Fabric folding device and fabric folding device having the fabric folding device

Abstract

To provide a cloth folding device that prevents a tip Wt of a cloth W pushed in by a folding member from becoming warped or folding defects such as misfolding Wc from occurring, and a cloth folding apparatus including the same.SOLUTION: A cloth folding device includes a first conveyor for conveying cloth W, a second conveyor for further conveying the cloth conveyed by the first conveyor, a folding member for pressing the cloth that has been conveyed from the first conveyor and reached the second conveyor, and a drive unit for driving the folding member. By driving of the drive unit, the folding member further has a first member in contact with one of the cloth portions conveyed on the first conveyor and a second member in contact with the other of the cloth portions conveyed on the second conveyor. The angle between the first member and the second member is an acute angle in a cross-sectional view.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fabric folding device for folding fabric into a predetermined shape and to a fabric folding device having the fabric folding device. [Background technology]

[0002] The linen products handled by the so-called linen supply industry, which are used by clients such as hotels and hospitals, include, for example, sheets, bed covers, large and small towels, and various other types of cloth. Linen supply businesses collect these cloth products from their clients, wash, iron, fold, and then deliver them to the clients in a repeated process. That is, the cloth products are washed, then fed into the process by a feeder, ironed by an ironer, folded to a specified size, stacked in multiples, and tied by a binding machine in units of a specified number of sheets, before being delivered to the above-mentioned clients.

[0003] At this time, according to the customer's request, the washed and dried towels or bath towels are folded in half, in thirds, in French, in fourths, or other predetermined shape, and the folded cloths are piled up into a single cloth group, which is then tied together and delivered. The cloth group can be any number of pieces, such as five or ten, depending on the customer's request.

[0004] Such a folding device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-105067. In such a cloth folding device 1, a stretched cloth Y is placed between the end of the first conveyor 11 and the start of the second conveyor. 0 The first folding device (Fig. 2) folds the folded cloth piece in half into four between the end of the third conveyor and the beginning of the fourth conveyor (symbol Y in Fig. 4(B)). 1 ) (FIG. 2), the fourth folded cloth piece Y conveyed on the fifth conveyor 15 1 Fold it into eight (see symbol Y in Fig. 4(C)). 2 ) between the eighth conveyor 1 and the ninth conveyor, 2Fold it 16 times (see symbol Y in Fig. 4(D)). 3 ) 4th folding device, 16 folded cloth piece Y at the beginning of the transfer device (pair of clamping conveyors) 3 4(E) , and a fifth folding device for folding the sheet 32 ​​times (symbol Y in FIG. 4(E)).

[0005] The above-mentioned folding devices are also arranged in a folding device 500, for example, as shown in Figures 10 and 11. The fabric W conveyed from the conveyor roll 510 in the folding device 500 is conveyed to the second conveyor 520, and then the second conveyor 520 rotates in the reverse direction to place the fabric W between the conveyor roll 510 and the second conveyor 520. The fabric W is pushed in by a folding knife 550, and at the same time, air is blown out from an air blowing unit 560 that blows out air, thereby folding the fabric W.

[0006] However, the conventional thin folding knife 550 may not cause any problem when folding one piece of cloth, but may cause a problem when further folding a so-called French-folded cloth W. That is, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, in the folding device 500, for example, in order to further fold the French-folded cloth in two, the folding knife 550 pushes the cloth W arranged between the conveyor roll 510 and the second conveyor 520 and folds it in two. In this case, the tip Wt of the pushed-in cloth W may be warped or a folding misalignment Wc may occur. In addition, wrinkles may occur in the cloth W. In this way, poor folding of the cloth W is also a factor that reduces customer satisfaction.

[0007] Regarding the cause of such a state, first, since the folding knife 550 is attached to the device body in order to drive the folding knife 550, the distance between the folding knife 550 and the conveyor roll 510 is always constant. On the other hand, the distance between the folding knife 550 and the second conveyor 520 varies because the belt part 521 of the second conveyor 520 is bent depending on the thickness of the cloth W. At this time, a part WA of the cloth W located between the folding knife 550 and the conveyor roll 510 may be jammed for a moment, and the conveyance may stop. On the other hand, another part WB of the cloth W located between the folding knife 550 and the second conveyor 520 may continue to be conveyed as it is, and it is considered that the tip Wt of the pushed-in cloth W may be warped or a fold misalignment Wc may occur as described above. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-105067 A DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] Therefore, the present invention has been made with attention to the above-mentioned points, and its object is to provide a fabric folding device that prevents the tip Wt of the pushed-in fabric W from becoming warped or poorly folded due to fold misalignment Wc when the folding member pushes the fabric in, and a fabric folding device having the fabric folding device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventor has conducted research and development and has discovered that a first aspect of a fabric folding device comprises a first conveyor that transports fabrics, a second conveyor that further transports the fabrics transported by the first conveyor, a folding member that presses the fabric W transported from the first conveyor and reaching the second conveyor, and a drive unit that drives the folding member, and when driven by the drive unit, the folding member further comprises a first member that contacts one fabric portion of the fabric transported to the first conveyor and a second member that contacts the other fabric portion of the fabric transported to the second conveyor, and the angle between the first member and the second member is an acute angle when viewed in cross section.

[0011] The cloth folding device of a second aspect is the same as that of the first aspect, further comprising an air ejection section that ejects air, and the folding member further comprises a blowing section that blows out the air flowing out from the air ejection section.

[0012] The cloth folding device of a third aspect is the same as that of the first aspect, but further includes an air ejection section that ejects air, and a top portion formed by a first member and a second member, and the top portion further includes a blowing section that blows out air flowing out from the air ejection section.

[0013] The cloth folding device of a fourth aspect is the same as that of the first aspect, except that it has an air ejection section that ejects air, and further has a blowing section that blows air flowing out from the air ejection section to both the first member and the second member.

[0014] A cloth folding device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention has the cloth folding device according to the first aspect to the fourth aspect. Effect of the Invention

[0015] Since the present invention is configured and operates as described above, it is possible to provide a fabric folding device that prevents the tip Wt of the fabric W being warped or poor folding due to misfolding Wc when the folding member pushes the fabric, and a fabric folding device having the fabric folding device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1A is a conceptual diagram of a fabric folding device, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of the fabric folding device. [Diagram 2] 1A is a perspective view of the folding member, FIG. 1B is a front view of the folding member, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of B taken along line IIC-IIC. [Diagram 3] 1A is a perspective view of the second folding member, FIG. 1B is a front view of the second folding member, and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIC-IIIC of FIG. [Figure 4] 1A is a conceptual diagram of a French fold portion as viewed from the IV direction in FIG 1. FIG. 1B is a conceptual diagram of a French fold portion as viewed from the IV direction in FIG 1 when a French fold is about to be performed. FIG. 1C is a conceptual diagram of a completed French fold portion as viewed from the IV direction in FIG 1. [Diagram 5] 1A is a conceptual diagram of a state in which a French-folded cloth is about to be folded in half in the cloth folding device, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of the cloth folding device in the state of A. [Figure 6] 1A is a conceptual diagram of a state in which a French-folded fabric is about to be folded in two again in a fabric folding device, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of the fabric folding device in the state of A. [Figure 7] 1A is a conceptual diagram of a state in which a French-folded fabric is folded twice in a fabric folding device, and then folded twice again in a fabric folding device. [Figure 8] 1A is a diagram showing the state where the fabric folding device starts to fold the fabric in two more times, FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the state where the fabric folding device folds the fabric in two more times, and FIG. 1C is a diagram showing the state where the fabric folding device has folded the fabric in two more times. [Figure 9] 1A is a conceptual diagram of a state in which a fabric folded in two after French folding is conveyed in the fabric folding device, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of the fabric folding device in the state of A. [Figure 10] 1A is a conceptual diagram of a conventional fabric folding device, and B is an enlarged view of the conventional fabric folding device. [Figure 11]1A is a diagram showing a state in which a conventional fabric folding device starts to fold fabric, B is a diagram showing a state in which the conventional fabric folding device is folding fabric, and C is a diagram showing a state in which the conventional fabric folding device has folded fabric. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THEINVENTION

[0017] The fabric folding device 10 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiment. The fabric folding device 10 of this embodiment can be arranged in a fabric folding device 100. The fabric folding device 10 of this embodiment has a first conveyor 20 that transports the fabric W, a second conveyor 30 that further transports the fabric W, a folding member 40 that presses the fabric W, and a drive unit 50 that drives the folding member 40.

[0018] The first conveyor 20 is for conveying the cloth W folded into a predetermined shape, and has a first roller 21 and a first conveyor belt 24 looped around the first roller 21. The first conveyor 20 also has a second roller 22 and a third roller 23, which are rotated by a power device such as a motor (not shown), and the above-mentioned first conveyor belt 24 is looped around them.

[0019] The second conveyor 30 rotates forwards and backwards to transport the cloth W folded into a predetermined shape forwards F or backwards R, and has a fourth roller 31 and a fifth roller 32, which are rotated by a power device such as a motor (not shown), and a second belt 35 is looped around the fourth roller 31 and the fifth roller 32.

[0020] The folding member 40 is disposed between the third roller 23 of the first conveyor 20 and the second belt 35 disposed between the fourth roller 31 and the fifth roller 32 of the second conveyor 30 so as to be movable by a drive unit 50 described later. The folding member 40 has a first member 41 and a second member 42.

[0021] The first member 41 has a flat plate shape. The second member 42 has a flat plate shape (see FIG. 2). The flat first member 41 and the second member 42 have their ends connected to each other to form the top portion 43. Therefore, the top portion 43 is made up of the first member 41 and the second member 42. In other words, the top portion 43 is made up of the first member 41 and the second member 42.

[0022] Moreover, the angle X between the first member 41 and the second member 42 is an acute angle in side view. Therefore, the folding member 40 has a wedge shape. The angle X between the first member 41 and the second member 42 is preferably 20 degrees to 30 degrees, and more preferably 25 degrees. However, this is not limited to this. Moreover, in side view, the folding member 40 has an apex 43 at the intersection between the first member 41 and the second member 42.

[0023] The folding member 40 has a blowing section 45 for blowing out air. Specifically, the top 43 of the folding member 40 has the blowing section 45 for blowing out air. The blowing section 45 has a slit shape, and the air is blown out from the slit-shaped holes. The blowing section 45 may also have a number of holes (not shown) instead of slits. The cloth folding device 10 of this embodiment further has a blowing section 46 for blowing out air. The air blown out from the blowing section 46 flows out from the above-mentioned holes of the blowing section 45. The blowing section 46 is preferably disposed at a position where the blowing air hits the blowing section 45 when the folding member 40 is moved to a position where it contacts the cloth W by the driving section 50 (see Figs. 8A, 8B, and 8C).

[0024] The back part 47 of the folding member 40 has an opening 49, and the air ejected from the ejection part 46 flows into the inside of the folding member 40 from the opening 49 and flows out from the blowing part 45. Although not shown, it is also preferable that the ejection part 46 is configured to blow air into the inside of the folding member 40. The folding member 40 has side parts 48, 48 that connect the flat first member 41 and second member 42. These close the side surfaces of the folding member 40.

[0025] Moreover, a second folding member 400 can be disposed in place of the folding member 40. The second folding member 400 is disposed between the third roller 23 of the first conveyor 20 and the second belt 35 disposed between the fourth roller 31 and the fifth roller 32 of the second conveyor 30 so as to be movable by a drive unit 50 described later. The second folding member 400 has a first member 410 and a second member 420.

[0026] The first member 410 has a flat plate shape. The second member 420 has a flat plate shape (see FIG. 3). The angle X between the first member 410 and the second member 420 is an acute angle in a side view. Therefore, the folding member 40 has a wedge shape. The angle X between the first member 410 and the second member 420 is preferably 20 degrees to 30 degrees, and more preferably 25 degrees. However, this is not limited to this. The flat first member 410 and the second member 420 have their ends connected to each other to form the second top portion 430.

[0027] Moreover, the second folding member 400 has a second blowing section 450 that blows out air. Specifically, the first member 410 and the second member 420 in the second folding member 40 have the second blowing section 450 that blows out air. The second blowing section 450 is made up of a large number of air holes, and is preferably disposed in the first member 410 and the second member 420 near the second top portion 430 in a side view. The second folding member 400 has side sections 480, 480 that connect the flat first member 410 and the second member 420. These close the side surfaces of the second folding member 400.

[0028] In addition, the back portion 470 of the second folding member 400 has an opening 490, and the air ejected from the ejection portion 46 flows into the inside of the second folding member 400 through the opening 490 and flows out from multiple second ejection portions 450 arranged on the first member 410 and the second member 420.

[0029] As described above, the cloth folding device 10 of this embodiment further includes an air outlet 46 that blows out air. The air blown out from the air outlet 46 flows out from the multiple holes of the second air outlet 450. The air outlet 46 is preferably disposed at a position where the blown air hits the air outlet 450 when the folding member 40 is moved by the drive unit 50 to a position where the folding member 40 contacts the cloth W. Although not shown, the air outlet 46 is also preferably configured to blow air into the inside of the second folding member 400.

[0030] The drive unit 50 drives the folding member 40 to a position in contact with the fabric W and a position away from the fabric W. The drive unit 50 has a link unit 51 and a hydraulic cylinder 52 that drives the link unit 51. The second folding member 400 is also driven by the drive unit 50 in the same manner.

[0031] Next, a fabric folding device 100 having the fabric folding device 10 of this embodiment will be described. Although the aspects other than the fabric folding device 10 of this embodiment are publicly known, they will be described for completeness. The fabric folding device 100 has a French folding section 120 that performs so-called French folding on the fabric W, and a bi-folding section 140 that folds the fabric W in half.

[0032] The French folding section 120 has two first gauge plates 121 and two second gauge plates 122 arranged parallel to each other in a plan view. The distance between the two first gauge plates 121 and the second gauge plate 122 is the reference for the width to which the fabric W is folded, and two folding knives (not shown) are arranged under the fabric W, and the two flat folding knives (not shown) are alternately rotated in the directions of the arrows FA and Fb so as to be hung around the first gauge plate 121 and the second gauge plate 122, which are the reference for the width to which the fabric W is folded, respectively, to perform a French fold, which is a type of three-fold (see FIG. 4).

[0033] The French-folded cloth W is transported by a transport section 130 made of a conveyor to a two-folding section 140 where the cloth W is folded in two. The two-folding section 140 has a two-fold forward / reverse conveyor 150 and a first blowing section 160 that blows out air.

[0034] The French-folded cloth W is transported by transport section 130 consisting of a conveyor, and is further transported to two-fold reverse conveyor 150 in the above-mentioned two-folding section 140. With a part of the cloth W placed on the two-fold reverse conveyor 150, air is blown onto the cloth W from first blowing section 160, and the cloth W is pushed between the two-fold reverse conveyor 150 and the above-mentioned first conveyor 20 (see FIG. 5). Thereafter, the two-fold reverse conveyor 150 rotates in the reverse direction, and the cloth W thus French-folded is further folded in two.

[0035] The cloth W folded twice is sandwiched and transported between the reversely rotating two-fold forward / reverse conveyor 150 and the first conveyor 20. The cloth W is further transported from the first conveyor 20 onto the forward / reverse rotating second conveyor 30, and the transport may stop at a predetermined position (see FIG. 6). At that time, the folding member 40 is moved by the drive unit 50 to a position where it comes into contact with the cloth W.

[0036] As described above, the folding member 40 has a first member 41 and a second member 42, so that the first member 41 contacts one cloth portion WA of the transported cloth, and the second member 42 contacts the other cloth portion WB. Furthermore, the first member 41 presses one cloth portion WA against the first conveyor 20, and the second member 42 presses the other cloth portion WB. Therefore, the conveying force by the first conveyor 20 and the conveying force by the second conveyor 30 are approximately equal, and one cloth portion WA and the other cloth portion WB are transported simultaneously, thereby eliminating curling of the tip Wt of the cloth W.

[0037] Furthermore, the air ejected from the ejection section 46 flows out from the blowing section 45 disposed on the top 43 as air FA and air FB (see FIG. 8B). This ejected air FA flows between the first member 41 and one of the fabric parts WA, and the ejected air FB flows between the second member 42 and the other fabric part WB. This prevents sticking between the first member 41 and one of the fabric parts WA, and also prevents sticking between the second member 42 and the other fabric part WB.

[0038] That is, one fabric portion WA of the fabric W is transported by the first conveyor 20, and the other fabric portion WB of the fabric W is transported by the second conveyor 30. At the same time, air flows out from the outlet portion 46 of the top portion 43, thereby reducing contact between the first member 41 and one fabric portion WA of the fabric W, and between the second member 42 and the other fabric portion WB of the fabric W. Since the fabric W is transported forward F in this manner, the risk of the tip Wt of the fabric W curling up is further eliminated.

[0039] In this way, the French-folded fabric W is folded in half again, and then folded in half again. In this final folding in half, even if the fabric W has been folded to increase its thickness, the leading end Wt of the fabric W is prevented from curling, the fabric W is prevented from wrinkles, and the folds are prevented from becoming misaligned, eliminating folding defects.

[0040] In addition, in the cloth folding device 10 of this embodiment, even if the second folding member 400 is used instead of the folding member 40, it can be used in the same manner as described above, and the effects thereof are similar. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 10 Fabric folding device 20 First Conveyor 21 First Roller 25 First conveyor belt 22 Second Roller 23 Third Roller 31 Fourth Roller 32 5th Roller 30 Second Conveyor 40 folding parts 41 First member 42 Second member 43 Top 45 Speech bubble section 46 Spout part 50 Drive unit 100 Cloth folding device 400 2nd fold member 410 First member 420 Second member 430 2nd top 450 Second blowing section W Cloths WA One side of the fabric WB Other cloth part

Claims

1. A first conveyor for conveying cloth; A second conveyor that further conveys the cloth conveyed by the first conveyor and rotates forward and backward; A folding member that presses the cloth conveyed from the first conveyor and reaching the second conveyor; A drive unit for driving the folding member, and having: The folding member has a flat plate-shaped first member presenting a rectangle, a flat plate-shaped second member presenting a rectangle, and a top portion, and connects the ends of the first member and the second member to form the top portion, and the angle formed by the first member and the second member is an acute angle in side view, and the folding member presents a wedge shape in side view; The cloth conveyed to the first conveyor and the second conveyor, by driving of the drive unit, the first member in the folding member contacts one cloth portion conveyed to the first conveyor among the cloth; A cloth folding device in which the second member in the folding member contacts the other cloth portion conveyed to the second conveyor among the cloth.

2. Further comprising an air ejection unit for ejecting air; The cloth folding device according to claim 1, wherein the folding member further has a blowing portion for blowing out the air flowing out from the air ejection unit.

3. Further comprising an air ejection unit for ejecting air; The cloth folding device according to claim 1, wherein the top portion further has a blowing portion for blowing out the air flowing out from the air ejection unit.

4. Having an air ejection unit for ejecting air; The cloth folding device according to claim 1, further having a blowing portion for blowing out the air flowing out from the air ejection unit on both the first member and the second member.

5. A cloth folding and folding device having the cloth folding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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