Trouser Leg Folding with Brush Rollers for Crease-Free Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automatic folding machines require significant equipment and often fail to keep pant legs aligned, causing them to move apart during transport to the folding area, especially when folding work clothing like dungarees or ordinary trousers.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using obliquely directed brush rollers to lay pant legs on top of each other during transport, with a horizontal laying surface and adjustable brush rollers to ensure proper alignment and prevent creases, allowing for efficient folding without the need for extensive equipment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If trouser legs are folded while hanging in known automatic folding machines, then the folding process can be automated, but the trouser legs move apart during transport and require considerable equipment complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomation of folding processVSAvoidequipment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of folding the trousers while they are hanging (conventional approach), the invention inverts the approach by laying the trousers flat on a horizontal base first, then folding them in the flat state. This inversion eliminates the problem of pant legs moving apart during transport and simplifies the device structure significantly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces complex mechanical folding mechanisms with simple, easily manufactured components such as a horizontal base and obliquely directed brush rollers. These simple components are sufficient to achieve the folding function without requiring elaborate equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Stability of the object's composition

If trouser legs are placed one on top of the other while hanging, then alignment can be achieved, but the trouser legs move apart again during transport to the folding area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment of trouser legsVSAvoidmaintaining alignment during transport
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the state from hanging to flat laying. By laying the trousers flat on a horizontal base, the pant legs remain stable and do not move apart during transport, solving the reliability issue while maintaining alignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The horizontal base acts as an intermediary that supports the trousers in a flat state, preventing the pant legs from moving apart. The obliquely directed brush rollers serve as another intermediary to guide and smooth the pant legs into proper alignment during the folding process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If obliquely directed brush rollers are used to lay pant legs on top of each other, then alignment is achieved with simple equipment, but the pant legs may create creases if not properly positioned

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of deviceVSAvoidcrease-free folding
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The brush rollers are positioned at specific oblique angles and locations to locally act on the pant legs only where needed. This localized action ensures proper alignment and smoothing without creating creases, while keeping the overall device simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The horizontal base first lays the trousers flat and positions the pant legs in different parallel planes before the brush rollers act on them. This preliminary positioning prevents creases by ensuring the pant legs are properly aligned and separated before the smoothing action of the brush rollers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution allows for easy and crease-free alignment of pant legs, ensuring they remain together until folding, reducing the complexity and cost of folding machinery while maintaining smooth operation.

Implementation Method 1

The brush rollers tighten the trouser legs and move them together to bring them into an overlapping position with each other

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2330248B1Method and device for folding items of clothing that have trouser legs
Publication Date: 2014.05.07 HERBERT KANNEGIESSER GMBH & CO
  • EP2330248B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2330248B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2330248B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The method involves carrying the trouser legs (11) for overlapping with each other, where the trouser legs are folded afterwards the piece of clothing. The trouser legs are superimposed in the lying condition. An independent claim is also included for a device for folding piece of clothing, particularly trouser legs.