# US 10,244,898 B2 · System and method for automated preparation of food-based materials > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,244,898 B2 - Document ID: US10244898B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/699,862 - Filed: 2017-09-08 - Published: 2018-03-15 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-09 - Applicants: Mark Ganninger - Inventors: Mark Ganninger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10244898B2 ## CPC - A47J 44/02: with provisions for drive either from top or from bottom, e.g. for separately-driven bowl - A21C 9/04: Apparatus for spreading granular material on, or sweeping or coating the surfaces of, pieces or sheets of dough {(coating baked articles A21C15/002)} - A21C 9/08: Depositing, arranging and conveying apparatus for handling pieces, e.g. sheets of dough {(for handling liquid or semi-liquid dough, e.g. batter A21C5/006)} - A47J 43/04: Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs, e.g. power-driven - H05B 11/00: Heating by combined application of processes covered by two or more of groups H05B3/00 - H05B7/00 (H05B7/20 takes precedence) - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES - A21C: MACHINES OR EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING OR PROCESSING DOUGHS; HANDLING BAKED ARTICLES MADE FROM DOUGH - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Disclosed is an invention in the field of automated food preparation. The present invention particularly relates to a system and method to prepare food items by automatically placing food items on a food preparation surface utilizing a multi-axis robot. Upon loading predetermined coordinates into a computing device, a computer program calculates the instructs the robot via a controller to load the required food items via one or more food ingredient dispensing heads automatically. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for preparation of food items, comprising: a first food ingredient dispensing head defining a first drive lock and a first base member; a second food ingredient dispensing head defining a second drive lock and a second base member; a robot assembly within reach of the first and second food ingredient dispensing heads, the robot assembly having a dispensing master comprising: a product head adapter configured to selectively couple to the first drive lock or the second drive lock of either food ingredient dispensing head; and clamping arms configured to selectively slide over the base member of either food ingredient dispensing head; the first and second food ingredient dispensing heads are each selected from a group consisting of: a sauce dispensing head configured to dispense sauce, a cheese dispensing head configured to dispense cheese, a sliced food dispensing head configured to slice and dispense food, and a ground food dispensing head configured to dispense ground food, wherein the dispensing master is operably connectible to each of the first and second food ingredient dispensing heads; a support surface configured to store the first and second food ingredient dispensing heads within reach of the robot assembly; a food preparation surface within reach of the robot assembly for preparing food items; and a controller in electronic communication with the robot assembly via a communication link. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the robot assembly comprises a multi-axis robot configurable to perform predetermined movements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dispensing master further comprises a master tool motor operatively coupled to the product head adapter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the clamping arms further define a gripping device for removably attaching the first and second food ingredient dispensing heads. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first food ingredient dispensing head comprises a sauce dispensing head comprising: a static base; a diffuser retainer coupled to the static base; a sauce diffuser coupled to the diffuser retainer; and a hose fitting configured to receive a source of sauce, the hose fitting coupled to the sauce diffuser. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first food ingredient dispensing head comprises a cheese dispensing head comprising: a slicer base; a cheese grater head; and a drive lock coupled to the slicer base and configured to couple the cheese grater head to the product head adapter of the dispensing master. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first food ingredient dispensing head comprises a sliced food dispensing head comprising: a support base configured to couple a slicer tube; a slicer; and a drive lock coupled to the support base and configured to couple the slicer to the product head adapter of the dispensing master. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first food ingredient dispensing head comprises a ground food dispensing head comprising: a fixed base; a around product dispenser; and a drive lock coupled to the fixed base and configured to Couple the around product dispenser to the dispensing master. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the sauce dispensing head further comprises a reservoir and a pump configured to pump sauce from the reservoir onto the food items. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first food ingredient dispensing head comprises a cheese dispensing head further comprising a grating disk driven by a dispensing master tool motor and a cylinder for applying pressure to a cheese block. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the cheese dispensing head further comprises a thermo-coupler operably connected to a chilled coupler while in storage to maintain temperature of the cheese. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first food ingredient dispensing head comprises a ground food dispensing head further comprising a paddle wheel or auger driven by a dispensing master tool motor that moves ingredients out of a reservoir onto the food items. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first food ingredient dispensing head comprises a sliced food dispensing head further comprising a blade for slicing meat extruded through a storage tube located on the sliced food dispensing head, said blade driven by a dispensing master tool motor, and wherein the sliced food is sliced to drop onto a food item at a programmed position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a food preparation surface transfer device configured to transfer food into and from the food preparation surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the surface transfer device comprises a conveyor belt. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the surface transfer device comprises a tray system removable by the robot assembly.