Spreader Clamp Centerline Switching for Mixed Cloth Sizes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Laundry apparatuses face inefficiencies in 1- and 2-lane operations due to the need to know the dimensions of cloth pieces in advance, which limits capacity and productivity, especially in front-loader systems where the direction of spreader clamps is unknown.

Innovation Solution

The method automatically determines whether to center spreader clamps around centrelines for small or large pieces of cloth based on the batch distribution, allowing for efficient 1- or 2-lane feeding without prior measurement, by assessing the predominant size of cloth pieces and adjusting the spreading process accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the dimension of cloth pieces is measured before spreading, then the capacity and utilization of the roller path are improved, but the device complexity and measurement time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapacity and utilization of roller pathVSAvoidcomplexity of measurement systems

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The spreader clamps themselves perform the measurement function by detecting the actual width of each cloth piece during the spreading process, eliminating the need for separate measurement devices. The clamps adapt their positioning based on real-time detection of cloth dimensions, allowing the handling mechanism to serve both transport and measurement purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-positions the spreader clamps at default locations corresponding to typical cloth sizes (1-lane or 2-lane configurations), and only adjusts positioning when cloth pieces of unusual dimensions are detected during the spreading process. This allows most operations to proceed without measurement overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If the dimension of cloth pieces is measured before spreading, then the spreading accuracy is improved, but the throughput time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespreading accuracyVSAvoidthroughput time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system skips the measurement step entirely for the majority of cloth pieces by using pre-configured default positions for spreader clamps. Only when a cloth piece is detected to have unusual dimensions does the system pause to perform measurement and calculation, allowing most operations to proceed at maximum speed without measurement delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Manufacturing precision

If spreader clamps are positioned for 1-lane operation, then large pieces of cloth are handled accurately, but small pieces of cloth cannot be efficiently processed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracy for large piecesVSAvoidprocessing efficiency for small pieces

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The positions of the spreader clamps are made dynamic rather than fixed, allowing them to be adjusted in real-time based on the detected width of each cloth piece. The control system calculates optimal clamp positions for each individual piece, enabling accurate handling of both large and small pieces without being constrained to a single lane configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Productivity

If spreader clamps are positioned for 2-lane operation, then small pieces of cloth are handled efficiently, but large pieces of cloth cannot be processed accurately

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing efficiency for small piecesVSAvoidpositioning accuracy for large pieces

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the operational parameters (clump positions, spreading width) based on the detected dimensions of each cloth piece. By measuring the actual width during spreading and calculating the appropriate clamp positions, the system can adapt to handle both narrow pieces (2-lane configuration) and wide pieces (1-lane configuration) with equal accuracy and efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8438761B2Method in the operation of spreader clamps

Publication Date: 2013.05.14 JENSEN DENMARK

AI summary

A method for operating two spreader clamps for receiving and holding in pairs pieces of cloth and for spreading out the pieces of cloth before they are delivered to a conveyor, that includes selecting whether the two spreader clamps first spread a piece of cloth about one of two outer centerlines of the conveyor for small-sized pieces of cloth or about a first centerline for large-sized pieces of cloth, feeding a piece of cloth to the spreader clamps, moving the two spreader clamps so as to be situated in relation to the centerline selected, initiating movement of the spreader clamps to either side of the centerline selected to spread the piece of cloth and ascertaining during the spreading about the centerline selected if the piece of cloth is a large-sized piece or a small-sized piece, wherein if an outer centerline is selected and it is ascertained that a piece is a large-sized piece of cloth, moving the two spreader clamps so that the piece of cloth is spread about the first centerline and if the first centerline is selected and it is ascertained that the piece of cloth is a small-sized piece of cloth, moving the two spreader clamps so that the piece of cloth is spread about one of the outer centerlines.