Modular system for food assembly

A food production system comprising:

• a food preparation surface arranged at a work surface height and defining a receptacle configured to transiently receive a set of food-dispensing modules configured to store and dispense ingredients for preparation of units of a food product type, the food preparation surface configured for manual preparation of units of the food product type;
• a first module housing:
• arranged below and supporting the food preparation surface at the work surface height;
• defining a first autonomous assembly zone extending along a longitudinal assembly axis;
• configured to transiently house a first food-dispensing module, in the set of food-dispensing modules, configured to seat above the longitudinal assembly axis and dispense units of a first ingredient toward the first autonomous assembly zone;
• configured to transiently house a cooling module configured to cool ingredients transiently stored in the first food-dispensing module;
• and
• comprising a first positioner module arranged within the first autonomous assembly zone, below the first food-dispensing module, and configured to transiently locate a food container below the first food-dispensing module for dispensation of the first ingredient into the food container;
• a second module housing:
• arranged below and supporting the food preparation surface at the work surface height;
• defining a second autonomous assembly zone extending along the longitudinal assembly axis;
• configured to transiently house a second food-dispensing module, in the set of food-dispensing modules, configured to seat above the longitudinal assembly axis and dispense units of a second ingredient toward the second autonomous assembly zone;
• configured to transiently house a heating module configured to heat ingredients transiently stored in the second food-dispensing module;
• and
• comprising a second positioner module arranged within the second autonomous assembly zone, below the second food-dispensing module, and configured to transiently locate the food container below the second food-dispensing module for dispensation of the second ingredient into the food container;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive a food order;
• coordinate motion of the first positioner module and the second positioner module to selectively locate the food container below the set of food-dispensing modules according to the food order;
• and
• selectively trigger the set of food-dispensing modules to dispense amounts of ingredients into the food container to assemble a unit of the food product type according to the food order.

A food production system comprising:

• a food preparation surface arranged at a work surface height and defining a receptacle configured to transiently receive a set of food-dispensing modules configured to store and dispense ingredients for preparation of units of a food product type;
• a first module housing:
• arranged below and supporting the food preparation surface at the work surface height;
• defining a first autonomous assembly zone extending along a longitudinal assembly axis;
• defining a first dispenser slot extending below the receptacle and arranged along a first rear side of the first module housing above the first autonomous assembly zone;
• defining a first infrastructure slot arranged adjacent the first dispenser slot, below the food preparation surface, above the first autonomous assembly zone, and along a first front side of the first module housing opposite the first rear side
• configured to transiently house a first food-dispensing module, in the set of food-dispensing modules, configured to:
• seat above the longitudinal assembly axis within the first dispenser slot;
• and
• store and dispense units of a first ingredient toward the first autonomous assembly zone;
• configured to transiently house a cooling module within the first infrastructure slot, the cooling module configured to cool ingredients transiently stored in the first food-dispensing module;
• comprising a first positioner module arranged within the first autonomous assembly zone, below the first food-dispensing module, and configured to transiently locate a food container below the first food-dispensing module for dispensation of the first ingredient into the food container;
• and
• comprising a first window:
• arranged adjacent the first autonomous assembly zone on the first front side of the first module housing;
• and
• configured to provide user access to the first autonomous assembly zone;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive a food order;
• coordinate motion of the first positioner module to selectively locate the food container below the first food-dispensing module according to the food order;
• and
• selectively trigger the first food-dispensing module to dispense amounts of the first ingredient into the food container to assemble a unit of the food product type according to the food order.