Patent ID: 7370765
Filing Date: 2008-05-13
Classification: B07C,D06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A device for sorting laundry pieces comprising: a feed device that receives the laundry pieces and dispenses them; a transport device that receives the laundry pieces dispensed from the feed device at a predetermined interval, wherein the interval is one of a predetermined distance between the laundry pieces on the transport device and a predetermined period of time between the dispensing of the laundry pieces, so that individual laundry pieces are separated from each other, wherein the transport device comprises a conveyor belt that transports the individual, separated laundry pieces in a transport direction; a recognition device disposed in relation to the transport device for determining different types of the separated laundry pieces being transported by the transport device through a region, the recognition device generating a data signal in response to the recognition of one of the individual, separated laundry pieces; a registering device disposed in relation to the transport device for sensing a location of the one laundry piece on the transport device, the registering device generating a register signal indicating that the one laundry piece is present at the location; a data processor for receiving the data signal and the register signal for the, the data processor associating the data signal and the register signal, and generating a control signal in response thereto; a plurality of collection containers disposed downstream of the recognition device in the transport direction at different locations for receiving laundry pieces, wherein the individual collection containers are predetermined to receive particular types of laundry pieces; and a collection device for directing a particular type of laundry pieces to one of the predetermined collection containers, based on the control signal from the data processor, wherein the feed device further comprises a first transport band having a plurality of individual compartments for receiving individual laundry pieces, and the individual laundry pieces of the first transport band are emptied onto the transport device leading to the recognition device.