Method and device for feeding laundry items to a mangle or another laundry treatment device
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Manual feeding of laundry items to ironers or folding machines is time-consuming and labor-intensive, with previous automation attempts failing due to difficulties in reliably grasping adjacent corners of laundry items with mechanical effort.
Innovation Solution
A method using three-dimensional surface profiling and imaging to determine the easiest location to grasp laundry items, allowing for automatic and reliable feeding by detecting the point with the largest radius of curvature or curvature gradient, and using grippers or suction devices to capture them.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual feeding of laundry items is used, then the feeding process is simple and reliable, but it is time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical feeding operations with an automated imaging and detection system. A camera captures images of laundry items on the conveyor belt, and a control unit automatically identifies and tracks corner positions, eliminating the need for manual observation and positioning while maintaining feeding reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the laundry feeding process to be self-sufficient by automatically detecting corner positions and adjusting conveyor belt speed without human intervention. The control unit processes images and autonomously controls the feeding mechanism, making the system self-operating while preserving operational simplicity.
2Extent of automation
If automated feeding attempts are made using previous methods, then labor is reduced, but reliability is poor due to difficulty in grasping adjacent corners
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces unreliable mechanical corner-grasping methods with an optical imaging system. A camera captures images of the laundry items, and a control unit processes these images to accurately identify corner positions, achieving high automation while significantly improving detection reliability compared to previous mechanical approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates an optical copy (image) of the laundry items on the conveyor belt and processes this copy to identify corner positions. This indirect method of detection through imaging allows for reliable corner identification without physical contact, enhancing both automation and reliability.
3Reliability
If imaging measures are used to determine surface profile, then automatic and reliable corner detection is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical 3D surface profiling equipment with a simpler optical camera system. The control unit processes two-dimensional images to extract corner position information, achieving reliable automatic detection without the need for complex three-dimensional imaging hardware, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining high reliability.
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
Enables fully automated feeding of laundry items to treatment devices, eliminating manual labor and ensuring accurate orientation and positioning, thereby improving efficiency and reducing errors.
Implementation Method 1
a three-dimensional image of which a surface profile of the item of laundry to be fed or of several items of laundry in a pile is represented is recorded by means of at least one imaging device
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Items (10) of laundry are fed from an input machine to a mangle or other laundry treatment device. The input machine is loaded with the laundry items (10) by operators. This is labor and time consuming. The invention provides for determining surface profiles of the items of laundry (10) using imaging devices. From these surface profiles, an electronic image processing system is used to automatically grip the item of laundry (10) or a corner (23, 28, 31, 32) thereof and preferably also the position of the point or corner (23, 28, 31, 32), whereby the point or corner (23, 28, 31, 32) of the item of laundry (10) can be grasped automatically in a targeted and reliable manner. Thanks to the measures described, activities previously carried out manually in front of the input machine can be carried out reliably and fully automatically in a simple manner.