US 11,680,365 B2
Autonomous laundry folding devices, systems, and methods of use
Stuart E. Schechter, Newton, MA (US); Benjamin D. Bixby, Newton, MA (US); Kevin M. LeBlanc, Medford, MA (US); Wilson J. Mefford, Watertown, MA (US); Elliot Sinclair Pennington, Lexington, MA (US); Laura E. Schwartz, Newtonville, MA (US); Jesse Sielaff, Norfolk, MA (US); Madeline R. Hickman, Arlington, MA (US); Carter J. Ithier, Hooksett, NH (US); and Samuel Duffley, Cambridge, MA (US)
Assigned to MONOTONY.AI, INC., Allston, MA (US)
Filed by Monotony.ai, Inc., Allston, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/929,840.
Application 17/929,840 is a continuation of application No. 17/364,533, filed on Jun. 30, 2021, granted, now 11,486,084.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/168,540, filed on Mar. 31, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/168,555, filed on Mar. 31, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/106,891, filed on Oct. 29, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/046,697, filed on Jul. 1, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0411991 A1, Dec. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. D06F 89/02 (2006.01)
CPC D06F 89/023 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for autonomously folding a deformable article, comprising:
a rotatable platform having a surface configured to receive the deformable article at any location on the surface;
a table drive configured to engage the rotatable platform and rotate the platform about a central axis; and
a rotatable blade suspended above the surface in operable communication with at least one X-axis drive configured to slidably move the rotatable blade parallel to the surface, at least one Z-axis drive configured to raise and lower the at least one rotatable blade from the surface of the rotatable platform, and at least one rotational drive being configured to rotate the rotatable blade about a longitudinal axis, the at least one X-axis drive, the at least one Z-axis drive, and the at least one rotational drive being configured to
raise and lower the rotatable blade from the surface of the rotatable platform,
slidably move the rotatable blade parallel to the surface, and
manipulate an unclamped portion of the deformable article to thereby fold the deformable article; and
at least one clamp rod disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable blade and being configured to raise and lower from a surface of the rotatable platform and slidably move parallel to the surface, the at least one clamp rod being in operable communication with at least one clamp drive and being configured to clamp the deformable article to the surface in a lowered position.