Garment folding machine and method of controlling the same

A garment folding machine comprising:

• a frame unit defining an external framework of the garment folding machine;
• a loading unit configured to receive a garment;
• a folding unit configured to convey and fold the received garment;
• and
• an unloading unit configured to collect the garment from the folding unit,
• wherein the folding unit comprises:
• a plurality of folding layers that are spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction, and
• a vertical folding assembly configured to vertically fold the garment conveyed from a first folding layer of the plurality of folding layers,
• wherein each of the plurality of folding layers comprises:
• a conveyor configured to convey the garment, and
• a conveyor motor configured to provide driving power to the conveyor, and
• wherein the conveyor motor is configured to, based on a tip of the garment passing through the conveyor, change a rotational speed.

A method of controlling a garment folding machine having a plurality of folding layers configured to perform folding a garment or conveying the garment using at least one conveyor, the method comprising:

• a first conveying step of conveying the garment at a predetermined first conveying speed by a first conveyor provided in a first folding layer disposed at an uppermost side among the plurality of folding layers;
• and
• a second conveying step of conveying, based on a tip of the garment passing through the first conveyor and entering a second conveyor disposed below the first conveyor, the garment at a predetermined second conveying speed by the first conveyor,
• wherein, in the second conveying step, the second conveyor is configured to convey the garment at the predetermined first conveying speed, and
• wherein the predetermined first conveying speed is different from the predetermined second conveying speed.

A garment folding machine comprising:

• a frame unit defining an external framework of the garment folding machine;
• a loading unit configured to receive a garment;
• a folding unit configured to convey and fold the received garment;
• and
• an unloading unit configured to collect the folded garment from the folding unit,
• wherein the folding unit comprises:
• a first folding layer, and
• a second folding layer disposed below the first folding layer,
• wherein the first folding layer comprises:
• a first conveyor configured to convey, from a front end to a rear end of the first conveyor, the garment,
• a first conveyor motor configured to provide driving power to the first conveyor, and
• a first-conveyor-rear-end garment detection sensor that is disposed at a rear end of the first conveyor and that is configured to detect whether the garment reaches the rear end of the first conveyor,
• wherein the first conveyor motor is configured to rotate at a predetermined first rotational speed, and
• wherein the first conveyor motor is configured to, based on the first-conveyor-rear-end garment detection sensor detecting a tip of the garment, rotate at a predetermined second rotational speed different from the predetermined first rotational speed.