Clothing folding machine

Abstract

A garment folding apparatus according to the present invention includes a folding mechanism including a width direction folding section and a length direction folding section for folding a garment hung on a hanger in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction into a predetermined size. The width direction folding section includes a pair of clamps for picking two horizontal-direction ends of the garment hung on the hanger, and a pair of folding width determination sections. The clamps pivot while picking the garment so as to wrap the garment around the folding width determination sections and fold the garment along the folding width determination sections.

1 . A garment folding apparatus, comprising a folding mechanism for folding a garment hung on a hanger in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction into a predetermined size. 
     
     
         2 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 1 , which moves a plurality of hangers each suspended from a hanging pole and having the garment hung thereon to a predetermined position sequentially, and folds the garment hung on each hanger by the folding mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the folding mechanism includes a width direction folding section and a length direction folding section. 
     
     
         4 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the width direction folding section includes a pair of clamps for picking two horizontal-direction ends of the garment hung on the hanger, and a pair of folding width determination sections; and   the clamps pivot while picking the garment so as to wrap the garment around the folding width determination sections and fold the garment along the folding width determination sections.   
     
     
         5 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the pair of folding width determination sections each include an edge extending in the vertical direction for defining a position along which the garment is to be folded; and   the pair of clamps each rotate around a vertical axis passing in the vicinity of the edge of the corresponding folding width determination section as the rotation center.   
     
     
         6 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein when the pair of clamps rotate while picking the two ends of the garment, the pair of clamps each move to a position which is above a pre-rotation position thereof by 1 cm or more. 
     
     
         7 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the pair of clamps hold the garment hung on the hanger at positions at which the clamps do not interfere with the hanger. 
     
     
         8 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a hanger folding section for instructing the hanger to be folded such that the garment can be pulled out from the hanger. 
     
     
         9 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the width direction folding section further includes a garment holder for holding the garment inside the pair of folding width determination sections. 
     
     
         10 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the garment holder holds the garment so as not to interfere with the hanger when the hanger is folded. 
     
     
         11 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the length direction folding section includes a folding length determination section having a horizontal rod contactable with the garment, and a folding-up section for folding a bottom part of the garment upward at a position of the folding length determination section. 
     
     
         12 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the folding-up section approaches the garment from the opposite direction to the folding length determination section, passes below the folding length determination section, and then moves upward. 
     
     
         13 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the folding-up section has a rotatable roller at a tip thereof, and an outer circumferential surface of the roller contacts the garment. 
     
     
         14 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the width direction folding section includes a central holding section for holding a central part of the garment hung on the hanger, and a pair of outer holding sections for holding two horizontal-direction outer parts of the garment which are outer to the central part; and   in the state where the central holding section and the outer holding sections hold the garment, the outer holding sections are bent toward the central holding section, and thus the garment is folded in the horizontal direction.   
     
     
         15 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the central holding section includes a central supporting body having a recess and a projection on a surface facing the garment, and a central press for pressing the garment to a bottom of the recess;   the outer holding sections each include an outer supporting body having a recess and a projection on a surface facing the garment, and an outer press for pressing the garment to a bottom of the recess; and   in the state where the outer holding sections are bent toward the central holding section, the projection of each of the outer holding sections and the projection of the central holding section hold the garment therebetween.   
     
     
         16 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the recess of the central holding section and the recess of each of the outer holding sections have a groove-like shape extending in the vertical direction, and the central press and the outer presses each have a comb teeth-like shape extending in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         17 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the central holding section and the outer holding sections each have a plane contactable with the garment and a plurality of air suction holes provided in the plane. 
     
     
         18 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the length direction folding section includes a folding length determination section including a bottom end of the central holding section or the outer holding sections, and a folding-up section for folding a bottom part of the garment upward at a position of the folding length determination section. 
     
     
         19 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a stocker for storing the garment; and   a transfer section for transferring the folded garment to the stocker.   
     
     
         20 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the transfer section includes a supporting surface for keeping the folded garment in a generally vertical state, and inclines the supporting surface to move the garment on and along the supporting surface and thus to drop the garment into the stocker. 
     
     
         21 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein
 the transfer section pulls out the supporting surface from below the garment in the state where a part of the inclined supporting surface in the vicinity of a tip thereof contacts a vertical wall of the stocker, and thus drops the garment into the stocker.   
     
     
         22 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the transfer section moves to above the stocker in the state where the supporting surface is horizontal, takes away the supporting surface from below the garment, and thus drops the garment into the stocker while being kept horizontal. 
     
     
         23 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the transfer section sequentially drops a plurality of garments vertically and stores the garments as standing vertically and being arranged in a line in the stocker. 
     
     
         24 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a sensor for detecting a drying state of the garment hung on the hanger suspended from the hanging pole, wherein the folding mechanism operates based on a result of the detection of the sensor. 
     
     
         25 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a first sensor for detecting a drying state of the garment hung on the hanger suspended from the handing pole; and   a communication section for transmitting a detection state of the sensor to an external communication device and receiving an instruction to fold the garment from the external communication device.   
     
     
         26 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 19 , comprising:
 a hanger moving section for moving the hanger along the hanging pole;   a roof for covering the hanging pole; and   a second sensor for detecting an amount of rainfall;   wherein the hanger moving section moves the hanger to below the roof based on a result of the detection of the second sensor.   
     
     
         27 . The garment folding apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the folding mechanism further includes a vapor generation section for generating water vapor, wherein water vapor generated by the vapor generation section is sprayed toward the garment immediately before an operation of folding the garment. 
     
     
         28 . A hanger, comprising:
 a suspension section suspendable from a hanging pole;   a pair of arms for supporting a garment; and   a state switching section for transferring the arms from a horizontally opened state into a folded state;   wherein at least a part of the state switching section is exposed outside in the state where the garment is hung on the hanger.   
     
     
         29 . The hanger of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the pair of arms each include supporting sections for contacting and supporting the garment in the state where the arms are horizontally opened and a connecting section for connecting the supporting sections, the connecting section being located below the supporting sections; and   the pair of arms are hung downward from the suspension section in the state of being folded.   
     
     
         30 . The hanger of  claim 29 , wherein the pair of arms each include a supporting section provided at a tip thereof and a connecting section adjacent to the tip. 
     
     
         31 . The hanger of  claim 28 , wherein the pair of arms each include:
 a vertical section having an edge extending in a vertical direction; and   a tip section rotatably supported by the vertical section so as to be in a horizontally extended state and a vertically hung state.   
     
     
         32 . The hanger of  claim 31 , wherein where the tip section is hung, the edge of the vertical section defines a folding position in a width direction of the garment hung on the hanger. 
     
     
         33 . The hanger of  claim 28 , wherein at least a part of the pair of arms has an extendable/contractable link structure, and the link structure is driven by moving the part of the arms and thus the arms are entirely contracted toward a center thereof.