CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to apparatus and method for assembling food products.

More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and method for associating foodstuff and liquid with a substrate. Foodstuff may include food items such as meats, vegetables, cheeses, amongst others. Liquids include those food items that have low viscosities (e.g., sauces, dressings, oils), high viscosities e.g., peanut butter, frosting), and anything in between. A substrate can be anything on which foodstuff or liquid may be associated (e.g., bread, cake, cookies, pizza dough, a bowl in which to place foodstuff).

In commercial kitchens, the process of associating foodstuff to a substrate is labor intensive and expensive. Consider, for example, assembling a pizza. Pizza dough must be prepped and formed into the correct size and a specified amount of sauce and bulk ingredients (e.g., mushrooms, olive, pepperoni, green peppers, amongst others) must be applied to the dough.

The application of a specified amount of sauce and foodstuff is important for a few of reasons. First, a specified amount of sauce and foodstuff allows diners to have a consistent experience. If, for a cheese pizza, for example, a three to one cheese to sauce ratio provides the best dining experience, then each time that pizza is ordered the three to one ratio should be used. Second, delivery of too much foodstuff or liquid to a substrate will reduce profit margins for a restaurant or other food hospitality services. Tolerance for error is low.

There is a need for a fully automated, easy to operate, apparatus which, with consistency, associates foodstuff and liquid with a substrate. Such an apparatus may be used as an operator- assisted, diner operated, or stand-alone vending machine; and that may be used on campuses, cafeterias, commissaries, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

A general object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which will associate a desired amount of foodstuff and/or liquid with a substrate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a flow chart showing an illustrative embodiment of a system to associate foodstuff and/or liquid with a substrate;

Fig. 2 is schematic of an exemplary configuration of the apparatus to associate foodstuff and/or liquid with a substrate;

Fig. 3A is a side view of an exemplary rotational translating device;

Fig. 3B is a side view of an exemplary rotational translating device;

Fig. 3c is a side view of an exemplary rotating translating device;

Fig. 4 is a graph showing a relationship between drive motor speed and time; Fig. 5 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of the relationship of the drive motor with the food translating system;

Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of the relationship of the movement of the container to the speed of the drive motor;

Fig. 7 is an exemplary non-circular gearing system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, the use of similar or the same symbol in different drawings typically indicates similar or identical items, unless context dictates otherwise.

The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.

One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein described components (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the discussion accompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptual clarity and that various configuration modifications are contemplated. Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and the accompanying discussion are intended to be representative of their more general classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar is intended to be representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of specific components (e.g., operations), devices, and objects should not be taken as limiting.

The present application uses formal outline headings for clarity of presentation. However, it is to be understood that the outline headings are for presentation purposes, and that different types of subject matter may be discussed throughout the application (e.g., device(s)/structure(s) may be described under process(es)/operations heading(s) and/or process(es)/operations may be discussed under structure(s)/process(es) headings; and/or descriptions of single topics may span two or more topic headings). Hence, the use of the formal outline headings is not intended to be in any way limiting. Referring to Fig. 1, given by way of overview, illustrative embodiments include a system to associate of foodstuff and/or liquid with a substrate (“system”) (100) and methods thereof. The system (100) is comprised of a food translating system (200) and an apparatus to deliver liquid and/or foodstuff to a substrate (the “apparatus”) (300). In an embodiment, the system (100) maybe operably connected to one or more processors (600) so that a user or third-party device may communicate operations parameters with the components of the system (100); and so that each component of the system (100) may communicate operation parameters with at least one other component of the system (100). Operations parameters include motor speeds, liquid and/or foodstuff ingredient list and amount (weight and/or volume), food translating system (200) speed, amongst others.

In one example, a substrate (10) may be bread, the liquid may include a condiment, and the foodstuff may be deli meat. In another example, a substrate (10) may be a cookie and the liquid may be frosting. In another example, a substrate (10) may be a bowl, the foodstuff may be greens, and the liquid may be a salad dressing. In one embodiment, the substrate (10) may be pizza dough, the liquid may be pizza sauce, and the foodstuff may be pepperoni.

In one embodiment, the food translating system (200) is comprised of at least two pulleys, with an endless loop of carrying medium — conveyor belt or belts — that is rotated by pulleys. One or both of the pulleys are powered moving the belt or belts and the material on the belt(s) in a defined direction. The powered pulley is called the drive pulley while the unpowered pulley is called the idler pulley. Generally, the powered pulley is motor driven. The motor may be an electric motor, air motor, hydraulic motor, amongst others. In other embodiments, the food translating system (200) may utilize chains, pneumatics, hydraulics, or other electro-mechanical motion control systems, amongst other.

Referring to Fig. 2, the apparatus is comprised of a container (310) operably connected to at least one rotational translating device (320) that moves liquid and/or foodstuff through the container (310) onto a substrate (10) as the rotational translating device (320) rotates. In an embodiment, the container (310) defines a first access (311) and a second access (312). In an embodiment, the rotational translating device (320) is adapted to be mounted within a rotational bearing (313) that allows the rotational translating device (320) to rotate along rotational axis (321) by means of a suitable drive motor (322); and extends through the second access (312). In an embodiment, a non-circular gearing system is used to change the rotational speed of the rotational translating device (322). An exemplary non-circular gearing system (330) is shown in Fig. 7. Referring to Fig. 2, in an embodiment, the rotational translating device (320) may optionally move along the y-axis. In an embodiment, liquid and/or foodstuff enters the container (320) at the first access (311). Liquid and/or foodstuff may be delivered to the first access (311) manually, by pump, by hydraulic system, or automated system.

Referring to Fig. 3A, in an embodiment, the rotational translating device (320) is an auger. Referring to Fig. 3B, in an embodiment, the rotational translating device (320) is comprised of a plurality of paddles (326A, 326B, 326C...) operably connected to a shaft (325). Referring to Fig. 3C, in an embodiment, the rotational translating system (320) is a blade or shredder. In an embodiment, the speed of the drive motor (322) is varied, over time, so that the rotational translating device (320) delivers a uniform or other amount of fluid and/or foodstuff over the area of a substrate (10). Referring to Fig. 4, for exemplary purposes, the speed of the drive motor (322) may be varied between time periods ti and t2, t3 and , ts and tx.

Referring to Fig. 5, in an embodiment, the speed of the drive motor (322) is correlated with the speed of the food translating system (200) so that the rotational translating device (320) delivers a prescribed amount of liquid and/or foods as a substrate (10) as the substrate (10) passes near the apparatus (300). In an embodiment, the speed of the drive motor (322) is directly proportional to the speed of the food translating system (200). In one embodiment, the speed of the drive motor (322) is inversely proportional to the speed of the food translating system (200).

Referring to Fig. 1, in one embodiment, the system (100) is further comprised of an apparatus that monitors discharge of liquid and/or foodstuff (“monitor”) from the apparatus (400). In an embodiment, the monitor (400) communicates or provides feed-back to the apparatus (400) to increase or decrease the rotational speed of rotational translating device (320), allowing for a constant or other defined output from the rotational translating device (320).

In an embodiment, the monitor (400) may include a camera (401). In an embodiment, the camera (401) may be more than one camera. In an embodiment, the camera (401) monitors, at least, the top of a substrate (10). In an embodiment, the camera (401) monitors, at least, the side of a substrate (10). In an embodiment, the camera (401) monitors the discharge from the rotational translating device (320).

Referring to Fig. 2, in an embodiment, the container (310) may move along an x-, y- or z- axis. Referring to Fig. 6, an embodiment, the movement of the container (310) may be correlated to the speed of the drive motor (322). In an embodiment, the movement of the container (310) is directly proportional to the speed of the drive motor (322). In an embodiment, the movement of the container is inversely proportional to the drive motor (322). Referring to Fig2, in one exemplary sequence, the apparatus (300) associates liquid and/or foodstuff (20) with a substrate (10).