U.S. patent application number 10/127390 was filed with the patent office on 2003-11-06 for automated food processing system and method.
Invention is credited to Bone, David, Ceste, Mario G., Corliss, John M., Courier, Andrew, Curry, Tiffany, Day, William, Dorsten, Ron, Ewald, Henry T., Gerstmann, Joseph, Greening, Douglas Christian, Hong, Jenny, Jones, Doug, Juneau, Christopher, Keough, Kevin, Konold, Steven, Lozouski, James, Mann, Eddie, Meisner, John, Montafi, Richard, Nevarez, Roberto, Nguyen, Ly, Nunley, Benny, Pinnow, Curtis Clarence, Rose, Charles E., Sank, Jerry, Schackmuth, Glenn, Stanger, Keith, Strew, Mitchell, Sus, Gerald A., Terrazzano, Richard, Wedel, John A.J..
Application Number | 20030205028 10/127390 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29268697 |
Filed Date | 2003-11-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030205028 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sus, Gerald A. ; et
al. |
November 6, 2003 |
Automated food processing system and method
Abstract
An automated food processing system and method is provided that
allows food to be dispensed, fried and packaged in a suitable
container, which may be an individual portion-sized container. In
one embodiment, the system includes separate automated modules for
dispensing, frying and packaging the food. In one embodiment, an
automated dispensing device dispenser a predetermined portion of
food from a bulk storage container or food dispensing magazine.
Food is dispensed from the automated dispensing device to an
automated fry device that can include at least one circular fry
wheel having a plurality of food containing compartments. After the
food is fried it is dispensed from the fry device to an automated
packaging device. The automated packaging device dispenses food to
a container that may be an individual portion-sized container that
is retrieved, erected and held into position for filling by an
automated container handling system. After a food container is
filled, a conveyor system transports the filled container to a
suitable pick-up location.
Inventors: |
Sus, Gerald A.; (Frankfort,
IL) ; Dorsten, Ron; (Oak Park, IL) ; Ewald,
Henry T.; (Roselle, IL) ; Hong, Jenny;
(Palatine, IL) ; Schackmuth, Glenn; (Montgomery,
IL) ; Bone, David; (Nashville, TN) ; Curry,
Tiffany; (Fayetteville, TN) ; Mann, Eddie;
(Flintville, TN) ; Ceste, Mario G.; (Wallingford,
CT) ; Pinnow, Curtis Clarence; (Libertyville, IL)
; Corliss, John M.; (Lynn, MA) ; Gerstmann,
Joseph; (Framingham, MA) ; Lozouski, James;
(Marlborough, MA) ; Courier, Andrew; (Mansfield,
MA) ; Keough, Kevin; (Canton, MA) ;
Terrazzano, Richard; (Salem, NH) ; Day, William;
(New Port Richey, FL) ; Jones, Doug; (New Port
Richey, FL) ; Nevarez, Roberto; (Hudson, FL) ;
Stanger, Keith; (New Port Richey, FL) ; Sank,
Jerry; (Palm Harbor, FL) ; Greening, Douglas
Christian; (Calgary, CA) ; Meisner, John; (New
Richmond, WI) ; Wedel, John A.J.; (Stillwater,
MN) ; Juneau, Christopher; (Hayward, CA) ;
Konold, Steven; (Hayward, CA) ; Montafi, Richard;
(Daly City, CA) ; Nunley, Benny; (Half Moon Bay,
CA) ; Rose, Charles E.; (Hayward, CA) ;
Nguyen, Ly; (Plano, TX) ; Strew, Mitchell;
(Richardson, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RYNDAK & SURI
30 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2630
Chicago
IL
60602
US
|
Family ID: |
29268697 |
Appl. No.: |
10/127390 |
Filed: |
April 22, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/440 ; 53/127;
53/458; 53/55; 53/564 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 37/1228 20130101;
B65B 43/305 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/440 ; 53/127;
53/458; 53/564; 53/55 |
International
Class: |
B65B 057/00 |
Claims
1. An automated modular system for dispensing, frying and packaging
food into individual portion-sized containers comprising: an
automated dispensing module capable of dispensing a desired
quantity of food to be fried; an automated fry module adjacent the
dispensing module to receive and fry the quantity of food dispensed
from the dispensing module, and to produce and dispense a quantity
of fried food; an automated packaging module adjacent the fry
module to receive and package the fried food from the fry module
into an individual portion-sized container.
2. The automated modular system of claim 1 wherein the three
modules are independent from each other and can be operated
independently.
3. The automated modular system of claim 2 wherein any one of the
modules can be deactivated and a human operator can manually
perform the function of the deactivated module with manually
operated equipment.
4. The automated modular system of claim 1 further comprising an
automated seasoning device to put seasoning on the food.
5. The automated modular system of claim 1 wherein said dispensing
module is capable of dispensing one or more of French fries,
chicken nuggets, hash browns, chicken patties and fish filets.
6. The automated modular system of claim 1 wherein said automated
dispensing module comprises: a freezer; a storage container located
in the freezer for containing food to be dispensed; means for
dispensing a predetermined quantity of food from the storage
container into a secondary container, said means for dispensing and
said secondary container located in the freezer; and means for
dispensing the quantity of food from the secondary container to a
location outside of the freezer.
7. The automated modular system of claim 1 wherein said fry module
comprises: (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;
(b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally
circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments, each
compartment having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel
mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the
fry wheel, which radial axis is disposed above the normal operating
level of the frying oil in the fry vat; and (c) a drive mechanism
for rotating the fry wheel.
8. The automated modular system of claim 7 further comprising a
control system for causing the drive mechanism to periodically
rotate the fry wheel back and forth through a relatively small
amount of angular rotation to simulate shaking of a fry basket.
9. The automated modular system of claim 6 wherein said fry module
comprises: (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;
(b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally
circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each having an
opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational
movement relative to the radial axis of the wheel which radial axis
is disposed above the normal operating level of the frying oil in
the fry vat; and (c) a drive mechanism for rotating the fry
wheel.
10. The automated modular system of claim 1 wherein said automated
packaging module comprises: a rotatable food dispensing member
having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked food and a
discharge location to discharge cooked food; a food dispensing
chute positioned to receive cooked food from the discharge location
of the rotatable food dispenser, said food dispensing chute having
a discharge location.
11. The automated modular system of claim 6 wherein said automated
packaging module comprises: a rotatable food dispensing member
having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked food and a
discharge location to discharge cooked food; a food dispensing
chute positioned to receive cooked food from the discharge location
of the rotatable food dispenser, said food dispensing chute having
a discharge location.
12. The automated modular system of claim 9 wherein said automated
packaging module comprises: a rotatable food dispensing member
having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked food and a
discharge location to discharge cooked food; a food dispensing
chute positioned to receive cooked food from the discharge location
of the rotatable food dispenser, said food dispensing chute having
a discharge location.
13. The automated modular system of claim 10 further comprising a
carton holding device for holding the individual portion-sized food
carton in position to receive food from the discharge location of
the dispensing chute.
14. The automated modular system of claim 13 further comprises a
rotatable food collecting member disposed to collect food dispensed
from the discharge location of the dispensing chute that are not
deposited into the individual portion-sized food container.
15. The automated modular system of claim 1 further comprising a
food carton holding device for holding the individual portion-sized
food carton in position to receive food from the discharge location
of the dispensing chute.
16. The automated modular system of claim 15 further comprising a
conveyor system for transporting filled individual portion-sized
food containers from adjacent the filling location to a filled food
container holding area.
17. The automated modular system of claim 1 wherein said automated
packaging device comprises: a rotatable food dispensing member
having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked food and a
discharge location to discharge cooked food; a food dispensing
chute positioned to receive cooked food from the discharge location
of the rotatable food dispenser, said food dispensing chute having
a discharge location, wherein said dispensing chute has a food
holding area for holding a quantity of cooked food deposited
therein; and the automated device further comprising an automated
food carton retrieving device for retrieving and grasping an
individual portion-sized food container.
18. The automated modular system of claim 17 wherein said automated
retrieving device comprises a moveable member for selectively
grasping and releasing the food container.
19. The automated modular system of claim 18 wherein said
retrieving device is capable of grasping and releasing an unerected
food container on one side and further comprising a second device
for selectively grasping the unerected food container on the other
side and means for moving the retrieving device and the second
device relatively apart when grasping the sides of the container to
erect the container.
20. The automated modular system of claim 19 wherein the container
has a bottom and further comprising automated urging means for
urging the container bottom upwardly relative to the sides of the
container when the retrieving device and second device are moved
relatively apart when grasping the container.
21. The automated modular system of claim 1 further comprising an
electronic control system for coordinating the operation of said
three modules.
22. The automated modular system of claim 21 wherein said
electronic control system receives current customer order
information and said electronic control system causes the selection
from a plurality of different sizes and filling with food of the
ordered size of food container in response to a customer order.
23. The automated modular system of claim 21 wherein the electronic
control system receives customer order information and controls the
dispensing rate of food dispensed from the food dispensing module
to the fry module which dispensing automatically determines the
amount of food being fried without further intervention by said
electronic control.
24. An automated modular system for dispensing, frying and
packaging French fries into individual portion-sized containers
comprising: an automated dispensing module capable of dispensing a
desired quantity portion of French fries to be fried; an automated
fry module adjacent the dispensing module to receive the French
fries dispensed from the dispensing module; an automated packaging
module adjacent the fry module to receive and package the French
fries into individual portion-sized containers.
25. The automated modular system of claim 24 further comprising an
electronic control system for coordinating the operation of said
three modules.
26. The automated modular system of claim 25 wherein said
electronic control system receives current customer order
information and said electronic control system causes the selection
from a plurality of different sizes and filling with French fries
of the ordered size of French fry container in response to a
customer order.
27. The automated modular system of claim 24 wherein said automated
dispensing module comprises: a freezer; a storage container located
in the freezer for containing French fries to be dispensed; means
for dispensing a predetermined quantity of French fries from the
storage container into a secondary container, said means for
dispensing located in the freezer; and means for dispensing the
quantity of French fries from the secondary container to a location
outside of the freezer.
28. The automated modular system of claim 24 wherein said fry
module comprises: (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking
oil; (b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a
generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each
having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for
rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the wheel which
radial axis is disposed above the normal operating level of the
frying oil in the fry vat; and (c) a drive mechanism for rotating
the fry wheel.
29. The automated modular system of claim 24 wherein said automated
packaging module comprises: a rotatable French fry dispensing
member having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked
French fries and a discharge location to discharge cooked French
fries; a French fry dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked
French fries from the discharge location of the rotatable French
fry dispenser, said French fry dispensing chute having a discharge
location.
30. An automated method of dispensing, frying and packaging food
into individual portion-sized containers comprising: dispensing a
desired quantity portion of food to be fried from an automated
dispensing module to an automated fry module; frying the portion of
food dispensed from the dispensing module in the automated fry
module adjacent the dispensing module to produce a quantity of
fried food; dispensing the quantity of fried food from the fry
module to a packaging module; packaging the fried food dispensed
from the fry module into individual portion-sized containers with
an automated packaging module.
31. The automated method of claim 30 further comprising seasoning
the quantity of fried food with an automated seasoning device.
32. The automated method of claim 30 wherein said dispensing
comprises automatically dispensing food from a storage container
located in a freezer and onto a ramp that permits the food to enter
the fry module.
33. The method of claim 32 wherein said dispensing comprises:
dispensing a predetermined quantity of food from the storage
container into a secondary container located in the freezer and
dispensing the quantity of food from the secondary container to a
location outside of the freezer.
34. The automated method of claim 30 wherein said frying comprises:
rotating a fry wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter
and a plurality of compartments, each compartment having an opening
towards the perimeter, the food being contained in one of said
compartments during said frying, the fry wheel mounted for
rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the fry wheel in
a fry vat, which radial axis is disposed above a normal operating
level of the cooking oil in the fry vat.
35. The automated method of claim 34 further comprising controlling
a drive mechanism to periodically rotate the fry wheel back and
forth through a relatively small amount of angular rotation to
simulate shaking of a fry basket during said frying.
36. The automated method of claim 30 wherein said packaging
comprises: rotating a rotatable food dispensing member, having an
inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked food and a discharge
location to discharge cooked food, to dispense food into a food
dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked food from the
discharge location of the rotatable food dispenser; and dispensing
said food from said dispensing chute.
37. The automated method of claim 36 further comprising holding the
individual portion-sized food carton in position to receive food
from the dispensing chute with an automated carton holding
device.
38. The automated method of claim 37 further comprising collecting
food dispensed from the discharge location of the dispensing chute
that are not deposited into the individual portion-sized food
container with a rotatable food collecting member disposed to
collect such not deposited food.
39. The automated method of claim 30 further comprising
transporting filled individual portion-sized food containers from
adjacent a filling location to a filled food container holding area
with a conveyor system.
40. The automated method of claim 30 further comprising retrieving
and grasping an individual portion-sized food container to be
filled with an automated food carton retrieving device.
41. The automated method of claim 40 wherein said retrieving and
grasping comprises grasping and retrieving an unerected food
container on one side of the container with the retrieving device
and further comprising grasping the unerected food container on the
other side with a second device and moving the retrieving device
and the second device relatively apart when grasping the sides of
the container to erect the container.
42. The automated method of claim 40 wherein the container has a
bottom and the method further comprises urging the container bottom
upwardly relative to the sides of the container when the retrieving
device and second device are moved relatively apart when grasping
the container.
43. The automated method of claim 30 further comprising
electronically coordinating the operation of said three modules
with an electronic control system.
44. The automated method of claim 43 further comprising
electronically receiving current customer order information by said
electronic control system which causes selection of a container
from a plurality of different size containers and filling the
container with food of the ordered size of food container in
response to a customer order by the packaging module.
45. The automated method of claim 43 further comprising
electronically receiving customer order information and controlling
the dispensing rate of food dispensed from the food dispensing
module to the fry module which dispensing automatically determines
the amount of food being fried without further intervention by said
electronic control system.
46. An automated method for dispensing, frying and packaging French
fries into individual portion-sized containers comprising:
dispensing a desired quantity portion of French fries to be fried
with an automated dispensing device to a frying device; frying with
the frying device the French fries dispensed from the dispensing
module to produce a quantity of fried French fries; packaging the
French fries into individual portion-sized containers with an
automated packaging device.
47. The automated method of claim 46 further comprising
coordinating the operation of said dispensing device, frying device
and packaging device with an electronic control system.
48. The automated method of claim 47 further comprising
electronically receiving current customer order information and
causing selection of a container from a plurality of different size
French fry containers and filling the container with French fries
of the ordered size of French fry container in response to a
customer order.
49. The automated method of claim 46 wherein said dispensing
comprises: containing French fries to be dispensed in a storage
container located in an environment that is below 32.degree. F.;
dispensing a predetermined quantity of French fries from the
storage container into a secondary container located in an
environment that is below 32.degree. F.; and dispensing the
quantity of French fries from the secondary container to a location
outside of the environment that is below 32.degree. F.
50. The automated method of claim 46 wherein said packaging
comprises: rotating a rotatable French fry dispensing member having
an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked French fries to
discharge cooked French fries into a French fry dispensing chute
positioned to receive the cooked French fries; from the rotatable
French fry dispenser, said French fry dispensing chute; and
dispensing the French fries from the dispensing chute into an
individual portion-sized French fry container.
51. An automated system for dispensing, frying and packaging French
fries into individual portion-sized containers comprising: an
automated dispensing device capable of dispensing a desired
quantity portion of French fries to be fried; an automated fry
module proximate the dispensing device to receive and fry the
portion of French fries dispensed from the dispensing device, and
to produce and dispense a quantity of fried French fries; an
automated packaging device proximate the fry device to receive and
package the fried French fries from the fry device into an
individual portion-sized French fry container.
52. The automated system of claim 51 wherein the three devices are
independent from each other and can be operated independently.
53. The automated system of claim 52 wherein any one of the devices
can be deactivated and a human operator can manually perform the
function of the deactivated device with manually operated
equipment.
54. The automated system of claim 51 further comprising a seasoning
device to put seasoning on the French fries.
55. The automated system of claim 51 wherein said automated
dispensing device comprises: a freezer; a storage container located
in the freezer for containing frozen French fries to be dispensed;
a device for dispensing a predetermined quantity of French fries
from the storage container into a secondary container, said device
for dispensing and said secondary container located in the freezer;
and means for dispensing the quantity of food from the secondary
container to a location outside of the freezer.
56. The automated system of claim 51 wherein said fry device
comprises: (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;
(b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally
circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each suitable
for containing a plurality of French fries, each compartment having
an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for
rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the fry wheel,
which radial axis is disposed above the normal operating level of
the frying oil in the fry vat; and (c) a drive mechanism for
rotating the fry wheel.
57. The automated system of claim 56 further comprising a control
system for causing the drive mechanism to periodically rotate the
fry wheel back and forth through a relatively small amount of
angular rotation to simulate shaking of a French fry basket.
58. The automated system of claim 55 wherein said fry device
comprises: (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;
(b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally
circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each suitable
for containing French fries and each having an opening towards the
perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative
to the radial axis of the wheel which radial axis is disposed above
the normal operating level of the frying oil in the fry vat; and
(c) a drive mechanism for rotating the fry wheel.
59. The automated system of claim 55 wherein said automated
packaging device comprises: a rotatable food dispensing member
located downstream of said fry device having an inlet location to
receive a quantity of cooked French fries after frying in said fry
device and a discharge location to discharge cooked French fries; a
French fry dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked French
fries from the discharge location of the rotatable food dispenser,
said food dispensing chute having a discharge location.
60. The automated system of claim 51 wherein said automated
packaging device comprises: a rotatable food dispensing member
having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked French
fries and a discharge location to discharge cooked food; a French
fry dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked French fries from
the discharge location of the rotatable French fry dispenser, said
French fry dispensing chute having a discharge location.
61. The automated system of claim 59 further comprising a French
fry carton holding device for holding the individual portion-sized
French fry carton in position to receive French fries from the
discharge location of the dispensing chute.
62. The automated system of claim 61 further comprises a rotatable
French fry collecting member disposed to collect French fries
dispensed from the discharge location of the dispensing chute that
are not deposited into the individual portion-sized French fry
container.
63. An automated method of frying food in a fry vat having a heated
cooking oil contained therein and packaging the fried food
comprising: depositing from an automated food dispenser a quantity
of food to be fried into one compartment of a circular fry wheel
having at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of
compartments each having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry
wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis
of the fry wheel; rotating the fry wheel so that the compartment
having food therein travels through the heated cooking oil over a
period of time to cause the food to be fried; rotating the fry
wheel to cause fried food to be discharged from one of the
compartments; directing the fried food that is discharged from one
of the compartments into an automated packaging device; and
operating the automated packaging device to package the fried food
into a plurality of individual portion-sized containers.
64. The method of claim 63 wherein said depositing from an
automated food dispenser a quantity of food comprises depositing a
quantity of French fries.
65. The method of claim 64 further comprising salting the food with
an automated salting device.
66. The method of claim 63 further comprising placing each
individual portion-sized container having food contained therein
into a separate individual French fry container receptacle.
67. The method of claim 66 further comprising transporting the
individual receptacle to a desired location.
68. The method of claim 67 wherein said transporting comprises
transporting by a magnetic conveyor.
69. An automated device for frying food and packaging the fried
food in a food carton comprising: a fry module; a packaging module
adjacent said fry module; said fry module composed of a fry vat for
containing and heating cooking oil, a container for containing food
that is moveable through the heated cooking oil for a period of
time sufficient to cook the food contained therein and then out of
the cooking oil and a drive mechanism for moving the container
through the cooking oil and means for discharging the food from the
container after frying and to the packaging module; said packaging
module comprising a rotatable food dispensing member having an
inlet location to receive a quantity of fried food and a discharge
to discharge the cooked food, a cooked food dispensing chute to
receive cooked food from the discharge of the rotatable food
dispensing member and a food dispensing chute positioned to receive
fried food from the discharge of the rotatable fried food
dispenser, the food dispensing chute having a discharge
location.
70. The automated device of claim 69 further comprising a weighing
device associated with said dispensing chute to weigh food that is
in the dispensing chute.
71. The automated device of claim 69 further comprising an
automated food carton holding device for holding the food container
in a receiving position to receive fried food from the discharge
location of said dispensing chute.
72. The automated device of claim 71 wherein said automated food
carton holding device if capable of placing the carton containing
food at a second location different from the receiving
position.
73. The automated device of claim 72 further comprising a conveyor
to move the carton from the second location to a desired
location.
74. The automated device of claim 69 further comprising a
dispensing module, located adjacent the fry module, for dispensing
a desired portion of food to be fried into the container of said
fry module.
75. The automated device of claim 69 further comprising a hood
structure located over said fry module.
76. The automated device of claim 75 wherein said hood structure
comprises an air filter located at an air exit of said hood
structure and a drip pan to collect cooking oil from the filter,
the drip pan located below the filter.
77. An automated system for dispensing, frying and storing cooked
food comprising: an automated dispensing device capable of
dispensing a desired quantity portion of food to be cooked; an
automated fry module proximate the dispensing device to directly
receive and fry the portion of food dispensed from the dispensing
device, and to produce and dispense a quantity of fried French
fries; a food receiving device proximate the fry device to directly
receive and store the cooked food received from the fry device.
78. The automated system of claim 77 wherein said automated
dispensing device comprises: a freezer; a storage container located
in the freezer for containing frozen food to be dispensed; a device
for dispensing a predetermined quantity of French fries from the
storage container into a secondary container, said device for
dispensing and said secondary container located in the freezer; and
means for dispensing the quantity of food from the secondary
container to a location outside of the freezer.
79. The automated system of claim 77 wherein said fry device
comprises: (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;
(b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally
circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each suitable
for containing a plurality of French fries, each compartment having
an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for
rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the fry wheel,
which radial axis is disposed above the normal operating level of
the frying oil in the fry vat; and (c) a drive mechanism for
rotating the fry wheel.
80. The automated system of claim 79 further comprising a control
system for causing the drive mechanism to periodically rotate the
fry wheel back and forth through a relatively small amount of
angular rotation to simulate shaking of a French fry basket.
81. The automated device of claim 77 wherein said food receiving
device is heated.
82. The automated device of claim 81 wherein said food receiving
device comprises a heated holding bin positioned to receive food
from an outlet slide located between the fry module and the food
receiving device.
83. The automated system of claim 82 wherein said holding bin
comprises four heated sides and a heated bottom.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to automated food processing. More
particularly, the invention relates to automated food dispensing,
frying and packaging into individual portion-sized containers such
as at a quick-service type restaurant.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In restaurants, especially quick service (fast food)
restaurants, fast, consistent, efficient and safe food preparation
is essential for a successful operation. The quality of the
prepared food depends in large part on the consistency of food
preparation. The food must be cooked under correct conditions for
the proper time.
[0003] Consistency in food preparation can vary as a result of many
factors. For example, people engaged in food preparation often must
perform multiple tasks at frequencies that vary with time because
of constantly varying customer demand throughout the day. For
example, lunchtime and dinnertime may be extremely busy while other
periods may be relatively slow. The product mix can vary from hour
to hour and day to day. As a result, the consistency and quality of
food may vary. Difficulties in proper scheduling of food production
during peak and non-peak periods can cause customer delays and/or
stale, wasted or unusable food.
[0004] Food preparation can be labor intensive, and thus, the labor
cost can be a large portion of the total cost of the prepared food.
An additional problem is that in sparsely populated and other areas
where quick service restaurants are located, such as along
interstate highways, for example, recruiting sufficient numbers of
suitable employees is difficult.
[0005] Quick service restaurants must be able to effectively meet a
variable customer demand that is time dependent and not subject to
precise prediction. As a result, stores relying totally on human
operators will at times be overstaffed and at other times be
under-staffed. Also, problems and potential problems can exist in
restaurants where people directly prepare food. Health and safety
concerns can also be present where food is prepared directly by
people. By reducing or minimizing human contact with food and food
cooking equipment, health and safety concerns can also be reduced
or minimized. For example, in the frying of foods, some type of hot
fluid, such as cooking oil or shortening must be utilized. The
cooking temperatures required can present a concern for health and
safety.
[0006] Although quick service restaurants have existed for many
years and now number in the tens of thousands, such establishments
utilize manual labor to prepare and process food. While there have
been various improvements in commercial equipment used for cooking
food in quick service restaurants, such restaurants are believed to
be substantially all manually operated and relatively labor
intensive.
[0007] Accordingly, a need exists for an automated, commercially
suitable food dispensing, cooking and packaging device, system and
method for fried foods that can be operated with a minimum of human
intervention, control and maintenance. More particularly, a need
exists for an automated device, system and method that is capable
of, without human labor, frying various food products in desired
quantities, such as French fries, seasoning the cooked food and
packaging the cooked food in individual portion-sized
containers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In accordance with the present invention, an automated food
processing system and method is provided. The automated food
processing system and method in accordance with the invention
allows food to be dispensed, fried and packaged in a suitable
container or alternatively dispensed to a food holding area for
subsequent processing by a human operator.
[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an
automated module system for dispensing, frying and packaging food
into individual portion-sized containers is provided. In one
embodiment, any suitable automated dispensing device can be used.
In another embodiment, the system includes an automated dispensing
module capable of dispensing a desired quantity of food to be
fried, an automated fry module adjacent the dispensing module to
receive and fry the quantity of food dispensed from the dispensing
module and to produce and dispense a quantity of fried food and an
automated packaging module adjacent the fry module to receive and
package the fried food from the fry module into an individual
portion-sized container.
[0010] Advantageously, in one embodiment, the three modules are
independent from each other and can be operated independently.
Plus, in one embodiment, any one of the modules can be deactivated
and a human operator can manually perform the function of the
deactivated module with manually operated equipment.
[0011] In accordance with another aspect of the invention,
optionally an automated seasoning device is present to apply
seasoning to the food.
[0012] Typically, the automated dispensing module in accordance
with the invention in one embodiment is capable of dispensing one
or more of uncooked or unheated French fries, chicken nuggets, hash
browns, chicken patties and fish filets or similar types of food
items to be cooked and/or heated.
[0013] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
automated dispensing module includes a freezer, a storage container
located in the freezer for containing food to be dispensed,
structure for dispensing a predetermined quantity of food from the
storage container into a secondary or dump container, with the
structure for dispensing and the secondary or dump container being
located in the freezer, and structure for dispensing the quantity
of food from the secondary or dump container to a location outside
of the freezer.
[0014] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
the fry module of the automated modular system includes a fry vat
for containing and heating cooking oil, at least one circular fry
wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter in a plurality
of compartments, each compartment having an opening towards the
perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative
to the radial axis of the fry wheel, which radial axis is disposed
above the normal operating level of the frying oil or the cooking
oil in the fry vat. A drive mechanism is provided for rotating the
fry wheel. In one aspect of the invention, any suitable type of
automated fry device can be utilized.
[0015] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a control system is provided for causing the drive mechanism to
periodically rotate the fry wheel back and forth through a
relatively small amount of angular rotation (such as about
2-10.degree., for example) to simulate shaking of a fry basket.
Such control can be accomplished electronically by devices known to
those skilled in the art.
[0016] In another embodiment, food is delivered from the fry module
to a cooked food holding device, which can comprise a heated
holding bin or bins.
[0017] In accordance with still another aspect of the present
invention, the automated packaging module includes a rotatable food
dispensing member having an inlet location to receive a quantity of
cooked food at a discharge location to discharge cooked food, the
packaging module also including a food dispensing chute position to
receive cooked food from the discharge location of the rotatable
food dispenser, the food dispensing chute having a discharge
location.
[0018] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the
automated modular system further includes a carton holding device
for holding the individual portion-sized carton or container in
position to receive food from the discharge location of the
dispensing chute. The packaging module may further include a
rotatable food collecting member disposed to collect food from the
discharge location of a dispensing chute that is not deposited into
the individual portion-sized food container. The so collected food
may be subsequently deposited into the food dispensing chute for
delivery to a container or alternatively to the rotatable food
dispensing member or to a waste receptacle or chute.
[0019] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
automated packaging device includes a conveyor system for
transporting filled individual portion-sized food containers from
adjacent the filling location to a filled food container holding
area, for subsequent pick-up by a human operator, for example. In
one embodiment, any suitable automated packaging device can be
utilized.
[0020] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
an automated food carton-retrieving device is provided for
retrieving and grasping individual portion-sized food containers.
The automated retrieving device comprises a moveable member for
selectively grasping and releasing the food container. In one
embodiment, the retrieving device is capable of grasping and
releasing an unerected food container on one side and the device
further includes a second device for selectively grasping the
unerected food container on the other side with structure for
moving the retrieving device and the second device relatively apart
when grasping the sides of the container to erect or partially
erect the container.
[0021] In another embodiment, an automated urging structure is
provided for urging the container bottom upwardly relative to the
sides of the container when the sides of the container are moved
relatively apart.
[0022] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
automated modular system includes an electronic control system that
receives current customer order information and the electronic
control system causes the selection of a container from a plurality
of different container sizes and further causes filling of food
with the size of food container in response to a customer order. In
one aspect, the electronic control system can receive customer
order information and controls the dispensing rate of food
dispensed from the food dispensing module to the fry module which
dispensing automatically determines the amount of food being fried
without further intervention by the electronic control. In one
aspect, the control system can include a separate control system
for each of the dispensing, fry and packaging systems or modules,
each of which interface with a central control system, which in
turn optionally interfaces with a POS (point-of-sale) system.
[0023] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
automated modular system is suitable for dispensing, frying and
packaging French fries into individual portion-sized
containers.
[0024] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
an automated method of dispensing, frying and packaging food into
individual portion-sized containers is provided that includes
dispensing a desired quantity portion of food to be fried from an
automated dispensing module to an automated fry module and
thereafter frying the portion of food dispensed from the dispensing
module in the automated fry module adjacent the dispensing module
to produce a quantity of fried food. Thereafter, the quantity of
fried food is dispensed from the fry module to a packaging module
where the fried food dispensed from the fry module is packaged into
individual portion-sized containers with an automated packaging
module.
[0025] In another aspect of the invention, the automated method
further comprises seasoning the quantity of fried food with a
seasoning device.
[0026] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
dispensing includes dispensing a predetermined quantity of food
from the storage container into a secondary container located in a
freezer and dispensing the quantity of food from the secondary
container to a location outside of the freezer.
[0027] In accordance with another aspect of the method of the
present invention, the frying comprises a rotating fry wheel having
at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of
compartments, each compartment having an opening towards the
perimeter, the food being contained in at least one of the
compartments during the frying, the fry wheel being mounted for
rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the fry wheel in
a fry vat with the radial axis being disposed above a normal
operating level of the cooking oil in the fry vat. In accordance
with this aspect of the invention, the automated method further
includes containing a drive mechanism to periodically rotate the
fry wheel back and forth through a relatively small amount of
angular rotation to simulate shaking of a fry basket during
frying.
[0028] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
packaging includes rotating a rotatable food dispensing member
having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked food in a
discharge location to discharge cooked food, the food dispensing
member being rotated to dispense food into a food dispensing chute
position to receive cooked food from the discharge location of the
rotatable food dispenser and thereafter dispensing said food from
the dispensing chute to a container to be filled.
[0029] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
method further includes holding an individual portion-sized carton
or container positioned to receive food from the dispensing chute
with an automated carton holding device.
[0030] In accordance with still another aspect of the invention,
the method further includes collecting food dispensed from the
discharge location of the dispensing chute that is not deposited
into the individual portion-sized food container with a rotatable
food collecting member disposed to collect such not deposited
food.
[0031] In accordance with another aspect of the method, the method
includes electronically coordinating the operation of the three
modules or devices within an electronic control system. In one
embodiment, the method further includes electronically receiving
current customer order information by the electronic control system
which causes selection of a container from a plurality of different
sized containers and filling the container with food of the ordered
size of food container in response to a customer order by the
packaging module. In accordance with another aspect of the method,
customer order information is electronically received and the
dispensing rate of food dispensed from the food dispensing module
to the fry module is controlled, which dispensing automatically
determines the amount food being fried without further intervention
by the electronic control system.
[0032] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
an automated dispensing device for dispensing a quantity of food to
be subsequently cooked is provided. In one embodiment, the
automated dispensing device includes a freezer or refrigerated
compartment, a storage container located in the freezer for
containing food to be dispensed, structure for dispensing a
predetermined quantity of food from the storage container into a
secondary or dump container, the structure for dispensing the
predetermined quantity of food being located in the freezer, and
structure is provided for dispensing the quantity of food from the
secondary or dump container in the freezer to a location outside of
the freezer.
[0033] In one embodiment, the structure for dispensing a
predetermined quantity of food includes a vibratory conveyor
typically located in the freezer below the storage container. The
structure for dispensing may further include a device for
determining or sensing the quantity of food that has been deposited
in the secondary container and structure is provided for
terminating the operation of the structure for dispensing when a
predetermined quantity of food is sensed in the secondary
container.
[0034] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
the automated dispensing device includes structure for dispensing a
predetermined quantity of food that comprises a food magazine
capable of dispensing individual pieces of food on a piece by piece
basis. In accordance with a more specific aspect of this
embodiment, the magazine comprises dual rotatable spiral flights
with the spiral flights having a spacing therebetween to allow
placement of a food item, such as a chicken patty, for example, to
be supported by both spiral flights.
[0035] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
magazine dispenser is suspended from a slide mechanism permitting
removal of the magazine from the freezer or refrigerated
compartment. A plurality of the magazines can be located on a
single slide mechanism. An array of the magazines may be located in
the freezer, such as a 3.times.5 array or a 3.times.4 array, for
example.
[0036] In one embodiment, a separate drive motor is associated with
each food dispensing magazine for selectively rotating spiral
flights of a magazine dispenser for dispensing a desired number of
the food items. The drive motor may also be located in the
freezer.
[0037] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an
automated method of dispensing a quantity of food to be cooked is
provided. The method includes storing food items in a storage
container located in the freezer, dispensing food items from the
storage container to a conveyor, conveying the food items on the
conveyor to a secondary or dump container located in the freezer,
monitoring the amount of food items delivered to the secondary
container, terminating delivery of the food items to the secondary
container when a desired amount of food items are determined to be
present in the secondary container as determined by the monitoring,
and dispensing the food items from the secondary container and out
of the freezer by at least partially inverting the secondary
container. In accordance with another aspect of this embodiment, a
freezer or refrigerated compartment is not utilized.
[0038] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a device for the automated frying of foods is provided. The device
in one embodiment includes a fry vat for containing and heating
cooking oil, at least one circular fry wheel having at least a
generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments with
each compartment having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry
wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis
of the fry wheel which radial axis is disposed above the normal
operating level of the frying oil in the fry vat. A drive mechanism
is provided for rotating the fry wheel and a control system is
included for causing the drive mechanism to periodically rotate the
fry wheel back and forth through a relatively small amount of
rotation (such as about 2-10.degree., for example) to simulate
shaking of a fry basket. Such control can be accomplished
electronically by devices known to those skilled in the art.
[0039] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
the small amount of rotation is in the range of from about
2.degree. to about 20.degree.. The back and forth rotation in one
direction may be of a larger angle or amount of rotation than of
the rotation in the other direction.
[0040] In one embodiment, a control system is provided that causes
periodic incremental rotation of the fry wheel in one direction to
cause food deposited into one of the compartments to travel through
the cooking oil in the fry vat over a period of time to fry the
food and to move the compartments out of the cooking oil for
subsequent discharge of the food from the compartment. In one
embodiment, the periodic incremental rotation is based on
360.degree. divided by the number of compartments in the fry
wheel.
[0041] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
a control system is provided for operating the drive mechanism to
rotate the fry wheel in one direction to cause food deposited into
one of the compartments to travel through the cooking oil in the
fry vat over a period of time to fry the food and out of the
cooking oil for subsequent discharge of the food from the
compartment, wherein the control system adjusts the speed of
rotation based on the level of cooking oil in the fry vat. In one
embodiment, the control system causes incremental periodic rotation
of the fry wheel and the control system adjusts the period of time
between incremental rotations based on the level of cooking oil
sensed in the fry vat. The period of time between incremental
rotations can also be based on the temperature of the cooking oil
in the fry vat.
[0042] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a curved
baffle is provided that is disposed in the fry vat adjacent the
axial periphery of the portion of the fry wheel that is disposed in
the cooking oil for preventing food contained in one or more of the
fry wheel compartments from falling out of the compartments.
[0043] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
an automated method of frying food in a fry vat having a heated
cooking oil contained therein is provided. The method includes
placing food in a fry wheel compartment, each of the compartments
having an opening towards the perimeter of the fry wheel, rotating
the fry wheel so that the compartment containing the food travels
submerged in the heated cooking oil and periodically rotating the
fry wheel back and forth in a relatively small amount of rotation
to simulate shaking of the fry basket while the food is submerged
in the cooking oil. In accordance with another aspect of the method
of the present invention, the method comprises rotating the fry
wheel in one direction to cause the food deposited into one of the
compartments to travel through the cooking oil in the fry vat over
a period of time to fry the food and to move the food out of the
cooking oil for subsequent discharge of the food from the
compartment, wherein the speed of said rotating is related to the
level of cooking oil in the fry vat. In accordance with this aspect
of the present invention, the rotating may comprise incremental
periodic rotation with the period of time between incremental
periodic rotations being based on the level of cooking oil sensed
in the fry vat. The period of time between incremental periodic
rotations may also be based on the temperature of the cooking oil
in the fry vat.
[0044] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
an automated method of packaging cooked food, which may be food
such as French fries, chicken nuggets and other types of food, in
an individual portion-sized container is provided. The method
includes delivering a quantity of a cooked food to a rotatable
dispensing member, rotating the dispensing member to cause the food
items to fall from one or more compartments of the dispensing
member into a food dispensing chute and thereafter dispensing the
food from the chute and depositing the food into the individual
portion-sized food container.
[0045] In accordance with one aspect, the method may further
include weighing the food in the chute before dispensing the food
to the container.
[0046] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
method includes applying seasoning to the food and may further
include applying the seasoning by using gravity to cause the
seasoning to travel through a nozzle and onto the food.
[0047] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
method further includes shaking the individual portion-sized food
container after the dispensing. The shaking may be automated and
can include back and forth movement of the container through an arc
as desired, and may be in a generally vertical axis. The arc may be
a generally circular arc and the rotating back and forth may
encompass an arc in the range of from about 3.degree. to about
20.degree.. In addition, the container may be raised and lowered
before, during or after the rotating to further simulate shaking or
in connection with further container handling.
[0048] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, when
dispensing food from the chute to the individual portion-sized
container, some of the dispensed food is not deposited into the
individual portion-sized container and the method further includes
collecting the not deposited food. Typically, the not deposited
food will be collected in a collection device that returns the not
deposited food to the chute for subsequent dispensing. In one
embodiment, the collection member is rotatable and can be rotated
to deposit the collected food to the chute. This helps to ensure
that the not deposited food is subsequently deposited into a
container on a first-in, first-out or a generally first-in,
first-out basis.
[0049] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
an automated method of packaging food, including food such as
French fries, in an individual portion-sized container is provided
that includes delivering a quantity of food to a food dispensing
chute, selecting and holding with an automated device an individual
portion-sized container of a desired size from a plurality of
different sizes of individual portion-sized containers that can be
selected and held by the automated device. The selected individual
portion-sized container is moved by the automated device to a
location for receiving food from the dispensing chute and food is
dispensed from the chute and into the container. The method may
further include depositing the filled food container onto a
conveyor by operation of the automated device and transporting the
deposited container by the conveyor to a human operator food pickup
location.
[0050] In accordance with another aspect of the foregoing method,
the individual portion-sized food container is unerected and the
method further includes after the selecting, erecting the selected
individual portion-sized food container by the automated device. In
one embodiment, the automated device includes a partial vacuum
suction device for holding the individual portion-sized food
container and the holding includes applying a partial vacuum
through a suction device to the food container. The food container
can be released by reducing or eliminating the vacuum applied by
the suction device to the food container sufficiently to cause the
food container to be disengaged from the automated device.
[0051] In accordance with another embodiment of the method, the
filled food container is placed in an upright position on a
transportable member or container-receiving receptacle which in one
embodiment contains a single food container and is maintained in an
upright position on the transportable member by cooperation of the
recessed volume of the transportable member and the food
container.
[0052] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
transporting is performed by a magnetic conveyor.
[0053] In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, an
automated device for packaging cooked food into a desired
container, which may be an individual portion-sized food container
is provided. The device includes a rotatable food dispensing member
having an inlet location to receive a quantity of the cooked food
and a discharge location to discharge the cooked food. A food
dispensing chute is positioned to receive the cooked food from the
discharge location of the rotatable food dispenser and the
dispensing chute has a discharge location. In one embodiment, the
dispensing chute has a food holding area for holding a quantity of
the cooked food deposited therein. A suitable weighing device can
be associated with the dispensing chute to weigh the food that is
contained in the chute or in the holding area of the chute. In one
embodiment, the weighing device is a load cell.
[0054] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
automated device includes a food carton or container holding device
for holding the food carton in position to receive food from the
discharge location of the dispensing chute. The carton holding
device can include an axially rotatable generally vertically
extending elongated first member and a second member that extends
from the elongated member, the second member having a gripping
member for gripping a food container, which may be an individual
portion-sized food container. In one embodiment, the gripping
member comprises a suction cup. A vacuum source may be supplied to
the suction cup to create at least a partial vacuum, allowing the
container to be held. In one embodiment, the carton holding device
is capable of moving the food container through an arc of about or
of at least about 180.degree. and in which the carton holding
device is capable of moving the food container up and down.
[0055] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention,
the automated device comprises a conveyor system for transporting
filled individual portion-sized food containers from adjacent the
filling location to a filled container holding area. The conveyor
system may comprise in one embodiment a continuous loop raceway and
a plurality of discrete moveable food container receptacles that
are moveable along the raceway. The conveyor system may include a
continuous moveable loop having at least one magnetic element
capable of magnetically attracting one of the moveable receptacles
at a time for causing movement of the receptacle corresponding to
movement of the magnetic element. A plurality of the magnetic
elements may be spaced apart along the moveable loop.
[0056] In one embodiment, structure is provided for preventing
movement of the discrete receptacles when the structure for moving
the discrete receptacles along the raceway is activated. The
structure for preventing movement can be a barrier that is disposed
across the raceway. In one embodiment, the barrier is selectively
moveable and in another embodiment the barrier is fixed. In one
embodiment, the barrier prevents movement of the receptacles only
for a receptacle that has a food carton or container disposed
thereon. In this embodiment, the barrier may be located at a height
that is above the top of the receptacles located on the conveyor
system adjacent the barrier.
[0057] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an
automated device is provided to retrieve and grasp a food
container, which may be an individual portion-sized food or French
fry container or carton. The automated retrieving device includes a
member for selectively grasping and releasing the food container
and for moving the moveable member horizontally and linearly.
[0058] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a
magazine is provided for holding a plurality of food containers in
an unerected state.
[0059] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
automated device includes a retrieving device that is capable of
grasping and releasing an unerected food container on one side and
further includes a second device for selectively grasping the
unerected food container on the other side. A structure for moving
the retrieving device and the second device relatively apart when
grasping the sides of the container is provided. The automated
device may further include an automated urging means for urging the
container bottom upwardly relative to the sides of the container
when the retrieving device and the second device are moved
relatively apart when grasping the container.
[0060] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the food
dispensing member is a rotatable wheel having an open central area
and an outer at least generally circular rim. The rotatable wheel
has a plurality of open compartments spaced apart about the
circular rim that extend inwardly from the circular rim and open
interiorly of the circular rim. A baffle may be provided to prevent
food contained in the one or more of the open compartments from
falling out of the compartments when the wheel is rotated until the
compartment is in position over the food dispensing chute. The
baffle may be curved to follow the curvature of the inner part of
the wheel and may also be perforated. The automated device may
further include a rotatable food collecting member that is disposed
to collect food dispensed from the discharge location of the
dispensing chute which food is not deposited into a container held
in position at the discharge location. Typically, the collection
member will have a discharge location to discharge collected food.
In one embodiment, the discharge location is the food dispensing
chute. The collecting member may be a rotatable food collecting
wheel having an open central area and an outer circular rim having
a plurality of open compartments spaced apart about the circular
rim that extend inwardly from the circular rim and that are open
towards the rim interior. The rotatable food dispensing member and
the rotatable food collecting member can be rotatable in one
direction to discharge food at a discharge location and into a food
dispensing chute and can be rotatable in an opposite direction to
discharge the food at a second discharge location which may be to a
waste chute. The discharge to the waste chute feature can be
activated, for example, when the food is held in the dispensing
device for too long a period of time.
[0061] The packaging device may also include an automated seasoning
device for depositing a predetermined quantity of seasoning to food
contained in the packaging device.
[0062] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the
device for applying seasoning includes a seasoning delivery tube
having an inlet and a discharge location. A seasoning delivery head
is positioned to deliver seasoning to the food to be seasoned with
the head in communication with the outlet of the delivery tube and
located below the inlet of the delivery tube. Structure is provided
for depositing a predetermined quantity of seasoning into the inlet
of the delivery tube so that the quantity of seasoning falls by
gravity through the delivery tube and into and through the
seasoning head and onto the food to be seasoned. Typically, the
structure for depositing the predetermined quantity of seasoning
will receive seasoning from a bulk hopper by gravity feed. The
quantity of seasoning to be dispensed can be determined
volumetrically, for example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0063] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automated food processing
system in accordance with the invention;
[0064] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a
food processing system in accordance with the present
invention;
[0065] FIG. 3 is a schematic view, partly in section, of the food
processing system of FIG. 1;
[0066] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a portion of a bulk food
dispensing device in accordance with the present invention;
[0067] FIG. 4A is a side elevation view, partly in section, of an
alternative embodiment for a portion of the dispensing device
illustrated in FIG. 4;
[0068] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a portion of the bulk food
dispensing device in accordance with the present invention;
[0069] FIG. 6 is a side elevation view, partly in section, of a
bulk food dispensing device in accordance with the present
invention and also illustrating a portion of a device for frying
food in accordance with the present invention;
[0070] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a magazine-type dispenser
that can form part of the food dispensing device of the present
invention;
[0071] FIG. 8 is a partial side elevation view of the magazine
dispenser of FIG. 7;
[0072] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a magazine-type dispenser
array that can be utilized in the dispenser of the present
invention;
[0073] FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view of the device of FIG. 9;
[0074] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a food frying device in
accordance with the present invention;
[0075] FIG. 12 is a front elevation view of the food frying device
of FIG. 11;
[0076] FIG. 13 is a partial fragment sectional view along line
13-13 of FIG. 11;
[0077] FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the
food frying device of FIG. 11;
[0078] FIG. 15 is a sectional view along line 15-15 of FIG. 14;
[0079] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a drive mechanism for the
food frying device of FIG. 11;
[0080] FIG. 17 is a fry basket for use in the frying device of FIG.
11;
[0081] FIG. 18 is a fragmentary sectional view along line 18-18 of
FIG. 17;
[0082] FIG. 19 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevation sectional view
of a portion of FIG. 13;
[0083] FIG. 20 is an alternate view along line 13-13 of FIG.
11;
[0084] FIG. 21 is a sectional view along line 21-21 of FIG. 20;
[0085] FIG. 22 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of FIG.
21;
[0086] FIG. 23 is an alternate embodiment of a fry wheel in
accordance with the present invention;
[0087] FIG. 24 is another alternate embodiment fry wheel in
accordance with the present invention;
[0088] FIG. 25 is a front perspective view of a packaging device in
accordance with the invention;
[0089] FIG. 26 is a rear perspective view of the device of FIG.
25;
[0090] FIG. 27 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 25;
[0091] FIG. 28 is a side elevation view, partially in section and
partially broken away of the packaging device of FIG. 25;
[0092] FIG. 29 is a front elevation view of the device of FIG.
25;
[0093] FIG. 30 is a front perspective view of a portion of an
automated container handling system in accordance with the
invention;
[0094] FIG. 31 is a top plan view of the container handling system
of FIG. 30;
[0095] FIG. 32 is a side elevation view, partially broken away of
the automated container handling system of FIG. 30;
[0096] FIG. 33 is a rear elevation view of the container handling
system of FIG. 30;
[0097] FIG. 34 is a front perspective view of the container
handling system of FIG. 30 shown in another operative position;
[0098] FIG. 35 is a top plan view of the container handling system
of FIG. 34;
[0099] FIG. 36 is a side elevation view, partially broken away of
the container handling system of FIG. 34;
[0100] FIG. 37 is a rear elevation view of the container handling
system of FIG. 34;
[0101] FIG. 38 is a front elevation view of a portion of a
container handling apparatus in accordance with the invention;
[0102] FIG. 39 is a front elevation view of another portion of the
container handling apparatus of FIG. 34;
[0103] FIGS. 40-42 illustrate a front diagrammatic elevation view
illustrating a portion of the container handling apparatus in
accordance with the invention;
[0104] FIGS. 43-44 illustrate a side elevation view, partly in
section, of a portion of the food packaging apparatus in accordance
with the invention;
[0105] FIG. 45 is a top plan view of a food packaging device in
accordance with the present invention;
[0106] FIG. 46 is a perspective view of a container-receiving
receptacle in accordance with the present invention;
[0107] FIG. 47 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 47;
[0108] FIG. 48 is a sectional view along line 48-48 of FIG. 47;
[0109] FIG. 49 is a cross-sectional view along line 49-49 of FIG.
47 and further including a portion of a conveyor system in
accordance with the present invention;
[0110] FIG. 50 is a sectional view along line 50-50 of FIG. 49;
[0111] FIG. 51 is a front elevation view of a carton useful in
accordance with the present invention;
[0112] FIG. 52 is a rear elevation view of a carton useful in
accordance with the present invention;
[0113] FIG. 53 is a sectional view along line 53-53 of FIG. 52;
[0114] FIG. 54 is a bottom plan view of the container of FIG.
51;
[0115] FIG. 55 is a sectional view along line 55-55 of FIG. 57;
[0116] FIG. 56 is a perspective view showing use of the food
container of FIG. 51;
[0117] FIG. 57 is a perspective view of a food container useful in
accordance with the present invention;
[0118] FIG. 58 is an alternate embodiment perspective view of a
container useful in accordance with the invention;
[0119] FIG. 59 is a development view of the carton of FIG. 51;
[0120] FIG. 60 is a side elevation view of the carton of FIG.
51;
[0121] FIG. 61 is a sectional view of a portion of the food
packaging device of FIG. 25;
[0122] FIG. 62 is a sectional view of a portion of a food storage
device in accordance with the present invention;
[0123] FIG. 63 is a sectional view of the food storage device of
FIG. 62;
[0124] FIG. 64 is a side elevation view, partly in section, a hood
system in accordance with the present invention;
[0125] FIG. 65 is a perspective view of an automated seasoning
device in accordance with one aspect of the invention;
[0126] FIG. 66 is a side elevation view of the seasoning device of
FIG. 65;
[0127] FIG. 67 is a front elevation view of the seasoning device of
FIG. 65;
[0128] FIG. 68 is a top plan view of the seasoning device of FIG.
65;
[0129] FIG. 69 is a diagrammatic view of a control system in
accordance with the present invention;
[0130] FIG. 70 is a diagrammatic view of a control system in
accordance with the present invention;
[0131] FIG. 71 is a diagrammatic view of a frying cycle in
accordance with the present invention;
[0132] FIG. 72 is a schematic illustration of a sample touch screen
monitor useful in accordance with the invention; and
[0133] FIG. 73 depicts another touch screen layout in accordance
with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0134] General
[0135] In accordance with the present invention, an automated food
processing system and method is provided. The automated food
processing system and method in accordance with the invention
allows food to be dispensed, fried and packaged in a suitable
container or alternatively dispensed to a food holding area for
subsequent processing by a human operator.
[0136] Referring to the Figures generally and in particular to
FIGS. 1 and 3, there is illustrated an automated food processing
system 100 in accordance with the invention. Automated food
processing system 100 includes a food dispensing device 200, a fry
device 400 and a food packaging device 600. In accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention, each of dispensing, fry and
packaging devices 200, 400 and 600, respectively, can be
constructed and are sometimes illustrated in "modular" construction
or form. By "modular" construction or form it is meant that
dispensing, fry and packaging devices 200, 400 and 600,
respectively, can exist and be contained in separate cabinets, for
example, and also operate independently of the other devices. Thus,
if one of dispensing, fry and packaging devices 200, 400 and 600,
respectively, are inoperative or are otherwise deactivated, the
function of the deactivated or inoperative device can be performed
manually. For example, food to be fried could be manually dispensed
in place of dispensing device 200. Alternatively, food to be fried
could be fried in a conventional fry vat after being dispensed from
dispensing device 200 in place of using fry device 400 and food
that is dispensed and fried in dispensing and fry devices 200 and
400, respectively, could, in turn, be packaged manually, for
example.
[0137] To facilitate such modular construction and use, each of
dispensing, fry and packaging devices 200, 400 and 600,
respectively, can be contained in a separate wheeled cabinet, 202,
402 and 602, respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Alternatively,
dispensing, fry and packaging devices 200, 400 and 600,
respectively, could be mounted as a single unit or in a single
cabinet or in "non-modular form," as desired, or more than one of
such devices 200, 400 and 600 could be so mounted or combined.
[0138] A suitable control system for the dispensing, fry and
packaging devices is also provided. As will be described more
completely hereafter, in one embodiment, the control system
includes a central control system 110 that can interface with a
point-of-sale system 112. The central control system will
communicate with separate subcontrol systems 114, 116 and 118, one
for each of the dispensing, fry and packaging devices 200, 400 and
600, respectively. Alternatively, a single central control system
(not shown) could be utilized in place of individual control
systems for each of devices 200, 400 and 600. Similarly, as another
alternative, a single central control system could be utilized to
control the overall operation of automated food processing system
100 as well as controlling the individual functions and aspects of
dispensing, fry and packaging devices 200, 400 and 600.
[0139] The basic operations of dispensing device 200, fry device
400 and food packaging device 600 will now be briefly discussed and
discussed in detail hereafter.
[0140] Briefly, dispensing device 200 functions to dispense a
quantity of food to be fried to fry device 400. In one aspect of
the invention, any suitable food dispensing device can be utilized.
Dispensing device 200 can include a cabinet 202 to house the
components of dispensing device 200. In one embodiment, cabinet 202
will be refrigerated, preferably below 32.degree. F. so that the
food contents therein will remain frozen. This allows the food
stored in dispensing device 200 to remain therein for a long period
of time, much longer than if the contents were merely refrigerated
(above freezing) or merely at room temperature.
[0141] In the illustrated embodiment, dispensing device 200
includes an uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204. Uncooked
bulk food dispensing container 204 may be utilized for food such as
French fries or chicken nuggets, for example. Other types of food
may also be contained in a dispenser such as uncooked bulk food
dispensing container 204. Typically, those types of food would be
in the form of relatively small pieces compared to relatively large
food pieces such as chicken patties, for example.
[0142] For relatively large food pieces, a large food dispensing
container is utilized. In one embodiment, the large food dispensing
container is in the form of a magazine food dispenser 206.
[0143] Food dispensed from a dispenser of dispensing device 200 is
deposited on a conveyor 208 that, in turn, directs the deposited
food to a secondary or dump container 210 for subsequent discharge
from dispensing device 200.
[0144] In the illustrated embodiment, uncooked bulk food dispensing
container 204, magazine food dispenser 206, conveyor 208 and
secondary container 210 are contained in cabinet 202, which is a
refrigerated environment, preferably maintained below freezing
(32.degree. F. or lower).
[0145] While any suitable conveyor can be utilized in one aspect,
conveyor 208 is preferably a vibratory conveyor, vibrated by a
suitable vibratory mechanism that vibrates a conveyor body 214.
Conveyor body 214 may take the form of a suitably shaped tray, for
example.
[0146] By containing the foregoing components in a refrigerated and
preferably frozen environment, consistency in food preparation and
dispensing is achieved, thereby contributing to the overall
efficient, effective and uniform performance of automated food
processing system 100.
[0147] Secondary container 210 can be of a form as desired and
includes suitable weighing mechanism 216 to permit a determination
of the quantity of food contained in secondary container 210.
Weighing mechanism 216 can be any suitable device to weigh the
contents or otherwise determine the amount of food in secondary
container 210. Weighing mechanism 216 may comprise a load cell or a
mechanism for determining the volume of food deposited into
secondary container 210, for example. In this manner, the amount of
food that is charged to fry device 400 at a particular time can be
determined. In addition, weighing mechanism 216 can be operated
during operation of conveyor 208 and the operation of conveyor 208
continued until a desired amount of food is deposited in secondary
container 210. In this manner, a precise amount of food can be
delivered to secondary container 210 thereby permitting consistency
and uniformity in the portion of food that is delivered to fry
device 400. This is also important to ensure that a sufficient
quantity of food is being cooked by automated food processing
system 100.
[0148] Prior to activation of dumping mechanism 218, discharge door
220 of cabinet 202 is opened by operation of a door opening device
which can be any suitable device as desired and in the illustrated
embodiment is a cylinder 222 attached to discharge door 220 and
moveable up and down in the direction of arrow B. Cabinet 202 is
preferably insulated with a suitable insulating material 224 that
is also provided in discharge door 220. The provision of a suitable
insulating material is important, particularly since dispensing
device 200 will typically be located proximate or adjacent fry
device 400 that operates at a substantially elevated temperature,
thereby typically generating substantial heat.
[0149] In the illustrated embodiment, dispensing device 200
includes four dispensing lanes from which food is discharged from
dispensing device 200 and to a suitable location such as fry device
400. After dispensing through discharge door 220, cylinder 222 is
activated to close discharge door 220. Similarly, dumping mechanism
218 of secondary container 210 is activated to return secondary
container 210 to its upright position to receive more food.
[0150] Fry device 400 includes a fry wheel 404, a fry vat 406 for
containing and heating a suitable cooking oil and a drive mechanism
408 for suitably rotating fry wheel 404. It is to be understood
that in accordance with one aspect of the invention any suitable
frying device can be utilized.
[0151] In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 11-16, fry
device 400 includes a plurality, in this case four, of separate fry
wheels 404, 410, 412 and 414, as well as four separate fry vats
416, 406, 420 and 418 and a separate drive mechanism 408 for each
fry wheel, each dedicated to a particular one of fry wheels 404,
410, 412 and 414.
[0152] In one embodiment, a separate drive mechanism is provided
for each of fry wheels 404, 410, 412 and 414 and can be suitably
located in cabinet 402, preferably in a location that is above the
level of cooking oil present in the associated one of fry vats 416,
406, 420 and 418, respectively.
[0153] The suitable rotation of each of fry wheels 404, 410, 412
and 414 can be as desired to direct food articles loaded therein
down and through the fry vat until reaching the other side of the
fry vat whereupon the food articles are discharged. The rotation
can be either continuous or a periodic incremental rotation. For
example, a suitable drive mechanism can be provided to periodically
rotate fry wheel 410 in a desired rotational increment, which may
be based on the number of compartments contained in fry wheel 410.
In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 13, for example, fry wheel
410 comprises eight food compartments 422, 424, 426, 428, 430, 432,
434, and 436. Each of food compartments 422-436 is a perimeter food
compartment and open to the perimeter or exterior of fry wheel 410.
Each of fry wheels 404, 412 and 414 can be similarly
configured.
[0154] As described in more detail hereafter, each of compartments
422-436 is formed from a perforated curved compartment forming
member 510.
[0155] In the rotation of fry wheel 410, a periodic incremental
rotation can be based upon 360.degree. divided by the number of
compartments. Thus, for example, in the illustrated embodiment of
FIG. 13, each periodic rotation would consist of a rotation of
360.degree. divided by eight compartments or a periodic rotation
increment of 45.degree.. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the food
contained, in this case French fries, in compartments 424-430 would
remain in cooking oil 454 contained in fry vat 406 for all or part
of four incremental rotations, after which the food would be
discharged from fry wheel 410 in the next incremental rotation
thereof. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 13, compartment 422 is
ready to receive a charge of food to be fried, compartment 424 has
a charge of food that has been just immersed in cooking oil 454.
Cooking oil 454 is at a level H as illustrated in FIG. 13, which is
dependent upon the amount of food contained in compartments 422-436
that are submerged in cooking oil 454.
[0156] Similarly, compartment 426 has food contained therein that
has gone through two incremental 450 rotations of fry wheel 410,
compartment 428 has food contained therein that has undergone three
incremental rotations and food compartment 430 has food contained
therein that has undergone four incremental rotations of fry wheel
410 and compartment 432, which is now empty, has discharged the
food contained therein upon the last incremental rotation of fry
wheel 410. Thus, upon the next incremental rotation of fry wheel
410, which is in the clockwise direction as shown by arrow B of
FIG. 13, the food contained in food compartment 430, which in this
case is a quantity of French fries 455, will be discharged from
compartment 430 to the food packaging device which is hereafter
briefly described.
[0157] Upon discharge of food, which in this case is a quantity of
French fries from one of compartments 422-436 of a fry wheel, such
as fry wheel 410 as illustrated in FIG. 3, the food is deposited
onto an inlet chute 604 of food packaging device 600.
[0158] From inlet chute 604, the food from inlet chute 604 received
from fry wheel 410 is deposited into rotatable food dispensing
member 606. Typically, rotatable food dispensing member 606 will be
compartmented into a plurality of compartments that are arrayed
along the periphery of rotatable food dispensing member 606.
[0159] Rotatable food dispensing member 606 has a discharge
location to discharge the food deposited therein. The discharge
location is generally located towards an upper portion of rotatable
food dispensing member 606. A food dispensing chute mechanism 608
is positioned to receive cooked food from the discharge location of
rotatable food dispensing member 606. In a preferred embodiment,
food dispensing chute mechanism 608 incorporates a device for
weighing or otherwise determining the quantity of food that has
been deposited into food dispensing chute mechanism 608. This
ensures that when food is dispensed from food dispensing chute
mechanism 608 a minimum quantity of food will be dispensed, thereby
ensuring that a container 611 or other package that is to receive
the food from mechanism 608 will receive a desired charge.
[0160] Food packaging device 600 preferably also includes a
suitable automated container handling system 610. Automated
container handling system 610 is capable of, in a preferred
embodiment, selecting container 611 of a desired size, retrieving
and grasping container 611, erecting unerected container 611 into
an erected form and holding the erected container 611 in position
to receive food dispensed from food dispensing chute mechanism
608.
[0161] After food container 611 receives food from food dispensing
chute mechanism 608, automated container handling system 610 is
capable of moving container 611 having food deposited therein to a
container receiving receptacle 612 which receptacle 612 can be
transported via a conveyor system 614 to a desired location for
subsequent pickup of container 611 having food contained therein by
a human operator, for example.
[0162] Preferably, a food overflow collection member is provided to
collect any food dispensed by food dispensing chute mechanism 608
that is not deposited into container 611. In one embodiment, the
overflow food collection device is a rotatable food collection
member 613. Overflow food collection member 613 functions to
collect food dispensed by food dispensing chute mechanism 608 that
is not received in container 611 and to recycle food collected by
overflow food collection member 613 into food dispensing chute
mechanism 608 for subsequent dispensing to a container in a
first-in, first-out manner so that overflow food is promptly
recycled to dispensing chute 608 for dispensing to a container.
[0163] Preferably, food packaging device 600 is configured to
include a provision by which food contained in dispensing device
600 is routed to waste where it is not desired to dispense such
food into a food container. Such a condition could arise, for
example, if food is held for too long a period in food packaging
device 600. This function may be accomplished, for example, by
providing a waste discharge location which can be in the form of a
waste chute 615 to which food from rotatable food dispensing member
606 and overflow food collection member 613 can be directed. In one
embodiment, chute mechanism 608 is lowered and member 606 is
rotated to dispense food to chute mechanism 608, which in turn
dispenses into member 613. Member 613 is rotated counterclockwise
to deliver food to waste chute 615. This process can be continued
until all of the food in device 600 is so emptied, if desired.
[0164] Preferably, a suitable structure for applying a desired
quantity of seasoning to food contained in food packaging device
600 is provided. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, a food
seasoning device 616 is provided. Food seasoning device 616 can be
any suitable seasoning device as desired. In one embodiment, food
seasoning device 616 dispenses a desired quantity of seasoning from
a bulk storage container through a delivery tube and onto food
located in rotatable food dispensing member 606.
[0165] Preferably, and in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, a
food seasoning device 616 is provided that directs a desired
quantity of seasoning onto food that is contained in a bottom
portion of rotatable food dispensing member 606 and inlet chute 604
via a seasoning dispensing head 618.
[0166] Preferably, conveyor system 614 is composed of a raceway 620
that is an endless loop around the periphery of the top surface of
cabinet 602 of food packaging device 600, which in one embodiment
can be a modular, wheeled cabinet. Conveyor system 614 causes
container receiving receptacle 612 to travel around raceway 620 to
a food container pickup location 622 where a human operator can
pickup food containers having food therein. Preferably, conveyor
system 614 includes structure for stopping movement of a
container/receiving receptacle 612 at a predetermined location when
carrying a food container, such as at food container pickup
location 622. Such structure in one embodiment may comprise a gate
structure 928 or 928' of FIG. 45 and FIGS. 25-27, respectively,
that extends across at least a portion of raceway 620 in the
vicinity of the predetermined location. Any suitable type of
barrier structure can be utilized to prevent the desired movement.
Most preferably, gate structure 928 or 928' will be located at a
height that is above the top of the receptacle when located on
conveyor system 614 so that movement of container/receiving
receptacle 612 is prevented or stopped only for a receptacle 612
that has a food container 611 disposed thereon. Note that the
pickup location can be configured as desired and slightly different
configurations 622 and 622' are shown in FIG. 45 and FIGS. 25-27,
respectively.
[0167] Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated an alternate
embodiment of an automated food processing system 101 in accordance
with the invention. Automated food processing system 101 includes a
food dispensing device 201 which is similar to food dispensing
device 200, previously briefly described, where like reference
numerals represent like elements. Food dispensing device 201
includes fewer uncooked bulk food dispensing containers 204 and
additional magazine food dispensers that are similar to magazine
food dispenser 206, previously referred to. Otherwise, dispensing
device 201 is similar to dispensing device 200 previously
described.
[0168] Automated food processing system 101 also includes fry
device 400, which has been described.
[0169] One primary distinction between automated food processing
system 100 and automated food processing system 101 is that
automated food processing system 101 does not include an automated
packaging device such as automated packaging device 600. In place
of food packaging device 600, a food storage device 635 is
provided. Food storage device 635 allows food cooked by food frying
device 400 to be stored in a heated environment for subsequent
manual processing. As configured in FIG. 2, food storage device 635
includes separate heated product receiving receptacles 637, 639,
641 and 643. Each receptacle 637, 639, 641 and 643 is dedicated to
receiving food from a respective one of fry wheels 410, 412, 414
and 404, respectively. In addition, each receptacle 637-643 can
have placed therein a suitable container to receive food, such as
handled trays 645, 647, 649 and 651.
[0170] As illustrated in FIG. 2, a food item F is being discharged
from fry wheel 414 down a chute 653 and into handled tray 649
contained within heated receptacle 641. Food item F can be stored
therein for a period of time until it is ready for subsequent
processing.
[0171] Food Dispensing Device
[0172] Referring to the Figures generally and in particular to
FIGS. 1-10, there is illustrated various embodiments of food
dispensing devices and portions thereof in accordance with the
invention.
[0173] In one embodiment, food dispensing device 200 is illustrated
or partially illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3-8. Food dispensing device
200 includes a cabinet 202, bulk uncooked food dispensing
containers 204, 205 and 207, magazine food dispenser 206, 209, 211
and 213, and a suitable conveyor system for each lane 234, 236, 238
and 240 of food dispensing device 200. Any suitable number of
magazine dispensers can be used for a particular lane, such as one,
two, three, four, five or more, and the illustrated embodiment of
four is merely an example. As configured in FIG. 1, for example,
lane 234 receives material from bulk hopper 204, lane 236 receives
food material from bulk hopper 205, lane 238 receives food material
from bulk hopper 207 and lane 240 receives dispensed food from
magazine food dispensers 206, 209, 211 and 213 as will be described
hereinafter in greater detail, particularly with respect to food
dispensing device 201 of FIG. 2, for example.
[0174] Each lane 234, 236, 238 and 240 dispenses food that is
subsequently directed to fry wheels 410, 412, 414 and 404,
respectively.
[0175] The components of lane 238 will now be described in detail
and it is to be understood that the components of lanes 234 and 236
are similar. Lane 238 includes uncooked bulk food dispensing
container 207 and a food handling system 242 which in this
embodiment is identical for each lane 234, 236, 238 and 240 as well
as for each lane of food dispensing device 201. It should be noted
that food handling system 242, as for example, illustrated in FIGS.
3-6 is depicted with respect to lane 240 and that food handling
system 242 is the same for each lane 234, 236, 238 and 240.
[0176] Food handling system 242 includes conveyor system 208,
secondary container 210, weighing mechanism 216 and dumping
mechanism 218. Conveyor system 208 includes vibratory mechanism 212
and conveyor body 214.
[0177] Uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204 can be of a
shape and dimension generally as desired. Preferably, uncooked bulk
food dispensing container 204 has an upper opening to permit a
supply of food to be placed in uncooked bulk food dispensing
container 204. Upper opening 244 as illustrated is located in an
upper rear portion of uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204
and can be conveniently accessed via a rear door 246 of cabinet
202. Rear door 246 preferably is insulated with suitable insulation
material 224.
[0178] Uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204 is composed of a
pair of opposed upper sidewalls 248, a pair of generally opposed
lower sidewalls 250 and front and rear walls 252 and 254,
respectively, which connect together upper sidewalls 248 and 250 to
provide uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204. Front sidewall
252 includes a lower portion 252' that extends inwardly from top to
bottom to further facilitate discharge of food contained in
uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204. Preferably, lower
generally opposed sidewalls 250 are slightly indented from top to
bottom to facilitate the discharge of food that may be contained
therein.
[0179] Uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204 includes a
bottom opening 256 that permits the discharge of food contained
therein. Bottom opening 256 can be configured as desired and in the
illustrated embodiment the entire bottom of uncooked bulk food
dispensing container 204 is open. In the illustrated embodiment,
uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204 is particularly suited
for use with food such as French fries and chicken nuggets as well
as other types of food of relatively small size.
[0180] Uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204 is suitably
mounted within cabinet 202. While a suitable mounting structure can
be utilized, it is preferred to utilize a structure that will
minimize heat transfer from the exterior and through cabinet 202 to
uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204, particularly where
cabinet 202 is refrigerated, especially where temperatures below
freezing are utilized. In that regard, front mounting bracket 258
and rear mounting bracket 260 each are configured to minimize heat
transfer from cabinet 202 to uncooked bulk food dispensing
container 204. In that regard, front mounting bracket 258 and rear
mounting bracket 260 include openings, 258' and 260', respectively,
to minimize such heat transfer and to maximize airflow around the
containers 204, 205, 207 and dispensers 206, 209, 211 and 213.
Similarly, materials of low thermal conductivity can also be
utilized, if desired, for brackets 258 and 260. Generally, to
minimize heat transfer and to maximize airflow, the surface area
contact and cross-sectional area of mounting brackets 258 and 260
should be minimized to reduce heat transfer and "hot spots" on
uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204.
[0181] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, for example, food contained
in uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204 passes through
bottom opening 256 and onto conveyor body 214 which in the
illustrated embodiment is a suitably dimensioned pan. Conveyor body
214 is suitably mounted to vibratory mechanism 212 to effect
vibration of conveyor body 214 as well as food contained therein
and food contained in uncooked bulk food dispensing container 204,
and in particular the lower portion of container 204. This
vibration facilitates the discharge of food from uncooked bulk food
dispensing container 204 and causes food contained in conveyor body
214 to travel in the direction of arrow G. Any suitable conveyor
system can be used in accordance with one aspect of the
invention.
[0182] A preferred type of vibratory mechanism is available from
FMC Technologies, Inc. of Chicago, Ill. marketed under the model
F-010-B and DF-010-B. Vibratory mechanism 212 is preferably an
electromagnetic vibrating mechanism. Vibratory mechanism 212 in one
embodiment produces a vibrating stroke at the surface of conveyor
body 214. The stroke results from the action of an electromagnet
that pulls conveyor body 214 sharply down and backward and then
allows it to spring up and forward. Typical vibratory mechanisms of
this type run at about 3,600 vibrations/minute at 60 Hz power. The
power of the vibrating stroke can be controlled by a suitable drive
module as is known in the art. In one embodiment, vibratory
mechanism 212 can be operated at about 85% of full power during
filling of secondary container 210 with food. For the first part of
a fill cycle of secondary container 210, vibratory mechanism 212
can be run continuously, then pulsed by turning its power on and
off periodically so that vibratory mechanism 212 operates about 50%
of the time to finish filling secondary container 210 with a
desired quantity of food, thereby providing better control on the
last part of the food charged to secondary container 210.
[0183] Food dispensing device 200 preferably includes a suitable
mechanism to determine the weight or volume of a charge of food
delivered by conveyor system 208 to secondary container 210. The
amount may be determined either by weight or volume, for example.
In the illustrated embodiment, weighing mechanism 216 is
operatively interfaced with secondary container 210 to provide an
indication of the weight of food contained in secondary container
210. The weight sensed in secondary container 210 by weighing
mechanism 216 is communicated with control system 114 of food
dispensing device 200. Control system 114 monitors and controls the
operative functions of food dispensing device 200 as hereinafter
described in greater detail.
[0184] Optionally, a level sensor can be employed in uncooked bulk
food dispensing container 204 to provide an indication of the
amount of food stored therein that is available for dispensing. Any
suitable level indicator known in the art can be utilized in
accordance with the invention such as photoelectric, weight,
turning fork and others, for example.
[0185] Secondary container 210 can be considered as a dump
container and as associated therewith, dumping mechanism 218 for
rotating secondary container 210 through an arc as indicated by
arrow B sufficiently to dump the contents of secondary container
210. Any suitable dumping mechanism can be utilized. Illustrated
dumping mechanism 218 includes a dump cylinder 264 that is secured
to a base 266. Dump cylinder 264 can selectively rotate a drive
gear or wheel 268 that, in turn, is operatively associated with a
follower gear or wheel 270 to cause rotation of follower gear or
wheel 270. Secondary container 210 is rigidly secured to follower
gear or wheel 270 so that when follower gear or wheel 270 is
rotated by drive gear or wheel 268 secondary container 210 is
rotated through an arc that causes secondary container 210 to
rotate forward to a dumping position as illustrated in phantom
lines in FIG. 3 indicated by reference numeral 210'. Such movement
is caused by extension of dump cylinder 264. Similarly, retraction
of dump cylinder 264 moves secondary container 210 from the dump
position indicated by reference numeral 210' to the upright
position indicated by reference numeral 210 in FIG. 3 where
secondary container 210 is ready to receive a charge of food from
conveyor system 208, which in the illustrated embodiment the food
is French fries FF.
[0186] An alternative embodiment for secondary container 210 is
illustrated in FIG. 4A. Secondary container 210' is composed of a
pair of opposed spaced apart sidewalls 211 (only one sidewall 211
is illustrated and is depicted in a half-moon configuration) and a
pair of sidewalls 213a and 213b, oriented in a V-shaped
relationship when container 210' is configured to receive food from
conveyor body 214. Sidewall 213a is mounted for pivotal movement
about apex 215 of sidewalls 213a and 213b. Such movement is
accomplished by a drive mechanism similar to cylinder 264, drive
gear 268 and driven gear 270, which in this embodiment are cylinder
264', drive gear 268' and driven gear 270', which gear 270' is
attached to sidewall 213a. When cylinder 264' is extended, sidewall
213a is caused to pivot downwardly as indicated by arrow AA to the
position of sidewall 213a shown in phantom, thereby causing the
contents (French fries FF) of container 210' to be dumped.
Sidewalls 211 act as sidewall guides for sidewalls 213a and 213b
when sidewall 213a is in a lowered position, in which case
sidewalls 213a and 213b act as a chute or slide.
[0187] Control system 262 coordinates the operation of the various
functions of food dispensing device 200. For example, when food
dispensing device 200 is ready to dump a charge of food from
secondary container 210 out of food dispensing device 200, control
system 262 activates cylinder 222 to open discharge door 220
thereby permitting the food charge in secondary container 210 to be
dumped by dumping mechanism 218 through open discharge door 220.
After dumping of the food charge is completed, control system 114
causes dump cylinder 264 to be retracted thereby returning
secondary container 210 to a position ready to accept a further
charge of food from conveyor system 208. Cylinder 222 has one end
rigidly secured to cabinet 202 or some other suitable location and
the other end of cylinder 222 is attached to discharge door 220.
Typically, discharge door 220 will have a suitable guide mechanism,
which may be tracks, slots or other suitable apparatus to guide
discharge door 220 to its open and closed positions. Cylinder 222
is operable to move door 220 up and down as indicated by arrow B in
FIG. 6 to thereby open and close discharge door 220 as desired. In
the illustrated embodiment, discharge door 220 extends across all
four dispensing lanes 226, 228, 230 and 232. If desired, a separate
discharge door could be provided for each of dispensing lanes 226,
228, 230 and 232. In addition, control system 262 causes activation
of cylinder 222 to close discharge door 220 to prevent heat from
entering into cavity 272 of food dispensing device 200 in which the
food and various dispensing mechanisms are contained as illustrated
in FIGS. 3 and 6, for example.
[0188] Food dispensing device 200 can contain suitable
refrigeration components 274 such as within a lower portion of
cabinet 202 as shown schematically in FIG. 1. In accordance with
the preferred embodiment of food dispensing device 200,
refrigeration components 274 provide sufficient cooling to provide
a below freezing temperature environment in cavity 272.
Alternatively, suitable refrigeration components can be provided
exteriorly of cabinet 202 and even at a remote location as desired.
In addition, a storage compartment 276 and a storage compartment
door 278 may also be provided in cabinet 202. An upper side access
door may also be provided to permit operator access to the interior
of cavity 272 where uncooked bulk food dispensing containers 204
and/or magazine food dispensers 206 and/or 209, 211 and 213 are
located.
[0189] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 7-10, there is illustrated another
embodiment of food dispensing device 201 in accordance with the
present invention.
[0190] Food dispensing device 201 has many similarities to food
dispensing device 200 previously described where like reference
numerals represent like elements. Thus, food dispensing device 201
includes cabinet 202, four product dispensing lanes 226, 228, 230
and 232 with each such lane incorporating conveyor system 208,
secondary container 210, vibratory mechanism 212, conveyor body
214, weighing mechanism 216, dumping mechanism 218, discharge door
220, cylinder 222, insulating material 224, food handling system
242, upper opening 244, rear door 246, uncooked bulk food
dispensing container 204 which is associated with product
dispensing lane 234, a dump cylinder 264 for each product
dispensing lane, cavity 272, refrigeration components 274, storage
compartment 276 and a storage compartment door 278. Product
dispensing lanes 228, 230 and 232 each have associated therewith a
plurality of magazine food dispensers 280-308 arrayed to provide in
the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9 five magazine food dispensers
per product dispensing lane in which there are three product
dispensing lanes serviced by the foregoing magazine food
dispensers. Consequently, magazine food dispensers are configured
in a three-by-five array and are suspended from a magazine food
dispenser support 310 as shown in FIG. 9. Each row of three
magazine food dispensers depends from magazine food dispenser
support 310 via a slide assembly 312. Slide assembly 312 is similar
to a drawer slide including a pair of first and second elongated
telescoping left and right slides 314 and 316, respectively.
Suitable upper rollers 318 are mounted to magazine food dispenser
support 310 and lower rollers 320 depend from magazine food
dispensers 280-308 for traversing left and right elongated
telescoping slides 314 and 316.
[0191] Suitable mounting brackets 322 are provided which depend
upwardly from magazine food dispenser support 310 for mounting to
cabinet 202.
[0192] In addition, suitable mounting brackets 324 are provided
which depend downwardly from magazine food dispenser support 310
for mounting slide assembly 312 thereto allowing magazine food
dispensers 280-308 to depend therefrom.
[0193] Magazine food dispenser support 310 has a series of holes
326 and 328 therein. Holes 326 can be provided to allow increased
airflow and cooling. Holes 328 can also be provided to provide
increased airflow and cooling for magazine food dispensers
280-308.
[0194] Each of magazine food dispensers 280-308 and 206, 209, 211
and 213 briefly discussed with respect to food dispensing device
200 are similar in construction. Magazine food dispenser 206 will
be discussed with respect to FIGS. 7 and 8 and it is to be
understood that the other magazine food dispensers are of similar
construction.
[0195] Magazine food dispenser 206 includes a body or housing 330
that includes sidewalls 332 and 334, front walls 336 and 338 and
corresponding rear walls (not shown) and can be attached in a
removable manner if desired, including in a snap-on arrangement to
facilitate cleaning. Magazine food dispenser 206 also includes a
top member or cover 340 having mounted thereover a drive mechanism
342. Drive mechanism 342 includes a drive gear or wheel 344 and a
driven wheel or gear 346. Depending from each of drive wheel or
gear 344 and driven wheel or gear 346 is a spiral flight that is
vertically or generally vertically oriented relative to the
longitudinal axis of spiral flights 348 and 350. If desired, a
single spiral flight dispenser (not shown) could also be
utilized.
[0196] Body 330 of magazine food dispenser 206 can include
substantial open portions such as front open portion 352 and a
corresponding rear open portion (not shown). Such open portions may
have a cover or access door thereover (not shown). Such open
portions can be desirable to permit airflow through magazine food
dispenser 206 since generally such dispenser will be contained in a
refrigerated environment and such openings help ensure that food
contained therein remains frozen or chilled as desired. A vertical
divider (not shown) can be provided between spiral flights 348 and
350 if desired.
[0197] A plurality of generally vertically disposed and spaced
apart rods 354, 356 and 358 may be provided at the front of
magazine food dispenser 206 adjacent spiral flights 348 and 350 and
similar rods can be provided at the back of magazine food dispenser
206. Rods 354, 356 and 358 prevent food pieces from falling out of
spiral flights 348 and 350 and to maintain spiral flights 348 and
350 in a vertical orientation.
[0198] Magazine food dispenser 206 has an open bottom 360 through
which food pieces can be dispensed during operation.
[0199] During operation, drive wheel 344 can be driven by a
suitable electric motor, such as an electric motor 362, 364 and 366
shown with respect to magazine food dispensers 280, 282 and 284 in
FIG. 9. Alternatively, other drive devices could be used,
including, for example, a rotary air or hydraulic cylinder.
Rotation of drive wheel 344 in a clockwise direction causes driven
wheel 346 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction by virtue of
the intermeshing or contact between drive wheel or gear 344 and
driven wheel or gear 346. Such rotation causes corresponding
rotation of spiral flights 348 and 350, respectively. Food
contained by spiral flights 348 and/or 350 is moved downwardly by
virtue of such rotation. When such food reaches the bottom of
spiral flights 348 and/or 350, respectively, such food is
discharged from magazine food dispenser 206 through open bottom 360
and onto conveyor system 208 for handling as previously described.
A single motor could be used to drive a plurality of dispensers
280, 282 and 284, etc. through a suitable drive mechanism (not
shown).
[0200] As shown in FIG. 8, pieces of food can be contained by
magazine food dispenser 206 in two different ways. For example,
individual pieces of food may each be contained by a single
elongated spiral flight 348 or 350 as shown with respect to food
pieces F1 and F2, respectively. Food pieces F1 and F2 can be any
type of desired food and may be a food item such as a hash brown,
an individual portion pie, rectangular food patty, or other type of
food as desired. Chicken nuggets and other food can also be
dispensed with the bulk dispenser previously described. Larger
items of food can span across portions of both elongated spiral
flights 348 and 350 as illustrated with respect to food item F3,
which may be a larger food item, such as a chicken patty, or other
type of food article as desired. Spiral flights 348 and 350 can be
of a desired radial diameter so that the food piece or pieces that
are to be contained and dispensed in magazine food dispenser 206
can be accommodated as illustrated in FIG. 8. Each spiral can
contain a food piece so that as illustrated in FIG. 7, the
illustrated spirals of spiral flights 348 and 350 could each
accommodate twelve food pieces such as food pieces F1 or F2 for a
total of twenty-four food pieces or twelve food pieces such as food
piece F3 of FIG. 8. As will be appreciated, spiral flights having a
greater or lesser number of flights can be used if desired to hold
a greater or lesser number of food pieces, respectively.
[0201] A suitable home position sensor 362' can be utilized to
indicate a home or start position of each of spiral flights 348 and
350. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a pair of position indicating
sensors 362' and 364' are utilized and mounted on drive wheel 344
180.degree. apart for more precise locating of the position of
spiral flights 348 and 350. Sensors 362' and 364' can be proximity
sensors that align with corresponding sensor pickups on the
respective drive gear or motor for magazine food dispenser 206 (not
shown).
[0202] Preferably, spiral flights 348 and 350 are offset by one
rotation so that a single food item such as food item F1 or F2 in
FIG. 8 will be dispensed from one of either spiral flight 348 or
350 for each one-half rotation of spiral flights 348 and 350.
[0203] Preferably, food dispensing device 200 and food dispensing
device 201 are constructed in modular form, an example of which is
illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. Wheels 368 are provided
to permit cabinets 202, 402 and 602 to be suitably transported
across a relatively flat surface, such as a restaurant work area
floor.
[0204] Food Frying Device
[0205] Referring to the Figures generally, and in particular to
FIGS. 1-2 and 11-24, there is illustrated fry device 400 and
various components and alternative components thereof in accordance
with the invention.
[0206] In one embodiment, fry device 400 includes cabinet 402, four
fry wheels 404, 410, 412 and 414, four fry vats 406, 416, 418 and
420, four drive mechanisms 408, one for each of fry wheels 404,
410, 412 and 414. Each fry vat 406, 416, 418 and 420 is dimensioned
to contain a desired volume of a suitable cooking oil. Each fry vat
406, 416, 418 and 420 is dedicated to one of fry wheels 404, 410,
412 and 414, respectively.
[0207] In operation in the preferred embodiment, fry device 400 is
positioned to receive the food dispensed from a food dispensing
device, such as food dispensing device 200 and food dispensing
device 201. Consequently, it is advantageous to position fry device
400 adjacent food dispensing device 200 or 201 as illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. A suitable control panel 456 can be
provided and located in a suitable location, such as on the side of
cabinet 402. In the illustrated embodiment, control panel 456
contains a separate display for each of fry wheels 404, 410, 412
and 414 referred to by reference numerals 456a-d, respectively.
Control panels and displays 456a-d can include information such as
set cycle time, oil temperature, oil level as well as controls to
adjust cycle time and oil temperature, for example.
[0208] Referring to FIG. 13, there is illustrated fry wheel 410.
Fry wheel 410 includes two opposed circular spaced apart circular
disks 458a and 458b. Disks 458a and 458b can include a plurality of
apertures 460 as desired to reduce wheel weight and to provide
circulation of cooking oil and to permit passage of water vapor
therethrough, such as during frying food products, for example. A
fry wheel axle 462 is provided to which disks 458a and 458b are
mounted. Axle 462 is suitably mounted, typically and preferably for
rotation with respect to fry vat 406 at a location above the normal
level of cooking oil or range of levels of cooking oil that will be
encountered in fry vat 406 during operation.
[0209] In one embodiment, outer peripheral edge 464 of each of
disks 458a and 458b include a plurality of teeth 466.
[0210] Teeth 466 can be utilized to drive fry wheel 410 in a manner
as hereinafter described. Referring to FIGS. 14-16, there is
illustrated in sectional view of disk 458a of fry wheel 410, a
portion of which is located within fry vat 406. A drive wheel 468
is associated in operative position relative to teeth 466 located
on outer peripheral edge 464 of disk 458a. Drive wheel 468 can be
formed from a disk of material of a suitable thickness having a
circumferential groove 470 therein. Circumferential groove 470 is
typically at least or slightly greater than the thickness of disk
458a in the area where drive wheel 468 and disk 458a are juxtaposed
as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15. A series of spaced apart pins
472 extend across circumferential groove 470 and are radially
arrayed and spaced from the center of drive wheel 468. Drive wheel
468 includes a central aperture 474 through which a drive axle 476
can be mounted. In operation, drive wheel 468 is rotated by drive
axle 476 with drive wheel 468 being positioned a fixed distance
from disk 458a so that pins 472 mesh with teeth 466 when rotated as
illustrated in FIG. 14 thereby causing rotation of disk 458a and
consequently fry wheel 410 in a direction of rotation opposite to
the rotation of drive wheel 468, as indicated by arrows K and L of
FIG. 14.
[0211] It is to be understood that any suitable drive wheel and
drive arrangement can be utilized. For example, in place of drive
wheel 468 with pins 472, a drive arrangement could be utilized in
which a drive gear is utilized to mesh with a corresponding gear
located around the periphery of disk 458a and/or 458b, for example.
Alternatively, a friction drive system could be utilized in which a
friction drive wheel would contact the edge of one or both of
circular disks 458 which could be of a design having no teeth
therealong, such as illustrated in alternative embodiment wheels
479 and 481 described hereafter. Since the wheel will have cooking
oil thereon, the coefficient of friction between the drive wheel
and fry wheel will be decreased. Care should be taken to assure
that when using a friction drive, sufficient pressure is maintained
between the driving wheel and the fry wheel.
[0212] Referring to FIG. 16, there is illustrated a drive mechanism
for driving drive wheel 468. The drive mechanism includes an
electric motor 478, a gear reduction drive 480, an output shaft
482, a drive pulley wheel 484, a driven pulley wheel 486 and a
drive belt 488 extending around drive pulley wheel 484 and driven
pulley wheel 486 to drive axle 476 which thereby drives drive wheel
468 since the end 476a of axle 476 is fixed in aperture 474 with
respect to drive wheel 468. A shear pin 490 can be located in a
shear pin aperture 492 of drive wheel 468 to retain axle 476 in a
fixed position relative to drive wheel 468. Axle 476 is suitably
contained within an axle journal 494 which, in turn, is mounted to
frame 496 to permit movement of axle 476 relative to axle journal
494 and frame 496. Similarly, motor 478 and gear reduction drive
480 are suitably mounted to frame 496. If desired, motor 478 may be
a stepper motor.
[0213] Typically, it is important that the fry wheel is rotated in
periodic increments for a compartment to be aligned with a
respective discharge slide 498 of fry device 400 or other slide,
ramp or discharge location after a periodic rotation. Typically,
the leading edge 500 of a compartment bottom, such as compartment
bottom 432' of compartment 432 as shown in FIG. 13 is aligned with
the upper edge of fry vat 406 or the top edge of discharge chute
498 associated therewith to allow the contents of compartment 432
to be discharged therefrom. As illustrated in FIG. 13, the contents
of compartment 432 have already been discharged from fry wheel 410.
This is particularly important where incremental rotation of fry
wheel 410 is utilized as opposed to a continuously moving fry
wheel. Thus, for incremental rotation it is desirable for bottom
edge 500 of compartment 432 to be aligned with discharge 498 or the
upper edge 406' of fry vat 406. In order to accomplish this, a
stepper motor can be utilized to drive fry wheel 410.
Alternatively, or in addition, the position of the baskets can be
sensed and their position adjusted accordingly to assure that all
baskets are in the correct position for loading and discharge
during operation. Also, utilizing location sensors allows use of a
simple DC or AC motor, as opposed to a stepper or servo motor. Any
suitable sensor can be utilized in conjunction with a control
system to control operation of the fry wheel drive motor. Suitable
sensors include proximity, magnetic reed, Hall Effect,
photoelectric and capacitive sensors. Such sensors are well known
in the art and consequently a detailed description of those sensors
is not included herein.
[0214] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, it
should be understood that the height of cooking oil in one of fry
vats 406, 416, 418 and 420, such as the level of cooking oil
indicated by reference letter H in FIG. 13 in fry vat 406 will
increase or decrease depending upon the amount of food that is
submerged underneath the surface of cooking oil contained in fry
vat 406. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 13, compartments 424, 426,
428 and 430 each have a charge of food, in this case French fries
455 contained therein. Each compartment contains approximately one
pound of French fries 455. Consequently, there are about four
pounds of French fries that are beneath the surface level H of
cooking oil contained in fry vat 406. This quantity of submerged
food raises the level H of cooking oil in fry vat 406. This
increase in the level of cooking oil can cause the food to be
submerged and therefore cooked for a longer of period of time in
the cooking oil. For example, contrast the level of cooking oil
depicted in FIG. 13 with the level of cooking oil depicted in FIG.
20 in which a charge of French fries 455 is contained only within
compartment 426. This results in a substantially reduced level of
cooking oil H' as indicated in FIG. 20. Thus, the control system
for fry device 400 can be adjusted to take into account for
different levels of cooking oil which can be sensed by a suitable
sensor as is known by those skilled in the art (not shown). Where
rotation of fry wheel 410 is done incrementally after a period of
time elapses, the period between incremental rotations can be
increased or decreased as desired based on the level of cooking oil
present in fry vat 406. For example, in the situation illustrated
in FIG. 13, the duration between incremental rotation of fry wheel
410 could be decreased compared to the situation depicted in FIG.
20 where the level H' of cooking oil is significantly lower than
the level H of cooking oil in FIG. 13. This assumes that the
temperature of cooking oil in each of the situations depicted in
FIGS. 13 and 20 is substantially the same. Similarly, if a constant
rotation fry wheel operation is utilized, such as where fry wheel
410 would rotate constantly, the rotational speed could be
increased to handle the situation depicted in FIG. 13 compared to
the speed of the wheel that would be utilized for the situation in
FIG. 20, where the level H' of cooking oil in FIG. 20 is
significantly less than the level H of cooking oil in FIG. 13.
[0215] Referring to FIGS. 13 and 20, frying device 400 can also
include a fry wheel follower "or fry wheel liner" 502 which is
supported by a fry wheel follower support 504. Fry wheel follower
502 is a curved perforated circular segment having a width
approximately equal to the width of fry wheel 410. Fry wheel
follower 502 is supported by a pair of fry wheel follower supports
504 that are spaced apart and connected by lateral supports 506.
Fry wheel follower 502 prevents food pieces that are larger than
the perforations in fry wheel follower 502 from falling from fry
wheel compartments 422-436 during operation. Preferably, the
perforations in fry wheel follower 502 are composed of circular
holes having a diameter of about 0.187 inches that are in staggered
rows having a center-to-center hole distance of about 0.312 inches.
Fry vat 406 includes a suitable heating element 505, illustrated in
FIGS. 13, 20 and 21.
[0216] Referring to FIGS. 17-19 there is illustrated a curved
compartment forming member 438 which is composed of two opposed
sidewalls 508a and 508b that are interconnected by a curved
J-shaped member 510 that forms compartment bottom 510a and
compartment top 510b. Preferably, a wiper 512 is suitably mounted
to compartment member 510.
[0217] A plurality of compartment forming members 438 are mounted
together in fry wheel 410 to provide a plurality of adjacent
peripheral food compartments 422-436 as illustrated in FIG. 13. As
illustrated in FIG. 13, the top of one J-shaped member 510 abuts
the bottom of adjacent J-shaped member 510. Thus, advantageously, a
fastening member 514, which can be a rivet, for example, that
secures wiper 512 to compartment bottom 510a of one curved J-shaped
member 510 will also pass through the compartment top 510b of the
adjacent curved J-shaped member 510. Preferably, wiper 512 has a
plurality of transversely extending grooves 516a-f that permit
drainage of cooking oil therethrough as wiper 512 exits the cooking
oil in fry vat 406, for example.
[0218] Referring to FIG. 17, opposed sidewalls 508a,b and curved
J-shaped member 510 are perforated to permit the flow of cooking
oil therethrough thereby promoting good heat transfer between the
cooking oil contained in fry vat 406 and food contained in one of
compartments 422-436 when immersed in cooking oil. A suitable hole
size is about 0.156 inches spaced center-to-center about 0.250
inches. Wiper 512 also ensures that close contact is maintained
between the interface of fry wheel follower 502 and the top and
bottom ends of each food compartment 422-436 which in each case
will be bounded by one of wipers 512. Any suitable material can be
used for wiper 512 such as rubber or Teflon, for example.
[0219] As an alternative construction, compartments 422-436 could
be constructed from curved J-shaped members 510 without opposed
sidewalls 508a and 508b, in which case the compartment sidewalls
could be formed from opposed circular disks 458a and 458b. In
addition, it should be appreciated by one skilled in the art that
any desired compartment shape can be utilized in accordance with
the invention as long as the food can be loaded into the
compartment, kept within the compartment during immersion in the
cooking oil and which compartment shape discharges the food from
the fry wheel.
[0220] Referring to FIGS. 21 and 22, there are illustrated further
aspects of fry device 400. FIG. 21 is a sectional view along line
21-21 of FIG. 20. FIG. 21 illustrates the elements previously
described and in addition shows the interface of adjacent fry vats
406 and 420 and in enlarged form in FIG. 22. Disposed between fry
vats 406 and 420 is a banking strip 518 that bridges the gap
between fry vats 406 and 420. Banking strip 518 can be in a shape
as desired and in the illustrated embodiment is a generally
inverted V-shaped strip that spans the gap between fry vats 406 and
420. Banking strip 518 prevents any material that is discharged
between fry wheels 410 and 412 from falling between fry vats 406
and 420 and causing such material to fall into one of fry vats 406
and 420.
[0221] Referring to FIGS. 23 and 24, there are illustrated
alternate embodiments of a fry wheel for use in accordance with the
invention. It is to be understood that the fry wheel is capable of
numerous changes and rearrangements, and the fry wheel, as well as
other components and embodiments of the present invention, is not
intended to be limited to the specific embodiments described
herein.
[0222] Referring to FIGS. 23 and 24, there are illustrated wire
form wheels 479 and 481. Each of wheels 479 and 481 has a rim 520
and 522, respectively, constructed of tubing, which can be smooth
tubing. Such a wheel could be driven by a friction wheel, if
desired. In each of wheels 479 and 481 a plurality of individual
tubular spokes 524 extend from each rim to a corresponding hub
assembly 526. An axle 528 connects hubs 526 together in each of
wheels 479 and 481. Wheel 479 includes a slotted member 530 that
bridges each pair of spokes 524. Each slotted member 530 includes a
centrally disposed slot 532 and a pair of tabs 534 on either side
of slot 532. A plurality of fry baskets 536, one for each slotted
member 530 or pair of spokes 524 is mounted in a snap-lock
relationship to each slotted member 530. Fry baskets 536 have
perforated sides and a perforated bottom and top and can be of a
similar configuration as previously described with respect to fry
wheel 410. Each basket 536 can have a spring tab member 538 that
interlocks with slotted member 530 to secure fry basket 536 to fry
wheel 479 resulting in a finished fry wheel 481 as shown in FIG.
24. It is to be understood that the embodiment illustrated in FIGS.
23 and 24 is not limited to snap-in baskets and that other baskets
can be used with the wheel arrangement depicted in FIG. 23 with or
without slotted members 530. For example, baskets could be welded
or otherwise affixed to rim 520 and spokes 524. Each of fry baskets
536 includes perforations 540 on the sides, top and bottom thereof,
such as previously described with respect to compartment forming
member 438.
[0223] Referring to FIG. 24, there is illustrated an alternative
drive mechanism 535 to rotate fry wheel 481. Drive mechanism 535
includes a motor 537, a shaft 539 and drive rollers 541 and
structure for supplying a force in the direction of arrow FW. Drive
rollers 541 are mounted on shaft 539 which can be rotated by motor
537 to cause rollers 541, each aligned with one of rims 522, to
rotate, thereby rotating fry wheel 481. A force FW is supplied in
the direction of arrow FW to ensure that rollers 541 impart a
sufficient tractive force to cause rotation of fry wheel 481. Force
FW can be supplied by any suitable structure, including a spring, a
weight or an electromagnet, for example. For example, motor 537,
shaft 539 and rollers 541 could be mounted on a platform (not
shown) that is moveable in the direction of arrow FW and a force
could be applied to urge platform in the direction of arrow FW to
ensure proper traction of rollers 541. Rollers 541 may be
constructed of any suitable material, including rubber, for
example. Motor 537 can be controlled by fry control 116, for
example.
[0224] Fry wheel 410 can be rotated as desired so that food
deposited in one of compartments 422-436 travels through and out of
the cooking oil 454 until that compartment reaches a discharge
location. Thus, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 20,
the rotation is in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow K in
FIG. 13 and arrow K in FIG. 20. The rotation of fry wheel 410 can
be either continuous or periodic. In a periodic rotation, the
rotation will typically be incremental, that is, the wheel is
rotated to some degree and then stops. Thereafter, after a set
period of time, the wheel undergoes another periodic rotation. This
process continues as each fry basket is rotated through and out of
the cooking oil vat and to the discharge location. Preferably, each
periodic rotation consists of a rotation of 360.degree. divided by
the number of compartments present in the fry wheel or some
fraction of that periodic rotation increment so that the position
of the wheel can be known without the use of sensors. However, the
use of a sensor or sensors to be able to monitor wheel position can
also be used either as the primary way of controlling wheel
position or as a backup. Also, use of a sensor to determine wheel
position allows use of a standard AC or DC motor. Suitable control
of wheel 410 can be accomplished by fry control 116, for
example.
[0225] In accordance with the present invention, a basket shaking
simulation can be achieved. Basket shaking simulation can be
performed by a relatively slight back and forth rotation of the fry
wheel, such as fry wheel 410. Thus, the drive mechanism is
activated to rotate the fry wheel clockwise and counterclockwise
through a relatively small degree of angular rotation to simulate
shaking of a fry basket during frying. The back and forth rotation
can occur relatively rapidly and typically the degree of angular
rotation will be in the range of from about 2 to about 20 degrees.
In addition, the periodic rotation in one direction may be of a
larger angle of rotation than the rotation in the other
direction.
[0226] Preferably, the degree of rotation during simulated basket
shaking will be monitored, particularly where the rotation in one
direction is greater than the rotation in the other direction so
that the position of each basket relative to the discharge location
can be monitored by the control system to ensure proper discharge
of food from food compartments.
[0227] Referring to FIG. 64, there is illustrated in partially
schematic view fry device 400 along with portions of food
dispensing device 200 and food packaging device 600. As illustrated
in FIG. 64 a hood system 546 is provided. Hood system 538 includes
a hood structure 548, a filter 542 and a drip pan 544.
[0228] A suitable air blower (not shown) can be provided to cause
air flow to move within hood system 538 generally in the direction
of arrows A1, A2 and A3. Filter 542 thus filters particulate matter
in air flow A1 that passes through filter 542. Drip pan 544 catches
any matter that drips from filter 542 that is located above drip
pan 544. Preferably, hood system 538 substantially completely
encloses the area above fry device 400 to reduce waste discharge
into the operating environment of automated food processing system
100.
[0229] Food Packaging Device
[0230] Referring to the Figures generally, and in particular to
FIGS. 1 and 25-50, there is illustrated various embodiments of food
packaging devices and elements thereof in accordance with the
invention.
[0231] In one embodiment, food packaging device 600 is illustrated
or partially illustrated and elements useful in connection with
food packaging device 600 are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 25-50.
Food packaging device 600 includes a cabinet 602 having a
countertop surface 636. Food packaging device 600 can be
advantageously constructed in modular form so that it can be
operated together with previously described food dispensing device
200 and fry device 400 and alternatively operated separately from
both or either of those devices.
[0232] Food packaging device 600 in the illustrated embodiment
includes a food inlet chute 604, rotatable food dispensing member
606, food dispensing chute mechanism 608, automated container
handling system 610, container-receiving receptacle 612, overflow
food collection member 613, conveyor system 614, waste chute 615,
food seasoning system 616 and raceway 620.
[0233] In the illustrated embodiment, food packaging device 600
includes a container storage device for containing cartons or
containers of various sizes. During operation of packaging device
600, the device selects a container of a desired size from
container storage magazine 638, erects the container into an
erected form that is unerected while contained in storage magazine
638 and then positions the erected container to receive food
dispensed from food dispensing chute mechanism 608. After receiving
food from food dispensing chute mechanism 608, automated container
handling device 610 is capable of moving the filled or partially
filled container to container receiving receptacle 612 which is
transported via conveyor system 614 to a desired location for
subsequent pickup of the container by a human operator, for
example.
[0234] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 25-29, food packaging
device 600 includes food overflow collection member 613 to collect
food dispensed by food dispensing chute mechanism 608 that is not
deposited into a container. In the illustrated embodiment, overflow
food collection device 613 is a rotatable wheel as hereinafter
described in detail. Overflow food collection member 613 functions
to collect food dispensed by food dispensing chute mechanism 608
that is not received in a container and to recycle that food into
food dispensing chute mechanism 608 for subsequent dispensing to a
container. This permits food dispensed by food dispensing chute
mechanism 608 but not deposited in a container to be promptly
recycled to the dispensing chute in a first-in, first-out manner,
so that overflow food is promptly recycled and dispensed to a
container.
[0235] Referring to FIGS. 26-28, there is illustrated food
packaging device 600 in which inlet chute 604 is positioned to
receive food, in this case French fries, from food dispensing lanes
234, 236 and 238 of dispensing device 200, which food has been
subsequently fried after dispensing in fry wheels 410, 412 and 414
of fry device 400. After frying in any of wheels 410, 412 and 414
of fry device 400, food dispensed therefrom enters inlet chute 604,
as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 28, for example. In inlet chute 604
the food travels downwardly along chute 604 and into rotatable food
dispensing member 606 in the direction of arrow M of FIG. 28 and
arrow E of FIG. 3. Inlet chute 604 can be configured as desired and
may be configured to accept the product from any one or all of fry
wheels 404, 410, 412 and 414. In FIGS. 25-27, a holding area 607
receives product from fry wheel 404 for manual packaging. A manual
or automated diverter bar 605 can optionally be provided as shown
in FIG. 27 to divert French fries from device 600 to permit filling
unsalted fry orders. Bar 605 can be moved between open and closed
positions as indicated by arrow Z, such as by a cylinder (not
shown).
[0236] Rotatable food dispensing member 606 in the illustrated
embodiment is a dispensing wheel that is mounted for rotation in
dispensing device 600. Dispensing member 606 has a plurality of
food containing compartments 640 that are arrayed around the
periphery of rotatable food dispensing member 606. Each of
compartments 640 is divided from another compartment by a
compartment wall 642. Preferably, each compartment wall 642 is not
normal to peripheral edge 644 of rotatable food dispensing member
606 but at a slight angle such as, for example, as illustrated in
FIG. 29 and FIG. 61.
[0237] Wheel 606 includes a pair of opposed rim portions 646a and
646b and a circular ring portion 648 that interconnects opposed
rims 646a and 646b. Circular ring 648 is disposed close to the
peripheral edges of rims 646a and 646b and defines peripheral edge
644. Preferably, circular ring 648 is constructed of a perforated
metal material so that circular rims 646a and 646b have
perforations 650 therethrough as illustrated in FIG. 28, for
example.
[0238] In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, rotatable
dispensing member 606 is configured as a rotatable wheel although
other embodiments are within the scope of the invention. For
example, a rotatable dispensing member in accordance with the
invention could be a portion of a wheel, such as a semicircular or
other configuration.
[0239] In the illustrated embodiment, rotatable food dispensing
member 606 is rotated by a drive mechanism 652. Drive mechanism 652
consists of a motor 654 that drives a drive wheel 656. Drive
mechanism 652 is controlled by a suitable control mechanism to
cause rotation of drive wheel 656 and hence rotatable food
dispensing member 606 in a desired direction and at a desired rate
of speed. Drive wheel 656 can be a pressure roller or alternatively
can be a drive wheel like or similar to drive wheel 468 previously
described with respect to FIG. 14. Rotatable food dispensing member
606 can be driven via one or both of opposed rims 646a and 646b.
Alternatively, and as illustrated in FIG. 28, rotatable food
dispensing member 606 is driven through a drive rim 658. Each of
rotatable food dispensing members 606 and overflow food collection
member 613 rest on spaced apart rollers 660 and 662. Each of
rollers 660 and 662 are constructed to bear the weight of rotatable
food dispensing member 606 and overflow food collection member 613
and have a length that spans both. Alternatively, separate rollers
or some other supporting structure could be used to support
rotatable food dispensing member 606 and overflow food collection
member 613. An inner curved fender or baffle member 664 as
illustrated in FIG. 29 is provided to ensure that food contained in
compartment 640 of rotatable food dispensing member 606 does not
prematurely discharge. Preferably, fender 664 follows the inner
curvature of rotatable food dispensing member 606 and has
perforations 666, which can be similar to perforations 650 of
circular ring 648. Fender 664 is suitably mounted so that it is
stationary relative to rotatable food dispensing member 606. A
similar fender could also be provided for overflow food collection
member 613, if desired (not shown).
[0240] Referring to FIG. 61, there is illustrated an elevation view
of a portion of rotatable food dispensing member 606 which is
typically rotated in the direction of arrow Y when viewed from the
front of food packaging device 600. Fender 664 prevents food, in
this case French fries FF, from falling from compartments 640
prematurely.
[0241] Overflow food collection member 613 is configured to collect
food deposited from food dispensing chute mechanism 608 that is
intended to be received into container 611 when held in position to
receive food from food dispensing chute mechanism 608 which food
does not stay in container 611. This can occur since oftentimes it
is desirable to overfill container 611 so that food is mounded up
above the top surface of container 611. Also, for food such as
French fries, such food material fills container 611 somewhat
randomly and it is typical for French fries to dangle over the
sides of container 611. In the illustrated embodiment, overflow
food collection member 613 is configured in a manner similar to
rotatable food dispensing member 606 previously described. Thus,
food collection member 613 includes opposed rims 668a and 668b and
circular ring 670 having perforations 672. Circular ring 670
connects opposed rims 668a and 668b in a manner as previously
described with respect to member 606. In addition, food collection
member 613 has a plurality of inner compartments that are similar
in construction to compartment 640 previously described with
respect to member 606. Member 613 also has a drive rim 674 and is
driven by a drive mechanism 676 that is similar to drive mechanism
652 previously described including a drive wheel 676' and a motor
678. Drive mechanism 676 is configured to rotate food collection
member 613 in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction as
hereinafter described in more detail.
[0242] Food collection member 613 also includes a plurality of
compartment walls 680 that are similar to compartment walls 642
previously described with respect to rotatable food dispensing
member 606, providing a plurality of food containing compartments
682.
[0243] Each of food dispensing member 606 and food collection
member 613 has bottom portions that are disposed through an opening
684 in countertop surface 636 of cabinet 602. The construction of
the illustrated embodiment permits food dispensing member 606 and
overflow food collection member 613 to be readily removed from food
packaging device 600 such as for cleaning and/or repair.
[0244] A heating system as described can be incorporated into food
packaging device 600 to supply heat to food contained therein. For
example, a heating system 681 can be provided, which is illustrated
in FIG. 29. Heating system 681 includes a heating device 683 having
a heating element 685, located above dispenser 606 as desired.
Heating devices 687 and 689 may also be included within dispenser
606 and/or 613 as desired. The heating devices may comprise radiant
heaters and can be ceramic heaters, for example. Any suitable type
of heating device or system can be used in accordance with the
invention. Heating system 681 can be controlled by packaging
control 118, for example. In addition, a heating device can be
provided to direct heat to food container pick up location 622, if
desired to keep food contained thereat warm.
[0245] Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, 25-26, 28-29 and 43-44, various
aspects of the configuration and operation of food dispensing chute
mechanism 608 are illustrated and will be described. Food
dispensing chute mechanism 608 includes an upper chute 686, a lower
chute 688, a chute support member 690, a connecting link 692, a
stop member 694, a rotatable link 696 connecting stop member 694 to
chute support member 690, a rotatable link 698 connecting upper
chute 686 to support member 690, a cylinder 700 for operating food
dispensing chute mechanism 608, a load cell 702 for weighing the
contents of food contained in food dispensing chute mechanism 608
and a rotatable link 704 connecting cylinder rod 706 to upper chute
686.
[0246] Upper chute 686 preferably and as illustrated in the
referenced figures, forms part of food dispensing chute mechanism
608, and has an inlet location 708 for receiving food dispensed
from rotatable food dispensing member 606 and a discharge location
710 for dispensing food contained in food dispensing chute
mechanism 608 and into a container, such as container 611 as
illustrated in FIG. 43, for example.
[0247] Upper chute 686 of food dispensing chute mechanism 608 is
positioned to receive pieces of food from a discharge location 712
of rotatable food dispensing member 606. Upper chute 686 has a food
holding area 714 for holding food received from rotatable food
dispensing member 606. A weighing device is associated with food
dispensing chute mechanism 608 so that the amount of food contained
therein, such as in food holding area 714, can be determined. Any
suitable device can be utilized to determine the amount of food
contained in food dispensing chute mechanism 608. In the
illustrated embodiment, a load cell 702 is provided to determine
the weight of food contained in food dispensing chute mechanism 608
and is illustrated schematically in FIGS. 43 and 44, for
example.
[0248] FIG. 44 illustrates food dispensing chute mechanism 608 in
the upper position ready to receive food from rotatable food
dispensing member 606. In that configuration, cylinder 700 is
retracted and upper chute 686 is generally horizontal. This
configuration allows a quantity of food to be dispensed into upper
chute 686 and into food holding area 714 without being dispensed
therefrom. When a sufficient quantity of food is deposited in upper
chute 686, such as French fries FF, as determined by load cell 702
which communicates with the control system of food packaging device
600, the food contained therein is ready to be dispensed.
Typically, the amount of food contained in chute 686 will be
sufficient to adequately fill container 611. Since container 611 is
of a known size, rotatable food dispensing member 606 can be
operated to supply food to chute 686 until a desired quantity is
contained therein for dispensing to container 611.
[0249] To dispense food from food dispensing chute mechanism 608,
cylinder 700 is activated to extend cylinder rod 706 upwardly
thereby causing upper chute 686 to drop. Since lower chute 688 is
connected to upper chute 686 via connecting link 692, lower chute
688 also drops to the discharge position as illustrated in FIG. 43
which movement is indicated by arrow S. Stop 694 which is connected
to lower chute 688 and pivotally mounted via rotatable link 696 to
chute support member 690, engages chute support member 690 as
illustrated in FIG. 43 and prevents further downward movement of
upper chute 686 and lower chute 688. In addition, stop member 694
engaging chute support member 690 defines the lowermost position of
upper chute 686 and lower chute 688 which is also the dispensing
position of food dispensing chute mechanism 608, as illustrated in
FIG. 43. This position also provides discharge location 710 of
dispensing chute mechanism 608.
[0250] Referring to FIGS. 25-28, there is illustrated container
storage magazine 638, which can form part of food packaging device
600. Container storage magazine 638 is configured to store a
plurality of different sized food containers in an unerected form.
Typically, container storage magazine 638 will be configured to
hold a variety of different sized containers. In the illustrated
embodiment, container storage magazine 638 can contain four
different sizes of French fry containers or cartons. Container
storage magazine 638 includes a base 716 that is suitably mounted
with mounting structure 718 to cabinet 602. Preferably, mounting
structure 718 permits container storage magazine 638 to be readily
removed to permit access to rotatable food dispensing member 606
and overflow food collection member 613.
[0251] Base 716 typically can be in the form of a base plate and
includes four apertures 720, 722, 724 and 726, each of said
apertures corresponding to the profile of a different size
collapsed carton. Apertures 720, 722, 724 and 726 are dimensioned
to be able to retain a stack of cartons in a collapsed or unerected
condition as illustrated in FIG. 25 in which a plurality of
unerected cartons 728 are stacked therein.
[0252] Each aperture 720, 722, 724 and 726 and base 716 has
associated therewith a plurality of guide members 730-760. In the
illustrated embodiment, guides 730-760 are in the form of post or
tubular-type members. Each set of four guide members is associated
with a specific one of apertures 720, 722, 724 and 726 to define
and permit stacking of a plurality of unerected French fry cartons
or containers that generally correspond in size to the size of
apertures 720, 722, 724 and 726, respectively. It is to be
understood that other arrangements to define a container stack can
be utilized in accordance with the invention. For example, in place
of guides 730-760 other structure could be utilized, such as
upstanding walls or partial walls or other types of guides.
[0253] Container storage magazine 638 may also include a suitable
removable cover (not shown) to enclose base 716 and the volume
defined over apertures 720-726 by guides 730-760.
[0254] Container storage magazine 638 is preferably positioned to
permit ready access to the bottom of each container stack through
the bottom of each of apertures 720-726 by automated container
handling system 610, which is hereinafter described in detail.
[0255] Food packaging device 600 includes automated container
handling system 610. Automated container handling system 610 is
capable of retrieving an unerected container through any of
apertures 720, 722, 724 and 726 of unerected container storage
magazine 638, erecting the unerected carton, holding the erected
carton in position at discharge location 710 of food dispensing
chute mechanism 608 and depositing the filled container onto
conveyor system 614, which conveyor system 614 subsequently
transports the filled container to a desired location.
[0256] Referring to FIGS. 1, 25, 27-28 and 30-44, there is
illustrated automated container handling system 610 and elements
and features thereof. Automated container handling system 610
includes a container retrieving and grasping device 762, a
container grasping device 764 and a container bottom urging device
766.
[0257] Automated container handling system 610 is controlled by a
suitable control system for food packaging device 600.
[0258] Container retrieving and grasping device 762 and portions
thereof are best illustrated in FIGS. 30-39. Container retrieving
and grasping device 762 includes a mast 768, which is mounted to a
carriage system 770, a moveable rack member 772, a pinion 774, a
frame 776, a container grasping member 778 and a linkage assembly
780.
[0259] Mast 768 is carried by carriage system 770 which carriage
system 770 allows for lateral translation of mast 768 and the
components associated therewith, including moveable rack member
772, pinion 774, frame 776, container grasping member 778 and
linkage assembly 780. Carriage system 770 includes a guide member
782, a worm gear 784, a drive mechanism 786 and a carriage follower
788. Carriage follower 788 supports a vertical translation
mechanism 790 that, in turn, carries mast 768.
[0260] Carriage guide 782 is an elongated guide that defines the
lateral translation movement direction of carriage follower 788 and
is secured within cabinet 602. Worm gear 784 is disposed parallel
to carriage guide 782 and when rotated moves carriage follower 788
along carriage guide 782.
[0261] Worm gear 784 is driven by drive mechanism 786 which can
include a drive motor 792, a drive gear or pulley 794 and a driven
gear or pulley 796. Where drive and driven pulleys are used,
typically a belt 798 will impart rotation from one pulley to
another.
[0262] Drive motor 792 causes worm gear 784 which is mounted for
rotation and which is rotated by rotation of driven pulley or gear
796 in either direction. Drive motor 792 can be an AC or DC motor
or a stepper or servo motor as desired. Suitable sensors can be
employed (not shown) to determine the position of carriage follower
788 which determines the lateral position of container grasping
member 778.
[0263] Carriage follower 788 is composed of a frame 800 having a
guide aperture or slot 802 in which carriage guide 782 is disposed
and a threaded aperture or slot 804 in which elongated worm gear
784 is disposed to impart lateral motion to carriage follower 788
by rotation of worm gear 784. Thus, carriage system 770 provides
lateral movement in the direction of arrows Q as shown in FIG. 39.
In this manner, carriage follower and thus mast 768 can be
laterally translated as desired.
[0264] A suitable opening 806 is located in countertop surface 636
of cabinet 602 to permit mast 768 to extend therethrough.
[0265] Mast 768 can be raised and lowered in a vertical direction
as indicated by arrow V in FIG. 39.
[0266] Mast 768 can be vertically raised and lowered in the
directions indicated by arrow V in FIG. 39 by operation of a drive
mechanism 810 that forms part of vertical translation mechanism
790. Vertical translation mechanism 790 is a vertically extending
carriage system similar to that described with respect to carriage
system 770 and includes a drive mechanism 810 which is composed of
a motor 812 which is carried by carriage follower 788, a vertically
disposed carriage guide 814, a vertically disposed worm gear 816
which is driven in a suitable manner by motor 812 such as
previously described with respect to drive mechanism 786 of
carriage system 770, which can be controlled in a similar manner.
Vertical translation mechanism 790 also includes a vertical
carriage follower 818 having a threaded aperture or slot and a
guide aperture or slot (not shown) which vertical carriage follower
818 is secured to mast 768.
[0267] Mast 768 has mounted thereto frame 776, typically at an
upper end thereof. Linkage assembly 780 is secured to frame 776 as
well as pinion 774 and moveable rack member 772.
[0268] Moveable rack member 772 includes a frame 820 having a guide
slot 822 vertically disposed therein and a rack 824 which meshes
with pinion 774. Moveable rack member 772 may also include extra
mass in the form of a weight block 826 to help urge moveable rack
member downwardly when not restrained.
[0269] A pair of guides 828 and 830 are rigidly secured to frame
776 and are disposed within slot 822 of moveable rack 772. A spring
832 can be connected between an upper end of moveable rack member
772 and guide 828 or 830 to urge moveable rack member 772 to a
lower position as illustrated in FIG. 30 compared with the upper
position as illustrated in FIGS. 34-37.
[0270] In a preferred embodiment, moveable rack member 772 includes
a stop 834 which stop can be vertically adjustable. While stop 834
is located at the bottom of moveable rack member 772 it is to be
understood that a stop could be provided at another location
provided that a suitable engaging surface at a proper location is
provided.
[0271] Mounted to frame 776 is an axle 836 that is mounted for
rotation relative to frame 776. Axle 836 has pinion gear 774
rigidly secured thereto as well as one end 838 of linkage 780. The
other end 840' of linkage 780 is securely mounted to frame 776 as
illustrated in FIGS. 30-37, for example.
[0272] Linkage 780 which carries container grasping member 778 is
composed of a plurality of links so that container grasping member
778 is moveable from a horizontal position as illustrated in FIGS.
30-32 to a vertical position as illustrated in FIGS. 34-37. When
container grasping member 778 is in the horizontal position it is
utilized to grasp and retrieve a desired size of container from one
of the apertures 720, 722, 724 and 726 from container storage
magazine 638. For this purpose, container grasping member 778
includes a suction cup device 840 which includes at least one
suction cup 842 and in the illustrated embodiment two suction cups
842 and 844 arrayed in substantially the same plane for grasping a
container having a surface to be grasped by both suction cups 842
and 844 in the same plane. Suction cup device 840 also includes a
vacuum source 846, a release valve 848 and a suitable vacuum line
850 which connects suction cups 842 and 844 to vacuum source 846,
as illustrated in FIG. 30, for example. In operation, when suction
cups 842 and/or 844 engage a container or other member to be
grasped, vacuum source 846 is activated to supply vacuum to suction
cups 842 and 844, such as to grasp and retain a container from one
of apertures 720, 722, 724 and 726 of container storage magazine
638.
[0273] Linkage assembly 780 includes, in the illustrated
embodiment, a first link 852, a second link 854 and third link
856.
[0274] First link 852 is rigidly secure to axle 836 and pinion 774.
First link 852 is configured in an L-shape with the end of first
link 852 opposite the portion connected to axle 836 pivotally
connected to second link 854 having one end being pivotally
connected to first link 852 via pivot connection 858.
[0275] Second link 854 is connected to third link 856 via a
universal joint connection 860 a location spaced apart from pivot
connection 858 as illustrated in, for example, FIGS. 30-37. Section
cups 842 and 844 are mounted to second link 854. An offset member
862 which depends from second link 854 provides a desired offset
for universal joint connection 860 which connects second link 854
to third link 856.
[0276] Third link 856 is, in turn, connected to frame 776 via a
universal joint connection 864 which is at a distance removed from
universal joint connection 860 which connects third link 856 to
second link 854. An offset member assembly 866 is rigidly secured
to frame 776 and includes an angled block 868 and an offset
extension 870 to provide the desired angled and clearance for
universal joint 864 and third link 856.
[0277] In operation, when moveable rack member 772 is moved
relative to mast 768, such as when stop 834 contacts a surface,
such as in the illustrated embodiment, countertop surface 636 as
illustrated in FIG. 36, continued downward vertical movement of
mast 768 causes rack member 772 to move upwardly relative to mast
768. This causes rotation of pinion 774 which meshes with rack 824
mounted to rack member 772. Rotation of pinion 774 in a
counter-clockwise direction in FIG. 30 causes rotation of first
link 852. Such rotation causes downward movement of that portion of
first link 852 that is pivotally connected to second link 854 via
pivot connection 858. Such movement, in turn, causes second link
854 to pivot upwardly about pivot connection 858 in a clockwise
direction as viewed in FIG. 30 to cause suction cups 842 and 844 to
move to a vertically oriented position as depicted in FIGS. 34-37
from the horizontally oriented position depicted in FIGS. 30-33. In
addition, such movement of first link 852 causes movement in
rotation of third link 856 and universal joint connection 860 and
864 to the position indicated in FIGS. 34-37. When container
grasping member 778 is in the position indicated in FIGS. 34-37, an
unerected container held by suction cups 842 and/or 844 will be
vertically oriented when suction cups 842 and/or 844 are attached
to the container sidewall, as illustrated in FIG. 40, for
example.
[0278] In a typical operation, container retrieving and grasping
device 762 will be operated to position suction cups 842 and 844
below a container to be selected from container storage magazine
638. Mast 768 will be raised by operation of vertical translation
mechanism 790 to a desired height so that suction cups 842 and 844
engage a container contained at the bottom of container storage
magazine 638. Vacuum source 846 is activated and mast 768 can be
lowered to remove a container from a desired one of apertures 720,
722, 724 and 726 of container storage magazine 638. Carriage system
770 can be activated to move container retrieving and grasping
device 762 laterally to a desired location. Such lateral movement
can be controlled by properly positioned sensors 872, 874, 876, 878
and 880, for example. For example, sensor 872 can define the
position to retrieve a container from aperture 720, sensor 876 to
retrieve a container from aperture 722, sensor 878 to retrieve a
container from aperture 724 and sensor 880 to retrieve from
aperture 726. Sensor 874 can be positioned to define the proper
location of container grasping member 778 to erect the container
that has been retrieved from one of apertures 720, 722, 724 or 726
of container storage magazine 638, as hereafter described. After
erecting the container, the vacuum applied to suction cups 842 and
844 is released by operation of release valve 848 which permits
suction cups 842 and 844 to disengage and release the container
that had been grasped. Mast 768 can then be raised causing stop 834
to be removed from countertop surface 636 and by action of weight
826 and operationally spring 832, causing rack member 772 to move
downwardly relative to mast 768 thereby rotating pinion gear 774
clockwise relative to the position shown in FIG. 34, thereby moving
linkage assembly 780 to cause movement of container grasping member
778 from the position illustrated in FIGS. 34-37 to the position
indicated in FIGS. 30-33, where container grasping member 778 is in
position to retrieve a desired carton from container storage
magazine 638 in a manner previously described, which includes
lateral translation of container grasping member 778 by carriage
system 770.
[0279] It is to be understood that any suitable automated device or
system for retrieving, grasping and moving a container to a desired
location as desired herein can be utilized in accordance with
various aspects of the present invention. Thus, various aspects of
the present invention are not limited by the particular embodiment
of container retrieving and grasping device 762 and components
thereof described herein. For example, an automated or robotic arm
could be utilized to select, grasp and retrieve erected or
unerected containers from a source as desired and then erect the
carton or container in a suitable manner, followed by holding the
erected container at dispensing location 710 and after filling
placing the filled container, such as container 611 on to a
suitable conveyor to move the filled container to a desired
location.
[0280] Container grasping device 764 of container retrieving and
grasping device 762 will now be described, and in particular with
reference to FIGS. 38 and 40-44.
[0281] Container grasping device 764 includes a rotatable and
vertically translatable mast 884. Mast 884 can be rotated as
illustrated by arrow P in FIG. 38 and vertically translated up and
down as indicated by arrow 0 also in FIG. 38. Mast 884 is connected
to a shaft 886 via a slot and key arrangement between mast 884 and
shaft 886 permitting mast 884 to be rotated by shaft 886 which, in
turn, can be rotated by a step or motor 890 or other suitable motor
or device to rotate shaft 886 a desired degree. Motor 890 drives a
drive pulley or gear 892 which, in turn, drives a driven pulley or
gear 894. In the case where pulleys are utilized, a belt 896 is
used to transmit rotation from pulley 892 to pulley 894. Motor 890
can be a stepper router or a servo motor as desired. Alternatively,
an AC or DC motor can be utilized provided that a suitable control
is provided so that the orientation of mast 884 can be determined.
A carriage system 898 is utilized to provide the desired vertical
movement of mast 884 in up and down directions. Carriage system 898
is similar to carriage system 770 previously described and includes
a carriage guide 900, a worm gear 902, a carriage follower 904, a
drive mechanism 906 which includes a motor 908 (which can be a
servo motor or an AC or DC motor) suitably controlled to drive or
gear 902. Carriage follower 904 includes a threaded aperture or
slot 910 which communicates with worm gear 902 and a threaded
aperture or slot 912 in which guide 900 is disposed. A carriage
follower interface 914 connects carriage follower 904 to mast 884
and permits shaft 886 to rotate with respect to carriage follower
interface 914. Thus, in operation, rotation of motor 908 rotates
worm gear 902 thereby translating carriage follower 904 up or down
depending on the direction of rotation. A suitable sensor (not
shown) can be employed to determine the height of mast 884 for
control by control system 118 for packaging device 600.
[0282] Suitable mounting structure 916 is provided to mount
container grasping device 764 to a desired location, such as within
cabinet 602. A slot and key arrangement between shaft 886 and mast
884 permits 884 mast to be vertically translated either up or down
while shaft 886 is rotated.
[0283] Mounted on the upper end of mast 884 is a suction device 918
which includes a suction cup 920, a source of vacuum (not shown)
for suction cup 920 and a release valve (not shown) for releasing
the vacuum to suction cup 920. Vacuum can be supplied from within
mast 884 to suction cup 920 by a suitable connection as is known in
the art.
[0284] Container bottom urging device 766 consists of a mast 922
that is vertically translatable up and down by suitable apparatus
(not shown). Such apparatus can be similar to vertical translation
mechanism 790 previously described with respect to container
retrieving and grasping device 762. Preferably, mast 922 has a
blunt end 924.
[0285] In operation, container retrieving and grasping device 762
selects an appropriately sized container from container storage
magazine 638 as directed by the control system for food packaging
device 600. After retrieving the container, which in this case is
container 611, container retrieving and grasping device 762 moves
container 611 to a position as indicated in FIG. 40 against suction
cup 920 so that opposed sidewalls of container 611 are grasped by
suction cups 840 and 842 of container grasping member 778.
[0286] Next, as shown in FIG. 41, container grasping member 778 is
moved laterally away from suction cup 920 while maintaining suction
on suction cups 840, 842 and 920. Container 611 is partially
erected as shown in FIG. 41 with bottom 611b depending downwardly
slightly. Container bottom urging device 766 is then activated as
illustrated in FIG. 42 to urge bottom 611b of container 611
upwardly into the fully erected position. Container grasping member
778 is released and retracted from container 611 and returned to a
horizontal up position to select another unerected container for
erection.
[0287] Next, mast 884 is rotated approximately 90.degree. by motor
890 to place container 611 in discharge position 710 of food
dispensing chute mechanism 608. Food dispensing chute mechanism 608
is then lowered to discharge French fries FF therefrom and into
container 611. Any French fries that are not received into
container 611 are collected by overflow food collection member 613
which is then rotated clockwise in the direction of arrow X as
shown in FIG. 41 to recycle such French fries to upper chute 686
for subsequent delivery to another container. After the French
fries are dispensed from food dispensing chute mechanism 608,
cylinder 700 is retracted placing food dispensing chute mechanism
608 in the upper position as shown in FIG. 44. Mast 884 can then be
rotated back and forth slightly (e.g., such as 2.degree. to
20.degree., for example) to simulate shaking to dislodge any loose
French fries or dangling French fries in container 611 and any
dislodged French fries will then fall into overflow food collection
member 613 for subsequent recycling. Mast 884 can also be raised
and lowered slightly and relatively quickly either before, during
or after the angular rotation to further simulate shaking.
Thereafter, mast 884 is rotated approximately 180.degree. until
container 611 is directly over container-receiving receptacle 612
as indicated by T in FIG. 44. Mast 884 is then lowered by operation
of carriage system 898 until the bottom of container 611 rests in
container-receiving receptacle 612. Then, the vacuum supplied to
suction cup 920 is released and suction cup 920 releases from
container 611. Mast 884 can then be rotated 900 so that it is in
position to receive another container to be erected.
[0288] Container-receiving receptacle 612 is then transported via
conveyor system 614 which will now be described in detail.
[0289] Conveyor system 614 and portions or elements thereof are
illustrated in various figures including FIGS. 1, 25-29 and
45-50.
[0290] Conveyor 614 includes, in the illustrated embodiment,
raceway 620 which can be formed along the surface of countertop 636
or on some other surface as desired. Raceway 620 is preferably in
the form of a continuous loop raceway and is defined by spaced
apart guides 620a and 620b mounted to countertop 636 to guide
receptacles 612. Conveyor system 614 includes one or more and
typically a plurality of container-receiving receptacles 612 which
are illustrated in detail in FIGS. 46-50. Gate structure 634 of
conveyor system 614 includes a first gate 926 and second gate 928.
First gate 926 is moveable and typically second gate 928 can be
stationary as hereinafter described.
[0291] Conveyor system 614 also includes structure for causing
movement of container-receiving receptacle 612. In the illustrated
embodiment, container-receiving receptacles 612 are moved via an
endless loop 930 that can be located beneath countertop 636.
Endless loop 930 carries a plurality of magnets 932 as illustrated
in FIGS. 45 and 49, for example. Magnets 932 are spaced along
endless loop 930. Endless loop 930 may comprise a chain or other
suitable structure that can be driven by a drive system that
includes sprockets 934, 936, 938 and 940. One of sprockets 934,
936, 938 and 940 can be a driven sprocket.
[0292] Any suitable endless loop 930 can be utilized such as a belt
or a chain. Pulleys could be used in place of sprockets 934-940.
The route of endless loop 930 follows the route of raceway 620.
[0293] Container-receiving receptacle 612 typically includes a base
942 and a container-receiving well 944 located over base 942. Base
942 includes an enclosed compartment 946 which can be conveniently
accessed by a base plate 948 located along the bottom of base 942
that is fastened to base 942 by suitable fasteners 950. Contained
within enclosed compartment 946 is a magnet 952.
[0294] Container-receiving receptacle 612 follows the movement of
magnet 932 due to magnetic attraction between magnets 932 and 952
thereby causing movement of container-receiving receptacle 612
along raceway 620.
[0295] Enclosed compartment 946 is dimensioned to permit magnet 952
to be free to rotate therein allowing container-receiving
receptacle 612 to be readily guided by rails 954 and 956 that are
raised above countertop 636.
[0296] Movable gate 926 prevents movement of container-receiving
receptacle 612 located thereat as illustrated in FIG. 45. This
ensures that container-receiving receptacle 612 is in position to
receive a loaded container of French fries, such as container 611
from container grasping device 764. After a filled container is
placed on container-receiving receptacle 612 adjacent moveable gate
926, gate 926 is automatically removed by a suitable mechanism (not
shown) to permit container-receiving receptacle 612 thereat to be
moved by conveyor system 614 until French fry container 611
contained therein contacts gate 928 or receptacle 612 contacts
another receptacle that is located at pick up area 622 as shown in
FIG. 45. Once container 611 is moved from receptacle 612b,
receptacle 612b is then free to move along raceway 620 and passes
underneath second gate 928, which can be a stationary gate.
Alternatively, second gate 928 could be a moveable gate and could
be located at a level that directly prevents movement of receptacle
612b. After receptacle 612b passes underneath second gate 928,
receptacle 612a is moved into the position formerly occupied by
receptacle 612b provided that receptacle 612a has a French fry
container thereon which would then cause receptacle 612a to be
stopped at gate 928. Similarly, when that container is removed from
receptacle 612a, receptacle 612a would then be free to pass
underneath gate 928 and around that portion of raceway 620 until
encountering gate 926 or another receptacle that is stopped by gate
926.
[0297] Referring to FIGS. 51-60, there is illustrated various views
of French fry cartons that are useful in accordance with the
present invention. The French fry cartons depicted in FIGS. 51-60
are particularly suitable for use in conjunction with the present
invention since the cartons readily stand upright without
assistance and can be erected by automated container handling
system 610, previously described.
[0298] FIG. 51 illustrates a front elevation view of a carton 1012
that is particularly suitable for containing French fries, for
example. Carton 1012 is illustrated in FIG. 51 in an erected or
opened position and includes a pair of opposed curved sidewalls
1014 and 1016 and a bottom panel 1018.
[0299] Carton 1012 can be stacked in a collapsed configuration and
stored in a suitable magazine, such as container storage magazine
638 as previously described. When in a collapsed position, carton
1012 is particularly suited to being opened or erected by pulling
sidewalls 1014 and 1016 apart and urging bottom panel 1018
upwardly, as described with respect to the erection or opening of
container 611 by automated container handling system 610. Container
or carton 611 is of a design that is similar to carton 1012.
[0300] Carton 1012 also includes two supporting legs 1020, 1022
that extend downwardly from the lower portions of the overlapping
edge portions of sidewall 1014 indicated by reference numerals
1014a and 1014b in FIG. 59 and FIG. 53.
[0301] Carton 1012 is capable of standing on its own because of
legs 1020 and 1022 that extend below bottom panel 1018 when carton
1012 is open or erected.
[0302] Carton 1012 can be constructed from a single blank of
paperboard which is illustrated in FIG. 59. When constructed,
sidewall edge portions 1014a and 1014b form flaps that are glued to
the edges of sidewall 1016 as indicated in FIG. 54, for
example.
[0303] Bottom panel 1018 is specially configured to facilitate
opening or erection of carton 1012 by an automated carton handling
device such as automated container handling system 610, previously
described in detail. Bottom panel 1018 includes intersecting lines
1024 and 1026. Intersecting lines 1024 and 1026 intersect at a
generally central location of bottom panel 1014, which panel is
generally oval even though it may incorporate straight edges 1028
and 1030, for example. Intersecting lines 1024 and 1026 may be fold
lines, lines of weakening, score lines or even perforations. All
such structures are referred to herein with respect to intersecting
lines 1024 and 1026 of bottom panel 1018 only as "fold lines."
Typically, the intersection of fold lines 1024 and 1026 form an
angle in the range of from about 60.degree. and about 120.degree..
In one embodiment, the intersecting bottom panel fold lines are
oriented such that one of said lines (fold line 1024 in FIG. 59) is
normal or at least generally normal to curved sidewalls 1014 and
1016. In such embodiment, the other of the intersecting fold lines
(in this case fold line 1026) is at least generally parallel to
curved sidewalls 1014 and 1016.
[0304] Preferably, fold line 1024 extends from sidewall 1014 to
sidewall 1016.
[0305] As previously mentioned, carton 1012 is foldable to a
collapsed position with sidewalls 1014 and 1016 being planar and in
contacting overlying relation to each other with bottom panel 1018
being divided into two overlying panels 1018a and 1018b by
intersecting fold line 1026.
[0306] Preferably, bottom panel 1018 includes two additional fold
lines 1032 and 1034 on either side of fold line 1024 that extends
from one carton sidewall to the other, in this case from sidewall
1014 to sidewall 1016. Secondary fold lines 1032 and 1034 further
facilitate the opening or erection of container 1012 with an
automated device such as automated container handling system
610.
[0307] FIG. 58 illustrates a carton 1036 that is similar in
construction to carton 1012 previously described except that carton
1036 is of a different size. Preferably, carton 1012 is configured
such that the width of the base is relatively narrow and the
sidewalls 1014 and 1016 flare outwardly so that container 1012 is
substantially wider at the top (from about 1.6 to 2 or more times
the base width). This allows relatively large and tall containers
to be placed in an automobile cup holder CH as depicted in FIG.
56.
[0308] Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated an alternate
embodiment of an automated food processing system 101 in accordance
with the invention. Automated food processing system 101 includes a
food dispensing device 201 which is similar to food dispensing 200,
previously briefly described, where like reference numerals
represent like elements. Food dispensing device 201 includes fewer
uncooked bulk food dispensing containers 204 and additional
magazine food dispensers that are similar to magazine food
dispenser 206, previously referred to. Otherwise, dispensing device
201 is similar to dispensing device 200 previously described.
[0309] Automated food processing system 101 also includes fry
device 400 which has been described.
[0310] One primary distinction between automated food processing
system 100 and automated food processing system 101 is that
automated food processing system 101 does not include an automated
packaging device such as automated packaging device 600. In place
of food packaging device 600, a food storage device 635 is
provided. Food storage device 635 allows food cooked by food frying
device 400 to be stored in a heated environment for subsequent
manual processing. As configured in FIG. 2, food storage device 635
includes separate product receiving receptacles 637, 639, 641 and
643. Each receptacle 637, 639, 641 and 643 is dedicated to
receiving food from a respective one of fry wheels 410, 412, 414
and 404, respectively. In addition, each receptacle 637-643 can
have placed therein a suitable container to receive food, such as
handled trays 645, 647, 649 and 651.
[0311] As illustrated in FIG. 2, a food item F is being discharged
from fry wheel 414 down a chute 653 and into handled tray 649
contained within heated receptacle 641. Food item F can be stored
therein for a period of time until it is ready for subsequent
processing.
[0312] Referring to FIGS. 62 and 63, there is illustrated heated
receptacle 643 in a cross-sectional view and FIG. 63 is a
cross-sectional view taken along line 63-63 of FIG. 62 showing the
entire width of receptacle 643.
[0313] As illustrated in FIGS. 62 and 63, heated receptacle 643 is
a heated well having a heating element that heats sidewalls 962,
964, 966 and 968 as well as bottom 970 of heated receptacle 643.
Heating element 960 is in close proximity to walls 962, 964, 966
and 968 as well as bottom 970. Heating element 960 may be composed
of a single heating element or multiple heating elements as
desired. Suitable controls may be provided to adjust the
temperature of walls 962-968 as well as bottom 970 of heated
receptacle 643. In addition, suitable insulation 972 can be
contained within the cavity that is defined by cabinet 974 of food
storage device 635, which is partially shown in FIGS. 62 and
63.
[0314] Preferably, handled trays 645-651, such as handled tray 651
depicted in FIGS. 62 and 63 are dimensioned such that they are in
close proximity to walls 962-968 and bottom 970 when placed in
heated receptacle 643.
[0315] Food packaging device 600 may optionally include food
seasoning device 616, which is illustrated in detail in FIGS.
65-68. Food seasoning device 616 includes a hopper 972, a metering
wheel 974, a wheel drive system 976, a dispensing tube 978 and a
dispersion head 618.
[0316] Hopper 972 is configured to hold a desired bulk quantity of
a seasoning material, such as salt S. Bulk hopper 972 includes a
lid 982 that can be removed to replenish the supply of salt S
contained therein. Hopper 972 can have a bottom with inwardly
extending sidewalls 984 to facilitate the dispensing of material
from bottom 986 of hopper 972 which may include a dispensing tube
988.
[0317] Metering wheel 974 is located beneath bottom 986 and
dispensing tube 988 to receive a charge of salt or other seasoning
therefrom. Metering wheel 974 includes a cavity 990 for receiving a
charge of salt from dispensing tube 988. Metering wheel 974 is
rotatably mounted in a housing 992 and can be rotated about the
longitudinal axis of metering wheel 974 to cause cavity 990 to be
directed downwardly which thereby causes the seasoning or salt
contained in cavity 990 to fall by gravity therefrom.
[0318] Metering wheel 974 is suitably rotated by wheel drive system
976. Wheel drive system 976 can be controlled by a suitable
electronic control system that can form part of the food packaging
device 600. Typically, in operation, when French fries FF are
dispensed from one or more of fry wheels 404, 410, 412 and 414 onto
chute 604, a suitable sensing device (not shown) senses the
presence of French fries and activates wheel drive system 976 of
automated food seasoning device 616 to discharge a predetermined
quantity of seasoning, such as salt, onto the French fries that
traverse chute 604.
[0319] Dispensing head 618 can be located in a desired position to
apply seasoning to the food traversing chute 604. As illustrated in
FIG. 3, for example, dispensing head 618 can be located towards a
bottom portion of inlet chute 604 and may extend over a portion of
rotatable food dispensing member 606.
[0320] Wheel drive system 976 as illustrated in FIGS. 65-68
includes a solenoid plunger 994 for driving a linkage 996 that is
connected to metering wheel 974 to impart rotation to metering
wheel 974. Linkage 996 includes a crank arm 998, one end of which
is connected to a central portion of metering wheel 974 and the
other end is connected to a lever arm 1000 which, in turn, is
connected to solenoid plunger 994. Lever arm 1000 can be driven by
solenoid plunger 994 which, in turn, causes crank arm 998 to be
driven, thereby rotating metering wheel 974 sufficiently to cause
cavity 990 to be directed downwardly, thereby permitting any
seasoning or salt contained therein to be dispensed therefrom.
[0321] A collection funnel 1002 is disposed at the discharge end of
housing 992 and connects to dispensing tube 978. Dispensing tube
978 is, in turn, connected to dispensing head 618.
[0322] Dispensing head 618 can include a plurality of vanes 1004
for facilitating dispersion of seasoning dispensed therefrom. As
illustrated, there are four vanes 1004 spaced 90.degree. from each
other.
[0323] Dispensing tube 978 has a lower end portion 1006 that
terminates some distance above dispensing cone 1008 of dispensing
head 618. In one embodiment, lower end portion 1006 of dispensing
tube 978 may terminate approximately 0.25 inches from the tip of
dispersion cone 1008.
[0324] Dispersion cone 1008 includes a plurality of holes 1010 that
are arrayed through dispersion cone 1008 to facilitate the
distribution of seasoning or salt. In operation, as salt or
seasoning is dispensed through lower end portion 1006 of dispensing
tube 978, the seasoning strikes the top portion of dispersion cone
1008 and is directed into four quadrants via vanes 1004. As the
seasoning traverses the surface of dispersion cone 1008, some of
the seasoning falls through holes 1010 in dispersion cone 1008.
Note that not all of holes 1010 are labeled, for purposes of
clarity in the Figures. Other salt or seasoning particles do not
fall through holes 1010 but fall off the lower end of dispersion
cone 1008. Still other seasoning particles bounce or are otherwise
deflected off the top surface of dispersion cone 1008 and fall a
lateral distance removed from dispersion cone 1008. In this manner,
a good distribution of seasoning is achieved over a relatively
large area.
[0325] The Control System and Method
[0326] In one embodiment, the System Master Controller of a Server
(PC), a router/hub, and a touch-screen monitor (user interface).
The Master can utilize existing technology to integrate, to manage,
to control, and to coordinate information flow of and through the
various subsystems for overall system operation. The network
technology is fully compliant with the latest version of the
industry's NAFEM Protocol.
[0327] Control System Features
[0328] Referring to FIGS. 69-73, the primary functions of the
Control System are to receive order information from the POS and to
connect and coordinate all operating subsystem controllers with the
Master Controller so that operational commands and functional
information can be communicated and displayed. The result is that
all the dispensing, fry and packaging modules function as one
integrated fried foods production system.
[0329] In one embodiment, the Control System is event and demand
driven. That is, nothing happens unless a functional component or
subsystem receives a command signal to initiate the action. In a
normal operation mode, the POS will provide virtually all of the
system order demands. These can take the form of a string of
two-bit Order Events. Typically this will be a quantity and an item
(for example, 2 each regular size fries). The product description
can consist of both the food item and its portion size, treated as
one bit of information.
[0330] The Control System information can be categorized into Order
Events, Inbound Events, and Outbound Events. The Order Events come
from primarily the POS system, the historical kitchen management
system (KMS) data, or the touch-screen Monitor if a manager wants
to override the automatic ordering. KMS is a database of
information of, for example, the sales rate of various products
versus day and time. The Order Events dictate and demand the
operation and performance of the automation control system for
production. The Inbound Events information includes messages
generated by subsystem controllers other than the POS or KMS. The
Outbound Events include typical command messages issued by the
Master Controller specifying functions to be performed by
individual subsystem controllers.
[0331] In one embodiment, the Master Controller is configured to
monitor periodically or continuously the network for events to
occur. Once an event takes place and a signal is sent on the
network, the Master Controller identifies the source of the signal,
then compares it to the programmed schedule of events within its
memory, and reacts appropriately, either sending out a new command,
showing a display, storing information in memory, or all of the
above.
[0332] An important source of data for the Control System can be
the Kitchen Management System (KMS). The KMS is a historical
database of operational information. This information can be used
to set the workstation configuration, process settings, inventory
levels, and set a level of production in advance of actual customer
demand orders. This interface can be a two-way connection, so that
all operational data from the Fried Foods Workstation can be
received and stored in the KMS and/or the Control System, or
evaluated, adjusted, and re-entered to "fine-tune" the process on a
continuing basis.
[0333] Generally, the Control System can comprise two loops, shown
in FIG. 70. The primary loop is the "Order-to-Package" loop,
whereby the Master Control takes an Order Event input from the POS
and directs the appropriate Packaging Module subsystem to package
and deliver an appropriate portion of product. A secondary loop is
the "Buffer Replacement" loop, where the Master Controller receives
an Inbound Event signal from the Packaging Module that its buffer
inventory of ready-to-package fried product is low and additional
product must be dispensed and fried. As currently specified, all
products other than salted French fries typically can have a
default buffer inventory of zero, meaning that an order for that
(other) product will immediately initiate a full
dispense-fry-package (if packaged by the System) production
routine.
[0334] In accordance with one aspect of this embodiment of the
Control System, the Fryer Module vat operation is not directly
controlled by the production demand cycle. Each fry vat of the fry
module will operate continuously and on a pre-set uniform operating
cycle. Frozen product is dropped into the fry module when
additional inventory is called for. The product is fried according
to the pre-set cooking cycle and then is dumped into the Packaging
(or Protein) Module receiving apron. None of the cooking cycle is
affected by order demands, or inventory conditions. In one
embodiment, the Control System can vary the time between
incremental rotation and speed of rotation of fry wheel 410 to
accommodate for varying conditions, such as the level of cooking
oil in the fry vat. The level of cooking oil can vary as a result
of the amount of product that is being fried in a particular fry
vat, since product present in the fry vat displaces cooking oil,
thereby raising the level of cooking oil in the fry vat
particularly since the product is held below the cooking oil
surface during a cooking cycle. Preferably, to ensure the
workstation reliability and system uptime, extensive control
redundancy can be provided. As a result, the control subsystems for
each Fryer Module vat and each Dispensing Module chute are designed
and constructed as individual units that operate even if one or
more subsystem fails.
[0335] Additionally, the control of the Dispensing Module freezer
environment and operation can be an independent subsystem.
[0336] Preferably, the Control System includes the capability to
operate all modules individually. This allows the operator to
disconnect and remove a module from the network and operate the
remaining modules in a semi-automatic method, manually performing
some of the operations. Preferably, there are controls on each
module that permit an operator to operate that module's functions
locally.
[0337] Orders for product are preferably processed sequentially as
they are received, although the specific products within a customer
order may be arranged in a logical manner as desired. The Monitor
will display all products being processed by the workstation from
the time the order is received until it is removed from the
workstation. The status of each product that is ordered can be
tracked in its various stages including, for example, on order,
packaged and ready to pick up, ready to manually package, and held
too long.
[0338] Preferably, products in the process of being fried can also
be tracked, and cooking times for each basket in each wheel will
count down to when product is ready to package.
[0339] Master Controller
[0340] In one embodiment, the Master Controller 110 hardware may
suitably comprise, or equivalent:
[0341] Intel Pentium III (or higher) with 1.0 GHz (or higher)
CPU
[0342] Ethernet network interface and hub
[0343] 256 MB (or more) system RAM
[0344] 20 GB (or more) hard disk drive
[0345] Touch-Screen Monitor Interface
[0346] Plug and Play Touch-Screen Monitor
[0347] SCK Gateway (Ethernet)
[0348] Interconnect cabling (as needed) Optional Keyboard and
pointing device (mouse) for installation and maintenance
purposes
[0349] Typical operating system software requirements are:
[0350] Windows 2000 professional (or server) SP4 or higher
[0351] A suitable Database Server, such as Fast SCK Version 3.0 (or
higher) from Fast, Inc. of Stratford, Conn.
[0352] Fast SCK Version 3.0 (or higher) Utility Applications (SCK
Editor, SCK Engine, SCK Events, and SCK Site Editor) from Fast,
Inc.
[0353] The Subsystem Interface Modules provide the functionality to
communicate specific control events (information) conditions,
and/or commands to and from the Master Controller. These modules
typically can be incorporated into the circuitry of controller
boards. In cases where the network needs to interface with a
control subsystem (such as PLCs, for example), appropriate imbedded
memory interface (input-output) circuit cards known in the art can
be utilized. All of the foregoing hardware and software or
equivalent is readily available or can be produced by those skilled
in the art.
[0354] Fryer Controller
[0355] The frying of the frozen product is controlled by a
combination of cooking oil temperature and the time the frozen
product is immersed in the cooking oil. Frying is accomplished by
moving the frozen product through the heated cooking oil by a
rotating fry wheel. As previously described, a programmable stepper
or other motor can provide the desired precisely controlled
movement of the fry wheel.
[0356] The following Table I lists typical control parameters and
several optional parameters that can be used, if desired.
1TABLE I Fryer Module Control Signals (One set for each of 4
Product Lanes) Description Input Output Op. Adj. Set Temperature X
X Actual Temperature X "Ready" Band Width X Temperature Offset X C
or F X X Probe #1 X Heater Relay #1 X Total Cook Time X X Jog Speed
X Jiggle Time X Cleaner Level X Oil Fill X Cleaner Fill X Probe #2
X Heater Relay #2 X Flex Time X
[0357] FIG. 71 depicts a typical motor/fry wheel/basket cycle.
Virtually every parameter can be fixed or adjustable as desired.
For example, during one typical cycle, which may be for a preset
period of time that is one-quarter of the cooking time for food
contained in a compartment, fry wheel 410 is rotated clockwise
45.degree. in the direction of arrow K of FIG. 13. After some
period of time after the 45.degree. incremental rotation, a basket
shaking simulation of back and forth rotation occurs over a period
of about two seconds. After a 0 to 10 second delay, another basket
simulation shaking occurs. Thereafter, a period of time ("Basket
Load Window`) is available for loading another compartment, such as
compartment 436 with a charge of French fries or other food to be
fried. Thereafter, a "no load zone" or relatively short period of
time towards the end of the cycle is set aside just prior to
another 45.degree. fry wheel 410 rotation in the direction of arrow
K, which commences another cycle. During each cycle, three "home
routines" can be employed, one after each rotation of fry wheel 410
to accurately locate fry wheel 410 so that it is properly
positioned with the upper end of compartment bottom 508 of one of
fry wheel 410 compartments adjacent discharge 498 and another of
the compartments properly aligned to receive a charge of French
fries or other food to be fried, such as from food dispensing
device 200.
[0358] To ensure proper operation of the basket/fry wheel,
including positioning the unit precisely for smooth loading and
complete unloading, the basket/fry wheel position must be
constantly synchronized. To do this, a "homing" sensor circuit can
be utilized that resets the home position after every move of the
wheel. This sensor preferably is electromagnetic and is impervious
to dirt and grease build up and has no moving parts although any
suitable sensor can be used.
[0359] Dispensing Controller
[0360] The Dispensing Module control system 114 separates functions
by the product delivery lane they support. In one embodiment, where
there are four delivery lanes, there are four control subsystems.
Each subsystem controls a vibrating product conveyor, a portioning
load cell, and a dump actuator. Additionally, there are optional
module configurations that affect the controls design. If lanes 1,
2, and/or 3 are configured with bulk food hoppers, a product level
sensor can be provided to alert operators to reload frozen product
before the hopper is empty. If each of lanes 2, 3 and/or 4 are
configured with an array of coil magazines for food items, the
controls must sequentially switch power to each of the motors in
the lane to maintain a constant flow of frozen product.
[0361] Table II lists defined control signal parameters for each of
the Dispensing Module Lane controllers:
2TABLE II Dispensing Control Signals (One set for each of 4 Product
Lanes) Description Input Output Load-Small Qty. X Load-Large Qty. X
Load Coil A X Load Coil B X Load Coil C X Load Coil D X Load Coil E
X Ready to Dump X Vibrator Frequency X Bulk Fill Level X Time Out X
Overweight X Clean Out X
[0362] Freezer Controller
[0363] In addition to properly dispensing products into the Fryer
Module, the dispensing device 200 control 114 must also maintain a
proper frozen environment for all products. To accomplish this,
another controller subsystem can be provided. Table III lists the
applicable control signal parameters for the freezer subsystem. A
safety circuit interrupts all dispensing activity when the aisle
door is opened.
3TABLE III Freezer Control Signals Description Input Output Op.
Adj. Set Temperature X X Actual Temperature X Aisle Door Open X
[0364] The separation of the Dispensing Module controls into these
five subsystems when there are five makes for a convenient
mechanical arrangement in the base of the module, and allows for
the required flexibility given the configuration options.
[0365] In one embodiment, for manual operation, four "dispense"
buttons are provided, one for each lane. One button would cause the
release of a pre-set portion of the frozen product for that lane.
The controls preferably should be located so the operator could by
visual observation determine the appropriate Fryer basket to make
sure the product dispenses into the proper basket.
[0366] Packaging Controller
[0367] Packaging Controller 118 for the Packaging Module
incorporates several event signal generators for the control system
to sense or read. The main Packaging Module or device 600 elements
are depicted in FIGS. 25-29. In one embodiment, the Packaging
Module or device control system includes two subsystems within the
Packaging Module, the packaging subsystem and the heated food
storage device 635 that can be used in place of packaging device
600.
[0368] The Packaging Subsystem
[0369] The packaging control subsystem initially interfaces with
the Packaging Module PLC and sends packaging device 600 a signal to
start the sequential operation of packaging one of an
appropriately-sized portion of French fries. The actions and
reactions of all the electromechanical devices (e.g., container
handling system 610, dispensing member 606, overflow member 613,
load cell 702 and chute mechanism 608) can be, if desired,
sequenced and controlled by the local on-board controller (i.e.,
PLC) and not Master Controller 110.
[0370] Once the automated arm 764 sets the filled package of fries
on conveyor 614 and the receptacle load gate 926 opens to allow
receptacle 612 to move to the pick up area, a signal will be sent
back to Master Controller 110 indicating that the particular order
of fries is ready for pick up. Until that receptacle 612 moves to
the return gate 928 (located at the operator right front of the
Packaging Module) and the gate permits receptacle 612 to move
therepast after receptacle 612 is empty, Master Controller 110 will
believe (and display) that the order of fries is waiting to be
picked up. Preferably, the crew member will pick up fries from
right to left to ensure that the order sequence is followed and
that the oldest fries are served first.
[0371] Because the number of receptacles 612 that can fit between
gate 926 and return gate 928 typically is limited, Master
Controller 110 intelligence preferably keeps track of how many
orders of fries are in the pick up cue. This allows audible/visual
alerts to be triggered on the Monitor to remind the crew that
orders have been waiting. Also, even if orders are picked out of
sequence, the Master Controller will remember what was on an empty
receptacle 612 and clear it when it passes return gate 928.
[0372] Preferably, the Master Controller is configured to remember
the hold time of each packaged fry order. If the order has not been
picked up in time, the Monitor will alert the operator by
audible/visual signal to "waste" that order.
[0373] The Secondary Loop
[0374] The remainder of the Packaging Module or device 600 control
118 functions address the secondary loop, "buffer inventory
replacement." Preferably, there are two typical system requirements
for the buffer inventory: (1) there must be a minimum amount of
fries in member 606 or chute mechanism 608 to completely fill the
next packaging order (that is, one portion of a given size); and
(2) the buffer inventory is low and needs to be replenished.
[0375] For the first requirement, if there is insufficient buffer
inventory to fill the package, chute mechanism 608 is disabled and
an error message alarm is sent. This condition should not happen,
but the control intelligence prevents packaging device 600 from
under filling an order.
[0376] During normal operations, the level of fries in the buffer
inventory will drop to a level where an inventory replenishment
order will be initiated. In that event, Master Controller 110 can
signal dispensing device 200 to start its fill sequence. This
process should typically start soon enough that the replacement
product can be fried, salted, and added to the dispensing member
606 before the "out-of-product" condition is reached. The KMS data
can be integrated into the Master Control intelligence to help
insure that there is replacement product in process before the
actual need arises. This capability minimizes order delivery delays
while also preventing the dispensing member 606 inventory growing
beyond actual need.
[0377] The dispensing member 606 inventory can be managed in a
number of ways, as desired. For example, any of the following can
be utilized and implemented by one of ordinary skill in the art:
(a) direct sensors; (b) a load cell that constantly weighs the
buffer inventory; and (c) a dynamic empirical calculation.
[0378] The dynamic empirical calculation embodiment uses the Master
Controller to constantly calculate how much product has been added
to dispensing member 606, and subtract out the portion packaged,
any bonus amount, waste, and a safety factor. This empirical total
will then be compared to pre-set "reload" levels. The formula may
also include how much product is in process. In all cases, the
buffer inventory level can be adjusted during the day to reflect
actual sales levels.
[0379] The controls system design for all other (i.e., non-salted
French fries) products is that the same control process would be
used, but that the "buffer inventory" for those products would be
defaulted to zero. That is, an order for hash browns would
immediately signal an "out-of-inventory" condition and launch an
"inventory replacement" command to the dispensing device 200.
Later, if the need arises, controller intelligence would allow the
operator to utilize some buffer inventory for these products.
[0380] Optionally, a provision can be made for unsalted French
fries. Unsalted French fries would be handled like the non-French
fries products. When an order for unsalted French fries is
received, Master Controller 110 will signal the Packaging Module to
move diverter bar 605. The next load of French fries coming from
the Fryer Module will then be diverted to a portion of chute 604 of
packaging device 600 for manual packaging. The extra unsalted fries
can be manually returned to chute 604.
[0381] An important feature of the automated system is to maintain
product integrity. One facet of that is to dispose of product that
has exceeded its authorized holding time. Master Controller 110
will remember when each load of French fries came out of fry device
400. The mechanical design of packaging device 600 assures a
substantially "first in--first out" product movement. How long the
"oldest" fries have been in dispensing member 606 is tracked by
Master Controller 110 or packaging device controller 118, as
desired. Whenever the allowable holding time has been reached,
Master Controller 110 will signal the Packaging Module subsystem
Controller 118 to start the buffer waste cycle (or the packaging
device Controller 118 can directly control this function). It is
possible that some French fries in the buffer will not have reached
their limit, but through control parameter refinement, this can be
minimized. Table IV lists the control signals for one embodiment of
the packaging control subsystem:
4TABLE IV Packaging Control Signals Description Input Output Op.
Adj. Package #1 X Package #2 X Package #3 X Package #4 X Divert
Fries X Produce #5 X Produce #6 X Produce #7 X Produce #8 X Produce
#9 X Dump Buffer X Buffer Low X Buffer Full X Receptacle Loaded X
Receptacle Empty X Time out-System 610 X Product #5-9 Picked X
[0382] Holding Controller
[0383] The other control subsystem is that dedicated to holding
product at proper temperatures. Generally, a standard temperature
controller with timer channels to manage all holding functions can
be utilized, as is known in the art.
[0384] Table V lists the various control parameters for the holding
control subsystem for food holding device 635:
5TABLE V Holding Control Signals Description Input Output Op. Adj.
Buffer Temp Set X X Buffer Temp Act X Pick Up Temp Set X X Pick Up
Temp Act X Apron Temp Set X X Apron Temp Act X Holding Temp Set X X
Holding Temp Act X Holding Time #1 Start X Holding Time #1 End X
Holding Time #2 Start X Holding Time #1 End X
[0385] Touch-Screen Monitor
[0386] The Touch-Screen Monitor is the primary system user
interface and can be considered part of the Master Controller
configuration. The Monitor has four main functions: (1) display the
status of fried foods orders; (2) allow the operator to manually
control the system; (3) alert the operator to any needed manual
intervention; and (4) allow the operator to reconfigure the
workstation and/or change the individual operating parameters.
[0387] The Monitor display can be configured as desired.
Preferably, the main display menu is simple, uncluttered and only
presents the basic information needed to track ongoing order
status. A sample Monitor display layout is shown in FIG. 72.
[0388] In the illustrated embodiment, products on order would
appear as horizontal rows of the appropriate product (type and
portion size) icon, reading from the left edge of the screen. All
products from a single POS customer order would appear on a single
line. As additional POS orders are entered, the screen would
refresh, moving the older orders down a line. Products on order,
and not yet ready for pick up would appear as gold icons.
[0389] Across the bottom of the screen would appear the same number
of locations as there are packaging device 600 receptacles 612 in
the pick up zone. As packages of fries are placed on receptacles
612 and the receptacles 612 travel within the pick up zone, the
appropriate icon will disappear from the "on order" line and
reappear as a green icon in the spot where its receptacle is. When
a package is removed from a receptacle and that receptacle passes
return gate 928, the display icon will disappear from the
screen.
[0390] In one embodiment, should the "hold timer" for a packaged
product expire before it is picked up, its green icon will change
color (i.e., to red) and/or flash. In another embodiment, an
audible alarm can be provided as well, indicating clearly that this
product should be wasted.
[0391] Across the top of the screen is a line of control "buttons."
There can be one for each product (again, type and portion size).
The system is programmed so that touching the button on the screen
will enter an order for one each of that product. There is also a
screen button at the upper right corner of the screen that enables
the operator to change the screen display to the "Settings"
screen.
[0392] The "Settings" screen layout is depicted in FIG. 73. From
this screen, the operator may now configure all the operating
settings for the product to be run in each product lane. The
individual settings may include dispensing load size(s). fry vat
temperature, cooking cycle time, buffer inventory level, packaging
device Module heater setting, and other settings as desired. In
this embodiment, all settings for a particular product are linked
to that product. The operator can merely scroll in each product
lane and signify the product that will be run in it. Master
Controller 110 will then set all operating parameters for that
product. If it is necessary to check or adjust an individual
control setting (such as cook time), the operator can scroll
through the items in the "settings" box for that lane and product.
Then, using the "up" and "down" keys, readjust the setting and
press the "enter" key to reset.
[0393] If required, a secure "manager only screen" can be
configured to allow someone to adjust and/or reset selected
operating parameters. Access to this screen and these settings
would require some type of password to prevent any non-authorized
store employee from changing basic system parameters.
[0394] Operator alert messages or alarms (e.g., bulk product
low--refill now: "bridging/time out"--clear lane 2; etc.) will
appear as an "error message box" in the center of the screen, along
with some type of audible alarm.
[0395] While the invention has been described with respect to
certain preferred embodiments, as will be appreciated by those
skilled in the art, it is to be understood that the invention is
capable of numerous changes, modifications and rearrangements and
such changes, modifications and rearrangements are intended to be
covered by the following claims.
* * * * *