A device that attaches to a standard fabric compactor and allows narrow collar material to be processed through the standard fabric compactor. The device includes a pair of air openers. Each air opener includes an air inlet assembly and an air outlet assembly. The air inlet assembly of each air opener pulls air therein to form pulled air and pressurizes the pulled air to form pressurized air. The air outlet assembly of each air opener fluidly communicates with the air inlet assembly of an associated air opener, receives the narrow collar material therethrough, receives the pressurized air from the air inlet assembly of the associated air opener, and directs the pressurized air onto the narrow collar material, simultaneously from above and below, and in doing so, suspends the narrow collar material allowing the narrow collar material to be processed through the standard fabric compactor.

For the purpose of delivering a laundry item (10) to an ironer, the laundry item (10) is spread, by opposite corners of a lateral edge (20), by means of spreader clips (18, 19). In this case, deformations, or ear formation may occur at the corner regions (12, 13) of the laundry item (10) that are gripped by the spreader clips (18, 19). This ear formation is mostly irreversible, and in the long term results in damage to the laundry items (10). The invention creates a method and a device by which the laundry item (10) is delivered to an ironer in a gentle manner. For this purpose, at least one corner region (12, 13) of the laundry item (10) that is gripped by a spreader clip (18, 19) is captured by an imaging means as the laundry item (10) is being spread.

For the purpose of delivering a laundry item (10) to an ironer, the laundry item (10) is spread, by opposite corners of a lateral edge (20), by means of spreader clips (18, 19). In this case, deformations, or ear formation may occur at the corner regions (12, 13) of the laundry item (10) that are gripped by the spreader clips (18, 19). This ear formation is mostly irreversible, and in the long term results in damage to the laundry items (10). The invention creates a method and a device by which the laundry item (10) is delivered to an ironer in a gentle manner. For this purpose, at least one corner region (12, 13) of the laundry item (10) that is gripped by a spreader clip (18, 19) is captured by an imaging means as the laundry item (10) is being spread.

There is provided a bulkiness recovery apparatus for nonwoven fabric, the apparatus being for recovering bulkiness of the nonwoven fabric by blowing hot air to heat the nonwoven fabric. The apparatus includes: a conveying section that conveys the nonwoven fabric along a conveying direction, the nonwoven fabric being continuous in the conveying direction; a heating section that heats the nonwoven fabric by blowing the hot air to the nonwoven fabric being conveyed; a width sensor that measures a widthwise dimension of the nonwoven fabric at a position downstream from the heating section in the conveying direction, and that outputs information concerning the widthwise dimension; and a controller that controls at least either one of the heating section and the conveying section based on the information that has been output from the width sensor.

There is provided a bulkiness recovery apparatus for nonwoven fabric, the apparatus being for recovering bulkiness of the nonwoven fabric by blowing hot air to heat the nonwoven fabric. The apparatus includes: a conveying section that conveys the nonwoven fabric along a conveying direction, the nonwoven fabric being continuous in the conveying direction; a heating section that heats the nonwoven fabric by blowing the hot air to the nonwoven fabric being conveyed; a width sensor that measures a widthwise dimension of the nonwoven fabric at a position downstream from the heating section in the conveying direction, and that outputs information concerning the widthwise dimension; and a controller that controls at least either one of the heating section and the conveying section based on the information that has been output from the width sensor.

A fabric comprising micro-magnets, micro-coils of conductive material within an electric-insulating coating and an array of switches for selectively switching micro-coils on and off, such that relative movement of the micro-coils with respect to a local magnet field generates signals that are transmittable to a receiver, and signals received can switch coils on to detect relative movement of the coil with respect to nearby magnets to create tension and compression within the fabric.

A fabric comprising micro-magnets, micro-coils of conductive material within an electric-insulating coating and an array of switches for selectively switching micro-coils on and off, such that relative movement of the micro-coils with respect to a local magnet field generates signals that are transmittable to a receiver, and signals received can switch coils on to detect relative movement of the coil with respect to nearby magnets to create tension and compression within the fabric.

A stretching apparatus of fibre tows in a pressurized steam environment includes an elongated stretching chamber having a generally rectangular section of a low height, within which the tows are treated with saturated or overheated steam at high temperature and pressure and simultaneously undergo a mechanical stretching operation. The stretching chamber has a width sufficient to house multiple tows mutually flanked in a running plane and is formed within a stretching chest made of aluminum. The stretching chest is housed in a supporting structure, having a higher structural rigidity than the stretching chest, which includes a plurality of contact elements apt to determine a predefined position of the stretching chest with respect to a direction perpendicular to the tow running plane and to allow a limited mobility of the stretching chest in the other two mutually perpendicular directions which lie in the plane, length and width respectively.

A stretching apparatus of fibre tows in a pressurized steam environment includes an elongated stretching chamber having a generally rectangular section of a low height, within which the tows are treated with saturated or overheated steam at high temperature and pressure and simultaneously undergo a mechanical stretching operation. The stretching chamber has a width sufficient to house multiple tows mutually flanked in a running plane and is formed within a stretching chest made of aluminum. The stretching chest is housed in a supporting structure, having a higher structural rigidity than the stretching chest, which includes a plurality of contact elements apt to determine a predefined position of the stretching chest with respect to a direction perpendicular to the tow running plane and to allow a limited mobility of the stretching chest in the other two mutually perpendicular directions which lie in the plane, length and width respectively.

A method for manufacturing a brief for a male wearer includes using a stretchable fabric defining a first leg portion, a second leg portion, and a crotch portion. The method includes placing the stretchable fabric into a die assembly such that the crotch portion sits between a core and a cavity. The method includes mating the core with the cavity to cause the core to push a section of the crotch portion into the cavity such that the section is stretched to a stretched state. The section includes a synthetic compound. The method includes applying heat and pressure at the section to cause a volume of the synthetic compound to melt. Further, the method includes cooling the section such that a melted volume of the synthetic compound is infused or incorporated into a remainder of the section and solidified therewithin.