Aspects of the present disclosure involve an apparatus, systems, and methods for providing intelligent laundering alerts. Example embodiments involve an intelligent garment tag that may be affixed to garments, and may store and provide information about the garment to which it is affixed. The information stored thereon describes various aspects of the garment including color, fabric, and laundering information. The intelligent garment tags further include an alert component for providing laundering alerts (e.g., a flashing or colored light, a warning noise, or a vibration) based on, for example, garment color compatibility or laundering device (e.g., washing machine or clothes dryer) compatibility.

A textile detection module is suitable for detecting a test specimen. The textile detection module includes a height sensor, an excitation light source, an optical detector, and a focuser. The height sensor is suitable for measuring a height of the test specimen to generate a height signal. The excitation light source provides an excitation light beam. The optical detector is disposed on a transmission path of the excitation light beam and is suitable for receiving the excitation light beam and emitting the excitation light beam along the optical axis and receiving a detection light beam to generate a detection result. The focuser is disposed on the transmission path of the excitation light beam emitted by the optical detector. The focuser includes a focus lens suitable for converting the excitation light beam into a focused excitation light beam. The focused excitation light beam is transmitted from the focuser to the test specimen to generate the detection light beam, wherein the focuser adjusts a position of the focus lens according to the height signal. The height sensor measures the height of the test specimen at a first position of the conveying path, the optical detector performs optical detection on the test specimen at a second position of the conveying path, and the test specimen moves from the first position to the second position along the conveying path.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously separating a mass of clean laundry into single articles for folding and/or packing include autonomous separating device. The device includes a platform including a plurality of sequential work volumes and a stationary floor extending between an inlet end and an outlet end of the platform, a plurality of arms disposed in series along the platform for rotating, tilting, extending, and retracting a terminal gripper of each arm into an associated work volume for grabbing at least one of a plurality of laundry articles and passing the at least one laundry article to an adjacent work volume for grasping and hoisting by an adjacent arm. The device includes a bin, platform, conveyor and/or repositioning robot adjacent the outlet end for receiving each single article one at a time as each separate article passes beyond the outlet end.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously separating a mass of clean laundry into single articles for folding and/or packing include autonomous separating device. The device includes a platform including a plurality of sequential work volumes and a stationary floor extending between an inlet end and an outlet end of the platform, a plurality of arms disposed in series along the platform for rotating, tilting, extending, and retracting a terminal gripper of each arm into an associated work volume for grabbing at least one of a plurality of laundry articles and passing the at least one laundry article to an adjacent work volume for grasping and hoisting by an adjacent arm. The device includes a bin, platform, conveyor and/or repositioning robot adjacent the outlet end for receiving each single article one at a time as each separate article passes beyond the outlet end.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously sorting dirty laundry articles into batched loads for washing are described. For example, an autonomous sorting device includes an enclosed channel including a plurality of sequential work volumes and a stationary floor extending between an inlet end and an outlet end of the channel, a plurality of arms disposed in series along the enclosed channel for rotating, tilting, extending, and retracting a terminal gripper of each arm into an associated work volume for grabbing at least one of a plurality of deformable dirty laundry articles and passing the at least one deformable laundry article to an adjacent work volume for grasping and hoisting by an adjacent arm. The device includes an inlet orifice for receiving the dirty laundry articles into the enclosed channel and an outlet orifice adjacent the outlet end through which each separated deformable article exits the enclosed channel into sorting bins.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously sorting dirty laundry articles into batched loads for washing are described. For example, an autonomous sorting device includes an enclosed channel including a plurality of sequential work volumes and a stationary floor extending between an inlet end and an outlet end of the channel, a plurality of arms disposed in series along the enclosed channel for rotating, tilting, extending, and retracting a terminal gripper of each arm into an associated work volume for grabbing at least one of a plurality of deformable dirty laundry articles and passing the at least one deformable laundry article to an adjacent work volume for grasping and hoisting by an adjacent arm. The device includes an inlet orifice for receiving the dirty laundry articles into the enclosed channel and an outlet orifice adjacent the outlet end through which each separated deformable article exits the enclosed channel into sorting bins.

Devices, systems, and methods for repositioning a deformable laundry article are described. For example, a robotic device includes a conveyor configured to transfer the deformable laundry article outside of a work volume, two or more lifters including grippers individually anchored about the perimeter of the work volume, two or more sensors disposed at fixed locations about the work volume, and a memory storing data indicative of repositioned deformable laundry articles. A controller is in operative communication with the memory, the two or more sensors, and the two or more lifters. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensors, identify grip points on the deformable laundry article suspended above the conveyor, instruct a lifter to grip and lift an identified grip point to the suspension height, determine whether the deformable laundry article is repositioned, and instruct the lifters to lower the repositioned deformable laundry article onto the conveyor.

The present invention discloses a system for textile items sorting comprising a reception station; a textile items recognition station; a pick-up and transferring device including grippers configured to grab individual pieces of textile items, and moving members configured to convey the gripper from the reception station to the textile items recognition station; and a sorting and separating station. The present invention also discloses a method for automatic sorting of textile items comprising the steps of: accumulating textile items within a reception station; picking up textile items from the reception station and transferring them to a textile items recognition station; identifying the textile items in the textile items recognition station; and conveying identified textile items to a sorting and separating station for textile items including several deposits for receiving different kinds of sorted textile items.

The present invention discloses a system for textile items sorting comprising a reception station; a textile items recognition station; a pick-up and transferring device including grippers configured to grab individual pieces of textile items, and moving members configured to convey the gripper from the reception station to the textile items recognition station; and a sorting and separating station. The present invention also discloses a method for automatic sorting of textile items comprising the steps of: accumulating textile items within a reception station; picking up textile items from the reception station and transferring them to a textile items recognition station; identifying the textile items in the textile items recognition station; and conveying identified textile items to a sorting and separating station for textile items including several deposits for receiving different kinds of sorted textile items.

A robotic system includes a movable platform disposed at a bottom of a work volume, the movable platform being configured to transit outside the work volume, at least three lifters disposed about a perimeter of the work volume, two or more sensors disposed at fixed locations about the work volume, and a memory including a neural network. A controller is in operative communication with the memory, the two or more sensors, and the lifters. The controller is configured to receive output signals from the two or more sensors, determine, based processing on the received signals with the neural network, whether the deformable laundry article suspended by two lifters is repositioned, and instruct, based on a determination of the deformable laundry article being repositioned, the lifters to lower the repositioned deformable laundry article onto the movable platform.