Automated food management system
AssigneeTaylor Commercial Foodservice, LLC
InventorsJames J. MINARD, Dennis NELSON, Jeffrey L. SANDS, Scott A. LECLERC, Bryan R. HOTALING, Spencer M. PARKER, Chris NORRIS, Carl PAHNKE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system to store food products within a heated compartment is provided. The system includes an enclosure that receives stacked trays, and an elevator to lift trays to a position to receive a plurality of food products from a conveyor or another source. A fork may be provided that receives a cooked food product thereon and rotates to allow the cooked food product to fall into the positioned tray while being maintained in a horizontal manner. A shuttle moves a full tray into a heated compartment.
Claims20
An automated food management system, comprising:
- an enclosure, the enclosure is configured to receive a plurality of trays in a stacked arrangement, and an elevator that is configured to lift a tray from a plurality of stacked trays when received within the enclosure to a position where the lifted tray can receive the a food product, the enclosure further comprises a fork that receives the food product thereon and rotates to allow the food product to fall into the positioned tray,
- wherein the fork comprises one or more tines that extend in a cantilevered manner from an input, wherein the fork rotates between an acceptance position and a release position as controlled by the input, wherein the axis of rotation of the fork is horizontal, wherein upon receipt of the food product upon the fork in the acceptance position the fork rotates toward the release position, wherein the fork is cantilevered to receive the food product falling vertically downward thereon due to gravity when in the acceptance position, wherein the fork is configured to rotate to the release position to allow the food product to fall from the fork due to gravity,
- wherein the fork is configured to periodically receive the food product from a position above the one or more tines, and
- further comprising a first sensor that identifies the food product disposed over or upon the fork, wherein the first sensor upon identification of the food product provides a signal that causes the fork to rotate from the acceptance position to the release position.
An automated food management system, comprising:
- a fork that is configured to receive a food product thereon, the fork is configured to rotate between an acceptance position and a release position, wherein the fork in the acceptance position is configured to receive a food product thereon that has fallen vertically from a position above the fork due to gravity, and wherein the fork is configured to rotate toward the release position to allow the food product to fall from the fork while the food product maintains a maintains a substantially horizontal orientation as the fork rotates from the acceptance position toward the release position and the food product maintains the substantial horizontal orientation as the food product falls off of the fork due to gravity and falls vertically below the fork,
- the fork comprises one or more tines that extend in a cantilevered manner from an input, wherein the fork rotates between the acceptance position and the release position as controlled by the input, wherein the axis of rotation of the fork is horizontal, wherein upon receipt of the food product upon the one or more tines with the fork in the acceptance position the fork rotates toward the release position, wherein the one or more tines receive the food product falling vertically downward thereon when in the acceptance position, wherein the fork is configured to rotate to the release position to allow the food product to fall from the one or more tines
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.