US 12,304,740 B2
Method and apparatuses for feeding items of laundry to a laundry machine, such as in particular a mangle
Wilhelm Bringewatt, Porta Westfalica (DE); and Engelbert Heinz, Vlotho (DE)
Assigned to Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH, Vlotho (DE)
Filed by Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH, Vlotho (DE)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/689,074.
Claims priority of application No. 102021105998.4 (DE), filed on Mar. 11, 2021; and application No. 102021118894.6 (DE), filed on Jul. 21, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0289488 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. B65G 17/20 (2006.01); B65G 17/32 (2006.01); B65G 43/08 (2006.01); D06F 45/16 (2006.01); D06F 95/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 17/20 (2013.01) [B65G 17/323 (2013.01); B65G 43/08 (2013.01); D06F 45/16 (2013.01); D06F 95/00 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0225 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0283 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for feeding items of laundry (10) to a laundry machine, with opposite corners (17) of a front edge (18), running transversely with respect to the feeding direction (11), of a respective item of laundry (10) being suspended in two loading clamps (15; 27, 28, 29) from which the item of laundry (10) is transferred to spreading clamps, which are movable transversely with respect to the feeding direction (11), of a spreading device or is taken over by the spreading clamps, the spreading clamps are moved apart in order to spread out the item of laundry (10) by stretching the front edge (18) of same, and the spread-out item of laundry (10) is deposited by the spreading clamps on a depositing strip or on a feed conveyor (12) which transports the spread-out item of laundry (10) to another laundry machine, wherein the two loading clamps (15; 27, 28, 29) holding the opposite corners (17) of the respective item of laundry (10) are at such a large or relatively large distance (A) from one another or can be brought to such a distance (A) from one another that, when the item of laundry (10) is hanging down from the two loading clamps (15; 27, 28, 29), a V-like sag (22) of the front edge (18) forms, an at least approximately lowest point (25) of the V-like sag (22) is contactlessly determined and the length of the sagging front edge (18) of the item of laundry (10) is derived therefrom, wherein at the distance (A) between the loading clamps (15) that exists when the sag (22) is measured, the item of laundry is transferred to the spreading clamps or is taken over by the spreading clamps from the loading clamps (15; 27, 28, 29).