Width-folding system and method for folding an article of clothing

Abstract

An active width folder system (10) configured for article folding within compact article folding machines and includes a holding member (12) with two opposite holding edges (20) which extend in an article motion direction, a conveyor (16) configured for conveying articles in the motion direction and a pair of actuated folding members (14), each configured for lifting and folding at least a portion of the article. Wherein, each folding member has a retractable lifting surface (24) which has a variable length at least in the width direction which is perpendicular to the motion direction.

1 . An active width folder system ( 10 ) configured for article folding within compact article folding machines and comprising:
 a holding member ( 12 ) comprising two opposite holding edges ( 20 ) extending in an article motion direction (MD);   a conveyor ( 16 ) aligned and configured for conveying articles in the motion direction (MD) and located underneath the holding member ( 12 ) in a vertical direction (VD) perpendicular to the motion direction (MD); and   a pair of opposite actuated folding members ( 14 ), each configured for lifting and folding at least a portion of the article across a respective holding edge ( 20 ) in a width direction (WD) perpendicular to the motion direction (MD) and the vertical direction (VD),   wherein,   each folding member ( 14 ) comprises a retractable lifting surface ( 24 ) which has a variable length, which is configured to handle various article sizes.   
     
     
         2 . The width folder ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein each folding member ( 14 ) is retractable and changes its length only in the width direction (WD). 
     
     
         3 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The width folder ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein each lifting surface ( 24 ) is parallel, or generally parallel, to the motion direction (MD) and the width direction (WD). 
     
     
         6 . The width folder ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the holding member ( 12 ) is configured to adjust a holding width (HW) between the holding edges ( 20 ) in the width direction (WD) to accommodate different article widths and define different fold widths. 
     
     
         7 . The width folder ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the holding member ( 12 ) comprises two ski-shaped holding sub-members, each of which comprises a holding edge ( 20 ) located on opposite sides thereof, each holding edge ( 20 ) configured to define a fold line in the article when it is lifted and folded thereacross. 
     
     
         8 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A passive width folder ( 100 ) configured for article folding and comprising three members stacked in a vertical direction (VD):
 a first male member ( 38 ) comprising two opposite first folding edges ( 44 ) extending along a motion direction (MD) perpendicular to the vertical direction (VD); a female member ( 36 ) located beneath the first male member ( 38 ) and comprising two opposite second folding edges ( 46 ) converging in the motion direction (MD); in a bottom view of the with folder parallel to the vertical direction (VD), each second folding edge ( 46 ) intersects a respective first folding edge ( 44 ) at a first intersection location along the motion direction (MD); and   a second male member ( 40 ) located opposite the first male member ( 38 ) beneath the female member ( 36 ) and comprising two opposite third folding edges diverging along the motion direction (MD); in the bottom view, each third folding edge intersects a respective adjacent second folding edge ( 46 ) at a second intersection location along the motion direction (MD),   wherein   in the bottom view, the second intersection locations are located further along the motion direction (MD) than the first intersection locations.   
     
     
         13 . The width folder ( 100 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein the width folder ( 100 ) further comprises a pulling mechanism which is configured to pull an article throughout the width folder ( 100 ) in the motion direction (MD). 
     
     
         14 . The width folder ( 100 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein each of the first and second male members ( 38 ,  40 ) comprise respectively adjustable first and second male extensions ( 39 ,  50 ) and the female member ( 36 ) comprises adjustable female extensions ( 42 ), all of which are configured to allow width adjustment of the width folder ( 100 ) in the width direction (WD) to adapt to different article widths. 
     
     
         15 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The width folder ( 100 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein the width folder ( 100 ) is configured to perform two consecutive pairs of width folds in the article as it is conveyed in the motion direction (MD)—a first pair of width folds between the first male member ( 38 ) and the female member ( 36 ), and the second pair of width folds between the female member ( 36 ) and the second male member ( 40 ). 
     
     
         18 . The width folder ( 100 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein a first pair of width folds is defined at the first intersection location and a second pair of width folds is defined at the second intersection location. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The width folder ( 100 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein in the bottom view of the width folder ( 100 ), a tangent to each second folding edge ( 46 ) forms an acute second angle (a 2 ) with the motion direction (MD), and wherein the second angle (a 2 ) ranges between 20 and 45 degrees. 
     
     
         21 . The width folder ( 100 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein in the bottom view of the width folder ( 100 ), a tangent to each third folding edge ( 48 ) forms an acute third angle (a 3 ) with the motion direction (MD). 
     
     
         22 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . An active width folder system ( 10 ) configured for article folding within compact article folding machines and comprising:
 a folding member ( 14 );   a holding member ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) comprising two opposite holding edges ( 20 ) extending in an article motion direction (MD);   a conveyor ( 16 ) aligned and configured for conveying articles in the motion direction (MD) and located underneath the holding member ( 12 ) in a vertical direction (VD) perpendicular to the motion direction (MD);   wherein each holding member ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) comprises:   a single or two holding panels ( 18 ,  118 ,  218 ,  318 ,  418 );   a width adjustment mechanism; and   for each holding panel ( 18 ,  118 ,  218 ,  318 ,  418 ), the holding member ( 12 ,  112 ,  212 ,  312 ,  412 ) has a support assembly ( 22 ,  122 ,  222 ,  322 ,  422 ) configured to support and suspend the holding panel at one end thereof, and ensure article passage thereunder while counteracting folding forces exerted in a width direction (WD) which is perpendicular to the vertical direction (VD) and motion direction (MD).   
     
     
         27 . The width folder system ( 10 ) according to  claim 26 , wherein each holding member ( 212 ) has a receiving plate ( 221 ) which is located at a rear portion of the holding member ( 212 ), extends in the width direction WD and oriented transversely with respect to the conveyor ( 16 ); the receiving plate ( 221 ) is configured to lead the article in between the holding member ( 212 ) and the conveyor ( 16 ). 
     
     
         28 . The width folder system ( 10 ) according to  claim 26 , wherein each holding panel ( 418 ) has a sliding member ( 423 ) rigidly fixed between the holding panel ( 418 ) and the conveyor ( 16 ). 
     
     
         29 . The width folder system ( 10 ) according to  claim 26 , wherein each support assembly ( 22 ,  322 ) has parallelogrammatic hinge arrangement configured for ensuring one degree of freedom of movement and wherein each holding panel ( 18 ,  318 ) remains parallel to the conveyor ( 16 ) after the fabric was conveyed therebetween. 
     
     
         30 . The width folder system ( 10 ) according to  claim 26 , wherein each support assembly ( 22 ,  122 ,  222 ,  422 ) has a double-hinged arrangement which allows at least two degrees of freedom of movement for each holding panel ( 18 ,  118 ,  218 ,  418 ).