Method and device for supplying laundry items to a laundry treatment device, in particular a mangle

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Solution Overview

Problem

Laundry items fed to mangles often develop 'ears' due to elongated or kinked corner regions when spreader clamps hold neighboring corners apart, leading to compromised mangling quality and throughput.

Innovation Solution

The method involves moving corner regions through spreader clamps to their outermost corner points or close to them before deposition, using repositionable clamps with conveying members like rolls to eliminate or minimize tail formation, and reducing transporting speed at loading stations for precise corner gripping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If spreader clamps hold neighboring corners of a transverse periphery spaced apart to spread out the laundry item, then the laundry item is spread out effectively, but elongated and kinked corner regions form causing 'ears' that compromise mangling quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespread out shape of laundry itemVSAvoidcorner region precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The corner regions are moved through the spreader clamps to their outermost corner points before the laundry item is deposited onto the infeed conveyor. This preliminary action ensures that corner regions are properly positioned and stretched, preventing the formation of elongated or kinked corners that would otherwise occur during the spreading process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces conveying members (such as rolls or belts) integrated into the spreader clamps to automatically transport corner regions through the clamps. This mechanical substitution replaces manual positioning and ensures consistent, precise movement of corner regions to the outermost points, eliminating variability and improving corner precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If corner regions are moved through spreader clamps to outermost corner points before deposition, then tail formation is prevented and corner precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional conveying members

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorner region precisionVSAvoidspreader clamp structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The conveying members are merged with the spreader clamp structure, where rolls or belts are integrated directly into the clamp mechanism. This combination allows the spreader clamp to perform both its traditional spreading function and the additional function of conveying corner regions through itself, thereby improving corner precision without requiring entirely separate conveying devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The spreader clamps are designed to perform multiple functions: holding and spreading the laundry item corners while simultaneously conveying them to the outermost corner points. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated conveying mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while still achieving improved corner precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If transporting speed is reduced at loading stations for precise corner gripping, then corner gripping accuracy is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecorner gripping accuracyVSAvoidlaundry item processing throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The transporting speed is controlled periodically: reduced when corner regions need to be gripped and positioned (improving accuracy) and increased during other phases of the process (maintaining productivity). This periodic variation in speed allows the system to optimize for precision during critical moments while recovering throughput during non-critical phases

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses detection means to monitor the position and state of corner regions, providing feedback that triggers speed adjustments. When corner regions are detected approaching the loading station or requiring precise gripping, the transporting speed is automatically reduced. This feedback-controlled speed adjustment ensures high gripping accuracy without requiring sustained low-speed operation, thereby maintaining overall productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10858777B2Method and device for supplying laundry items to a laundry treatment device, in particular a mangle

Publication Date: 2020.12.08 HERBERT KANNEGIESSER GMBH & CO

AI summary

Laundry items by way of devices are fed to mangles, for example. The laundry items by way of the corners thereof are transferred to clamps, for example spreader clamps during the feeding procedure. Tails of the laundry item that project beyond the clamping locations of the spreader clamps are usually formed herein. Said tails lead to so-called ears in particular on the front periphery of the laundry item that is tautly stretched by the spreader clamps. Said ears compromise the quality of the laundry items, specifically of mangled laundry items. The invention provides for the tails in the spreader clamps to be eliminated in that the tails are transported through the spreader clamps so far until the corners of the laundry item are still held in the spreader clamps only at the outermost corner points. The tails are effectively eliminated in that ears can no longer be formed.