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US 12,129,164 B2Granted
Automated pizza assembly system
AssigneeLab2Fab, LLC
InventorsJohn Paul Norman, Shawn Lange, Samuel Tanaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated front-of-house and back-of-house restaurant operations system integrates automated and manual restaurant operations into an order-based system. The system interfaces with disparate devices and systems to provide order-based monitoring and control of operations within an establishment.
Claims30
An automated pizza assembly system, comprising:
- a linear stage and rotary table, wherein the linear stage and rotary table comprises a flat surface in an x-y plane for receiving pizza dough, wherein the linear stage is configured to move the pizza dough along a linear path within the x-y plane, and wherein the rotary table is configured to rotate the pizza dough within the x-y plane about a z-axis;
- a sauce dispenser located above the linear stage and rotary table in a z-axis direction and configured to dispense sauce in the direction of the linear stage and rotary table;
- a cheese dispenser located above the linear stage and rotary table in the z-axis direction and configured to dispense cheese in the direction of the linear stage and rotary table;
- and
- a processor in communication with the linear stage and rotary table, the sauce dispenser, and the cheese dispenser, wherein the processor is configured to:
- move the linear stage within the x-y plane to move the pizza dough linearly along the linear path to a sauce dispensing location to position the pizza dough below the sauce dispenser in the z-axis direction;
- start dispensing of the sauce onto the pizza dough;
- rotate the rotary table about the z-axis within the x-y plane and move the linear stage within the x-y plane linearly along the linear path while the sauce is being dispensed onto the pizza dough in a first pattern;
- stop dispensing of the sauce onto the pizza dough;
- move the linear stage within the x-y plane to move the pizza dough linearly along the linear path from the sauce dispensing position to a cheese dispensing position to position the pizza dough with sauce below the cheese dispenser in the z-axis direction;
- start dispensing of the cheese onto the pizza dough while the linear stage is located at the cheese dispensing position;
- rotate the rotary table about the z-axis within the x-y plane and move the linear stage within the x-y plane linearly along the linear path while the cheese is being dispensed onto the pizza dough and sauce in a second pattern;
- and
- stop dispensing of the cheese onto the pizza dough and sauce.
11 more elements
A pizza preparation module, comprising:
- a linear stage and rotary table;
- a feed slot, wherein a flat surface of the linear stage and rotary table is accessible via the feed slot based on a movement of the flat surface by the linear stage, wherein the flat surface is located in an x-y plane for receiving pizza dough, wherein the linear stage is configured to move the pizza dough within the x-y plane to move the pizza dough linearly along a linear path from a sauce dispensing position to a cheese dispensing position, and wherein the linear stage is configured to move within the x-y plane to move the pizza dough linearly along the linear path from the cheese dispensing position to a pepperoni dispensing position, and wherein the rotary table is configured to rotate the pizza dough within the x-y plane about a z-axis;
- and
- a preparation cabinet, the preparation cabinet comprising:
- a sauce dispenser located above the rotary table in z-axis direction and configured to dispense sauce in the direction of the linear stage and rotary table in the sauce dispensing position, wherein, during a dispensing operation of the sauce in the direction of the linear stage and rotary table, the rotary table rotates about the z-axis within the x-y plane and the linear stage moves within the x-y plane to move the pizza dough linearly along the linear path;
- a cheese dispenser located above the linear stage and rotary table in z-axis direction and configured to dispense cheese in the direction of the linear stage and rotary table in the cheese dispensing position, wherein, during a dispensing operation of the cheese in the direction of the linear stage and rotary table, the rotary table rotates about the z-axis within the x-y plane and the linear stage moves within the x-y plane to move the pizza dough linearly along the linear path;
- and
- a pepperoni dispenser located above the linear stage and rotary table in z-axis direction and configured to dispense pieces of pepperoni in the direction of the linear stage and rotary table in the pepperoni dispensing position, wherein, during a dispensing operation of the pepperoni in the direction of the linear stage and rotary table, the rotary table rotates about the z-axis within the x-y plane and the linear stage moves within the x-y plane to move the pizza dough linearly along the linear path.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.