US 12,247,347 B2
Garment folding apparatus
Keunjoo Kim, Seoul (KR); and Jeongyun Kim, Seoul (KR)
Assigned to LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
Appl. No. 17/784,493
Filed by LG Electronics Inc., Seoul (KR)
PCT Filed Dec. 8, 2020, PCT No. PCT/KR2020/017811
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 10, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/118194, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 17, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2019-0164579 (KR), filed on Dec. 11, 2019; and application No. 10-2019-0164589 (KR), filed on Dec. 11, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0034688 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. D06F 89/02 (2006.01); B65G 15/22 (2006.01); D06F 89/00 (2006.01)
CPC D06F 89/02 (2013.01) [B65G 15/22 (2013.01); D06F 89/00 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0229 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A garment folding apparatus configured to fold a garment during a process of conveying the garment, the garment folding apparatus comprising:
a loading assembly configured to load the garment;
a folding assembly configured to fold the loaded garment while conveying the garment; and
an unloading assembly disposed below the folding assembly and configured to unload a completely folded garment,
wherein the folding assembly comprises:
an intermediate conveyor configured to convey the garment in a horizontal direction,
a rear conveyor spaced apart from the intermediate conveyor in the horizontal direction,
a front conveyor disposed to be spaced apart from the intermediate conveyor in the horizontal direction,
a first horizontal folding assembly including a first folding bar configured to be inserted into a first folding gap between the front conveyor and the intermediate conveyor, and
a second horizontal folding assembly including a second folding bar configured to be inserted into a second folding gap between the intermediate conveyor and the rear conveyor,
wherein at least one conveyance surface of the intermediate conveyor is inclined, and at least one conveyance surface of the rear conveyor is inclined and faces the at least one conveyance surface of the intermediate conveyor,
wherein the at least one conveyance surface of the intermediate conveyor maintains a predetermined distance from the at least one conveyance surface of the rear conveyor,
wherein the first folding gap has a predetermined interval to allow the garment to be withdrawn downward and folded, and
wherein the first folding bar and the second folding bar are configured to operate independently.