An active width folder system configured for article folding within compact article folding machines and includes a holding member with two opposite holding edges which extend in an article motion direction, a conveyor configured for conveying articles in the motion direction and a pair of actuated folding members, each configured for lifting and folding at least a portion of the article. Wherein, each folding member has a retractable lifting surface which has a variable length at least in the width direction which is perpendicular to the motion direction.

A folding device (14′, 14″) includes a driven contact device (15′, 15″) configured for continuously creating a fold in a moving article (12) during an operative folding mode of the folding device. In the operative folding mode, the article moves along a base plane in a motion direction (MD). The folding device includes a support structure (54) connected to, and configured for supporting, the contact device. The contact device includes a peripheral surface (48) which extends at least partially about at least one rotation axis. The peripheral surface includes multiple fingers (44) which protrude outwardly away therefrom. In the operative folding mode, the fingers consecutively and incrementally engage and fold the article starting at an edge (28) defining an outline thereof.

Proposed is a clothes folding machine, which includes a case, a loading unit disposed at an upper portion of the case, having a plurality of grippers, and conveying a clothes item gripped by the grippers into the case, a folding unit including a longitudinal-line folder folding both sleeves of the clothes item along longitudinal line to overlap and a transverse-line folder configured to fold the clothes item along a transverse line to overlap, and an unloading unit disposed at a lower portion of the case and conveying the clothes item folded by the folding unit outside the case.

Proposed is a clothes folding machine, which includes a case, a loading unit disposed at an upper portion of the case and conveying a clothes item gripped by grippers into the case, a folding unit including a longitudinal-line folder folding both sleeves of the clothes item conveyed by the loading unit in a width direction and a transverse-line folder longitudinally folding the clothes item several times, and an unloading unit disposed at a lower portion of the case and conveying the clothes item folded by the folding unit outside the case.

A laundry folding appliance includes one or more folding panels mechanically coupled to a cabinet and at least partially defining a folding surface for receiving articles of clothing. An actuating assembly selectively pivots the folding panels to fold the articles of clothing and a camera assembly is positioned in view of the folding surface. A controller obtains one or more images using the camera assembly, identifies the laundry articles positioned on the folding surface by analyzing the one or more images using a laundry identification model, determines a folding protocol for folding the laundry article, and operates the actuating assembly to fold the laundry article in accordance with the folding protocol.

A hanger-template for folding and hanging items of clothing, collapsible and articulated, which transforms into a template to facilitate the folding, transport and storage of shirts, T-shirts and other items of clothing. It comprises a flat support (1), attached to the hanging hook (2), and two divergent arms (3) featuring corresponding longitudinal guides (4); two L-shaped extensions (6), each with a short side (61) whose extremity is movable along the corresponding guide (4), and a long side (62) and a base (8) forming the shoulders of the hanger, and which is articulated to the vertices of both extensions (6). It features a folded position wherein the two long sides (62) are aligned or superimposed and the base (8) is next to the support (1), and an extended position wherein the two long sides (62) are disposed parallel and separated by the width of the hanger.

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.

A folding device (14, 14) includes a driven contact device (15, 15) configured for continuously creating a fold in a moving article (12) during an operative folding mode of the folding device. In the operative folding mode, the article moves along a base plane in a motion direction (MD). The folding device includes a support structure (54) connected to, and configured for supporting, the contact device. The contact device includes a peripheral surface (48) which extends at least partially about at least one rotation axis. The peripheral surface includes multiple fingers (44) which protrude outwardly away therefrom. In the operative folding mode, the fingers consecutively and incrementally engage and fold the article starting at an edge (28) defining an outline thereof.

An active width folder system (10) configured for article folding within compact article folding machines and includes a holding member (12) with two opposite holding edges (20) which extend in an article motion direction, a conveyor (16) configured for conveying articles in the motion direction and a pair of actuated folding members (14), each configured for lifting and folding at least a portion of the article. Wherein, each folding member has a retractable lifting surface (24) which has a variable length at least in the width direction which is perpendicular to the motion direction.

A sleeve-folding assistance device for assisting a back-revealing sleeve-folding device is provided. The sleeve-folding assistance device includes a pair of right and left sleeve guide portions which disposes a body portion of a garment having the body portion and both sleeve portions on a loading conveyor to transport the garment from a front to a rear, and moves to approach both sides of the loading conveyor so as to guide both sleeve portions of the garment hung down on both sides of the loading conveyor to a sleeve-folding device for performing back-revealing sleeve-folding, in which when the pair of right and left sleeve guide portions approaches both sides of the loading conveyor and transports the body portion from the front to the rear on the loading conveyor, the pair of right and left sleeve guide portions lifts both sleeve portions of the garment, respectively.