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 and sensors that can detect, grasp, and reposition deformable laundry articles, eliminating the need for human interaction by automatically sorting, separating, and repositioning laundry without contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If human operators manually sort and handle laundry, then flexibility in handling various laundry types is maintained, but contamination risks and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system performs self-service by autonomously detecting, grasping, and sorting laundry articles without human intervention. The controller independently processes sensor data to determine article types and directs arms to appropriate destinations, eliminating the need for human operators while maintaining reliability through automated decision-making algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with automated robotic arms equipped with sensors and controllers. Optical sensors detect article characteristics, and the controller translates this data into mechanical arm movements for sorting, substituting human mechanical operations with sensor-controlled robotic mechanisms to prevent contamination.
2Productivity
If laundromat services process laundry, then washing capacity increases, but time consumption and operational costs increase due to manual intervention at each stage
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system enables continuous processing by eliminating idle time between washing stages. Multiple arms operate simultaneously and continuously sort articles as they emerge from washers, transferring them directly to dryers or other destinations without manual intervention delays, maintaining uninterrupted workflow throughout the laundry facility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary sorting actions immediately as laundry articles exit washers, before they need to be loaded into dryers. The robotic arms are positioned and ready to grasp and transfer articles in advance, eliminating waiting time and ensuring continuous operation of downstream equipment.
3Productivity
If industrial laundry machines process standardized items, then processing efficiency increases, but adaptability to handle non-uniform household laundry decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arms are designed with dynamic capabilities including multiple degrees of freedom, adjustable gripper forces, and real-time path planning. The controller dynamically adjusts arm movements and grasping parameters based on sensor feedback about article size, shape, and texture, enabling the system to adapt to non-uniform household laundry while maintaining high processing speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters such as gripper force, arm speed, and sorting criteria based on detected article characteristics. Sensors measure article properties and the controller adjusts handling parameters in real-time to accommodate variations in laundry types, from delicate garments to heavy towels, maintaining productivity across diverse items.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously separating a mass of clean laundry into single articles for folding and/or packing include autonomous separating device. The device includes a platform including a plurality of sequential work volumes and a stationary floor extending between an inlet end and an outlet end of the platform, a plurality of arms disposed in series along the platform for rotating, tilting, extending, and retracting a terminal gripper of each arm into an associated work volume for grabbing at least one of a plurality of laundry articles and passing the at least one laundry article to an adjacent work volume for grasping and hoisting by an adjacent arm. The device includes a bin, platform, conveyor and/or repositioning robot adjacent the outlet end for receiving each single article one at a time as each separate article passes beyond the outlet end.