A device for the automatic loading of hangers in an apparatus for ironing shirts or similar items includes a storage configured to support a plurality of hangers and an arm comprising a gripping and releasing. The arm is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the gripping and releasing end is close to the storage to pick up or receive a hanger from the storage, and in the second position, the gripping and releasing end is placed above the manikin placed upstream of a loading station of the apparatus, to release the hanger, previously picked up, into the seat of the manikin.

A device for the automatic loading of hangers in an apparatus for ironing shirts or similar items includes a storage configured to support a plurality of hangers and an arm comprising a gripping and releasing. The arm is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the gripping and releasing end is close to the storage to pick up or receive a hanger from the storage, and in the second position, the gripping and releasing end is placed above the manikin placed upstream of a loading station of the apparatus, to release the hanger, previously picked up, into the seat of the manikin.

An article of apparel includes a composite material. The composite material includes a pliable first layer and a resilient second layer, where the first and second layers are secured to each other via a patterned strand network. In forming the composite material, the second layer is stretched and maintained under tension while the first layer is secured to the second layer via the patterned strand network. The tension on the second layer is then released, resulting in contraction of the second layer in relation to the first layer and an outward buckling or protrusion of the first layer in relation to the second layer to form protruding cells along the composite material that are bounded by portions of the patterned strand network. The patterned strand network can be formed using embroidery with one or more auxetic patterns in the stitching.

An article of apparel includes a composite material. The composite material includes a pliable first layer and a resilient second layer, where the first and second layers are secured to each other via a patterned strand network. In forming the composite material, the second layer is stretched and maintained under tension while the first layer is secured to the second layer via the patterned strand network. The tension on the second layer is then released, resulting in contraction of the second layer in relation to the first layer and an outward buckling or protrusion of the first layer in relation to the second layer to form protruding cells along the composite material that are bounded by portions of the patterned strand network. The patterned strand network can be formed using embroidery with one or more auxetic patterns in the stitching.

A duckbill mask includes a mask upper side and a mask lower side. A manufacturing process includes: respectively performing edge folding and press sealing on an upper nose edge on the mask upper side and a jaw edge on the mask lower side, and using a double-way staggered cutting process to add a nose bridge while folding the upper nose edge; and overlapping the mask upper side and the mask lower side, then performing press sealing on convex edges of the mask upper side and the mask lower side by using a staggered opposite arrangement method, and using a double-way staggered cutting process to add an ear belt while performing press sealing on the convex edges. In the multi-line machining process, multi-line edge folding and press sealing of all layers of materials, overlapping and then finished product cutting are performed, whereby two duckbill masks are manufactured at a time.

Various examples are provided related to processing and handling of products. In one example, among others, a material product holding system includes a product holding assembly and a structure supporting the product holding assembly, the structure coupled to the positioning assembly. The product holding assembly can include support arms and a positioning assembly that can adjust positioning of the support arms with respect to each other to engage with at least a portion of a product supported by the support arms. In another example, a method include engaging support arms with a surface of at least a portion of a product, the support arms tensioning the product, positioning the support arms to load the product on a workstation, contracting the support arms to remove the tension, processing the product, re-engaging the support arms after completion of the processing, and unloading the product from the workstation.

Fabric items of dissimilar size and/or shape are manipulated and joined. A system includes a folding table for folding a fabric item. The folding table includes a first platen moveable relative to a second platen between a folded position and an unfolded position. The first platen is substantially coplanar with the second platen in the unfolded position. The second platen is disposed above the first platen in the folded position. The system includes a robot that includes a fold plate that is positioned with respect to a first fabric item to facilitate the folding of the first fabric item. The first fabric item is folded twice on the folding table such that first and second edges of the first fabric item can be aligned with corresponding first and second edges of a second fabric item. The first and second fabric items are joined at the respective first and second edges.

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 along longitudinal lines and a transverse-line folder folding the clothes item along transverse lines 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.

The present disclosure relates to a clothes folding device including: a loading assembly which causes the clothes to be pushed-in and seats the clothes on a first folding layer equipped with a conveyor for transport; a folding assembly which performs the folding of the clothes while the pushed-in clothes are transported; and an unloading assembly which is disposed below the folding assembly and loads the clothes discharged by the folding assembly. The loading assembly includes: a seating plate which forms an inclined surface at an inlet and allows the clothes to be seated thereon; a clamp assembly which fixes the clothes and moves the clothes to the first folding layer; and a transport roller which presses the clothes seated on the first folding layer and rotates together with the moving of the clothes while pressing the clothes, and thus, preventing the clothes from being separated. The clamp assembly includes a wheel assembly and a clamp plate which presses inserted clothes from both sides. The wheel assembly includes a unidirectional rotating wheel which rotates together with the inserted clothes.

A shirt folding apparatus, comprising a substantially rectangular upper mat, a substantially rectangular lower mat, a plurality of substantially rectangular plates, said plates are arranged in three columns each with three plates and three rows each with three plates, wherein the three columns are a Western Column, Center Column, and Eastern Column, wherein the three rows are a Northern Row, Center Row, and Southern Row, wherein the total surface area of said plates is much less than the surface area of either the upper or lower mats such that when laid out in rows and columns, a gap exists between the plates where the shirt folding apparatus can be folded, wherein said plurality of plates is laminated between said upper and lower mats using an adhesive, wherein said shirt folding apparatus is bounded by four edges that includes a Northern Edge, Eastern Edge, Southern Edge, and Western Edge, a plurality of grid elements, wherein a grid element is approximated by the local region of said shirt folding apparatus fully containing the nearest plate.