Abstract: In selected examples, a hanger couples to an electrically-powered garment, to provide electrical energy to the garment to recharge the battery of the garment. The electrical energy may be transferred from the hanger to the garment using inductive coupling. The electrical energy may also or instead be transferred using contact coupling facilitated by magnet(s) in the interfaces of the hanger system and the garment. The garment may include biometric, environmental, and other sensors to collect data. The hanger system-garment interfaces may provide for data flow between the hanger and the garment. In selected examples, a smart garment may be controlled by a smartphone or another mobile device. The smartphone may control several smart garments, which may be connected in series and/or in parallel, with one of the smart garments being a master connected to the smartphone, and the other garments being slave garments connected to the smartphone through the master.

Abstract: A garment handling device is disclosed, comprising at least one elongate garment receiving recess extending between two neighboring elongate members made of rigid material and articulated to one another at one end. The garment handling device is configured with a garment opening at the respective opposite end of the neighboring elongated members.

Abstract: A device for providing support for a workpiece on an embroidery machine. The device has a base that is configured to fit on a rod of the embroidery machine, wherein the rod of the embroidery machine is located beneath a bobbin arm. First and second sides extend upward from the base and form a channel therebetween, the channel being configured to receive the bobbin arm of the embroidery machine. The first and second sides have upper edges that are configured to provide a support structure for a workpiece placed thereon, and preferably extend to a height that is substantially the same height as a top of the bobbin arm.

Abstract: In selected examples, a hanger or a garment-storing enclosure couples to an electrically-powered garment, to provide electrical energy for recharging the garment's battery and operating the garment's electronics. The electrical energy may be transferred using low frequency inductive coupling or electromagnetic coupling in the radio frequency range of the spectrum. The hanger/enclosure may include a data interface to the garment, and another data interface to a Wide Area Network (WAN) or another network. Each of the data interfaces may be, e.g., a wireless RF data interface. The garment may include biometric, environmental, and other sensors for collecting data. Through the data interfaces, the hanger/enclosure may enable data flow between the garment and remote devices connected to the WAN. The garment-storing enclosure may be a portable enclosure, such as a garment travel bag. It may also be a relatively-fixed enclosure, such as a closet in an office or a dwelling.

Abstract: Presented is an method and apparatus. An exemplary method includes securing a moveable support surface in a first position adjacent to a sewing head having a reciprocating needle, and moving the support surface to a second position to define a working window adjacent to the sewing head. The method further includes moving the sewing head within the working window relative to the support surface in the second position.

Abstract: In selected examples, a clothes storage system includes a garment holder designed to receive and store at least one garment, an electromagnetic radiator attached to the garment holder, power circuitry configured to provide electrical drive to the electromagnetic radiator to cause the electromagnetic radiator to radiate radio frequency (RF) power, and a data interface configured to establish short range wireless communication links. The garment holder may be, e.g., a clothes hanger, a garment bag, a travel garment bag, or a walled enclosure such as a closet in a dwelling or an office. The data interface may be a short range RF transceiver, e.g., a Bluetooth® transceiver. The radiated RF power is received by the powered garments in/on the garment holder and converted into DC charging power used to recharge batteries of the powered garments. The data interface may allow the powered garments to communicate with external networks, e.g., the Internet.

Abstract: A steam iron includes an ironing unit and a water inlet unit. The ironing unit includes an ironing plate and a heating member disposed for heating the ironing plate. The ironing plate has a first heating space, a second heating space isolated from the first heating space, a first steam hole in fluid communication with the first heating space, and a plurality of second steam holes in fluid communication with the second heating space. The steam iron is operable to convert between a power mode, where water is only introduced from the water inlet unit into the first heating space, and a regular mode, where water is introduced from the water inlet unit into the first and second heating spaces.

Abstract: A heat press device is provided that includes a support structure, a first platen and a heating element assembly that includes a heating element and a second platen. The heat press device further includes a movement assembly configured to change a pressure state between the first platen and the second platen when the heat press device is in a closed configuration. The heat press device can also include an indicator that is configured to convey the pressure state between the first platen and the second platen when the heat press device is in the closed configuration.

Abstract: A method and device for feeding laundry pieces to a laundry treatment installation. Laundry pieces are fed to ironers by infeed machines. In practice, a front transverse periphery of a laundry piece is folded back on itself. In order to prevent this, infeed machines have stretching installations that have belt conveyors that lie on top of one another, one of which is briefly decelerated so as to unravel a front transverse periphery of the laundry piece that is folded back on itself. This deceleration decreases the infeed performance. One belt conveyor of the present stretching installation is at least temporarily driven at a faster speed to unravel a transverse periphery of the laundry piece that has potentially folded back on itself before the laundry piece runs into the ironer, increasing the infeed performance as it is no longer necessary for either of the belt conveyors to be decelerated.

Abstract: A multi-functional device comprises a device body defined by a first wall that includes a first inner face and a first outer face, a second wall that includes a second inner face and a second outer face, and a third wall that includes a third inner face and a third outer face. The second wall is connected to and extends from the first wall at a first interface on a first lateral side of the first wall. The third wall is connected to and extends from the first wall at a second interface on a second lateral side of the first wall. The multi-functional device comprises a hook arranged on the device body configured to facilitate removal of a sock from a foot of a user, and a plurality of ridges arranged on the device body configured to facilitate placement of a sock over a foot of a user.

Abstract: A clothes care apparatus including a main body including a clothes care room, a support device arranged inside the clothes care room and configured to support clothes, and a steam generating device configured to supply steam into the clothes care room, wherein the support device includes a first support member, and a second support member and a third support member that are arranged in a first direction with respect to the first support member, the first support member and each of the second support member and the third support member are separated by a first separation distance, the second support member and the third support member are separated by a second separation distance in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction, wherein each of the first separation distances, and the second separation distance are variable to, when the clothes are supported on the support device and steam is supplied by the steam generating device, prevent wrinkles.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a steam pressing appliance that includes a handle connected to a steam release nozzle. The steam release nozzle includes a heating body with an instant vaporization chamber and an electrical resistor regulated by a thermostat in order to keep the temperature of the vaporization chamber around a set-point temperature. The appliance also includes an electric pump to inject liquid into the vaporization chamber. The pump is controlled by a drive circuit that receives information from the thermostat on whether power is being supplied to the electrical resistor. The drive circuit modifies the operating conditions of the pump in accordance with whether or not current is supplied through the electrical resistor, operating in a first flow mode when current flows through the electrical resistor and operating in a second flow mode when no current flows through the electrical resistor.

Abstract: A collapsible hanger includes a hook unit, a first hanger body, and a second hanger body. The hook unit has a hook and a pair of pivot shafts. The first hanger body has a pair of first extensions and a pair of first pivot rings, which are pivotally sleeved on the pivot shafts respectively. The second hanger body has a pair of second extensions, a pair of second pivot rings, and at least one stop section. The second pivot rings are pivotally sleeved on the pivot shafts respectively. The stop section is fixed on one of the second pivot rings. When the first and second hanger bodies are at their respective extended positions and the hook is in a top-side space, the stop section and at least one of the first extensions interfere with each other such that the two hanger bodies cannot pivot away from the hook simultaneously.

Abstract: Provided is an iron device. The iron device includes a base provided with a heat generator; a press plate arranged to pivot between a first position at which the press plate covers the base and a second position at which the press plate uncovers the base; a steam nozzle arranged to, with the press plate being in the first position, supply steam to a space between the base and the press plate; and a press driver configured to, with the press plate being in the first position, mechanically move the press plate in a first direction toward the base and second direction away from the base.

Abstract: An edge clamping device includes: a two-position holding device having a pair of holding chucks that hold two separate portions of a rectangular piece of cloth Y that are on or near the ridge of a fold, in a state where a right-angled triangular part S is revealed; an edge locating conveyor that is disposed under the two-position holding device and delivers the cloth Y having been released from the two-position holding device; clamping chucks disposed downstream of the edge locating conveyor in a delivery direction; and a position changing means that moves at least one of the two-position holding device, the edge locating conveyor, and the clamping chucks in a crosswise direction such that the right-angled triangular part S of the cloth Y held by the two-position holding device is located at a correct clamping position corresponding to the positions of the clamping chucks.

Abstract: An article of footwear may be constructed of a matrix of beads. For example, by preconfiguring the row length and the number of beads in a given row, the bead matrix may be configured to form a three dimensional shape that pulls towards a centerline or is concave.

Abstract: Disclosed is a guiding apparatus for use with a machine to facilitate performing an action along a self-guided path on a substrate. The guiding apparatus may include a support member configured to be attached to at least a portion of the machine. Further, the guiding apparatus may include one or more of lighting units, optical sensors, controllers, and user interface components, mounted on the support member, configured to identify an object, obtain position of the object on a substrate and perform an action along a self-guided path in association with that object on the substrate.

Abstract: A clothes iron including some or all of: a soleplate that narrows in a longitudinal direction and an at least partially enclosed aperture that extends in at least a transverse direction, for receiving at least a portion of a hand when in use; an interface configured to be connectable to and disconnectable from a fluid outlet external to the iron and a valve for enabling transfer of fluid from the fluid outlet to the iron via the interface while the interface is connected to the fluid outlet, and for inhibiting loss of fluid from the iron via the interface while the interface is disconnected from the fluid outlet; an aligning portion and an external aligning portion and one or more outlets to which the iron is connectable, wherein at least one of the outlets is configured to transfer fluid or electrical energy to the iron.

Abstract: A garment hanger with particular ease of use advantage when removing or hanging crew neck or turtleneck type shirts or blouses. The hanger provides an easily manipulated and intuitive mechanism for collapsing the garment support portions of the hanger, thus allowing for simple passage through the narrow neck hole of a garment. The hanger further provides an easily manipulated and intuitive mechanism for returning the folded garment support portions to their extended and supportive positions, which can be done with the hanger enveloped within a garment, thus providing an improved means for hanging some shirts or blouses without the need to feed a hanger up through the bottom opening of the garment.

Abstract: A device for aiding putting on a ski boot includes a flexible attachment member removably attached to the ski boot. The flexible attachment member includes a strap retention member at a front end. An end of a main strap is attached at a rear end of the flexible retention member. The other end of the main strap is threaded through the strap retention member and through a loop positioned on a tongue of the ski boot. The main strap is pulled to move the tongue toward the front of the ski boot to increase the opening into the ski boot. After the tongue is in an open position, the ends of the main strap are attached to one another to keep the tongue in an open position. A pair of side straps attached to the main strap can be pulled upwardly on either side of the ski boot to aid in pulling the ski boot onto the foot of the wearer.