EP0860540B1 - Device for folding and discharging laundry in an ironing machine and an ironing machine equipped with a such device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates mainly to a device designed to perform folding and the evacuation of the laundry at the outlet of a dryer ironer.

The invention also relates to a dryer. ironer incorporating such a device.

The device according to the invention is provided to be able to be incorporated in a dryer industrial or semi-industrial type ironer, or to be associated with such a machine. He is destined in particular with the ironing dryers which equip the establishments in which a significant amount of laundry is processed daily, such as hospitals, clinics, homes retirement, restaurants, etc.

State of the art

In document FR-A-2 479 789, It is proposed to equip an ironer dryer with a laundry folding and evacuation device to return the ironed and folded linen.

More specifically, this document concerns an ironing dryer fitted with a revolving ironing, heated from the inside, in which the laundry is ironed between this cylinder and a or multiple endless ironing bands supported by satellite rollers. The ironed piece of laundry then descends by gravity alternately on one side and on the other with a folding arm animated by a movement back and forth, at a determined rate, in below the vertical path followed by the laundry ironed. The piece of laundry coming out of the machine thus deposits on the upper edge of the arm, forming folds on either side of it, on a determined height.

When the whole piece of laundry is out from the dryer ironer, it is removed by a conveyor to a folded laundry receiving bin. AT this effect, the high end of the folding arm comes lean on the entry end of the conveyor, against which it is held by a roller presser. Advance of the carrier in the direction of the evacuation of folded linen allows it to be transported up to a receiving bin.

In a machine equipped with a folding and evacuation of the linen thus designed, the roller presser must be applied to the folded linen which rests on the upper end of the folding arm as soon as the latter bears against the inlet end carrier and it begins to be driven in the direction of the laundry discharge. In effect this action of the pressure roller is decisive in ensuring the delivery of laundry to the receiving bin.

To achieve this, it is necessary that the pressure roller is moved away from carrier before coming into support of the folding arm against the entry end of the conveyor. Moreover, the upper part of the folding arm is made under the form of a deformable blade, capable of bending against the carrier when the pressure roller applies its upper end, supporting the piece of laundry folded, on this carrier.

To control the movements of the roller presser between its positions removed from the carrier and applied against it, we usually equip the conveyor drive roller and roller additional cam presser. The cooperation of two cams for lifting the front pressure roller the introduction on the conveyor of the piece of linen ironed and folded, however, has the disadvantage to generate a noisy shock each time the pressure roller descends by gravity at the start of the carrier's advance. In addition to the inconvenience caused by the repetition of these noises, the shocks are result in premature wear of the gears.

Furthermore, this cam system cannot no longer be used when the frame rate of the laundry in the dryer ironer exceeds a certain threshold. This makes the current folding devices and for evacuating laundry unsuitable for modern machines high yield.

Statement of the invention

The main object of the invention is a laundry folding and evacuation device, the original design allows it to ensure the lifting the pressure roller before the evacuation by the transporter of the dried linen and ironed, without causing shocks or noises and whose operation is adapted to the running speeds of laundry offered on modern machines.

• un transporteur dont une extrémité d'entrée est prévue pour être placée sensiblement en face de ladite zone de sortie ;
• un bras de pliage dont une extrémité haute est apte à effectuer un mouvement de va-et-vient entre deux positions extrêmes situées sous la zone de sortie et de part et d'autre de celle-ci, sous l'action de moyens de commande, l'une de ces positions extrêmes correspondant à un appui du bras de pliage contre l'extrémité d'entrée du transporteur ;
• un rouleau presseur apte à être déplacé entre une position basse, dans laquelle il repose par gravité sur l'extrémité d'entrée du transporteur, et une position haute ;

caractérisé en ce que le transporteur est apte à se déplacer dans l'un ou l'autre sens, sous l'action de moyens d'entraínement, le rouleau presseur étant apte à être déplacé entre la position basse et la position haute sous l'action d'un mécanisme reliant en permanence le rouleau presseur aux moyens d'entraínement, par l'intermédiaire de moyens d'embrayage unidirectionnels, qui sont débrayés pour maintenir le rouleau presseur en position basse, lorsque le transporteur défile dans un sens d'évacuation du linge, et embrayés pour amener le rouleau presseur en position haute, lorsque le transporteur défile en sens inverse.In accordance with the invention, this result is obtained by means of a device for folding and removing laundry, intended to be installed downstream of a laundry outlet area, on an ironing dryer, this device comprising:

• a conveyor, one inlet end of which is intended to be placed substantially opposite said outlet zone;
• a folding arm, one upper end of which is capable of reciprocating between two extreme positions situated under and on either side of the outlet zone, under the action of control means , one of these extreme positions corresponding to a support of the folding arm against the entry end of the conveyor;
• a pressure roller capable of being moved between a low position, in which it rests by gravity on the entry end of the conveyor, and a high position;

characterized in that the conveyor is able to move in one or the other direction, under the action of drive means, the pressure roller being able to be moved between the low position and the high position under the action of a mechanism permanently connecting the pressure roller to the drive means, by means of one-way clutch means, which are disengaged to keep the pressure roller in the low position, when the conveyor is moving in a direction of evacuation linen, and clutched to bring the pressure roller in the high position, when the conveyor scrolls in the opposite direction.

In a device thus designed, the use of one-way clutch means, such as a freewheel or any other means technically equivalent, ensures the raising and lowering the pressure roller by through a shock-free mechanism and whose operating speed is not limited.

In one embodiment preferential of the invention, the pressure roller is rotatably mounted on two support levers articulated on a fixed axis. The mechanism then includes at least one crank secured to a body driven by unidirectional clutch means and a link articulated respectively on the crank and on one support levers.

To further facilitate training by the conveyor of the folded and ironed piece of linen, the pressure roller is advantageously driven in rotation by the drive means, by through a flexible transmission member. The rotary drive of the pressure roller is thus obtained without noise and whatever the thickness of the folded piece of laundry which rests on the folding.

Advantageously, this transmission member flexible is an extendable strap mounted on a first pulley, fixed axis, and on a second pulley, integral with the drive roller of the carrier, and which is externally engaged on a third pulley, integral with the pressure roller.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the unidirectional clutch means include a driving member integral with the roller carrier training.

The invention also relates to a dryer ironer incorporating a folding device and laundry outlet, as defined above.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 est une vue de côté, qui représente schématiquement, en coupe partielle, une sécheuse repasseuse équipée d'un dispositif de pliage et d'évacuation du linge conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe schématique qui représente à plus grande échelle le dispositif d'évacuation du linge équipant la machine de la figure 1 lorsque le rouleau presseur est en position haute, écarté du transporteur ; et
• la figure 3 est une vue comparable à la figure 2, qui représente le dispositif d'évacuation du linge lorsque le rouleau presseur est en appui contre le transporteur.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a side view, which schematically shows, in partial section, an ironer dryer equipped with a folding and evacuation device for laundry according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view which shows on a larger scale the laundry discharge device fitted to the machine of Figure 1 when the pressure roller is in the high position, away from the conveyor; and
• Figure 3 is a view comparable to Figure 2, which shows the laundry discharge device when the pressure roller is supported against the conveyor.

Detailed presentation of an embodiment preferentially

In Figure 1, there is shown so schematic an ironer dryer equipped with a folding and evacuation device for laundry to the invention. To facilitate understanding, only the most important parties were represented.

The ironer dryer illustrated on the Figure 1 comprises a frame 10 which supports, by rollers 12, an ironing cylinder 14 whose axis geometric is substantially horizontal.

The ironer dryer also has one or more endless belts 16, which are mounted on satellite rollers 18 whose geometric axes are all parallel to the geometric axis of the cylinder ironing 10. The endless belts 16 are in contact with the outer surface of the ironing cylinder 10 over its entire length and over most of its circumference. As the rollers 12 supporting the ironing cylinder 10, the satellite rollers 18 which support the endless bands 16 are carried by the chassis 10 of the machine.

All the satellite rollers 18 are mounted free to rotate on chassis 10, except for one of them, which is rotated by a gearmotor (not shown). When this gear motor is actuated, the endless belts 16 are move in the direction of the arrows F1 in FIG. 1, by driving with them the ironing cylinder 14.

The pieces of ironing linen (not shown) are introduced between the bands without end 16 and the ironing cylinder 14, to the part superior of the latter. This introduction is provided by an input conveyor 20 constituted by an endless belt 21 capable of being driven by a motor roller 22. A roller 24 for introducing the laundry is generally interposed between the transporter input 20 and the input end of the endless bands 16, to ensure the application and training of laundry items on the outside surface of the cylinder ironing 14. This outer surface is generally covered with a fleece (not shown).

To iron the laundry, the ironing cylinder 14 is heated internally by heating means (not shown) generally electric or gas.

According to the invention, a device of folding and evacuation of the linen is placed downstream a laundry outlet area, located below the input conveyor 20. This device is shown integrated into the dryer ironer. Alternatively, it can constitute a device separate from the machine, likely to be installed on an ironer dryer existing without such a device.

The folding and evacuation device laundry according to the invention firstly comprises a folding arm 26, the upper end of which performs a back and forth movement between two extreme positions located under the laundry outlet area, materialized by the lower ends of the endless bands 16, and on either side of this area.

More precisely, the folding arm 26 is articulated, by its lower end, around a fixed axis 28 parallel to the horizontal axis of the cylinder ironing 14. Control means consisting, for example example, by a double-acting cylinder 30, are interposed between the folding arm 26 and the frame 10 of the machine, in order to ensure the movement of aforementioned back and forth of the folding arm.

In its upper part, the folding arm 26 is present in the form of a flexible and deformable blade, able to come to bear alternately either against a fixed stop 32 formed on the chassis 10 of the machine, either against an inlet end of a exit 28, located substantially opposite the area of out of the laundry. This last extreme position is shown in solid lines in Figure 1, while the first extreme position is shown in lines mixed.

If we call, by convention, "front face" of the machine with the face turned to the right in figure 1 and on which the input transporters are located 20 and outlet 28, it is observed that the upper edge of the folding arm 26 is offset respectively towards backward or forward relative to the exit area linen, depending on whether it bears against the stop 32 or against the inlet end of the outlet conveyor 28. Therefore, by controlling the pivoting of the folding 26 at regular time intervals, when a piece of laundry comes out of the ironer, we gradually deposit this part, in the form of a number of folds, on the upper edge of the arm of folding 26. When the laundry is completely out of the machine, it therefore rests entirely on the arm 26 while hanging by gravity on either side of this one. For more details concerning this operation, one will usefully refer to document FR-A- 2 479 789.

As also shown in Figure 1, the outlet conveyor 28 is installed on the chassis 10 of the dryer ironer, substantially opposite the exit zone and at the front this zone. The end of the conveyor 28 is however at a level slightly lower than the exit area of the linen, so that the arm can pass under the latter and come to bear against the carrier.

The output conveyor 28 is made much the same way as the transporter input 20. In particular, it includes a carpet without end 34 including the rear end, materializing the inlet end of the conveyor 28 rests on a drive roller 36.

The device further includes a roller presser 40, which is mounted on the chassis 10 of the machine so that you can move between a high position and low position, illustrated respectively in Figures 2 and 3.

More precisely, when it occupies its low position illustrated in Figure 3, the roller presser 40 rests by gravity on the inlet end of the transporter 28. On the contrary, when it occupies its high position illustrated in FIG. 2, the roller presser 40 is spaced from conveyor 28, so that allow passage of the upper end of the arm folding 26, during its back and forth movements.

In addition to the folding arm 26, the outlet conveyor 28 and pressure roller 40, the folding and evacuation device to the invention may include a recovery tank 38 folded linen placed below the end of exit from conveyor 28.

The recommended layout, in accordance with the invention for controlling the movements of the roller presser 40 between its high and low positions goes to present be described in detail with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

As these two figures illustrate, the drive roller 36 of the output conveyor 28 carries, at one of its ends, a toothed wheel 42 on which is engaged a chain 44. At his low end, the chain 44 is engaged on a other toothed wheel 43, capable of being driven in rotation in either direction by a gearmotor 45. This geared motor 45 forms, with the chain 44 and the toothed wheels 42 and 43, drive means of the carrier 28.

The pressure roller 40 is supported by a support lever 46 at each of its ends, so to be able to rotate freely around its axis by compared to these support levers. More specifically, the pressure roller 40 is mounted rotating at the ends rear of the support levers 46, while the front ends of these are hinged on the chassis 10 of the machine around a fixed axis 48. lights in an arc of a circle 50, centered on the fixed axis 48, are made in the chassis 10, to allow the passage of the axis of the pressure roller 40 during its displacement between its high and low positions.

According to the invention, the displacement of the pressure roller 40 between its high positions and bass is ensured by a mechanism that connects in permanently this pressure roller to the means of the output conveyor 28 by through one-way clutch means.

More specifically, in the form of embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, these one-way clutch means include a freewheel 52 whose central driving part is integral with the toothed wheel 42 and the roller 36 of the carrier 28. The external part the freewheel 52 is secured to a crank 54, at the end of which is articulated a first end of a link 56, by an axis 58. The opposite end of the link 56 is articulated, by an axis 60, on the support lever 46 supporting the adjacent end of the pressure roller 40. More precisely, axis 60 is located approximately equal distance between the fixed axis 48 and the axis of the roller presser 40.

It should be noted that a similar mechanism is installed between the drive roller 36 and the support lever 46, at the other end of the roller 36 and the pressure roller 40. More precisely, at its end opposite the toothed wheel 42, the drive roller 36 is connected in this case to the corresponding support lever 46 via a second freewheel identical to the freewheel 52, a second crank identical to crank 54 and a link similar to link 56. The doubling the mechanism ensures efficient transmission of movements, despite the great length of the machine.

The freewheels which are installed at each end of the drive roller 36, are arranged so that they are in a state disengaged when the output conveyor 28 scrolls in the direction of arrow F2, corresponding to the laundry outlet, i.e. towards the front of the machine on its upper face. So when the outlet conveyor 28 moves in the direction of the arrow F2, the crank 54 is not driven in rotation and the pressure roller 40 simply rests by gravity on the entry end of the conveyor 28. In this state, illustrated in FIG. 3, the part folded and ironed linen that rests on the edge upper of the folding arm 26 is pinched between the pressure roller 40 and conveyor 28 and automatically driven by the latter to the bin recovery 38 (Figure 1).

On the contrary, when the means drive acting on the drive roller 36 are operated in the opposite direction, that is to say in the direction corresponding to the rearward movement of the upper face of the endless conveyor belt 34, as illustrated by arrow F3, the freewheels are in a engaged state. The crank 54 is therefore driven counterclockwise shows by considering Figures 2 and 3. This has the effect of controlling the upward pivoting of support levers 46 carrying the pressure roller 40, around their fixed axis 48, via connecting rods 56. The pressure roller 40 is then brought in the high position illustrated in Figure 2.

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, a flexible drive member, consisting of preferably by an extendable belt 62, connects advantageously the drive roller 36 to the roller presser 40, so that the latter is automatically rotated in opposite direction of the roller 36. This arrangement facilitates the drive by the output transporter 28 and by the pressure roller 40 of the piece of ironed linen and folded which rests on the upper edge of the arm of folding 26.

In the embodiment illustrated on Figures 2 and 3, the belt 62 is mounted on a pulley 64 secured to the toothed wheel 42 and on a return pulley 66 whose axis is fixed on the chassis 10 of the machine, and it travels between these two pulleys. To ensure the drive in the opposite direction pressure roller 40, the rear end of the belt 62 is engaged, by its external face, on a third pulley 68 secured to the pressure roller 40.

To complete the description of the device folding and evacuation of linen illustrated on the Figures 2 and 3, we see in these figures that the device further comprises a microswitch 70, mounted on the chassis 10 of the machine in a location such that it automatically detects the arrival of the roll presser 40 in the high position.

The implementation of training means of the output conveyor 28 is controlled by a PLC, in response to signals delivered by different sensors installed on the dryer ironer, these sensors including in particular the microswitch 70.

This automaton brings the pressure roller 40 in the high position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, from that a piece of ironed and folded laundry has dropped in the recovery tank 38. To this end, the means 42-45 of the output conveyor 28 are then actuated in the direction corresponding to the movement of the endless conveyor belt 34 according to the arrow F3, until the microsensor 70 detects the arrival of the pressure roller 40 in the high position. The drive means 42-45 of the output conveyor 28 are then stopped and remain inactive as long as the folding of the next piece of laundry is not finished.

When this latter condition is performed, i.e. when a piece of laundry is fully extended from the machine and rests on the edge upper of the folding arm 26, this is brought in support against the entry end of the exit 28. The means of training of this transporter 28 are then actuated in the direction corresponding to the discharge of the laundry, i.e. in the direction of the arrow F2 in Figure 2.

From the start of this actuation, the wheels free release the pressure roller 40, which descends by gravity so as to pinch the flexible blade and deformable forming the upper part of the folding arm 26, as well as the piece of ironed and folded linen that this blade supports. The laundry room is like this automatically driven by the conveyor 28 and sent to the recovery tank 38.

The same operations are then repeated at the same until the exhaustion of the laundry board.

Through the use of clutch means unidirectional such as freewheel 52 for control the movements of the pressure roller 40 between its high and low positions, we realize these virtually noise-free and wear-and-tear movements scaled down.

In addition, the proposed arrangement allows ensure satisfactory operation even when the speed of the laundry in the dryer ironer is significantly increased compared to to that of existing machines.

Finally, it should be noted that the use of the belt 62 to rotate the roller presser 40 in the opposite direction of movement of the outlet conveyor 28 guarantees a drive effective pressure roller whatever the thickness presented by the piece of ironed linen and folded.

Claims (6)

1. Device for folding and discharging line, which is to be installed downstream of a linen exit area on a dry pressing machine, said device comprising:

   a conveyor (28), whose entrance end is to be placed substantially facing said exit area, said conveyor being able to move in one or other direction under the action of drive means,

   a folding arm (26), whose upper end can perform a reciprocating movement between two extreme positions located beneath the exit area and on either side of the latter under the action of control means (30), one of these extreme positions corresponding to a bearing of the folding arm (26) against the entrance end of the conveyor (28),

   a pressing roller (40) displaceable between a lower position, where it rests by gravity on the entrance end of the conveyor, and an upper position, characterized in that the conveyor (28) is displaceable in one or other direction under the action of drive means (42-45), the pressing roller (40) being displaceable between the lower position and the upper position under the action of a mechanism (54, 56) permanently linking the pressing roller with the drive means (42-45), via unidirectional engagement means (52), which are disengaged in order to maintain the pressing roller in the lower position, when the conveyor (28) passes in a linen discharge direction, and engaged for bringing the pressing roller (40) into the upper position when the conveyor (28) moves in the reverse direction.
2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing roller (40) rotates freely on two support levers (46) articulated on a fixed spindle (48), said mechanism incorporating at least one crank (54) integral with a driven member of the unidirectional engagement means (52) and a rod (56) respectively articulated on the crank (54) and on one of the support levers (46).
3. Device according to either of the claims 1 and 2, wherein the pressing roller (40) is rotated by the drive means (42, 44), via a flexible transmission member (62).
4. Device according to claim 3, wherein the flexible transmission member is an extensible belt (62) mounted on a first pulley (66) having a fixed axis and on a second pulley (64) integral with a drive roller (36) of the conveyor (28), said belt (62) externally engaging on a third pulley (68), integral with the pressing roller (40).
5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the unidirectional engagement means incorporate a driving member integral with a drive roller (36) of the conveyor (28).
6. Drive pressing machine comprising:

   a rotary pressing cylinder (14),

   at least one endless belt (16), in contact with the cylinder over part of its circumference, so as to define a linen entrance area and exit area,

   a device for folding and discharging linen according to any one of the preceding claims.

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