U.S. patent application number 16/639754 was filed with the patent office on 2020-06-25 for configurable oven rack system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Zume Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Zume Inc.. Invention is credited to Alexander John GARDEN, Vaibhav GOEL, Joshua Gouled GOLDBERG.
Application Number | 20200200393 16/639754 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 65634272 |
Filed Date | 2020-06-25 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200200393 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GOLDBERG; Joshua Gouled ; et
al. |
June 25, 2020 |
CONFIGURABLE OVEN RACK SYSTEM
Abstract
An oven to facilitate heating a food item is disclosed that
includes an oven box one or more upper heating elements, and one or
more lower heating elements. The oven box has a floor, a ceiling
spaced across a height of the oven box from the floor, and at least
one side wall that extends between the floor and the ceiling to at
least partially delineate an interior of the oven box from an
exterior thereof. The one or more upper heating elements are spaced
proximate the ceiling relative to the one or more lower heating
elements. The one or more lower heating elements are spaced
proximate the floor relative to the one or more upper heating
elements. The one or more lower heating elements are arranged in a
first pattern and the one or more upper heating elements arranged
in a second pattern. The first pattern is different than the second
pattern.
Inventors: |
GOLDBERG; Joshua Gouled;
(San Bruno, CA) ; GARDEN; Alexander John;
(Tiburon, CA) ; GOEL; Vaibhav; (Mumbai,
IN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Zume Inc. |
Mountain View |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Zume Inc.
Mountain View
CA
|
Family ID: |
65634272 |
Appl. No.: |
16/639754 |
Filed: |
July 3, 2018 |
PCT Filed: |
July 3, 2018 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2018/040738 |
371 Date: |
February 18, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62685093 |
Jun 14, 2018 |
|
|
|
62595229 |
Dec 6, 2017 |
|
|
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62556901 |
Sep 11, 2017 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24C 7/062 20130101;
A21B 3/07 20130101; A21B 1/02 20130101; F24C 7/088 20130101; F24C
7/085 20130101; F24C 15/166 20130101; A21B 1/52 20130101; F24C 7/06
20130101 |
International
Class: |
F24C 7/08 20060101
F24C007/08; F24C 15/16 20060101 F24C015/16; F24C 7/06 20060101
F24C007/06 |
Claims
1. An oven rack system to facilitate heating a food item, the
system comprising: an oven rack comprising: an array of oven slots
to receive correspondingly shaped and sized ovens, a respective
slot electrical interface for each oven slot to provide electrical
coupling for each correspondingly shaped and sized oven when each
correspondingly shaped and sized oven is inserted into a respective
oven slot; a plurality of loadable ovens insertable into the oven
slots, each loadable oven comprising: one or more heating elements,
one or more respective doors, and a respective oven electrical
interface, wherein a respective slot electrical interface of an
oven slot is electrically coupled to a respective oven electrical
interface when a loadable oven is inserted into a respective oven
slot in the oven rack; a common electrical power distribution bus
coupled to the respective slot electrical interfaces of the oven
slots, the common electrical power distribution bus operable to
power individual oven slots containing loadable ovens; and a
temperature control system to control a temperature of one or more
loadable ovens within the plurality of loadable ovens by regulating
the one or more heating elements of the ovens, the temperature
control system including at least one processor and at least one
processor-readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least
one processor.
2.-6. (canceled)
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the array of oven slots contained
in the oven rack is configured to translate in a horizontal
direction, in a vertical direction, in a horizontal direction and a
vertical direction, or horizontally and vertically in a looping
configuration within the oven rack.
8.-9. (canceled)
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the array of oven slots
contained in the oven rack is configured to rotate within the oven
rack about a central axis.
11. The system of claim 1, further comprising: one or more cameras
and/or one or more proximity sensors to confirm whether an oven is
loaded in an oven slot, determine a position of an oven door,
confirm whether an oven is loaded with a food item, or combinations
thereof.
12.-13. (canceled)
14. The system of claim 1, wherein the array of oven slots in the
oven rack is constructed to receive one or more correspondingly
shaped and sized refrigeration units that are loadable in the oven
slots.
15. (canceled)
16. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature control system
is configured to modify a cooking profile of an oven based on one
or more of quantity, size, and heating coefficients of food items
that were recently cooked; humidity; starting temperature of the
oven; or peak cooking temperature of the oven.
17.-22. (canceled)
23. An oven rack system to facilitate heating a food item, the
system comprising: an oven rack comprising: an array of oven slots
to receive correspondingly shaped and sized ovens, a respective
slot electrical interface for each oven slot to provide electrical
coupling for each correspondingly shaped and sized oven when each
correspondingly shaped and sized oven is inserted into a respective
oven slot; a plurality of loadable ovens insertable into the oven
slots, each loadable oven comprising: one or more heating elements,
one or more respective doors, and a respective oven electrical
interface, wherein a respective slot electrical interface of an
oven slot is electrically coupled to a respective oven electrical
interface when a loadable oven is inserted into a respective oven
slot in the oven rack; and one or more of: a transfer robot
comprising: a robotic arm located in a cargo area and movable with
respect to at least a first one of a pair of side walls, and an end
tool mechanically coupled to the robotic arm and selectively
positionable to selectively interact with each of the ovens of the
array of ovens; or a conveyor system housed within the oven rack
and configured to translate or rotate the array of oven slots
within the oven rack.
24.-25. (canceled)
26. The system of claim 23, wherein the end tool of the robotic arm
is selectively positionable to selectively insert a respective food
item into each of the ovens of the array of ovens or withdraw the
respective food item from each of the ovens of the array of
ovens.
27.-28. (canceled)
29. The system of claim 23, wherein the robotic arm includes a
finger extension to selectively interact with the one or more
respective doors of each of the ovens of the array of ovens.
30. (canceled)
31. The system of claim 23, wherein the robotic arm includes one or
more of: robotic-based electrical key, a robotic-based mechanical
key, a robotic-based transmission signal, a robotic-based actuation
gripper, or combinations thereof configured to open oven doors,
insert the ovens into the array of oven slots, or remove the ovens
from the array of oven slots; one or more cameras or one or more
proximity sensors to confirm a position of a food item.
32.-102. (canceled)
103. An oven rack system to facilitate heating a food item, the
system comprising: an oven rack comprising: an array of oven slots
to receive correspondingly shaped and sized ovens, a respective
slot electrical interface for each oven slot to provide electrical
coupling for each correspondingly shaped and sized oven when each
correspondingly shaped and sized oven is inserted into a respective
oven slot; and a plurality of loadable ovens insertable into the
oven slots, each of the loadable ovens comprising: one or more
respective doors, a respective oven electrical interface, and an
oven box, the oven box comprising: a floor, a ceiling spaced across
a height of the oven box from a floor of the oven box, at least one
side wall that extends between the floor and the ceiling to at
least partially delineate an interior of the oven box from an
exterior thereof, one or more upper heating elements proximate the
ceiling, and one or more lower heating elements proximate the
floor, wherein the one or more upper heating elements have a
different pattern than a pattern of the one or more lower heating
elements.
104. The system of claim 103, wherein a pattern formed by the one
or more upper heating elements is individually matched to cooking
characteristics of a food item's upper surface, and a pattern
formed by the one or more lower heating elements is individually
matched to cooking characteristics of a food item's lower surface
to evenly cook the food items in the loadable ovens, when the
cooking characteristics of the food item's upper surface are
different from the cooking characteristics of the food item's lower
surface.
105. The system of claim 103, wherein the a pattern formed by the
one or more upper heating elements and a pattern formed by the one
or more lower heating elements include longitudinal heating
elements, traverse heating elements, grid-patterned heating
elements, cross-hatch patterned heating elements, radially
extending heating elements, concentric-circular patterned heating
elements, a series of zig-zagging heating elements,
volute-patterned heating elements, or combinations thereof.
106.-107. (canceled)
108. The system of claim 103, wherein individual elements of the
one or more upper heating elements, individual elements of the one
or more lower heating elements, or both, are movable to change
cooking characteristics of the one or more heating elements and
exchangeable with a second set of upper heating elements or lower
heating elements that have a different pattern for food items with
different cooking characteristics.
109.-133. (canceled)
134. The system of claim 103, further comprising: a support
structure upon which the food item is placed during a cooking
process, the support structure including elements that are spaced
and patterned to have a minimum surface area in contact with the
food items, wherein the elements are configured as a grate, a
grill, a screen, a grid, cross-hatched, or combinations
therein.
135. The system of claim 103, wherein the elements of the support
structure are one or more of movable, bendable, or exchangeable to
change the minimum surface area in contact with a food item based
upon the food item.
136.-139. (canceled)
140. The system of claim 103, further comprising an electronic
communications bus that interfaces with each oven slot in the oven
rack and is communicably coupled to any loadable oven that is
inserted into an oven slot in the oven rack.
141.-159. (canceled)
160. The system of claim 103, further comprising: a combination
refrigeration system, wherein the loadable ovens are thermally
insulated units that each include one or more refrigerant coils in
addition to having one or more heating elements.
161. The system of claim 103, further comprising: a combination
refrigeration system, wherein the array of oven slots in the oven
rack are also constructed to receive correspondingly shaped and
sized refrigeration units that are loadable in the oven slots
instead of the loadable ovens.
162.-239. (canceled)
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This description generally relates to configurable oven rack
systems and, more particularly, to configurable oven rack systems
in which food items are prepared.
BACKGROUND
Description of the Related Art
[0002] Historically consumers have had a choice when hot, prepared
food was desired. Some consumers would travel to a restaurant or
other food establishment where such food would be prepared and
consumed on the premises. Other consumers would travel to the
restaurant or other food establishment, purchase hot, prepared,
food and transport the food to an off-premises location, such as a
home or picnic location, for consumption. Yet other consumers
ordered delivery of hot, prepared food, for consumption at home.
Over time, the availability of delivery of hot, prepared, foods has
increased and now plays a significant role in the marketplace.
Delivery of such hot, prepared, foods was once considered the near
exclusive, purview of Chinese take-out and pizza parlors. However,
today even convenience stores and "fast-food" purveyors such as
franchised hamburger restaurants have taken to testing the delivery
marketplace.
[0003] The delivery of prepared foods traditionally occurs in
several discrete acts. First, consumer places an order for a
particular food item with a restaurant or similar food
establishment. The restaurant or food establishment prepares the
food item or food product per the customer order. The prepared food
item is packaged and delivered to the consumer's location. The
inherent challenges in such a delivery method are numerous. In
addition to the inevitable cooling that occurs while the hot food
item is transported to the consumer, many foods may experience a
commensurate breakdown in taste, texture, or consistency with the
passage of time. For example, the French fries at the burger
restaurant may be hot and crispy, but the same French fries will be
cold, soggy, and limp by the time they make it home. To address
such issues, some food suppliers make use of "hot bags," "thermal
packaging" or similar insulated packaging, carriers, and/or food
containers to retain at least a portion of the existing heat in the
prepared food while in transit to the consumer. While such measures
may be at least somewhat effective in retaining heat in the food
during transit, such measures do little, if anything, to address
issues with changes in food taste, texture, or consistency
associated with the delay between the time the food item is
prepared and the time the food item is actually consumed.
[0004] Further there are frequently mistakes in orders, with
consumers receiving food they did not order, and not receiving food
they did order. This can be extremely frustrating, and leaves the
consumer or customer faced with the dilemma of settling for the
incorrect order or awaiting a replacement order to be cooked and
delivered.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0005] An oven rack system to facilitate heating a food item may be
summarized as including an oven rack containing an array of oven
slots into which correspondingly shaped and sized ovens are
loadable, the oven rack including a respective slot electrical
interface for each oven slot to which each correspondingly shaped
and sized oven is electrically coupled when each correspondingly
shaped and sized oven is inserted into a respective oven slot in
the oven rack; a plurality of loadable ovens that are insertable
into the oven slots, each loadable oven having one or more heating
elements, and each of the loadable ovens including one or more
respective doors and a respective oven electrical interface wherein
a respective slot electrical interface of an oven slot is
electrically coupled to a respective oven electrical interface of a
loadable oven when the loadable oven'is inserted into a respective
oven slot in the oven rack; a common electrical power distribution
bus coupled to the respective slot electrical interfaces of the
oven slots, the common electrical power distribution bus operable
to power individual oven slots containing loadable ovens when one
or more other of the oven slots are empty and unpowered; and a
temperature control system used to control a temperature of one or
more loadable ovens within the plurality of loadable ovens, the
temperature control system including at least one, processor and at
least one processor-readable medium communicatively coupled to the
at least one processor, the temperature control system
communicatively coupled to regulate the one or more heating
elements of the ovens. The common electrical power distribution bus
of the oven rack system may include an external electrical
interface that provides power to the oven rack system from a power
outlet that is external to the oven rack system.
[0006] The system may further include an electronic communications
bus that interfaces with each oven slot in the oven rack and is
communicably coupled to any loadable oven that is inserted into an
oven slot in the oven rack. Securement points at each oven slot may
detachably affix to a loadable oven in the oven slot of the oven
rack.
[0007] The system may further include an ejection switch associated
with each oven slot of the oven rack, the ejection switch at least
partially ejecting a loadable oven from an oven slot of the oven
rack when activated.
[0008] The system may further include an extraction handle
associated with each loadable oven, wherein the extraction handle
assists in removing a loadable oven from an oven slot of the oven
rack when actuated. The array of oven slots contained in the oven
rack may translate or rotate within the oven rack. The array of
oven slots contained in the oven rack may translate in a horizontal
direction, a vertical direction, or a horizontal direction and a
vertical direction within the oven rack. The array of oven slots
contained in the oven rack may translate horizontally and
vertically in a looping configuration within the oven rack. The
array of oven slots contained in the oven rack may rotate within
the oven rack about a central axis. The system may include one or
more cameras to confirm whether an oven is loaded in an oven slot,
determine a position of an oven door, confirm whether an oven is
loaded with a food item, or combinations thereof. The system may
include one or more proximity sensors to confirm whether an oven is
loaded in an oven slot, determine a position of an oven door,
confirm whether an oven is loaded with a food item, or combinations
thereof.
[0009] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the loadable ovens are thermally insulated units
that each include one or more refrigerant coils in addition to
having one or more heating elements
[0010] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the array of oven slots in the oven rack are
constructed to receive correspondingly shaped and sized
refrigeration units that are loadable in the oven slots instead of
the loadable oven. The system may monitor a time frame between when
food items leave a refrigeration system and when the food items
begin a cooking cycle. The temperature control system may modify
cooking profiles of the ovens based on quantity, size, and heating
coefficients of food items that were recently cooked; humidity;
starting temperature of an oven; and peak cooking temperature of
the oven. The temperature control system may modify the cooking
profiles of the ovens to increase heating when an increased
quantity of the food items was recently cooked. The temperature
control system may modify the cooking profiles of the ovens to
decrease heating when a decreased quantity of the food items was
recently cooked. The plurality of loadable ovens mounted in the
oven slots of, the oven rack may remain at an elevated temperature
above an ambient temperature between multiple cooking cycles. The
elevated temperature at which the plurality of loadable ovens
mounted in the oven slots of the oven rack remain may be a peak
cooking temperature. The elevated temperature at which the
plurality of loadable ovens mounted in the oven slots of the oven
rack remain may be a pre-heating temperature lower than a peak
cooking temperature.
[0011] The system may further include a set of casters connected to
the oven rack that assists in movement of the oven rack.
[0012] An oven rack system to facilitate heating a food item may be
summarized as including oven rack containing an array of oven slots
into which correspondingly shaped and sized ovens are loadable, the
oven rack including a respective slot electrical interface for each
oven slot to which each correspondingly shaped and sized oven is
electrically coupled when each correspondingly shaped and sized
oven is inserted into a respective oven slot in the oven rack; a
plurality of loadable ovens that are insertable into the oven
slots, each loadable oven having one or more heating elements, and
each of the loadable ovens including one or more respective doors
and a respective oven electrical interface, wherein a respective
slot electrical interface of an oven slot is electrically coupled
to a respective oven electrical interface of a loadable oven when
the loadable oven is inserted into a respective oven slot in the
oven rack: and a transfer robot that includes a robotic arm and an
end tool, the robotic arm located in a cargo area and movable with
respect to at least a first one of a pair of side walls, the end
tool of the robotic arm being selectively positionable to
selectively interact with each of the ovens of the array of
ovens,
[0013] The system may further include a common electrical power
distribution bus coupled to the respective slot electrical
interfaces of the oven slots, the common electrical power
distribution bus operable to power individual oven slots containing
loadable ovens when one or more other of the oven slots are empty
and unpowered, the common electrical power distribution bus also
including an external electrical interface that provides power to
the oven rack system from a power outlet that is external to the
oven rack system.
[0014] The system may further include an electronic communications
bus that interfaces with each oven slot in the oven rack and is
communicably coupled to any loadable oven that is inserted into an
oven slot in the oven rack. The end tool of the robotic arm may be
selectively positionable to selectively insert a respective food
item into each of the ovens of the array of ovens. The end tool of
the robotic arm may be selectively positionable to selectively
withdraw a respective food item from each of the ovens of the array
of ovens.
[0015] The system may further include a vehicle, the vehicle having
a cargo area including a floor, a ceiling, a pair of side walls,
and a rear wall. The robotic arm may include a finger extension to
selectively interact with the one or more respective doors of each
of the ovens of the array of ovens. The robotic arm may include a
pizza peel to interface with a food item. The oven doors may be
locked, and only openable using a robotic-based electrical key, a
robotic-based mechanical key, a robotic-based transmission signal,
a robotic-based actuation gripper, or combinations thereof.
Loadable ovens may be only insertable into the array of oven slots
or removable from the array of oven slots using a robotic-based
electrical key, a robotic-based mechanical key, a robotic-based
transmission signal, a robotic-based actuation gripper, or
combinations thereof. The robotic arm may include one or more
cameras to confirm a position of a food item. The robotic arm may
include one or more proximity sensors to confirm a position of a
food item. The transfer robot may be supported by a platform that
is moveable with respect to the two-dimensional array of ovens.
Securement points at each oven slot may detachably affix to a
loadable oven in the oven slot of the oven rack.
[0016] The system may further include an ejection switch associated
with each oven slot of the oven rack, the ejection switch at least
partially ejecting a loadable oven from an oven slot of the oven
rack when activated.
[0017] The system may further include an extraction handle
associated with each loadable oven, wherein the extraction handle
assists in removing a loadable oven from an oven slot of the oven
rack when actuated. The array of oven slots contained in the oven
rack may translate or rotate within the oven rack. The array of
oven slots contained in the oven rack may translate in a horizontal
direction, a vertical direction, or a horizontal direction and a
vertical direction within the oven rack. The array of oven slots
contained in the oven rack may translate horizontally and
vertically in a looping configuration within the oven rack. The
array of oven slots contained in the oven rack may rotate within
the oven rack about a central axis. The system may include one or
more cameras to confirm whether an oven is loaded in an oven slot,
determine a position of an oven door, confirm whether an oven is
loaded with a food item, or combinations thereof. The system may
include one or more proximity sensors to confirm whether an oven is
loaded in an oven slot, determine a position of an oven door,
confirm whether an oven is loaded with a food item, or combinations
thereof.
[0018] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the loadable ovens are thermally insulated units
that each include one or more refrigerant coils in addition to
having one or more heating elements
[0019] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the array of oven slots in the oven rack are also
constructed to receive correspondingly shaped and sized
refrigeration units that are loadable in the oven slots instead of
the loadable ovens. The system may monitor a time frame between
when food items leave a refrigeration system and when the food
items begin a cooking cycle. A temperature control system may
modify cooking profiles of the ovens based on quantity, size, and
heating coefficients of food items that were recently cooked
humidity; starting temperature of an oven; and peak cooking
temperature of the oven. The temperature control system may modify
the cooking profiles of the ovens to increase heating when an
increased quantity of the food items was recently cooked. The
temperature control system may modify the cooking profiles of the
ovens to decrease heating when a decreased quantity of the food
items was recently cooked. The plurality of loadable ovens mounted
in the oven slots of the oven rack may remain at an elevated
temperature above an ambient temperature between multiple cooking
cycles. The elevated temperature at which the plurality of loadable
ovens mounted in the oven slots of the oven rack remain may be a
peak cooking temperature. The elevated temperature at which the
plurality of loadable ovens, mounted in the oven, slots of the oven
rack remain may be a pre-heating temperature lower than a peak
cooking temperature.
[0020] An oven rack system to facilitate heating a food item may be
summarized as including oven rack containing an array of oven slots
into which correspondingly shaped and sized ovens are loadable, the
oven rack including a respective slot electrical interface for each
oven slot to which each correspondingly shaped and sized oven is
electrically coupled when each correspondingly shaped and sized
oven is inserted into a respective oven slot in the oven rack; a
plurality of loadable ovens that are insertable into the oven each
loadable oven having one or more heating elements, and each of the
loadable ovens including one or more respective doors and a
respective oven electrical interface wherein a respective slot
electrical interface of an oven slot is electrically coupled to a
respective oven electrical interface of a loadable oven when the
loadable oven is inserted into a respective oven slot the oven rack
conveyor system housed within the oven rack, wherein the conveyor
system translates or rotates the array of oven slots within the
oven rack; and a temperature control system used to control a
temperature of one or more loadable ovens within the plurality of
loadable ovens, the temperature control system including at least
one processor and at least one processor-readable medium
communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the
temperature control system communicatively coupled to regulate the
one or more heating elements of the ovens.
[0021] The system may further include a common electrical power
distribution bus coupled to the respective slot electrical
interfaces of the oven slots, the common electrical power
distribution bus operable to power individual oven slots containing
loadable ovens when one or more other of the oven slots empty and
unpowered, the common electrical power distribution bus also
including an external electrical interface that provides power to
the oven rack system from a power outlet that is external to the
oven rack system.
[0022] The system may further include an electronic communications
bus that interfaces with each oven slot in the oven rack and is
communicably coupled to any loadable oven that is inserted into an
oven slot in the oven rack. Securement points at each oven slot may
detachably affix to a loadable oven in the oven slot of the oven
rack.
[0023] The system may further include an ejection switch associated
with each oven slot of the oven rack, the ejection switch at least
partially ejecting a loadable oven from an oven slot of the oven
rack when activated.
[0024] The system may further include an extraction handle
associated with each loadable oven, wherein the extraction handle
assists in removing a loadable oven from an oven slot of the oven
rack when actuated. The array of oven slots contained in the oven
rack may translate in a horizontal direction, a vertical direction
or a horizontal direction and a vertical direction within the oven
rack. The array of oven slots contained in the oven rack may
translate horizontally and vertically in a looping configuration
within the oven rack. The array of oven slots contained in the oven
rack may rotate within the oven rack about a central axis. The
system may include one or more cameras to confirm whether an oven
is loaded in an oven slot, determine a position of an oven door,
confirm whether an oven is loaded with a food item, or combinations
thereof. The system may include one or more proximity sensors to
confirm whether an oven is loaded in an oven slot.sub.; determine a
position of an oven door, confirm whether an oven is loaded with a
food item, or combinations thereof.
[0025] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the loadable ovens are thermally insulated units
that each include one or more refrigerant coils in addition to
having one or more heating elements.
[0026] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the array of oven slots in the oven rack are
constructed to receive correspondingly shaped and sized
refrigeration units that are loadable in the oven slots instead of
the loadable ovens. The system may monitor a time me between when
food items leave a refrigeration system and when the food ems begin
a cooking cycle. The temperature control system may modify cooking
profiles of the ovens based on quantity, size, and heating
coefficients of food items that were recently cooked; humidity;
starting temperature of an oven; and peak cooking temperature of
the oven. The temperature control system may modify the cooking
profiles of the ovens to increase heating when an increased
quantity of the food items was recently cooked. The temperature
control system may modify the cooking profiles of the ovens to
decrease heating when a decreased quantity of the food items was
recently cooked. The plurality of loadable ovens mounted in the
oven slots of the oven rack may remain at an elevated temperature
above an ambient temperature between multiple cooking cycles. The
elevated temperature at which the plurality of loadable ovens
mounted in the oven slots of the oven rack remain may be a peak
cooking temperature. The elevated temperature at which the
plurality of loadable ovens mounted in the oven slots of the oven
rack remain may be a pre-heating temperature lower than a peak
cooking temperature.
[0027] The system may further include a set of casters connected to
the oven rack that assists in movement of the oven rack.
[0028] An oven may be summarized as including an oven box that has
a floor, a ceiling spaced across a height of the oven box from the
floor, at least one side wall that extends between the floor and
the ceiling to at least partially delineate an interior of the oven
box from an exterior thereof: one or more upper heating elements;
and one or more lower heating elements, the one or more lower
heating elements spaced proximate the floor relative to the one or
more upper heating elements and the one or more upper heating
elements spaced proximate the ceiling relative to the one or more
lower heating elements, the one or more lower heating elements
arranged in a first pattern and the one or more upper heating
elements arranged in a second pattern, the second pattern different
than the first pattern. The pattern of the one or more upper
heating elements may match a defined cooking characteristic of an
upper surface of a food item and the pattern of the one or more
lower heating elements may match a defined cooking characteristic
of a lower surface of the food item to achieve different cooking
profiles on the upper and the lower surfaces of the food items.
[0029] The first pattern of the one or more lower heating elements
may be one of: a longitudinal pattern, a traverse pattern, a
grid-shaped pattern, a diagonal pattern, a radial pattern, a
concentric-circular pattern, a spiral pattern, a zig-zagging
pattern, or combinations thereof. The first pattern of the one or
more lower heating, elements may be at least one of: a longitudinal
pattern, a traverse pattern, a grid-shaped pattern, a diagonal
pattern, a radial pattern, a concentric-circular pattern, a spiral
pattern, a zig-zagging pattern, or combinations thereof. The one or
more lower heating elements may include a single heating a element
and the first pattern of the one or more lower heating elements is
one of: a longitudinal pattern, a traverse pattern, a grid-shaped
pattern, a diagonal pattern, a radial pattern, a
concentric-circular pattern, a spiral pattern, a zig-zagging
pattern, or combinations thereof.
[0030] The second pattern of the one or more upper heating elements
may be one of: a longitudinal pattern, a traverse pattern, a
grid-shaped pattern a diagonal pattern, a radial pattern, a
concentric-circular pattern, a spiral pattern, a zig-zagging
pattern, or combinations thereof. The second pattern of the one or
more upper heating elements may be at least one of a longitudinal
pattern, a traverse pattern, a grid-shaped pattern, a diagonal
pattern, a radial pattern, a concentric-circular pattern, a spiral
pattern, a zig-zagging pattern, or combinations thereof. The one or
more upper heating elements may include a single heating element
and the second pattern of the one or more upper heating elements is
one of: a longitudinal pattern, a traverse pattern, a grid-shaped
pattern, a diagonal pattern, a radial pattern, a
concentric-circular pattern, a spiral pattern, a zig-zagging
pattern, or combinations thereof. The one or more lower heating
elements may have a respective cross-sectional shape and the one or
more upper heating elements has a respective cross-sectional shape.
The respective cross-sectional shape of the one or more upper
heating elements may be different from the respective
cross-sectional shape of the one or more lower heating elements The
one or more lower heating elements may have a respective
resistivity and the one or more upper heating elements has a
respective resistivity. The respective resistivity of the one or
more upper heating elements may be different from the respective
resistivity of the one or more lower heating elements. The oven may
include one or more electrical connectors to which the upper
heating elements are removably electrically coupled.
[0031] The oven may further include a number of additional upper
heating elements which are exchangeable with the one or more upper
heating elements to change an arrangement of the upper heating
elements spaced proximate the ceiling of the oven box. The oven may
include one or more electrical connectors to which the lower
heating elements are removably electrically coupled.
[0032] The oven may further include a number of additional lower
heating elements which are exchangeable with the one or more lower
heating elements to change an arrangement of the heating elements
spaced proximate the floor of the oven box. The oven may include
one or more electrical connectors to which the, upper heating
elements are removably electrically coupled, and one or more
electrical connectors to which the lower heating elements are
removably electrically coupled. The one or more upper heating
elements may be interchangeable with the one or more lower heating
elements. The one or more upper heating elements, the one or more
lower heating elements, or both, may be bendable to change cooking
characteristics.
[0033] The one or more upper heating elements or the one or more
lower heating elements, or both the one or more upper and the one
or more lower heating elements may be positioned in the interior of
the oven box, and may further include at least one thermally
insulating layer spaced outwardly of the floor, the ceiling or the
at least one side wall with respect to the interior of the oven
box.
[0034] An oven may be summarized as including an oven box having: a
floor; a ceiling spaced across a height of the oven box from the
floor; at least one side wall that extends between the floor and
the ceiling to at least partially delineate an interior of the oven
box from an exterior thereof; and at least one of; one or more
upper heating elements; and one or more lower heating elements, the
one or more lower heating elements spaced proximate the floor
relative to the one or more upper heating elements, and the one or
more upper heating elements spaced proximate the ceiling relative
to the one or more lower heating elements, the oven box containing
a support structure upon which a food item is placed during a
cooking process the support structure including elements that are
spaced and have a pattern that minimalizes surface area in contact
with the food items. The pattern of the support structure elements
may be one of: a longitudinal pattern, a traverse pattern, a
gild-shaped pattern, a diagonal pattern, a radial pattern, a
concentric-circular pattern, a spiral pattern, a zig-zagging
pattern, or combinations thereof. The pattern of the support
structure elements may be at least one of: a longitudinal pattern,
a traverse pattern, a grid-shaped pattern, a diagonal pattern, a
radial pattern, a concentric-circular pattern, a spiral pattern, a
zig-zagging pattern, or combinations thereof. The support structure
elements include a single support structure element and the pattern
of the support structure element may be one of: a longitudinal
pattern, a traverse pattern, a grid-shaped pattern, a diagonal
pattern, a radial pattern, a concentric-circular pattern, a spiral
pattern, a zig-zagging pattern, or combinations thereof. The
elements of the support structure may be movable to change the
minimum surface area in contact with a food item based upon the
food item. The elements of the support structure may be bendable to
change the minimum surface area in contact with a food item based
upon the food item. The support structures of the loadable ovens
may be exchangeable to change the minimum surface area in contact
with a food item based upon the food item.
[0035] The oven may further include at least one thermally
insulating layer spaced outwardly of the floor, the ceiling or the
at least one side wall with respect to the interior of the oven
box.
[0036] An oven rack system to facilitate heating a food item may be
summarized as including an oven rack containing an array of oven
slots into which correspondingly shaped and sized ovens are
loadable the oven rack including a respective slot electrical
interface for each oven slot to which each correspondingly shaped
and sized oven is electrically coupled when each correspondingly
shaped and sized oven is inserted into a respective oven slot in
the oven rack; and a plurality of loadable ovens that are
insertable into the oven slots, each of the loadable ovens
including one or more respective doors and a respective oven
electrical interface, wherein a respective slot electrical
interface of an oven slot is electrically coupled to a respective
oven electrical interface of a loadable oven when the loadable oven
is inserted into a respective oven slot in the oven rack, wherein
each of the plurality of loadable ovens has one or more upper
heating elements and one or more lower heating elements, the one or
more upper heating elements having a different pattern than the one
or more lower heating elements. A pattern formed by the one or more
upper heating elements may be individually matched to cooking
characteristics of a food item's upper surface, and a pattern
formed by the one or more lower heating elements may be
individually matched to cooking characteristics of a food item's
lower surface to evenly cook the food items in the loadable ovens,
when the cooking characteristics of the food items upper surface
are different from the cooking characteristics of the food item's
lower surface. The pattern formed by the one or more upper heating
elements may include longitudinal heating elements, traverse
heating elements, grid-patterned heating elements, cross-hatch
patterned heating elements, radially extending heating elements,
concentric-circular patterned heating elements, a series of
zig-zagging heating elements, volute-patterned heating elements, or
combinations thereof. The pattern formed by the one or more lower
heating elements may include longitudinal heating elements,
traverse heating elements, grid-patterned heating elements,
cross-hatch patterned heating elements, radially extending heating
elements, concentric-circular patterned heating elements, a series
of zig-zagging heating elements, volute-patterned heating elements,
or combinations thereof. A first set of one or more upper heating
elements may be exchangeable with a second set of one or more upper
heating elements that have a different pattern food items with
different cooking characteristics. Individual elements of the one
or more upper heating elements, individual elements of the one or
more lower heating elements, or both, may be movable to change
cooking characteristics of the one or more heating elements.
Individual elements of the one or more upper heating elements,
individual elements of the one or more lower heating elements, or
both, may be bendable to change cooking characteristics of the one
or more heating elements.
[0037] The system may further include a common electrical power
distribution bus coupled to the respective slot electrical
interfaces of the oven slots, the common electrical power
distribution bus operable to power individual oven slots containing
loadable ovens when one or more other of the oven slots are empty
and unpowered.
[0038] The system may further include a temperature control system
used to control a temperature of one or more loadable ovens within
the plurality of loadable ovens, the temperature control system
including at least one processor and at least one
processor-readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least
one processor, the temperature control system communicatively
coupled to regulate the one or more heating elements of the ovens.
The common electrical power distribution bus of the oven rack
system may include an external electrical interface that provides
power to the oven rack system from a power outlet that is external
to the oven rack system.
[0039] The system may further include an electronic communications
bus that interfaces with each oven slot in the oven rack and is
communicably coupled to any loadable oven that is inserted into an
oven slot in the oven rack. Securement points at each oven slot may
detachably affix to a loadable oven in the oven slot of the oven
rack.
[0040] The system may further include an ejection switch associated
with each oven slot of the oven rack, the ejection switch at least
partially ejecting a loadable oven from an oven slot of the oven
rack when activated.
[0041] The system may further include an extraction handle
associated with each loadable oven, wherein the extraction handle
assists in removing a loadable oven from an over slot of the oven
rack when actuated. The array of oven slots contained in the oven
rack may translate or rotate within the oven rack. The array of
oven slots contained in the oven rack may translate in a horizontal
direction, a vertical direction, or a horizontal direction and a
vertical direction within the oven rack. The array of oven slots
contained in the oven rack may translate horizontally and
vertically in a looping configuration within the oven rack. The
array of oven slots contained in the oven rack may rotate within
the oven rack about a central axis. The system may include one or
more cameras to confirm whether an oven is loaded in an oven slot,
determine a position of an oven door, confirm whether an oven, is
loaded with a food item, or combinations thereof. The system may
include one or more proximity sensors to confirm whether an oven is
loaded in an oven slot, determine a position of an oven door,
confirm whether an oven is loaded with a food item, or combinations
thereof.
[0042] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the loadable ovens are thermally insulated units
that each include one or more refrigerant coils in addition to
having one or more heating elements.
[0043] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the array of oven slots in the oven rack are
constructed to receive correspondingly shaped and sized
refrigeration units that are loadable in the oven slots instead of
the loadable ovens. The system may monitor a time frame between
when food items leave a refrigeration system and when the food
items begin a cooking cycle. The temperature control system may
modify cooking profiles of the ovens based on quantity, size, and
heating coefficients of food items that were recently cooked;
humidity; starting temperature of an oven; and peak cooking
temperature of the oven. The temperature control system may modify
the cooking profiles of the ovens to increase heating when an
increased quantity of the food items was recently cooked. The
temperature control system may modify the cooking profiles of the
ovens to decrease heating when a decreased quantity of the food
items was recently cooked. The plurality of loadable ovens mounted
in the oven slots of the oven rack may remain at an elevated
temperature above an ambient temperature between multiple cooking
cycles. The elevated temperature at which the plurality of loadable
ovens mounted in the oven slots of the oven rack remain may be a
peak cooking temperature. The elevated temperature at which the
plurality of loadable ovens mounted in the oven slots of the oven
rack remain ay be a pre-heating temperature lower than a peak
cooking temperature.
[0044] The system may further include a set of casters connected
oven rack that assists n movement of the oven rack.
[0045] An oven rack system to facilitate heating a food item may be
summarized as including an oven rack containing an array of oven
slots into which correspondingly shaped and sized ovens are
loadable, the oven rack including a respective slot electrical
interface for each oven slot to which each correspondingly shaped
and sized oven is electrically coupled, when each correspondingly
shaped and sized oven is inserted into a respective oven slot in
the oven rack; and a plurality of loadable ovens that are
insertable into the oven slots, each loadable oven having one or
more heating elements, and each of the loadable ovens including one
or more respective doors and a respective oven electrical
interface, wherein a respective slot electrical interface of an
oven slot is electrically coupled to a respective oven electrical
interface of a loadable oven when the loadable oven is inserted
into a respective oven slot in the oven rack, each of the plurality
of loadable ovens containing a support structure upon which the
food item is placed during a cooking process the support structure
including elements that are spaced and patterned to have a minimum
surface area in contact with the food items. The support structure
may include elements that are configured as a grate, a grill, a
screen, a grid, cross-hatched, or combinations therein. The
elements of the support structure may be movable to change the
minimum surface area in contact with a food item based upon the
food item. The elements of the support structure may be bendable to
change the minimum surface ea in contact with a food item based
upon the food item. The support structures of the loadable ovens
may be exchangeable to change the minimum surface area in contact
with a food item based upon the food item.
[0046] The system may further include a transfer robot that
includes a robotic arm and an end tool, the robotic arm located in
a cargo area and movable with expect to at least a first side wall,
the end tool of the robotic arm being selectively positionable to
electively interact with each of the ovens of the array of
ovens.
[0047] The system may further include a common electrical power
distribution bus coupled to the respective slot electrical
interfaces of the oven slots, the common electrical power
distribution bus operable to power individual oven slots containing
loadable ovens when one or more other of the oven slots are empty
and unpowered, the common electrical power distribution bus also
including an external electrical interface that provides power to
the oven rack system from a power outlet that is external to the
oven rack system.
[0048] The system may further include an electronic communications
bus that th each oven slot in the oven rack and is communicably
coupled to any loadable oven that is inserted into an oven slot in
the oven rack. The end tool of the robotic, arm may be selectively
positionable to selectively insert a respective food item into each
of the ovens of the array of ovens. The end tool of the robotic arm
may be selectively positionable to selectively withdraw a
respective food item from each of the ovens of the array of
ovens.
[0049] The system may further include a vehicle, the vehicle having
a cargo area including a floor, a ceiling, a pair of side walls,
and a rear wall. The robotic arm may include a finger extension to
selectively interact with the one or more respective doors of each
of the ovens of the array of ovens. The robotic arm may include a
pizza peel to interface with a food item. The oven doors may be
locked, and only openable using a robotic-based electrical key, a
robotic-based mechanical key, a robotic-based transmission signal,
a robotic-based actuation gripper, or combinations thereof. The
loadable ovens may be only insertable into the array of oven slots
or removable from the array of oven slots using a robotic-based
electrical key, a robotic-based mechanical key, a robotic-based
transmission signal, a robotic-based actuation gripper, or
combinations thereof. The robotic arm may include one or more
cameras to confirm a position of a food item. The robotic arm may
include one or more proximity sensors to confirm position of a food
item. The transfer robot may be supported by a platform that is
moveable h respect to the array of ovens. Securement points at each
oven slot may detachably affix to a loadable oven in the oven slot
of the oven rack.
[0050] The system may further include an ejection switch associated
with each oven slot of the oven rack, the ejection switch at least
partially ejecting a loadable oven from an oven slot of the oven
rack when activated.
[0051] The system may further include an extraction handle
associated with each loadable oven, wherein the extraction handle
assists in removing a loadable oven from an oven slot of the oven
rack when actuated. The array of oven slots contained in the oven
rack may translate or rotate within the oven rack. The array of
oven slots contained in the oven rack may translate in a horizontal
direction, a vertical direction, or a horizontal direction and a
vertical direction within the oven rack. The array of oven slots
contained in the oven rack may translate horizontally and
vertically in a looping configuration within the oven rack. The
array of oven slots contained in the oven rack may rotate within
the oven rack about a central axis. The system may include one or
more cameras to confirm whether an oven is loaded in an oven slot,
determine a position of an oven door, confirm whether an oven is
loaded with a food item, or combinations thereof. The system may
include one or more proximity sensors to confirm whether an oven is
loaded in an oven slot, determine a position of an oven door,
confirm whether an oven is loaded with a food item, or combinations
thereof.
[0052] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the loadable ovens are thermally insulated units
that each include one or more refrigerant coils in addition to
having one or more heating elements.
[0053] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the array of oven slots in the oven rack are also
constructed to receive correspondingly shaped and sized
refrigeration units that are loadable in the oven slots instead of
the loadable ovens. The system may monitor a time frame between
when food items leave a refrigeration system and when the food
items begin a cooking cycle. A temperature control system may
modify cooking profiles of the ovens based on quantity, size, and
heating coefficients of food items that were recently cooked;
humidity; starting temperature of an oven; and peak cooking
temperature of the oven. The temperature control system may modify
the cooking profiles of the ovens to increase heating when an
increased quantity of the food items was recently cooked. The
temperature control system may modify the cooking profiles of the
ovens to decrease heating when a decreased quantity of the food
items was recently cooked. The plurality of loadable ovens mounted
in the oven slots of the oven rack may remain at an elevated
temperature above an ambient temperature between multiple cooking
cycles. The elevated temperature at which the plurality of loadable
ovens mounted in the oven slots of the oven rack remain may be a
peak cooking temperature. The elevated temperature at which the
plurality of loadable ovens mounted in the oven slots of the oven
rack remain may be a pre-heating temperature lower than a peak
cooking temperature.
[0054] An oven rack system to facilitate heating a food item may be
summarized as including an oven rack containing an array of oven
slots into which correspondingly shaped and sized ovens are
loadable, the oven rack including a respective slot electrical
interface for each oven slot to which each correspondingly shaped
and sized oven is electrically coupled when each correspondingly
shaped and sized oven is inserted into a respective oven slot in
the oven rack; and a plurality of loadable ovens that are
insertable into the oven slots, each loadable oven having one or
more heating elements, and each of the loadable ovens including one
or more respective doors and a respective oven electrical
interface, wherein a respective slot electrical interface of an
oven slot is electrically coupled to a respective oven electrical
interface of a loadable oven when the loadable oven is inserted
into a respective oven slot in the oven rack, each of the plurality
of loadable ovens having one or more upper heating elements and one
or more lower heating elements, the one or more upper heating
elements having a different pattern than the one or more lower
heating elements, and each of the plurality of loadable ovens
containing a support structure upon which the food item is placed
during a cooking process, the support structure including elements
that are spaced and patterned to have a minimum surface area in
contact with the food items.
[0055] A pattern formed by the one or more upper heating elements
may be individually matched to cooking characteristics of a food
item's upper surface, and a pattern formed by the one or more lower
heating elements may be individually matched to cooking
characteristics of a food item's lower surface to evenly cook the
food items in the loadable ovens, when the cooking characteristics
of the food item's upper surface are different from the cooking,
characteristics of the food item's lower surface. A pattern formed
by the one or more upper heating elements may include longitudinal
heating elements, traverse heating elements, grid-patterned heating
elements, cross-hatch patterned heating elements, radially
extending heating elements, concentric-circular patterned heating
elements, a series of zig-zagging heating elements,
volute-patterned heating elements, or combinations thereof. A
pattern formed by the one or more lower heating elements may
include longitudinal heating elements, traverse heating elements,
grid-patterned heating elements, cross-hatch patterned heating
elements, radially extending heating elements, concentric-circular
patterned heating elements, a series of zig-zagging heating
elements, volute-patterned heating elements, or combinations
thereof. The one or more upper heating elements may be exchangeable
with one or more upper heating elements that have a different
pattern for food items with different cooking characteristics.
Individual elements of the one or more upper heating elements,
individual elements of the one or more lower heating elements, or
both, may be movable to change cooking characteristics of the one
or more heating elements. Individual elements of the one or more
upper heating elements, individual elements of the one or more
lower heating elements, or both, may be bendable to change cooking
characteristics of the one or more heating elements. The support
structure may include elements that are configured as a grate, a
grill, a screen, a grid, cross-hatched, or combinations therein.
The elements of the support structure may be movable to change the
minimum surface area in contact with a food item based upon the
food item. The elements of the support structure may be bendable to
change the minimum surface area in, contact with a food item based
upon the food item. The support structure of the loadable ovens may
be exchangeable to change the minimum surface area in contact with
a food item based upon the food item.
[0056] The system may further include a conveyor system housed
within the oven rack, wherein the conveyor system translates or
rotates the array of oven slots within the oven rack.
[0057] The system may further include a temperature control system
used to control a temperature of one or more loadable ovens within
the plurality of loadable ovens, the temperature control system
including at east one processor and at least one processor-readable
medium communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the
temperature control system communicatively coupled to regulate the
one or more heating elements of the ovens.
[0058] The system may further include a common electrical power
distribution bus coupled to the respective slot electrical
interfaces of the oven slots, the common electrical power
distribution bus operable to power individual oven slots containing
loadable ovens when one or more other of the oven slots are empty
and unpowered, the common electrical power distribution bus also
including an external electrical interface that provides power to
the oven rack system from a power outlet that is external to the
oven rack system.
[0059] The system may further include an electronic communications
bus that interfaces with each oven slot in the oven rack and is
communicably coupled to any loadable oven that is inserted into an
oven slot in the oven rack. Securement points at each oven slot may
detachably affix to a loadable oven in the oven slot of the oven
rack.
[0060] The system may further include an ejection switch associated
with each oven slot of the oven rack, the ejection switch at least
partially ejecting a loadable oven from an oven slot of the oven
rack when activated.
[0061] system may further include an extraction handle associated
with each loadable oven, wherein the extraction handle assists in
removing a loadable oven from an oven slot of the oven rack when
actuated. The array of oven slots contained in the oven rack may
translate in a horizontal direction, a vertical direction, or a
horizontal direction and a vertical direction within the oven rack.
The array of oven slots contained in the oven rack may translate
horizontally and vertically in a looping configuration within the
oven rack. The array of oven slots contained in the oven rack may
rotate within the oven rack about a central axis. The system may
include one or more cameras to confirm whether an oven is loaded in
an oven slot, determine a position o an oven door, confirm whether
an oven is loaded with a food item, or combinations thereof. The
system may include one or more proximity sensors to confirm whether
an oven is loaded in an oven slot, determine a position of an oven
door, confirm whether an oven is loaded with a food item, or
combinations thereof,
[0062] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the loadable ovens are thermally insulated units
that each include one or more refrigerant coils in addition to
having one or more heating elements.
[0063] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the array of oven slots in the oven rack are
constructed to receive correspondingly shaped and sized
refrigeration units that are loadable in the oven slots instead of
the loadable ovens. The system may monitor a time frame between
when, food items leave a refrigeration system and when the food
items begin a cooking cycle. The temperature control system may
modify cooking profiles of the ovens based on quantity, size, and
heating coefficients of food items that were recently cooked;
humidity; starting temperature of an oven; and peak cooking
temperature of the oven. The temperature control system may modify
the cooking profiles of the ovens to increase heating when an
increased quantity of the food items was recently cooked. The
temperature control system may modify the cooking profiles of the
ovens to decrease heating when a decreased quantity of the food
items was recently cooked. The plurality of loadable ovens mounted
in the oven slots of the oven rack may remain at an elevated
temperature above an ambient temperature between multiple cooking
cycles. The elevated temperature at which the plurality of loadable
ovens mounted in the oven slots of the oven rack remain may be a
peak cooking temperature. The elevated temperature at which the
plurality of loadable ovens mounted in the oven slots of the oven
rack remain may be a pre-heating temperature lower than a peak
cooking temperature.
[0064] The system may further include a set of casters connected to
the oven rack that assists in movement of the oven rack.
[0065] A food handling system to facilitate active heating and
active cooling of a food item may be summarized as including a
plurality of loadable refrigeration/oven units, each of the
loadable refrigeration/oven units respectively having an exterior,
an insulated compartment with an interior, a door that is moveable
to selectively prevent or provide access to the interior of the
insulated compartment from the exterior of the loadable
refrigeration/oven unit, at least one heating element, at least one
cooling element, and at least one unit interface, the exteriors of
the loadable refrigeration/oven units each having a defined shape
and defined dimensions, the defined shape and defined dimensions of
each of the loadable refrigeration/oven units being the same as the
defined shape and defined dimensions of each other of the plurality
of loadable refrigeration/oven units; and a rack comprising an
array of slots, each slot having a respective defined shape and
defined dimensions which is shaped and sized to removably receive a
respective one of the loadable refrigeration/oven units, the rack
further comprising a number of complimentary slot interfaces that
are complimentary to the unit interfaces of the loadable
refrigeration/oven units, and positioned to automatically couple to
the unit interfaces of the loadable refrigeration/oven nits when
the loadable refrigeration/oven units are positioned in a leaded
position in the slot, and to automatically decoupled from to the
unit interfaces of the loadable refrigeration/oven units when the
loadable refrigeration/oven units are removed from the loaded
position. Each of the plurality of loadable refrigeration/oven
units may have one or more upper heating elements and one or more
lower heating elements, the one or more upper heating elements
forming a different pattern than the one or more lower heating
elements.
[0066] A pattern formed by the one or more upper heating elements
may be individually matched to cooking characteristics of a food
item's upper surface, and a pattern formed by the one or more lower
heating elements may be individually matched to cooking
characteristics of a food item's lower surface to evenly cook the
food items in the loadable refrigeration/oven units, when the
cooking characteristics of the food item's upper surface are
different from the cooking characteristics of the food item's lower
surface. A pattern formed by the one or more upper heating elements
may include longitudinal heating elements, traverse heating
elements, grid-patterned heating elements, cross-hatch patterned
heating elements, radially extending heating elements,
concentric-circular patterned heating elements, a series of
zig-zagging heating, elements, volute-patterned heating elements,
or combinations thereof. A pattern formed by the one or more lower
heating elements may include longitudinal heating elements,
traverse heating elements, grid-patterned heating elements,
cross-hatch patterned heating elements, radially extending heating
elements, concentric-circular patterned heating elements, a series
of zig-zagging heating elements, volute-patterned heating elements,
or combinations thereof. The one or more upper heating elements may
be exchangeable with one or more upper heating elements that have a
different pattern for food items with different cooking
characteristics. Individual elements of the one or more upper
heating elements, individual elements of the one or more lower
heating elements or both, may be movable to change the cooking
characteristics of the one or more heating elements. Individual
elements of the one or more upper heating elements, individual
elements of the one or more lower heating elements, or both, may be
bendable to change the cooking characteristics of the one or more
heating elements. The interfaces may use electrical current to
power heating and cooling coils for heating and cooling of the food
items. The interfaces may use electrical current to power to
radiant/resistive heater elements for heating of the food items.
The interlaces may use electrical current to power heat exchangers
and thermoelectric coolers employing a Peltier effect for heating
and cooling of the food items. The interfaces may employ fluid
thermal transfer of gas or liquid for cooling, heating, or cooling
and heating of the food items. The interfaces may employ separate
heating and cooling coils to perform the heating and cooling of the
food items. The interfaces may employ liquid coolant through
conduits and valves for cooling of the food items.
[0067] Interfaces may also include communications interface the
communication interfaces including electrical communication,
inductive communication, optical communication, wireless/radio
communications, or combinations thereof.
[0068] The system may further elude a common electrical power
distribution bus coupled to the respective slot interfaces of the
slots, the common electrical power distribution bus operable to
power individual slots containing loadable refrigeration/oven units
when one or more other of the slots are empty and unpowered.
[0069] The system may further include a temperature control system
used to control a temperature of one or more loadable
refrigeration/oven units within the plurality of loadable
refrigeration/oven units, the temperature control system including
at least one processor and at least one processor-readable medium
communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the
temperature control system communicatively coupled to regulate the
one or more heating elements of the ovens. The common electrical
power distribution bus of the food handling system may include an
external electrical interface that provides power to the food
handling system from a power outlet that is external to the food
handling system.
[0070] The system may further include an electronic communications
bus that interfaces with each slot in the rack and is communicably
coupled to any loadable refrigeration/oven unit that is inserted
into a slot in the rack. Securement points at each slot may
detachably affix to a loadable refrigeration/oven unit in the slot
of the rack.
[0071] The system may further include an ejection switch associated
with each slot of the rack, the ejection switch at least partially
ejecting a loadable refrigeration/oven unit from a slot of the rack
when activated.
[0072] The system may further include an extraction handle
associated with each loadable refrigeration/oven unit, wherein the
extraction handle assists in removing a loadable refrigeration/oven
unit from a slot of the rack when actuated. The array of slots
contained in the rack may translate or rotate within the rack. The
array of slots contained in the rack may translate in a horizontal
direction, a vertical direction, or a horizontal direction and a
vertical direction within the rack. The gray of slots contained in
the rack may translate horizontally and vertically in a looping
configuration within the rack. The array of slots contained in the
rack may rotate within the rack about a central axis. The system
may include one or more cameras to confirm whether an oven is
loaded in a slot, determine a position of an oven door, confirm
whether an oven is loaded with a food item, or combinations
thereof. The system may include one or more proximity sensors to
confirm whether an oven is loaded in a slot, determine a position
of an oven door, confirm whether an oven is loaded with a food
item, or combinations thereof.
[0073] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the loadable refrigeration/oven units are thermally
insulated units that each include one or more refrigerant coils in
addition to having one ore heating elements.
[0074] The system may further include a combination refrigeration
system, wherein the array of slots in the rack are constructed to
receive correspondingly shaped and sized refrigeration units hat
are loadable in the slots instead of the loadable
refrigeration/oven units. The system may monitor a time frame
between when food items leave a refrigeration system and when the
food items begin a cooking cycle. The temperature control system
may modify cooking profiles of the ovens based on quantity, size,
and heating coefficients of food items that were recently cooked;
humidity; starting temperature of an oven; and peak cooking
temperature of the oven. The temperature control system may modify
the cooking profiles of the ovens to increase heating when an
increased quantity of the food items was recently cooked. The
temperature control system may modify the cooking profiles of the
ovens to decrease heating when decreased quantity of the food items
was recently cooked. The plurality of loadable refrigeration/oven
units mounted in the slots of the rack may remain at an elevated
temperature above an ambient temperature between multiple cooking
cycles. The elevated temperature at which the plurality of loadable
refrigeration/oven units mounted in the slots of the rack remain
may be a peak cooking temperature. The elevated temperature at
which the plurality of loadable refrigeration/oven units mounted in
the slots of the rack remain may be a pre-heating temperature lower
than a peak cooking temperature.
[0075] The system may further include a set of casters connected to
the rack that assists in movement of the rack.
[0076] These features, with other technological improvements that
will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of
construction and operation as more fully described hereafter and
claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a
part hereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0077] In the drawings, identical reference numbers identify
similar elements or acts. The sizes and relative positions of
elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For
example, the shapes of various elements and angles are not drawn to
scale, and some of these elements are arbitrarily enlarged and
positioned to improve drawing legibility. Further, the particular
shapes of the elements as drawn, are not intended to convey any
information regarding the actual shape of the particular elements,
and have been solely selected for ease of recognition in the
drawings.
[0078] FIG. 1A is a side isometric view of a configurable oven rack
system having an array of oven slots, the oven slots shaped and
sized to receive loadable ovens, according to at least one
illustrated implementation.
[0079] FIG. 1B is a side isometric view of a configurable oven rack
system having an array of oven slots, the oven slots shaped and
sized to receive loadable ovens, the configurable oven rack system
further including a conveyor system for moving the oven slots
vertically and horizontally, according to at least one illustrated
implementation.
[0080] FIG. 1C is a side isometric view of a configurable oven rack
system having an array of oven slots, the oven slots shaped and
sized to receive loadable ovens, the configurable oven rack system
further including a conveyor system for rotating the oven slots
about a central axis, according to at least one illustrated
implementation,
[0081] FIG. 1D is a top perspective view of an oven slot and
loadable oven in which the upper heating elements of the loadable
oven are configured in a circular spiral pattern and the lower
heating elements of the loadable oven are configured in as a series
of zig-zagging elements.
[0082] FIGS. 1E-1J are top views of various implementations of
upper heating elements and lower heating elements that are shaped
in different configurations.
[0083] FIG. 1K is a top view of a support structure that contain
elements which are aligned in a cross-hatched configuration to
minimize contact surface area with the food items during the
cooking process,
[0084] FIG. 2 is a side isometric view of the front of a second
rack configuration that may contain one or more ovens, according to
at least one illustrated implementation.
[0085] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a portion of a cargo area of
a vehicle that may be used to prepare hot food during delivery in
which the right-hand interior side wall has been cut away, the
cargo area to include a third rack configuration that may contain
an array of ovens, and a transfer robot to transfer food items to
and from the array of ovens, according to at least one illustrated
implementation.
[0086] FIG. 4 is an isometric exterior view of a vehicle having a
first configuration that may be used to prepare hot food during
delivery or at a remote location, according to at least one
illustrated implementation,
[0087] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a portion of a cargo area
having a second configuration that may be used to prepare hot food
for delivery in which the right-hand interior side wall has been
cut away, according to at least one illustrated implementation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0088] In the following description, certain specific details are
set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various
disclosed embodiments. However one skilled in the relevant art will
recognize that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of
these specific details, or with other methods, components,
materials, and the like. In other instances, certain structures
associated with food preparation devices such as ovens, skillets,
and other similar devices, closed-loop controllers used to control
cooking conditions, food preparation techniques, wired and wireless
communicators protocols, wired and wireless transceivers, radios,
communications ports, geolocation and optimized route mapping
algorithms have not been shown or described in detail to avoid
unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the embodiments. In other
instances, certain structures associated with conveyors, robots,
and/or vehicles have not been shown or described in detail to avoid
unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the embodiments.
[0089] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment n
embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or
characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is
included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the
phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places
throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to
the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features,
structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable
manner in one or more embodiments.
[0090] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the
specification and claims which follow, the word "comprise" and
variations thereof, such as, "comprises" and "comprising" are to be
construed in an open, inclusive sense, that is as "including, but
not limited to." As used in this specification and the appended
claims, the singular forms "a, " "an," and "the" include plural
referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. It should
also be noted that the term "or" is generally employed in its sense
including "and/or" unless the content clearly dictates otherwise
The headings and Abstract of the Disclosure provided herein are for
convenience only and do not interpret the scope or meaning of the
embodiments,
[0091] As used her the terms "food item" and "food product" refer
or product intended for human consumption. Although illustrated and
described herein in the context of pizza, to provide a readily
comprehensible and easily understood description of one
illustrative embodiment, one of ordinary skill in the culinary arts
and food preparation will readily appreciate the broad
applicability of the systems, methods, and apparatuses described
herein across any number of prepared food items or products,
including cooked and uncooked food items or products, and
ingredients or components of food items and products.
[0092] As used herein the terms "robot" or "robotic" refer to any
device, system, or combination of systems and devices that includes
at least one appendage, typically with an end of arm tool or end
effector, where the at least one, appendage is selectively moveable
to perform work or an operation useful the preparation of a food
item or packaging of a food item or food product. The robot may be
autonomously controlled, for instance based at least in part on
information from one or more sensors (e.g., optical sensors used
with machine-vision algorithms, position encoders, temperature
sensors, moisture, or humidity sensors). Alternatively, one or more
robots may be remotely controlled by a human operator.
Alternatively, one or more robots may be partially remotely
controlled by a human operator and partially autonomously
controlled.
[0093] As used herein the term "cooking unit" refers to any device,
system, or combination of systems and devices useful in cooking or
heating of a food product. While such preparation may include the
heating of food products during preparation, such preparation may
also include the partial or complete cooking of one or more food
products. Additionally, while the term "oven" may be used
interchangeably with the term "cooking unit" herein, such usage
should not limit the applicability of the systems and methods
described herein to only foods which may be prepared in an oven.
For example, one or more burners, either gas or electric or
inductive, a hot skillet surface, a deep fryer, a microwave oven,
and/or toaster may be considered a "cooking unit" that included
within the scope of the systems, methods, and apparatuses described
herein. Further, the cooking unit may be able to control more than
temperature. For example, some cooking units may control pressure
and/or humidity. Further, some cooking units may control airflow
therein, thus able to operate in a convective cooking mode if
desired, for instance to decrease cooking time.
[0094] As used herein the term "delivery vehicle" or "vehicle"
refers to any car, truck, van, drone, boat, dirigible, spaceship,
or other vehicle useful in cooking and heating a food item during a
delivery process to a customer. The size and shape of the delivery
vehicle may depend in part on licensing requirements of the
locality in which the delivery vehicle is intended to operate. In
some instances, the size and shape of the delivery vehicle may
depend on the street layout and the surrounding environment of the
locality in which the delivery vehicle is intended to operate. For
example, small, tight city streets may require a delivery vehicle
that is comparatively shorter and/or narrower than a delivery
vehicle that may safely and conveniently navigate larger, suburban
thoroughfares.
[0095] FIG. 1A depicts a first implementation of a configurable
oven rack system 100 shaped and sized to receive separate loadable
ovens 102 which are loadable into a plurality of oven slots 110 in
the configurable oven rack system. This implementation includes a
configurable oven rack system 100 having an array of oven slots 110
into which correspondingly sized, loadable ovens 102 may be
inserted. The configurable oven rack system 100 may be used in a
stationary environment or in food delivery vehicle. As shown in
FIG. 1A, in one implementation of a configurable oven rack system
100, there are two columns with three oven slots 110 in each
column. In other implementations, there may be more or less columns
of oven slots 110, and more or less oven slots 110 in each column.
In another implementation each column of oven slots 110 includes
ten oven slots. In at least one implementations each individual
loadable oven 102 is associated with an electrical temperature
controller system having an individual indicator or display panel
120.
[0096] The configurable oven rack system 100 may include a front
face 104, an opposing back face 106, and one or more sides 108
extending therebetween. At least one of the sides 108 may include a
handle 122 that may be used to push, pull or otherwise maneuver the
configurable oven rack system 100. In some implementations, the
handle 122 may be located within a recessed area 124 so the handle
122 does not extend beyond the side 108 of the configurable oven
rack system 100. The front face 104 of the rack 100 may include a
plurality of oven slots 110 into which individual ovens 102 may be
loaded. The oven slots 110 may be regularly spaced in one or
multiple dimensions along the front face 104 of the configurable
oven rack system 100, which may include a plurality of columns
and/or rows of oven slots 110. The configurable oven rack tern 100
may have wheels or casters 112 to assist in easily moving and
maneuvering the configurable oven rack system 100.
[0097] The wheels or casters 112 also enable the configurable oven
rack system 100 to be easily loaded into the cargo area 300 of the
vehicle 200 from the ground adjacent the vehicle 200 and as well as
easily unloaded from the cargo area 300 of the vehicle 200 onto the
ground adjacent the vehicle 200. In some implementations, the
vehicle 200 includes an extendable and retractable ramp that the
configurable oven rack system 100 may use for loading or unloading
purposes by rolling the configurable oven rack system 100 on wheels
or casters 2. Additionally or alternatively, in some
implementations, the vehicle 200 may include a loading ledge that
may be elevated and lowered to assist with loading and unloading
the configurable oven rack system 100 from the vehicle 200.
Specifically, the configurable oven rack system 100 may be rolled
on its wheels or casters 112 from the ground adjacent the vehicle
200 onto the loading ledge when the loading ledge is in its lowered
position. The loading ledge may then be elevated up to its raised
position, which is the level of the bed of the vehicle 200. The
configurable oven rack system 100 may be rolled on its wheels or
casters 112 onto the bed of the vehicle 200. The same process may
be carried out in reverse to upload the configurable oven rack
system 100 from the bed of the vehicle 200 onto the ground adjacent
the vehicle 200,
[0098] In some implementations, the configurable oven rack system
100 includes securement points at each oven slot 110 that
detachably affix a loadable oven 102 in an oven slot 110 of the
configurable oven rack system 100. In another aspect, each oven
slot 110 in the configurable oven rack system 100 includes an
associated ejection switch that at least partially ejects a
loadable oven 102 from an associated oven slot 110 of the
configurable oven rack system when the associated ejection switch
is activated. In still another aspect, the configurable oven rack
system 100 includes an extraction handle associated with each
loadable oven. The extraction handles may be used to assist in
removing a loadable oven 102 from an oven slot 110 of the
configurable oven rack system 100 when actuated.
[0099] In yet another aspect of the configurable oven rack system
100, tools are required in order to remove a loadable oven 102 from
an associated oven slot 110 of the configurable oven rack system
100. In some embodiments, the tools required to remove a loadable
oven 102 from an associated oven slot 110 are conventional tools
such as screw drivers, wrenches, bolt extractor sockets, and the
like. In other embodiments, the tools required to remove a loadable
oven 102 from an associated oven slot 110 are specialized fastener
extraction tools that are shaped and sized to correspond with
specialized fasteners. Such embodiments assist in preventing the
unauthorized removal of a loadable oven 102 from an associated oven
slot 110, since unauthorized personnel are unlikely to have access
to the specialized fastener extraction tools.
[0100] Referring now to FIGS. 1B and 1C, in some implementations,
the array of oven slots 110 contained in the configurable oven rack
system 100 are constructed to translate or rotate within the
configurable oven rack system. As shown in FIG. 1B, the
configurable oven rack system 100 includes a multi-directional
conveyor system 111. In some implementations, the multi-directional
conveyor system 111 enables the array of oven slots 110 contained
in the configurable oven rack system to move (i.e., translate) in a
vertical direction so each oven slot 110 (as well as any loadable
oven 102 inserted therein) moves up and down within the
configurable oven rack system. Alternatively or additionally, in
some implementations, the multi-directional conveyor system 111
enables the array of oven slots 110 contained in the configurable
oven rack system to move (i.e., translate) in a horizontal
direction so each oven slot 110 (as well as any loadable oven 102
inserted therein) moves side 108 to side 108 within the
configurable oven rack system. In some implementations of the
configurable oven rack system 100 that are two or more
oven-dimensions deep between the front face 104 and the back face
106, the multi-directional conveyor system 111 enables the oven
slots 110 to move (i.e., translate) in a horizontal direction
frontward (towards the front face 104) and backward (towards the
back face 106) within the configurable oven rack system. In some
implementations of the configurable oven rack system 100, the
multi-directional conveyor system 111 enables the array of oven
slots 110 to move in more than one axial direction, thus enabling
the array of oven slots 110 to move in a looping configuration
within the configurable oven rack system as shown in FIG. 1B.
[0101] In an implementation shown in FIG. 1C, the configurable oven
rack system 100 includes a rotating conveyor system 113 in which
the oven slots 110 (as well as any loadable oven 102 inserted
therein) rotate within the configurable oven rack system about a
central axis. In one aspect of the configurable oven rack system
100, the rotating conveyor system 113 enables the plurality of oven
slots 110 to rotate in a clock-wise direction about the central
axis, to rotate in a counter clock-wise direction about the central
axis, or to alternate between rotating in a clock-wise direction
and then rotating in a counter clock-wise direction. In still
another implementation (not shown), the configurable oven rack
system 100 includes both a vertical conveyor system 111 and a
rotating conveyor system 113 for moving the oven slot 110 (as well
as any loadable oven 102 inserted therein). In such art
implementation, an oven slot 110 may be moved vertically in the
configurable oven rack system vertical conveyor system 111 until
the oven slot is on a horizontal plane within the rotating conveyor
system 113. At that point, the rotating conveyor system may then
rotate the oven slot 110 (as well as any loadable oven 102 inserted
therein) in a clock-wise direction or in a counter clock-wise
direction within the configurable oven rack system.
[0102] Referring again to FIG. 1A, in some implementations, the
configurable oven rack system 100 includes one or more
heat-resistant cameras used to confirm whether an oven is loaded in
an oven slot. In another aspect of the configurable oven rack
system 100, either the same or different heat-resistant cameras are
used to determine a position of an oven door. In still another
aspect of the configurable oven rack system 100, either the same or
different heat-resistant cameras are used to determine or confirm
whether an oven is loaded with a food item and/or the position of
the food item.
[0103] In other implementations, the configurable oven rack system
100 includes one or more heat-resistant proximity sensors used to
confirm whether an oven is loaded in an oven slot. In another
aspect of the configurable oven rack system 100, either the same or
different heat-resistant proximity sensors are used determine a
position of an oven door. In still another aspect of the
configurable oven rack system 100, either the sane or different
heat-resistant proximity sensors are used to determine or confirm
whether an oven is loaded with a food item and/or the position of
the food item.
[0104] In yet other implementations, the configurable oven rack
system 100 is actually a combination refrigeration/oven rack
system. In this regard, the array of oven slots 110 are actually an
array of refrigeration unit/oven slots 110. In such an
implementation, the array of refrigeration unit slots 110 are also
constructed to receive correspondingly shaped and sized
refrigeration units, which are loadable in the refrigeration unit
slots 110 instead of the loadable ovens 102. In this manner, the
refrigeration units are shaped and dimensioned in a similar
configuration as the loadable ovens 102. In such implementations,
the loadable refrigeration units inserted into the refrigeration
unit slots 110 are also associated with the electrical temperature
controller system and the individual indicator or display panel
120.
[0105] In another implementation of the configurable oven rack
system 100 that comprises a combination refrigeration/oven rack
system, the array of refrigeration unit/oven slots 110 are
constructed to receive loadable refrigeration/oven units 102 that
are correspondingly shaped and sized. Such a loadable
refrigeration/oven unit 102 is able to cool, warm, and cook in
response to commands from the system (e.g., start cook mode, start
cool mode, start warm mode, and the like). In one example
implementation, a loadable refrigeration/oven unit 102 contains a
food item which is cooled by the loadable refrigeration/oven unit
102 until an order is received from a customer for that food item.
The loadable refrigeration/oven unit 102 then cooks the food item
upon receipt of the order from the customer for that food item.
[0106] Alternatively, the loadable refrigeration/oven unit 102 may
wait to commence cooking the food item depending on the expected
time of arrival of the customer, so that, the food item finishes
cooking at the same time (or approximately the same time) as the
arrival of the customer. In this manner, the system may account for
transit time of the customer to the combination refrigeration/oven
rack system (whether the system is located in a kiosk or a
vehicle), as well as traffic conditions along the transit route. In
some implementations, the system tracks the customer along its
route to the combination refrigeration/oven rack system using a GPS
signal from the customer's mobile phone or vehicle. In other
implementations, the system employs artificial intelligence and/or
machine learning to predict the length of time it will take the
customer to arrive at the combination refrigeration/oven rack
system using parameters that include, by way of example only, and
not by way of limitation, time of day, weather conditions, day of
the week, construction events, local traffic inducing events, and
the like. This enables the loadable refrigeration/oven unit 102 to
maintain optimum freshness of the cooked food item.
[0107] In some implementations, if the customer that ordered the
food item is late arriving at the location of the combination
refrigeration/oven rack system, the loadable refrigeration/oven
unit 102 may automatically switch from cook mode to warm mode. In
another implementation of the combination refrigeration/oven rack
system, if the food item is too hot to be handled at the completion
of the cooking cycle, the loadable refrigeration/oven unit 102 may
temporarily switch from cooking mode to cool mode to bring the
cooked food item to an appropriate temperature. In still another
implementation, the combination refrigeration/oven rack system may
pre-cook the food item in the loadable refrigeration/oven unit 102
and then keep the food item warm until the arrival of a customer
that ordered this food item.
[0108] In'some implementations of the configurable oven rack system
100 that comprise a combination refrigeration/oven rack system, the
loadable refrigeration/oven units 102 are capable of only cooling
and warming of food items. In other implementations of the
configurable oven rack system 100 that comprise a combination
refrigeration/oven rack system, the loadable refrigeration/oven
units 102 are capable of cooling, warming, and cooking food items.
In some implementations, the loadable refrigeration/oven units 102
employ heat exchangers to perform the heating and cooling of the
food items. In other implementations, the loadable
refrigeration/oven units 102 employ separate heating and cooling
coils to perform the heating and cooling of the food items. In at
least one implementation, electrical current is used to power the
heating and cooling coils to perform the heating and cooling of the
food items. For example, the loadable refrigeration/oven units 102
may include one or more Peltier, thermoelectric heater/coolers. In
some implementations, the loadable refrigeration/oven units 102 may
include a thermally insulative barrier, preferably a Yttrium,
Indium, Manganese, and Oxygen (YInMn) barrier. In other
implementations, liquid coolant is used to perform the cooling of
the food items.
[0109] In another aspect of some implementations, the configurable
oven rack system 100 monitors the time frame between when food
items leave a refrigerated status in a refrigeration unit and when
the food items begin a cooking cycle in a loadable oven 102. In
some implementations, the food items are discarded if the monitored
time frame exceeds a predetermined time period for that particular
food item. In still another aspect of some implementations, the
determination of whether food items are discarded also includes
monitoring the ambient temperature of the surrounding, and
calculating the effect of the ambient temperature as well as the
time frame between when food items leave a refrigerated status in a
refrigeration unit and when the food items begin a cooking cycle in
a loadable oven 102.
[0110] Each of the loadable ovens 102 may include a housing
disposed at least partially about an interior of an oven
compartment 114 formed by one or more surfaces. Food items are
cooked under defined cooking conditions within the interior of the
oven compartment 114. A hinged or otherwise displaceable door 116
is used to isolate the interior of the oven compartment 114 from
the external environment. In at least some instances, the door 116
may be mechanically or electro-mechanically held closed while the
cooking process is underway. The oven 102 may include one or more
heat sources or heat elements 126 that are used to provide heat to
the interior cavity. In addition to the heating element 126,
additional elements such as convection fan(s), humidifiers, gas
burners or similar items (not shown for clarity) may be installed
in place of or along with the heating element 126 in the cooking
unit. The ovens 102 may optionally include a stone floor or cast
iron floor. In some implementations, the ovens 102 include
electrically radiant elements. In some implementations, the ovens
102 take the form of air impingement ovens, including one or more
blowers that blow extremely hot air, and optionally a rack with a
manifold.
[0111] In another aspect of some implementations, at least some
loadable ovens 102 of the configurable oven rack system 100 contain
upper heating elements 126a that have a different shape than the
lower heating elements 126b. For example, in one implementation
shown in FIG. 1D, the upper heating elements 126a of the loadable
oven 102 are configured in a circular spiral pattern and the lower
heating elements 126b of the loadable oven 102 are configured in as
a series of zig-zagging elements. Other configurations for the
upper heating elements 126a and divergently shaped lower heating
elements 126b include longitudinal heating elements, traverse
heating elements, grid-shaped heating elements, cross-hatch shaped
heating elements, radial extending heating elements,
concentric-circular shaped heating elements, volute-shaped heating
elements, and the like. FIGS. 1E-1J show various implementations of
upper heating elements 126a and lower heating elements 126b that
are shaped in different configurations.
[0112] The motivation for having some loadable ovens 102 of the
configurable oven rack system 100 contain upper heating elements
126a that have a different shape than the lower heating elements
126b is to achieve the goal of evenly cooking the food items in the
loadable ovens 102. Since many food items have different cooking
characteristics on the upper surface of the food items in
comparison to the lower surface of the food items, having different
shaped upper heating elements 126a from lower heating elements 126b
enables heating elements 126 to be more precisely matched with food
surface cooking characteristics. In this manner, a user is not
limited to having one of the upper heating elements 126a or lower
heating elements 126b match the cooking characteristics of the
adjacent food item surface, while the other of the upper heating
elements 126a or lower heating elements 126b does not match the
cooking characteristics of the adjacent food item surface.
[0113] In some implementations, the upper heating elements 126a may
be exchangeable with different shaped upper heating elements 126a
for food items with different cooking characteristics, as needed.
In other implementations, the heating elements 126b may be
exchangeable with different shaped lower heating elements 126b for
food items with different cooking characteristics, as needed. In
still other implementations, the upper heating elements 126a may be
exchangeable with different shaped lower heating elements 126b for
food with different cooking characteristics, as needed. In yet
other implementations, the upper heating elements 126a and/or the
lower heating elements 126b may be able to modify their shape for
food items with different cooking characteristics, without removing
or exchanging the heating elements. For example, individual
elements of the upper heating elements 126a and/or the lower
heating elements 126b may be movable or bendable to change the
cooking characteristics of the heating elements
[0114] Each of the loadable ovens 102 contains a support structure
103 upon which the food items are placed during the cooking
process. The support structure 103 includes elements that may be
configured as a grate, grill, screen, grid as cross-hatched, and
the like. FIG. 1K shows an implementation of support structure 103
that contain elements which are aligned in a cross-hatched
configuration to minimize contact surface area with the food items
during the cooking process. Additionally, the different
configurations shown FIGS. 1E-1J (with respect to heating elements)
may also be implemented for various support structures 103 that
contain elements which are aligned in different configurations, all
of which strive to minimize contact surface area with the food
items during the cooking process. Notably, the support structure
103 for the food items, unlike many pizza ovens, is not a planar
surface. Instead, the support structure 103 of each loadable oven
102 is configured to have a minimum surface area in contact with
the food items. Accordingly, different food items may allow for
different minimum surface areas of the support structure 103 in
contact with the food items. In this manner, rigid food items may
allow for more widely spaced elements of the support structure 103,
and, thus, a support structure 103 with a lower surface area. In
contrast, pliable or droopy food items may require more narrowly
spaced elements of the support structure 103, and, thus, a support
structure 103 with a slightly higher surface area. Accordingly, in
some implementations, the support structure 103 for more rigid food
items may be exchangeable with support structure 1f 3 for more
pliable or droopy food items, as needed.
[0115] By minimizing the surface area of the support structure 103
in a loadable oven 102, several technological improvements may be
achieved. For example, minimizing the surface area of the support
structure 103 assists in preventing sticking of the food items to
the support structure 103. Additionally, minimizing the surface
area of the support structure 103 assists in allowing grease to
pass from the bottom of the food items through the support
structure 103. Furthermore minimizing the surface area of the
support structure 103 assists in allowing moisture to pass from the
bottom of the food items through the support structure 103.
Moreover, minimizing the surface area of the support structure 103
assists in allowing air flow underneath the food items on the
support structure 103, which results in an enhanced final cooked
product.
[0116] In other implementation, the floor of the oven includes
stones, bricks, cast iron components, or other materials that
absorb and maintain heat. For example, stone flooring may be used
to produce high and consistent heat levels in the loadable ovens
102, resulting in efficient and consistent cooking. Additionally,
cooking with brick or stone flooring may produce an improved crust
in some food items. Furthermore, cooking with brick or stone
flooring may impart a unique and desirable favor to pizzas or other
food items.
[0117] In still other implementations, the configurable oven rack
system 100 employs impingement oven technology that uses manifolds,
jet nozzles, or fans that precisely direct forced hot air to
surround the food item being cooked. The impingement system moves
air at a high speed by the food item being cooked and breaks
through any cooler thermal boundaries of the food item. Such use of
impingement technology in the configurable oven rack system 100
increases the heating efficiency of the system and shortens the
length of the cook time in the loadable ovens 102.
[0118] In yet other implementations, the inside of the loadable
ovens 102 in the configurable oven rack system 100 are covered with
"YInMn Blue," which is a durable blue pigment, called "YInMn"
because of its composition from the elements Yttrium, Indium,
Manganese, and Oxygen. YInMn Blue is a heat-reflecting, thermally
stable, and UV-absorbing pigment. Additionally, YInMn Blue is
suitable for energy-saving cool coatings. Notably, YInMn Blue has
an infrared reflectivity of about 40 percent, which is
significantly higher than other blue pigments.
[0119] In some implementations, the interior of the compartment 114
of the oven 102 may include a bottom face oriented in a downward
direction towards the back face 106 of the configurable oven rack
system 100. Such an orientation may assist in keeping a food item
in place within the interior of the oven compartment 114. In some
implementations, the interior of the oven compartment 114 may
include an extension, arm or pusher (not shown) to push the food
item out of the interior cavity, such as, for example when the
cooking time for the food item is complete. In some
implementations, the interior of the oven compartment 114 may
include a conveyor that may be used to assist in loading and/or
unloading a food item.
[0120] As described above, the configurable oven rack system 100
may include one or more indicators or display panel 120 that are
each associated with an electrical temperature controller system
for an individual oven 102. The one or more indicators or display
panel 120 provide information about, and/or the cook status of, the
food item in an oven 102. In some implementations, each oven 102
may be associated with an individual indicator or display panel
120. In some instances the display panel 120 may include a text
display that provides information such as the type of food item in
the oven 102; the consumer name and/or location information
associated with the food item in the oven 102; the cook status of
the food item in the oven 102 (e.g., "DONE," "COMPLETE," "2 MIN
REMAINING"): or combinations thereof. In other instances, the
display panel 120 may include one or more indicators that provide
the cook status of the food item in the cooking unit (e.g., color:
GREEN="DONE"; YELLOW="<5 MIN REMAINING"; RED=">5 MIN
REMAINING"; flash sequence or pattern). The data provided to the
display panel 120 may be provided by the on-board control system
312 (see FIG. 3). In at least some instances, the display panel 120
includes a controller capable of independently controlling the
cooking conditions within the respective oven 102. In such
instances, information indicative of the cooking conditions for the
oven 102 may be provided to the display panel 120.
[0121] One or more electrical interfaces may be disposed in on, or
about each of the ovens 102 in the configurable oven rack system
100. The power interfaces are used to provide at least a portion of
the power to the heating elements 126 of the ovens 102 from the
oven slots 110 of the configurable oven rack system 100 via a
common electrical power distribution bus. In some implementations,
the oven electrical interface 130 for each loadable oven 102 is at
the rear end of the oven, opposite the loading door 116, so the
oven electrical interface 128 for each loadable oven 102 engages
with a slot electrical interface 130 in an oven slot 110 of the
oven rack mounting system 100 when an loadable oven 102 is loaded
into an oven slot. In some implementations, the common electrical
power distribution bus of the oven rack system 100 includes an
external electrical interface 132 that provides power to the oven
rack system from a power outlet 324 (see FIG. 5) that external to
the oven rack system.
[0122] In some implementations of the configurable oven rack system
100, the ovens 102 may include one or ore relays 118 between the
power supplies and the ovens 102. The relays 116 may be operable to
selectively provide power to one oven 102 or to a set of ovens 102.
Such relays 118 may be set in an OFF position when an oven 102 is
not in use to thereby conserve energy. In some implementations, the
power provided to the ovens 102 may be in the form combustible gas
(e.g., hydrogen, propane, compressed natural gas, liquefied natural
gas) supplied from a combustible gas reservoir. In some instances,
two or more power interfaces may be installed, for example one
electrical power interface supplying power to the display panel 120
and a convection fan, and one combustible gas power interface
supplying energy to the heating element (e.g., radiant element, gas
jet, inductor) may be included on the oven 102.
[0123] One or more power distribution devices may be located in
each configurable oven rack system 100 such that the corresponding
cooking unit power interface is physically and/or electrically
coupled to the appropriate power distribution device when the oven
102 is placed in the configurable oven rack system 100. The power
distribution devices may include an electrical bus for distributing
electrical power to some or all of the ovens 102 inserted into the
configurable oven rack system 100. The power distribution devices
may include a gas distribution header or manifold for distributing
a combustible gas to some or all of the cooking units inserted into
the configurable oven rack system 100. In at least some instances
the power distribution device may include or more quick connect or
similar devices to physically and/or electrically couple the power
distribution devices to the appropriate power distribution system
(e.g., electrical, combustible gas, or other).
[0124] One or more wired or wireless communications buses may be
located in each slot 110 in the configurable oven rack system 100
such that the corresponding oven 102 is communicably coupled to the
communications bus when the oven 102 is placed in the oven slot
110. In at least some instances, the communications buses may be
wiredly or wirelessly communicably coupled to the on-board control
system (see FIG. 3).
[0125] The configurable oven rack system 100 includes an array of
oven slots 110 that may accommodate the insertion of any number of
ovens 102 up to the number of oven slots 110. The cooking
conditions within each of the ovens 102 inserted into an oven slot
110 in the oven rack 100 may be individually adjusted to control
the completion time of the particular food item within the oven
102. In some implementations, the cooking conditions may depend on
and/or be adjusted based on the type of food item being cooked. For
example, in so implementations, each oven 102 may be programmable
to cook food items containing a large number of wet ingredients
and/or food items containing a large number of dry ingredients.
Although the configurable oven rack system 100 may accommodate the
insertion of multiple ovens 102 into various oven slots 110 the
oven slots 110 of the oven rack 100 need not be completely filled
with ovens 102 during operation in order for the configurable oven
rack system to properly perform. Otherwise stated, each individual
oven slot 110 in the configurable oven rack system 100 provides
electricity and control signals individually to an inserted oven
102, regardless of whether or not other oven lots 110 in the
configurable oven rack system contain an inserted oven 102.
[0126] Referring now to FIG. 2, another implementation of a
configurable oven rack system is depicted that includes one or more
columns of electrically interconnected oven rack slots 166. In such
an implementation each electrically interconnected oven rack slot
166 is shaped and dimensioned to receive a loadable oven 102 that
may be loaded into the configurable oven rack system 150. In at
least one implementation, the columns of oven rack slots 166 are
collocated vertically with insulation (not shown) between the oven
rack slots.
[0127] The configurable oven rack system 50 may include a front
face 152, a back face 154 a top face 156, and one or ore side walls
158. The side wall may include a length 160, a width 162, and a
height 164. The width 162 of the configurable oven rack system 150
may be sized and dimensioned to be longer than the expected width
and/or length of the food item to be stored within the configurable
oven rack system 150. The configurable oven rack system 150 may
include one or shore wheels or casters 112, to enable the
configurable oven rack system 150 to be easily moveable The
configurable oven race system 150 may include one or more handles
122 to assist in maneuvering the configurable oven rack system 150.
In some implementations, the one or more handles 122 may be
contained within a recessed area 124 such that the handle 122 does
not protrude above a plane formed by the side wall of the
configurable oven rack system 150.
[0128] The configurable oven rack system 150 may include a
plurality of oven rack slots 166 that may each receive a loadable
oven 102. The loadable ovens 102 may in turn receive a food item.
Each oven rack slot 166 may be sized and dimensioned to receive a
loadable oven 102 within an interior cavity 168. In some
implementations, one ore controllers 170 may be included on a
configurable oven rack system 150. In other implementations, one or
more controllers may, be external to the configurable oven rack
system 150.
[0129] In one such implementation, every oven rack slot 166 in a
stacked column is associated with a single electrical temperature
controller system. In some implementations, an individual indicator
or display panel 120 may display information related to multiple
oven rack slots 166 and any ovens 102 mounted in the oven rack
slots 166. In another such implementations, multiple oven rack
slots 166 in a stacked column (but not every oven rack slots 166 in
the stacked column) are associated with a single electrical
temperature controller system. In at least one implementation of
the configurable oven rack system, each column of oven rack slots
166 includes ten oven rack slots, each slot for receiving a
loadable oven 102. In this implementation, each loadable oven 102
has its own loading door 116, and each oven has its own heating
elements 126.
[0130] The configurable oven rack system 150 may be communicatively
coupled to the on-board control system 312 (see FIG. 3) via a
communication port. One or more communications interfaces (not
shown) may be disposed in, on, or about each of the loadable ovens
102. The communications interface is used to bi-directionally
communicate at least data indicative of the cooking conditions
existing within the respective loadable ovens 102. The
communications interface may include a wireless communications
interface, a wired communications interface, or any combination
thereof. Some or all of the power to operate the communications
interface may be provided by the power, distribution system. In at
least some instances, the communications interface, may provide
bidirectional wired or wireless communication with the on-board
control system 312. Instructions including data indicative of the
cooking conditions within the cooking unit may be communicated to
the display via the communications interfaces. In at least some
implementations such instructions may include one or more cooking
parameters (e.g., oven temperature=425.degree. F, air flow=HIGH,
humidity=65%, pressure=1 ATM) and/or one or more system parameters
(e.g., set flame size=LOW) associated with completing or finishing
the cooking of the food item in the respective oven 102 based on an
estimated time of arrival at the consumer destination location.
Such cooking parameters may be determined at least in part by the
on-board control system 312 based on an estimated time of cooking
completion.
[0131] In another aspect of a configurable oven rack system 150,
each instant oven 102 has associated sensors surrounding the
instant oven that sense heat coming from the adjacent ovens and
modify the heating profile in the instant oven appropriately. In
this regard, the instant oven 102 may not require as much
electrical power to reach a certain cooking temperature because the
instant oven is being partially heated by adjacent ovens
surrounding the instant oven. However, if the oven adjacent to the
left of the instant oven 102 is at peak cooking temperature and the
oven adjacent to the right of the instant oven off or at a lower
pre-heating temperature, an unbalanced ambient temperature
environment may be produced. In at least one implementation of the
configurable oven rack system 150, the instant oven 102 senses the
heat gradient from the unbalanced ambient temperature environment
and proportionally heats the instant oven 102 as necessary in view
of the unbalanced ambient temperature from the adjacent ovens. In
another implementation of a configurable oven rack system 150, the
cooking profile for food items may be adjusted if food items are
being loaded from cold storage in a refrigeration unit, when the
cold storage temperature fluctuates.
[0132] Notably, the heating elements 126 of each oven may include
many subdivisions that may be individually heated to different
temperatures so only the necessary heating of the instant oven 102
is performed in view of the ambient heat from the adjacent ovens.
In this regard, the individual heating of different subdivisions of
the instant oven 102 may be performed to prevent overheating and
potential burning of pizza or other food items in view of the
ambient heat from the adjacent ovens. This type of asymmetrical
heating by the heating elements 126 may also be used to increase
efficiency in an unbalanced ambient temperature environment due to
adjacent ovens.
[0133] Referring now to FIG. 3, another implementation of a
configurable oven rack system for a food delivery vehicle is shown
that includes an array of oven rack slots 166. In at least one
implementation, multiple ovens 102 are shaped and dimensioned to be
insertable into the array of oven rack slots 166 rack mounting
system 100, similar to blade server slots in a computer blade
server rack. In this configuration, the oven electrical interface
for each loadable oven is at the rear end of the oven, opposite of
the loading door, so the oven electrical interface for each
loadable oven 102 engages with a slot electrical interface in an
oven rack slot 166 of the oven rack mounting system 100 when a
loadable oven 102 is loaded into an oven rack slot.
[0134] The cooking conditions within each of the ovens 102 may be
established, controlled, or adjusted based at least in part on the
available cooking time. The instructions to establish, control, or
adjust the cooking conditions may be received from the on-board
control system 312. Such cooking conditions may be determined by
one or more applications executed by the on-board control system
and/or the off-board control system such that food items are
advantageously delivered to the consumer destination location
shortly after cooking has completed. In at least some instances
real-time updating, for example to reflect traffic conditions
between the current location of the vehicle 200 and the destination
(e.g., delivery destination) may cause the manifest or delivery
itinerary to be autonomously dynamically updated. Cooking
conditions in each of the ovens 102 may be adjusted throughout the
delivery process to reflect the newly estimated times of arrival
using the dynamically updated manifest or delivery itinerary. In
some implementations, the on-board control system and/or the
off-board control system may control when to begin cooking a food
item based, for example, upon an optimization of delivery time
and/or labor for delivering food items for a plurality of received
orders.
[0135] In at least one implementation of a configurable oven rack
system 150, each loadable oven 102 may be kept constantly ON (i.e.,
heated) between multiple cooking cycles. In another implementation,
loadable oven 102 may be pre-heated on demand. In some
implementations, the loadable ovens 102 in the array of multiple
oven rack slots 166 are maintained at their peak cooking
temperature. In other embodiments,the loadable ovens 102 in the
array of multiple oven rack slots 166 are maintained at a lower
pre-heat temperature that may be quickly raised to peak cooking
temperature when a pizza (or other food item) is ready to be
loaded. In this manner, pizzas (or other food items) are always
loaded into pre-heated ovens 102 within the array of multiple oven
rack, slots 166, not into cold ovens. Such an implementation may be
useful, for example, so food items, such as bread or bread-based
items, are not cooked within an oven 102 during a cold start.
Notably, cooking bread from an oven 102 that starts out cold is
undesirable for the quality of the final product. Thus, always
maintaining the ovens 102 in the array of multiple connected ovens
at a pre-heated temperature or peak cooking temperature provides a
quicker cooking period and a better quality outcome product.
[0136] In another aspect of the configurable oven rack system 150,
the cooking profiles of the loadable ovens 102 in the array of
multiple oven rack slots 166 are adjusted based on starting oven
temperature or recent throughput of food items. In this regard,
cooking more food items will reduce the heat of the ovens 102 to
some degree, depending on the size of the oven, the size of the
food items, the size and efficiency of heating element, and the
like.
[0137] In some implementations, the displaceable door 116 may be
locked for each oven 102 that is in use to cook or otherwise
prepare a food item. Such a locked oven 102 may not be opened by a
human operator during a cooking process. In such an implementation
of the configurable oven rack system, the displaceable doors 116 of
the ovens 102 remain locked in normal operation and are only
operable when engaged by a transfer robot 354. In this
implementation, the oven doors 116 of the loadable ovens 102 in the
array of multiple oven rack slots 166 may not be opened by humans.
In such an implementation, the transfer robot 354 performs
automatic loading and unloading of the food items from the ovens
102. In some implementations, the transfer robot 354 unlocks a
loadable oven using a robotic-based electrical key, a robotic-based
mechanical key, a robotic-based transmission signal, a
robotic-based actuation gripper, or combinations thereof. The
locked nature of the ovens 102 in combination with the automatic
loading and unloading of the food items from the ovens by the
transfer robot 354 prevents accidents and injuries from occurring
to cooking personnel. In at least some implementations, the oven
102 may provide an emergency override to the operator to provide
access to the interior of the compartment 114 of the oven 102
during an emergency, such as, for example, should a fire erupt in
one of the oven compartments 114.
[0138] In another implementation, loadable ovens 102 in the array
of multiple oven rack slots 166 may not be inserted into or removed
from the oven rack slots 166 by humans. In such an implementation,
the transfer robot 354 performs automatic inserting and removing of
the loadable ovens 102 from the oven rack slots 166. The automatic
inserting and removing of the loadable ovens 102 from the oven rack
slots 166 by the transfer robot 354 prevents accidents and injuries
from occurring to cooking personnel. In some implementations, the
transfer robot 354 enables a loadable oven to be inserted into an
oven slots using a robotic-based electrical key, a robotic-based
mechanical key, a robotic-based transmission signal, a
robotic-based actuation gripper, or combinations thereof. In at
least some implementations, the oven rack slots 166 may provide an
emergency override to the operator to enable 14 a loadable oven 102
to be removed from oven rack slot 166 during an emergency, such as,
for example, a fire.
[0139] The transfer robot 354 may be used to selectively transfer
food items into and out of the ovens 102. The transfer robot 354
may be communicatively coupled to the on-board control system 312,
which may provide instructions to control the movement of the
transfer robot 354. The transfer robot 354 may include one or more
arms 362 and an end tool 364 as an end effector or end of arm tool.
One or more actuators 356 may be used to linearly or rotationally
move the one or more arms 362 of the transfer robot 354 with
respect to the cargo area 300 in response to signals received from
the on-board control system 312. The one or more actuators 356 of
the transfer robot 354 may be operable to move the end tool 364
with 6 degrees of freedom with respect to the interior side walls
306, as illustrated, for example, by a coordinate system. For
example, the transfer robot 354 may have an articulating arm 362
with pivot joints, ball joints, or combinations thereof. In this
manner, the robotic pizza picker is able to load and unload pizzas
or other food items from ovens in the array of multiple connected
ovens.
[0140] In some implementations, the end tool 364 may include a
finger extension 366 sized and shaped to approximate the dimensions
of a human finger. The finger extension 366 may be used to engage
with the handle 350 on the door 116 of each oven 102 to thereby
open or close the door 116 as necessary to transfer food items into
and out of the compartment 114 of the oven 102. For example, to
open the door 116 to an oven 102, the transfer robot 354 may
position the end tool 364 proximate the door 116 of the oven 102
such that the finger extension 366 engages with the top side of the
handle 360 to the door 116. The transfer robot 354 may move the
finger extension 366 in a downward direction to apply a downward
force to the handle 360 to cause the door 116 to rotate downward
into an open position. To close the door 116 to the oven 102, the
transfer robot 354 may move the finger extension 366 to engage with
the handle 360 and/or the downward oriented face of the door 116.
The transfer robot 354 may move the finger extension 366 in an
upward direction to cause the door to rotate upward into a closed
position.
[0141] The transfer robot 354 may move the end tool 384 to transfer
a food item, such as a pizza, into the compartment 114 of the oven
102 for baking. In me implementations, such as those involving
pizzas, the end tool 364 may include a pizza peel sized and
dimensioned to enter into each of the compartments 114 of the ovens
102 contained within the rack 100. To place a pizza into an oven
compartment 114 for baking, the transfer robot 3 may load the pizza
to be baked onto the pizza peel portion of the end tool 364, open
the door 116 of the appropriate oven 102 with the finger extension
366 as described above, and then place the pizza peel portion of
the end tool 364 into the oven compartment 114. The transfer robot
354 may tilt the pizza peel portion of the end tool 364 to be at an
angle directed downwards towards the back portion of the oven
compartment 114 to cause the pizza to slide off of the pizza peel.
The end tool 364 ray include a camera 368 or some other sensor that
may be used to confirm that the pizza, or other food item, has been
deposited into the oven compartment 114. The end tool 364 may then
move the pizza peel portion of the end tool 364 out of the oven
compartment 114 and use the finger extension 366 to close the door
116 to the oven 102.
[0142] In some implementations, the oven 102 may include a bar 379,
positioned at a rear in the interior of the oven, and one or more
sensors that is or are, responsive to contact with the bar 379 by
an item of food or a front of the end tool 364. The sensor(s) may
take any of a large variety of types, for example a contact sensor
or an electric eye. Such can allow time for the transfer robot 354
to place the food item (e.g., pizza) and sense contact, which
timing may be variable due to slippage. The transfer robot 354 may
place the food item into the oven, for example by positioning the
end tool 364 with respect to the oven 102, and operating a conveyor
of the end tool 364 to move the food item in a first direction
(i.e., toward a rear of the oven 102) into contact with the bar
379. In response to contact with the bar 379, the conveyor may
automatically move the food item in a second direction (i.e., away
from the rear of the oven 102), opposite the first direction, for
example a sufficient distance where the rear of the oven and/or bar
379 will not interfere with the cooking of the food item (e.g.,
pizza).
[0143] The transfer robot 354 may move the end tool 364 to transfer
a food item, such as a fully baked pizza, out of the oven
compartment 114 of the oven 102. To retrieve a pizza from the
compartment 114, the transfer robot 354 may open the door 116 of
the appropriate oven 102 with the finger extension 366 as described
above, and then maneuver the pizza peel portion of the end tool 364
into the oven compartment 114 underneath the pizza or food item
that was being cooked within the oven compartment 114. For example,
the transfer robot 354 may slide the pizza peel portion of the end
tool 364 into the oven compartment 114 proximate the bottom surface
of the oven compartment 114, angled slightly downward toward a back
of the oven compartment, to cause the pizza to slide onto the pizza
peel. The end tool 364 may include a camera 368 or some other
sensor that may be used to confirm the pizza, or other food item,
has been slid onto the pizza peel, and, or is properly cooked. The
end tool 364 may then move the pizza peel portion of the end tool
364, along with the retrieved pizza or food item, out of the oven
compartment 114, and use the finger extension 368 to close the door
116 to the oven 102. In implementations, the pizza peel portion of
the transfer robot 354 may include a conveyor that may be used to
deposit a food item into and/or retrieve a food item from the
interior of the oven compartment 114.
[0144] In at least some implementations, one or more weight sensors
(e.g., strain gauge, load cell) 380 may be to sense the weight of
an item. For, ore weight sensors may be positioned in an oven to
sense a weight of an item in the oven, the weight changing as the
item cooks. Alternatively or additionally,one or more weight
sensors may be positioned to sense a combined weight of the oven,
or at least a portion thereof, and a weight of an item in the oven.
Alternatively or additionally, one or more weight sensors may be
carried by the transfer robot 354 (e.g., pizza peel portion) to
sense a combined weight of a portion (e.g., pizza peel portion) of
the transfer robot 354 and a weight of an item carried by the
portion of the transfer robot 354. The weight sensor may have an
adjustable tare to allow the weight of the associated a structure
(e.g., oven 102, pizza peel portion) to be automatically
subtracted, resulting in a signal that represents the weight of an
item (e.g., dough with sauce and cheese, dough with sauce, cheese
and one or more toppings). The sensed weight may be automatically,
compared via a processor-based device or analog circuit to a
threshold or range of acceptable or expected weights for the food
item. In response to an out of tolerance or out of range condition,
the structure may automatically move the item, for example to a
serving or boxing position, or back into the oven 102 for
additional cooking.
[0145] For example, one or more sensors or imagers (e.g., cameras)
382 may be positioned with a field-of-view that encompasses an
interior of the ovens 102, or a field-of-view that encompasses an
exit of the ovens 102 or just downstream of the ovens 102. For
example, one or more sensors or imagers e.g., cameras) 382 may have
a field-of-view that encompasses a top of the food items, a bottom
of the food items, and/or a side of the food items either in the
ovens 102 or at the exit of the ovens 102 or even downstream of the
ovens 102. One or more machine-vision systems may be employed to
determine whether the fully baked food items (e.g., pizzas) are
properly cooked based on images captured by the one or more sensors
or imagers (e.g., cameras) 382. The machine-vision system may
optionally employ machine-learning, being trained on a set of
training data, to recognize when the food is properly baked or
fully cooked, based on captured images or image data. In some
instances, this can be combined, with a weight sensor (e g., strain
gauge, load cell) to determine when the item of food is properly
prepared, for example determining when an item is fully cooked
based at least in part one a sensed weight, where the desired
weight is dependent on sufficient water having been evaporated or
cooked off.
[0146] The machine-vision system may, for example, determine
whether a top of the food item is a desired color or colors and, or
consistency, for instance determining whether there is too little,
too much or an adequate or desired amount of bubbling of melted
cheese, too little, too much or an adequate or desired amount of
blackening or charring, too little, too much or an adequate or
desired amount of curling of a topping (e.g., curling of pepperoni
slices), too little, too much or an adequate or desired amount of
shrinkage of a topping (e.g., vegetables). The machine-vision
system may, for example, determine whether a bottom of the food
item is a desired color or colors, for instance determining whether
there is too little, too much or an adequate or desired amount of
blackening or charring.
[0147] Additionally or alternatively, one or more electronic noses
384 may be distributed at various points to detect scents which may
be indicative of a desired property of the food item or prepared
food item. For example, one or more electronic noses can detect via
scent when cheese bubbles and cast forms.
[0148] The ovens 102 (and hence cooking) and/or transfer robot 354
can be automatically controlled based on any one or more of
machine-vision based determinations, weight determinations, and, or
detected scent based determinations, and some defined criteria or
conditions. Additionally or alternatively, the ovens 10 can be
automatically controlled based on any one or machine-vision based
determinations, weight determinations, and, or detected scent based
determinations, and some defined criteria or conditions.
Additionally or alternatively, one or more robotic appendages
(e.g., mechanical, fingers, transfer robot 354) or a turntable or
other actuator can be automatically, controlled based on any one or
more of machine-vision based determinations, weight determinations,
and, or detected scent based determinations, and>some defined
criteria or conditions, for example turning an item (e.g., rotating
a pizza to achieve even cooking or desired charring). While often
described in terms of, pizza, the structures and techniques can be
applied to other food items, o instance fried chicken or
burritos.
[0149] The transfer robot 354 may be supported by a transfer robot
platform 370 movably coupled to and contained in a frame 372. The
frame 372 may include at least two vertical posts 374a, 374b
extending from the floor 302 to the ceiling 304 of the cargo area,
and at least two horizontal posts 376a, 376b extending from the
rear wall 308 towards the opening for the loading door 218. One
vertical post 374a may be located proximate the opening created by
the loading door 218 and the other vertical post 374b may be
located proximate the rear wall 308. One horizontal post 376a may
be located proximate the ceiling 304, and the other horizontal post
376b may be located proximate the floor 302. The two vertical posts
374a, 374b and the two horizontal posts 376a, 376b may form the
exterior of the frame 372. The transfer robot 354 is operable to
move up and down along the vertical posts and move side to side
along the horizontal posts.
[0150] In some implementations, the configurable oven rack
system,100 may be loadable into the cargo area 300 of the vehicle
200 for dispatch to delivery destinations. As depicted and
described, food items may be completely or partially prepared at a
central location and loaded into the ovens 102, which may be placed
in an oven rack slot 166 of the configurable oven rack system. The
configurable oven rack system may contain one or more columns of
individual oven rack slots 166. While in transit to each of a
number of consumer delivery locations, the cooking conditions
within each of the ovens 102 may be controlled and adjusted by a
control system to complete the cooking process shortly before
delivery of the food item(s) to the consumer.
[0151] Although a configurable oven rack system with multiple oven
rack slots is shown in FIG. 3, such disclosure should not be
considered limiting. Other cooking components may be loaded and
secured into the cargo area 300. Such cooking components may
include, for example, a fryer, a griddle, a sandwich or tortilla
press, and other like cooking components. The cargo area 300 may
include one or more robots performing food preparation functions
within the cargo area 300. The robots may include, for example, the
transfer robot 354, a dispensing robot, and a cutter robot.
[0152] The configurable oven rack system 100 may be securely
attached to one or more anchor rails and/or retractable bolts
spaced along the interior side wall 306 and oriented such that the
oven rack slots 166 and the loadable ovens 102 may be accessible
from the cargo area 300. The configurable oven rack system 100 may
be coupled to one or more of power outlets, water ports, waste
fluid ports, air ports, and/or communications ports located along
the interior side wall 306. In some implementations, the
configurable oven rack system may be loaded into the cargo area 300
with each oven rack slot 166 loaded with a corresponding loadable
oven 102. In such an implementation, each oven 102 loaded into an
oven rack slot 166 in the configurable oven rack system may further
contain a food item to be completed. Each oven 102 may include a
handle 360 located along the door 116. In some implementations, the
handle 360 may be used to rotate or otherwise displace the door 116
to selectively expose or cover the opening to the interior
compartment 114 of the oven 102.
[0153] The configurable oven rack system 100 and each oven 102
within an, oven rack slot 166 may be communicatively coupled to,
the on-board control system 312 via the one or more communication
ports located along the interior side wall 306. The on-board
control system 312 may provide cooking commands that control the
heating elements 126 within each of the ovens 102. Such cooking
commands may be generated according to processor-executable
instructions executed by one or some combination of the on-board
control system 312, the off-board control system, or some other
remote computer system,
[0154] The frame 372 may include at least two interior vertical
posts 378a, 378b that couple with and support the transfer robot
platform 370. The two interior vertical posts 378a, 378b may extend
between, and may be movably coupled to, the two horizontal posts
376a, 376b. For example, in some implementations, one or both of
the horizontal posts 376a, 376b may include a set of tracks to
which the two interior vertical posts 374a, 374b are coupled. One
or more motors or other actuators may be used to move the two
interior vertical posts 378a, 378b along the length 301 of the
cargo area 300. In some implementations, the transfer robot
platform 370 may be selectively, movably coupled to the two
interior vertical posts 378a, 378b using one or more motors or
other actuators that enable the transfer robot platform 370 to move
up or down relative to the height 305 of the cargo area 300. The
control system 312 may provide commands that control the
length-wise movement of the two interior vertical posts 378a, 378b,
as well as provide commands that control the vertical movement of
the transfer robot platform 370. Such commands may be used, for
example, to position the transfer robot 354 such that the end tool
364 may enter into each of the compartments 114 for each of the
ovens 102 contained with the cargo area 300.
[0155] In some implementations, a storage area may be provided that
is refrigerated to prolong the freshness of the additional food
items. The storage area may be sized and dimensioned to enable the
end tool 364 of the transfer robot 354 to retrieve the food items
contained within the storage area. The on-board control system 312
may provide one or more commands to retrieve a food item from the
storage area and to place the food item into an appropriate oven
102. In some implementations, such commands may be provided when an
oven 102 becomes available. In some implementations, such commands
may be provided according to a delivery schedule and expected
delivery time (e.g., estimated time of arrival at a destination,
for instance a delivery destination) for the food item retrieve
from the storage area, in this situation, the on-board control
system 312 may provide commands to pre-heat the oven 102 (if it is
not already at peak heating temperature) to an appropriate
temperature in advance of the food item being retrieved from the
storage area and placed in the oven 102.
[0156] In some instances, the on-board control system 312 and/or
the off-board control system 207 may track information related to
the contents of each oven 102 that has been loaded into the vehicle
200. For example, on-board control system 312 and/or an off-board
control system may track for each oven 102 th type of food item
(e.g., par-baked shell, pepperoni pizza, and the like), the size of
the food item, and/or the time the food item was placed in the oven
102. Additionally, the on-board control system 312 and/or the
off-board control system 207 may track information related to which
oven rack slots 166 have been occupied with loadable ovens 102
while loaded on the vehicle 200.
[0157] In some instances, the on-board control system 312 and/or an
off-board control system may communicate with one or more other
systems to determine the overall time a food item has been placed
in the oven 102 including time before the oven 102 was loaded into
the vehicle 200. In some implementations, the on-board control
system 312 may not load all of the ovens 102 with food items for
preparation at any one time. Instead, the on-board control system
312 may keep at least some of the ovens 102 (or some of the oven
tack slots 166) empty to process on-demand orders. In some
implementations, at least some of the ovens 102 may be kept empty
in order to process'and prepare food items that are different, and
have different cooking par meters, than food items currently being
prepared.
[0158] The on-board control system 312 and/or an off-board control
system may set a time limit for keeping each food item within the
oven 102. If the time limit expires for one of the food items, the
on-board control system 312 and/or an off-board control system may
alert the operator or customer to discard the food item. The
on-board control system 312 and/or an off-board control system may
require that the user provide an input to confirm that the
identified food item has been discarded. Such input may include,
for example, pressing a switch associated with the oven 102
containing the food item to be discarded or acknowledging a prompt
on a computer screen. In some implementations, the on-board control
system 312 and/or an off-board control system may have access to
one or more sensors or imagers that may indicate the user has
removed the identified food item. Such sensors may include, for
example, one or more imagers (e.g., cameras) that may be used to
visually confirm the oven 102 is empty and/or the food item has
been placed in a wastebasket. Such sensors may include sensors on
the oven door 116 that may detect when the door 116 to the oven 102
has been opened. The configurable oven rack system may also include
sensors in the oven rack slots 166 that may determine when a
loadable oven 102 has been loaded into a corresponding oven rack
slot.
[0159] Referring now to FIG. 4, an exterior view of a vehicle 200a
is depicted that includes a cab portion 202 and a cargo portion
204, according to at least one illustrated implementation. The
vehicle 200a may include one or more wheels 203 in contact with the
ground and supporting the vehicle 200a in a position above the
ground. The vehicle 200a may further include a wireless
communications interface, such as one or more antennas 205 and one
or more radios 213. The one or more antennas 205 may, for example,
be located on or above the roof of the cab portion 202. The
antenna(s) 205 and radio(s) 213 may be communicatively coupled to
enable communication between components on the vehicle 200a and an
off-board control system 207 located remotely from the vehicle via
a communications network 209. The cab portion 202 typically
includes one or more seats for a driver and passenger(s).
[0160] The cargo portion 204 may include a top side 206, a left
exterior side wall 208a and a right exterior side wall 208b
(collectively exterior side walls 208), a back wall 210, and a
bottom side 212. The cargo portion 204 may have a width 214, a
length 215 and a height 216. The dimensions of the width 214,
length 216, and height 216 of the cargo portion 204 may be based on
local or state ordinances regarding delivery, such as, for example,
local or state ordinances governing food delivery vehicles. In some
implementations, the dimensions of the width 214, length 215, and
height 216 of the cargo portion 204 may be smaller than the maximum
dimensions allowed by local or state ordinances. Smaller cargo
portions 204 may be advantageous, for example, when the vehicle
200a is to travel in or through neighborhoods or areas with narrow
roads and/or tight turns.
[0161] The back wall 210 may include one or more loading doors 218
sized and dimensioned to provide access to a cargo area (discussed
below) enclosed within the cargo portion 204 of the vehicle 200a.
In some implementations, the loading door(s) 218 may be a single
door stretching substantially across (i.e., >50%) the width 214
along the back wall 210. In such an implementation, the loading
door 218 may include a single set o hinges 220 that may physically
and rotationally couple the loading doors 218 to the vehicle 200a,
and be used to open the loading door 218. In some implementations,
the loading door 218 may comprise multiple doors, such as a set of
double doors, that together stretch substantially across (i.e.,
>50%) the width 214 along the back wall 210. In such an
implementation, each door may be physically and rotationally
coupled to the cargo portion 204 of the vehicle 200a by a
respective of hinges.
[0162] The back wall 210 may include a personnel door 222 located
within the loading door 218. The personnel door 222 may be
physically, rotationally coupled to the loading door 218 by a set
of one or more hinges 224. The personnel door 222 may rotate in the
same direction or in the opposite direction loading door 218 in
which the personnel door 222 is located The dimensions, e.g., width
and height, of the personnel door 222 are smaller than the
corresponding dimensions of the loading door 218, for instance
<33% of the width 214 along the back wall 210. The personnel
door 222 may be set within the loading door 218 relatively closer
to one or the other exterior side walls 208a and 208b, or the
personnel door 222 may be centered within the loading door 218
relative to the exterior side walls 208a and 208b. The personnel
door 222 may be positioned to provide access between the exterior
of the vehicle 200a to the cargo area, an sized and dimensioned to
receive a human therethrough (e.g., 36 inches or 42 inches wide, 60
or more inches tall). The size, shape, dimensions, and/or location
of the personnel door 222 may be set according to local or state
ordinances, such as, for example, those ordinances regarding health
and safety for operating food delivery and/or food serving
vehicles. In some implementations, the loading door 218 may include
one or more additional small doors that may be smaller than the
personnel door 222. In some implementations, the small doors may
enable food products to be passed from the cargo portion to a
person or customer standing outside of the vehicle.
[0163] The cargo portion may further optionally include a ramp 226
that may be selectively deployed when the vehicle 200a is in a
stationary, parked position to stretch from a ground-level location
behind the back wall 210 of the vehicle 200a to the cargo area
towards the bottom side 212 of the cargo portion 204. The ramp 226
may be used to roll supplies, equipment, or other material and out
of the cargo area. In some implementations, the ramp 226 may be
used to roll supplies, equipment, or other material out of one
vehicle 200a and into another vehicle 200a. When not employed, the
ramp 226 may be stowed within a cavity proximate the bottom side
212 of the cargo portion 204.
[0164] One or both of the exterior side walls 208a and 208b may
include a display or monitor 228 oriented to display images, e.g,
video images, towards the exterior of the vehicle 200a. The display
or monitor 228 may be any type of display or monitor, such as, for
example, a thin profile LCD, OLED or similar type of screen. The
display or monitor 228 does riot extend into the cargo area. The
display or monitor 228 may be one that uses a minimal amount of
electrical power during operation. The display or monitor 228 may
display any type of programming, including still images or moving
images. In some implementations, the display or monitor 228 may
display a video feed captured by one or more cameras located within
the cargo area of the vehicle 200a. In some implementations, such
display or monitor 228 may provide advertisements and/or a menu for
the products being sold by the vehicle 200a,
[0165] In some implementations, as discussed above, the vehicle
200a may make food items to order using one or more robots and/or
assembly lines located within the cargo area of the cargo portion
204 of the vehicle 200a. In such an implementation, the cameras may
capture live images or, alternatively, pre-recorded images, from
the cargo area of the movements and positioning of the various
robots when assembling food items. Such images may be displayed by
the display or monitor 228 as a form of advertisement and/or
entertainment for current and potential customers. In some
implementations, the display on the display or monitor 228 may
progressively or randomly provide different displays (e.g., menu,
interior shot, advertisement) for defined periods of time.
[0166] In some implementations, additional devices may be used to
attract attention to and provide additional marketing related to
the vehicle 200a. For example, in some implementations, the vehicle
200a may include lighting running around the edges and/or exterior
side walls 208a and 208b, a projector that may be used to project
images onto the vehicle 200a and/or onto objects in the surrounding
environment, and/or smart glass displays that may be used to create
and/or optionally display advertisements along the exterior side
walls 208a and 208b of the vehicle 200a.
[0167] One or both of the exterior side walls 208a and 208b may
include a food slot 230 that may be used to deliver a hot, prepared
food item, for example a pizza, that has been packaged for
delivery. The size, dimension, and position of the food slot 230
may be based, for example, on the type of food item to be prepared
and delivered. For example, a food slot 230 for pizza may be wider
and shorter in height than a food slot 230 used for prepared and
packaged hamburgers. The food slot 230 may be used to deliver food
items automatically after the food item has been prepared within
the cargo area. One or both of the exterior side walls 208a and
208b may include a delivery port 232 providing access to one or
more delivery robots, such as flying food delivery robots (e.g.,
flying drones) or terrestrial food delivery robots (e.g., ground
drones), that may be used to carry and deliver prepared food to the
final address.
[0168] In some implementations, the delivery robots may be used in
lieu of delivery people. The delivery robots may be manually
controlled by a human who is located locally or remotely from the
delivery robot, and/or controlled autonomously, for example using
location input or coordinates from an on-board GPS or GLONASS
positioning system and receiver from one or more, wireless service
provider cellular towers. In some implementations, location input
and/or positioning may be provided using on-board telemetry to
determine position, vision systems coupled with pre-recorded photos
of the surrounding environment, peer-to-peer relative positioning
with other autonomous or non-autonomous vehicles, and/or
triangulation with signals from other autonomous or non-autonomous
vehicles. In some implementations involving multiple delivery
robots, the delivery robots may make deliveries during overlapping
time periods.
[0169] Referring now to FIG. 5, an angled view is shown of the
cargo area 300 of the vehicle 200b in which components along the
interior side walls 306 are included within recessed cavities 450a,
450b, according to at least one illustrated implementation. The
cargo area 300 includes a floor 302, a ceiling 304 a pair of
interior side c ails 366,and a rear wall 308, which together
delineate the cargo area 300. The cargo area 300 may have a length
301, a width 303, and a height 305. The length 301 may run from a
front portion 307 of the cargo area 300 towards a back portion 309
of the cargo area 300. The go area 300 of the vehicle 200b may also
include a service window.
[0170] The loading door 218 is rotationally coupled to the back
wall 210 of the cargo portion 204 of the vehicle 200b, and may
provide access into the cargo 00 from the exterior of the vehicle
200b. The loading door 218 may be sized and dimensioned to enable
the loading of equipment and supplies into, and the unloading of
equipment and supplies from, the cargo area 300. The loading door
218 may include a personnel door 222 that may be sized and
dimensioned to selectively provide access to the cargo area 300 to
receive a human therethrough. The personnel door 222 may be smaller
in dimension (e.g., width) than the dimensions of the loading door
218. The rear wall 308 of the cargo area 300 may include a door 310
or other opening sized and dimensioned to provide access to a human
between the cab portion 202 and the cargo area 300 of the vehicle
200b.
[0171] The floor 302 may be a substantially fiat surface parallel
to the ground and, forms a horizontal surface when the vehicle 200b
is parked on a flat, even surface. The floor 302 may be elevated
above the set of wheels 203 and corresponding wheel wells, located
within the cargo portion 204 of the vehicle 200b. As such, the
wheels 203 and wheel wells may not interrupt or protrude above the
floor 302. The floor 302 may be comprised of aluminum, stainless
steel, or any other lightweight, hard, durable surface, that is
easily cleaned or sanitized. In some implementations, a fire
barrier may be adjacent to and underneath the floor 302.
[0172] The cargo area 300 may include an on-board control system
312 that may enable the vehicle 200b to operate in a connected mode
in which the on-board control system 312 is communicatively coupled
to an off-board control system 207, as discussed previously. In the
connected mode, the off-board control system 207 may provide
routing, delivery, and/or cooking instructions to components in the
vehicle 200b. The on-board control system 312 may be operable to
function in a stand-alone mode in which the on-board control system
312 is not communicatively coupled to the off-board control system.
The on-board control system 312 may be operable to enter a recovery
mode at a time when the on-board control system 312 regains a
communication connection with the off-board control system 207 and
is transitioning from a stand-alone mode to a connected mode.
[0173] The interior side walls 306 may comprise or consist of
aluminum, stainless steel, or other lightweight, hard, durable
material, which may be easily cleaned or sanitized. In some
implementations, the interior side walls 306 may be comprised of
food safe materials that may be used in a food preparation or
serving environment. The interior side walls 306 may each be
oriented to extend vertically between the floor 302 and the ceiling
304, and be spaced relatively apart from each other to provide
space for food preparation and/or storage equipment to be secured
within the cargo area 300. The interior side wall 306 may include
one or more food slots 230 through which prepared food items may be
provided to an operator or supplied to a customer located on the
exterior of the vehicle 200b. In some implementations, the interior
side wall(s) 306 may include one or more anchor tracks or rails 313
extending from