Clothes folding device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12060675-B2
Application number	US-202017909269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2020
Priority date	Mar 4, 2020
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a clothes folding device including: a loading assembly which causes the clothes to be pushed-in and seats the clothes on a first folding layer equipped with a conveyor for transport; a folding assembly which performs the folding of the clothes while the pushed-in clothes are transported; and an unloading assembly which is disposed below the folding assembly and loads the clothes discharged by the folding assembly. The loading assembly includes: a seating plate which forms an inclined surface at an inlet and allows the clothes to be seated thereon; a clamp assembly which fixes the clothes and moves the clothes to the first folding layer; and a transport roller which presses the clothes seated on the first folding layer and rotates together with the moving of the clothes while pressing the clothes, and thus, preventing the clothes from being separated. The clamp assembly includes a wheel assembly and a clamp plate which presses inserted clothes from both sides. The wheel assembly includes a unidirectional rotating wheel which rotates together with the inserted clothes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A clothes folding device serving to perform folding in a process of transporting clothes, the clothes folding device comprising:
a loading assembly which causes the clothes to be pushed-in and seats the clothes on a first folding layer equipped with a conveyor for transport;
a folding assembly which performs the folding of the clothes while the pushed-in clothes are transported; and
an unloading assembly which is disposed below the folding assembly and loads the clothes discharged by the folding assembly;
wherein the loading assembly comprises:
a seating plate which forms an inclined surface at an inlet and allows the clothes to be seated thereon;
a clamp assembly which fixes the clothes and moves the clothes to the first folding layer; and
a transport roller which presses the clothes seated on the first folding layer and rotates together with the moving of the clothes while pressing the clothes, and thus, preventing the clothes from being separated,

wherein the clamp assembly comprises a wheel assembly and a clamp plate which presses inserted clothes from both sides,
and wherein the wheel assembly comprises a unidirectional rotating wheel which rotates together with the inserted clothes.

2. The clothes folding device of claim 1 , wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a gap maintaining portion which reduces elastically a gap between the clamp plate and the wheel assembly.

3. The clothes folding device of claim 2 ,
wherein the clamp assembly further comprises:
a wheel cap on which the wheel assembly is mounted rotatably;
a wheel case on which the wheel cap is mounted rotatably;
a first rotation fastener which fastens the wheel cap and the wheel case, with a first point of the wheel cap eccentric from a rotational axis of the wheel assembly as a rotational axis;
a first restoration fastener which is provided at a second point of the wheel cap eccentric from the rotational axis of the wheel assembly; and
a second restoration fastener which is provided at a third point of the wheel case,

and wherein the gap maintaining portion is formed of a spring and connects the first restoration fastener and the second restoration fastener.

4. The clothes folding device of claim 3 , wherein the clamp assembly further comprises a release lever which is formed on the wheel cap and is exposed to an outside of the wheel case.

5. The clothes folding device of claim 3 ,
wherein the loading assembly further comprises a rail frame which provides a counterpart for inward movement of the clamp assembly,
and wherein the clamp assembly further comprises:
a retreat member which moves inward a first distance together with the wheel case while being connected to the wheel case, and then is spaced apart from the wheel case, and further moves inward a second distance; and
an elastic member which elastically connects the wheel case and the retreat member and provides a tensile force between the wheel case and the retreat member when the retreat member moves the second distance.

6. The clothes folding device of claim 5 , wherein the loading assembly further comprises a catching portion which is provided on the rail frame and limits an additional movement of the wheel case when the wheel case moves inward the first distance.

7. The clothes folding device of claim 5 , wherein the clamp plate is provided on the retreat member, forms an inclined surface forming upward inclination in a retreat direction, and exposes at least a portion of the wheel in accordance with the second distance moving of the retreat member.

8. The clothes folding device of claim 5 , wherein the loading assembly further comprises a roller link which mounts the transport roller and is rotatable with respect to the rail frame in accordance with the inward movement of the of clamp assembly.

9. The clothes folding device of claim 8 , wherein the loading assembly further comprises a roller spring which connects the roller link and a point eccentric with respect to a rotational axis of the transport roller.

10. The clothes folding device of claim 8 ,
wherein the loading assembly further comprises:
a guide groove formed in the retreat member; and
a guide protrusion which is provided on the roller link, moves along the guide groove, and rotates the roller link.

11. The clothes folding device of claim 10 ,
wherein the guide groove comprises:
a first guide groove which guides a first rotation angle of the roller link; and
a second guide groove which guides a second rotation angle of the roller link,

and wherein the second rotation angle corresponds to an angle at which the clothes seated on the conveyor are pressed by the transport roller.

12. The clothes folding device of claim 11 , wherein a distance from a center of rotation of the roller link to the first guide groove is greater than a distance from the center of rotation of the roller link to the second guide groove, and an incline groove is formed between adjacent ends of the first guide groove and the second guide groove.

13. The clothes folding device of claim 5 , wherein the loading assembly further comprises a driving motor which is installed in the rail frame and generates a driving force for the inward movement of the clamp assembly.

14. The clothes folding device of claim 1 , further comprising a primary vertical folding guide which is provided on both lower portions of the seating plate separately and performs primary vertical folding when the seated clothes are pushed in.

15. The clothes folding device of claim 1 , wherein the inclined surface is inclined at an angle of 15° to 25° with respect to a horizontal plane.

16. The clothes folding device of claim 1 ,
wherein the wheel assembly comprises:
a wheel which forms a friction surface; and
a unidirectional bearing which is provided within the wheel.

17. The clothes folding device of claim 1 , wherein the wheel assembly is provided in a form of a pair in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the clothes and fixes two points of the clothes.

18. A clothes folding device serving to perform folding in a process of transporting clothes, the clothes folding device comprising:
a loading assembly which causes the clothes to be pushed-in and seats the clothes on a first folding layer equipped with a conveyor for transport;
a folding assembly which performs the folding of the clothes while the pushed-in clothes are transported; and
an unloading assembly which is disposed below the folding assembly and loads the clothes discharged by the folding assembly,
wherein the loading assembly comprises:
a seating plate which forms an inclined surface at an inlet and allows the clothes to be seated thereon;
a clamp assembly which fixes the clothes and moves the clothes to the first folding layer; and
a transport roller which presses the clothes seated on the first folding layer and rotates together with the moving of the clothes while pressing the clothes, and thus, preventing the clothes from being separated,

wherein the clamp assembly comprises a clamp plate which forms a rotational axis and is provided to be openable and closeable, and a pressing member, and presses and fixes the clothes in a closed state,
and wherein the pressing member is provided in a form of teeth.

19. The clothes folding device of claim 18 , wherein the pressing member comprises a pressing portion which presses the clothes along a periphery of a neck hole of the clothes in a form of a band.

20. The clothes folding d

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Youk Hyungkyu
• Kim Keunjoo
• Kim Sangjo

Classifications

• A41H43/0257 Primary

  Folding · CPC title

• D06F89/00

  Apparatus for folding textile articles with or without stapling · CPC title

• D06F89/02 Primary

  of textile articles to be worn, e.g. shirts · CPC title