KR-20260067603-A - Method for dismantling and separating fabrics and accessories of clothing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for disassembling and separating fabric and accessories of clothing, comprising: a) a sewing line detection module that detects a sewing method applied to the clothing fabric and classifies the fabric according to the sewing method, such as a main sewing, overlock, or chain sewing; b) an automatic cutting device designed to cut along the seam allowance of the fabric sewing line when the classification of the sewing method is difficult or not clearly detected; c) an accessory separation device that detects various accessories included in the clothing, such as buttons, buckles, interlining, zippers, and pads, and performs cutting and disassembly operations suitable for the accessories; and d) a central control system that controls the operation of the sewing line detection module, the automatic cutting device, and the accessory separation device to automate the disassembly operation.

Inventors

• 이예지

Assignees

• 이예지

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20241106

Claims (1)

1. As a method for dismantling and separating the fabric and materials of clothing, a) a step of detecting a sewing method applied to a garment fabric and classifying the fabric according to the sewing method, such as a regular stitch, overlock, or chain stitch; b) A step of cutting along the seam allowance or sewing line of the fabric; c) a component separation step that detects various components included in the garment and performs a dismantling operation; and d) A step of collecting cut fabric and auxiliary materials and separating and collecting remaining residues; A method for disassembling and separating fabric and auxiliary materials of clothing, including

Description

Method for dismantling and separating fabrics and accessories of clothing The present invention relates to a method and system for disassembling and separating fabrics and auxiliary materials of clothing. In particular, the invention includes a device that classifies the fabric of clothing according to various sewing methods (straight stitch, overlock, chain stitch, etc.) to perform disassembly, and cuts along the seam allowance of the fabric sewing line when classification is difficult. The invention also relates to a method for efficiently cutting and disassembling auxiliary materials (buttons, buckles, interfacing, zippers, pads, etc.) constituting the clothing. With the increasing consumption of clothing in modern society, the disposal and recycling of clothing waste are emerging as significant environmental issues. In particular, because clothing consists of various fabrics and materials, the process of separating them into a recyclable state is highly complex and requires a high level of labor. Traditional clothing dismantling is a manual method relying on skilled personnel; this not only takes a long time but can also lead to fabric damage and reduced recycling efficiency due to errors occurring during the process. This problem poses a significant challenge, especially for recycling centers and large-scale production facilities that must process large volumes of clothing. Generally, clothing is produced using various sewing methods, such as straight stitching, overlocking, and chain stitching, and the disassembly method must vary depending on the technique. Since the strength of the seam and the form of the thread differ depending on the sewing method, it is crucial to accurately identify the sewing technique when performing the disassembly process to separate the fabric along the seam. For example, straight stitching creates a rigid, straight seam, so tools and techniques suitable for the sewing line are required to unravel or cut it. Overlocking is a sewing method where the thread is wrapped around the edge; if this is cut without unraveling, there is a risk of the thread coming undone or the fabric being damaged. Chain stitching involves threads intertwined in a continuous loop structure that can be easily unraveled, but there is a high probability of the thread getting snagged or the fabric tearing during the disassembly process. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the sewing technique and perform automated separation using the appropriate method during garment disassembly. Furthermore, clothing utilizes various accessories such as buttons, buckles, interlining, zippers, and pads, making the process of separating them complex. These accessories are made from diverse materials like plastic, metal, and wood, and are fixed in specific locations within the garment, making them difficult to remove easily. For instance, interlining and pads are bonded or sewn between fabric layers, posing a significant risk of fabric damage during manual separation. While zippers, which combine metal and fabric, can be separated using high heat, this process carries the risk of damaging both the metal and the fabric. If appropriate tools and equipment are not used during the separation of these various accessories, recycling efficiency decreases, and residues that can have a detrimental effect on the environment may remain. Existing automated dismantling devices consist of equipment equipped with simple cutting devices or basic sorting sensors, and they have limitations in recognizing sewing methods and types of materials to separate them accordingly. Furthermore, in many cases, the lack of accurate detection sensors to classify sewing methods frequently leads to incorrect seam separation or difficulties in dismantling during operation. Consequently, the garment recycling process is often halted or the fabric is damaged, rendering recycling impossible. Therefore, there is a need to develop an innovative system capable of automating disassembly work according to the various sewing methods and component compositions of clothing, as well as a device to implement it. Hereinafter, each component of the present invention is described in more detail so that a person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily implement it; however, this is merely an example, and the scope of the rights of the present invention is not limited by the following. As used in this invention, "preferably" or "preferably" refers to an embodiment of the invention having a specific advantage under specific conditions. However, other embodiments may also be preferred under the same or different conditions. Furthermore, one or more preferred embodiments do not imply that other embodiments are not useful, nor do they exclude other embodiments within the scope of the invention. The term “comprising” as used herein is used when listing materials, compositions, devices, and methods useful for the present invention, and is not lim