for transferring a rotation of the first arm portion 401 to the fourth pulley 434. The fourth pulley 434 and the fifth pulley

435 are connected to each other by means of a third drive belt 453 extending through the second arm portion 402. The third drive belt 453 is provided for transferring a rotation of the fourth pulley 434 to the fifth pulley 435. In this configuration, a rotation of the first arm portion 401 in the horizontal plane around the first joint 411 by means of the first motor 421 causes, via the second drive belt 452, the fourth pulley 434, the third drive belt 453 and the fifth pulley 435, a rotation of the gripping member 460, 470 in the horizontal plane around the third joint 413 contrary to the rotation of the first arm portion 401 . In this configuration, a rotation of the second arm portion 402 in the horizontal plane around the second joint 412 by means of the second motor 422 causes, via the fourth pulley 434, the third drive belt 453 and the fifth pulley 435, a rotation of the gripping member 460, 470 in the horizontal plane around the third joint 413 contrary to the rotation of the second arm portion 402.

Claims

1. A laundry picking device (100), wherein the laundry picking device (100) comprises: a pick-up zone (110) configured for receiving a pile (800) of rectangular laundry pieces; optionally a first detection system (210) configured for detecting a gripping position for a rectangular laundry piece (900) on the pile (800) of rectangular laundry pieces in the pick-up zone (110); a first gripping system (310) configured for gripping a rectangular laundry piece (900) from the pile (800) of rectangular laundry pieces, and for lifting said rectangular laundry piece (900) up at least until said rectangular laundry piece (900) is hanging freely, wherein, if the first detection system (210) is present, the first gripping system (310) is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece (900) from the pile (800) of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position; a second detection system (220) configured for detecting a first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece (900) when hanging from the first gripping system (310), which first lowest point corresponds to a first corner (901) of said rectangular laundry piece (900); a second gripping system (320) configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece (900) from the first gripping system (310) at the first corner (901), and for lifting said rectangular laundry piece (900) up at the first corner (901) at least until said rectangular laundry piece (900) is hanging freely; a third gripping system (330) configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece (900) from the second gripping system (320) at the first corner (901); a third detection system (230) configured for detecting a bottom portion (910) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) when hanging from at least one of the second gripping system (320) and the third gripping system (330); a fourth gripping system (340) configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece (900) at the bottom portion (910) when said rectangular laundry piece (900) is hanging from one of the second gripping system (320) and the third gripping system (330); the third gripping system (330) and the fourth gripping system (340) being further configured for tilting said rectangular laundry piece (900) diagonally between the first corner (901) and the bottom portion (910); a fourth detection system (240) configured for detecting a free hanging corner (903) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) when tilted diagonally by the third gripping system (330) and the fourth gripping system (340); and a fifth gripping system (350) configured for gripping the free hanging corner (903) of said rectangular laundry piece (900).

2. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 1 , wherein the third detection system (230) is configured for detecting a second lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece (900) when hanging from at least one of the second gripping system (320) and the third gripping system (330), which second lowest point corresponds to a second corner (902) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) diagonally opposite of the first corner (901).

3. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 2, wherein the third detection system (230) is configured for determining a diagonal length (D) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) from spatial coordinates of the second corner (902) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) determined by the third detection system (230) and spatial coordinates of the first corner (901 ) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) determined by the one of the second gripping system (320) and the third gripping system (330) from which said rectangular laundry piece (900) is hanging, and for determining the bottom portion (910) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) based on the diagonal length (D) of said rectangular laundry piece (900).

4. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the third detection system (230) is configured for detecting the bottom portion (910) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) at a predetermined distance (d) above the second corner (902) of said rectangular laundry piece (900). The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined distance (d) is at least 5 cm, preferably at least 6 cm, more preferably at least 7 cm, even more preferably at least 8 cm, yet even more preferably at least 9 cm, and/or at most 15 cm, preferably at most 14 cm, more preferably at most 13 cm, even more preferably at most 12 cm, yet even more preferably at most 11 cm, and most preferably 10 cm. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 2, wherein the third detection system (230) is configured for detecting the second corner (902) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) as the bottom portion (910) of said rectangular laundry piece (900). The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 1 -6, wherein the fourth gripping system (340) comprises a longitudinal clamp

(341 ), wherein the longitudinal clamp (341) comprises a first clamping bar

(342) and a second clamping bar (344), wherein the first clamping bar (341) and the second clamping bar (344) are arranged parallel to each other, wherein the first clamping bar (342) and the second clamping bar (344) are moveable towards and away from each other for receiving and gripping the bottom portion (910) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) between the first clamping bar (342) and the second clamping bar (344). The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 7, wherein each of the first clamping bar (342) and the second clamping bar (344) is provided at a corresponding end with a diverging bar portion (343, 345). The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the first clamping bar (342) and the second clamping bar (344) are plate shaped, and/or wherein the first clamping bar (342) and the second clamping bar (344) have a length of at least 50 cm, preferably at least 55 cm, more preferably at least 60 cm, even more preferably at least 65 cm, and/or of at most 90 cm, preferably at most 85 cm, more preferably at most 80 cm, even more preferably at most 75 cm, and most preferably of 70 cm, and/or wherein the first clamping bar (342) and the second clamping bar (344) have a width of at least 6 cm, preferably at least 7 cm, more preferably at least 8 cm, even more preferably at least 9 cm, and/or of at most 14 cm, preferably at most 13 cm, more preferably at most 12 cm, even more preferably at most 11 cm, and most preferably of 10 cm.

10. The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 7-9, wherein the fourth gripping system (340) is configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece (900) at the bottom portion (910) at a first end (341 A) of the longitudinal clamp (341 ) when said rectangular laundry piece (900) is a large rectangular laundry piece (900), and at a second end (341 B) of the longitudinal clamp (341), opposite of the first end (341 A) of the longitudinal clamp (341), when said rectangular laundry piece (900) is a small rectangular laundry piece (900).

11. The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 7-10, wherein at least one of the second gripping system (320) and the third gripping system (330) is configured for moving said rectangular laundry piece (900) with the bottom portion (910) between the first clamping bar (342) and the second clamping bar (344).

12. The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 1-11 , wherein at least one of the first gripping system (310), the second gripping system (320), the third gripping system (330) and the fifth gripping system (350) comprises a robot arm (400) provided at a distal end with a gripping member (460, 470).

13. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 12, wherein the robot arm (400) is moveable in a horizontal plane, and wherein the robot arm (400) is mounted at a proximal end on a vertical guide (480) such that the robot arm (400) is moveable in a height direction (H) on the vertical guide (480).

14. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 13, wherein the robot arm (400) comprises a first arm portion (401) connected at a proximal end to the vertical guide (480) via a first joint (411), wherein the first arm portion (401 ) is rotatable around the first joint (411) in the horizontal plane by means of a first motor (421), wherein the robot arm (400) comprises a second arm portion (402) connected at a proximal end to a distal end of the first arm portion (401 ) via a second joint (412), wherein the second arm portion (402) is rotatable around the second joint (412) in the horizontal plane by means of a second motor (422), wherein the gripping member (460, 470) is connected to a distal end of the second arm portion (402) via a third joint (413), wherein the gripping member (460, 470) is rotatable around the third joint (413) in the horizontal plane.

15. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 14, wherein the first motor (421) and the second motor (422) are arranged at the proximal end of the robot arm (400).

16. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the robot arm (400) is configured such that the gripping member (460, 470) rotates around the third joint (413) contrary to the rotation of the first arm portion (401) around the first joint (411) and contrary to the rotation of the second arm portion (402) around the second joint (412).

17. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 16, wherein the robot arm (400) is provided with: a first pulley (431) at the first joint (411), wherein the first pulley (431) is connected to the second motor (422) such that the first pulley (431 ) is rotatable by means of the second motor (422); a second pulley (432) at the second joint (412), wherein the second pulley (432) is connected to the second arm portion (402) such that the second arm portion (402) is rotatable around the second joint (412) in the horizontal plane by means of a rotation of the second pulley (432); a first drive belt (451 ) connecting the first pulley (431) and the second pulley (432) for transferring a rotation of the first pulley (431) to the second pulley (432); a third pulley (433) at the first joint (411 ), wherein the third pulley (433) is mounted fix on the first joint (411); a fourth pulley (434) at the second joint (412), wherein the fourth pulley (434) is mounted freely rotatable on the second joint (412); a fifth pulley (435) at the third joint (413), wherein the fifth pulley (435) is connected to the gripping member (460, 470) such that the gripping member (460, 470) is rotatable around the third joint (413) in the horizontal plane by means of a rotation of the fifth pulley (435); a second drive belt (452) connecting the third pulley (433) and the fourth pulley (434) for transferring a rotation of the first arm portion (401) to the fourth pulley (434); and a third drive belt (453) connecting the fourth pulley (434) and the fifth pulley (435) for transferring a rotation of the fourth pulley (434) to the fifth pulley (435).

18. The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 12-17, wherein the gripping member (460), in case of the first gripping system (310), comprises a central suction zone (461) configured for gripping said rectangular laundry piece (900) by suction, wherein the gripping member

(460) further comprises a plurality of gripping pens (462) arranged around the central suction zone (461 ) and pointed towards the central suction zone

(461 ), wherein the gripping pens (462) are moveable towards the central suction zone (461) for further gripping said rectangular laundry piece (900) when gripped by the suction in the central suction zone (461).

19. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 18, wherein the gripping pens (462) are arranged on opposing sides of the central suction zone (461).

20. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the gripping pens (462) are needles with their pointed tips arranged towards the central suction zone (461 ).

21. The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 18-20, wherein the gripping member (460) comprises at least three gripping pens

(462), preferably at least four gripping pens (462), more preferably at least five gripping pens (462), and/or at most nine gripping pens (462), preferably at most eight gripping pens (462), more preferably at most seven gripping pens (462), and most preferably six gripping pens (462).

22. The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 12-21 , wherein the gripping member (470), in case of any one of the second gripping system (320), the third gripping system (330) and the fifth gripping system (350), is a clamp (471).

23. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 22, wherein the clamp (471 ) of at least the second gripping system (320) extends along a horizontal longitudinal axis (A) from the distal end of the robot arm (400), wherein the clamp (471 ) is rotatable around the horizontal longitudinal axis (A).

24. The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 1-23, wherein the second detection system (220) is configured for tracking the motion of the first corner (901) of said rectangular laundry piece (900), wherein the second gripping system (320) is configured for simultaneously moving towards the first corner (901) of said rectangular laundry piece (900).

25. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 24, wherein the second detection system (220) is configured for extrapolating the motion of the first corner (901 ) of said rectangular laundry piece (900), wherein the second gripping system (320) is configured for moving towards an extrapolated position of the first corner (901 ) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) for gripping the first corner (901 ) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) when the rate of motion of the first corner (901) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) has decreased below a predetermined threshold.

26. The laundry picking device (100) according to claims 1 -25, preferably at least in combination with claim 24 or 25, wherein the laundry picking device (100) comprises a stabilisation component (500) configured for stabilising the motion of said rectangular laundry piece (900) when said rectangular laundry piece (900) is lifted up by the first gripping system (310).

27. The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 26, wherein the stabilisation component (500) comprises a first plate (501 ) and a second plate (502), wherein the first plate (501 ) and the second plate (502) are arranged upright and against each other to form a corner between each other, wherein the first gripping system (310) is configured for moving said rectangular laundry piece (900) into said corner before lifting said rectangular laundry piece (900) up. The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 1 -27, preferably at least in combination with claim 24 or 25, wherein the second detection system (220) comprises a 3D stereo camera and a projector configured for projecting a predetermined pattern on said rectangular laundry piece (900). The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 1 -28, wherein the second detection system (220) is combined with the third detection system (230). The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 1 -29, wherein at least one of the first detection system (210), if present, and the fourth detection system (240) comprises a light detection and ranging, LIDAR, camera or a 3D time of flight, TOF, camera. The laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 1 -30, wherein the laundry picking device (100) comprises a first compartment

(101 ) and a second compartment (102), wherein the first gripping system (310), the second gripping system (320), the first detection system (210), if present, and the second detection system (220) are arranged in the first compartment (101 ), wherein the third gripping system (330), the fourth gripping system (340), the fifth gripping system (350) and the fourth detection system (240) are arranged in the second compartment (102), and wherein the third detection system (230) is arranged in either one of the first compartment (101) and the second compartment (102). The laundry picking device (100) according to claim 31 , wherein the laundry picking device (100) comprises at least one further second compartment

(102), wherein each of the at least one further second compartment (102) comprises a further third gripping system (330), a further fourth gripping system (340), a further fifth gripping system (350) and a further fourth detection system (240) configured similarly as respectively the third gripping system (330), the fourth gripping system (340), the fifth gripping system (350) and the fourth detection system (240), and wherein, in case the second compartment (102) comprises the third detection system (230), each of the at least one further second compartment (102) comprises a further third detection system (230) configured similarly as the third detection system (230). A laundry picking method performed by means of a laundry picking device (100), wherein the method comprises the steps of: positioning a pile (800) of rectangular laundry pieces in a pick-up zone (110) of the laundry picking device (100); optionally detecting, by means of a first detection system (210) of the laundry picking device (100), a gripping position for a rectangular laundry piece on the pile (800) of rectangular laundry pieces in the pickup zone (110); gripping, by means of a first gripping system (310) of the laundry picking device (100), a rectangular laundry piece (900) from the pile (800) of rectangular laundry pieces, and lifting said rectangular laundry piece (900) up at least until said rectangular laundry piece (900) is hanging freely, wherein, if the gripping position is detected by the first detection system (210), said rectangular laundry piece (900) is gripped from the pile (800) of rectangular laundry pieces at the gripping position; detecting, by means of a second detection system (220) of the laundry picking device (100), a first lowest point of said rectangular laundry piece (900) when hanging from the first gripping system (310), which first lowest point corresponds to a first corner (901 ) of said rectangular laundry piece (900); gripping, by means of a second gripping system (320) of the laundry picking device (100), said rectangular laundry piece (900) from the first gripping system (310) at the first corner (901 ), and lifting said rectangular laundry piece (900) up at the first corner (901 ) at least until said rectangular laundry piece (900) is hanging freely; gripping, by means of a third gripping system (330) of the laundry picking device (100), said rectangular laundry piece (900) from the second gripping system (320) at the first corner (901); detecting, by means of a third detection system (230) of the laundry picking device (100), a bottom portion (910) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) when hanging from least one of the second gripping system (320) and the third gripping system (330); gripping, by means of a fourth gripping system (340) of the laundry picking device (100), said rectangular laundry piece (900) at the bottom portion (910) when said rectangular laundry piece (900) is hanging from one of the second gripping system (320) and the third gripping system (330); tilting, by means of the third gripping system (330) and the fourth gripping system (340), said rectangular laundry piece (900) diagonally between the first corner (901 ) and the bottom portion (910); detecting, by means of a fourth detection system (240) of the laundry picking device (100), a free hanging corner (903) of said rectangular laundry piece (900) when tilted diagonally by the third gripping system (330) and the fourth gripping system (340); and gripping, by means of a fifth gripping system (350) of the laundry picking device (100), the free hanging corner (903) of said rectangular laundry piece (900).

34. The laundry picking method according to claim 33, wherein the method is performed by means of the laundry picking device (100) according to any one of the claims 1 -32.