Robotic laundry separating and repositioning devices, systems, and methods of use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laundry processing technologies rely on human intervention, leading to inefficiencies, contamination risks, and high costs due to the need for manual sorting, loading, and handling of laundry, which are not suitable for individual household needs and do not effectively isolate and process separate loads.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous robotic system comprising a platform with series-aligned arms, sensors, and a controller that can detect, grasp, and reposition deformable laundry articles, eliminating the need for human interaction by autonomously sorting, separating, and repositioning laundry items without manual handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If human operators manually sort and handle laundry, then flexibility in handling various laundry types is maintained, but contamination risk and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual human operations with an automated robotic system comprising robotic arms, sensors, and controllers that detect, grasp, and reposition laundry articles without human contact, thereby eliminating contamination risk while achieving full automation
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables laundry processing to be performed autonomously by the robotic device itself, which detects article types, determines optimal repositioning strategies, and executes separation and repositioning operations without requiring human intervention or contact
2Productivity
If laundromat services process laundry, then washing and drying capacity is increased, but processing time and cost increase due to sequential processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the laundry load into multiple separate loads based on article type, color, and other characteristics, allowing each segment to be processed independently and simultaneously in different washing machines, thereby increasing overall productivity while reducing total processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary sorting and separation of laundry articles before washing, organizing them into appropriate loads that can be processed in parallel, which eliminates the sequential processing bottleneck and reduces total processing time
3Productivity
If industrial laundry machines process standardized items, then processing efficiency is improved, but adaptability to household laundry varieties decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal robotic system that can handle diverse household laundry items including clothes, sheets, towels, and blankets of various sizes and types, making the system adaptable to different laundry needs while maintaining efficient automated processing
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes processing parameters such as gripper force, arm movement speed, and repositioning strategy based on detected article characteristics like size, shape, and material, allowing efficient processing of varied household laundry items
4Measurement precision
If multiple sensors and arms are added to increase automation capability, then laundry separation accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensors (cameras, depth sensors, tactile sensors) and multiple robotic arms into an integrated system with a centralized controller that coordinates their operations, achieving accurate laundry detection and separation while managing system complexity through unified control architecture
Data Source
AI summary
A system for separating and spreading apart an amassed plurality of deformable articles includes an elongated platform configured to receive thereon adjacent an inlet end the amassed plurality of deformable articles. A plurality of arms is disposed in series along the platform. Grippers of each of the plurality of arms are configured to grasp in sequence at least one of the amassed plurality of deformable articles and move the at least one article toward an outlet end opposite the inlet end. The system includes a surface adjacent the outlet end and a last arm in the series of the plurality of arms delivers a separated deformable article into a repositioning work volume above the surface adjacent the elongated platform. Two or more repositioning arms are disposed about the work volume at individually anchored positions for spreading apart and lowering onto the surface the spread apart deformable article for folding.