Garment folding machine and method of controlling the same

1. A garment folding machine comprising:

a frame unit configured to define an external framework;

a loading unit into which a garment is received;

a folding unit configured to convey and fold the garment;

an unloading unit configured to collect the garment folded by the folding unit; and

a control unit configured to control the folding unit,

wherein the folding unit comprises:

a first folding layer;

a second folding layer disposed below the first folding layer and configured to perform vertical folding on the garment; and

a third folding layer disposed below the second folding layer and configured to perform horizontal folding on the garment,

wherein the third folding layer comprises:

a third conveyor configured to convey the garment, passing through the second folding layer, to a front end or a rear end of the third conveyor; and

a third conveyor motor configured to provide driving power to the third conveyor,

wherein the control unit is configured to operate the third conveyor motor to drop one end of the garment to an outside of the front end of the third conveyor,

wherein the second folding layer comprises:

a second conveyor configured to convey the garment, passing through the first folding layer, from a rear end to a front end of the second conveyor;

a second conveyor motor configured to provide driving power to the second conveyor; and

a second-conveyor-front-end garment detection sensor disposed at the front end of the second conveyor and configured to (i) detect whether the garment has reached a target position and (ii) generate a detection signal, and

wherein the control unit is configured to, based on the detection signal being received at the control unit from the second-conveyor-front-end garment detection sensor, operate the third conveyor motor.

2. The garment folding machine of claim 1 , wherein the third folding layer further comprises a third-conveyor-rear-end garment detection sensor disposed at the rear end of the third conveyor and configured to (i) detect whether the garment has reached the target position and (ii) generate a detection signal, and

wherein the control unit is configured to calculate a length of the garment using a garment passage time determined by measuring a time from a point in time at which the control unit begins to receive the detection signal from the third-conveyor-rear-end garment detection sensor to a point in time at which the reception of the detection signal is stopped.

3. The garment folding machine of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to, based on the reception of the detection signal from the third-conveyor-rear-end garment detection sensor being stopped, change a rotation direction of the third conveyor motor to convey the garment from the rear end to the front end of the third conveyor.

4. The garment folding machine of claim 3 , wherein the control unit operates the third conveyor motor to convey the garment from the rear end to the front end of the third conveyor, and an operating time of the third conveyor motor is ⅓ or more and ⅔ or less of the garment passage time.

5. The garment folding machine of claim 4 , wherein the third folding layer further comprises:

a fourth conveyor disposed at a rear side of the third conveyor and configured to convey the garment or perform horizontal folding on the garment; and

a fourth conveyor motor configured to provide driving power to the fourth conveyor, and

wherein the control unit is configured to, based on the reception of the detection signal from the third-conveyor-rear-end garment detection sensor being stopped, operate the fourth conveyor motor to convey the garment from a rear end to a front end of the fourth conveyor, and an operating time of the fourth conveyor motor is ⅓ or more and ⅔ or less of the garment passage time.

6. The garment folding machine of claim 5 , wherein the control unit is configured to, during the horizontal folding, operate (i) the third conveyor motor to convey one end of the garment from the front end to the rear end of the third conveyor and (ii) the fourth conveyor motor to convey the other end of the garment from the rear end to the front end of the fourth conveyor.

7. The garment folding machine of claim 1 , wherein the folding unit further comprises a fourth folding layer disposed below the third folding layer and configured to perform horizontal folding on the garment,

wherein the fourth folding layer comprises:

a fifth conveyor configured to convey the garment to a front end or a rear end of the fifth conveyor thereof;

a fifth conveyor motor configured to provide driving power to the fifth conveyor; and

a fifth-conveyor-front-end garment detection sensor disposed at the front end of the fifth conveyor and configured to (i) detect whether the garment has reached the target position and (ii) generate a detection signal,

wherein the control unit is configured to operate the fifth conveyor motor to convey the garment to the rear end of the fifth conveyor, and

wherein the control unit is configured to, based on the reception of the detection signal from the fifth-conveyor-front-end garment detection sensor being stopped, change a rotation direction of the fifth conveyor motor.

8. The garment folding machine of claim 7 , wherein the fourth folding layer further comprises:

a seventh conveyor disposed at a front side of the fifth conveyor and configured to convey the garment to a front end or a rear end of the seventh conveyor;

a seventh conveyor motor configured to provide driving power to the seventh conveyor; and

a seventh-conveyor-rear-end garment detection sensor disposed at the rear end of the seventh conveyor and configured to (i) detect whether the garment has reached the target position and (ii) generate a detection signal,

wherein the control unit is configured to operate the seventh conveyor motor to convey the garment to the front end of the seventh conveyor, and

wherein the control unit is configured to, based on the reception of the detection signal from the seventh-conveyor-rear-end garment detection sensor being stopped, change a rotation direction of the seventh conveyor motor.

9. The garment folding machine of claim 8 , wherein the fourth folding layer further comprises:

a sixth conveyor that is disposed between the fifth conveyor and the seventh conveyor and that is configured to convey the garment or perform horizontal folding on the garment; and

a sixth conveyor motor configured to provide driving power to the sixth conveyor, and

wherein the control unit is configured to perform the horizontal folding on the garment by controlling (i) the sixth conveyor motor so that a rotation direction of the sixth conveyor is opposite to a rotation direction of the fifth conveyor or (ii) the sixth conveyor motor so that a rotation direction of the sixth conveyor is opposite to a rotation direction of the seventh conveyor.