Pizza making method and system

A multiple station apparatus for automated preparation of a pizza, the apparatus comprising:

• a. at least one dough mixer that prepares individual and pre-determined portions of dough from flour and other component ingredients, wherein the at least one dough mixer includes:
• a closed housing with horizontal housing axis, the housing having two inner, essentially circular, juxtaposed, coaxial and separated surfaces between which two casing surface sections extend which run in an arc along the same casing line and change in the upper and lower region into a flat surface section, the flat surface sections each at least partially formed by the surface of a sliding blade when the housing is in a closed position;
• and
• a kneading element operating with a rotational axis coaxial or parallel to the housing axis;
• b. at least one shaping device that shapes the fresh dough to a flattened pizza base of pre-determined dimension;
• c. at least one metering and dispensing device that apportions and applies a pre-determined amount of at least one topping to the pizza base to form a pizza;
• d. at least one oven that cooks the pizza;
• and
• e. a transport system that transports the dough portion, the flattened pizza base and the pizza through the multiple station apparatus.

A multiple station apparatus for preparation of a pizza, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one dough mixer including:
• means for charging a mixing region with flour-like or dust-like ingredients;
• means for homogenizing and aerating the flour-like or dust-like ingredients by rotating a kneading element at a relatively high speed;
• means for introducing liquid ingredients to the flour-like or dust-like ingredients;
• means for preparing the dough by rotating the kneading element at a lower speed to form and roll the dough into clumps;
• means for forming a single, balled together dough mass by rotating the kneading element at a lowest speed;
• and
• means for discharging the single, balled together dough mass from the mixing region;
• at least one shaping device that shapes the dough to a flattened pizza base of pre-determined dimension;
• at least one metering and dispensing device that apportions and applies a pre-determined amount of at least one topping to the pizza base to form a pizza;
• and
• at least one oven that cooks the pizza.

A multiple station apparatus for automated preparation of a pizza, the apparatus comprising:

• a. at least one dough mixer that prepares individual and pre-determined portions of dough from flour and other component ingredients;
• b. at least one shaping device that shapes the fresh dough to a flattened pizza base of pre-determined dimension, wherein the at least one shaping device includes:
• a preformer that receives a dough ball and presses the dough ball into a dough disc;
• a dough shaping press that receives a dough disc and presses the dough disc into a pizza base;
• and
• a dough punching device that receives the pizza base and dimples the pizza base for uniform and expedited cooking;
• c. at least one metering and dispensing device that apportions and applies a pre-determined amount of at least one topping to the pizza base to form a pizza;
• d. at least one oven that cooks the pizza;
• and
• e. a transport system that transports the dough portion, the flattened pizza base and the pizza through the multiple station apparatus.

A multiple station apparatus for automated preparation of a pizza, the apparatus comprising:

• a. at least one dough mixer that prepares individual and pre-determined portions of dough from flour and other component ingredients;
• b. at least one shaping device that shapes the fresh dough to a flattened pizza base of pre-determined dimension, wherein the at least one shaping device includes:
• means for pressing a dough ball into a dough disc;
• means for pressing a dough disc into a pizza base;
• and
• means for dimpling the pizza base to facilitate a uniform and expedited cooking of the pizza base;
• c. at least one metering and dispensing device that apportions and applies a pre-determined amount of at least one topping to the pizza base to form a pizza,
• d. at least one oven that cooks the pizza;
• and
• e. a transport system that transports the dough portion, the flattened pizza base and the pizza through the multiple station apparatus.

A multiple station apparatus for automated preparation of a pizza, the apparatus comprising:

• a. at least one dough mixer that prepares individual and pre-determined portions of dough from flour and other component ingredients;
• b. at least one shaping device that shapes the fresh dough to a flattened pizza base of pre-determined dimension;
• c. at least one metering and dispensing device that apportions and applies a pre-determined amount of at least one topping to the pizza base to form a pizza, wherein at least one metering and dispensing device apportions liquid or cream-like components to the pizza base, wherein the metering and dispensing device distributes the liquid or cream-like component by dropping the liquid or cream-like component on the pizza base thereunder, in a spiral, by rotating and shifting radially a dispensing feed tube over the pizza base;
• d. at least one oven that cooks the pizza;
• and
• e. a transport system that transports the dough portion, the flattened pizza base and the pizza through the multiple station apparatus.

A multiple station apparatus for automated preparation of a pizza, the apparatus comprising:

• a. at least one dough mixer that prepares individual and pre-determined portions of dough from flour and other component ingredients;
• b. at least one shaping device that shapes the fresh dough to a flattened pizza base of pre-determined dimension;
• c. at least one metering and dispensing device that apportions and applies a pre-determined amount of at least one topping to the pizza base to form a pizza, wherein at least one metering and dispensing device apportions liquid or cream-like components to the pizza base, the metering and dispensing device including:
• a base plate with a central hole under which the pizza base is located, the hole centered about a perpendicular axis;
• a bushing, rotatably connected to the base plate, having a central bore centered about the perpendicular axis;
• a spindle fixedly connected to the bushing;
• a carnage movably connected to the spindle;
• and
• a tube for feeding the liquid or cream-like components, the tube being fixedly connected to the carriage, wherein during rotation of the bushing about the perpendicular axis, the carriage moves along the spindle radially relative to the perpendicular axis, and liquid or cream-like components are dispensed from the tube in a spiral on the pizza base;
• d. at least one oven that cooks the pizza;
• and
• e. a transport system that transports the dough portion, the flattened pizza base and the pizza through the multiple station apparatus.

A multiple station apparatus for automated preparation of a pizza, the apparatus comprising:

• a. at least one dough mixer that prepares individual and pre-determined portions of dough from flour and other component ingredients;
• b. at least one shaping device that shapes the fresh dough to a flattened pizza base of pre-determined dimension;
• c. at least one metering and dispensing device that apportions and applies a pre-determined amount of at least one topping to the pizza base to form a pizza, wherein at least one metering and dispensing device apportions liquid or cream-like components to the pizza base, the metering and dispensing device including:
• means for positioning the pizza base for garnishing;
• means for rotating a dispenser about an axis perpendicular to the pizza base;
• means for moving the dispenser radially relative to the perpendicular axis and parallel relative to the pizza base;
• and
• means for dispensing the liquid or cream-like component during steps (b) and (c), whereby the liquid or cream-like component is placed on the pizza base in a spiral;
• d. at least one oven that cooks the pizza;
• and
• e. a transport system that transports the dough portion, the flattened pizza base and the pizza through the multiple station apparatus.

A multiple station apparatus for automated preparation of a pizza, the apparatus comprising:

• a. at least one dough mixer that prepares individual and pre-determined portions of dough from flour and other component ingredients;
• b. at least one shaping device that shapes the fresh dough to a flattened pizza base of pre-determined dimension;
• c. at least one metering and dispensing device that apportions and applies a pre-determined amount of at least one topping to the pizza base to form a pizza;
• d. at least one oven that cooks the pizza, wherein the at least one oven includes:
• sources of infrared rays in the far-infrared, the visible-infrared, and the near-infrared range located in an upper portion of the oven;
• sources of infrared rays in the far-infrared range located in a lower portion of the oven, the infrared rays in the lower portion of the oven acting through openings in a plate supporting the pizza;
• and
• reflectors combined with the sources of infrared rays to cook the pizza;
• and
• e. a transport system that transports the dough portion, the flattened pizza base and the pizza through the multiple station apparatus.

A multiple station apparatus for automated preparation of a pizza, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one metering and dispensing device that apportions and applies a pre-determined amount of at least one topping to a pizza base to form a pizza;
• at least one oven that cooks the pizza, wherein the at least one oven includes:
• means for performing an initial heating cycle;
• means for performing an intermediate heating cycle;
• and
• means for performing a final heating cycle, wherein the oven includes sources of infrared rays in the visible, the near-infrared, and the far-infrared range, wherein a cooking effect of the sources of infrared rays in the visible and the near-infrared rays predominate during the initial heating cycle, while a cooking effect of the sources of infrared rays in the far-infrared range gradually counterbalance during subsequent heating cycles.

A multiple station apparatus for automated preparation of a pizza, the apparatus comprising:

• a. at least one dough mixer that prepares individual and pre-determined portions of dough from flour and other component ingredients;
• b. at least one shaping device that shapes the fresh dough to a flattened pizza base of pre-determined dimension;
• c. at least one metering and dispensing device that apportions and applies a pre-determined amount of at least one topping to the pizza base to form a pizza;
• d. at least one oven that cooks the pizza;
• e. a transport system that transports the dough portion, the flattened pizza base and the pizza through the multiple station apparatus;
• and
• f. a pizza cutting and transfer device including:
• a plate;
• at least one blade connected to the plate;
• and
• a vertical sheet connected to the plate, wherein the plate moves vertically relative to the pizza allowing the at least one blade to cut the pizza, then the plate moves horizontally relative to the pizza allowing the at least one blade and the sheet to transfer the pizza.

A multiple station apparatus for automated preparation of a pizza, the apparatus comprising:

• a. means for receiving a programmed order for a pizza, the order specifying topping requirements as selected from available offerings;
• b. means for preparing an individual dough portion from flour and other component ingredients;
• c. means for shaping the dough portion to a flattened pizza base;
• d. means for metering and applying toppings to the pizza base as received in the programmed order, wherein at least one metering and dispensing device apportions liquid or cream-like components to the pizza base by dropping the liquid or cream-like component on the pizza base thereunder, in a spiral, by rotating and shifting radially a dispensing feed tube over the pizza base;
• and
• e. means for cooking the pizza.