Automated Bulk Laundry Systems and Methods

Abstract

Automated laundry systems are provided for laundering laundry articles in bulk. A user places their laundry articles into a receptacle, initiates a laundry cycle, and the receptacle is thereafter transported to at least one laundry device for the laundry articles to be washed and dried, and then transported to be prepared for retrieval, which may include sorting or folding the laundry articles. After initiating the laundry cycle, the user's presence is no longer required. A notification is sent to an user's device that their laundry articles are ready to be retrieved. Once the user indicates that they are ready to retrieve their laundry articles, such as via an app on their mobile device, the laundry articles may be transported to an area accessible by the user.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a receptacle configured to receive and contain laundry articles, the receptacle including a sidewall having a plurality of openings;   a laundry device comprising a chamber, the laundry device configured to perform, when laundry articles are contained in the receptacle and the receptacle is positioned in the chamber, a first operation that washes the laundry articles contained in the receptacle and a second operation that dries the laundry articles contained in the receptacle; and   at least one conveyor configured to move the receptacle from a first position to a second position that is within the chamber, and from the second position to a third position.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to perform operations including:
 receiving a first indication that is indicative of an initiation of a laundry cycle;   controlling, based on the first indication, the at least one conveyor to move the receptacle from the first position to the second position;   controlling the laundry device, with the receptacle in the second position, to perform the first operation; controlling the laundry device, with the receptacle in the second position, to perform the second operation subsequent to the first operation; and   controlling, subsequent to completion of the second operation, the at least one conveyor to move the receptacle from the second position to the third position.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising an input device, wherein the first indication is received from the input device. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the operations further include transmitting a second indication that is indicative of a completion of the laundry cycle. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first operation includes draining the chamber of liquid used to wash the laundry articles. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry device is configured to agitate the laundry articles contained in the receptacle during each of the first operation and the second operation. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a robotic device configured to, with the receptacle in the third position, fold the laundry articles contained in the receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one motor configured to, with the receptacle in the third position, drive at least one agitator to agitate the laundry articles in the receptacle. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second laundry device, wherein the second laundry device includes a second chamber, and wherein the at least one conveyor is configured to move the receptable from the first position to the second position or to a fourth position within the second chamber. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 receiving a first signal indicative of an initiation of a laundry cycle;   controlling, based on the first signal, at least one conveyor to move a receptacle containing laundry articles from a first position to a second position that is within a chamber of a laundry device, wherein the receptacle includes a sidewall having a plurality of openings;   controlling the laundry device, with the receptacle in the second position, to perform a first operation that washes the laundry articles contained in the receptacle;   controlling the laundry device, subsequent to completion of the first operation and with the receptacle in the second position, to perform a second operation that dries the laundry articles contained in the receptacle; and   controlling, subsequent to completion of the second operation, the at least one conveyor to move the receptacle from the second position to a third position.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising transmitting, subsequent to the receptacle being moved to the third position, a second indication that is indicative of a completion of the laundry cycle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein controlling the laundry device to perform the first operation includes controlling the laundry device to agitate the laundry articles contained in the receptacle. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the laundry device is a first laundry device of a plurality of laundry devices and the receptacle is a first receptacle of a plurality of receptacles, the method further comprising:
 receiving a second indication that is indicative of an initiation of a second laundry cycle; and   controlling, based on the second indication and while the first laundry device is performing the first operation or the second operation, the at least one conveyor to move a second receptacle of the plurality of receptacles from the first position to a fourth position that is within a second chamber of a second laundry device of the plurality of laundry devices, wherein the second receptacle contains second laundry articles.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 controlling, with the receptacle in the third position, a robotic device to fold the laundry articles contained in the receptacle; and   controlling the conveyer system to move the laundry articles that are folded from the third position to a fourth position.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving a second indication that is indicative of a user being ready to retrieve the laundry articles; and   controlling, based on the second indication, the at least one conveyor to move the laundry articles from the third position to a fourth position.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the laundry articles are contained within the receptacle when moved from the third position to the fourth position. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 a first receptacle;   a second receptacle, wherein each of the first receptacle and the second receptacle includes a sidewall having a plurality of openings and is configured to receive and contain laundry articles;   a first laundry device comprising a first chamber and configured to perform, when laundry articles are contained in the first or second receptacle and the first or second receptacle is positioned in the first chamber, a first operation that washes the laundry articles contained in the first or second receptacle;   a second laundry device comprising a second chamber and configured to perform, when laundry articles are contained in the first or second receptacle and the first or second receptacle is positioned in the second chamber, the first operation that washes the laundry articles contained in the first or second receptacle;   at least one conveyor configured to move the first receptacle or the second receptacle; and   a controller configured to perform operations including:
 receiving a first signal indicative of an initiation of a first laundry cycle; 
 controlling, based on the first indication, the at least one conveyor to move the first receptacle from a first position to a second position that is within the first chamber of the first laundry device; 
 controlling the first laundry device, with the first receptacle in the second position, to perform the first operation, which includes controlling the first laundry device to agitate the first receptacle; 
 receiving, subsequent to an initiation of the first operation by the first laundry device, a second indication that is indicative of an initiation of a second laundry cycle; 
 controlling, based on the second indication, the at least one conveyor to move the second receptacle from the first position to a third position that is within the second chamber of the second laundry device; and 
 controlling, subsequent to completion of the first operation by the first laundry device, the at least one conveyor to move the first receptacle from the second position to a fourth position. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein each of the first and second laundry devices is further configured to perform a second operation that dries the laundry articles contained in the first or second receptacle, and wherein the operations further include controlling the first laundry device, with the first receptacle in the second position, to perform the second operation subsequent to completion of the first operation. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further include controlling the second laundry device, with the second receptacle in the third position, to perform the first operation at the same time as controlling the first laundry device to perform the first operation or the second operation. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further include:
 transmitting a third indication that is indicative of a completion of the first laundry cycle;   receiving a fourth indication that is indicative of a user being ready to retrieve laundry articles contained in the first receptacle; and   controlling, based on the fourth indication, the at least one conveyor to move the laundry articles contained in the first receptacle from the fourth position to a fifth position.