Laundry article spreader apparatus and method
AssigneeFinishTech, Ltd.
InventorStanley G. McCabe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A towel spreader is provided. A trailing corner is clamped to isolate an edge of a towel where the edge is either along a fold in a towel or along an outer extremity of the towel. The towel is then flattened in a single or two layers using motion and gravity while being held along the identified edge. The same or a different trailing corner is then rotated such that a back outer extremity edge of the towel is perpendicular with a direction of movement of a conveyor. By clamping the back edge while continuing to move a downstream conveyor and blow air on the towel, the towel is flattened out. The spread towel is then passed downstream for further processing, such as folding.
Claims33
An apparatus for spreading an article of laundry from a load of articles of laundry, the apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
- a clamp operable to grab the article of laundry;
- a pivot joint connected with the clamp and the frame;
- and
- a drive connected with the clamp, the drive connected so as to drive the clamp downward about the pivot joint;
- wherein at least a portion of the article of laundry is forced away from the clamp in response to the clamp being driven.
A method for spreading an article of laundry from a load of articles of laundry, the method comprising:
- (a) clamping a article of laundry;
- (b) rotating the entire article of laundry about an axis spaced away from the article of laundry, the rotation being at least in part downward;
- and
- (c) flattening the article of laundry in response to force of the rotation.
An apparatus for spreading a article of laundry from a load of articles of laundry, the apparatus comprising:
- a first conveyor;
- a second conveyor spaced from the first conveyor by a slot, the slot narrow such that the article of laundry is able to rest on both the first and second conveyors at a same time;
- and
- a clamp positioned to move in the slot between the first and second conveyors.
A method for spreading an article of laundry from a load of articles of laundry, the method comprising:
- (a) conveying a article of laundry on a first conveyor;
- (b) conveying the article of laundry onto a second conveyor;
- (c) clamping a first edge of the article of laundry between the first and second conveyors;
- and
- (d) moving the clamped first edge of the article of laundry closer to a side of the second conveyor such that a second edge of the article of laundry is more perpendicular to a direction of travel of the second conveyor.
An apparatus for spreading an article of laundry from a load of articles of laundry, the apparatus comprising:
- a first conveyor;
- a second conveyor disposed downstream from the first conveyor;
- at least two jaw points positioned above the first conveyor and operable to press a first portion of the article of laundry against the first conveyor;
- and
- a blower directed towards the second conveyor;
- wherein the second conveyor is operable to continue movement with a second portion of the article of laundry on the second conveyor and while the first portion of the article of laundry is held by the jaw points against the first conveyor;
- and
- wherein the blower is operable to direct air towards the article of laundry while the second portion of the article of laundry is on the second conveyor and the first portion of the article of laundry is held by the jaw points against the first conveyor.
A method for spreading an article of laundry from a load of articles of laundry, the method comprising:
- (a) positioning the article of laundry on both first and second conveyors, the second conveyor downstream from the first conveyor;
- (b) clamping the article of laundry with a first portion of the article of laundry on the first conveyor;
- (c) continuing to convey with the second conveyor while the article of laundry is clamped;
- and
- (d) blowing at a second portion of the article of laundry while the article of laundry is clamped, the second portion on the second conveyor.
An apparatus for spreading an article of laundry from a load of articles of laundry, the apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
- a first clamp operable to grab the article of laundry;
- a pivot joint connected with the clamp and the frame;
- a drive connected with the clamp, the drive connected so as to drive the clamp downward about the pivot joint, the driving operable to force at least a portion of the article of laundry away from the clamp;
- a first conveyor positioned below the clamp and operable to receive the article of laundry from the first clamp;
- a second conveyor spaced from the first conveyor by a slot, the slot narrow such that the article of laundry is able to rest on both the first and second conveyors at a same time;
- a second clamp positioned to move in the slot between the first and second conveyors and adjacent a top portion of the first and second conveyors, the second clamp operable to square the article of laundry to a direction of travel on the second conveyor in response to clamping and moving a first edge of the article of laundry closer to a side of the second conveyor;
- a third conveyor disposed downstream from the second conveyor;
- at least two jaw points positioned above the second conveyor and operable to press a trailing portion of the article of laundry against the second conveyor;
- and
- a blower directed towards the third conveyor;
- wherein the third conveyor is operable to continue movement with a leading portion of the article of laundry on the third conveyor and while the trailing portion of the article of laundry is held by the jaw points against the second conveyor;
- and
- wherein the blower directs air towards the article of laundry while the leading portion of the article of laundry is on the third conveyor and the trailing portion of the article of laundry is held by the jaw points against the second conveyor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.