Clothing care method for clothing care device and clothing care device

Abstract

According to the clothes care method and the clothes care device, the flattening assembly independently running relative to the ironing assembly is arranged, the flattening assembly comprises the flattening arm and the gripper module which can independently move, and the flattening arm moves up and down along the vertical rail and slides back and forth through the transverse rail assembly to be close to or away from the to-be-ironed object; the gripper module is arranged on the flattening arm and can touch and clamp an object to be ironed when the flattening arm gets close to the object to be ironed, then the gripper module moves in the vertical or horizontal or inclined direction relative to the object to be ironed under the action of the first driving system and / or a third driving system on the flattening assembly to drive the object to be ironed to be flattened, and then the ironing assembly executes ironing nursing operation. The to-be-ironed object is wholly or locally nursed.

Description

Clothing care method for clothing care device and clothing care device Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of textile care, and in particular to a clothing care method and a clothing care device. Background Art

[0002] Garment ironing devices and clothing care machines are common household appliances in daily life. They primarily use the hanging ironing method to remove wrinkles from clothing by heating and ironing, thereby improving the smoothness and neatness of clothing. Their convenience and efficiency have won the favor of a large number of users. However, existing technologies still have many shortcomings in achieving smooth clothing ironing.

[0003] Early technical solutions, such as patent CN86104511A filed by the Australian Automatic Ironing Machinery Company in 1986, proposed an automatic ironing machine that includes a pressing area for receiving clothes to be ironed and integrates multiple devices such as heating, pressurization, steam, and flattening on a movable shuttle. This design integrates functional modules such as flattening, steam, heating, and pressurization on a movable shuttle. Although streamlined operations improve efficiency, the flattening force and position adjustment are limited due to the close integration of the flattening component with the ironing mechanism. The flattening component smoothes the clothes by rotating, which cannot apply tension to the clothes, making it impossible to accurately care for clothes of different materials and thicknesses, resulting in uneven ironing results. In addition, the flattening device in this existing technology moves together with the heating device and steam device, taking up a large space and making it impossible to flatten specific parts of the clothes.

[0004] With the continuous development of technology, more sophisticated design schemes have emerged, such as the CN114277559B patent authorized by Qingdao Haier Intelligent Technology R&D Co., Ltd. in 2023. This patent proposes an ironing module comprising a front ironing unit and a rear ironing unit, which are arranged side by side and spaced apart to form a certain gap. In particular, the front ironing unit or the rear ironing unit is provided with a horizontal flattening component and a vertical flattening component, which apply a horizontal flattening force and a vertical flattening force in the left and right directions to the clothes in the gap to improve the flatness of the clothes. However, this design also has limitations. First, when the horizontal flattening component and the vertical flattening component slide integrally with the front and rear ironing units, they have to roll relative to the clothes being cared for. When flattening, they smooth the clothes by rotating. This will result in a rotation speed that is too low, which does not flatten the clothes enough. When the rotation speed is too high, the roller brush frequently rubs against the clothes, which can easily damage the clothes. It is difficult to adapt to clothes of various materials and thicknesses, especially for fabrics with stubborn wrinkles such as cotton, linen, and some chemical fibers, and it is difficult to achieve the ideal care effect. Patent number CN108611828B discloses a household steam ironing device comprising a movable steam ironing unit and a supporting device disposed below it. A supporting rod with horizontal reciprocating motion is used to support and stretch clothes during ironing, eliminating wrinkles. However, this solution only supports and stretches clothes horizontally, failing to flatten them vertically. Furthermore, the supporting device cannot be moved during ironing, preventing flexible adjustment based on care needs.

[0005] The existing technology still has many deficiencies in ironing clothes, which are mainly manifested in the following aspects:

[0006] The integrated design of the flattening component and ironing mechanism prevents flexible adjustment of the clamping points and flattening area. When faced with garments requiring different care, the flattening method is relatively simple and cannot provide customized care.

[0007] Therefore, it is particularly important to develop a clothing flattening method, device and care machine that can flexibly adjust the clamping force and position, adapt to clothes of different materials and thicknesses, and provide uniform and stable clamping force.

[0008] Summary of the Invention

[0009] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide a clothing care method and a clothing care device for a clothing care device, so as to solve the problem that the care method in the prior art has a poor care and flattening effect.

[0010] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is achieved as follows:

[0011] The first object of the present application is to disclose a clothing care method for a clothing care device, which can flexibly adjust the flattening area by controlling the flattening component to move to a preset clamping point and clamp the object to be ironed; by controlling the flattening component to apply tension to the object to be ironed, it can adapt to clothes of different materials and thicknesses and provide uniform and stable clamping force; by controlling the ironing component to move independently to a designated ironing start position relative to the flattening component and starting to perform ironing care operations, the object to be ironed can be cared for as a whole or partially, and customized care can be performed according to the degree of wrinkles of different objects to be ironed, balancing the care effect and care cycle.

[0012] A second object of the present application is to disclose a clothing care machine capable of performing the aforementioned clothing care method. The machine comprises a hanging assembly for hanging clothing and a care assembly, the care assembly comprising a vertical rail assembly, an independently arranged ironing assembly, and a flattening assembly. The ironing assembly is positioned above the flattening assembly, and both the ironing assembly and the flattening assembly are capable of moving up and down along the vertical rail assembly. A flattening assembly is provided that operates independently of the ironing assembly, the flattening assembly comprising an independently movable flattening arm and a gripper module. The flattening arm moves up and down along the vertical rail and slides back and forth via the horizontal rail assembly, approaching or moving away from the item to be ironed. The gripper module is disposed on the flattening arm and is capable of contacting and gripping the item to be ironed when the flattening arm approaches the item to be ironed. Subsequently, under the action of a first drive system and / or a third drive system on the flattening assembly, the flattening arm moves vertically, horizontally, or obliquely relative to the item to be ironed, flattening the item to be ironed. The ironing assembly then performs the ironing care operation, providing overall or partial care for the item to be ironed. Compared to the prior art, the clothing care method and care machine of the present invention have the following advantages:

[0013] (1) Through the relatively independent control of the flattening component and the ironing component, the clothes are effectively and accurately clamped and flattened before ironing, reducing wrinkles on the clothes, thus providing a better foundation for subsequent ironing and significantly improving the flatness of the clothes after ironing. The flattening component is designed to be flexible, and the gripper module can be configured in various ways according to the material, size and shape of the clothes, such as a single fixed gripper, two relatively sliding grippers, or multiple combined grippers, to meet the flattening requirements of different clothes and enhance the flexibility and adaptability of clothing care.

[0014] (2) The double-arm linkage structure design of the flattening component and the ironing component is compact and reasonable, and the heating module and the steam injection module are integrated on the ironing component, moving together with the ironing component instead of moving together with the flattening component, thereby avoiding the temperature drop of the steam reaching the surface of the clothes, thereby improving the ironing efficiency, saving space, and facilitating the ironing care of local details of the clothes. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG1 is a front view of a nursing machine with an independent flattening component according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG2 is a view of a nursing machine shaft with an independent flattening component according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] FIG3 is a view of the nursing machine shaft after omitting the box assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] FIG4 is a front view of the flattening assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] FIG5 is an axial view of the flattening assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the flattening assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention with the outer shell removed;

[0021] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the travel of the gripper module during the flattening motion on the clothing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Description of reference numerals:

[0023] Box assembly 100, nursing assembly 200, nursing cavity 300, box shell 1, suspension assembly 2, ironing assembly 3, first ironing plate 31, second ironing plate 32, flattening assembly 4, first flattening arm 41, second flattening arm 42, first horizontal rail module 43, second horizontal rail module 44, horizontal rail assembly 45, flattening arm 46, flattening shell 401, first gripper 402, second gripper 403, first connecting plate 404, second connecting plate 405, driving part 406, guide part 407, first connecting rod 408, third driving system 409, vertical rail assembly 5, first vertical rail module 51, second vertical rail module 52, first connecting arm 53, second connecting arm 54, first driving system 6, second driving system 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] It should be noted that all terms used in the present invention to indicate direction and position, such as "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", "back", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", "top", "low", "lateral", "longitudinal", "center", etc., are only used to explain the relative position relationship and connection status between the components in a certain specific state (as shown in the accompanying drawings). They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention, and do not require that the present invention must be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. in the present invention are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features.

[0026] The clothes or articles to be ironed in the present invention are conventional clothing, apparel and other similar flexible textiles. The clothes with tubular parts in the present invention are clothes with sleeves or trouser legs, such as shirts, trousers, stockings, tubular neck scarves and the like.

[0027] Figures 1 to 4 show a clothing care device, including a box assembly 100, a care assembly 200 and a hanging assembly 2, and a care cavity 300 is formed inside the box assembly 100; the care assembly 200 includes an ironing assembly 3 and a flattening assembly 4 that are independently arranged. The vertical rail assembly 5 in the care assembly 200 is fixed in the care cavity 300, the ironing assembly 3 is located above the flattening assembly 4, and both the ironing assembly 3 and the flattening assembly 4 can move up and down along the vertical rail assembly 5. The hanging assembly 2 is located near the top of the care cavity 300 and is used to hang the clothes to be ironed.

[0028] The vertical rail assembly 5 includes a first vertical rail module 51 and a second vertical rail module 52, which are located on opposite sides of the flattening assembly 4. A first connecting arm 53 is provided at the upper ends of the first and second vertical rail assemblies 51, 52, and a second connecting arm 54 is provided at the lower ends of the first and second vertical rail assemblies 51, 52, so that the first and second vertical rail assemblies 51, 52, the first connecting arm 53, and the second connecting arm 54 are connected to form a stable frame structure.

[0029] In the example of the present application, the guide rails on which the connecting ends of the flattening assembly 4 and the ironing assembly 3 on the same side slide on the vertical rail assembly 5 are preferably the same guide rail, but may also be different guide rails. The ironing assembly 3 is disposed above the flattening assembly 4 and is capable of sliding up and down along the vertical rail assembly 5. Preferably, the ironing assembly 3 includes two ironing boards, namely a first ironing board assembly 31 and a second ironing board assembly 32. A gap is formed between the first ironing board assembly 31 and the second ironing board assembly 32 for ironing the items to be ironed. Horizontal rail assemblies 45 similar to or identical in structure to the first horizontal rail module 43 and the second horizontal rail module 44 of the flattening assembly are disposed on either side of the first ironing board assembly 31 and the second ironing board assembly 32 in the longitudinal direction, allowing the ironing assembly 3 to slide up and down on the vertical rail assembly 5, thereby ironing the flattened area or the entire item to be ironed.

[0030] The ironing assembly 3 is independently provided and can move independently relative to the flattening assembly, and the flattening assembly 4 can also move independently relative to the ironing assembly 3. Preferably, the ironing assembly 3 is provided with a heating module and a steam injection module. The heating module and the steam injection module are provided on the ironing assembly and move with the ironing assembly rather than with the flattening assembly, thereby preventing the temperature of the steam reaching the surface of the ironing article from being lowered, thereby improving the ironing effect.

[0031] The flattening assembly 4 is arranged on the vertical rail assembly 5 and can be moved up and down and fixed under the drive of the first driving system 6. The flattening assembly 4 includes two transverse rail assemblies and two flattening arms 46. The two transverse rail assemblies are respectively a first transverse rail module 43 and a second transverse rail module 44. The two flattening arms 46 are respectively a first flattening arm 41 and a second flattening arm 42. The first flattening arm 41 and the second flattening arm 42 are distributed on the front and rear sides of the object to be ironed. The first transverse rail module 43 and the second transverse rail module 44 are located at opposite ends of the first flattening arm 41 and the second flattening arm 42. The first flattening arm 41 and the second flattening arm 42 can slide forward and backward on the first transverse rail module 43 and the second transverse rail module 44 to approach or move away from the object to be ironed. Each flattening arm 46 is provided with at least one gripping module. The gripping module can move up and down as a whole with the flattening arm. When the flattening arm 46 moves forward and backward and approaches the object to be ironed, the gripping module touches and clamps the object to be ironed. The flattening assembly 4 further includes a third drive system 409, which drives a gripper module on the same flattening arm to move along the flattening arm, so that the gripper module, under the action of the first drive system and the third drive system, moves vertically, horizontally, or obliquely relative to the object to be ironed and drives the object to be ironed to be flattened.

[0032] The cross-rail assembly is also equipped with a second drive system 7, which drives the two flattening arms on the cross-rail assembly toward or away from the object being ironed. Specifically, the first and second flattening arms 41 and 42 are connected at their respective ends along the lengthwise direction to the first and second cross-rail modules 43 and 44 via first and second connecting plates 404 and 405, respectively. Driven by the second drive system 7, the flattening arms can slide forward and backward along the first and second cross-rail modules 43 and 44.

[0033] As one embodiment of the clothing care machine of the present invention, the gripper module on the flattening arm can be configured as a structure such as a roller or a claw that can move along the length direction of the flattening arm. Preferably, the gripper module is configured as a claw.

[0034] As shown in Figures 4 to 6 (an example of a claw-type gripper module), specifically, the flattening arm 46 includes a flattening shell 401 with a accommodating space, and the third drive system 409 is arranged in the accommodating space of the flattening shell 401. The third drive system 409 is arranged near the middle of the flattening shell 401. The third drive system 409 drives the gripper module to slide away or approach horizontally along the drive part 406 and the guide part 407 through the drive part 406 and the guide part 407 inside the accommodating space of the flattening shell 401. The drive part 406 is used to transmit the third drive system 409 to the gripper module, and the guide part 407 is used to guide and limit the gripper module when it moves, so that it moves along a predetermined preset route, thereby providing a smooth flattening force for the object to be ironed. Optionally, a first connecting rod 408 is provided inside the flattened housing 401 . The first connecting rod 408 is provided parallel to the driving portion 406 . The first connecting rod 408 cooperates with the driving portion 406 and the guide portion 407 to fix and install the third driving system 409 .

[0035] When in use, the flattening assembly 4 slides vertically along the vertical rail assembly 5 through its independent driving system (first driving system 6) and moves to the preset care position of the object to be ironed. Then, the second driving system 7 is driven to move, thereby driving the two flattening arms 46 of the flattening assembly 4 to move along the first horizontal rail module 43 and the second horizontal rail module 44 in the front-to-back direction to approach the object to be ironed. In the example of the present application, after the flattening assembly 4 moves to the preset care position of the object to be ironed, the second driving system 7 on the flattening assembly 4 is activated, thereby driving the two flattening arms 46 of the flattening assembly 4 to move forward and backward. The arm 46 slides horizontally along the horizontal rail assembly 45, approaching the object to be ironed. The gripper module on the flattening arm 46 contacts and clamps the object to be ironed. In this operating state, a sensor on the gripper module can preferably be used to detect the gripper module's clamping force on the object to be ironed. When the detected pressure reaches a pressure value matching the object to be ironed or a set value, the gripper module on the flattening arm 46 is controlled to move horizontally, thereby applying left-right flattening tension to the object to be ironed. In this case, the first drive system 6 simultaneously drives the flattening assembly 4 to slide upward and downward on the vertical rail assembly 5, thereby simultaneously applying downward and left-right flattening tension to the object to be ironed. By controlling the movement timing of the gripper module on the flattening arm 46 and the movement timing of the flattening assembly 4 on the vertical rail assembly 5, the flattening assembly 4 can provide flattening tension to the object to be ironed in horizontal, vertical, or oblique directions, or in a horizontal-then-vertical, vertical-then-horizontal, or even downward-oblique arc motion. This allows for a larger flattening area, allowing for simultaneous care of a larger area, thereby improving care efficiency. In addition, unlike merely clamping and pulling down, the clothing flattening assembly disclosed in this embodiment can not only realize precise flattening force adjustment control on the items to be ironed, but also realize precise flattening position clamping control according to the care needs of the items to be ironed, and realize flexible adjustment of the clamping force and position of the items to be ironed, and can adapt to items to be ironed of different materials and thicknesses, provide uniform and stable flattening clamping force and apply appropriate flattening clamping force to the items to be ironed, and realize flattening tension adjustment control in different directions of the items to be ironed by controlling the motion trajectory of the gripper module in the flattening assembly after clamping, so that the original wrinkles in the flattening area are stretched and faded, the care effect after ironing is better, the care yield is higher, and the care efficiency is also significantly improved.

[0036] In one embodiment, the gripper module can be configured as a single gripper, as shown in Figures 4-6 , designated as first gripper 402. First gripper 402 can be located solely near the center of flattening arm 46, and used to grip the centerline of the item being ironed during use. Alternatively, first gripper 402 can be provided along the length of flattening arm 46, but the length of first gripper 402 should be no less than 1 / 3 of the length of flattening arm 46, and the centerline of first gripper 402 should be parallel to or even coincide with the centerline of flattening arm 46. First gripper 402 applies downward flattening tension as flattening arm 46 moves downward. This arrangement optimizes the arrangement structure of the first gripper 402 in the gripper module that provides horizontal tension in the vertical direction, so that when the first gripper 402 moves downward with the flattening arm 46, the article to be ironed can be stably clamped and flattened and downward flattening tension can be applied, thereby avoiding poor flattening and ironing effects caused by unstable clamping. The length and position of the first gripper 402 can be adjusted according to the actual situation of the article to be ironed, thereby achieving precise flattening of articles to be ironed of different sizes and shapes, and facilitating better flattening and ironing of the article to be ironed.

[0037] In another embodiment, the gripper module includes at least two grippers, both of which are second grippers 403. A third drive system 409 is provided on the flattening arm 46. The third drive system 409 is capable of driving the at least two second grippers 403, after clamping the object to be ironed, to perform a horizontal flattening motion along the length of the flattening arm 46, thereby providing a flattening force that expands the object to the left and right. Optionally, the two second grippers 403 can be driven by a single third drive system 409, or by two separate and independent third drive systems 409. The third drive system 409 is preferably located near the center of the flattening arm 46, but can also be located at other adaptable and fixed locations on the flattening arm 46, as long as it can drive the second grippers 403 to slide relative to the flattening arm 46. The third driving system 409 can drive the two second grippers 403 to move horizontally to the left and right sides by any one of a belt, a chain, a screw slider, a gear rack, etc. Alternatively, the second grippers 403 are rollers, balls, or reverse spiral structures provided on the flattening arms 46. The third driving system 409 drives the second grippers 403 to roll, thereby providing a flattening force to the ironing article to expand to the left and right sides.

[0038] In another optional embodiment of the present application, the gripper module includes at least three grippers, namely a first gripper 402 and two second grippers 403. The first gripper 402 is arranged near the middle of the flattening arm 46 and is used to clamp the midline of the object to be ironed. The two second grippers 403 are arranged on opposite sides of the first gripper 402. The movement mode and connection structure of the second grippers 403 on the flattening arm 46 are the same as those of other embodiments.

[0039] As shown in FIG6 , the third drive system 409 is disposed near the middle of the flattening arm 46 , and drives the slider to slide to the left and right relative to the flattening arm 46 via a screw rod. The slider is designed with rollers that can roll relative to the object to be ironed. As a result, when the flattening assembly 4 is performing the flattening operation, the second gripper 403 can be driven by the third drive system 409 to slide and apply a flattening force that expands to the left and right relative to the rolling of the object to be ironed.

[0040] The first gripper 402 is a strip-shaped elastic device or a rectangular elastic device, preferably a rectangular elastic device, disposed on or within the flattening arm but protruding from its surface. The vertical height of the clamping surface of the first gripper 402 is 10 mm to 100 mm. The second gripper 403 is made of a flexible material, such as resin or silicone, that deforms under pressure and recovers upon loss of force. This ensures that the second gripper 403 is not only highly flexible but also protects the item being ironed from damage. Preferably, a sensor is built into the second gripper 403. The flattening arm 46 and the second gripper 403 are designed as a combination of mechanical and electronic technologies, enabling real-time monitoring of the clamping force. During the flattening process, the third drive system 409 is activated, driving the belt mechanism, which in turn moves the second gripper 403 along the length (horizontal direction) of the flattening arm 46, clamping and flattening the item. The silicone gripper provides gentle and even contact with the item being ironed, while sensor feedback ensures appropriate clamping force, thereby achieving precise flattening of the item. The flattening arm 46 not only achieves efficient and precise flattening of the items to be ironed, but also fully considers the protection and user experience of the items to be ironed. Compared with rolling, it can flexibly apply precise tension without scratching the items to be ironed, which is a major advancement in modern clothing care technology.

[0041] The hanging assembly 2 is internally provided with an air duct, which has at least one gas passageway therein. This gas passageway communicates with the interior of the care chamber 300, allowing gas to be passed through the hanging assembly 2 into the interior of the item to be ironed. The gas may be steam or dry hot air. Preferably, the hanging assembly 2 is internally provided with two gas passageways, both of which communicate with the interior of the care chamber 300. Steam and / or hot air are selectively passed into the interior of the item to be ironed through the gas passageways within the hanging assembly 2. More preferably, the gas passageway within the hanging assembly 2 is provided with two outlets, one of which is an end outlet located near each end of the hanging assembly, and the other is a main body outlet located between the ends of the hanging assembly 2. When the item to be ironed does not have a sleeve, steam and / or hot air are passed into the main body of the item to be ironed only through the main body outlet. When the item to be ironed is a top with a sleeve, steam and / or hot air are passed into the sleeve through the end outlets, while steam and / or hot air are passed into the main body of the item to be ironed through the main body outlet.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] A method for caring for clothing with sleeves, comprising:

[0044] S1. The flattening component moves to a preset clamping point and clamps the object to be ironed;

[0045] S2, the flattening component applies tension to the object to be ironed;

[0046] S3. The ironing component moves independently to the designated ironing start position relative to the flattening component, and starts to perform ironing care operations to provide overall or partial care for the article to be ironed.

[0047] In step S1, after the flattening assembly 3 accurately moves to the preset clamping point, the second driving system 7 is driven to move, driving the two flattening arms 46 of the flattening assembly 4 to move along the first cross-rail module 43 and the second cross-rail module 44 in the front-to-back direction close to the object to be ironed. The gripper module of the flattening assembly 3 clamps the preset clamping point of the object to be ironed with a preset clamping force, ensuring that the object to be ironed remains stable during the subsequent care process.

[0048] The preset clamping points are preset positions, and different items to be ironed have different preset clamping positions. Different items to be ironed have optimal clamping positions. Specifically, the optimal clamping position is also related to the subsequent flattening action mode and flattening tension. The inventors here associate different flattening action modes with different clamping positions, using different flattening tensions at different clamping positions, recording the flattening effects, and deriving the optimal clamping position from a large amount of experimental data. For example, the preset positions can be 1 / 2, 1 / 3, 1 / 4, 1 / 5, 1 / 6 of the total length of the item to be ironed, the hem of the item to be ironed, the leg of the item to be ironed, a wrinkle-recognized position, a specific clamping position identified by the intelligent recognition system, etc. They can also be specific clamping positions set by the user.

[0049] Preferably, step S1 may further include the following steps:

[0050] S11, obtaining attribute information of the item to be ironed;

[0051] In this step, the attribute information of the item to be ironed can be obtained through user input or selection, or through image recognition or infrared recognition. For example, structural features, material information, or wrinkle distribution on the item to be ironed can be obtained. Structural features include pockets, raised patterns, or woven structures on the item's surface. In the example of this application, the intelligent recognition system captures images of the item to be ironed using a camera and automatically identifies the item's shape, wrinkle location, and structural features using image recognition technology. For example, the system can identify pockets, pattern edges, or unique woven structures on the item to be ironed and set these locations as clamping points. Furthermore, the system can automatically adjust the clamping force and specific clamping point locations based on the material and thickness of the item to be ironed, ensuring a secure clamping without damaging the item. In practice, the intelligent recognition system first activates a camera to capture the item to be ironed, then inputs the captured image data into an image recognition algorithm. The algorithm automatically identifies key locations of the item to be ironed, such as pockets and pattern edges, by analyzing the image's contours, color, texture, and other information. Based on the recognition results, the system calculates the optimal clamping points and controls the clamping and flattening components to move to these points for clamping. During the clamping process, the system also dynamically adjusts the clamping force based on actual feedback from the ironing object (such as data from the clamping force sensor) to ensure a stable and safe clamping effect.

[0052] S12, determining the area to be flattened or cared for based on the property information of the item to be ironed;

[0053] S13 . Generate preset clamping points of the flattening component 4 and the clamping and flattening stroke of the flattening component 4 in the subsequent step S2 according to the area to be flattened or cared for.

[0054] In the example of the present application, an intelligent recognition module is introduced to obtain the attribute information of the object to be ironed, including an image acquisition device, such as a camera and other structures, to capture the image of the appearance of the object to be ironed, and to identify the clamping position of the object to be ironed (such as the lower end of the object to be ironed, the end of the sleeve, etc.) and the clamping and flattening stroke strategy.

[0055] In step S2, the flattening assembly applies tension in at least one of the horizontal and vertical directions to the article to be ironed.

[0056] The third drive system 409 controls the gripper module on the flattening arm 46 to move horizontally to the sides by a distance Ls, thereby applying horizontal flattening tension to the object being ironed. The first drive system 6 drives the flattening assembly 4 to slide downward on the vertical rail assembly 5 by a distance Lh, thereby applying downward vertical flattening tension to the object being ironed. Simultaneously, the third drive system 409 controls the gripper module on the flattening arm 46 to move horizontally, and in conjunction with the first drive system 6 driving the flattening assembly 4 to slide downward on the vertical rail assembly 5, this simultaneously applies downward and left-right flattening tension to the object being ironed, creating an oblique downward tension. Furthermore, the first drive system 6 and the third drive system 409 can be controlled sequentially, combining the movement timing of the gripper module on the flattening arm 46 with the movement timing of the flattening assembly 4 on the vertical rail assembly 5, allowing the flattening assembly 4 to provide flattening tension to the object being ironed in various directions: horizontal, vertical, oblique, first horizontal then vertical, first vertical then horizontal, or even obliquely downward arc motion.

[0057] Furthermore, different fabrics have different Ls and Lh distances. Generally, cotton and linen fabrics have larger Ls and Lh distances than polyester fabrics. This is because wrinkles in cotton and linen fabrics require greater tension to flatten.

[0058] In step S3, the ironing component moves independently to the ironing designated start position relative to the flattening component, and starts to perform the ironing care operation to care for the article to be ironed.

[0059] The designated ironing start position is a preset specific position, for example, it can be the highest position of the object to be ironed, or a specific start position identified by an intelligent recognition system, or a specific start position set by a user.

[0060] Among them, the ironing component is V Y1 The ironing board moves to the designated starting position at a fast speed, and the ironing board starts to spray steam. At this time, the ironing board has basically no contact with the object to be ironed, and only moves to the designated starting position, so the ironing component can be used at V Y1 It moves quickly and locates the nursing position quickly, saving nursing time.

[0061] Before or at the moment when the ironing component reaches the designated ironing start position, at least one of the ironing board surface temperature, steam temperature, and hot air temperature reaches the ironing temperature required for the ironed item, so that the ironing care operation can be started before the ironing component reaches the designated position.

[0062] The ironing boards of the ironing unit are then brought closer together until the distance between them is reduced from the maximum distance to the ironing distance. Alternatively, steam can be sprayed from the ironing boards when they reach the ironing distance. This allows the steam that has already condensed to be released in advance, preventing residual water stains on the item being ironed. The ironing distance is the distance at which the ironing board is in contact with the item being ironed, or at which there is a 1mm-5mm heat radiation distance relative to the item being ironed. The material and details of the item being ironed need to be taken into consideration. For example, wrinkles on cotton and linen items are difficult to remove, and the melting point of cotton and linen items is higher than that of polyester. Therefore, ironing can be done closer to the item being ironed. Polyester, on the other hand, has a lower melting point, so there is a 1mm-5mm heat radiation distance between the ironing board and the item being ironed, which can prevent irreversible damage to the item. Furthermore, when hanging clothes on a hanging assembly, the ironing boards must be spaced at least enough to avoid collision with the hanging assembly. Therefore, the ironing distance can be considered the width of the hanger, or the hanger width plus the heat radiation distance. When the item to be ironed has details such as buttons and pockets, in order to prevent the ironing board from scratching the item to be ironed, preferably, there is a heat radiation distance of 1mm-5mm between the ironing board and the item to be ironed.

[0063] When the ironing unit is at V Y1 After moving quickly to the designated ironing starting position, the ironing component continues to move at V Y2 The ironing process starts at the initial speed, where V Y2 <V Y1 , that is, the speed of the ironing work is less than the speed of moving to the designated starting position.

[0064] Preferably, the ironing assembly can be V Y2 You can also use V to iron the car at the same speed after reaching the lower end of the suspension component. Y3 Move downwards at the ironing speed to perform the ironing care operation on the main body of the ironing object, where V Y3 <V Y2 This is due to the location of the corresponding suspension component. Due to the supporting and pulling effect of the suspension component, the ironing material in this area has a supporting, pulling and flattening effect, which can appropriately speed up the ironing speed and improve ironing efficiency. However, after passing the corresponding area of ​​the suspension component, the supporting and pulling force on the ironing material becomes weaker, and the flattening effect is slightly worse, so the ironing speed needs to be slowed down.

[0065] Correspondingly, due to the existence of the suspension component, in order to better soften the fibers of the ironed object through heat, the ironing board is vertically rotated in a V direction. Y3 As the ironing assembly moves toward the flattening arm, the distance between the ironing plates decreases in stages to ensure that the ironing plates are in close contact with the object being ironed or that there is a heat radiation distance of 1mm-5mm relative to the object being ironed. That is, as the ironing assembly moves from the designated starting position, the distance between the two ironing plates gradually decreases from top to bottom.

[0066] Furthermore, in a specific embodiment provided in the present application, the nursing method further comprises the steps of:

[0067] S4. After the ironing assembly moves to the preset ironing position, the flattening assembly releases the item to be ironed, and the flattening assembly and ironing assembly move downward until they pass the end of the item to be ironed. The preset ironing position can be any position on the item to be ironed. For example, the preset ironing position can be 1 / 2, 1 / 3, 1 / 4, 1 / 5, 1 / 6 of the total length of the item to be ironed, the hem of a skirt, the hem of a trouser leg, a wrinkle recognition position, a specific end position identified by the intelligent recognition system, etc. It can also be a specific end position set by the user.

[0068] The preset ironing position is close to the flattening assembly, meaning it's positioned so the ironing and flattening assemblies don't interfere with each other. When the ironing assembly reaches the preset ironing position, the flattening assembly releases the item to be ironed and moves downward together until it passes the end of the item to be ironed. The release of the item by the flattening arm is triggered by a time condition. Specifically, given the distance between the flattening arm and the hanger, and the speed of the ironing board at each stage of travel, the time at which the ironing board contacts the flattening arm can be calculated. Based on this time, the item to be ironed is released with a safety margin timed appropriately in advance. Alternatively, the release is triggered by a distance condition, for example, by detecting the distance between the flattening assembly and the ironing assembly using various distance sensors or image sensors. The release of the item by the flattening assembly occurs when the distance between the two opposing flattening arms increases, and the distance between the gripper contacting the item and the item gradually increases until the flattening arms reach their maximum distance. After the ironing unit completes its ironing operation, it releases the item to be ironed. The distance between the ironing plates moves to its maximum distance, and the ironing unit then returns to its starting point, remains at its current position, or moves to a position that does not interfere with the removal of the item to be ironed. The purpose of the ironing plates moving to their maximum distance after the ironing unit releases the item to be ironed is to prevent the item from being scratched while the ironing plates are not performing ironing work.

[0069] When the item to be ironed comprises a tubular component, such as a sleeve, after the ironing assembly reaches the preset ironing position and both the ironing assembly and the flattening assembly release the item, the flattening assembly moves to the sleeve clamping position and clamps the sleeve. The sleeve clamping position is 300-450 mm from the hem of the garment. Upon reaching the sleeve clamping position, the distance between the grippers on the flattening arms moves to the corresponding sleeve clamping distance. This sleeve clamping distance corresponds to the distance a sleeve naturally droops when hung on a hanger. The gripping devices of the flattening assembly then move closer, so that the grippers on the two flattening arms contact and clamp the sleeve. The flattening arms then move downward a certain distance, applying downward tension to the sleeve. The downward movement distance of the flattening arms ranges from 200 mm to 450 mm. At this point, the flattening assembly completes the sleeve flattening operation. The hanging assembly then continuously sprays high-temperature, high-pressure steam into the sleeve through the end outlet for a period of time to complete the ironing. After the steam is sprayed onto the sleeves, the hanging assembly sprays dry hot air onto the sleeves and / or the interior of the article to be ironed through the end outlet and / or the main body outlet, ensuring that the article to be ironed is dry after ironing.

[0070] After the entire garment is ironed, the flattening assembly releases the sleeve until the distance between the flattening arms is maximized and the gripper is centered. The flattening assembly then returns to its starting point, either remaining in its current position or moving to a position that does not interfere with the removal of the garment. The maximum distance between the flattening arms and the gripper's center position ensure that the garment is not scratched during its return journey. The sleeve release is also triggered by either a time condition or a distance condition.

[0071] By implementing the above control method, precise positioning and stable clamping of the flattening component 3 are achieved, ensuring that the item to be ironed is always in the best condition during the flattening process, avoiding problems such as wrinkles and unevenness that may occur in traditional care methods; at the same time, the flattening strategy and ironing strategy are dynamically adjusted according to factors such as the material of the item to be ironed and the degree of wrinkles, so that each item to be ironed can receive the most suitable care plan, thereby achieving the best care effect.

[0072] Example 2

[0073] As one embodiment, when the entire garment needs to be ironed and a certain part of the garment needs to be ironed in particular, the clothing care method is different from the above embodiment 1 in the following ways:

[0074] Step S4: After the ironing assembly moves to the preset ironing position, the ironing assembly can repeatedly move upward and downward to iron the part until the ironing operation is completed. The completion of the ironing operation is confirmed by the intelligent recognition system or set by the user according to the actual situation of the ironing object.

[0075] After the ironing operation is completed, the flattening assembly releases the article to be ironed, and the flattening assembly moves downward together with the ironing assembly until it passes the end of the article to be ironed.

[0076] Other nursing steps, position limitations and other conditions are the same as those in Example 1 unless there is any conflict.

[0077] Example 3

[0078] As one embodiment, when the intelligent recognition system identifies that a part of the garment to be ironed is severely wrinkled and only needs to be cared for, or when the user sets that only a certain part of the garment to be ironed needs to be cared for according to actual conditions, the clothing care method includes:

[0079] S1. Determine the area to be flattened or cared for based on the intelligent recognition system or user selection, determine a preset clamping point based on the area to be flattened or cared for, move the flattening component to the preset clamping point, and clamp the item to be ironed;

[0080] S2, the flattening component applies tension to the object to be ironed;

[0081] S3. The ironing component moves independently and quickly relative to the flattening component to a designated ironing start position, and starts to perform an ironing care operation to care for the article to be ironed.

[0082] Ironing unit with V Y1 The ironing unit moves quickly to the designated starting position for ironing, and the ironing board starts to spray steam. Y1 After moving quickly to the designated ironing starting position, the ironing component continues to move at V Y2 Initial velocity or V Y3 The ironing work starts at the ironing speed, and the ironing component can circulate back and forth and iron up and down multiple times.

[0083] S4. After the ironing assembly moves to the preset ironing position or the intelligent recognition system recognizes that local care is completed or the ironing time set by the user ends, the flattening assembly and the ironing assembly both release the items to be ironed, and the flattening assembly and the ironing assembly move downward together to the area to be flattened or cared for that has completely passed through step S1 to complete the care operation.

[0084] Other nursing steps, position limitations and other conditions are the same as those in Example 1 unless there is any conflict.

[0085] Example 4

[0086] As one embodiment, when it is necessary to iron multiple parts of the garment in sections, the clothing care method differs from the above embodiment 1 in the following ways:

[0087] In step S3, the ironing component moves independently to the ironing designated start position relative to the flattening component, and starts to perform the ironing care operation to care for the article to be ironed.

[0088] Ironing unit with V Y1 The ironing unit moves quickly to the designated starting position for ironing, and the ironing board starts to spray steam. Y1 After moving quickly to the designated ironing starting position, the ironing component continues to move at V Y2 Initial velocity or V Y3 The ironing work starts at the ironing speed, and the ironing component can circulate back and forth and iron up and down multiple times in the same section.

[0089] In step S4, after the ironing assembly moves to the preset ironing position, the flattening assembly releases the object to be ironed, moves to the next clamping point, and clamps the object to be ironed.

[0090] Repeat steps S1 to S4 to apply tension in at least one of the horizontal and vertical directions to the ironing material by the flattening assembly;

[0091] The ironing component moves independently to the next ironing designated starting position relative to the flattening component, and starts to perform the ironing care operation to care for the article to be ironed.

[0092] Repeat the above steps until multiple ironing sections are completed, the flattening assembly and the ironing assembly both release the items to be ironed, and the flattening assembly and the ironing assembly move downward together to pass through the designated ironing area to complete the ironing.

[0093] Other nursing steps, position limitations and other conditions are the same as those in Example 1 unless there is any conflict.

[0094] Example 5

[0095] As one embodiment, when the garment to be ironed is a tubular object other than a top, such as pants or stockings, and the garment to be ironed is hung on the hanging assembly in a normally worn upper and lower position, the garment care method includes:

[0096] Steps S1 and S2 are the same as those in Example 1.

[0097] S3. The ironing assembly moves independently relative to the flattening assembly to a designated ironing start position (i.e., the waistband) and begins to perform an ironing and care operation to care for the garment to be ironed. The ironing operation may be whole-piece ironing, partial ironing, cyclic ironing, or multi-section ironing.

[0098] Specifically, during the ironing care operation, the ironing component is Y1 After moving quickly to the designated ironing starting position, the ironing component continues to move at V Y2The ironing process starts at the initial speed, where V Y2 <V Y1 , that is, the speed of ironing is less than the speed of moving to the designated starting position. After reaching the lower end of the suspension component, the ironing speed is V Y3 Move downwards at the ironing speed to perform the ironing care operation on the main body of the ironing object, where V Y3 <V Y2 .

[0099] Among them, the ironing component continues with V Y2 or V Y3 When the ironing unit moves at a speed of 100°, the distance between the ironing plates increases when it approaches a thicker area of ​​the fabric to be ironed to prevent scratching or jamming between the ironing plates and the thicker area. When it leaves the thicker area, the distance between the ironing plates returns to normal. For example, in the case of trousers, the thicker areas may be the crotch, pockets, or other decorative areas.

[0100] S4: After the ironing assembly moves to the preset ironing position, the flattening assembly and the ironing assembly release the article to be ironed, and the flattening assembly and the ironing assembly move downward together until they pass the lower end of the article to be ironed to complete the main body ironing. The hanging assembly sprays dry hot air into the interior of the article to be ironed through the end outlet and the main body outlet.

[0101] Other nursing steps, position limitations and other conditions are the same as those in Example 1 unless there is any conflict.

[0102] Example 6

[0103] As one embodiment, when the garment to be ironed is a tubular garment other than a top, such as pants or stockings, and is hung upside down on a hanging assembly in a manner opposite to the normal wearing state, such as being hung folded or flattened, the garment care method includes:

[0104] Steps S1 and S2 are the same as those in Example 1.

[0105] S3. The ironing component moves independently to the designated ironing start position relative to the flattening component, and starts to perform the ironing care operation to care for the article to be ironed.

[0106] Ironing unit with V Y1 The ironing unit moves quickly to the designated starting position for ironing and the ironing board starts to spray steam. Y2 Initial velocity or V Y3 The ironing work starts at the ironing speed, and the ironing component can circulate back and forth and iron up and down multiple times in the same section.

[0107] Correspondingly, due to the presence of the trouser clips in the hanging assembly, the garment to be ironed is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom. Therefore, to better soften the fabric through heat, the ironing boards gradually increase their spacing as they move vertically downward, ensuring that the ironing boards are in close contact with the garment or maintain a heat radiation distance of 1mm-5mm relative to the garment. That is, as the ironing assembly moves from the designated starting position, the spacing between the two ironing boards increases from top to bottom.

[0108] Preferably, when the ironing assembly approaches a thicker area of ​​the fabric, the distance between the ironing plates increases to prevent scratching and jamming between the ironing plates and the thicker area. When the ironing assembly leaves the thicker area, the distance between the ironing plates returns to a normal ironing distance. For example, in the case of trousers, the thicker area may be the crotch, pockets, or other decorative areas.

[0109] S4: After the ironing assembly moves to the preset ironing position, the flattening assembly and the ironing assembly release the item to be ironed, and the flattening assembly and the ironing assembly move downward together until they pass the end of the item to be ironed (the waist of the trousers) to complete the main ironing. The hanging assembly sprays dry hot air toward the item to be ironed through the main body outlet.

[0110] Other nursing steps, position limitations and other conditions are the same as those in Example 1 unless there is any conflict.

[0111] In the description of multiple embodiments of the present application, the ironing component and the flattening component are both located at the top of the care cavity after the machine is turned on as the starting state. Optionally, the ironing component and the flattening component can also be located at any position in the care cavity.

[0112] Although the present invention is disclosed as above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A clothing care method for a clothing care device, characterized in that: Includes steps: S1, the flattening component moves to a preset clamping point and clamps the object to be ironed; S2, the flattening component applies tension to the object to be ironed; S3. The ironing component moves independently to the designated ironing start position relative to the flattening component, and starts to perform ironing care operations to provide overall or partial care for the object to be ironed.

2. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step S1, after the flattening assembly moves to the clamping point, the flattening arms of the flattening assembly approach each other and clamp the object to be ironed with a preset clamping force.

3. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step S2, the flattening component applies a lateral force to the object to be ironed; or the flattening component applies a vertical force to the article to be ironed; Or the flattening component applies lateral and vertical forces to the ironing article simultaneously; Or the flattening component applies lateral and vertical forces to the ironing material asynchronously.

4. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step S2, the flattening component flattens the article to be ironed in sections.

5. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step S3, after performing the preliminary ironing care operation, the secondary clamping point and the secondary ironing designated starting position are confirmed; The flattening assembly moves to the secondary clamping point and clamps the object to be ironed; The flattening component applies tension in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction to the article to be ironed; The ironing component moves to a designated starting position for secondary ironing and performs a secondary ironing care operation.

6. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The nursing method also includes the steps of: S4. After the ironing assembly moves to the preset ironing position, the flattening assembly releases the object to be ironed, and the flattening assembly and the ironing assembly move downward to pass the end of the object to be ironed.

7. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The nursing method also includes the steps of: S4. After the ironing component moves to the preset ironing position, the flattening component releases the object to be ironed and moves to the next clamping point, and the ironing component moves to the next designated ironing starting position.

8. The clothing care method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The preset ironing position is any position on the object to be ironed.

9. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S3 or S4, gas is introduced into the interior of the article to be ironed, and the gas includes steam and / or dry hot air.

10. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step S3 or S4, when the object to be ironed has a tubular component, gas is introduced into the tubular component, and the gas includes steam and / or hot air.

11. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step S3 or S4, when the object to be ironed has a tubular portion, the flattening assembly clamps the tubular portion, and gas is introduced into the tubular portion through the hanging assembly, wherein the gas includes steam and / or hot air.

12. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S3, the ironing component is Y1 The ironing component moves to the designated ironing starting position at a high speed, and the ironing component starts to spray steam, and the ironing component moves at a speed of V Y2 The ironing process starts at the initial speed, V Y2 <V Y1 .

13. The clothing care method according to claim 12, characterized in that: In step S3, when the designated starting position is the highest position of the object to be ironed, the ironing component is set to V Y2 After moving to the lower end of the suspension assembly at an initial speed of V Y3 Move downward at the ironing speed to perform the ironing care operation on the main body of the ironed object. Y3 <V Y2 .

14. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the process of the ironing component moving from the designated ironing starting position to iron, the distance between the two ironing plates of the ironing component gradually becomes closer.

15. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before or at the time when the ironing component reaches the designated ironing start position, at least one of the surface temperature of the ironing plate, the steam temperature and the hot air temperature of the ironing component reaches the ironing temperature required for the object to be ironed.

16. The clothing care method according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the ironing assembly reaches the designated ironing start position, the ironing board of the ironing assembly moves to the ironing distance, where the ironing distance is the distance at which the ironing board is in contact with the object to be ironed or at which heat radiation exists relative to the object to be ironed.

17. A clothing care device, characterized in that: Using the clothing care method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, the clothing care device comprises: A hanging assembly, arranged above the clothing care device, for hanging clothes to be ironed; The care component comprises a vertical rail component, an ironing component and a flattening component which are independently arranged. The ironing component is located above the flattening component, and both the ironing component and the flattening component can move up and down along the vertical rail component.

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