Clothes folding apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing garment folding apparatuses face challenges in reducing size for limited indoor spaces, accommodating various garment sizes and shapes, and ensuring reliable folding quality, particularly with thicker or longer garments, while also being inefficient in resource usage and labor due to manual folding processes.

Innovation Solution

A garment folding apparatus with a multi-layered folding system featuring vertical and horizontal folding layers, zigzag conveyor arrangements, and sensor units for accurate garment detection and folding, allowing for flexible folding of diverse garments and reducing the overall size and volume of the apparatus.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If layers are stacked vertically to fold garments multiple times, then folding capability is improved, but apparatus height and volume increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefolding capabilityVSAvoidapparatus volume

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements nested conveyors where the second conveyor is disposed inside the first conveyor, and the third conveyor is disposed inside the second conveyor. This nesting arrangement allows multiple folding operations to occur within a compact volume, enabling the apparatus to fold garments multiple times without proportionally increasing its overall size, thus resolving the contradiction between folding capability and apparatus volume.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Volume of stationary object

If apparatus height is reduced for limited indoor space, then space utilization is improved, but folding quality and reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapparatus volumeVSAvoidfolding quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By nesting conveyors within each other, the patent achieves multiple folding operations in a compact vertical arrangement, maintaining folding quality through sufficient layer interactions while minimizing apparatus height for indoor space compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by stacking conveyors at different heights (first conveyor at upper position, second conveyor at intermediate position, third conveyor at lower position), enabling multiple folding operations within a reduced horizontal footprint while maintaining adequate space for reliable folding operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If conventional folding apparatus is used for thick or long garments, then basic folding is achieved, but reliability deteriorates due to conveying and folding problems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegarment type rangeVSAvoidfolding reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs multiple conveyors that can independently adjust and coordinate their movements to accommodate garments of varying thicknesses and lengths. The nested conveyor system allows dynamic adaptation to different garment dimensions while maintaining reliable conveying and folding operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

By dividing the folding process into multiple sequential stages using separate conveyors (first conveyor for initial conveying, second conveyor for intermediate folding, third conveyor for final folding), the patent can handle diverse garment types more reliably, with each segment optimized for specific folding tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Adaptability or versatility

If manual folding is performed, then flexibility is maintained, but time consumption and resource waste increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefolding flexibilityVSAvoidfolding time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The automated nested conveyor system performs folding operations autonomously without manual intervention, achieving consistent folding results while significantly reducing time consumption compared to manual folding processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12104314B2Clothes folding apparatus

Publication Date: 2024.10.01 LG ELECTRONICS INC

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a garment folding apparatus, i.e., a folding apparatus that serves to fold a garment during a process of conveying the garment. A folding assembly constituting the garment folding apparatus includes a vertical folding layer having a conveyor and configured to vertically fold the loaded garment by using a drive motor, a horizontal folding layer disposed below the vertical folding layer, having a conveyor, and configured to horizontally fold the loaded garment by using a drive motor, and sensor units provided in the vertical folding layer and the horizontal folding layer and configured to detect the garment so as to check whether the garment is loaded, a length of the garment, and whether the garment is folded.