Automated food delivery
AssigneeLab2Fab, LLC
InventorsPeter Ishiguro, Shawn Michael Lange, Hogan Hall Hempy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Example systems and methods for automated delivery of a food and/or beverage from a kitchen may be directed to a first vertically extending elevator configured to transport a payload to and from the kitchen. The payload may include a food and/or a beverage. Example systems also may include a laterally extending conveyor configured to transport the payload laterally from the first elevator to a second elevator. The second elevator is configured to transport the payload from the conveyor to a customer delivery window.
Claims31
A system for delivering food from a kitchen, comprising:
- a first vertically extending elevator configured to transport a payload to and from the kitchen, the payload including at least one of a food or a beverage;
- a laterally extending conveyor configured to transport the payload laterally from the first elevator to a second elevator, wherein the laterally extending conveyor includes one or more rail sections, wherein the payload is transported within the laterally extending conveyor along the one or more rail sections, and wherein at least one of the rail sections is configured to translate away from the laterally extending conveyor along one of the first or second vertically extending elevators;
- and
- wherein the second elevator is configured to transport the payload from the conveyor to a customer delivery window.
A method of delivering food from a kitchen, comprising:
- transporting a first payload from the kitchen along a first vertically extending elevator, the first payload including at least one of a food or a beverage;
- laterally transporting the first payload from the first elevator along a conveyor to a second elevator, wherein transporting the first payload from the kitchen along the first vertically extending elevator includes transporting the first payload with a rail section of the conveyor;
- aligning the rail section of the conveyor with one or more adjacent rail sections of the conveyor after transporting the first payload, wherein subsequent payloads may be moved from the conveyor to the rail section;
- and
- delivering the first payload from the conveyor to a customer delivery window via the second elevator.
A system for delivering food from a kitchen, comprising:
- a first vertically extending elevator configured to transport a payload to and from the kitchen, the payload including at least one of a food or a beverage;
- a laterally extending conveyor configured to transport the payload laterally from the first elevator to a second elevator;
- and
- wherein the second elevator is configured to transport the payload from the conveyor to a customer delivery window, wherein the customer delivery window defines a vertical opening extending from a lower delivery position to an upper delivery position.
A method of delivering food from a kitchen, comprising:
- transporting a first payload from the kitchen along a first vertically extending elevator, the first payload including at least one of a food or a beverage;
- laterally transporting the first payload from the first elevator along a conveyor to a second elevator, wherein transporting the first payload along the second elevator includes transporting the first payload with a rail section of the conveyor;
- aligning the rail section of the conveyor with one or more adjacent rail sections of the conveyor after transporting the first payload, wherein subsequent payloads may be moved from the conveyor to the rail section;
- and
- delivering the first payload from the conveyor to a customer delivery window via the second elevator.
A method of delivering food from a kitchen, comprising:
- transporting a first payload from the kitchen along a first vertically extending elevator, the first payload including at least one of a food or a beverage;
- laterally transporting the first payload from the first elevator along a conveyor to a second elevator, wherein laterally transporting the first payload from the first elevator along the conveyor includes transporting the first payload along a first rail toward the second elevator;
- delivering the first payload from the conveyor to a customer delivery window via the second elevator;
- and
- laterally transporting a second payload along a second rail toward the first vertically extending elevator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.