A method for loading a container with packages, using a device having at least one guide. At least one hand element is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the guide, and is provided on the at least one guide. The hand element has a plurality of finger elements. The finger elements have at least two flexible flank elements extending together from one end of the finger element to the opposing end. The at least two flexible flank elements of the finger elements are flexibly connected together via a plurality of webs. The finger elements may be adjusted from at least one curved position into at least one extended position and back. The at least one hand element takes packages one after the other, and deposits the packages into the container in a stack. The hand element is displaced along the guide between the deposit of two successive packages.

A method for loading a container with packages, using a device having at least one guide. At least one hand element is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the guide, and is provided on the at least one guide. The hand element has a plurality of finger elements. The finger elements have at least two flexible flank elements extending together from one end of the finger element to the opposing end. The at least two flexible flank elements of the finger elements are flexibly connected together via a plurality of webs. The finger elements may be adjusted from at least one curved position into at least one extended position and back. The at least one hand element takes packages one after the other, and deposits the packages into the container in a stack. The hand element is displaced along the guide between the deposit of two successive packages.

This extracting device 30 is for extracting a small and lightweight molded article 10 from a molding machine 20, and is provided with a first extracting member 40a, a second extracting member 40b, a first drive mechanism 50, and a second drive mechanism 60, wherein the first extracting member 40a and the second extracting member 40b are provided with accommodating portions 41a, 41b for accommodating the molded article 10, and shutter plates 42a, 42b for opening and closing the accommodating portions 41a and 41b.

This extracting device 30 is for extracting a small and lightweight molded article 10 from a molding machine 20, and is provided with a first extracting member 40a, a second extracting member 40b, a first drive mechanism 50, and a second drive mechanism 60, wherein the first extracting member 40a and the second extracting member 40b are provided with accommodating portions 41a, 41b for accommodating the molded article 10, and shutter plates 42a, 42b for opening and closing the accommodating portions 41a and 41b.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously packing folded laundry articles into a container are described. A packing system includes a refillable cartridge, a queue conveyor having one or more folded laundry articles and stacks of folded laundry articles disposed thereon, at least one retractable conveyor loading end between the refillable cartridge and the queue conveyor for loading the folded laundry articles into the refillable cartridge, a driven lifter for selectively raising and lowering the into and out of the container, and a controller in operative configuration with processors and drives of all of the foregoing and one or more sensors detecting a fill height of the refillable cartridge. The refillable cartridge includes a removable receiving surface that moves from a closed position to an open position during loading of the folded laundry by the retractable conveyor and unloading of the folded laundry into the container.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously packing folded laundry articles into a container are described. A packing system includes a refillable cartridge, a queue conveyor having one or more folded laundry articles and stacks of folded laundry articles disposed thereon, at least one retractable conveyor loading end between the refillable cartridge and the queue conveyor for loading the folded laundry articles into the refillable cartridge, a driven lifter for selectively raising and lowering the into and out of the container, and a controller in operative configuration with processors and drives of all of the foregoing and one or more sensors detecting a fill height of the refillable cartridge. The refillable cartridge includes a removable receiving surface that moves from a closed position to an open position during loading of the folded laundry by the retractable conveyor and unloading of the folded laundry into the container.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously queueing a plurality of folded household laundry articles in a packing queue are described. A packing system includes a rotating platform configured to rotate a folded laundry article for directional placement in the packing queue, at least one packing queue platform receiving the folded laundry article into a packing queue disposed thereon, and a double ended conveyor. The double ended conveyor includes a retrieving end and a depositing end. The conveyor is configured to be mounted to a gantry for traveling along the length of the queue platform and cantilevering the retrieving end over the rotating platform for retrieving the folded laundry article and the depositing end over the packing queue platform for depositing the folded laundry article onto either a surface of the packing queue platform or another folded laundry article of the plurality of household laundry articles.

Devices, systems, and methods for autonomously queueing a plurality of folded household laundry articles in a packing queue are described. A packing system includes a rotating platform configured to rotate a folded laundry article for directional placement in the packing queue, at least one packing queue platform receiving the folded laundry article into a packing queue disposed thereon, and a double ended conveyor. The double ended conveyor includes a retrieving end and a depositing end. The conveyor is configured to be mounted to a gantry for traveling along the length of the queue platform and cantilevering the retrieving end over the rotating platform for retrieving the folded laundry article and the depositing end over the packing queue platform for depositing the folded laundry article onto either a surface of the packing queue platform or another folded laundry article of the plurality of household laundry articles.

An autonomously operated system is configured to load at least one unbound deformable article into a container. The system includes a refillable cartridge configured to receive therein the article, at least one extendable conveyor being configured to extend into the refillable cartridge and deposit the article within the refillable cartridge, a driven lifter configured to selectively lower and raise the refillable cartridge relative to the at least one extendable conveyor, one or more sensors configured output a signal indicative of a fill height of the refillable cartridge, and at least one controller configured to, in response a received signal form the one or more sensors, instruct the driven lifter to at least one of raise and lower the refillable cartridge to at least one of one or more loading heights for receiving the article, and lower the refillable cartridge to an unloading position within the container.

An autonomously operated system is configured to load at least one unbound deformable article into a container. The system includes a refillable cartridge configured to receive therein the article, at least one extendable conveyor being configured to extend into the refillable cartridge and deposit the article within the refillable cartridge, a driven lifter configured to selectively lower and raise the refillable cartridge relative to the at least one extendable conveyor, one or more sensors configured output a signal indicative of a fill height of the refillable cartridge, and at least one controller configured to, in response a received signal form the one or more sensors, instruct the driven lifter to at least one of raise and lower the refillable cartridge to at least one of one or more loading heights for receiving the article, and lower the refillable cartridge to an unloading position within the container.