Hanger and clothes folding machine

Abstract

A hanger according to the present invention is a hanger for hanging a garment thereon, including: a main body section; a suspension section at which the hanger is suspended, the suspension section being connected to the main body section; and a pair of arm sections for supporting the garment in a suspended state from inside, the pair of arm sections being linked to the main body section, wherein, from a state of supporting the garment spread, the arm sections transform to fold at least a part of the garment.

1 . A hanger for hanging a garment thereon, comprising:
 a main body section;   a suspension section at which the hanger is suspended, the suspension section being connected to the main body section; and   a pair of arm sections for supporting the garment in a suspended state from inside, the pair of arm sections being linked to the main body section, wherein,   from a state of supporting the garment spread, the arm sections transform to fold at least a part of the garment.   
     
     
         2 . The hanger of  claim 1 , wherein the arm section automatically performs the transformation based on an external instruction. 
     
     
         3 . The hanger of  claim 2 , wherein,
 each of the pair of arm sections at least includes an arm butt linked to the main body section and an arm fore-end link to the arm butt; and   at a linking section between the arm butt and the arm fore-end, the arm section bends in a direction intersecting a vertical direction in which the hanger is suspended, thereby performing a first transformation of allowing the garment having been supported spread by the arm sections to be folded at the linking sections between the arm butts and the arm fore-ends.   
     
     
         4 . The hanger of  claim 3 , wherein the first transformation applies to the garment a pair of crease portions which are parallel to the vertical direction, such that the garment is divided into a garment central part spanning in between the pair of crease portions and a pair of garment side parts spanning from the pair of crease portions toward edges. 
     
     
         5 . The hanger of  claim 4 , wherein a projected region of the main body section on a plane which is perpendicular to the vertical direction fits within a projected region of an opening of the garment supported spread by the arm sections. 
     
     
         6 . The hanger of  claim 5 , wherein, after the first transformation, the pair of arm sections transform so that the projected region on the plane fits within the projected region of the opening of the garment. 
     
     
         7 . The hanger of  claim 6 , performing:
 a second transformation where, after the first transformation, the arm fore-ends rotate at the linking sections with the arm butts so as to be extended in the vertical direction;   a third transformation where the arm fore-ends move past the crease portions of the garment, and rotate at the linking sections with the arm butts so as to enter into the garment central part; and   a fourth transformation where the arm butts and the arm fore-ends move within the garment central part so that projected regions of the arm sections on the plane fit within the projected region of the opening of the garment.   
     
     
         8 . The hanger of  claim 7 , wherein the arm fore-ends and arm butts have an air outlet, and when the arm sections perform the second, third, and fourth transformations, friction with the garment is reduced with air which is blown through the air outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The hanger of  claim 8 , wherein length of the arm fore-end is shorter than a distance from an upper end of each crease portion to a lower end of a sleeve root of the garment after the first transformation. 
     
     
         10 . The hanger of  claim 9 , wherein,
 each arm section includes first and second link portions connected respectively to the arm butt and the arm fore-end so as to be capable of rotating; and   the first and second link portions are connected to each other so as to be capable of rotating.   
     
     
         11 . The hanger of  claim 10 , wherein,
 in the first transformation, the first link portions rotate relative to the arm butts and the arm fore-ends rotate relative to the second link portions, whereby each arm fore-ends is bent in a direction intersecting the vertical direction in which the hanger is suspended; and   in the second transformation, the second link portions rotate relative to the first link portions in such a manner that tips of the arm fore-ends do not intersect the lower ends of the sleeve roots of the garment, whereby the arm fore-ends rotate so as to be extended in the vertical direction.   
     
     
         12 . The hanger of  claim 11 , wherein, after the fourth transformation, a projected region of the main body and arm section on a plane which is perpendicular to the vertical direction fits within a circle having a diameter of 15 cm. 
     
     
         13 . A garment folding apparatus comprising:
 a hanger which while supporting a garment in a suspended state transforms to fold the garment in a horizontal direction;   a hanging pole for suspending the hanger; and   a folding mechanism for performing a folding operation for the garment in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction in cooperation with the transforming hanger.   
     
     
         14 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein,
 the folding mechanism includes:   a folding width determining portion for, in cooperating with the transforming hanger, determining a position of a crease portion along a vertical direction of the garment by abutting with the garment when the hanger folds the garment in the horizontal direction; and   a garment side part holder for holding an edge of the garment having been folded inside along the crease portion.   
     
     
         15 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein,
 the folding mechanism includes a folding section for folding in the vertical direction the suspended garment which is hung on the hanger;   the folding section includes a folding length determining portion having first and second edges extending along the horizontal direction and a lower end holder for holding a lower end of the garment; and   in a state where the lower end holder is holding the lower end of the garment, the folding section moves upward while wrapping around the first edge of the folding length determining portion to form a crease portion along the first edge, and furthermore moves the first edge upward while wrapping around the second edge to apply a crease portion along the second edge to the garment, thus folding the garment in the vertical direction.   
     
     
         16 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein, in an operation of folding the garment in the vertical direction, the lower end holder operates integrally with the second edge.