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Title:
ON-DEMAND ROBOTIC FOOD ASSEMBLY AND RELATED SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2017/177041
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
An on-demand robotic food assembly line can include one or more conveyors and one or more robots, operable to assemble food items in response to received orders for food items, and one or more ovens operable to, for example, partially cook assembled food items. The on-demand robotic food assembly line can optionally package the assembled and partially cooked food items in packaging, and optionally load the packaged partially cooked food items into portable cooking units (e.g., ovens) that are optionally loaded into racks that are, in turn, optionally loaded into delivery vehicles, where the food items are individually cooked under controlled conditions while en route to consumer destinations, such the cooking of each food item is completed just prior to arrival at the consumer destination location. A dynamic fulfillment queue for control of assembly is maintained based at least in part on estimated transit time for orders.

Inventors:
GARDEN ALEXANDER JOHN (US)
GOLDBERG JOSHUA GOULED (US)
COLLINS JULIA ELIZABETH (US)
DAROLFI VICTOR CHARLES (US)
WILLIAMS RUSSELL KENNEDY (US)
ALMENDARES ANDREW DAVID (US)
VARMA ANKITA A (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2017/026408
Publication Date:
February 15, 2018
Filing Date:
April 06, 2017
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
ZUME PIZZA INC (US)
International Classes:
A21C14/00; A21B7/00; A21C9/04; G06Q30/06; G06Q50/04
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
ABRAMONTE, Frank et al. (US)
Download PDF:
Claims:
AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 10 January 2018 (10.01.2018)

1 . An on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line, comprising:

a first plurality of robots, each of the robots of the first plurality of robots having at least one respective appendage that is selectively moveable and a respective tool physically coupled to the respective appendage;

at least a first conveyor that extends past the robots of the first plurality of robots, and which is operable to convey a plurality of food items being assembled past the robots; and

a control system that receives a plurality of individual orders for food items, generates control signals based on respective ones of the plurality of individual orders for food items, and causes the respective tool of the respective appendage of the robots to assemble the food item as the conveyor conveys the food item along at least a portion of the robotic food preparation assembly line, wherein at least a first one of the food items includes a first set of ingredients and a second one of the food items, immediately successively following the first one of the food items along the conveyor, includes a second set of ingredients, the second set of ingredients different from the first set of ingredients. 2. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 1 wherein at least a third one of the food items, immediately successively following the second one of the food items along the conveyor, includes a third set of ingredients, the third set of ingredients different from the first set of ingredients and different from the second set of ingredients. 3. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of any of claims 1 or 2, further comprising:

at least a first sauce dispenser including a first reservoir to hold a first sauce and operable to dispense a first quantity of the first sauce on ones of flat pieces of dough on the conveyor, and wherein the respective tool of a first one of the first plurality of robots has a rounded portion and is operable to spread the first quantity of the first sauce on the ones of the flat pieces of dough.

4. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 3, further comprising:

at least a second sauce dispenser including a second reservoir to hold a second sauce and operable to dispense a first quantity of the second sauce on selected ones of flat pieces of dough on the conveyor, and wherein the respective tool of the first one of the first plurality of robots is operable to spread the first quantity of the second sauce on the selected ones of the flat pieces of dough.

5. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 3 wherein the appendage of the first one of the first plurality of robots is operable to move in a spiral while the respective tool of the first one of the first plurality of robots is operable to rotate to spread the first quantity of the first sauce on the ones of the flat pieces of dough.

6. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 3 wherein a second one of the plurality of robots includes a dispensing container, the dispensing container having a bottom face, the dispensing container coupled to the one respective appendage, and wherein the tool is physically coupled to the bottom face.

7. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 6, wherein the tool includes at least one of the following: a grater, a nozzle, a rotating blade, and a linear slicer. 8. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 6 wherein the dispensing container further includes a plunger, the plunger having a face that is parallel to the bottom face of the dispensing container, the plunger movable in a direction towards the bottom face.

9. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 1 , further comprising:

a dispenser carousel that contains multiple dispensing containers, the dispenser carousel located above at least the first conveyor so that at least one of the multiple dispensing containers is centered above the at least one conveyer, wherein the dispenser carousel is rotatable around an axis of rotation such that a first one of the multiple dispensing containers is centered above the at least one conveyer at a first time and a second one of the multiple dispensing containers is centered above the at least one conveyer at a second time.

10. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 3 wherein a second one of the first plurality of robots is operable to retrieve a quantity of cheese from a first receptacle and deposit the quantity of cheese on the ones of the flat pieces of dough on the conveyor.

1 1 . The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 10 wherein a third one of the first plurality of robots is operable to retrieve a quantity of a first topping from a second receptacle and deposit the quantity of the first topping on selected ones of the flat pieces of dough on the conveyor. 12. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 1 1 wherein a fourth one of the first plurality of robots is operable to retrieve a quantity of a second topping from a third receptacle and deposit the quantity of the second topping on selected ones of the flat pieces of dough on the conveyor. 13. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 10 wherein a third one of the first plurality of robots is operable to retrieve a quantity of a first topping from a second receptacle and deposit the quantity of the first topping on selected ones of the flat pieces of dough on the conveyor and is further operable to retrieve a quantity of a second topping from a third receptacle and deposit the quantity of the second topping on selected ones of the flat pieces of dough on the conveyor.

14. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of any of claims 1 or 2, further comprising:

an oven downstream of the first plurality of robots, the oven operable to at least partially cook the food items. 15. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one robot positioned downstream of the oven, and operable to retrieve a fresh topping from a fresh topping receptacle and dispense the fresh topping on selected ones of the at least partially cooked food items.

16. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of any of claims 1 or 2 wherein the first conveyor includes:

a food grade conveyor belt that operates at a first speed;

at least one oven conveyor rack that transits the food items through an oven at a second speed, the second speed slower than the first speed; and

a first transfer conveyor that transfers food items from the food grade conveyor belt that moves at the first speed to the at least one oven conveyor rack that moves at the second speed.

17. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 16 wherein the at least one conveyor includes:

a second transfer conveyor that transfers at least partially cooked food items to respective ones of a plurality of bottom portions of packaging.

18. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 17 wherein the first and the second transfer conveyors each include a respective robot, each of the robots having a respective appendage selectively moveable with at least 3 degrees of freedom.

19. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 1 wherein the control system receives orders for food items electronically generated directly by customers.

20. The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of any of claims 1 or 2 wherein the control system includes a server computer front end to communicatively coupled to receive orders for food items electronically generated directly by customers, and a back end computer that assembles the received orders for food items in an order fulfillment queue, where at least some of the received orders for food items are arranged in the order fulfillment queue out of sequence with respect to an order in which the orders for food items were received.

21 . The on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 20 wherein the back end computer assembles the received orders for food items in the order fulfillment queue based at least in part on an estimated time to a respective delivery destination for each of the received orders for food items.

22. A method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line, the method comprising:

receiving, by a control system, a plurality of individual orders for food items;

generating, by the control system, control signals based on the respective ones of the plurality of individual orders for food items, and

conveying, by a conveyor, a plurality of instances of the food items along at least a portion of the robotic food preparation assembly line; and causing, by the control system, a respective tool of a respective appendage of each of a plurality of robots to assemble the instances of the food items based at least in part on the control signals, where at least a first instance of the food items includes a first set of ingredients and a second instance of the food items, immediately successively following the first instance of the food items along the conveyor, includes a second set of ingredients, the second set of ingredients different from the first set of ingredients.

23. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 22 where at least a third instance of the food items, immediately successively following the second instance of the food items along the conveyor, includes a third set of ingredients, the third set of ingredients different from the first set of ingredients and different from the second set of ingredients.

24. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of any of claims 22 or 23, further comprising:

dispensing, by at least a first sauce dispenser that includes a first reservoir to hold a first sauce, a first quantity of the first sauce on ones of flat pieces of dough on the conveyor, and

spreading, by a rounded portion of the respective tool of a first one of the plurality of robots, the first quantity of the first sauce on the ones of the flat pieces of dough.

25. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 24 wherein spreading the first quantity of the first sauce on the ones of the flat pieces of dough includes causing the appendage of the first one of the plurality of robots to move in a spiral while the respective tool of the first one of the plurality of robots rotates.

26. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 24 wherein causing a respective tool of a respective appendage of each of a plurality of robots to assemble the instances of the food items based at least in part on the control signals includes causing a second one of the plurality of robots to retrieve a quantity of cheese from a first receptacle and deposit the quantity of cheese on the ones of the flat pieces of dough on the conveyor.

27. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 26 wherein causing a respective tool of a respective appendage of each of a plurality of robots to assemble the instances of the food items based at least in part on the control signals includes causing a third one of the plurality of robots to retrieve a quantity of a first topping from a second receptacle and deposit the quantity of the first topping on selected ones of the flat pieces of dough on the conveyor. 28. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 27 wherein causing a respective tool of a respective appendage of each of a plurality of robots to assemble the instances of the food items based at least in part on the control signals includes causing a fourth one of the plurality of robots to retrieve a quantity of a second topping from a third receptacle and deposit the quantity of the second topping on selected ones of the flat pieces of dough on the conveyor.

29. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of any of claims 22 or 23, further comprising:

causing an oven downstream of the plurality of robots to at least partially cook the instances of the food items. 30. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 29, further comprising:

causing at least one robot positioned downstream of the oven to retrieve a fresh topping from a fresh topping receptacle; and

causing at least one robot positioned downstream of the oven to dispense the fresh topping on selected ones of the at least partially cooked instances of the food items.

31 . The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of any of claims 22 or 23 wherein the conveyor includes a food grade conveyor belt that operates at a first speed and at least one oven conveyor rack that transits the food items through an oven at a second speed, the second speed slower than the first speed, and further comprising:

transferring food items, by a first transfer conveyor, from the food grade conveyor belt to the at least one oven conveyor rack. 32. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving, by the control system, orders for food items

electronically generated directly by customers; and

assembling, by the control system, the received orders for food items in an order fulfillment queue, where at least some of the received orders for food items are arranged in the order fulfillment queue out of sequence with respect to an order in which the orders for food items were received.

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33. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 32 wherein assembling the received orders for food items in the order fulfillment queue includes assembling the received orders for food items in the order fulfillment queue based at least in part on an estimated time to a respective delivery destination for each of the received orders for food items.

34. An on-demand food preparation assembly line, comprising: a first set of assembly stations, each station at which a portion of a food item is assembled;

at least one food grade conveyor belt that transits past the assembly stations of the first set of assembly stations at a first speed;

at least one oven;

at least one oven conveyor rack that conveys food items through the at least one oven at a second speed, the second speed slower than the first speed; and

a first transfer conveyor that transfers food items from the food grade conveyor belt that moves at the first speed to the at least one oven conveyor rack that moves at the second speed.

35. The on-demand food preparation assembly line of claim 34, further comprising:

a by-pass conveyor that bypasses the at least one oven conveyor rack to convey food items past the at least one oven, wherein the first transfer conveyor selectively transfers each food item from the food grade conveyor belt to one of the at least one oven conveyor rack and the by-pass conveyor. 36. The on-demand food preparation assembly line of claim 34 wherein the at least one oven includes a first oven and at least a second oven, the second oven in parallel with the first oven along the on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line; and the at least one oven conveyor rack includes a

131 first oven conveyor rack and at least a second oven conveyor rack, the first oven conveyor rack which transits through the first oven and the second oven conveyor rack which transits through the second oven.

37. The on-demand food preparation assembly line of claim 36 wherein the first oven conveyor rack transits through the first oven at the first speed and the second oven conveyor rack transits through the second oven at the first speed.

38. The on-demand food preparation assembly line of claim 36 wherein the first transfer conveyor transfers food items from the food grade conveyor belt to both the first and the second oven conveyor racks.

39. The on-demand food preparation assembly line of claim 38 wherein the first transfer conveyor comprises a robot having an appendage that is moveable with respect to the food grade conveyor belt and with respect to both the first and the second oven conveyor racks. 40. The on-demand food preparation assembly line of claim 39 wherein the first transfer conveyor further comprises a transfer conveyor rack positioned at least proximate an end of the appendage of the robot, the transfer conveyor rack selectively operable in at least a first direction.

41 . The on-demand food preparation assembly line of claim 40 wherein the transfer conveyor rack is selectively operable in a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction.

42. The on-demand food preparation assembly line of claim 40 wherein the transfer conveyor rack is selectively operable at a plurality of speeds in the first direction.

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43. The on-demand food preparation assembly line of claim 34 wherein at least one of the assembly stations includes a robot, the robot having at least one respective appendage that is selectively moveable and a tool physically coupled to the respective appendage, the robot responsive to dynamic instructions to assemble a plurality of specific instances of the food item on-demand.

44. A method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line, comprising:

transiting at least one food grade conveyor belt past a first set of assembly stations at a first speed, each assembly station at which a portion of a customized food item is assembled;

conveying, via at least one oven conveyor rack, at least partially assembled customized food items through at least one oven at a second speed, the second speed slower than the first speed; and

transferring, by a first robotic transfer conveyor, the at least partially assembled customized food items from the food grade conveyor belt that moves at the first speed to the at least one oven conveyor rack that moves at the second speed, without changing the first or the second speeds.

45. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 44 wherein transferring the at least partially assembled customized food items from the food grade conveyor belt to the at least one oven conveyor rack includes transferring one instance of the at least partially assembled customized food items to a first oven conveyor rack that transits a first oven and transferring another instance of the at least partially assembled customized food items to a second oven conveyor rack that transits a second oven, the second oven in parallel with the first oven along the on- demand robotic food preparation assembly line.

46. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 45 wherein the first transfer conveyor comprises a robot having an appendage and transferring the at least partially assembled customized food items from the food grade conveyor belt to the at least one oven conveyor rack includes transferring the appendage with respect to the food grade conveyor belt and with respect to both the first and the second oven conveyor racks.

47. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 46 wherein the first transfer conveyor further comprises a transfer conveyor rack positioned at least proximate an end of the appendage of the robot, and transferring the at least partially assembled customized food items from the food grade conveyor belt to the at least one oven conveyor rack includes selectively operating the transfer conveyor rack in at least a first direction. 48. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 47 wherein transferring the at least partially assembled customized food items from the food grade conveyor belt to the at least one oven conveyor rack includes selectively operating the transfer conveyor rack in at least a second direction, the second direction opposite the first direction.

49. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 47 wherein transferring the at least partially assembled customized food items from the food grade conveyor belt to the at least one oven conveyor rack includes selectively operating the transfer conveyor rack at a plurality of speeds in the first direction.

50. The method of operation of an on-demand robotic food preparation assembly line of claim 44 wherein at least one of the assembly stations includes a robot, the robot having at least one respective appendage, and further comprising selectively moving a tool physically coupled to the respective appendage of the robot responsive to dynamic instructions to assemble a plurality of specific instances of the food item on-demand. 51 . A piece of equipment for use in an on-demand food preparation assembly line, the on-demand food preparation assembly line including at least one food grade conveyor belt that transits at a first speed, a number of ovens, and a number of oven conveyor racks that conveys food items through the ovens at a second speed, the second speed slower than the first speed, the piece of equipment comprising:

a robot, the robot having at least one appendage that is selectively moveable with respect to an end of the food grade conveyor belt and a respective end of each of the oven conveyor racks; and

a transfer conveyor rack positioned at least proximate an end of the appendage of the robot for movement therewith; and

at least one motor drivingly coupled to the transfer conveyor rack and selectively operable to move the transfer conveyor rack in at least a first direction with respect to the end of the appendage.

52. The piece of equipment of claim 51 wherein the at least one motor is selectively operable to move the transfer conveyor rack in a second direction with respect to the end of the appendage, the second direction opposite the first direction.

53. The piece of equipment of claim 51 wherein the transfer conveyor rack is selectively operable at a plurality of speeds in the first direction.

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54. The piece of equipment of claim 51 wherein the transfer conveyor rack is an endless rack, and further comprising a set of rollers about which the transfer conveyor rack is mounted.

55. The piece of equipment of claim 54 wherein at least one of rollers has a set of teeth that physically drivingly engage the transfer conveyor rack.

56. The piece of equipment of claim 51 wherein the appendage of the robot has 6 degrees of freedom, and the robot includes a plurality of motors drivingly coupled to move the appendage in response to a set of controller-executable instructions.

57. A method of operating a piece of equipment for use in an on-demand food preparation assembly line, the on-demand food preparation assembly line including at least one food grade conveyor belt that transits at a first speed, a number of ovens, and a number of oven conveyor racks that conveys food items through the ovens at a second speed, the second speed slower than the first speed, the method comprising:

selectively moving at least one appendage of a robot to position a transfer conveyor rack carried by the appendage of the robot proximate an end of the food grade conveyor belt and a respective end of a first one of the oven conveyor racks;

driving the transfer conveyor rack to transfer a first instance of a food item to the first one of the oven conveyor racks;

selectively moving the at least one appendage of the robot to position the transfer conveyor rack carried by the appendage of the robot proximate the end of the food grade conveyor belt and a respective end of a second one of the oven conveyor racks; and

driving the transfer conveyor rack to transfer a second instance of a food item to the second one of the oven conveyor racks.

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58. The method of claim 57 wherein the piece of equipment includes at least one motor that is selectively operable to move the transfer conveyor rack in a second direction with respect to the end of the appendage, the second direction opposite the first direction, and wherein driving the transfer conveyor rack includes operating the at least one motor.

59. The method of claim 57 wherein driving the transfer conveyor rack to transfer a first instance of a food item to the first one of the oven conveyor racks includes selectively driving the transfer conveyor rack at a plurality of speeds in the first direction. 60. A food preparation robotic system, comprising: a number of arms;

an end of arm tool having a contact portion with a round shape that performs redistribution of a component on a portion of a food item without cutting the food item and without adding any material to the food item;

at least one motor drivingly coupled to selectively move the end of arm tool in an at least two-dimensional pattern;

at least one sensor that senses a position of at least one component of the food item; and

at least one controller, the at least one controller communicatively coupled to receive information from the at least one sensor, the at least one controller which determines a pattern of movement based at least on part on the received information, the at least one controller communicatively coupled to supply control signals to drive the end of arm tool in the determined pattern of movement. 61 . The food preparation robotic system of claim 60 wherein the at least one motor is further drivingly coupled to selectively move the end of arm tool in the at least two-dimensional pattern while the end of arm tool spins.

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62. The food preparation robotic system of claim 60 wherein the at least one motor comprises a first motor driving coupled to move the arms in the determined pattern of movement and a second motor drivingly coupled to spin the end of arm tool while the first motor moves the end of arm tool in the determined pattern of movement.

63. The food preparation robotic system of claim 60 wherein the at least one controller determines a spiral pattern of movement based at least on part on the received information.

64. The food preparation robotic system of claim 60 wherein the contact portion of the end of arm tool is spherical, and the end of arm tool comprises stainless steel.

65. The food preparation robotic system of claim 60 wherein at least the contact portion of the end of arm tool is a food grade polymer, and the end of arm tool is selectively detachable from the number of arms. 66. The food preparation robotic system of claim 60 wherein at least the end of arm tool is one of a food grade polymer or stainless steel and has a convex contact portion, and further comprising:

at least one fastener that selectively detachably couples the end of arm tool to the number of arms. 67. The food preparation robotic system of claim 60, further comprising:

a reservoir to contain a cleaning agent, wherein the controller provides instructions to move at least the contact portion of the end of arm tool into the reservoir and then out of the reservoir.

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68. The food preparation robotic system of claim 67 wherein the controller provides instructions to cause the end of arm tool to spin after at least the contact portion of the end of arm tool is moved out of the reservoir and before the contact portion of the end of arm tool engages a subsequent food item.

69. The food preparation robotic system of any of claims 60 through 68 wherein at least one sensor senses at least one of a position, a shape or an orientation of at least a deposit of a sauce on a flat piece of dough, and the at least one controller determines a pattern of movement based at least on part on at least one of the position, the shape or the orientation of at least the deposit of the sauce on a flat piece of dough.

70. The food preparation robotic system of any of claims 60 through 68 wherein at least one sensor senses at least one of a position of a flat piece of dough on a food grade conveyor belt, a shape of the piece of flat dough or an orientation of the piece of flat dough, and the at least one controller determines a pattern of movement based at least on part on at least one of the position of a flat piece of dough on a food grade conveyor belt, the shape or the orientation of the piece of flat dough.

71 . The food preparation robotic system of any of claims 60 through 68 wherein at least one sensor senses at least one of a position, a shape or an orientation of at least a deposit of a sauce on a flat piece of dough, at least one of a position of a flat piece of dough on a food grade conveyor belt, a shape of the piece of flat dough or an orientation of the piece of flat dough, and the at least one controller determines a pattern of movement based at least on part on at least one of the position, the shape or the orientation of at least the deposit of the sauce on a flat piece of dough and based at least in part on at least one of the position a flat piece of dough on a food grade conveyor belt, the shape or the orientation of the piece of flat dough.

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72. Cancelled

73. A method of operation of a food preparation robotic system, the method comprising:

sensing, by at least one sensor, at least one of a position, a shape or an orientation of at least one component of a food item; and

receiving information, by a controller, from the at least one sensor; determining, by the controller, a pattern of movement of an end of arm tool based at least on part on the received information;

supplying, via the controller, control signals to drive the end of arm tool in the determined pattern of movement, where the end of arm tool has a contact portion with a round shape that performs redistribution of a

component on a portion of a food item without cutting the food item and without adding any material to the food item.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein supplying control signals to drive the end of arm tool in the determined pattern of movement includes supplying control signals to drive at least one motor drivingly coupled to a number of arms to selectively move the end of arm tool in an at least two- dimensional pattern.

The method of claim 73, further comprising:

ing at least the contact portion of the end of arm tool to spin while selectively moving the end of arm tool in the at least two-dimensional pattern while the end of arm tool spins.

76. The method of claim 73 wherein supplying control signals to drive the end of arm tool in the determined pattern of movement includes supplying control signals to a first motor driving coupled to move the arms in the determined pattern of movement and supplying control signals to a second

140 motor drivingly coupled to spin the end of arm tool while the first motor moves the end of arm tool in the determined pattern of movement.

77. The method of claim 73 wherein determining a pattern of movement of an end of arm tool based at least on part on the received information includes determining a spiral pattern of movement or star-shaped pattern of movement based at least on part on the received information.

78. The method of claim 73, further comprising: providing instructions, by the controller, to at least one motor to move at least the contact portion of the end of arm tool into a reservoir that contains a cleaning agent, and then to move out of the reservoir.

79. The method of claim 78, further comprising: providing instructions, by the controller, to at least one motor to cause the end of arm tool to spin after at least the contact portion of the end of arm tool is moved out of the reservoir and before the contact portion of the end of arm tool engages a subsequent food item.

80. The method of any of claims 73 through 79 wherein sensing, by at least one sensor, at least one of a position, a shape or an orientation of at least one component of a food item includes sensing at least one of a position, a shape or an orientation of at least a deposit of a sauce on a flat piece of dough, and determining a pattern of movement is based at least on part on at least one of the position, the shape or the orientation of at least the deposit of the sauce on a flat piece of dough.

81 . The method of any of claims 73 through 79 wherein sensing, by at least one sensor, at least one of a position, a shape or an orientation of at least one component of a food item includes sensing at least one of a position of a flat piece of dough on a food grade conveyor belt, a

141 shape of the piece of flat dough or an orientation of the piece of flat dough, and determining a pattern of movement is based at least on part on at least one of the position of a flat piece of dough on a food grade conveyor belt, the shape or the orientation of the piece of flat dough. 82. The method of any of claims 73 through 79 wherein sensing, by at least one sensor, at least one of a position, a shape or an orientation of at least one component of a food item includes: i) sensing at least one of a position, a shape or an orientation of at least a deposit of a sauce on a flat piece of dough; and ii) sensing at least one of a position of a flat piece of dough on a food grade conveyor belt, a shape of the piece of flat dough or an orientation of the piece of flat dough, determining a pattern of movement is based at least on part on at least one of the position, the shape or the orientation of at least the deposit of the sauce on a flat piece of dough and based at least on part on at least one of the position of a flat piece of dough on a food grade conveyor belt, the shape or the orientation of the piece of flat dough.

83. An end of arm tool for use with a food preparation robotic system having a number of arms, the end of arm tool comprising:

a body having a contact portion with a round shape that performs redistribution of a viscous liquid component on a portion of a food item without cutting the food item and without adding any material to the food item, wherein at least the contact portion of the end of arm tool is one of a food grade polymer or a stainless steel, and at least one fastener that selectively detachably couples the end of arm tool to the number of arms of the food preparation robotic system.

84. The end of arm tool of claim 83 wherein the at least one fastener that selectively detachably couples the end of arm tool to the number

142 of arms of the food preparation robotic system for movement in an at least two- dimensional pattern while the end of arm tool spins.

85. The end of arm tool of claim 83 wherein at least the end of arm tool is one of a food grade polymer or stainless steel and has a convex contact portion.

86. The end of arm tool of claim 83 wherein the contact portion of the end of arm tool is spherical.

87. The end of arm tool of claim 83 wherein the end of arm tool comprises a stainless steel.

88. The end of arm tool of claim 83 wherein the end of arm tool comprises a food grade polymer.

89. The end of arm tool of claim 83 wherein the at least one fastener includes at least one of a male thread or female thread.

90. The end of arm tool of claim 83 wherein the at least one fastener comprises a first fastener that is a single piece unitary portion of the end of arm tool and a second fastener that is complementary to the first fastener and is selectively detachable therefrom.

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