Device for producing assembled products

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for producing assembled products (10), comprising a transport means (1), a plurality of storage containers (5) for ingredient types, each having a separating and positioning unit (6) for an ingredient type along the transport means (1), an electronic control unit with pre-installed product offers, which differ in terms of differing combinations of ingredients by means of which orders can be executed by means of method steps of the device and by means of which the method steps can be monitored. According to the invention, the transport means (1) is composed of sections (2), the respective beginnings and ends of which adjoin one another in such a way that a product to be assembled can be transferred by translation from one section (2) to an adjacent section (2), wherein each of the sections (2) can be controlled independently, and wherein each separating and positioning unit (6) is assigned its own section (2).

Description

[0001] Device for producing assembled products

[0002] The invention relates to a device for producing assembled products with a means of transport, a plurality of storage containers for ingredient types, each with a separating and placing unit for an ingredient type along the means of transport, an electronic control system, with pre-installed offers of products that differ in various combinations of ingredients and by means of which orders can be executed by means of process steps of the device and by means of which the process steps can be monitored.

[0003] In the field of production of composite goods, especially layered products, devices are known which carry out partial assembly steps such as heating and dispensing a piece of dough, dispensing a portion of a topping and the like mechanically in order to allow production to be more cost-effective or faster.

[0004] WO 2020 / 227723 A1 shows a sandwich machine in which bread pieces are placed and topped in an endless chain of storage tubes. Each sandwich ingredient must be refilled separately.

[0005] EP 3504976 A1 and US 5365835 disclose devices for dispensing toppings for baked goods, which are stored in standardized storage containers above a conveyor belt and dropped over a pre-product when needed. However, important preparation and finishing steps for dishes must be performed manually.

[0006] KR 101852274 B1 teaches a machine for producing parts of a baked product with rotating magazines that hold individual layered ingredients of a hamburger on levels and, upon electronic control, lower them onto a burger precursor. The machine can only produce a small number of burgers before it requires servicing. The object of the invention is to offer a device for assembled products with greater efficiency. Maintenance should be more cost-effective, hygiene requirements easier to achieve, and the production costs for the assembled product and for the machine should be low. The solution should be easy to operate and less prone to failure. Finally, the solution should also be space-saving in terms of the length, width, and height of the device. A further advantageous aspect of spatial practicality is that the device must be accessible from a few sides, both during operation and for maintenance.

[0007] The device according to the invention achieves this in that the transport means is composed of sections whose respective beginnings and ends are adjacent to one another in such a way that a product to be assembled can be transferred translationally from one section to an adjacent section, wherein each of the sections can be controlled independently, and wherein each separating and placing unit is assigned its own section.

[0008] An advantageous embodiment is characterized by the fact that it comprises a storage container for a product base and a separating and placing unit for the product base, with the separating and placing unit being arranged at a starting position of the conveyor belt. Therefore, a food item is transported more hygienically on the conveyor. Furthermore, the production of a meal together with its intended packaging, in such packaging, or in an outer packaging, is possible in one and the same device.

[0009] Furthermore, in a modification of the device, the product tray is a tray-like box, and a printer is provided to print on a removed box. This allows the dishes to be better protected, identified, and provided with accompanying information.

[0010] It is also conceivable to provide at least two storage containers for two different product trays, which can be alternatively selected by the separating and placing unit depending on the control system. This expands the product range. Furthermore, in a modification of the device, a removal compartment is arranged at the end of the transport means, in particular at least two removal compartments, each preceded by a transport switch, in order to easily accomplish a regular and necessary operation in connection with assembled meals.

[0011] It's also conceivable that at least two of the ingredient types will be available in at least two varieties. This will expand the product range.

[0012] With an alternative, at least one ingredient type can be selected optionally in order to further increase the range of products on offer.

[0013] In an alternative, the device includes storage containers for ingredient types in the form of ingredients for assembled dishes. This creates greater demand for the device in the market.

[0014] An advantageous embodiment is special in that it comprises at least storage containers for: cardboard boxes, baked goods pieces, sauces, tomato slices, salad pieces, in order to cover the most important ingredients for dishes.

[0015] Furthermore, in a modification, it comprises a toaster unit for a removed food type, in particular for sandwich bread halves or slices of toast, so that the assembled dish is warm and ready to eat when ready.

[0016] It is also planned to include an electronic ordering system through which orders for assembled meals can be received via an interface, in which orders can be stored, and through which orders can be transferred to the electronic control system. This will increase efficiency.

[0017] In one alternative, storage containers are individually replaceable, increasing efficiency by eliminating the need to pause the entire device once the supply of an ingredient is exhausted. An advantageous embodiment is characterized by the storage container, separating and placing unit, and ingredient portion being modularly combined in such a way that they can be moved together from the device into an inspection position to facilitate maintenance.

[0018] Furthermore, the transport device or one or more parts thereof can be heated. This allows the meal to be kept warm at a predetermined temperature or brought to a predetermined pre-temperature that is required or desired when removing the meal from the device.

[0019] The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawings. The optional nature of individual features and protected embodiments are provided exclusively in the claims.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a schematic overall view of the device,

[0021] Fig. 2 shows a section of the means of transport and

[0022] Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the device.

[0023] According to Fig. 1, the step-by-step preparation of an assembled product 10, such as pizzas and sandwiches, is reflected in lined-up stations along a means of transport 1. The preparation process is therefore divided into steps, each of which is carried out in an associated assembly 3. Through special design measures, the device according to the invention can operate in a vending machine 8 in such a way that the assembled product 10, from the first ingredient to completeness, is produced and ready for consumption. Furthermore, the vending machine 8 can produce an assortment of different dishes without requiring structural modifications or requiring personnel to make adjustments.

[0024] The transport means 1 can be a conveyor belt. Alternatively, it can be any other spatial conveying device or transport unit, such as a magnetic levitation device, in which storage plates can be moved and held in place in a translational, rotating, and / or tiltable manner within a certain angular range above an electronically controlled magnetic levitation table.

[0025] The transport means 1 moves (in the case of a conveyor belt) or storage plates (in the case of a magnetic levitation device) in a predetermined production direction P, which is defined as the positive x-direction, depending on an electronic control system that receives orders for dishes, sends commands with processing steps to the assemblies 3 and monitors the manufacturing progress of the products 10.

[0026] In the example shown, a product base in the form of a box 4 is first placed on the transport means 1. A first ingredient is placed in the box below the next assembly 3, and so on, until the assembled dish is completed at the end of the transport means 1.

[0027] An assembly 3 is designed and dimensioned depending on the type of ingredient. In most cases, it comprises a storage container 5 containing the largest possible number or quantity of an ingredient. The larger the capacity of the storage container 5, the less frequently it needs to be refilled, which corresponds to an operation that would have to be performed by human hands. However, the capacity of a storage container 5 must not be designed too large for the specific ingredient, so that the ingredient does not lose quality in terms of temperature, humidity, freshness, aroma, and the like due to excessive storage time in the storage container. It is therefore important to define a specific optimal size of the storage container 5 for each ingredient, as well as the type of storage, such as refrigerated or preheated.

[0028] In addition, in most applications, an assembly 3 includes a separating and placing unit 6. This is a device that can be constructed by a person skilled in the art, usually a mechanical device, which removes an appropriate portion of an ingredient from the storage container 5 and places it on the dish to be assembled, which is located below the separating and placing unit 6. The separating and placing unit 6 must also be structurally adapted to the ingredient for which it is intended and is only shown symbolically in Fig. 1. It takes on a different shape for different ingredients, such as piece goods, granular, pasty, soft, moist, disc-shaped, etc. The same naturally applies to the storage containers 5, which are only shown symbolically here.

[0029] The transport means 1 is a linear belt arranged in the x-direction, which allows the device and the machine 8 to be designed in a space-saving manner. Mechanical parts, e.g., of the assemblies 3, are designed to be narrow in the x-direction and are located in dimensions above and behind to create the necessary space for storage containers, control, and separation.

[0030] The transport means 1 is composed of sections 2 as shown in Fig. 2. A section 2 can be a short conveyor belt or a short section of a magnetic levitation device. The invention is described below using the non-limiting example of a conveyor belt.

[0031] Each section 2 can, for example, consist of a closed belt section 13 running on at least two rollers 12, which can be driven and stopped independently of the other sections 2. The end of a section 2 borders directly on the beginning of a directly adjacent section 2, except for a slip 14 provided for reasons of operational and maintenance safety. The sequence of all sections 2 forms the entire transport means 1 with a common transport plane 15 (top side of the sections 2), on which a product base 11 can be moved translationally in the x-direction from the beginning to the end, evenly, step by step, or partially accelerated or decelerated.

[0032] Boxes 4 can be used as the product support 11, which do not have to be the same size, without this being detrimental to the functioning of the device. The length of a section 2 in the x-direction can be dimensioned such that it corresponds to the length of a box 4. Box 4 can have a folded-away lid, which increases the overall length during assembly, approximately even doubling it in many cases. The determination of the length of the section 2 can also be based on this greater length, so that the lid of a box 4 on a first section 2 does not extend into the working area of ​​an adjacent section 2. Fig. 2 shows six sections 2 which have the same length. This has the advantage that a standardized model of section units can be used, exchanged, maintained, and controlled. Depending on the unit length selected, other important parts of the machine 8, e.g.The assembly 3, storage container 5, or groups of storage containers 5, or removal and placement units 6 are constructed with uniform external dimensions or dimensions along the x-direction. Greater flexibility with virtually unchanged advantages of the unit length is achieved by making the length of the sections 2 in the x-direction an integer multiple of the unit length, such as 2, 3, or 4 times.

[0033] Each section unit 7 has an electric drive and can be equipped with a sensor 18 whose detection range is directed toward the transport plane 15. It detects the arrival, presence, and departure of a product support 11, 1T and reports it to the central electronic control system. The sensor 18 is, for example, an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or an infrared sensor.

[0034] The transport plane 15 of the sections 2 naturally deepens at the rollers 12, or is interrupted there. The rollers 12 of two sections 2 therefore form a depression, which, however, is so small by appropriately selecting the roller diameters that a previously known box 4 with a certain length in the x-direction does not tip or tilt into the depression.

[0035] In this way, the electronic control system transfers a resulting assembled product 10 on or in a product support from one assembly group 3 to the next assembly group 3 on the respective sections 2 until the dish is completed and has arrived at the end of the entire means of transport 1.

[0036] In most cases, a section 2 with a product base 11' resting in its center in the x-direction, including the assembled product 10 (not visible in Fig. 2), rests for a moment because an assembly 3 for an ingredient is located above the section 2, which assembly has to deposit a portion onto the product 10 during this rest period. In some cases, the product base cannot or should not remain completely at rest during this process step, but continue to move slowly. When a product base 11 is transferred from one section 2 to the next section 2, both sections 2 concerned are controlled so that they adopt the same or a similar transport speed. The product base then moves from the first section 2 to the next without interruption or unwanted disruptive movement or acceleration in other spatial directions. This is a process step that is repeated many times during the production of each assembled dish.

[0037] It is now particularly advantageous that certain movement patterns of the sections 2 can be combined along the entire transport means 1 in order to increase the production capacity of the device, to improve the manufacturing quality or to enable certain process steps at all.

[0038] Thus, a portion 2 with a product 10 on it can rest in one period of time, while at another location of the means of transport 1 other dishes

[0039] (i) simply drive on,

[0040] (ii) be transferred to a next station,

[0041] (iii) be completed in another station,

[0042] (iv) pass through a station unchanged or similar.

[0043] Secondly, transfer steps between two adjacent sections 2 can be carried out independently of the movement state of all other sections 2 of the means of transport 1.

[0044] Thirdly, a product 10 can move back and forth in the x-direction on a section 2 in a predetermined manner for the process step of applying an ingredient, e.g., to apply a pourable ingredient more evenly. Other sections 2 can execute different movement patterns to further process other assembled dishes. This independence of movement of the sections 2 from one another increases the efficiency of the device. Fourthly, it is conceivable that an assembled product 10, for a specific assembly step, needs to be moved one or more stations opposite to the (positive) x-direction within a certain time period, in order to then travel the same distance again in the x-direction and be finalized. According to the invention, the entire transport means 1 does not need to be moved back and forth, but only a few sections 2 of it. Therefore, other movements can take place in other sections of the transport means 1, e.g.,when other dishes are being processed before and after and cannot be moved backwards temporarily in a meaningful way.

[0045] With the device, the assembled meal can be created entirely on a product base such as a plate, a bowl, or a box 4. Higher hygiene requirements are met because products and ingredients do not come into contact with the parts 2. This is particularly desirable when it comes to food. In addition, a meal is created that is already prepared or even fully equipped for the next step, namely removing the meal from the device and handing it over to a serving tray, into a carrier bag for "to-go" orders, or directly to the customer. The packaging step is therefore completely or partially eliminated. For pizzas and sandwiches, the product base can be a box 4 such as a cardboard box, which carries its lid when opened. A component of the device at the end of the production line can close the lid automatically.Or the closing is then carried out by hand, whereby a visual inspection of the assembled dish is still possible.

[0046] The assembled product 10 on the product support is transferred at the end of the production line - i.e. after the last section 2 - into a removal compartment 9, in which it can remain visible, easily accessible, and at rest until it is removed by another automatic device or manually. The removal compartment 9 can be a window or a recess in the outer shell of the device, whereby the assembled dish, including, for example, box 4, slides from the last section 2 onto a horizontal storage surface, slides onto a slightly inclined surface, is lifted into the removal compartment 9 by support arms or a lift, or the like. Depending on the size of the products and the removal compartments 9, it is also conceivable to provide two or more removal compartments 9 so that further completed dishes can be parked for removal without one or more previously completed dishes having to be removed and vacate their removal compartment 9 again.A removal compartment 9 can also accommodate a row of finished dishes, such as a row of three to ten products 10 in a box 4. Alternatively, finished products can be stacked in the removal compartment 9 by a stacking unit (not shown).

[0047] The electronic control system receives data from a sensor about the occupancy status of the removal compartment(s) 9 in order to then park finished dishes only when a position is free.

[0048] The electronic control system also receives status data about numerous other parts of the device, such as the fill levels of all storage containers 5, the operating status of the separating and placing units 6, the movement status of all sections 2, the occupancy status of the sections, and the operating status of additional units such as cooling units. It accepts specific orders for the production of a dish, a quantity of dishes, or a pallet of different dishes, with an offer of one or more assembled dishes and the associated production steps along the transport means 1 being stored in it. The control system can temporarily mute offers of certain dishes if the associated storage containers 5 are empty; it can send signals to the personnel to remove finished products 10, fill storage containers 5, clean separating units 6, and maintain parts of the device.

[0049] Finally, the electronic control system can record and store data from the device, such as quantities and ordering times of dishes, maintenance cycles, etc., in order to increase efficiency or to provide insights from operational data.

[0050] If the electronic control system indicates the fill level of individual storage containers 5, it is advantageous if the storage containers 5 can be refilled and / or removed from the device without impairing or disrupting the other storage containers 5, other assemblies 3, and other separating and placement units 6. A person skilled in the art can routinely solve the design problem of designing storage containers according to the specified ingredient and providing separate access within the device via doors, lids, pull-out mechanisms, and the like.

[0051] Components 3 can also be removed individually from the entire fixture. Depending on the design, the associated component 2 can be structurally connected to component 3 or remain statically attached to the fixture.

[0052] Even a small number of assemblies 3, such as five, with respective portions 2 may be sufficient to realize the advantages of the invention. It is also conceivable that, for example, 15 assemblies 3 are provided with 15 portions 2, whereby many of the assemblies 3 can provide several alternatives of their ingredients or, for some dishes, do not provide their ingredients, in order to be able to offer and produce a considerable number of different assembled dishes in the assortment.

[0053] The arrangement of the assemblies 3 along the x-direction on or above the transport means 1 can advantageously be selected such that the first assembly 3 reached delivers the product base, the second assembly 3 delivers the bottom ingredient of a layered dish, and so on, until the last assembly 3 is intended to deliver the top ingredient. However, assemblies 3 can be mounted interchangeably in the device in order to optimize the device for other dishes.

[0054] Secondly, however, a suboptimal sequence of the assemblies 3 for a particular dish can be compensated for by temporarily moving the dish in the device opposite to the (positive) x-direction in order to receive one or more ingredients once or twice, without having to completely rebuild the device or remove the dish from the menu. This can be the case, for example, if the dish is to be offered in addition to other dishes, and the device is optimized for the other dishes with regard to the sequence of the assemblies 3. In addition to soups, bowl dishes with rice or other ingredients, stews, tacos, sandwiches and burritos, as well as confectionery, the device can be used to produce pizzas, and an example of this will be demonstrated here:

[0055] In a fast-food restaurant, many employees are currently busy offering a range of pizzas and preparing them in the kitchen under time pressure upon customer orders. Pizzas, sandwiches, and other assembled dishes are particularly well-suited to realizing the advantages of the device, as they are essentially products assembled from above by layering. The device can now offer a comparable range and produce orders in a shorter time and with less human labor. To achieve this, it has sequential assemblies 3 for

[0056] - Boxes 4 in two or more sizes,

[0057] - pizza dough flatbreads,

[0058] - tomato sauce

[0059] - Tomatoes, olives, lettuce and onions

[0060] - Salami, ham and variations thereof,

[0061] - Cheese in, for example, two different sizes or two different types.

[0062] Boxes 4 and dough flatbreads can also be provided in an elongated form in the respective assembly 3 and / or its storage container 5 as an alternative, without the need for any adjustment to the device. Since, in addition to ingredient variations, round pizzas, sandwiches, or oblong pizzas, pides, sandwiches, and the like can also be produced, the product range is once again significantly expanded.

[0063] Furthermore, modules 3 can be arranged at suitable positions in the device for

[0064] - Pepper and / or salt and / or herbs

[0065] - Ingredients that are used for a limited time, e.g. as an additional topping (so-called Limited Time Offers). Although a complete assembly process should not take up much time, it may still be desirable to maintain a predetermined temperature of the dish or to continuously increase the temperature during assembly. Furthermore, legal requirements for the processing of food and dishes may have to be observed which include upper or lower temperature limits. In a simple case, an assembled dish should be warm or hot at the time of completion, within the usual range in the catering industry. To make this possible, the means of transport 1 or one or more sections 2 thereof can be heated. This can be achieved by heating devices or radiant heaters that heat the conveyor belt itself or a storage table. Alternatively, areas above the transport level can be covered by heating devices.All such solutions are advantageous because the temperature can be precisely controlled and monitored locally and temporally, which saves energy and / or time.

[0066] In the example, customers can place an order, for example, for a "salami" pizza, via their smartphone or an interface in the fast-food restaurant. This order is interpreted as an order by the electronic control system and converted into instruction steps for the device. In the first assembly 3, a box 4 corresponding to the order is removed from the storage container 5 by the separating and dispensing unit 6 and placed at the beginning of the transport means 1, namely the first section 2, which is assigned to the first assembly 3.

[0067] The box continues to travel on the respective sections 2 in the x-direction to the assembly 3 of the dough flatbreads, where, again according to the order, for example for the production of a “salami” pizza, the appropriate type is taken from the storage container 4 and placed in the box 4, which rests on the section 2.

[0068] This process continues step by step, with box 4 briefly stopping or slowing down beneath each assembly 3 and picking up the next predetermined ingredient, thus creating a "salami" pizza. Box 4 passes beneath some assemblies 3 because the ingredient in that assembly 3 is not needed for a "salami" pizza, for example. The pieces 2 on which box 4 is not currently located or to which box 4 will not be transferred in a timely manner can be in other movement states, primarily to process other orders.

[0069] After passing through all the assemblies 3 on the sections 2, the box containing the “Salami” pizza, completed by the addition of, for example, the basil leaves, reaches the removal compartment 9, whereupon the electronic control system emits a visual and / or acoustic signal indicating to the staff that the “Salami” pizza should be handed over to the ordering customer.

[0070] The device is equally suitable for offering and producing an assortment of sandwiches.

[0071] The device may contain units for improving or preparing ingredients and product parts, which are appropriately assigned to their assembly group 3, namely printers for the box 4, cooling units, heat lamps, control cameras for quality control, for counting manufactured product units or for detecting operational malfunctions.

[0072] List of reference symbols

[0073] 1 means of transport

[0074] 2 sections

[0075] 3 Assembly

[0076] 4 boxes

[0077] 5 storage containers

[0078] 6 Separation and placement unit

[0079] 7 Section unit

[0080] 8 Machine

[0081] 9 Removal compartment

[0082] 10 Product

[0083] 11 Product documentation

[0084] 11 ' resting product base

[0085] 12 rollers

[0086] 13 pieces of tape

[0087] 14 hatch

[0088] 15 Transport level

[0089] 16 Interface

[0090] 18 Sensor

[0091] P Production direction

Claims

Patent claims 1. Device for producing assembled products (10) with a transport means (1 ), a plurality of storage containers (5) for ingredient types, each with a singling and placing unit (6) for an ingredient type along the transport means (1 ), an electronic control system with pre-installed offers of products which differ in various combinations of ingredients and by means of which orders can be carried out by means of process steps of the device and by means of which the process steps can be monitored, characterized in that the transport means (1 ) is composed of sections (2), the respective beginnings and ends of which adjoin one another in such a way that a product to be assembled can be transferred translationally from one section (2) to an adjacent section (2), wherein each of the sections (2) can be controlled independently, and wherein each singling and placing unit (6) has its own section (2) is assigned.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a storage container (5) for product documents (1 1 ) and a separating and placing unit (6) for a removed product document (1 1 ), wherein the separating and placing unit (6) is arranged at a starting position of the transport means (1 ).

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the product base (1 1) is a tray-like box (4), and that a printer is provided to print on a removed box (4).

4. Device according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that at least two storage containers (5) are provided for two different product documents (11), which can be alternatively selected by the separating and placing unit (6) depending on the control.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a removal compartment (9) is arranged at the end of the transport means (1), in particular at least two removal compartments (9), upstream of which a transport switch is arranged.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least two of the ingredient types are selectable in at least two varieties.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one ingredient type is optionally selectable.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises storage containers for ingredients for assembled dishes.

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises at least storage containers (5) for: cardboard boxes, baked goods pieces, sauces, tomato slices, salad pieces and spices.

10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a toaster unit for a removed food type, in particular for sandwich bread halves or slices of toast. 1 1. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises an electronic ordering system through which orders for assembled dishes can be received via an interface (16), in which orders can be stored, and through which orders can be transferred to the electronic control system.

12. Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that storage containers (5) are individually replaceable.

13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the storage container (5), the separating and placing unit (6) and the part (2) of an ingredient are modularly combined in such a way that they can be moved together from the device into a testing position.

14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the transport means (1) or one or more parts (2) thereof are heatable.

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