Method and device for gripping rectangular textile items and/or for feeding rectangular textile items to a treatment installation

A method and device in which a respective laundry piece initially is automatically gripped at a location and pulled apart. The automatic gripping of laundry pieces for feeding to an infeed machine requires a plurality of handling procedures which for reliable automation have to be coordinated. The laundry piece is subsequently reoriented such that said laundry piece can be acquired in a manner which is favorable in terms of the subsequent steps, which can take place in front of a wall that stabilizes the laundry piece. Once the laundry piece has been gripped in the region of a periphery, the laundry piece, as a function of which periphery has been gripped and by way of which alignment the laundry piece is to be fed to the infeed machine, is pulled longitudinally or transversely onto a conveyor that transports said laundry piece to the infeed machine.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and priority on German Patent Application No. 10 2019 132 377.0 having a filing date of 28 Nov. 2019 and German Patent Application No. 10 2019 135 659.8 having a filing date of 23 Dec. 2019.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for gripping a rectangular textile item, wherein the singularized textile item is gripped at one corner, the textile item, while configuring regions in which the textile item overlaps so as to form double tiers, hangs freely from this corner, and the textile item by a holding means is reoriented so as to configure at least part of a free periphery of the textile item that emanates from the held corner, and to a method for gripping a rectangular textile item, wherein the textile item hanging from a clamp that holds a corner is reoriented so as to form at least part of a freely hanging periphery of the textile item that emanates from the held corner, respectively, and to a method for feeding rectangular textile items to a treatment installation. The invention furthermore relates to a device for gripping rectangular textile items, having a clamp for holding a corner of the textile item, and a clamp for acquiring a portion of at least part of a periphery of the textile item that hangs from the corner.

Prior Art

Textile items, in particular laundered laundry pieces and/or those to be laundered, having a rectangular shape have to be gripped such that said laundry pieces are able to be fed to a treatment installation. This applies to rectangular textile items which have mutually orthogonal peripheries of equal length as well as to those that have mutually orthogonal peripheries of unequal length.

The intention is to automatically grip rectangular textile items or to automatically feed the latter to treatment installations. To date, this has however been proven to be time-consuming and unreliable.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the object of achieving a method and a device for rapidly and reliably gripping textile items automatically, which textile items thereafter are able to be automatically fed to treatment installations.

A method for achieving the object is a method for gripping a rectangular textile item, wherein the singularized textile item is gripped at one corner, the textile item, while configuring regions in which the textile item overlaps so as to form double tiers, hangs freely from this corner, and the textile item by a holding means is reoriented so as to configure at least part of a free periphery of the textile item that emanates from the held corner, wherein the textile item at a spacing from the held corner is pneumatically acquired by a holding means at a location, the textile item, while entraining the pneumatically acquired location, is initially pulled apart by the holding means, the textile item thereafter is gripped in a clamping manner at or in the proximity of the pneumatically acquired location, and the textile item by further displacing the holding means while maintaining the clamping hold is further pulled apart until at least part of a periphery of the textile item is configured below the held corner. Accordingly, it is provided for a textile item which is held at one corner or in a corner region and freely hangs from this corner to initially be pneumatically acquired or gripped, respectively, at a location that is spaced apart from this corner and, proceeding therefrom, to reorient the textile item in particular for a first time. The textile item is preferably pulled apart starting from the pneumatically gripped, preferably suctioned, location. Only one tier of the textile item in this case is held in a pneumatic, particularly suctioned, manner.

The pneumatic acquisition or gripping, respectively, of the textile item preferably takes place by suctioning with a vacuum. This preferred potential design embodiment also applies to the description hereunder, in particular also when only pneumatic acquiring or pneumatic holding is being discussed.

Once the pneumatically held, suctioned, textile item has been pneumatically gripped and/or suctioned for the first time, said textile item is mechanically gripped, for example, by a clamp or a gripper, respectively. The textile item is reoriented for a second time by displacing the clamp or the gripper, respectively. At least part of an edge is configured here such that the textile item can be automatically gripped at said edge such that said textile item is likewise able to be automatically fed to a treatment installation.

The method can preferably be refined such that the textile item at the location, or adjacent to the location, where the textile item is initially pneumatically acquired, preferably by a pneumatic suction head, so as to stretch said textile item in particular for removing creases, is firmly clamped in one tier by the holding means, in particular by at least one clamp of the latter. Only one tier of the laundry piece is thus pneumatically held so as to at least partially eliminate the crease by pulling said textile item apart and so that this one tier of the textile item can subsequently be acquired by clamps. On account thereof it is possible for the textile item to be pulled apart using a greater force and, on account thereof, to be freshly reoriented, specifically preferably to the extent that at least part of a preferably vertically hanging edge can be configured below the corner from which the textile item is hanging.

The pneumatic acquisition of the textile item takes place in particular by way of at least one suction head. The respective textile item is preferably suctioned by the suction head by way of only one tier. Should this suctioning take place at a location where the textile item has two tiers, or in the region of a crease where at least two tiers of the textile item lie on top of one another, only the one suctioned tier of the textile item, preferably the tier bearing on the suction head, is suctioned and thus held on the suction head. That tier of the textile item that is held by the suction head is entrained on account of the onward movement of the suction head and is reoriented on account thereof.

According to one preferred potential design embodiment of the method, the pneumatic acquisition of the textile item by the holding means take place below and/or obliquely below the held corner from which the textile item is hanging. The textile item typically hangs in creases from the held upper corner of said textile item. The creases can be pulled apart by pneumatically suctioning a tier of the textile item that points toward the holding means. On account thereof, a defined tier or layer of the textile item is configured at least at the location where the textile item is initially only pneumatically suctioned by the holding means.

It is furthermore conceivable that the textile item that is pneumatically held at the respective location is reoriented, preferably pulled apart, by laterally displacing the holding means while maintaining the pneumatic hold at the location, so that said textile item is configured with a single tier at least at the location thus held. This displacement preferably takes place on an oblique path which ascends in the displacing direction of the holding means. On account thereof, the at least one crease can be simply and reliably eliminated or pulled apart, respectively, at least to a sufficient extent, and the intended configuration of a that freely hangs from the held corner region or the held corner, or at least part of said periphery, is supported and/or facilitated.

After a single tier of the textile item has been pneumatically suctioned or fixed by suctioning, and the first reorientation of the textile item held by suctioning has taken place, renewed gripping of the textile item takes place. The textile item in the state still held by the suction head here is preferably gripped by a clamp or a gripper, respectively, and the suction head is thereafter released from the textile item by interrupting the supply of suction air to said suction head. The gripping takes place when by displacing the suction head that holds one tier by a predetermined distance the textile item is still reliably held in a pneumatic manner. This distance can be determined by an empirical method. It is also conceivable for the distance additionally to be individually established as a function of the size of the respective textile item. In this instance, it is detected beforehand by an image-generating installation, for example, how far below the freely hanging lower corner is spaced apart from the upper corner that for reorienting the textile item is held by a clamp. However, it is also conceivable for the suction head, or the mounting of the suction head on the holding installation, to be assigned a force transducer which determines the holding force of the suction head that increases when reorienting the textile item, and initiates the renewed gripping of the textile item when the specified holding force is reached.

It is preferably provided that the holding means, after the firm clamping of the single tier of the textile item that is configured by the prior pneumatic holding and/or suctioning, is further displaced until at least part of the periphery of the textile item that hangs from the held corner (or the corner region) has been configured. By firmly clamping a tier of the laundry piece in a targeted manner at the respective location, or in the proximity of the latter, preferably the location that has previously been pneumatically held and/or suctioned by a vacuum, the textile item can be reliably pulled apart to a sufficient extent by the clamp such that at least part of a freely hanging periphery can be configured on the textile item under any circumstances.

Once at least part of a periphery of the textile item has been configured below the held corner thereof or the held corner region, a portion of this periphery is gripped by a clamp. This here is preferably a double clamp having two spaced-apart clamps between which the peripheral portion, or at least part thereof, is fixed in a stretched manner, or an elongate clamp, the length thereof corresponding to the length of the portion of the periphery of the laundry piece to be gripped.

Once the portion of the periphery that freely hangs, preferably in a straight vertical line, from the held corner, or at least part of the periphery, has been acquired by the double clamp, or the wide or elongate clamp, respectively, the textile item of this clamp or double clamp, respectively, is pulled onto or over the conveyor for feeding the textile item to a treatment installation. This preferably takes place in such a manner that the textile item is pulled over the conveyor in an upside-down U-shaped configuration. To this end, the conveyor is narrower than the shorter periphery of the textile item. In this instance, opposite peripheral regions of the textile item hang from opposite sides of the conveyor, wherein an intervening inner portion, preferably a centric portion, of the textile item in this instance bears on the upper lead of the narrow conveyor.

A further method for achieving this object, this potentially also being a preferred refinement of the previously described method, is a method for gripping a rectangular textile item, wherein the textile item hanging from a clamp that holds a corner is reoriented so as to form at least part of a freely hanging periphery of the textile item that emanates from the held corner, wherein the textile item is reoriented from the held corner thereof in the state hanging in front of a wall by a holding means that acquires at least one location of the textile item, and displacing of said holding means so as to configure at least part of a periphery of the textile item hanging in front of the wall that emanates from the corner, and gripping of a portion of the periphery of the textile item hanging in front of the wall. Accordingly, it is provided that the respective textile item is placed so as to hang in front of a wall. The textile item in this case hangs in front of the wall so as to be held at a preferably upper corner. Proceeding from this state, the textile item is reoriented by a holding installation that acquires the textile item at one location. This is such a location of the textile item that is located so as to be adjacent to the holding installation. The textile item in front of the wall is then reoriented in such a manner that at least part of a periphery of the textile item hangs freely, preferably in a straight vertical line, or an at least approximately straight vertical line, from the held upper corner or corner region of said textile item.

A portion of the freely hanging periphery, or part of the periphery, of the textile item is gripped in a targeted manner. The textile item thus gripped can then be automatically fed to a processing installation, for example an infeed machine.

It is preferably provided that the textile item is reoriented in front of an upright, in particular vertical, wall and/or a portion of a freely hanging lateral periphery, or at least part of the latter, is gripped in front of this wall.

It is furthermore preferably provided that the wall is stationary or is at least stationary when the individual gripping procedures and the reorientation of the textile item in front of the wall take place.

In one preferred design embodiment of the method it is provided that the wall has a color, in particular a high-contrast color, which deviates from the color of the textile item. This permits more simply an image recognition of in each case one textile item in front of the wall that forms a contrast to said textile item.

The previously described method can be refined according to one or a plurality of the dependent claims.

A further method for achieving the object mentioned at the outset, wherein this can also be a preferred refinement of the previously described methods, is a method for feeding rectangular textile items to a treatment installation, wherein a respective singularized textile item is gripped at a portion of a periphery and pulled onto or over a conveyor of the treatment installation that transports the textile item to the treatment installation, wherein in the case of a textile item having peripheries of unequal length it is determined before or after gripping the portion of the periphery of the textile item whether this is a portion of a short or a long periphery, and as a function of the result of this determination, the textile item by way of the gripped portion of its periphery is pulled onto the conveyor in a targeted manner so as to be transverse or longitudinal on said conveyor. It is provided in this method that it is determined before or after gripping a portion of a periphery of the textile item whether the gripped periphery is a short or a long periphery, and as a function of the result of this determination, the textile item by way of the gripped portion of the periphery thereof is fed to the processing installation, preferably pulled onto a conveyor that transports the textile item to a treatment installation, in a targeted manner so as to be transverse or longitudinal on said conveyor.

For example, when the textile item is to be pulled onto the conveyor such that a short periphery runs transversely to the transporting direction and/or the longitudinal direction of the conveyor, an item that is acquired by way of a portion of the short periphery of said item is pulled onto the conveyor so as to be longitudinal in the transporting direction, while a textile item that is gripped by way of a portion of a long periphery is pulled transversely across the conveyor. If it is determined that the rectangular item is a square item having peripheries of equal length, this textile item can be pulled onto the conveyor in an arbitrary manner so as to be longitudinal or transverse thereon.

The method preferably operates using at least one image-generating installation. The respective textile item can be at least partially measured therewith. For example, it can be derived from an image of at least one relevant part of the textile item, preferably of the entire textile item, generated by the image-generating installation which periphery is the shorter or the longer periphery. It can likewise be determined whether both peripheries are of equal length or at least of almost equal length in the case of square textile items. The image data generated by the at least one image-generating installation can however also serve other or additional purposes, for example for moving in particular the clamp or the double clamp for acquiring a peripheral portion of the respective textile item in a targeted manner to the location of the periphery of which the portion is to be acquired.

Preferred refinements of the method relate to the claims.

A device for achieving the object mentioned at the outset is a device for gripping rectangular textile items, having a clamp for holding a corner of the textile item, and a clamp for acquiring a portion of at least part of a periphery of the textile item that hangs from the corner, wherein the clamp that holds the corner of the textile item is assigned a displaceable holding means for reorienting the textile item. Accordingly, the clamp that holds a corner, or a corner region, of the textile item from which the textile item freely hangs, is assigned a displaceable holding installation for reorienting the textile item. On account thereof it is possible to at least partially eliminate at least one such crease of the textile item, at the location of which crease the textile item is to be subsequently acquired. The displaceable holding installation however also serves for reorienting the textile item at least once such that at least part of a lateral periphery of the laundry piece is configured so as to freely hang below the clamp, in particular configured vertically or almost vertically and/or in a straight line or at least almost in a straight line. The textile item can be automatically gripped in a reliable manner, preferably controlled by image data of an image-generating installation, on a portion of this freely hanging periphery, or at least part of the latter.

The device is preferably refined such that the holding means is displaceable along an oblique path, and/or the clamp that holds the upper corner region of the textile item and from which the textile item by way of the upper corner thereof hangs, is displaceable on a vertical or almost vertical path. The respective textile item, independently of the shape and size thereof, can be reoriented at least once, preferably twice, or else more than twice, on these dissimilar paths such that said textile item can subsequently be simply and reliably gripped on a portion of the freely suspended periphery thereof, or part of the latter, that has been configured after the reorientation.

According to one advantageous potential refinement of the device it is provided that an end of the oblique path of the holding means that points to the vertical path of the clamp lies below the opposite end of the oblique path. On account thereof, the location of the textile item that is acquired by the holding means is moved onward in the vertical as well as the horizontal direction during the reorientation. This facilitates the most exact configuration possible of at least part of a periphery of the freely hanging textile item held by the clamp that is displaceable on the vertical path, said periphery emanating from the held upper corner.

It is preferably provided that the vertical path of the clamp holding the upper corner of the laundry piece, and the oblique path on which the holding means is displaceable, are disposed in front of or on or in, respectively, an upright, in particular vertical and/or stationary, wall from which the respective textile item hangs from the clamp and/or is able to be reoriented by the holding means. On account thereof, the respective textile item is supported by the wall and stabilized in front of the wall when being reoriented. This not only facilitates the gripping and/or renewed gripping of at least one location and/or at least one portion of a periphery of the textile item, but also the exact detection of the textile item by an image-generating installation that depicts the textile item in front of the wall.

According to one preferred design embodiment of the device, the at least one image-generating installation is assigned to the wall. This assigning preferably takes place in such a manner that the at least one image-generating installation is directed onto at least part of the textile item hanging in front of the wall, and/or at least such image data is able to be generated by the image-generating installation from which it can be derived whether a long periphery or a short periphery hangs from the clamp holding an upper corner region or an upper corner of the textile item, or whether both peripheries of the textile item are at least approximately of equal length. Rapid, reliable and exact automatic gripping of in particular rectangular textile items is enabled on account of this design embodiment of the device. The precondition completely automatically to feed textile items thus gripped either directly to a treatment installation for the textile items or likewise to a preferably narrow conveyor ahead of a treatment installation, preferably to pull and/or deposit said textile items onto said conveyor, is preferably achieved.

The single image-generating installation, or optionally also a separate image-generating installation, can also serve for determining the length of the laundry piece hanging from the held upper corner. This is preferably the spacing between diagonally opposite corners of the laundry piece, specifically between the held upper corner and the free lower corner that is situated at the lowest point of the hanging laundry piece. The approximate size of the laundry piece can be determined from the length of said laundry piece. Accordingly, it can be predefined how far the suction head of the holding means can be displaced along the oblique path to which the holding means is assigned, without there being the risk of the textile item that is held by suction being released from the suction head.

The image-generating installation can also serve in observing how the length of the periphery of the textile item that hangs from the held upper corner changes when said textile item is reoriented by the holding means, specifically by the suction head and the gripper thereof. The reorientation of the textile item can optionally also be terminated when the image-generating installation establishes that the hanging periphery that emanates from the held upper corner of the textile item has been configured to a sufficient length.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The device shown in the figures and the method that can be carried out by said device serve for automatically gripping rectangular textile items and preferably also for automatically feeding such textile items to a treatment installation.

It is assumed in the description hereunder that the textile items are rectangular laundry pieces10which have been laundered and/or have yet to be laundered. The laundry pieces10preferably relate to so-called flat laundry pieces such as, for example, tablecloths, napkins, bedsheets, duvet covers and/or pillowcases. The rectangular laundry pieces10usually have peripheries of an equal length in that two parallel peripheries are larger than two parallel peripheries that run transversely to the former. The laundry pieces10can however also be square, having four peripheries of equal length. In the figures, the vertical peripheries are the longer peripheries. Said longer peripheries are referred to as longitudinal peripheries11, while the horizontal peripheries are the shorter peripheries referred to as transverse peripheries12.

FIG. 1schematically shows an automatically operating singularizer13. The singularizer13in a self-acting and targeted manner preferably grips in each case one single laundry piece10from a laundry piece pile14. The targeted automatic gripping of ideally a single laundry piece10takes place in the proximity of the laundry piece pile14so as to be supported by at least one camera15or any other image-generating installation. An image evaluation installation by means of the at least one recording of the camera15controls a gripper16of the automatic singularizer13, said camera15being movable up and down along an incline. The gripper16transfers the preferably single laundry piece10gripped by said gripper16to a downstream preparatory installation17of the singularizer13.

The preparatory installation17optionally carries out a final singularization of a plurality of laundry pieces10that have been simultaneously gripped by the gripper16, and offers up the singularized (now single) laundry piece10for transferring a first corner18. This transfer takes place by a clamp19of the device of the invention that is downstream in the transporting direction20, specifically the flow direction of the laundry and/or the feeding direction. The clamp19can alternatively also grip a corner region of the corner18. While only the corner18is mentioned in the description, this is intended to also include a corner region about the corner18.

A conveyor21that transports the laundry pieces10onward follows the device in the transporting direction20. The conveyor21in the exemplary embodiment shown is formed from a conveyor cascade22. The conveyor cascade22is composed of a plurality of belt conveyors23which are arranged in directly successive pairs in the transporting direction20and disposed on top of one another in the manner of a sandwich. The laundry pieces10between these belt conveyors23disposed on top of one another, specifically the mutually facing leads thereof, are able to be transported in the transporting direction20along the conveyor cascade22to an infeed machine24which is downstream of said conveyor cascade22. The initial pair of belt conveyors23of the conveyor cascade22that lie on top of one another is configured so as to be of dissimilar lengths. The lower belt conveyor23is longer than the upper belt conveyor23lying above the former. An exposed depositing region25for in each case one laundry piece10is created on account thereof at the beginning of the conveyor cascade22on the initial upper lead of the lower belt conveyor23. The respective laundry piece10, depending on the orientation thereof, is pulled onto the depositing region25in the transporting direction20, or pulled transversely across the depositing region25, whereupon the respective laundry piece10bears in an upside-down U-shaped configuration on the depositing region25at the beginning of the conveyor cascade22. This U-shaped configuration of the laundry piece10placed on the depositing region25arises in that the belt conveyors23are configured so as to be relatively narrow, specifically have a width which, depending on the size of the laundry piece10, corresponds to one tenth to five tenths of the width of said laundry piece10. On account thereof, opposite outer peripheral regions of the laundry piece10in the region of the depositing region25hang down from opposite sides of the belt conveyor23so as to ideally, but not mandatorily, form legs of equal length of the laundry piece10of U-shaped configuration. A central, preferably centric, region of the laundry piece10which lies between the legs, or the outer peripheral regions, respectively, and connects the opposite legs in the manner of a web herein bears on the depositing region25.

Upper and lower belt conveyors23of the conveyor cascade22that are successive in the transporting direction20are driven at mutually deviating transport speeds which in the transporting direction20increase in an identical manner, on account of which an elongation of the laundry piece10in the transporting direction20takes place when the respective laundry piece10runs through the conveyor cascade22, i.e. in the onward transport of the laundry piece10in the transporting direction20along the conveyor21, such that the respective laundry piece10in the transporting direction20at the end of the conveyor21, i.e. at the last belt conveyor23of the conveyor cascade22, lies so as to be at least for the most part stretched in an upside-down U-shaped manner over the last lower belt conveyor23of the conveyor cascade22.

An alternative exemplary embodiment of the conveyor21in which the latter is not formed from a conveyor cascade22and/or no belt conveyors23are disposed on top of one another in the manner of a sandwich is also conceivable. The conveyor21in this instance in the simplest case is composed of a single continuous conveyor onto which the respective laundry piece10is placed or pulled, specifically preferably also in an upside-down U-shaped configuration. A plurality of comparatively short lower belt conveyors can optionally also be disposed in succession. Said lower conveyors can also have dissimilar transport speeds, preferably those which increase when viewed in the transporting direction20.

The infeed machine24follows the conveyor21in the transporting direction20. The infeed machine24shown possesses a loading station which in the exemplary embodiment shown possesses a loading conveyor27which in terms of length extends the conveyor cascade22of the conveyor21in the transporting direction20, and also possesses two belt conveyors28which are disposed so as to lie on top of one another in the manner of a sandwich. The belt conveyors28have a width which corresponds to that of the belt conveyors23, said belt conveyors28therefore also being comparatively narrow.

In the case of infeed machines24having a plurality of loading stations having, for example, loading conveyors27, one device according to the invention and/or a downstream conveyor21are/is assigned at least to each loading station. In the case of an infeed machine24having three preferably identical loading stations that lie beside one another, three devices and three conveyors21are in this instance provided ahead of the infeed machine24such that each device and each conveyor serves for supplying, specifically feeding, laundry pieces10to one loading station of the infeed machine24.

Alternatively, it is also conceivable for the textile item to be transferred from the device directly to a treatment installation, for example the infeed machine24, preferably a loading conveyor27of the latter.

The device possesses a wall29which in the exemplary embodiment shown is vertical. Optionally, the wall29can also run so as to be upright with a slight oblique position of the front side30of said wall29. The rectangular wall29is preferably disposed so as to be stationary between the preparatory installation17of the singularizer13and the conveyor21. The wall29can optionally also be displaceable. The upright wall29possesses a rectangular base area having upright, longer, longitudinal edges31and shorter, horizontal, transverse edges32. The base area of the front side30of the wall29is dimensioned such that the largest laundry pieces10to be processed can hang in front of said wall29.

The wall29is assigned a vertical rectilinear rail33that runs at a minor spacing from and parallel to the left longitudinal edge31in the figures, and an oblique rectilinear rail34. The rails33and34in the exemplary embodiment shown here are recessed into the wall29but are open or exposed, respectively, toward the front side30of the wall29. However, it is also conceivable for the rails33and34to be fastened to the front side30of the wall29. The obliquely running rail34possesses a lower end that lies beside the vertical rail33, and a higher opposite end. The lower end of the obliquely directed rectilinear rail34is situated at, preferably somewhat below, approximately half the height level, of the vertical rail33. The higher opposite end of the obliquely directed rail34is situated in an upper right corner region of the front side30of the wall29. This herein is that side of the wall29that is opposite the vertical rail33.

The clamp19, already mentioned, is displaceable up and down on a clamp traveler36on the vertical rail33. The clamp19is fastened to the clamp traveler36so as to be transverse to the oblique rail34, specifically such that the clamp opening of the clamp19is able to be moved up and down at a minor spacing from the front side30of the wall29.

A holding means37is displaceable in opposite directions along the obliquely directed rail34. The holding means37possesses two independently operating holding means for the laundry piece10, specifically a suction head38which operates pneumatically with a vacuum, and a mechanical grip39. The suction head38and the gripper39are conjointly fastened to a traveler40that is displaceable along the rail34. This fastening takes place in such a manner that the suctioning direction of the suction head38and the opening of the gripper39run parallel to the wall29, specifically at a minor spacing from the front side30of the wall29. The suction head38as well as the gripper39herein are oriented so as to be mutually parallel in such a manner that the suctioning direction of the suction head38and the opening of the gripper39run parallel to the transverse edges32of the wall29, or to the front side30of the latter, respectively. It is also conceivable for the suction head38and/or the gripper39to be fastened on a common support plate41which is rotatable freely and/or driven in a targeted manner about a rotation axis that runs perpendicularly to the plane of the front side30of the wall29so as to adapt to the orientation of that region of the laundry piece10that is to be acquired by the suction head38and the gripper39, in particular locations42and43of the laundry piece that lie close beside one another.

The device is assigned at least one image-generating installation. This assigning is chosen in such a manner that the image-generating installation is directed onto the front side30of the wall29so as to deliver an image of at least one part of the laundry piece10that hangs in front of the wall29and delivers the desired items of information. The at least one image-generating installation preferably serves for detecting the entire laundry piece10, or at least a majority of the latter, in front of the wall29and for generating at least one image of said laundry piece10. The image-generating installation is preferably a camera44. The camera44can be configured as a black-and-white camera or as a color camera which generates two-dimensional or three-dimensional images.

It is also conceivable for at least one further image-generating installation which can also be configured as a camera to be provided at at least one other location in front of or beside the wall29. Such an image-generating installation can additionally record at least one image of the laundry piece10hanging in front of the wall29, or desired details of said laundry piece10, from another viewing direction.

The device moreover possesses a clamp45, or such a clamp45is assigned to the device. This clamp45is configured for gripping a portion of the periphery that freely hangs below the clamp19, wherein this can be a longitudinal periphery11or a transverse periphery12. In the exemplary embodiment shown, a portion46of the left longitudinal periphery11of the laundry piece10that freely hangs from the clamp19is gripped by the clamp45. This portion46lies between two end portions47and48that emanate from adjacent corners of the freely hanging longitudinal periphery11.

In order for the clamp45to be able to grip the inward, or approximately centric, respectively, portion46of the periphery of the laundry piece10that freely hangs from the clamp19, said clamp45in the device shown is configured as a double clamp having two spaced-apart individual clamps49. The spacing of the individual clamps49corresponds to the length of the portion46of the vertically hanging periphery of the laundry piece10that is to be acquired by the clamp45. Alternatively, however, it is also conceivable for the clamp45to be configured as an elongate clamp, the clamp opening thereof being so long that the latter extends across the entire portion46of the vertically hanging periphery to be gripped, here the longitudinal periphery11, of the laundry piece10.

The clamp45is disposed on the end of an arm of a handling installation. The handling installation is configured such that the clamp46is able to be moved in at least three axes in the three-dimensional space by said handling installation, in particular the arm thereof. It can moreover be provided that the clamp45is disposed on the end of the arm of the handling installation so as to be rotatable and/or pivotable in a targeted manner. The handling installation transfers the respective laundry piece10from the location where said laundry piece10is gripped by the clamp45in front of the wall29to the depositing region25of the conveyor21ahead of the infeed machine24.

The handling installation in the exemplary embodiment shown is configured as a robot50. Alternatively, the handling installation can also be configured in the manner of a crane.

The movements of the handling installation, in particular of the robot50, are controlled by means of the image data recorded by the at least one image-generating installation, in particular the camera44. The movements of the suction head38and/or of the gripper39can also be controlled by means of the image data supplied by the camera44or any other image-generating installation. This also applies to the point in time at which the laundry piece10is gripped by the gripper39and the suction head38is deactivated and/or the holding means37is displaced along the oblique rail34.

A preferred exemplary embodiment of the method having the afore-described device, the singularizer13, the conveyor21, and the infeed machine24will be described hereunder. It is assumed here that the laundry piece10is such a laundry piece which possesses transverse peripheries12that are shorter in comparison to the longitudinal peripheries11, that the laundry piece10having a transverse periphery that runs transversely to the transporting direction20is pulled onto the depositing region25of the conveyor21, and that the laundry piece10hangs from the clamp29by way of the (longer) longitudinal periphery11.

A laundry piece10singularized by the singularizer13is offered up by the preparatory installation17of the singularizer13for transfer by the clamp19of the device, or the laundry piece10is transferred from the preparatory installation17to the clamp19. The handover or the transfer of the laundry piece10to the clamp19takes place such that the clamp19of the device holds the laundry piece in a corner region, in particular a first corner18. When handing over or transferring the laundry piece10to the device, the clamp19on the rectilinear vertical rail33can assume a position which permits or facilitates, respectively, the handing over or the transfer of the corner18of the laundry piece10by the clamp19. If required, the clamp19after the transfer of the first corner18of the laundry piece10is moved upward along the vertical rectilinear rail19so far that the laundry piece10freely hangs by the first corner18that is held in the clamp19. It is preferably provided that the first clamp19for transferring the laundry piece10is moved upward to the upper end of the vertical rail33. In the case of relatively small laundry pieces10it is expedient for the clamp to be displaced on the rail33only so far that the lower free end of the oblique rail34is situated in the center of the laundry piece10, preferably so as to be approximately level with half the length of the longitudinal periphery11of the laundry piece10that hangs from the clamp19.

Once the laundry piece10has been gripped by the clamp19and is freely suspended below the latter, the laundry piece10still forms creases. In this instance, the longitudinal periphery11below the clamp19is not yet, or not yet sufficiently, configured below the clamp19. In order for this to be brought about, a reorientation of the laundry piece10that is held in the clamp19and hangs from the latter by way of the first corner18takes place. This reorientation takes place by way of the holding means37that is displaceable on the obliquely directed rail34, initially using the suction head38and subsequently the gripper39.

As long as the laundry piece10still hangs freely from the clamp19, a crease is formed on the longitudinal periphery11opposite the longitudinal periphery11that emanates from the clamp19, or the outer longitudinal periphery11that points away from the clamp19is folded over. On account thereof, the laundry piece10here has two tiers. On account of this two-tier characteristic, the reorientation of the laundry piece10for freely configuring the longitudinal periphery11of the laundry piece10that emanates from the clamp19and hangs therefrom is at least significantly impeded but is rendered impossible in most cases. The holding means therefore, in addition to the gripper39, also possesses the suction head38.

In order for the reorientation of the laundry piece10to be prepared, the holding means37is moved obliquely downward along the oblique rail34until the suction head38is moved close to the laundry piece10. The suction head38then acquires the laundry piece10at a location42. This herein can be an arbitrary location42. In particular, the location42does not have to be situated at any corner of the laundry piece10. The suction head38generates only such a vacuum, or is correspondingly configured, such that said suction head38suctions and fixes only one tier51of the laundry piece30but not the adjacent second, or optionally further, tier in the region of a crease or the like of the laundry piece10.

The single, or preferably outer, tier51of the laundry piece10that is held by the suction head38by way of a vacuum is entrained by subsequently displacing the holding means37with the suction head38and the gripper39in the opposite direction, i.e. obliquely upward along the oblique rail34, and a first reorientation of the laundry piece10is performed here, in particular at least one crease of the laundry piece10being at least partially eliminated. A tier51of the laundry piece10is thereafter gripped by the gripper39, and the suction head38is subsequently deactivated, i.e. the supply of suction air thereto being blocked. The laundry piece10is now still held in a clamping manner by the gripper39only at the location42previously suctioned by the suction head38, preferably a location43adjacent to said location42. Since the clamping force of the gripper39is greater than the suction force of the suction head38, the laundry piece10is further reoriented and preferably pulled apart here by further displacing the holding means37with the gripper39in an obliquely upward-directed manner along the oblique rail34, until the longitudinal periphery11of the laundry piece10is configured below the clamp19that holds the first corner18of the laundry piece10such that said longitudinal periphery11at least largely, preferably completely, hangs from the clamp19vertically and parallel or in front of the vertical rail33. This profile is ideally rectilinear but, in particular in the case of laundry pieces10composed of a stiff woven fabric, will have a slightly serpentine profile. The longitudinal periphery11, emanating from the clamp19, in the center runs in rectilinear, vertical manner and so as to be parallel to the longitudinal edge31of the wall29.

The locations42and43, respectively, where first the suction head38and then the gripper39of the holding means37grip the laundry piece10are situated so as to be remote from the first corner18. It is preferably provided that the holding means37and thus the suction head38and the gripper39acquire the laundry piece10at locations42and43, respectively, in the proximity of a second corner52, this being an adjacent second corner52of the upper transverse periphery12of the laundry piece10that is opposite the first corner18. It is however not necessary here that the locations42and43, respectively, where first the suction head38and then the gripper39fix the laundry piece10for reorientation, grip exactly at the second corner52; rather, it is sufficient for the suction head38and the gripper39to acquire the laundry piece10in the proximity of the second corner52so as to be able to reorient said laundry piece10in the manner described above.

The camera44directed onto the laundry piece10in front of the wall29supplies images which can serve for controlling the displacement path of the clamp19and of the holding means37. The images, or image data, respectively, from the camera45can alternatively or additionally however also serve for controlling the opening and closing of the clamp19and/or of the suction head38and of the gripper39of the holding means37. On account thereof, it can in particular be controlled when the gripper39grips the location43of the laundry piece10and when the suction head38releases the location42of the laundry piece10acquired by said suction head38.

It is conceivable for the suction head38and the gripper39of the holding means37to be controlled by means of image data that is recorded by a separate camera in the proximity of the holding means37or even in the traveler40of the holding means37.

The images of the laundry piece10, in particular image data of the images, recorded by the at least one camera44directed onto the laundry piece10and the wall29are preferably also used for establishing whether the periphery of the laundry piece10that hangs from the clamp19is a longitudinal periphery11(as assumed in the description above and hereunder) or a transverse periphery12. The length dimensions of the longitudinal periphery11and of the transverse periphery12do not have to be exactly determined in order for said longitudinal periphery11and said transverse periphery12to be determined. It suffices for a qualitative measurement which enables a differentiation between the longitudinal periphery11and the transverse periphery12to be performed, or which enables it to be established whether both peripheries are of equal length in the case of square laundry pieces10, respectively. It is conceivable herein for the front side30of the wall29to be provided with a grid, in particular a chequerboard grid, on account of which the length dimensions of the longitudinal periphery11and of the transverse periphery12can be determined, and the size of the respective laundry piece10can optionally also be determined therefrom by calculation.

The robot50or a comparable handling installation for moving the clamp45is also controlled by means of the images recorded by the camera44and/or the image data thereof, at least for gripping the inward, preferably centric, portion46of the longitudinal periphery11that hangs from the clamp19. The opening and closing of the clamp45is able to be likewise controlled. The control unit of the robot50and of the clamp45is supplied with the images or image data, respectively, recorded by the camera44. The robot50then moves the clamp45to the inward or centric, respectively, portion46of the vertically hanging longitudinal periphery11of the laundry piece10. After the portion46has subsequently been gripped by the clamp45, in particular the spaced-part individual clamps49thereof, the first corner18is released by opening the clamp19, and the opposite second corner52is likewise preferably released from the gripper39of the holding means37. The laundry piece10thereafter hangs from the clamp45that is configured as a double clamp or a wide clamp, wherein the central portion46of the longitudinal periphery11is held stretched between the individual clamps49of the clamp45or a wide clamp.

The clamp45having the laundry piece10hanging therefrom is subsequently transferred by the robot50or any other handling installation to the conveyor21ahead of the infeed machine24.

Because the clamp45in the exemplary embodiment shown holds a central, in particular centric, portion46of the longitudinal periphery11of the laundry piece10, the laundry piece10in the case of the feeding of the laundry piece10having a transverse periphery12running transversely to the transporting direction20assumed here is pulled across the depositing region25of the conveyor21transversely to the transporting direction20, specifically onto the upper lead of the lower front belt conveyor28of said conveyor21, said upper lead being exposed here. For this purpose, the clamp45is configured so wide that the portion46held by said clamp45is somewhat larger than the width of the belt conveyor28in the depositing region25.

If the clamp45has gripped an inward portion of a transverse periphery12of the laundry piece10, the robot50would move the clamp45such that the laundry piece10is pulled onto the depositing region25of the conveyor21in the transporting direction20, wherein the clamp45having the portion46of the transverse periphery12of the laundry piece10that is held by said clamp45moves in the transporting direction20so as to be centric above the depositing region25.

The procedure is converse to the one described above when the laundry piece10is to be fed to the infeed machine24by way of a longitudinal periphery11that runs transversely to the transporting direction20. In this instance, the laundry piece10in the case of the longitudinal periphery11being gripped by the clamp45is pulled onto the depositing region25in the transporting direction20, and the laundry piece10in the case of the transverse periphery12being gripped by the clamp45is pulled across the depositing region25transversely to the transporting direction20.

On account of the laundry piece10being pulled onto and across the depositing region25of the conveyor21in the manner described above, the laundry piece10, by virtue of the relatively narrow belt conveyors28used for forming the conveyor21, in the depositing region25hangs over the front lower belt conveyor28in an upside-down U-shaped configuration. At least the inner, preferably central, portion46of the laundry piece10that was originally held by the clamp19here extends across the depositing region25of the loading conveyor27, whereas peripheral portions of the laundry piece10that adjoin the portion46on both sides hang on both sides from the depositing region25of the conveyor21.

Once the respective laundry piece10has been pulled onto the depositing region25of the conveyor21in the manner described above, the laundry piece10by the conveyor21, in particular by the belt conveyors28thereof, is transported in the transporting direction22to the infeed machine24, and herein is preferably stretched in the transporting direction20such that the laundry piece10which, at least when viewed in the transporting direction20, is free of creases or at least almost free of creases, is able to be transferred from the conveyor21to the respective loading conveyor27of the infeed machine24, specifically in the configuration that now is stretched but still of an upside-down U-shape.

Alternatively, it is conceivable for the laundry piece10or another textile item to be transferred by the clamp19directly to a treatment machine, for example to the infeed machine24. This can take place by pulling the respective textile item onto a loading conveyor27of the infeed machine24by means of the clamp19.

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