Garment sorting and processing system and method

A system for processing a plurality of garments each of which is suspended on one of a plurality of hangers, each of the plurality of hangers having a hook and a neck region subjacent to the hook, the system comprising:

• a plurality of garment identification members each of which is positioned on one of the hangers proximate the neck region;
• a plurality of indicium each of which is on one of the plurality of garment identification members and located proximate the neck region of the associated hanger, wherein each of the plurality of indicium includes identification data to uniquely identify the associated garment on the associated hanger, wherein each of the plurality of indicium is unique in the system such that no two of the plurality of indicium in the system has the same identification data;
• and
• at least one reader positioned and adapted for reading the plurality of indicium on the plurality of garment identification members;
• a cartridge containing a first set of the plurality of garment identification members arranged serially such that a leading one of the first set is positioned for mounting on one of the hangers proximate the neck region;
• a plurality of garment tags each of which is on one of the plurality of garments;
• and
• a plurality of garment indicium each of which is on one of the plurality of garment tags, wherein each of the plurality of garment indicium includes garment identification data to uniquely identify the associated garment;
• wherein the at least one reader further comprises a registration device located upstream within the system to read both the garment identification data on each of the garment tags and the identification data on each of the plurality of garment identification members to thereby associate the garment identification data with the identification data for the associated garment in the system;
• wherein each of the plurality of garments is suspended subjacent to the neck region of the associated one of the plurality of hangers to allow for the reader to read the plurality of indicium on the plurality of garment identification members;
• wherein each of the plurality of garment identification members further comprises one of
• (a) a hanger neck sleeve member mounted onto the neck region of the associated hanger, each hanger neck sleeve member having a generally U-shaped cross-section with a pair of spaced flanges generally parallel to each other and joined together at an arcuate bight portion of the hanger neck sleeve member, the neck region of the associated hanger being positioned between the spaced flanges, an outer face of the hanger neck sleeve member bearing the indicium;
• and
• (b) a hanger neck sticker having first and second faces, the first face being wrapped around and secured to the neck region of the hanger and a first portion of the first face being adhered to a second portion of the first face, the second face bearing the indicium;
• and
• wherein each of the at least one readers positioned in the system downstream from the registration device reads only the identification data on the garment identification members for each of the plurality of garments in that the garment identification data for each of the plurality of garments is associated with the identification data for the respective garment in the system.

A method for processing a plurality of garments each of which is suspended on one of a plurality of hangers, each of the plurality of hangers having a hook and a neck region subjacent to the hook, the method comprising the steps of:

• attaching each of a plurality of garment identification members to one of the plurality of hangers proximate the neck region of the associated hanger, each of the plurality of garment identification members have indicium with identification data to identify the associated garment on the associated hanger;
• conveying the plurality of garments through a plurality of stations;
• and
• reading the indicium on each of the plurality of garment identification members for processing the associated garment through the plurality of stations;
• wherein the attaching step further comprises one of:
• clipping a hanger neck sleeve member onto the neck region of the associated hanger, each hanger neck sleeve member having a generally U-shaped cross-section with a pair of spaced flanges generally parallel to each other and joined together at an arcuate bight portion of the hanger neck sleeve member, the neck region of the associated hanger being positioned between the spaced flanges, an outer face of the hanger neck sleeve member bearing the indicium;
• and
• wrapping a hanger neck sticker having first and second faces around the neck region of the associated hanger, a first portion of the first face being adhered to a second portion of the first face, the second face bearing the indicium.