Automated pizza preparation and vending system
AssigneeK & G Enterprises, LLC
InventorsPuzant Khatchadourian, Daniel Papakhian, Mikhail Kneller, George Yeung
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Automated apparatus for preparing pizza, and method of operating same. A customer selects a type of pizza, such as toppings or crust style. The apparatus slices and defrosts dough, applies cheese, slices and applies toppings, and cooks the pizza to order. The cooked pizza is packaged for delivery to the customer and may include a separate cutting apparatus. Proper temperature of hot and cold sections is maintained while ingredients are stored and as the pizza is cooked. The process is monitored and controlled by one or more processors.
Claims14
An oven for cooking a food product, the oven comprising:
- a housing at least partially surrounding a cavity of the oven, the housing comprising an opening, the opening connected to the cavity;
- a closing mechanism for closing the opening;
- a cooking surface disposed within the cavity and configured to accept a food product, the cooking surface comprising a plurality of holes and a return air vent;
- a blower fluidly connected to the plurality of holes and the return air vent and configured to draw air from the return air vent and to blow the air through the plurality of holes with sufficient force to lift the food product at least partially off of the cooking surface;
- and
- a heater configured to heat the oven.
A method for cooking a food product, the method comprising:
- passing a food product through a first opening in an oven housing and into a cavity of the oven, the cavity having a cooking surface;
- and
- causing heated air to recirculate in the oven by passing through the cooking surface in a first direction so as to at least partially levitate the food product off of the cooking surface to prevent the food product from sticking to the cooking surface and passing through the cooking surface in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction to return to a blower.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.