Flatwork Textile Feeding Device with Dual-Clamp Corner Repositioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing feeding devices for flatwork textile articles in laundry treatment processes often create undesirable ear formations due to protruding corner portions, which can lead to wrinkles and negatively impact the quality of the textile articles during transfer to the feed conveyor.
Innovation Solution
A feeding device with a pair of spreading clamp assemblies and a repositioning device that grasps two contiguous corners of the flatwork textile article, utilizing a secondary clamp to minimize protruding corner portions by creating a lower frictional force between the main jaws and a higher frictional force between the secondary jaws, allowing the corner to slip through and reduce the protrusion before deposition on the conveyor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If opposite rollers are used to provide clamping pinch and move the textile article through the jaws, then the protruding corner portion is minimized, but an undesirable wrinkle ironing effect is produced in the corner portion
Solution Approach 1:
The feeding device is divided into two independent clamp assemblies, each with its own main clamp and repositioning device. The main clamp provides the clamping pinch while the repositioning device separately handles the minimization of protruding corner portions. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without creating the wrinkle ironing effect that occurred when rollers tried to perform both functions simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The function of minimizing protruding corner portions is extracted from the clamping mechanism and implemented as a separate repositioning device. The repositioning device includes a repositioning jaw that can independently grasp and reposition the corner portion without the frictional contact that caused wrinkle ironing in the previous roller-based system.
2Productivity
If spreading clamps are moved away from one another to stretch the front edge, then the flatwork textile article is fed to the feed conveyor, but protruding corner portions are formed at one side of the clamping pinch
Solution Approach 1:
The repositioning device performs preliminary action by grasping and repositioning the corner portion before the main clamp releases the textile article. This preliminary repositioning ensures that the corner is properly aligned and any protruding portions are minimized before the feeding process completes, preventing ear formations during the stretching operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The repositioning jaw acts as an intermediary between the main clamp and the corner portion. It provides a gentle grasping and repositioning action that adjusts the corner position without the harsh frictional contact that would damage the textile, thereby minimizing protruding portions while maintaining fabric quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively minimizes protruding corner portions, enhancing the quality of the flatwork textile articles by reducing wrinkles and improving the feeding process, ensuring smoother transfer to the laundry treatment apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a secondary clamp to minimize protruding corner portions by creating a lower frictional force between the main jaws and a higher frictional force between the secondary jaws
Data Source
AI summary
The feeding device comprises a pair of clamp assemblies (3) arranged to grasp corner portions of two contiguous corners of a flatwork textile article (30) and to move along transverse guides in opposite directions to spread the flatwork textile article (30) for depositing it on a feed conveyor. Each clamp assembly comprises a main clamp (6) supported on a main support (5) and having a pair of main jaws (7) providing a first frictional force, and a secondary clamp (9) supported on a secondary support (8) and having a pair of secondary jaws (10) providing a higher second frictional force. The secondary support is movable relative to the main support between a position adjacent to the main clamp and a position distanced from the main clamp to reduce an article protruding corner portion (31) remaining at a first side (S1) of the main jaws (7) in a closed position.