Sling jig assembly for use in loading and transporting bagged and bundled products

Abstract

A method for loading a sling having a bottom and sidewalls comprises placing the sling bottom on a raised platform and rolling the sidewalls down into a gutter surrounding the raised platform so that the sidewalls form a negative angle with the sling bottom. Bagged product is then loaded onto the bottom of the sling to form a stack. The sling sidewalls are then rolled up the sidewalls up the stack sides so that the sidewalls form a positive angle with the sling bottom and the sling now encloses the stack of product. The sling jig assembly includes a raised central platform on which is adapted to rest the bottom of the sling. A gutter formed about the periphery of the central platform is adapted to receive the rolled-down sidewalls of the sling.

1 . A sling jig assembly adapted for use with a sling having a bottom and sidewalls, the sling jig comprising: 
 a raised central platform on which is adapted to rest the bottom of the sling; and    a gutter formed about the periphery of the central platform and adapted to receive sidewalls of the sling.    
   
   
       2 . The sling jig of  claim 1 , further including an underside support structure adapted to sit on a conveyor.  
   
   
       3 . The sling jig of  claim 2 , wherein said underside support structure includes metal support struts fixed beneath a top surface of the raised central platform adapted to increase the strength of the jig assembly.  
   
   
       4 . The sling jig of  claim 3 , wherein the underside support structure further comprises support beams.  
   
   
       5 . The sling jig of  claim 1 , further including an array of apertures formed through a top surface of the raised central platform adapted to allow air to escape as the sling bottom is placed on the jig.  
   
   
       6 . A method for loading a sling having a bottom and sidewalls comprising: 
 placing the sling bottom on a raised platform;    rolling the sidewalls down so that the sidewalls form a negative angle with the sling bottom;    loading product onto the bottom of the sling to form a stack; and    rolling the sidewalls up the stack sides so that the sidewalls form a positive angle with the sling bottom.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of rolling the sling sidewalls downward including rolling such sidewalls downward into a gutter surrounding the raised platform.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of loading product onto the bottom of the sling includes: 
 providing a robotic arm with an end effector;    engaging the end effector with product at an unload position;    moving the robotic arm to a preprogrammed position over the bottom of the sling; and    disengaging the product from the end effector.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further including the step of repeating the engaging, moving, and disengaging step to form a stack of product and wherein the preprogrammed position is different for each repeated moving step.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , further including the step of presenting product serially along a conveyor belt to the robotic arm at the unload position.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , further including the step of moving the loaded sling along a conveyor belt to a sling unload position.  
   
   
       12 . A sling and jig assembly comprising: 
 a rectangular skirt having upturned peripheral edges and forming a cavity therein;    a raised central platform having sidewalls and an elevated top surface located within the cavity between the peripheral edges of the skirt;    a gutter formed within the rectangular skirt between the central platform sidewalls and upturned peripheral edges; and    a sling having a bottom surface and straps passing underneath the bottom surface resting on the elevated top surface of the raised central platform, said sling further having sidewalls rolled down into the gutter.    
   
   
       13 . The sling jig of  claim 12 , further including an underside support structure adapted to sit on a conveyor.  
   
   
       14 . The sling jig of  claim 13 , wherein said underside support structure includes metal support struts fixed beneath a top surface of the raised central platform adapted to increase the strength of the jig assembly.  
   
   
       15 . The sling jig of  claim 14 , wherein the underside support structure further comprises support beams.  
   
   
       16 . The sling jig of  claim 12 , further including an array of apertures formed through a top surface of the raised central platform adapted to allow air to escape as the sling bottom is placed on the jig.