Hand device, food dishing device using hand device, and food batch formation device

A food arrangement device using a hand device for holding a food article with left and right finger-shaped portions that are configured to be operated to open and close, wherein each of the left and right finger-shaped portions includes a first member and a second member that are configured to be independently operated to open and close, the first member and the second member are disposed in a vicinity of each other in each of the left and right finger-shaped portion, and for each of the left and right finger-shaped portions, an inner edge portion of the first member is configured to be projected and retracted relative to an inner edge portion of the second member when the first member is being operated to open and close, the food arrangement device comprising a controller configured to perform the steps of:

• holding a middle portion in a length direction of a food article located at a collection position with the left and right finger-shaped portions of the hand device to cause opposite end portions of the food article to hang down;
• moving the hand device to a position above a set region that is spaced apart from the collection position;
• and
• lowering and laterally moving the hand device relative to the set region to bring the food article into contact with the set region from a hanging end side of the food article, cause the food article to lay down in a folded state, and discontinue the hold by the left and right finger-shaped portions.

A food batch formation device using a hand device for holding a food article with left and right finger-shaped portions that are configured to be operated to open and close, wherein each of the left and right finger-shaped portions includes a first member and a second member that are configured to be independently operated to open and close, the first member and the second member are disposed in a vicinity of each other in each of the left and right finger-shaped portion, and for each of the left and right finger-shaped portions, an inner edge portion of the first member is configured to be projected and retracted relative to an inner edge portion of the second member when the first member is being operated to open and close, the food batch formation device comprising a controller configured to perform the steps of:

• holding a middle portion in a length direction of a food article located at a collection position by operating the left and right first members and the left and right second members in closing directions and lifting the hand device to collect the food article with opposite end portions of the food article hanging down;
• moving the hand device that has collected the food article to a position above a set region that is spaced apart from the collection position;
• and
• lowering the hand device while laterally moving the hand device at the position above the set region and operating the left and right first members and the left and right second members in opening directions to place the food article in the set region in a state of being folded in half,
• wherein the controller is configured to automatically and repeatedly perform the steps to form a food batch including a plurality of food articles in the set region.