Clothes folding machine and control method

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the field of clothing processing equipment, and discloses a clothes folding machine and a control method, wherein the clothes folding machine comprises a frame and a clothes folding platform arranged on the frame, and further comprises a folding flap that can be folded toward the clothes folding platform to fold the clothes to be folded, wherein the folding flap is foldable and installed on the frame through a folding mechanism, and the folding flap has an unfolded state flush with the clothes folding platform and a folded state folded above the folding platform and parallel to the clothes folding platform. The clothes folding machine of the present invention folds the clothes through the folding flap, and after the folding flap is folded, it is parallel to the clothes folding platform but not in contact, thus avoiding the situation where the folding flap is not folded in place due to thick clothes, and can achieve a good folding effect for clothes of different thicknesses.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of clothing processing equipment, and in particular, relates to a clothing folding machine and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In daily home life, it is necessary to fold and store the dried clothes. At present, most families fold the dried clothes manually, either manually or with the help of a clothes folding board, which is time-consuming and laborious. With the development of society, people's pace of life has accelerated, and they have less time to do housework. Clothes that are not folded and stored in time are randomly piled up, which greatly wastes storage space. The improvement of living standards is also accompanied by an increase in the types of clothes. The folding process is more cumbersome. People do not know how to fold many clothes, so the folded clothes cannot be well protected. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a product that can be used in scenarios such as homes to help people realize automatic folding of clothes, which can effectively replace the complicated folding work and liberate people from complicated housework.

[0003] In the prior art, there is a folding machine that is provided with a flap to fold clothes. However, since there is only one fixed rotation axis when the flap is folded, when the clothes to be folded are thick, the clothes near the rotation axis of the flap will form a certain angle between the flap and the fixed plane of the folding platform after the flap is folded, that is, when folding clothes, the flap cannot be folded 180 degrees. In this case, the flap only exerts a greater force on the clothes at the part close to the rotation axis, and cannot flatten the clothes at the part far from the rotation axis, resulting in the clothes not fitting well after folding and poor shaping effect.

[0004] In view of this, the present invention is proposed. Summary of the invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and provide a clothes folding machine and a control method that can achieve good folding effects on clothes of different thicknesses.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the basic concept of the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0007] A clothes folding machine comprises a frame and a clothes folding platform arranged on the frame, and also comprises a folding flap which can be folded toward the clothes folding platform to fold clothes to be folded. The folding flap is foldably mounted on the frame through a folding mechanism. The folding flap has an unfolded state flush with the clothes folding platform and a folded state folded above the folding platform and parallel to the clothes folding platform.

[0008] Furthermore, the folding mechanism includes a fixed bracket fixedly connected to the frame, and also includes a first flip plate and a second flip plate; one end of the first flip plate close to the clothes folding platform is hinged to one end of the fixed bracket, and the other end is hinged to one end of the second flip plate; the folding flap is fixedly connected to the second flip plate and can be folded synchronously with the second flip plate; when the second flip plate is flush with the first flip plate, the folding flap is in an unfolded state, and when the second flip plate is at a certain angle to the first flip plate, the folding flap is in a folded state;

[0009] Preferably, when the second flap is perpendicular to the first flap, the folding flap is in a folded state, and there is a certain distance between the folding flap and the surface of the clothes folding platform.

[0010] Furthermore, the fixing bracket has a limiting portion, and when the first flip plate flips to a certain angle, the limiting portion stops against the first flip plate.

[0011] Furthermore, the first flip plate has a fixed stop portion, and when the first flip plate is flush with the second flip plate, the stop portion stops the second flip plate; an elastic member is provided between the first flip plate and the second flip plate, and the elastic member is used to provide an elastic force to keep the first flip plate and the second flip plate flush.

[0012] Furthermore, the folding mechanism also includes a transmission assembly, and the transmission assembly drives the first flip plate and the second flip plate to fold under the drive of the driving device, so that the folding flip plate switches between the unfolded state and the folded state.

[0013] Furthermore, the transmission assembly includes a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod, one end of the first connecting rod is hinged to an end of the second flip plate away from the first flip plate, and the other end is hinged to one end of the second connecting rod, and the other end of the second connecting rod is hinged to an end of the fixed bracket away from the second flip plate; the hinge point of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod can be driven by the driving device to reciprocate between the side and back side of the folding platform where the clothes to be folded are placed, thereby driving the folding flap to unfold or fold.

[0014] Furthermore, the transmission assembly also includes a push rod that can reciprocate along its own axial direction, one end of the push rod is hinged to the second connecting rod, and the other end is connected to the driving device and can reciprocate under the drive of the driving device.

[0015] Furthermore, the frame is fixedly connected to a fixing seat, and the driving device is rotatably mounted on the fixing seat, so that one end of the push rod hinged to the second connecting rod can rotate around the fixing seat to move closer to or away from the clothes folding platform.

[0016] Furthermore, the driving device drives the push rod to reciprocate through a screw transmission;

[0017] Preferably, the driving device and the push rod are integrated into an electric cylinder.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide a control method for the above-mentioned clothes folding machine, when the clothes are spread out on the clothes folding platform and the folding flap, the folding flap is controlled to fold toward the clothes folding platform at least once.

[0019] After adopting the above technical scheme, the present invention has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art.

[0020] The clothes folding machine of the present invention folds clothes by means of a folding flap, which is parallel to the clothes folding platform but not in contact with it after being folded, thus avoiding the situation where the folding flap is not folded into place due to thick clothes, and can achieve a good folding effect for clothes of different thicknesses.

[0021] The clothes folding machine of the present invention is provided with a limiting part so that the first flap stops flipping when it flips to a certain angle, and only the second flap drives the folding flap to continue flipping, so that there is a certain distance between the side of the folding flap adjacent to the clothes folding platform and the clothes folding platform, so that a certain space is reserved for clothes between the folding flap and the clothes folding platform after the folding flap is folded, and a good folding effect can also be achieved for thicker clothes.

[0022] The clothes folding machine of the present invention is provided with elastic parts, so that during the folding process of the folding flap, the second flap can drive the first flap to fold synchronously, and by providing a stopper, during the unfolding process of the folding flap, the second flap can drive the first flap to unfold synchronously.

[0023] The clothes folding machine of the present invention is provided with a driving device, which drives the transmission assembly to move through the screw transmission, and then drives the first flip plate and the second flip plate to move, so as to realize the folding and unfolding of the folding flip plate, and has a simple structure and good controllability.

[0024] The specific implementation modes of the present invention are further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The accompanying drawings are part of the present invention and are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention, but do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work. In the accompanying drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 It is a partial structural schematic diagram of the clothes folding machine of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the folding mechanism of the present invention when the folding flap is in an unfolded state;

[0028] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the folding mechanism of the present invention when the folding flap is in a folded state;

[0029] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the clothes folding machine of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clothing feeding guide plate in the second embodiment of the present invention when it is unfolded;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second embodiment of the present invention when the clothing feeding guide plate is in a retracted state;

[0032] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the folding flap and the extension plate in the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of the storage unit in the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] In the figure: 1, storage unit; 20, clothing guide plate; 21, guide part; 22, rotating shaft; 23, guide plate bracket; 51, first sensing unit; 52, second sensing unit; 100, conveying and transmission device; 110, first guide plate; 121, folding flap; 122, extension plate; 1221, second mounting part; 123, torsion spring; 124, support plate; 1241, first mounting part; 1242, groove; 1243, support part; 1244, connecting part; 125, flap shaft; 130, fixed bracket; 131, first flap; 132, second flap; 133, first connecting rod; 134, second connecting rod; 135, push rod; 136, flap driving device; 137, limit part; 138, stopper; 139, fixed seat; 200, extrusion conveyor; 201, conveying mechanism; 202, extrusion mechanism; 210, second guide plate; 300, folding conveyor; 310, first folding conveyor; 320, second folding conveyor; 330, third folding conveyor; 400, folding mechanism; 410, first folding mechanism; 420, second folding mechanism; 800, storage platform; 801, clothing sensor; 802, second position sensor; 811, support rod; 812, lead screw; 813, lead screw nut; 814, first drive motor; 815, upper slide rail; 816, lower slide rail; 821, structural frame; 822, guide rail; 823, second drive motor; 824, synchronous belt; 825, synchronous pulley; 826, supporting slider.

[0035] It should be noted that these drawings and textual descriptions are not intended to limit the conceptual scope of the present invention in any way, but are intended to illustrate the concept of the present invention for those skilled in the art by referring to specific embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. The following embodiments are used to illustrate the present invention but are not used to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0037] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the directions or positional relationships indicated by terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, and “vertical” are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description. They do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0038] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0039] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the clothes folding machine of the present invention includes a frame and a clothes folding platform arranged on the frame, and also includes a folding flap 121 that can be folded toward the clothes folding platform to fold the clothes to be folded, and the folding flap 121 can be folded on the frame through a folding mechanism. The folding flap 121 has an unfolded state flush with the clothes folding platform and a folded state folded above the folding platform and parallel to the clothes folding platform.

[0040] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the folding mechanism includes a fixed bracket 130 fixedly connected to the frame, and also includes a first flip plate 131 and a second flip plate 132. One end of the first flip plate 131 close to the clothes folding platform is hinged to one end of the fixed bracket 130, and the other end is hinged to one end of the second flip plate 132. The folding flap 121 is fixedly connected to the second flip plate 132 and can be folded synchronously with the second flip plate 132. When the second flip plate 132 is flush with the first flip plate 131, the folding flap 121 is in an unfolded state, and when the second flip plate 132 is at a certain angle to the first flip plate 131, the folding flap 121 is in a folded state. When the folding flap 121 is folded from the unfolded state to the clothes folding platform, the first flip plate 131 and the second flip plate 132 are folded synchronously in the initial stage. The first flap 131 stops flipping when it flips to a certain angle, and the second flap 132 drives the folding flap 121 to continue flipping, so that the folding flap 121 is folded above the clothes folding platform, and the folding flap 121 can be parallel to the clothes folding platform but not in contact with it.

[0041] As a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the folding mechanism further includes a transmission assembly, which drives the first flip plate 131 and the second flip plate 132 to fold under the drive of the flip plate driving device 136. The transmission assembly includes a first connecting rod 133 and a second connecting rod 134, one end of the first connecting rod 133 is hinged to an end of the second flip plate 132 away from the first flip plate 131, and the other end is hinged to an end of the second connecting rod 134, and the other end of the second connecting rod 134 is hinged to an end of the fixed bracket 130 away from the second flip plate 132. Driven by the flip plate driving device 136, the hinge point of the first connecting rod 133 and the second connecting rod 134 reciprocates between the side and the back side of the folding platform where the clothes to be folded are placed, driving the folding flap 121 to unfold or fold.

[0042] Embodiment 1

[0043] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the folding machine described in this embodiment includes a folding unit and a storage unit 1 arranged below the folding unit. The clothes are folded by the folding unit, and the storage unit 1 collects the folded clothes output from the folding unit below. The folding unit includes a frame and a conveying device installed on the frame, and the conveying device includes a conveying conveyor 100, a squeezing conveyor 200 and a folding conveyor 300 from top to bottom.

[0044] The surface of the conveying device 100 forms a folding platform for preliminary folding of clothes. A clothing entry guide 20 is provided at the clothing entrance of the folding machine, that is, the right end of the conveying device 100. The two sides of the clothing entry guide 20 have horn-shaped guide parts 21 to form two grooves. Before the clothes enter the clothing entrance and unfold on the surface of the conveying device 100, they first pass through the clothing entry guide 20. The guide parts 21 on both sides can perform the first folding of the clothes in the width direction. Especially for tops, when passing through the clothing entry guide 20, the sleeves enter the grooves on both sides under the guidance of the guide parts 21, and are gathered under the main body of the clothes during the loading process. The sleeves can be folded before the clothes reach the folding platform, making the width of the clothes more uniform, which is conducive to the subsequent folding steps.

[0045] The clothes are flattened on the surface of the conveying device 100 through the clothing inlet guide plate 20 and conveyed to the left under the drive of the conveying device 100. An arc-shaped first guide plate 110 is provided at the left end of the conveying device 100, and the clothes are conveyed downward into the squeezing conveying device 200 below under the guidance of the first guide plate 110.

[0046] The clothes are conveyed to the right on the squeezing and conveying device 200. The squeezing and conveying device 200 includes a conveying mechanism 201 for conveying clothes and a squeezing mechanism 202 arranged above the conveying mechanism 201 and at a certain angle to the conveying direction, and an squeezing and conveying channel that gradually narrows along the conveying direction of the clothes is formed between the two. The squeezing mechanism 202 includes two driving rollers and a conveyor belt wound on the driving rollers. The clothes are conveyed to the right on the squeezing and conveying device 200. When passing through the squeezing and conveying channel, they are squeezed by the lower driving roller in the squeezing mechanism 202, which can make the thickness of the clothes more uniform. In order to achieve a good squeezing effect, the right end of the squeezing mechanism 202 is installed in contact with the conveying mechanism 201, and the conveyor belt of the conveying mechanism 201 is hollow below the contact point, with a downward pressing space of at least 10 cm in height. Preferably, the angle between the conveying mechanism 201 and the squeezing mechanism 202 is 6°. A second arc-shaped guide plate 210 is provided at the right end of the squeezing and conveying device 200, and the clothes are conveyed downward under the guidance of the second guide plate 210 into the folding and conveying device 300 below.

[0047] The folding conveyor 300 includes a first folding conveyor 310 capable of bidirectional transmission and a second folding conveyor 320 capable of bidirectional transmission and arranged on the right side of the first folding conveyor 310, forming a folding output channel between the two; and also includes a third folding conveyor 330 arranged above the second folding conveyor 320 for transmission to the left, forming a folding transmission channel between the first folding conveyor 310 and the third folding conveyor 330. A folding mechanism 400 for assisting folding of clothes is also installed on the frame of the clothes folding machine, and the folding mechanism 400 includes a first folding mechanism 410 that can be inserted / pulled out of the folding output channel, and can press clothes into the folding output channel; and a second folding mechanism 420 that can be inserted / pulled out of the folding transmission channel is also installed, and can press clothes into the folding transmission channel.

[0048] Folding flaps 121 are provided on both sides of the conveying device 100. The folding flaps 121 can be folded toward the surface of the conveying device 100 to fold the portion of the clothes to be folded that exceeds the width of the conveying device 100, so that the width of the clothes is uniform, which is beneficial for subsequent conveying and folding. The folding flaps 121 can be folded and installed on the frame through a folding mechanism.

[0049] The folding mechanism includes a fixed bracket 130 fixedly connected to the frame, and also includes a first flip plate 131 and a second flip plate 132. The folding flip plate 121 is fixedly connected to the second flip plate 132 and can be folded synchronously with the second flip plate 132. Figure 2As shown, the right end of the first flip plate 131 is hinged to the upper end of the fixed bracket 130, and the left end is hinged to the right end of the second flip plate 132. The folding mechanism also includes a first connecting rod 133 and a second connecting rod 134. Two first connecting rods 133 and second connecting rods 134 are provided, which are respectively provided at the front and rear sides of the fixed bracket 130. The right end of the first connecting rod 133 is hinged to the left end of the second flip plate 132, the left end of the first connecting rod 133 is hinged to the left end of the second connecting rod 134, and the right end of the second connecting rod 134 is hinged to the lower end of the fixed bracket 130. The folding mechanism also includes a push rod 135. The upper end of the push rod 135 is hinged to the second connecting rod 134, and the lower end of the push rod 135 is connected to the flip plate driving device 136. The push rod 135 can reciprocate along its own axis under the drive of the flap driving device 136, thereby driving the hinge point of the first connecting rod 133 and the second connecting rod 134 to reciprocate between the side and back sides of the folding platform where the clothes to be folded are placed, driving the first flip plate 131 and the second flip plate 132 to flip.

[0050] In a preferred solution of this embodiment, the frame is fixedly connected to the fixing seat 139, and the flap driving device 136 is rotatably mounted on the fixing seat 139, so that the upper end of the push rod 135 can rotate around the fixing seat 139, approaching or moving away from the folding platform. Preferably, the flap driving device 136 drives the push rod 135 to reciprocate through a screw drive. More preferably, the flap driving device 136 and the push rod 135 are integrated into an electric cylinder.

[0051] When the folding flap 121 is in the unfolded state, the flap driving device 136 drives the push rod 135 to push the first connecting rod 133 and the second connecting rod 134 upward, thereby pushing the second flap 132 to flip toward the folding platform. An elastic member is provided between the first flap 131 and the second flap 132, and the elastic member is used to provide an elastic force to keep the first flap 131 and the second flap 132 flush. Under the action of the elastic force, the first flap 131 can be driven by the second flap 132 to flip synchronously with the second flap 132. A limiting portion 137 is provided on the fixed bracket 130. When the first flap 131 flips to a certain angle, the limiting portion 137 stops the first flap 131 to limit further flipping of the first flap 131. Preferably, the limit portion 137 is a vertical plane provided on the fixed bracket 130, and when the first flip plate 131 flips 90°, it abuts against the limit portion 137 and stops flipping. The flip plate driving device 136 continues to drive the push rod 135 to move upward, and the second flip plate 132 continues to flip over the elastic force of the elastic member until it flips above the folding platform. Due to the existence of the first flip plate 131, there is a certain distance between the folding flap 121 and the surface of the folding platform after folding, which reserves space for the folded clothes.

[0052] When the folding flap 121 is unfolded from the folded state, the flap driving device 136 drives the push rod 135 to pull the first connecting rod 133 and the second connecting rod 134 downward, thereby driving the second flap 132 to flip in a direction away from the clothes folding platform. The first flap 131 has a fixed stopper 138. When the second flap 132 flips to be flush with the first flap 131, the second flap 132 stops against the stopper 138. The flap driving device 136 continues to drive the push rod 135 to move downward, and the second flap 132 pushes the stopper 138, thereby driving the first flap 131 to flip synchronously until it is flush with the clothes folding platform.

[0053] In this embodiment, the first flap plate and the second flap plate form a folding mechanism. The first flap plate stops flipping after flipping a certain angle, and the second flap plate drives the folding flap to continue flipping, so that when the folding flap is folded above the clothes folding platform, there is a certain distance between it and the surface of the clothes folding platform, reserving space for the folded clothes, avoiding the situation that the folding flap cannot be folded 180° when the clothes are thick. The part of the folding flap away from the folding shaft can also compact the clothes, so that the folded clothes have a good molding effect.

[0054] Embodiment 2

[0055] like Figures 4 to 7 As shown, this embodiment is a further limitation of the above-mentioned embodiment 1, wherein the end of the folding flap 121 close to the clothing inlet guide plate 20 is connected to the extension plate 122, and the extension plate 122 can be folded synchronously with the folding flap 121 under the drive of the folding flap 121. The extension plate 122 is at least partially overlapped with the clothing inlet guide plate 20. For clothes whose length exceeds the length of the folding flap 121, when one end of the clothes is transported to the end close to the conveying and conveying device 100, part of the clothes still exceeds the front end of the folding flap 121, and the folding flap 121 alone cannot fold the clothes in width over the entire length range at one time, and the folding flap 121 is folded multiple times during the transportation process, and the flatness of the clothes after folding is poor. By connecting the extension plate 122 to the front end of the folding flap 121, when the folding flap 121 is folded toward the surface of the conveying device 100, the extension plate 122 is driven to fold synchronously. For clothes that do not exceed the total length of the folding flap 121 and the extension plate 122, the width can be folded by folding once, thereby expanding the range of clothing lengths that the clothes folding machine can adapt to.

[0056] In a preferred solution of the present embodiment, the clothing entry guide plate 20 is rotatably mounted on a frame, a guide plate bracket 23 is fixedly connected to the frame, and a mounting hole is provided on the guide plate bracket 23. A rotating shaft 22 is provided on the clothing entry guide plate 20, and the rotating shaft 22 is rotatably inserted into the mounting hole. The clothing entry guide plate 20 and the guide plate bracket 23 are clearance-fitted and can rotate around the rotating shaft 22. When the clothes folding machine is working, the clothing entry guide plate 20 is in an unfolded state, extending out of the clothing entrance and flush with the surface of the conveying and transmission device 100. When the clothes folding machine is not working, the user can manually operate to fold the clothing entry guide plate 20 toward the clothing entrance, so that it is folded to the inner side of the clothing entrance to be in a storage state. Preferably, the clothing entry guide plate 20 can be folded and folded until it contacts the surface of the conveying and transmission device 100. Preferably, the clothes folding machine is provided with a driving device connected to the rotating shaft 22, which can drive the rotating shaft 22 to rotate, thereby driving the clothing feed guide plate 20 to rotate on the frame, and realizing automatic switching of the clothing feed guide plate 20 between the unfolded state and the stored state.

[0057] The extension plate 122 is rotatably connected to the folding flap 121, and can be folded to the inside of the clothing entrance synchronously with the clothing entry guide plate 20. The folding flap 121 is provided with a hinge structure near the rotating shaft 22 of the clothing entry guide plate 20, so that the extension plate 122 can be folded synchronously with the folding flap 121, and can also be folded to the inside of the clothing entrance when the clothing entry guide plate 20 is folded to overlap the folding flap 121, without affecting the folding of the clothing entry guide plate 20. Specifically, a first mounting portion 1241 is provided at one end of the folding flap 121 connected to the extension plate 122, and the first mounting portion 1241 has a first through hole. A second mounting portion 1221 is provided on the extension plate 122, and the second mounting portion 1221 has a second through hole. The first through hole and the second through hole are arranged correspondingly, and the flap rotating shaft 125 is inserted into the first through hole and the second through hole to connect the folding flap 121 and the extension plate 122.

[0058] Preferably, an elastic member is further provided at the connection between the folding flap 121 and the extension plate 122 , and the elastic member is used to keep the extension plate 122 in an unfolded state extending along the folding flap 121 .

[0059] Specifically, the elastic member includes a torsion spring 123 sleeved on the flap rotating shaft 125, and the two rotating arms of the torsion spring 123 are fixedly connected to the folding flap 121 and the extension plate 122 respectively. One end of the folding flap 121 connected to the extension plate 122 is fixedly connected to the support plate 124, and the support plate 124 has a connecting portion 1244 fixedly fitted with the folding flap 121. Four through holes are respectively provided on the front end of the folding flap 121 and the connecting portion 1244. During assembly, the above-mentioned through holes correspond one to another, and the folding flap 121 is fixedly fitted with the upper surface of the connecting portion 1244 by screws. The first mounting portion 1241 is fixedly arranged on the support plate 124 to realize the connection between the extension plate 122, the support plate 124 and the folding flap 121. A groove 1242 is also provided on the upper surface of the connecting portion 1244, and the first rotating arm of the torsion spring 123 is arranged in the groove 1242. One end of the extension plate 122 connected to the folding flap 121 is provided with a fixing hole, and the second rotating arm of the torsion spring 123 is inserted into the fixing hole and fixedly connected to the extension plate 122. When the extension plate 122 is folded toward the inside of the clothing entrance along with the clothing entry guide plate 20, the first rotating arm rests on the bottom surface of the groove 1242 and does not move, and the second rotating arm rotates along with the extension plate 122, so that the torsion spring 123 is in a compressed state. When the clothing entry guide plate 20 is unfolded, the extension plate 122 is not subjected to external force, and the elastic force of the torsion spring 123 causes the second rotating arm to rotate in a direction away from the first rotating arm, driving the extension plate 122 to automatically unfold and return to the unfolded state extending along the folding flap 121.

[0060] The support plate 124 also has a support portion 1243. When the extension plate 122 is in an unfolded state extending along the folding flap 121, the lower surface of the extension plate 122 is in contact with the support portion 1243 to prevent the extension plate 122 from rotating around the flap rotation axis 125 when the folding flap 121 is folded. There is a certain distance between the clothing entry guide plate 20 and the right end of the folding flap 121, providing a space for the support portion 1243 to avoid when the folding flap 121 and the extension plate 122 are folded synchronously. A groove is provided on the upper surface of the clothing entry guide plate 20 at a position corresponding to the extension plate 122. When the extension plate 122 overlaps with the clothing entry guide plate 20, it is embedded in the groove, so that the extension plate 122 is flush with the surface of the clothing entry guide plate 20, and the clothes are not affected by the extension plate 122 when passing through the clothing entry guide plate 20. The supporting portion 1243 is arranged lower than the connecting portion 1244 , and a step structure is formed therebetween, so that the surface of the supporting portion 1243 extends horizontally along the bottom surface of the groove on the clothing entry guide plate 20 , and together they support the extension plate 122 .

[0061] In this embodiment, an extension plate overlapping with the clothing inlet guide is connected to one end of the folding flap, and the extension plate can be folded synchronously with the folding flap to fold the two sides of the clothing, thereby expanding the range of clothing lengths that the folding machine can adapt to, and avoiding the problem that the folding of the two sides is performed multiple times when the clothing is too long, resulting in low flatness of the folded clothing. The clothing inlet guide plate can be folded and folded to the inside of the clothing entrance, saving space occupied by the folding machine when storing, and at the same time facilitating packaging and reducing the probability of damage to the clothing inlet guide plate during transportation. The folding flap and the extension plate are connected by a hinge structure, and the extension plate can be folded synchronously with the folding flap, and can also be folded to the inside of the clothing entrance together with the clothing inlet guide plate, without affecting the folding of the clothing inlet guide plate. An elastic member is provided at the connection between the folding flap and the extension plate. When the clothing feed guide plate is folded, the extension plate remains folded to a state above the folding flap under the action of gravity of the clothing feed guide plate. When the clothing feed guide plate is unfolded, the extension plate is no longer subjected to force and can automatically unfold and extend along the folding flap under the action of the elastic member. There is no need for the user to manually unfold the extension plate, thereby avoiding the erroneous use of the extension plate when the clothes folding machine is working, resulting in an unsatisfactory clothing folding effect.

[0062] Embodiment 3

[0063] This embodiment provides a control method for the clothes folding machine described in the above embodiment. Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, when the clothes are unfolded on the surface of the conveying device 100, if it is determined that the width of the clothes exceeds the width of the conveying device 100, the folding flap 121 is controlled to be folded toward the clothes folding platform at least once, and the part of the clothes to be folded that exceeds the width of the conveying device 100 is folded. Preferably, the folding flaps 121 located on both sides of the conveying device 100 are controlled to be folded in sequence. More preferably, the folding flaps 121 on both sides are folded alternately, and the folding flaps 121 on each side are folded twice respectively. By folding the clothes with the folding flaps 121, the width of the clothes is made uniform, which is conducive to subsequent conveying and folding.

[0064] After the folding flap 121 is folded, the conveying device 100 is controlled to convey to the left, and the clothes are sent to the squeezing conveying device 200 at the lower layer. The squeezing conveying device 200 is controlled to convey to the right, and the clothes are sent to the folding conveying device 300 at the lower layer. The folding conveying device 300 adopts different conveying methods according to the length of the clothes to fold the clothes.

[0065] Specifically, the clothes folding machine can obtain the length range of the clothes during the conveying process and determine whether it is less than the preset length L'. According to different judgment results, the conveying mode of the folding conveyor 300 is different, and the moving mode of the folding mechanism 400 is also different.

[0066] like Figure 4As shown, in order to obtain the length range of the clothes to be folded, a sensing unit for identifying the length of the clothes to be folded is arranged on the conveying device, and the clothes folding machine has a main control system, which is respectively connected to the conveying device and the sensing unit, and the sensing unit includes a first sensing unit 51 and a second sensing unit 52 for sensing the clothes to be folded. The main control system detects the length range of the clothes to be folded by the clothes sensing unit to control the folding action of the clothes to be folded on the folding conveyor, so as to achieve a better folding effect.

[0067] Specifically, the conveying device has a conveying path, the conveying path has a conveying path entrance end and a conveying path terminal end, the clothes move from the conveying path entrance end to the conveying path terminal end, the first sensing unit 51 and the second sensing unit 52 are arranged on the conveying path, and there is a certain distance L' between the second sensing unit 52 and the first sensing unit 51, preferably, L'=62cm;

[0068] The conveying path entry end and the conveying path terminal end do not refer to the entry end and the terminal end of the clothes to be folded, but are only for clearly describing the setting positions of the first sensing unit 51 and the second sensing unit 52 .

[0069] Preferably, the first sensing unit 51 and the second sensing unit 52 are photoelectric sensors both connected to the main control system; more preferably, the photoelectric sensors are through-beam photoelectric sensors, which use through-beam photoelectric sensing technology to detect clothing, which is beneficial to improving the ability of the clothes folding machine to measure the length of clothing of different colors and materials.

[0070] The method for obtaining the length range of clothing specifically includes: the clothing moves along the direction in which the clothing enters, and when the second sensing unit 52 senses the clothing, the main control system determines whether the first sensing unit 51 senses the clothing, and when the first sensing unit 51 senses the clothing, it determines that the length L of the clothing is greater than L'; when the first sensing unit 51 does not sense the clothing, it determines that the length L of the clothing is less than L'.

[0071] In the above-mentioned clothing length detection method, the through-beam photoelectric sensor consists of two parts, a light emitter and a light receiver. When there is no obstacle between the two, the light emitter of the sensor emits light and the light receiver receives the light. At this time, the light receiver outputs a low-level signal; conversely, when there is an obstacle between the light emitter and the light receiver, the light receiver outputs a high-level signal.

[0072] The first sensing unit 51 and the second sensing unit 52 cooperate to detect the length range of clothing. The transmission distance L' between the first sensing unit 51 and the second sensing unit 52 is fixedly set, for example, it can be 62 cm. If the second sensing unit 52 is true (clothing is detected), the first sensing unit 51 is still true (clothing is detected), and the length of the clothing is judged to be greater than or equal to the transmission distance L' between the first sensing unit 51 and the second sensing unit 52; if the second sensing unit 52 is true (clothing is detected), the first sensing unit 51 is false (clothing is not detected), and the length of the clothing is judged to be less than the transmission distance L' between the first sensing unit 51 and the second sensing unit 52.

[0073] For clothes whose length is less than L', the clothes are folded once in the folding conveyor, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0074] 1) The third folding conveyor 330 and the first folding conveyor 310 convey the clothes to the left, so that the clothes are flattened on the surfaces of the third folding conveyor 330 and the first folding conveyor 310;

[0075] 2) The third folding conveyor 330 conveys to the left, the first folding conveyor 310 conveys to the right, and at the same time the second pressing mechanism 420 moves downward and inserts into the folding conveying channel, pressing the clothes into the folding conveying channel, folding once and conveying downward;

[0076] 3) The second folding mechanism 420 moves upward to draw out the folding conveying channel, and at the same time, the second folding conveying device 320 and the first folding conveying device 310 convey toward each other, conveying the clothes to the folding output channel, and then conveying them out into the storage unit 1.

[0077] For clothes with a length greater than or equal to L', the clothes are folded twice in the folding conveyor, which specifically includes the following steps:

[0078] 1) The third folding conveyor 330 and the first folding conveyor 310 convey the clothes to the left until the end of the clothes completely enters the third folding conveyor 330;

[0079] 2) The third folding conveyor 330 conveys to the left, the first folding conveyor 310 conveys to the right, and at the same time the second pressing mechanism 420 moves downward and inserts into the folding conveying channel, pressing the clothes into the folding conveying channel, causing the first folding and conveying downward;

[0080] 3) The second folding mechanism 420 moves upward to draw out the folding conveying channel, and at the same time, the second folding conveying device 320 and the first folding conveying device 310 convey in the same direction, so that the folded part of the clothes is conveyed to the surface of the second folding conveying device 320;

[0081] 4) The second folding conveyor 320 and the first folding conveyor 310 are conveyed in the opposite direction, and at the same time, the first pressing mechanism 410 moves to the left and inserts into the folding output channel, pressing the clothes into the folding output channel, and a second folding occurs;

[0082] 5) The first folding mechanism 410 moves to the right and draws out the folding output channel, while the first folding conveyor 310 , the second folding conveyor 320 and the third folding conveyor continue to convey 330 , and the clothes are conveyed out into the storage unit 1 .

[0083] In this embodiment, when the clothes are unfolded on the surface of the conveying device, the folding machine controls the folding flap to fold toward the folding platform, and folds and arranges the part of the clothes to be folded that exceeds the conveying transmission device, so that the width of the clothes is uniform, which is conducive to subsequent conveying and folding. The folding unit is provided with a sensing unit for identifying the length of the clothes to be folded. According to the judgment result of the sensing unit, the folding conveying device, the first folding mechanism and the second folding mechanism can be automatically controlled to take different action modes, and the clothes are folded in different ways. Shorter clothes are folded once, and longer clothes are folded twice, so that the length of the clothes after folding is more similar, which is conducive to the subsequent storage process.

[0084] like Figure 4 and Figure 8 As shown, a movable storage platform 800 is provided in the storage unit 1 of the clothes folding machine. When the clothes are discharged from the clothes outlet, the storage platform 800 can move horizontally and pass under the clothes outlet to receive the clothes. The storage unit 1 includes a horizontal moving mechanism that can drive the storage platform 800 to move horizontally, and also includes a vertical moving mechanism that can drive the storage platform 800 to move vertically close to or away from the clothes outlet. The vertical moving mechanism can drive the storage platform 800 to move up and down to adjust the height of the clothes received. The storage platform 800 is installed on the horizontal moving mechanism and can reciprocate in the horizontal direction driven by the horizontal moving mechanism. The horizontal moving mechanism is installed on the vertical moving mechanism, and the vertical moving mechanism can drive the horizontal moving mechanism and the storage platform 800 to reciprocate up and down as a whole.

[0085] Specifically, the vertical moving mechanism includes two crossed support rods 811 to form an X-shaped structure, and the middle part of the support rod 811 is connected by a fixed shaft and can rotate relatively. The vertical moving mechanism includes two groups of symmetrically arranged X-shaped structures to form a stable and retractable support structure. One end of the support rod 811 is fixed, and the other end can reciprocate in the horizontal direction, so as to realize the relative rotation between the two support rods 811, and then drive the storage platform 800 to move up and down to adjust the height. The vertical moving mechanism also includes an upper slide rail 815 and a lower slide rail 816. One end of one of the support rods 811 of the X-shaped structure moves along the upper slide rail 815, and one end of the other support rod 811 moves along the lower slide rail 816. The horizontal moving mechanism and the storage platform 800 are arranged on the top of the support structure, and different heights are formed during the sliding process of the support rod 811. The vertical moving mechanism also includes a first drive motor 814, and the first drive motor 814 drives the support rod 811 to move through a transmission structure. Preferably, the first drive motor 814 drives the support rod 811 to move by a screw transmission method. The transmission structure includes a lead screw 812 and a lead screw nut 813. The lead screw nut 813 is fixedly connected to a movable end of the support rod 811. The lead screw 812 is connected to the first drive motor 814 through a coupling and rotates with the first drive motor 814. The lead screw nut 813 is sleeved on the lead screw 812 and moves horizontally with the rotation of the lead screw 812, thereby driving the support rod 811 to rotate to form different heights.

[0086] The vertical moving mechanism supports the horizontal moving mechanism through four supporting blocks at the top, and the horizontal moving mechanism includes a structural frame 821 supporting the storage platform 800, and two guide rails 822 are arranged on the structural frame 821. Four supporting sliders 826 are fixedly connected to the bottom of the storage platform 800, and the supporting sliders 826 are installed on the structural frame 821 and can reciprocate along the guide rails 822. The horizontal moving mechanism also includes a second driving motor 823, and the second driving motor 823 drives the storage platform 800 to reciprocate horizontally through a transmission assembly. The transmission assembly includes a synchronous belt 824 and a synchronous pulley 825, the second drive motor 823 is fixedly connected to the synchronous pulley 825, the bottom of the storage platform 800 is fixed on the synchronous belt 824, the second drive motor 823 drives the synchronous pulley 825 to rotate, and the synchronous belt 824 mounted on the synchronous pulley 825 moves accordingly. Since the bottom of the storage platform 800 is fixed at a specific position of the synchronous belt 824, when the upper surface of the synchronous belt 824 moves, the storage platform 800 moves with the synchronous belt 824.

[0087] A clothing sensor 801 is provided on the top of the storage unit 1. The clothing sensor 801 is a photoelectric sensor. When the clothing is output from the clothing outlet and enters the storage unit 1, the light beam emitted by the clothing sensor 801 is blocked, so that the clothing sensor 801 feedbacks a triggered signal. The storage unit 1 also includes a first position sensor, which can be a touch switch arranged on the structural frame 821. When the right side of the storage platform 800 moves below the clothing outlet, the first position sensor is triggered. The storage unit 1 also includes a second position sensor 802, which is a photoelectric sensor, and its installation height is flush with the highest height that the storage platform 800 can reach. There is a certain distance between the installation height of the second position sensor 802 and the clothing outlet, and the distance is greater than the thickness of the folded clothing, so as to ensure that there is enough space above the storage platform 800 to receive the clothing. After the storage platform 800 receives the clothing, due to the certain thickness of the clothing, the light beam emitted by the second position sensor 802 is blocked, so that the second position sensor 802 feedbacks a triggered signal. The storage platform 800 is controlled to descend by the vertical moving mechanism, and when the upper edge of the clothes drops below the second position sensor 802, the second position sensor 802 feeds back a non-trigger signal. The storage platform 800 also includes a third position sensor, which can be a touch switch arranged on the structural frame 821. When the left side of the storage platform 800 moves below the clothes outlet, the third position sensor is triggered.

[0088] During the process of outputting clothes, the clothes folding machine controls the horizontal moving mechanism to drive the storage platform 800 to move horizontally to the clothes outlet to receive the clothes.

[0089] Specifically, the folding machine controls the vertical moving mechanism to drive the storage platform 800 to rise to the highest height, and controls the horizontal moving mechanism to drive the storage platform 800 to move horizontally. When the folding machine receives a signal that the third position sensor is triggered, it determines that the left side of the storage platform 800 moves below the clothing outlet, controls the horizontal moving mechanism to stop driving, and prepares to receive clothing.

[0090] The folding unit is working, and the clothes are folded in the folding unit and output from the clothes outlet to the storage unit 1. When the folding machine receives a signal that the clothes sensor 801 is triggered, it is determined that clothes are output from the clothes outlet, and the horizontal moving mechanism is controlled to drive the storage platform 800 to move horizontally to the left to receive the clothes. During the clothes output process, the clothes sensor 801 always feeds back a triggered signal. When the folding machine receives a signal that the clothes sensor 801 is not triggered, it is determined that the clothes output is finished, and the horizontal moving mechanism is controlled to drive the storage platform 800 to stop moving, that is, the clothes receiving process is completed.

[0091] In another scheme of this embodiment, the folding machine can measure the length D1 of the clothes after folding by setting a length measuring module, and monitor the distance D2 moved by the storage platform 800 by setting a distance measuring module. Specifically, the conveying device of the folding unit includes a rotating roller and a conveyor belt wound on the rotating roller, and the conveyor belt conveys the clothes under the rotation of the rotating roller. An angle encoder is set on the rotating shaft of the rotating roller of the squeezing mechanism 202 in the squeezing conveying device 200, and cooperates with the first sensing unit 51. When the head and the tail of the clothes pass through the first sensing unit 51, the value of the angle encoder is recorded respectively. The length L of the clothes before folding can be calculated by the radius of the rotating roller measured in advance. An angle encoder is set on the rotating shaft of the rotating roller of the folding conveying device 300, and cooperates with the second sensing unit 52. The distance that the clothes are conveyed at each stage during the folding process can be calculated. Combined with the original length L of the clothes, the length D1 of the clothes after folding can be calculated. By setting an angle encoder on the rotating shaft of the synchronous pulley 825 and measuring the radius of the synchronous pulley 825 in advance, the distance D2 moved by the storage platform 800 in the horizontal direction can be calculated in real time during the movement of the storage platform 800. When the clothes folding machine receives a signal that D2=D1, it determines that the clothes output is finished and controls the horizontal moving mechanism to drive the storage platform 800 to stop moving.

[0092] In another solution of this embodiment, the folding machine can also control the storage platform 800 to stop moving through the signal fed back by the first position sensor. When the folding machine receives the signal that the first position sensor is triggered, it determines that the right side of the storage platform 800 has moved below the clothing outlet, that is, the clothing output is completed, and controls the horizontal moving mechanism to drive the storage platform 800 to stop moving.

[0093] In a preferred solution of this embodiment, the folding machine determines the end of the output of the clothes by first using the signal fed back by the clothes sensor 801, or by first using the distance measurement module to monitor the distance moved by the storage platform 800, and then controls the storage platform 800 to stop moving. The folding machine is also provided with a first position sensor. When the conditions for determining the end of the output of the clothes by the above two methods do not occur, but the first position sensor is triggered, the storage platform 800 is controlled to stop moving. Since the end of the output of the clothes should occur before the right side of the storage platform 800 moves to the bottom of the clothes outlet, when the storage platform 800 is controlled to stop moving by the first position sensor, the situation where the storage platform 800 has stopped moving before the output of the clothes is completed will not occur. In the above solution, the first position sensor is used as an auxiliary determination means, and in the case of misjudgment or failure of the clothes sensor 801 or the distance measurement module, the control of stopping the horizontal movement of the storage platform 800 can also be realized.

[0094] After the clothes are output, the folding machine controls the vertical moving mechanism to drive the storage platform 800 to descend, and the height of the storage platform 800 is controlled by the second position sensor 802. Specifically, when preparing to receive the first piece of clothing, the height of the storage platform 800 is flush with the installation height of the second position sensor 802. After the clothes are received, the second position sensor 802 is blocked and a triggered signal is fed back. During the descent of the storage platform 800, when the upper edge of the clothes just drops below the second position sensor 802, the signal fed back by the second position sensor 802 jumps from a triggered state to a non-triggered state. During the descent of the storage platform 800, when the folding machine receives a signal that the second position sensor 802 is not triggered, it is determined that the storage platform 800 has been dropped into place, and the vertical moving mechanism is controlled to drive the storage platform 800 to stop descending.

[0095] In a preferred solution of this embodiment, after the storage platform 800 stops descending, the folding machine controls the vertical moving mechanism to drive the storage platform 800 to rise, and when the folding machine receives a signal that the second position sensor 802 is triggered, the vertical moving mechanism is controlled to drive the storage platform 800 to stop rising. By triggering the second position sensor 802 to control the stop height of the storage platform 800 during the rising process of the storage platform 800, it is avoided that during the descent of the storage platform 800, the end of the clothes stays or drags at the clothes outlet, and continuously blocks the second position sensor 802 to cause misjudgment, resulting in the actual height of the upper edge of the clothes being much lower than the set height of the second position sensor 802 after the storage platform 800 stops moving. After the storage platform 800 stops descending, the clothes have been laid flat on the storage platform 800. At this time, by controlling the storage platform 800 to rise to trigger the second position sensor 802, the height positioning accuracy of the storage platform 800 is better.

[0096] Preferably, when the clothes folding machine receives a signal that the second position sensor 802 is triggered, the vertical moving mechanism is controlled to drive the storage platform 800 to continue to rise to a certain height and then stop moving, so that the control of the height of the storage platform 800 when receiving clothes is more stable.

[0097] After the storage platform 800 stops moving vertically, the folding machine controls the horizontal moving mechanism to drive the storage platform 800 to move rightward and reset. When the folding machine receives a signal that the third position sensor is triggered, it controls the horizontal moving mechanism to drive the storage platform 800 to stop moving and prepare to receive the next piece of clothing.

[0098] The above process is repeated in a cycle, and the storage platform 800 drops to a certain height after receiving each piece of clothing, and then resets in the horizontal direction to prepare for receiving the next piece of clothing. The storage unit 1 is also provided with a fourth position sensor for detecting whether the storage platform 800 has dropped to the lowest height. When the clothes folding machine receives a signal that the fourth position sensor is triggered, it determines that the storage platform 800 has dropped to the limit position, controls the clothes folding unit to pause folding the clothes, and reminds the user to take the folded clothes out of the storage unit 1.

[0099] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, during the process of discharging clothes, the folding machine controls the speed of the horizontal movement of the storage platform 800 to coordinate with the speed of the clothes discharging by the folding unit, so as to achieve the effect of flattening the clothes. Preferably, during the process of discharging clothes, the folding machine controls the first folding conveyor 310 and the second folding conveyor 320 to convey at a certain difference in conveying speed, so as to achieve the effect of flattening the clothes. More preferably, before the clothes contact the storage platform 800, the folding machine controls the horizontal moving mechanism to accelerate the storage platform 800 to approach or reach a speed that can flatten the clothes.

[0100] In this embodiment, the clothes folding machine controls the storage platform to move horizontally to receive clothes during the clothing output process, thereby realizing dynamic receiving in coordination with the clothing output process. The clothing sensor detects whether there is clothing output from the clothing outlet into the storage unit, and then controls the storage platform to move horizontally to receive the clothing, so that the control of the storage platform is more precise. By setting up multiple position sensors, the movement and stop of the storage platform are controlled according to the signals fed back by the position sensors, so that the position control of the storage platform is more precise. The clothes folding machine controls the storage platform to descend a certain height after receiving each piece of clothing, and then resets it in the horizontal direction to prepare for receiving the next piece of clothing, thereby realizing continuous receiving of clothing with a high degree of automation. By controlling the horizontal movement speed of the storage platform to coordinate with the clothing output speed of the clothes folding unit, the clothes are flattened in the process of receiving the clothes, thereby ensuring the flatness of the clothes received by the storage platform.

[0101] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention in any form. Although the present invention has been disclosed as a preferred embodiment, it is not used to limit the present invention. Any technician familiar with this patent can make some changes or modify the technical contents suggested above into equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the technical solution of the present invention. However, any simple modification, equivalent change and modification made to the above embodiments according to the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention still fall within the scope of the solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A clothes folding machine, comprising a frame and a clothes folding platform arranged on the frame, and also comprising a folding flap that can be folded toward the clothes folding platform to fold the clothes to be folded, characterized in that: The folding flap is foldably mounted on the frame through a folding mechanism, and the folding flap has an unfolded state flush with the clothes folding platform and a folded state folded above the folding platform and parallel to the clothes folding platform; The folding mechanism includes a fixed bracket fixedly connected to the frame, and also includes a first flip plate and a second flip plate; one end of the first flip plate close to the clothes folding platform is hinged to one end of the fixed bracket, and the other end is hinged to one end of the second flip plate; the folding flip plate is fixedly connected to the second flip plate and can be folded synchronously with the second flip plate; The first flap has a fixed stopper; When the folding flap is in the unfolded state, the second flap is flush with the first flap, and the stopper abuts against the second flap; an elastic member is provided between the first flap and the second flap to provide an elastic force to keep the first flap and the second flap flush; The fixed bracket has a limiting portion. When the first flap plate flips to a certain angle, the limiting portion stops the first flap plate to stop flipping, and the second flap plate drives the folding flap to continue flipping. When the second flap plate is perpendicular to the first flap plate, the folding flap is in a folded state. The folding flap is folded to above the clothes folding platform and there is a certain distance between it and the surface of the clothes folding platform, thereby reserving space for the folded clothes.

2. The clothes folding machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The folding mechanism also includes a transmission assembly, which drives the first flip plate and the second flip plate to fold under the drive of the driving device, so that the folding flip plate switches between an unfolded state and a folded state.

3. The clothes folding machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transmission assembly includes a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod, one end of the first connecting rod is hinged to an end of the second flip plate away from the first flip plate, and the other end is hinged to one end of the second connecting rod, and the other end of the second connecting rod is hinged to an end of a fixed bracket away from the second flip plate; the hinge point of the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod can be driven by the driving device to reciprocate between the side and the back side of the folding platform where the clothes to be folded are placed, thereby driving the folding flap to unfold or fold.

4. The clothes folding machine according to claim 3, characterized in that: The transmission assembly also includes a push rod that can reciprocate along its own axis direction. One end of the push rod is hinged to the second connecting rod, and the other end is connected to the driving device and can reciprocate under the drive of the driving device.

5. The clothes folding machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The frame is fixedly connected to a fixing seat, and the driving device is rotatably mounted on the fixing seat, so that one end of the push rod hinged to the second connecting rod can rotate around the fixing seat to approach or move away from the clothes folding platform.

6. The clothes folding machine according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The driving device drives the push rod to reciprocate through the screw transmission.

7. The clothes folding machine according to claim 6, characterized in that: The driving device and the push rod are integrated into an electric cylinder.

8. A method for controlling the clothes folding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: When the clothes are spread out on the clothes folding platform and the folding flap, the folding flap is controlled to be folded toward the clothes folding platform at least once.

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