U.S. patent application number 11/015145 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-22 for continuous laundry cleaning appliance.
This patent application is currently assigned to Maytag Corporation. Invention is credited to Rafael E. Aguilera, Ralph F. Hake, Okan Ozaltin, Thomas J. Piersa, Timothy W.T. Qian, Robert P. Rebres, Timothy P. Schwartz.
Application Number | 20060130243 11/015145 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36593848 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060130243 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ozaltin; Okan ; et
al. |
June 22, 2006 |
Continuous laundry cleaning appliance
Abstract
A household laundry appliance is provided for washing and drying
individual pieces of laundry. The appliance includes a bin for
holding laundry, wash and dry stations, and a robotic feeder
mechanism to automatically convey laundry from the bin to the
processing stations. The wash stations include a spray station for
spraying the garments with a cleaning solution, and an ultrasonic
station for applying ultrasonic vibrations to the garments. Rinse
and extraction stations are provided upstream from the drying
station to rinse the garments and then extract water from the
garments. The garments are continuously transported through the
appliance by a series of mesh conveyor belts between which the
garments are sandwiched. The drying station includes fans for
blowing heated air past the clothing to drive moisture out of the
clothing. The temperature and velocity of the air may be adjusted
to accommodate different garment materials and dampness. A
controller interacts with sensors and actuators to control the
operation of the appliance.
Inventors: |
Ozaltin; Okan; (Pleasant
Hill, IA) ; Schwartz; Timothy P.; (Newton, IA)
; Qian; Timothy W.T.; (Des Moines, IA) ; Rebres;
Robert P.; (Pleasant Hill, IA) ; Aguilera; Rafael
E.; (Orlando, FL) ; Piersa; Thomas J.; (Fox
River Grove, IL) ; Hake; Ralph F.; (Newton,
IA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCKEE, VOORHEES & SEASE, P.L.C.;ATTN: MAYTAG
801 GRAND AVENUE, SUITE 3200
DES MOINES
IA
50309-2721
US
|
Assignee: |
Maytag Corporation
Newton
IA
|
Family ID: |
36593848 |
Appl. No.: |
11/015145 |
Filed: |
December 17, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
8/158 ; 68/19.1;
68/3R |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06F 19/00 20130101;
D06F 95/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
008/158 ;
068/003.00R; 068/019.1 |
International
Class: |
D06F 37/00 20060101
D06F037/00; D06F 29/00 20060101 D06F029/00 |
Claims
1. A laundry appliance for cleaning laundry, comprising: a bin for
holding laundry to be cleaned; an acquisition member adjacent the
bin to automatically obtain a single piece of laundry from the bin;
and a transport member adjacent the acquisition member to move the
single piece of laundry to a cleaning station.
2. The laundry appliance of claim 1 wherein the bin includes a top
opening through which garments pass to the acquisition member.
3. The laundry appliance of claim 1 wherein the bin includes a
bottom opening through which garments pass to the acquisition
member.
4. The laundry appliance of claim 1 wherein the bin includes a side
opening through which garments pass to the acquisition member.
5. The laundry appliance of claim 1 wherein the acquisition member
is a pair of nip rollers.
6. The laundry appliance of claim 1 wherein the acquisition member
is selected from a group consisting of a set of nip rollers, a
vacuum system, an adhesive surface, a hook surface, a statically
charged surface, a brush roller set, and a pinching mechanism.
7. The laundry appliance of claim 1 further comprising a separation
member adjacent the acquisition member to separate the single piece
of laundry from other laundry in the bin.
8. The laundry appliance of claim 1 wherein the separation member
is a reciprocating robotic arm movable between a laundry pick up
position and a laundry separating position.
9. The laundry appliance of claim 8 wherein the acquisition member
is mounted on the robotic arm.
10. The laundry appliance of claim 1 wherein the transport member
is a conveyor system.
11. The laundry appliance of claim 10 wherein the conveyor system
includes a pair of belts between which the one piece of laundry is
sandwiched.
12. The laundry appliance of claim 1 wherein the acquisition member
is a pair of nip rollers, the separation member is a robotic arm
having the nip rollers mounted thereon for movement between a first
position within the bin and a second position out of the bin, and
the transport member includes a conveyor system operatively mounted
within the robotic arm to receive the single piece of laundry from
the nip rollers.
13. The laundry appliance of claim 12 wherein the conveyor system
includes a pair of belts between which the single piece of laundry
is sandwiched.
14. A method of cleaning laundry, comprising: loading laundry into
a bin; acquiring an individual piece of laundry from the bin; and
transporting the separated piece of laundry to a cleaning
station.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the piece of laundry is acquired
from the top of the bin.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the piece of laundry is acquired
from the bottom of the bin.
17. The method of claim 14 wherein the piece of laundry is acquired
from the side of the bin.
18. The method of claim 14 wherein the acquisition step is
accomplished with a pair of nip rollers.
19. The method of claim 14 further comprising separating the
acquired piece of laundry from other laundry in the bin.
20. The method of claim 14 wherein the separating step is
accomplished with a reciprocating robotic arm movable between a
laundry pick up position and a laundry separation position.
21. The method of claim 14 wherein the transport step is
accomplished with a conveyor system.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein the conveyor system includes a
pair of belts, and the transport step includes sandwiching the
piece of laundry between the belts for transport.
23. The method of claim 14 wherein the acquisition step is
accomplished with a pair of nip rollers, the separation step as
accomplished with a reciprocating robotic arm having the nip
rollers mounted thereon for movement between a first position in
the bin and a second position out of the bin, and the transport
step is accomplished with a conveyor system operatively mounted
within the robotic arm to receive the piece of laundry from the nip
rollers.
24. The method of claim 23 further comprising sandwiching the piece
of laundry between a pair of belts in the conveyor system.
25. The method of claim 14 further comprising sensing the presence
of laundry in the bin.
26. The method of claim 14 further comprising sensing the presence
of a piece of laundry in the acquisition step.
27. The method of claim 14 further comprising sensing the presence
of a piece of laundry in the transport step.
28. The method of claim 14 wherein the automated feeder acquisition
is accomplished with sensors and embedded control with a real-time
clock and various software methods.
29. A laundry appliance, comprising: a bin for holding laundry to
be washed; a wash station for washing the laundry; and a feeder to
automatically convey laundry from the bin to the wash station.
30. The laundry appliance of claim 29 further comprising a drying
station to dry the laundry that has been washed.
31. The laundry appliance of claim 30 further comprising an
ultrasonic station upstream from the drying station for cleaning
the laundry.
32. The laundry appliance of claim 30 further comprising a rinse
station upstream of the drying station for rinsing laundry.
33. The laundry appliance of claim 30 further comprising an
extraction station upstream of the drying station to remove water
from the laundry.
34. The laundry appliance of claim 30 wherein the laundry moves
continuously through the wash and dryer stations.
35. The laundry appliance of claim 29 wherein the bin has a top
discharge of garments to the feeder.
36. The laundry appliance of claim 29 wherein the bin has a bottom
discharge of garments to the feeder.
37. The laundry appliance of claim 29 wherein the bin has a side
discharge of garments to the feeder.
38. The laundry appliance of claim 29 wherein the feeder includes a
robotic arm assembly movable to and from the bin to retrieve
laundry from the bin.
39. The laundry appliance of claim 38 wherein the arm assembly
includes means for acquiring individual pieces of laundry from the
bin.
40. The laundry appliance of claim 39 wherein arm assembly includes
nip rollers to acquiring individual pieces of laundry from the
bin.
41. The laundry appliance of claim 38 wherein the arm assembly
includes a conveyor system for transporting laundry from the bin to
the wash station.
42. The laundry appliance of claim 38 wherein the arm assembly
includes a sensor to detect the presence of laundry.
43. The laundry appliance of claim 29 further comprising sensors,
an embedded controller and hardware and software control logic and
algorithms that control the operation of various processing
stations inside the machine.
44. The laundry appliance of claim 29 further comprising a sensor
in the bin to detect garments in the bin and automatically actuate
the feeder.
45. A laundry bin for holding laundry to be processed; feed means
to automatically pick up a piece of laundry from the bin; a water
spray station adapted to receive a piece of laundry from the feed
means for cleaning the laundry; an ultrasonic station for cleaning
the laundry; a rinse station for rinsing the laundry; an extraction
station for removing water from the laundry; a drying station for
drying the laundry; and transport means for continuously
transporting the laundry one piece at a time through the water
spray, ultrasonic, rinse and drying stations.
46. The laundry appliance of claim 45 wherein the bin has a top
discharge to the feed means.
47. The laundry appliance of claim 45 wherein the feed means
reciprocates between a pick-up position within the bin and a
separation position outside the bin.
48. The laundry appliance of claim 45 wherein the transporting
means includes belt conveyors passing through each station.
49. The laundry appliance of claim 48 wherein the belt conveyors
include upper and lower tracks between which the laundry pieces are
sandwiched.
50. The laundry appliance of claim 49 wherein the tracks are mesh
to allow water and air to pass through.
51. The laundry appliance of claim 45 wherein the water spray
stations includes spray nozzles positioned on opposite sides of the
laundry.
52. The laundry appliance of claim 51 wherein the water spray
stations includes a pair of manifolds each supporting a plurality
of the spray nozzles on opposite sides of the laundry.
53. The laundry appliance of claim 45 wherein the transport means
moves the laundry along a path, and wherein the ultrasonic station
includes an ultrasonic head moving across the path of the moving
laundry.
54. The laundry appliance of claim 53 wherein the ultrasonic head
is supported on a screw for traversing the laundry path.
55. The laundry appliance of claim 54 wherein the screw has a
double helix to control movement of the head in opposite directions
across the laundry path.
56. The laundry appliance of claim 54 wherein the screw is
reversible, with limit switches to control movement of the head in
opposite directions across the laundry path.
57. The laundry appliance of claim 45 wherein the extraction
station includes wringer rollers.
58. The laundry appliance of claim 45 wherein the drying station
includes an air supply to blow air across the laundry.
59. The laundry appliance of claim 58 wherein the drying station
includes a heater to heat the air.
60. The laundry appliance of claim 58 wherein the drying station
includes internal walls to define a serpentine path of air
flow.
61. The laundry appliance of claim 58 wherein air turbulence is
created within the drying station.
62. A residential method of processing laundry, comprising: loading
laundry into a bin; automatically feeding individual pieces of
laundry from the bin into a water spray station; spraying water
onto the laundry in the spray station; exposing the laundry to
ultrasonic vibrations in an ultrasonic station; rinsing the laundry
in a rinse station; extracting water from the laundry in an
extraction station; drying the laundry in a drying station; and
continuously transporting the laundry pieces through the spray,
ultrasonic, rinse, extraction and drying stations.
63. The method of claim 62 wherein the transporting of the laundry
pieces is accomplished by belt conveyors passing through each
station.
64. The method of claim 63 further comprising sandwiching the
laundry between opposing tracks of the belt conveyors.
65. The method of claim 62 wherein the spraying of water is
directed to opposite sides of the laundry.
66. The method of claim 62 wherein the ultrasonic vibrations are
generated by an ultrasonic head traversing across the laundry as
the laundry moves through the ultrasonic station.
67. The method of claim 62 wherein the rinsing is directed to
opposite sides of the laundry.
68. The method of claim 62 further comprising recirculating drying
air in the drying station.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Home laundry systems generally include two separate
appliances, a washer and a dryer. The washer and dryer are batch
systems designed to wash and dry a single load of laundry at a
time.
[0002] Prior art exists which describes continuous laundry
appliances, which typically require manual feeding of the laundry,
such as sheets, into the appliance. The laundry passes through the
appliance on conveyors. However, such systems are not designed for
residential use, and do not automatically load the appliance with
laundry to be cleaned. Such commercial continuous laundry
appliances are large and not adaptable for use in the home. These
prior art machines also are not typically used for clothing or
garments.
[0003] Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is
the provision of a continuous laundry cleaning appliance for home
use.
[0004] Another objective of the present invention is the provision
of a residential continuous laundry processing appliance having
multiple processing stations, including a cleaning solution
spraying station, an ultrasonic cleaning station, a rinsing
station, an extraction station and a drying station, with transport
means for continuously transporting the laundry through the various
stations.
[0005] A further objective of the present invention is the
provision of a laundry cleaning appliance which continuously moves
individual pieces of clothing and garments through washing and
drying stations.
[0006] Another objective of the present invention is the provision
of a garment feeder for a continuous laundry cleaning appliance
which automatically moves individual pieces of laundry from a bin
into the appliance.
[0007] A further objective of the present invention is the
provision of a continuous laundry cleaning appliance including a
bin for holding the laundry to be cleaned, and a robotic arm to
acquire, separate, and transport individual pieces of laundry to a
cleaning station.
[0008] Another objective of the present invention is the provision
of a method of cleaning laundry in a continuous washing and drying
system.
[0009] Yet another objective of the present invention is the
provision of a method of cleaning laundry wherein individual pieces
of laundry are acquired from a bin, separated, and then transported
for cleaning and drying.
[0010] Still another objective of the present invention is the
provision of a laundry appliance having a bin for holding laundry
to be washed, a washing station, a drying station, and a garment
feeder to automatically convey laundry from the bin to the washing
station.
[0011] Another objective of the present invention is the provision
of a continuous laundry processing appliance having a washing
station which sprays cleaning solution on to the garments from
opposite sides.
[0012] A further objective of the present invention is the
provision of a continuous laundry processing appliance having an
ultrasonic cleaning section having an ultrasonic head which
traverses across the path of the moving laundry.
[0013] Still another objective of the present invention is the
provision of a continuous laundry processing appliance having
turbulent air moving across the laundry moving in a serpentine
path.
[0014] Another objective of the present invention is the provision
of a method of controlling a continuous laundry system, including
the automated garment feed and transfer mechanism.
[0015] A further objective of the present invention is the
provision of an improved continuous laundry cleaning appliance
which is economical to manufacture, and durable and efficient in
operation.
[0016] These and other objectives will become apparent from the
following description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The continuous laundry cleaning appliance of the present
invention includes a bin for holding laundry to be cleaned. A pair
of robotic arms automatically reciprocates between a lowered
position within the bin and a raised position out of the bin. The
robotic arms include a pair of nip rollers for picking up a single
piece of laundry from a pile of laundry in the bin. As the robotic
arms are moved from the lowered position to the raised upper
position, the garment picked up by the nip rollers is separated
from the other garments or laundry in the bin, and then transported
to a washing or cleaning station within the appliance. The washing
station may include one or more washing and rinse mechanisms. For
example, a first washing station may include a manifold with a
plurality of spray nozzles located on opposite sides of the garment
so as to direct a spray of cleaning solution or water onto the
garments or laundry. There may be a second cleaning station that
includes one or more ultrasonic heads which move across the path of
the garments in a traversing pattern. A rinsing station is also
provided. An extraction station is provided to mechanically extract
a majority of the water out of the clothes. A drying station is
provided in the appliance for drying the individual pieces of
laundry after each piece passes through the washing station or
stations. The appliance is provided with transportation means, such
as a pair of conveyor belts between which the garments are
sandwiched, for transporting the garments to each of the stations
for washing and drying.
[0018] In the continuous laundry method of the present invention,
the laundry is loaded into the bin. Individual pieces of laundry
are then automatically acquired from the bin and separated from
other laundry in the bin. The acquired and separated piece of
laundry is then automatically transported to the various processing
stations for washing and drying.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the continuous
cleaning appliance having a first embodiment of the garment feeder
of the present invention in the raised position and with the feeder
conveyor belts removed for clarity.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the appliance from the
opposite side as shown in FIG. 1, and with the feeder conveyor
belts removed for clarity.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the laundry bin and
garment feeder of the present invention in the raised position, and
with the conveyor belts removed for clarity.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the conveyor
belts of the garment feeder, with the arms removed for clarity.
[0023] FIG. 5 is a lower perspective view of the bin and feeder,
with the conveyor belts removed for clarity.
[0024] FIG. 6 is an upper perspective view of the bin and the
feeder in the raised position, with the conveyor belts removed for
clarity.
[0025] FIG. 7 is an upper perspective view of the bin with the
garment feeder in the lowered position for picking up a piece of
laundry from the bin, and with the conveyor belts removed for
clarity.
[0026] FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of one embodiment of the
appliance showing the various laundry processing stations and the
conveyor belt system for transporting the garments through the
appliance.
[0027] FIG. 8A is a side elevation view of the conveyor belt
assemblies for the cleaning appliance.
[0028] FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the spray wash station
showing the spray nozzles and conveyors.
[0029] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the spray wash station.
[0030] FIGS. 11-13 are top, front and end elevation views of the
spray nozzle manifold.
[0031] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the ultrasonic cleaning
station of the appliance from the downstream or outlet side.
[0032] FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 from the upstream or
inlet side.
[0033] FIG. 16 is a side elevation view of the ultrasonic
station.
[0034] FIG. 17 is a front elevation view of the ultrasonic
station.
[0035] FIG. 18 is an enlarged perspective view of the ultrasonic
horn and fluid container.
[0036] FIG. 19 is an enlarged side view of the ultrasonic horn and
fluid container.
[0037] FIG. 20 is a further enlarged view of the ultrasonic horn
tip taken long line 20-20 of FIG. 19.
[0038] FIG. 21 is a side elevation view of the ultrasonic horn and
spring loaded plate.
[0039] FIG. 22 is a partial perspective schematic view of the
ultrasonic horn and spring loaded plate.
[0040] FIG. 23 is a side elevation view of the drying station of
the appliance showing the conveyor belts for transporting the
garments through the dryer station.
[0041] FIG. 24 is a side elevation view of an alternative feeder
mechanism wherein the laundry is discharged out of the bottom of
the bin.
[0042] FIG. 25 is a side elevation sectional view showing a further
feeder mechanism wherein the clothing discharges laterally out of
the bin.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0043] The continuous laundry cleaning appliance of the present
invention is generally designated in the drawings by the reference
numeral 10. The appliance 10 includes a laundry bin 12 for holding
laundry. The appliance 10 also includes a feeder mechanism 14 which
is mounted for reciprocal movement between a raised position above
the bin 12, as seen in FIGS. 1-6 and 8, and a lowered position
within the bin, as shown in FIG. 7. The appliance 10 includes one
or more internal washing stations and a drying station which
terminates in an outlet 16 wherein the cleaned and dried garments
are discharged, as discussed in more detail below. A control module
18 with a user interface 20 allows the user to select the desired
operations of the appliance 10. The control module includes a
microprocessor and software for controlling operation of the
appliance 10.
[0044] The feeder mechanism 14 includes a robotic arm assembly 15
having opposite pairs of upper and lower arms 22, 24. As shown in
FIGS. 5-7, a plate 25 or other brace extends between the opposite
sides of the feeder mechanism 14 so as to interconnect the upper
arms 22 and lower arms 24. The plate 25 is structural so as to
provide rigidity to the arms 22, 24 and alignment of the belt
tracking roller and driving roller. The plate 25 includes enlarged
openings so as to minimize the weight of the plate. The arms 22, 24
are mounted on the appliance 10 for reciprocating movement by a
motor 26 via the gears 28 as shown in FIG. 3. A feeder head 30 is
provided at the upper ends of the arms 22, 24. A plurality of
rollers 32, see FIG. 4, are mounted on the arms 22, 24, the head
30, and on the appliance 10. Upper and lower conveyor belts 34, 36
are trained about the rollers 32 so as to define a track or path
between the belts 34, 36 through which garments pass when the belts
are actuated. A motor 35 (FIG. 7) drives both sets of rollers
32.
[0045] A pair of nip rollers 38 are mounted on the lower end of the
feeder head 30. The nip rollers 38 are driven by belts 34, 36 in
opposite directions so as to pick up a single piece of laundry from
within the bin 12 when the feeder mechanism 14 is in the lowered
position. The nip rollers 38 feed the acquired garment into the
track or channel between the upper and lower conveyor belts 34, 36
for transport to the washing station within the appliance 10. One
or more sensors 39 adjacent the nip rollers 38 sees the laundry
stack as the arm lowers and positions the rollers 38 so as to
enable a garment acquisition and feed into the conveyor belts 34,
36. The sensors 39, such as photo electric sensors, determine when
the rollers 38 have reached the laundry stack and when the nip
rollers have acquired a garment from the bin 12. Additional sensors
29 may be positioned in the bin 12 to sense the presence of laundry
in the bin. Preferably, sensors 29 are provided in the bottom of
the bin 12 and additional sensors 31 at opposite ends of the nip
rollers 38. Thus, the sensors 29, 31 sense the presence of laundry
in the bin 12 and as picked up by the nip rollers 38. The sensors
29 are operatively connected to the control module 18 so as to
automatically actuate the motor 26 for reciprocating the arms 22,
24 and the motor 35 for actuating the belts 34, 36 and the nip
rollers 38 when laundry is sensed in the bin. When no garments are
in the bin 12, the motors 26, 35 are automatically shut off.
[0046] Thus, the feeder mechanism 14 acquires individual pieces of
laundry from the bin 12 via the nip rollers 38 when the arms 22, 24
are lowered. The feeder mechanism separates the acquired piece of
laundry from other laundry in the bin 12 when the arms 22, 24 are
raised. The feeder mechanism also transports the acquired and
separated piece of laundry to the washing station 40 via the
conveyor belts 34, 36.
[0047] To use the appliance 10, an operator loads the laundry into
the bin 12. The sensor 29 in the bin senses the presence of laundry
in the bin 12, which actuates the motor 26 to lower the feeder
mechanism 14 from the raised position to the lowered position
within the bin 12. The sensor 29 also actuates the motor 35 for
driving the conveyor belts 34, 36 and nip rollers 38. When the
sensors 39 determine that the nip rollers 38 have reached and are
pressed against the garments in the bin, the motor 26 is stopped,
while belts 34 and 36 continue to be driven. When an article of
laundry is acquired by the nip rollers 38, as sensed by another
sensor adjacent the rollers 38, the motor 26 is reversed so as to
raise the feeder mechanism 14 out of the bin 12. As the feeder
mechanism 14 rises, the individual laundry piece acquired by the
nip rollers 38 is separated from the remaining laundry in the bin
12, and then transported through the conveyor belts 34, 36 to the
washing or cleaning station 40 within the appliance 10.
[0048] Additional sensors may be provided to detect the position of
the robotic arm assembly 15 that would enable the arm 15 to be
lowered to acquire the laundry without bumping into the bottom of
the bin 12, and to be raised to separate the clothing acquired from
the pile remaining in the bin 12.
[0049] A thickness sensor may also be provided for detecting the
thickness of the incoming garment and the possible jam situation at
the entrance.
[0050] In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present
invention, effective feeder and transportation control is enabled
through intelligent control logic and algorithm based on sensor
signals. The machine is started (and ended) with the robotic arm 15
at its default high position above the bin 12. After loading the
laundry into the bin 12 and selecting the preferred operation mode
and parameters from the user interface 20, the user is promoted to
select START to begin processing or EXIT to exit the process. If
"START" is selected, the embedded controller detects if the bin 12
is empty. If the bin 12 is not empty, then the robotic arm 15 is
lowered while tip sensor and the arm position sensor signals are
watched for stopping the robotic arm 15. In normal operation, the
tip sensor would detect the arm 15 reaching the top of the pile of
garments inside the bin 12 before hitting the bottom of the bin 12.
The arm 15 lowering motion is then stopped and the acquisition
mechanism tries to acquire the garment. When acquisition of a
garment is sensed or after a short period of time with no
acquisition being sensed, the arm 15 is raised to separate the
garment already acquired from the pile remaining in the bin 12. The
tip sensor checks if the garment is really acquired during the
process of raising the arm 15. If the garment is not detected at
the tip, then the arm 15 is lowered again with a bit more downward
travel after detecting the top of the garment pile to try again.
Several re-trials are allowed until a garment is successfully
acquired or an error is enunciated. Alternatively, the arm 15 may
be lowered slightly further without first raising the arm 15.
[0051] Once a garment is acquired and separated, it is transferred
to stations inside the continuous laundry machine by belts or other
transfer mechanisms, as discussed below. The tip sensor detects the
rear edge of the garment passing through it. The embedded
controller 18 then lowers the robotic arm 15 again to fetch the
next garment if the sensor in the bin indicates there are still
garments inside the bin 12. The above process is repeated until all
the garments inside the bin 12 are fed and transferred and no
garments are sensed in the bin 12. The embedded controller controls
the process with a real-time clock and the state machine that
defines the states of the feeder automatic control.
[0052] Additional enhancements and alternatives may be provided for
the garment feeder 14. For example, vision hardware and software
can be provided to intelligently identify a single garment or piece
of laundry. A stationary brush strip may also be used in
conjunction with the nip rollers to help separate garments. An
automatic jam clearance may also be provided, for example by
reversing the nip rollers 38 when excessive thickness is detected.
Jams may also be cleared manually by opening or spreading the nip
rollers apart to relieve the nip normal forces. The bottom of the
bin 12 may include air jets, as shown in FIG. 24, to center
garments and laundry for easy pick up by the feeder 14. Covers,
such as brush strips, may be provided on the ends of the rollers
32, 38 of the feeder 14 to protect garments in the bin 12 from the
rotating shaft ends. Also, intelligent controls can be used to
reduce the travel and feed time of the feeder 14 by enabling
constant raising height above the laundry stack in the bin 12. As a
further alternative, the nip rollers 38 can be eliminated and the
individual garment pieces pick up by the conveyor belts 34, 36
adjacent the end rollers 32.
[0053] With reference now to FIG. 8, the appliance 10 includes one
or more washing or cleaning stations and a drying station. Each
station may be a module which can be easily installed or removed
from the appliance 10 for installation and/or repair. More
particularly, as shown in the drawings, the appliance 10 may
include a spray washing station or module 40, an ultrasonic
cleaning station or module 42, a rinse station or module 43, a
water extraction station or module 45 and a drying station or
module 44.
[0054] As shown in FIG. 13, one possible spray wash station 40
includes a pair of manifolds 46, each having a plurality of spray
nozzles 48. The nozzles 48 are positioned on opposite sides of the
garment, which is sandwiched between a pair of mesh conveyor belts
50, 51 which are trained about a plurality of rollers 52 in the
wash station 40, and driven by a motor 41 (FIGS. 9 and 10). The
manifolds 46 are plumbed to a cleaning solution supply line via
fluid lines 54. As seen in FIGS. 11-13, each manifold 46 includes a
plurality of pipes 56, such that the nozzles 48 are arranged in a
grid or array for complete coverage of the garments passing along
the conveyor belts 50.
[0055] Referring now to FIGS. 14-22, the optional ultrasonic
cleaning station 42 includes one or more ultrasonic heads 58
adapted to direct ultrasonic vibrations through the garments. The
garments are sandwiched between a pair of conveyor belts 60, 61
which are trained around a plurality of rollers 62 in the
ultrasonic station 42. The belts 60, 61 are driven by a motor 98
(FIGS. 14 and 17). FIGS. 14 and 16 show a single ultrasonic head
58, though it is understood that multiple heads can be used. The
head 58 is mounted on a threaded rod or shaft 64 for travel along
the rod as the rod 64 is rotated by a motor 55 and belt 57 (FIG.
15). A smooth, non-rotating guide or support rod 64A is provided to
facilitate movement of the ultrasonic head 58. The motor 55 is
reversible, such that the rod or shaft 64 can be rotated in
opposite directions, such that the ultrasonic head 58 will traverse
back and forth substantially across the width of the ultrasonic
station 42 as the laundry moves through the station 42 between the
conveyor belts 60, 61. Limit switches 66 are provided at opposite
ends of the rod 64 for controlling the movement of the ultrasonic
head 58. As an alternative to the reversible shaft or screw 64, a
double helix screw may be used to cause the ultrasonic head 58 to
traverse back and forth across the path of the garments.
[0056] More particularly, the head 58 preferably has a
piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer 53 that operates at
approximately 35 kHz frequency. The frequency may range between
about 20 kHz and about 40 kHz. The lower frequencies enable greater
cleaning power through the formation of larger cavitation bubbles
while the higher frequencies tend to clean better on higher thread
count textiles. Although the head 58 may use a single transducer
operating at a single frequency, the preferred embodiment uses
multiple transducers that can operate at variable or different
frequencies. The general frequency range associated with these is
from about 20 kHz to about 80 kHz.
[0057] The transducer is mechanically coupled to an exponential
profile ultrasonic horn 59, which preferably is fabricated out of
titanium. The horn 59 is mechanically tuned to the frequency of the
transducer 53 to amplify the transducer displacement. The horn 59
has an amplification gain factor selected to interact with the
transducer 53 and provide an ultrasonic amplitude output at the tip
of the horn of at least 20.mu. (peak to peak).
[0058] The transducer and the horn 59 are mechanically fixed to a
carrier device 63 coupled to the shaft 64 so as to allow the
surface of the horn 59 to traverse back and forth across the
surface of the items passing through the ultrasonic station 42.
This transverse arrangement offers the advantage of using lower
power, smaller size and lower cost arrangement than a single
transducer/horn combination having dimensions sufficient to cover
the width of the traverse distance of the ultrasonic station 42.
The range of traverse motion for the ultrasonic horn 59 may be, for
example, 20 inches. Over this range the surface of the front tip 67
of the horn 59 is in close proximity to the surface of the conveyor
belt 60.
[0059] As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, head 58 also features a
container 65 surrounding the output surface of the horn 59 to
regulate the amount of fluid that the horn 59 will use to create
cavitation. Controlling the amount of fluid also creates a control
range of the reflected power load that the horn 59 will experience.
Maintaining a fixed relatively small volume of cleaning solution
enhances the effective cleaning function of the horn 59. Exposing
the horn 59 to larger or random amounts of liquids will require
more power and could potentially stall the horn 59.
[0060] By limiting the fluid amount, cavitation at lower power
levels is achieved. The cavitating fluid is typically water but it
can also be a combination of water and detergents. The container 65
controls the quantity of solution that the horn 59 is exposed to
and it helps reducing the amounts of power needed to create
cavitation at the target cleaning area while providing a surface
for the material to be cleaned to pass at a controlled distanced
from the output surface of the horn 59.
[0061] Preferably, the belts 60, 61 in the ultrasonic cleaning
station 42 are constructed from specialized materials that have
high characteristic velocity, i.e. high tensile strength to density
ratio, and that have very low attenuation of ultrasonic power, such
as Spectra.RTM. (by Honeywell) or Kevlar.RTM.. Spectra.RTM. fiber
is made from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. The belts
60, 61 may be solid or mesh.
[0062] To achieve the highest effectiveness in the cleaning
process, the horn 59 has to be in close proximity with the
target-cleaning surface, even with the resulting thickness
variation from the randomly loaded clothing between the transport
belts 60, 61. The belts 60, 61 that transports the laundry items
preferably are 20'' wide, though wider or narrower belts may be
utilized. As shown in FIGS. 19-22, the close proximity between the
top belt 60 and the surface of the horn 59 is achieved by
incorporating a spring-loaded plate 69 that maintains the distance
from the surface of the belt 60 to the surface of the horn 59. The
belts 60 and 61 both pass on top of the spring-loaded plate 69.
[0063] A speed control mechanism and drive system adjust the
traverse speed of the head 58 independently of the speed of the
transport belts 60, 61. The preferred embodiment of the ultrasonic
head 58 uses sensors to identify the type of material and related
properties of the garments to be cleaned, therefore enabling the
individualized application of cleaning protocols for each
garment.
[0064] FIG. 18-20 show enlarged views of the ultrasonic head 58. As
seen in FIG. 18, the tip 67 of the ultrasonic horn 59 extends into
a cavity 70 of the fluid control container or block 65. A flexible
inlet line 72 extends into the container 65 to supply water or
other cavitating fluid to the tip 67. An outlet port 74 in the
container 65 maintains the water or fluid level within the cavity
70 at a desired level. The arrow 76 in FIG. 18 indicates the
direction of travel of the belts 60, 61, while the arrows 78
indicate the traverse movement of the ultrasonic head 58. The
upstream or leading edge 80 of the container 65 is tapered or
beveled, so as to provide a smooth movement of the upper belt 60
beneath the container 65, even with material thickness variations
of the garment 71 sandwiched between the belts 60, 61. The
container 65 is secured to the carrier 63 by a bracket 84.
[0065] As described above, the spring loaded plate 69 maintains a
small gap 75 between the horn tip 67 and the top belt 60, with
fluid 73 filling the gap. Such a small gap 75 controls the
cavitation level of the fluid, and is dependent upon the operating
frequency of the horn 59. For example, the gap 75 may approximately
of 0.010 inch or more. Alternatively, there may be direct contact
between the horn tip 67 and the belt 60, which enhances cleaning
performance.
[0066] FIGS. 21 and 22 show the details of the spring-loaded plate,
69. More particularly, the ultrasonic station 42 includes a frame
86 with bolts 88 extending upwardly on opposite sides of the
station 42. The plate 69 is secured to the bolts 87, with springs
88 residing on each bolt between the plate 69 and the frame 86.
[0067] The rinse station 43 is adjacent the outlet 47 (FIG. 16) of
the ultrasonic station 42. The rinse station 43 includes spray
nozzles 49 located on opposite sides of the garments, as seen in
FIG. 23. Preferably, there is a plurality of spray nozzles 49 on
both sides of the garment, and the nozzles may be part of a
manifold, similar to that described above with respect to the
manifold 46.
[0068] The extraction station 45 consists of one or more wringers.
With multiple wringers, the wringers are located adjacent to each
other in a manner which allows garments exiting the initial wringer
to immediately enter the input side of the secondary wringer. Each
wringer is comprised of two rollers 94 pressed together by an
adjustable spring mechanism which can be easily engaged and
disengaged. Each roller 94 is covered with an elastomeric material
which can be of various hardness and diameter. As garments are
passed between the rollers 94, excess water is pressed out. The
rollers 94 are located utilizing spherical bearings to allow for
the large degree of misalignment encountered as garments are fed
between the rollers 94. The rollers 94 are driven by an electric
motor (not shown) and gear train. The motor is reversible to allow
for the clearance of any garments which happen to get jammed
between the rollers 94. Alternatively, each roller may be driven by
an independent electric motor.
[0069] The drying station 44, illustrated in FIG. 23, includes in
one possible embodiment, one or more fans 89 for blowing air into
the station for drying garments passing there through. A heater
(not shown) is provided for heating the air. The air is preferably
heated to a relatively high temperature that is greater than the
temperature of the air in a conventional tumble dryer. The garments
are sandwiched between a pair of mesh conveyor belts 90, 91 trained
about rollers so as to form a serpentine path through the drying
station 44.
[0070] The drying station 44 may include a plurality of internal
plates or baffles 92 extending substantially across the width of
the station between the serpentine tracks of the conveyors 90, 91.
The baffles 92 enhance the flow of air laterally across the
conveyor belts 90, 91. Also, the air flow is turbulent within the
station 44. Such turbulence enhances the drying effect of the air.
Since the garments are passing through the drying station 44 in a
relatively short period of time, increased air temperatures
relative to that of a typical tumble dryer are necessary to drive
moisture from the garments. The clothes are discharged from the
drying station through to outlet 16 shortly after the vapor is
driven out of the clothes, such that the clothes are not exposed to
excessive heat after being dried, which could cause burning of the
clothes.
[0071] The drying station 44 may include controls for adjusting the
air flow temperature and velocity, in accordance with the dampness
of the clothing and/or the material of the clothing. Also, the
drying air may be re-circulated in the drying station 44. A
moisture exchanger may be provided in the drying station 44 to
remove vapor from the air, if necessary, prior to
recirculation.
[0072] The conveyor belts 34, 36, 50, 51, 60, 61 and 90, 91 define
a transport means or system for the appliance 10 to move individual
pieces of laundry through the various stations of the appliance 10.
As best seen in FIG. 8, each set of belts discharges the garments
into the next adjacent set of belts for transport through the
respective stations. Thus, the garments move continuously through
the appliance from the bin 12 to the outlet 16 of the drying
station 44. As discussed above with respect to the feeder mechanism
14, other transport means may be utilized in conjunction with, or
in place of the various conveyor belts. Different transport means
may be utilized for each station. The belts throughout the
appliance 10 may be actuated and deactivated simultaneous or
sequentially. The operation of the belts is controlled by the
microprocessor and software logic, and the various sensors which
may be included in each station of the appliance 10. The motors for
driving the belts may include a clutch.
[0073] The arrangement of the various stations or modules allows
the appliance 10 to be built into a compact unit with dimensions
approximating those of a conventional household washer or dryer
placed side-by-side. Thus, the appliance 10 is adapted for use in a
home. Individual pieces of laundry can be quickly automatically
cleaned and dried with the household appliance 10 of the present
invention in a cycle time significantly less than with a standard
washer and dryer.
[0074] It is understood that the various components of the
appliance 10 may be modified or substituted with other components
for achieving the same functional results. For example, the bin 12
may be changed to a drawer to pull out for loading, or a laundry
basket. The various sensors in the appliance may be any known type
of sensor, such as a photo-electric eye or a proximity sensor.
[0075] The feeder mechanism 14 may include other means for
acquisition of the garment from the bin 12. For example, as an
alternative to, or in combination with the nip rollers 38, the feed
mechanism 14 may include a vacuum port to provide an inlet suction;
an adhesive surface on rollers; a hook surface, similar to Velcro
hook and loop material, on the surface of rollers; a statically
charged surface on rollers; a brush roller set to facilitate pick
up of a garment from the bin 12; a belt set over the nip rollers 38
or over the brush rollers; a mechanical pinching claw; or other
means for acquiring a garment from the bin 12.
[0076] Other means may also be utilized to achieve the separation
function. For example, separation of the acquired garment may be
achieved by using a small acquisition zone in the bin 12 to limit
access to the stack of laundry in the bin 12, i.e. a short length
nip roller or vacuum roller; using a vacuum flow induced by a
vacuum flow port adjacent to or through the acquisition rollers so
as to move the garment toward the rollers and away from the
remaining articles in the bin 12; a vision system to locate a
single item in the group of items in the bin 12, with recognition
according to color, pattern, or texture; using static forces to
attract a single item in the stack of articles in the bin 12;
restraining items other than the one acquired by the pick up
mechanism, by holding the other items back as the acquired item is
fed away; moving the acquired items through an aperture in a
surface surrounding the acquisition mechanism; fluffing the stack
of laundry items to be fed so as to lubricate and separate the
items; and/or using air jets to move items in the bin 12.
[0077] The transport function of the feeder mechanism 14 may be
accomplished by other means, including a conveyor belt wherein the
individual items are held in place by gravity, vacuum rollers or
forces, static forces, Velcro hook and loop material, adhesive
forces, or other forces; a surface having angled air jets to force
the items along a path using air pressure forces and air flotation;
a belt using wave motion to move items along the path; a chute
using gravity forces to move and position the items; a chute using
air lubrication and gravity to position the items; a belt having
cross directional ribs to urge the items along the path of
movement; vacuum cups attached to a moving belt, arm or linkage; an
auger or screw mechanism; or a combination of these mechanisms.
[0078] The appliance 10 includes a pan or basin 96 (FIG. 8) in the
base to receiver water or cleaning fluids from the various
stations. The basin 96 may include a drain to discharge the water.
Alternatively, the water collected in the basin 96 may be recycled
for further use in the spray station 40 or rinse station 43.
Recycling may include filtering or treatment in a water softener or
other chemical treatment.
[0079] It is understood that alternative feeder mechanisms can be
utilized with the appliance 10 of the present invention. For
example, the feeder mechanism may be located beneath the bin 12 and
feed individual laundry pieces by gravity. Another alternative is a
side feeder mechanism which is fed from one side of the bin 12. As
another alternative, the nip rollers 38 can be eliminated, and the
operator manually feeds individual pieces of laundry into the path
between the upper and lower conveyor belts 34, 36, such that the
acquisition and separation steps are performed manually, rather
than automatically, as with the feeder mechanism 14.
[0080] FIG. 24 shows an alternative bottom feeder mechanism 100.
The feeder 100 is positioned beneath the bin 102 which has an
opening 104 along the bottom portion thereof. A sensor 106, such as
a photoelectric eye, is positioned adjacent the opening 104 in the
bin 102 so as to detect the presence of clothing or garments 108 in
the bin 102. A pair of acquisition rollers 110 are positioned
adjacent the opening 104 at the bottom of the bin 102. A pair of
conveyor belts 112, 113 are trained about rollers 114 and
positioned beneath the acquisition rollers 110 so as to receive
garments from the acquisition rollers 110, and sandwich the
individual garments between the conveyor belts 112, 113 for
transport to the wash station 42 of the appliance 10. Preferably,
acquisition rollers 110 and the conveyor belts 112, 113 are mounted
on a pivotal robotic arm, similar to robotic arm 15, so that the
rollers 110 and the belts 112, 113 can be moved toward and away
from the opening 104 at the bottom of the bin 102, as indicated by
the arrow 116 in FIG. 24. However, the rollers 114 and 110 may be
stationarily mounted at the bottom of the bin 12.
[0081] The operating sequence for the bottom feeder mechanism 100
shown in FIG. 24 starts with the bin 102 being filled with garments
108. The sensor 106 detects the presence of garments 108 in the bin
102. Fluffing air may be forced through holes 118 in the wall of
the bin 102. The fluffing air can be provided in any convenient
manner, such as with air nozzles or through an air plenum. When the
sensor 106 senses the presence of garments 108 in the bin, the
feeder mechanism 100 is pivoted from at a rest position spaced
apart from the bin opening 104 to an operating position adjacent
the bin opening 104. Simultaneously, the acquisition rollers 110
are actuated to acquired a lead edge of the garment 108 at the
bottom of the bin 102. The acquisition rollers 110 feed the
acquired garment 108 into the conveyor belts 112, 113 so as to be
sandwiched therebetween for transport to the wash station 40. The
exit opening 104 in the bottom of the bin 102 helps guide the
garments 108 to fill the width of the acquisition rollers 110 and
belts 112, 113. The acquisition, separation, and transport steps
are repeated until the bin 102 is empty, as detected by the sensor
106. After the last garment is transported by the conveyors 112,
113, the acquisition rollers 110 and belts 112, 113 are turned off,
the fluffer air supply is shut off, and the robotic arm supporting
the rollers 110 and the belts 112, 113 is retracted to the rest
position.
[0082] Another alternative embodiment of a feeder mechanism 120 is
shown in FIG. 25. In FIG. 25, the bin 122 includes a side opening
124 at a lower edge of the bin 122. The bottom of the bin 122 is
defined by a conveyor belt 126. The belt 126 preferably is mesh, so
that fluffing air can pass therethrough, as indicated by the arrows
passing through the belt 126. A sensor 128, such as a photo
electric eye, is positioned adjacent the side discharge opening 124
of the bin 122. A pair of acquisition rollers 130 are positioned
adjacent the opening 124. Transport conveyors 132, 133 are trained
about rollers 134. Preferably, the acquisition rollers 130 and the
conveyors 132, 133 are mounted on a reciprocating robotic arm,
similar to robotic arm 15 described above, so as to be moveable
between a rest position spaced apart from the bin opening 124, and
an operative position adjacent the bin opening 124. Alternatively,
rollers 130, 134 may be stationary related to the bin 12.
[0083] The operating sequence of the feeder mechanism 120 shown in
FIG. 25 begins by filling the bin 122 with garments 136. A sensor
(not shown) within the bin 122 senses the presence of garments 136
therein, and actuates a fluffing air supply to force air upwardly
through the bin so as to lubricate and reduce garment load drag.
The bin belt 126 is also actuated by the internal bin sensor so as
to move a garment 136 partially out of the bin opening 124. When
the sensor 128 detects the garment 136, the bin conveyor 126 is
shut off, and the robotic arm is moved from the rest position to
the operative position, such that the acquisition rollers 130 are
adjacent the opening 124. The acquisition rollers 130 are also
actuated by the sensor 128 so as to acquire the garment 136, which
is then fed into the conveyor belts 132, 133 so as to be sandwiched
therebetween and transported to the wash station 42 of the
appliance 10. The robotic arm may reciprocate, as indicated by
arrow 138 in FIG. 25, so as to facilitate separation of the garment
136 exiting the side opening 124 from the remaining garments in the
bin 122. When the sensor 128 detects a gap or the end of the first
garment, the bin conveyor 126 is actuated to carry the next garment
through the opening 124, with the acquisition, separation, and
transport steps being repeated 136 until the bin 122 is empty.
After the bin 122 is empty, the fluffing air supply is turned off
and the robotic arm with the acquisition rollers 130 and conveyors
132, 133 is retracted to the rest position.
[0084] The continuous cleaning appliance 10 provides many benefits
over the standard, and separate, batch washers and dryers. For
example, the entire operation of the appliance 10 may be automated,
such that one or more dirty garments can simply be dropped into the
bin 12, and then automatically be conveyed through the appliance 10
for washing and drying, with no user intervention. The appliance is
always "on" for "on demand" operation. Also, the appliance control
module 18 may include a microprocessor for adjusting operation of
each station, including times and temperatures. The microprocessor
may also include a time delay, so as to actuate the appliance at a
pre-set designated time, such as at night during off-peak energy
consumption for energy efficiency. The appliance 10 eliminates the
need to sort clothing or garments according to color or other
factors, since each garment passes through the appliance
individually. Clothes can be randomly thrown into the bin, without
the need of laundry room baskets. The user does not have to move or
change the clothes from a separate washer and dryer, as in
conventional home laundry systems.
[0085] The invention has been shown and described above with the
preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many
modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are
within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the
foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes
at least all of its stated objectives.
* * * * *