System and method for autonomously cooking food products

Abstract

The self - cooking grill includes a rotatable hub connected to a hub rotating means all supported by the grill body, and a grill net or griddle connected to the hub. When the hub rotating means operates, the hub rotates the grill net. In a further embodiment, the self - cooking grill includes a rotatable hub connected to a hub rotating means all supported by the grill body, and a griddle connected to the hub. When the hub rotating means operates, the hub rotates the griddle. The self - cooking grill can have one or more additional functions among self - flipping tools (plural available), self - removing tools (plural available), self - grill net cleaning tools (plural available), self - temperature probes (plural available), and a bin for storing the cooked food products taken out from the grill. These features are utilized for suitable food products such as patties.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims priority to Canadian Patent Application No. 3,166,189 filed on June 29, 2022, U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 810,137 filed on June 30, 2022, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 491,979 filed on March 24, 2023, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 501,178 filed on May 10, 2023, the contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to a system and method for autonomously cooking food products, particularly a method of using a cooking grill, and more particularly to a cooking grill for autonomously cooking food in, for example, a commercial kitchen environment.

Background Art

[0003] Freestanding cooking grills for commercial kitchens (e.g., restaurants, mobile kitchens, food trucks, etc.) are typically gas - fired, electric, or infrared, use radiant heating, convection heating, induction heating, use stainless steel or similar materials, are square or rectangular in shape, and are equipped with a grill grate of a corresponding shape. Such grills can be used for cooking various food products. Disadvantages of such grills include human error, inattention during cooking, difficulty in accurate quality control, lack of uniformity, non - uniform heating, heat loss, etc. To address such problems, for example, attempts have been made to use portable smokeless charcoal grills, sealed cooking grills that recover waste heat, systems that use broilers with uniform heat distribution, and the like.

[0004] However, these grills involve a person manually inputting the type of food to be cooked, flipping food products (e.g., hamburgers), measuring the temperature for safety, and cleaning the grill. Such systems have been found to lack flexibility in that, due to the limited number of conveyors, the types of food products that can be cooked at one time are limited. U.S. Patent No. 9,788,687, dated October 17, 2017, describes a system for cooking hamburgers without a person flipping the hamburger, the system comprising individual upper and lower plates for each patty and a conveyor for moving the patties. This takes up more space than a typical grill due to the conveyor system and does not provide for putting desirable grill marks on the cooked patties and flipping the patties on the grill. U.S. Patent No. 7,997,189 describes an oven and broiler that utilize convective heat and radiant heat to cook food, including a housing that defines a cooking chamber with an inlet for introducing uncooked food into the cooking chamber, an outlet for removing cooked food, and a conveyor for conveying food products from the inlet to the outlet, an array of heating elements, and a compressed air injection system for providing a bank of moving air over food products at an initial stage of cooking so as to divide a blanket of cold air over the food products. Such systems lack flexibility in that, due to the limited number of conveyors, only a few types of food can be handled at one time. Further, in such systems, food products cannot be flipped so that grill marks (if any) are applied to both sides.

[0005] U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014 / 0023755 provides a clam shell grill having a user interface that enables a user to select an initial cooking recipe for a food product by determining an actual product thickness of the food product, determining whether the actual product thickness of the food product is greater than or less than the product thickness of an original cooking recipe, and executing a modified cooking recipe to account for changes in the actual product thickness during a cooking cycle if the actual product thickness of the food product is greater than or less than the product thickness of the cooking recipe. The modified cooking recipe adjusts at least one parameter of the initial cooking recipe. However, the clam shell type grill has been found to lack flexibility in that it limits the number of different types of food products that can be cooked simultaneously in a fixed number of zones. Further, the clam shell type does not accommodate direct flame, which is desirable for many types of food.

[0006] There are other appliances for automating kitchen work, including robotic arms powered by multiple electric motors from various manufacturers such as Fanuc (TM mark) in Japan and the UR5e (TM mark) of Universal Robots.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] An autonomous cooking grill is provided that cooks food safely, reliably, and efficiently in an autonomous manner.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The self - cooking grill includes a rotating cooking surface including one or more grill nets, and has a processor, a user interface, an inversion station, a temperature measurement station, a removal station, and a cleaning station, uses a detection system to recognize food products, and executes a cooking procedure based on the recognized type of food product.

[0010] In one embodiment, a self - cooking grill is provided that includes a main body that supports the grill net and at least one heat source directed toward or coupled to the grill net, and the grill net and at least one tool are movable relative to each other such that a portion of the grill net can be aligned with at least one tool according to a cooking sequence.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the grill net rotates relative to at least one tool.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, a plurality of tools are spaced apart from the grill net.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one tool includes at least one self - inverter.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one tool includes at least one self - remover.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one tool includes at least one self - cleaning tool for the grill net.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one tool includes a self - temperature probe.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the grill further includes an additional cooking surface disposed at the center of a hub surrounded by the grill net.

[0018] In certain exemplary embodiments, at least one heat source includes at least one gas burner for heating the grill grate.

[0019] In certain exemplary embodiments, at least one heat source includes at least one electric heat source.

[0020] In certain exemplary embodiments, at least one heat source includes both a gas heat source and an electric heat source.

[0021] In certain exemplary embodiments, an additional cooking surface is heated by a first heat source that is different from a second heat source used to heat the grill grate.

[0022] In certain exemplary embodiments, the first heat source is electric and the second heat source is gas.

[0023] In certain exemplary embodiments, the grill further comprises a bin capable of holding food.

[0024] In certain exemplary embodiments, the grill further comprises a main controller coupled to a plurality of signal inputs and an actuator controller for controlling an actuator and transmitting an output based on a signal input.

[0025] In certain exemplary embodiments, the main controller is coupled to a detection system for applying a food item recognition program as an input for determining a cooking algorithm.

[0026] In certain exemplary embodiments, the grill further comprises a user interface coupled to a control system used when operating the grill.

[0027] In certain exemplary embodiments, the grill further comprises at least one data interface for providing cooking log data.

[0028] In one exemplary embodiment, the grill comprises a network data interface for transmitting log data to a central server.

[0029] In one exemplary embodiment, the grill further comprises an indexing mechanism for determining the position of the rotatable grill grate.

[0030] In one exemplary embodiment, the grill further comprises a wall disposed on the lower side of the body below the grill grate, the wall separating a relatively high-temperature zone including at least one heat source from a relatively low-temperature zone where at least one tool around the grill grate is aligned.

[0031] In one exemplary embodiment, at least one heat source is sent from a fuel source, the fuel source is regulated by a regulating valve, the regulating valve is computer-controlled, connected to an inlet fuel line, and a heat sensor is configured to measure the temperature of at least a part of the grill grate, and the temperature is used to control the regulating valve.

[0032] In one exemplary embodiment, the heat sensor provides a temperature reading to a controller, and the controller uses the temperature reading to control the regulating valve to vary the amount of fuel delivered to each of the at least one heat source, increasing or decreasing the temperature of the grill grate.

[0033] In another aspect, there is provided a system comprising at least one self - contained cooking grill as defined above, a network interface coupled to each of the at least one self - contained cooking grill for obtaining data generated by each grill, and a central server coupled to each grill via the respective network interface for data exchange with each grill.

[0034] In another aspect, there is provided a method of detecting the position of a food product being cooked on a self - contained cooking grill as defined above, detecting the type of the food product, determining a cooking algorithm for each detected type of food product, and rotating the grill according to the cooking algorithm.

[0035] In one exemplary embodiment, the method further rotates, when cooking is complete, to the removal zone as needed and activates the removal tool.

[0036] In one exemplary embodiment, the method aligns the food product with the flipping tool and flips the food product at the indicated time in the cooking algorithm.

[0037] In one exemplary embodiment, the method aligns the food with the temperature probe and determines the temperature of the food during the cooking algorithm.

[0038] In one exemplary embodiment, the method further aligns the grill grate on which the food product is placed with the scraping tool and activates the scraping tool to clean the grill grate for the next cooking iteration.

[0039] In one exemplary embodiment, the method further aligns the food with a specific warming bin depending on the type of food.

[0040] In another aspect, a computer-readable medium is provided that includes computer-executable instructions for performing the method as defined above.

[0041] In another aspect, an autonomous cooking grill is provided that includes a body supporting a grill grate with at least one heat source directed or coupled to the grill grate, and the grill grate is rotatable in a clockwise direction and / or a counterclockwise direction.

[0042] Embodiments will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0043]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 1a and 2a, an autonomous cooking grill 10 is provided. This autonomous cooking grill 10 includes a cooking surface such as a central grill grate 30 (or griddle 350, shown as a solid metal plate in FIG. 13), a rotatable hub 40, and a hub rotation mechanism 39 (shown in FIG. 8). The grill grate 30 (or griddle 350) is supported by a frame 29 connected to the hub 40, and the hub rotation mechanism 39 (not shown) is connected to the hub 40. When the hub rotation mechanism 39 operates, the hub 40 is supported by the grill body 20 that rotates the grill grate 30 (or griddle 350). In an alternative embodiment, the grill grate 30 (or griddle 350) can be rotated by an external gear system. The rotatable hub 40 in this example is used to rotate the grill grate 30 relative to the surrounding tool features 22 (see also FIG. 2b), but the hub 40 can also be held stationary relative to the grill grate 30 such that the central cooking surface is disposed within the surrounding grill grate 30 that moves relative to the hub 40. Thus, the hub 40 can represent a component of the rotatable grill grate 30 or a separate component that can rotate relative to it as further described below. Further, although a generally circular grill grate 30 and hub 40 are shown, any shape can be utilized as long as it is indexable relative to the additional tool features 22.

[0045] The self - cooking grill 10 can have one or more additional tool features 22, such as one or more self - turning tools (singular or plural) 62, one or more self - removing tools (singular or plural) 100, 110, a self - cleaning grill tool 72, and a self - temperature probe 90. It can be understood that other tool features 22 not shown, such as in FIGS. 1a and 1b, can be incorporated, for example, into self - access, loading, removal, etc. With these additional tool features 22, the self - cooking grill 10 can bake appropriate food products, turn the food products over automatically, measure the internal temperature, remove the food products from the grill grate 30, and clean the portion of the grill grate 30 on which the food products are placed. In further embodiments, various combinations of the above - mentioned features can be implemented. In one embodiment, these tool features 22 can be combined into one or more tools, each having a plurality of tool features 22. The examples provided herein illustrate that the self - cooking grill 10 can use gas for cooking and can use an electric actuator (not shown) to rotate the grill grate, but it can be understood that other heat sources such as electric induction can be used.

[0046] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1a, 2a, 3, 4, 5a - 5d, and 6a, there is a self - cooking grill 10 with a rotatable grill grate 30 inside the grill body 20. On the outer periphery of the grill grate 30, there are a first turning - tool housing 60 and a second turning - tool housing 50, each housing a turning tool 62. Alternatively, for example, one turning tool 62 with a tool - changing function from a meat - turning tool to a vegetable - turning tool can be provided. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a, there is also a grill - cleaning tool housing 70 for housing the grill - cleaning tool 72 and a temperature - probe housing 80 having a temperature probe 90 with a thermometer 92. In alternative embodiments, one or more of the turning tool 62, the grill - cleaning tool 72, and the temperature probe 90 may be arranged at the center of the grill grate 30 or the griddle 350, or above a gantry - type system.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the grill body 20 can be installed on legs 25 sized to raise the body 20 to a height sufficient to accommodate an actuator (not shown) or other mechanisms disposed below and / or inside the actuator cover 300, i.e., other mechanisms disposed below the grill body 20.

[0048] As can be seen in the configuration example shown in FIG. 1a, the hub 40 has an extraction opening 44, through one of which the first extraction surface 100 can be seen, and through another extraction opening 44, the second extraction surface 110 can be seen. On the opposite side of the first extraction surface 100, there is a first extraction ramp 120 ending at the first bin 140. On the opposite side of the second extraction surface 110, there is a second extraction ramp 130 ending at the second bin 150. The extraction surfaces 100, 110 are the same in this embodiment, but can also be distinguished for different food products.

[0049] In an alternative embodiment, instead of the above-described extractor(s), one or more additional tools (e.g., embodied as the turner 62) that lift rather than push the food into the bins 140, 150 may be used. In a further alternative embodiment, instead of the above-described extractor(s) (plural possible), the turner 62 that turns the food may also function as an extractor by scooping up the food, but instead of turning the food, the turner 62 rocks to drop the food product into the bins 140, 150. Thus, the extractor 62, which also serves to "release" the food into the bins, may be placed near the bins or the bins may be moved near the extractor 62. In yet another embodiment, a tool exchange function may be provided so that one mechanism can perform turning, extraction, temperature probing, and cleaning. That is, a set of tool features 22 may be interchangeable with a common base portion having a quick connect or other attachment mechanism to enable the tool feature "heads" to be automatically (and / or manually) exchanged as needed for the grill 10 to perform different functions. This may be advantageous, for example, in a grill zone with a small footprint or area for working. Such an exchange function can be implemented using any additional robotic or manual function, such as a "rolodex" of command-exchangeable heads.

[0050] Figure 1b shows another configuration example of the self - cooking grill 10. In this example, the grill body 20 is supported by a frame. The frame of this example provides a set of legs 25 that are selected to have a height for placing the grill net 30 and other cooking surfaces (e.g., those arranged on the hub 40) at a desired height. The legs 25 are adjustable manually or automatically. The legs 25 may not be needed, for example, when the grill 10 is placed on an existing tabletop or other structure. The grill body 20 includes a set of control knobs 220 for individually controlling the gas flow of individual burners or for individually controlling other heating elements (e.g., induction elements) used. In other embodiments, the control knobs may not be used. For example, an on / off switch may be coupled to an emergency stop button and an adjustment / solenoid gas valve to electronically control one, a pair, a plurality, or all of the burners. Thereby, the grill 10 can automatically adjust the gas flow to one or more burners, for example, by using values for starting a full gas flow (on / off) or for individually controlling the gas flow to each burner (or a subset of burners). In this embodiment, the user interface (UI) terminal 260 is supported above the grill body 20 so as not to obstruct the forward - facing plane where food products can be placed on the grill net 30. In this embodiment, a right - hand heat - insulating panel 171 is provided together with a rear panel 174 and a removal - side panel 172. Further features related to the configuration shown in Figure 1b are described below.

[0051] Figure 1c shows another configuration of the self - cooking grill 10 having a lower profile than the figure shown in Figure 1b, as illustrated side - by - side with the figure shown in Figure 1d. In the configuration shown in Figure 1c, when using a computer - controlled or other non - manual gas flow control system, which will be described later with reference to Figure 7d, the panel of the control knob 220 can be eliminated. The overall height of the grill body, as shown in the side - by - side comparison, can be adapted to a particular existing desktop or work space. For example, a low profile such as that shown in Figure 1c may enable a relatively short person to use the grill 10 more comfortably. On the other hand, a high grill grate as shown in Figure 1d may be required to better match the height of the grill grate 30 with the upper surface of an adjacent counter. Thus, elimination of the operation knob 220 enables thinning, but it is not necessarily utilized. In such a case, additional space may be available under the grill grate 30 to accommodate the various mechanisms and tools discussed herein.

[0052] In the configuration shown in FIG. 2a, the hub 40 is surrounded by the grill 30, and this grill 30 is surrounded by one or more tool features 22 that interact autonomously with the food products being cooked on the grill 30. That is, the grill 30 rotates relative to the tool features 22 that are held in a stationary state. The hub 40 may be connected to the grill 30 and rotate with the grill 30, or as described above, the hub itself may remain stationary relative to the grill 30 and can be used to provide an additional cooking surface. This configuration and relative movement of substantially concentric portions of the grill 10 can also be applied to the configuration shown in FIG. 1b. FIG. 2b schematically shows this arrangement, where the food product (p) rotates clockwise on the grill 30 while the hub 40 and the tool features remain stationary. It can be understood that counterclockwise movement is also possible. As shown in FIG. 2b, at time t, the food product is positioned adjacent to the tool feature 22 in the lower right corner of the figure, while at t - 1 and t + 1, the same food product is positioned adjacent to the previous and next tool features respectively. For example, other indexing can be used to move the food product to additional positions between the tool features 22, and it will be understood that each indexed position does not necessarily coincide with the next tool feature 22.

[0053] The relative movement shown in FIG. 2b is just an example. For example, as shown in FIG. 2c, with the hub 40 and the grill 30a remaining stationary, the outer platform 30b or other structure can rotate about the grill 30a to move the tool feature 22 to the food product (p). In this example, the food product p2 is held stationary such that the tool feature 22 that interacts with it at time t was previously adjacent to the food product p1 and next adjacent to the food product p3. It can be understood that the hub 40 can also be rotatable relative to the grill 30a and the outer platform 30b in other configurations. That is, each of the grill 30, the hub 40, and the outer platform 30b can be rotatable such that various relative indexings can be applied.

[0054] Also, it can be understood that the tool feature part 22 is housed above the baking net 30 and the hub 40 and is not relatively rotated with respect to the cooking surface(s), but can be arranged downward toward the cooking surface(s) so as to interact with the food product. Similarly, each tool feature part 22 is housed under or outside the cooking zone and can be moved to the cooking zone when necessary, for example, when additional robotic articulated joints can be accommodated. Such a function can be adopted when integrating the self-regulating cooking grill 10 with other self-regulating kitchen appliances (such as cooking appliances and food serving appliances).

[0055] Next, referring to FIG. 2d, a light source 14 is shown, which is coupled to the controller 12 such that a light beam or curtain 15 can be used to detect the presence of an operator 16 or other object entering a "cooking zone" associated with the baking net 30 and / or the hub 40, as well as any surrounding area that may have moving parts such as around the tool feature part. The light curtain 15 can be generated such that a break in the light beam or curtain activates an input to the controller 12, for example, stopping the movement of the self-regulating cooking grill 10 until the curtain 15 is restored or a manual input / override is detected. Thereby, an automatic safety switch for the grill 10 is provided.

[0056] FIG. 2e shows an example of such a light source 14 in the configuration shown in FIG. 1b. In this example, the light source 14 includes a light emitter and a detector arranged between the side walls 171, 172 with an opening therebetween. It will be understood that this is only one possible arrangement of the light source 14. Also shown in FIG. 2e is a mounting post 261 to which the UI screen 260 is attached. The mounting post 261 also provides a mechanism for supporting an image system 263 positioned such that its field of view 265 is directed toward the starting position on the baking net 30, enabling the image system 263 to detect the presence of a new food product, perform image recognition or other computer vision techniques to identify the type of food product, and appropriately adjust the cooking time and sequencing.

[0057] In the embodiment of FIG. 1a, as shown in FIGS. 5a to 5d, the grill body 20 can include a grill body upper surface 160 (see FIG. 1a), a grill body side surface 170, a grill body rear surface 175, and a grill body front surface 190. The grill body side surface 170 and the grill body rear surface 175 have grill body vents 180. On the front surface of the grill body 20, a first drip pan handle 200 and a second drip pan handle 210 extending from a first drip pan slot 205 and a second drip pan slot 215, respectively, can be seen. In another embodiment, there are four drip pans. It will be understood that the drip pans are for managing drips of food products resulting from grilling any food, and other methods of collecting drips and food debris may be utilized. FIG. 1b shows another example in which a pair of drip pan slots 215 are disposed under the control knob 220.

[0058] On the front of the cooking grill 10 shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 1a, 2a, and 3, there are a gas knob panel 220, a removal system panel 240, and a main user panel, also referred to herein as a UI screen, denoted by the numeral 260. As shown in FIG. 3, the removal system panel includes a first removal counter 242, a second removal counter 244, a first removal reset button 246, a second removal reset button 248, and an emergency stop button 250. Since there may be cases where it is not necessary to count the number of times food is removed from the system, the removal system is optional, and instead this information can be collected by load sensors and / or vision sensors, and data can also be collected remotely. The data can be displayed on the UI screen 260. The main user panel 260 has a main user display 262, a temperature probe maintenance button 264, and first through fifth food product selection buttons 266, 268, 272, 274, 276. The UI screen 260 may be mounted on a stand for the grill or a flip screen on the grill, or it can be mounted on a cart. The grill 10 can also be on a cart. As will be understood, the above components can be in different locations, can have different configurations, can be operated by a touch screen, can be remotely operable, or can be accessed by an App or a computer program. If there are vision sensors and load sensors, button operation may not be required. Data can be collected for quality control and / or for improving the cooking process. The touch screen can be detachably coupled to the front, top, or side of the self - cooking grill 10.

[0059] Figures 5a through 5d show the grill body 20 of the embodiment shown in Figure 1a. To cover the extractor 99 (not shown), an extraction port plate 282 having an extraction port 283 is attached to the upper part of the extraction port stand 280. The first drip tray 284 and the second drip tray 286 are respectively placed on the first drip tray support shelf 285 and the second drip tray support shelf 288. The front part 190 of the grill body has an intermediate grill body front segment 290 between the bins 140 and 150.

[0060] Figure 5e shows the rotating frame 29 of the embodiment shown in Figure 1b that supports the grill net 30. The frame 29 rotates via a shaft 42 controlled by a motor 47. In this example, a series of struts 33 project from the lower side of the frame 29 at the interface of each station or section of the grill net 30. In this way, an image system, a magnetic switch, a proximity sensor, an optical sensor, or other detector mechanisms can be used to determine when the grill net 30 reaches the next station during rotation. It can be understood that the strut 33 is only an example of a detection mechanism used to determine when the rotation operation should be stopped in order to enable cooking time or other operations to be performed at that position before further rotation of the grill net 30. The frame 29 shown in Figure 5e can also be adapted for use with the embodiment shown in Figure 1a by appropriately modifying the outer ring 34 of the frame 29 (see Figure 8).

[0061] Figure 6a shows the components of the cooking grill of Figures 1a, 2a, 3, and 4 disassembled, and shows the first grill guard 310, the second grill guard 312, and the third grill guard 314 that provide any backup to prevent the grill net 30 from slipping off and capture oil splashing. Figure 6a also shows the bins 140 and 150 that fit into the pockets or recesses in the front part of the grill 10 to align with the extractor used in the embodiment shown in Figure 1a.

[0062] FIG. 6b shows an alternative configuration corresponding to that shown in FIG. 1b, where bins 140, 150 are arranged along side wall 172 and fit into pockets 141, 151 respectively while protruding through opening 173, as also seen in FIG. 6c. In this way, when food products are removed from bins 140, 150, bins 140, 150 can be removed at an appropriate time without interrupting the operations being performed at the front of grill 10.

[0063] FIG. 7a shows the heating system of cooking grill 10 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a, but is also adaptable for use in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1b. In this example, gas burner 320 receives gas from gas inlet 330 through gas inlet piping 335 and then gas is supplied when one of gas knobs 222, 224, 226, 228, 232, 234 is opened to the gas piping 340 of its respective burner. It will be understood that there may be one or more gas burners (e.g., one aligned with each grill grate 30), as well as one or more controls for the gas burners, or self - regulated heating from the gas burner(s). Further, there may be one or more deflectors or radiant shrouds for distributing heat, made of various materials such as cast iron, stainless steel, ceramic, etc. Alternatively, the burner can be placed under such a shroud to create a heat vortex and prevent the accumulation of grease.

[0064] Next, referring to FIG. 7b, a schematic layout of a set of burners 320 is shown. The set of burners 320 provides burners 320 aligned with each grilling mesh 30, and pairs of burners 320 are supplied by a common gas feed 950. That is, in this exemplary arrangement, six sets of burners 1A / 1B, 2A / 2B, 3A / 3B, 4A / 4B, 5A / 5B, and 6A / 6B are arranged about the perimeter of grill 10, and an additional two sets of burners 7A / 7B and 8A / 8B are aligned with the central fixed grills 40, 400. By having multiple burners 320, in this case, at any given rotational point of the self - regulating grill 10, having one burner 320 aligned with each grilling mesh 30 can provide a more even heat distribution that avoids both cool spots and hot spots. Further, having individual burners 320 provides the ability to individually control the amount of heat supplied to a particular grilling mesh 30, thus providing additional control and programmability based on factors such as the required cooking time, the food product being cooked, or the ambient temperature.

[0065] In the configuration shown in FIG. 7b, the natural gas supply 952 is sent to a shut - off valve 954 mounted on the wall, and this shut - off valve sends it to a pressure regulator 956. The pressure regulator 956 sends it to a normally - closed solenoid valve 958, which can be turned on when the grill 10 is operated. Valve 958 is sent to a heat flow meter 960 that enables the flow rate value to be calculated before the gas is sent to the gas distribution manifold 962. Manifold 962 sends gas to each of the gas valves 964, which are provided for each set of burners 320 one by one. Valve 964 may be a flow - control safety valve.

[0066] FIG. 7c is an electrical distribution schematic showing electrical distribution terminals 966, one for each pair of burners 320, connected to an igniter 968 and having spark electrodes 970 that provide a spark for igniting each burner 320 when gas is flowing to that burner 320. An electrical source 972 is connected to a normally open relay 974, which is connected to an on / off switch 976 mounted on the panel. A gas flow valve relay 978 is used to power a gas flow valve solenoid 958 (see FIG. 7b). This ensures that gas flows to the burner 320 only when the igniter 968 is able to ignite.

[0067] Figure 7d shows a computer-controlled fuel supply and control system 1000 that can be incorporated into the self-cooking grill 10 as shown in FIG. 1c and does not require individual control knobs 220. With this system 1000, the grill 10 can utilize high heat to quickly warm the grill grate 30 while avoiding the need to manually throttle the flame or manually observe the temperature of the grill grate 30. The gas inlet can be fed into a gas control valve 1002 (e.g., a natural gas control valve). The valve 1002 controls a gas feed line 1004 that sends gas to a manifold (not visible in FIG. 7d). The manifold distributes gas to the safety gas valves 1006 of each burner 1010 via respective burner feed lines 1008. It can be understood that the gas valve 1006 can be a flow control or on / off safety type valve. In this embodiment, the grill grate temperature sensor 1012 uses an infrared beam 1014 directed at one or more of the grill grates 30, and the grill control system can automatically monitor and control the grill grate surface temperature by adjusting the control valve 1002, for example, to maintain the grill grate temperature within a threshold temperature range. It will be understood that other temperature sensors 1012, such as a thermocouple, may be used additionally or alternatively. The configuration shown in FIG. 7d provides an even fuel supply to each burner 1010 (activated by its valve 1006) and maintains a consistent grill grate surface temperature for consistent cooking. Thus, only the temperature of a single grill grate 30 is required to perform the monitoring and control. It will be understood that the computer control system 1000 also enables the grill 10 to perform an automatic warm-up operation and automatically adjust the temperature of the grill grate according to what is being cooked.

[0068] FIG. 7e is a perspective view of the underside of the chassis of the self - cooking grill 10. To help control the heat within the housing zone, a double - firewall system can be used. The double - firewall system includes a pair of wall structures 1020 that provide an additional layer of material between the high - temperature firebox zone 1022 and the relatively low - temperature zone 1024 that includes delicate mechanisms located beneath the upper surface of the chassis. The wall structures 1020 can be spaced apart from each other to provide an air gap. This gap can also be filled with insulation material. A high - temperature insulation paint can be applied to the wall structures 1020. A flexible insulation material such as Kevlar® can be wrapped to further suppress heat conduction. By separating the “high - temperature” zone 1022 from the “low - temperature” zone 1024, fresh air can be blown around the low - temperature zone 1024 of the chassis, which can help prevent stagnant air from being heated. For example, by a pair of blowers (not shown) rated at 250 m 3 / h, the system can discharge all the air within the chassis every 2.5 seconds.

[0069] Figure 8a shows the grill wire mesh system of the cooking grill 10 according to the embodiment shown in Figure 1a, which can be used or adapted to utilize the features in the embodiment of Figure 1b, for example, as shown in Figure 5e. The wire mesh 30 in this example consists of wire mesh segments 35 that rest on a support frame 29 composed of an inner frame ring 31, an outer frame ring 34, and frame spokes 37 therebetween. (The frame 29 can also be tubular with a corresponding shape to securely rest on the wire mesh 30.) The outer edge of each wire mesh segment 35 forms a wire mesh lip 36 that rests on the outer frame ring 34. The inner frame ring 31 is attached to a hub 40. The wire mesh can be composed of wire mesh segments 35 on the frame 29 for easier cleaning, or it can be composed of a removable integral wire mesh or griddle for cleaning. The wire mesh 35 (or wire mesh 350) and the support frame 29 can be continuous and still be removably attached to the hub 40 so that they can be removed for cleaning. Figure 2a shows an overview of an alternative frame embodiment for supporting the wire mesh 30.

[0070] The hub rotation mechanism 39 consists of a hub mounting piece 43, an axle 42, and an actuator connector 41. The axle 42 is attached to a hub mounting piece 43 with the first end fixed under the center of the hub 40. The axle 42 is connected at the second end to an actuator connector 41 that is attached to an actuator (not shown) within an actuator cover 300. It will be understood that the movement is affected by each actuator and the mechanism can be driven in available modes such as pneumatic, hydraulic, belt drive, lead screw, ball screw, etc. For example, two actuators (one for rotation and one for extension) for each turnover tool 62, one actuator for the grill cleaner 72, one actuator for the temperature probe 90, one actuator for rotating the axle 42, three actuators for the turnover removal tool (one for extension, one for rotation, and one for swiveling) each can be considered. Other rotation mechanisms such as a Harmonic Drive (registered trademark) can also be used.

[0071] Another grill structure is shown in FIGS. 8b, 8c, 8d, and each grill 35 corresponds to each cooking surface. That is, although FIG. 8a illustrates a set of three cooking surfaces for each segment 35, one or more cooking slots or areas designated for each cooked food item can correspond to segment 35. FIGS. 8b and 8c show the potential trade-off between the number of cooking surfaces or slots and the amount of space available within the chassis for heat insulation, thermal management, and liner movement of the mechanism. The example shown in FIG. 8b provides 14 cooking surfaces (segments) 35, and the example shown in FIG. 8c provides 12 cooking surfaces (segments) 35. In this example, it is observed that by reducing the number of grills 35, additional area is provided around the grill 30 for a chassis of a given size. Further, by reducing the number of cooking surfaces (segments) 35, the number of burners 320, 1020 can be reduced. This results in an overall smaller cavity and less cast iron being used, thus reducing gas consumption. Further, as shown in FIG. 8d, the resulting grill is wider and can thus accommodate larger diameter patties and other cooked items. Thus, the shape and number of cooking surfaces (segments) 35 can be adjusted to the specifications required by the grill 10 for a particular application or installation, allowing for further customization and adaptability to various cooking environments.

[0072] FIG. 8e further illustrates the configuration considerations that can be made to adapt the size of the grill 10 to different footprints in which the grill 10 is incorporated and existing workspaces. For example, in the lower figure of FIG. 8e, a design such as that shown in FIG. 2b having a set of control knobs 220 can expand the footprints of the frame 20 by up to 2 inches in this case. Thus, removing the control knobs 220, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2c, can provide additional design configuration options. In one option, the overall size of the grill 10 can be made smaller by having a shorter depth. In another option, using the same footprints, the size of the chassis can be increased by the dimensions associated with the control knobs 220 to have additional space for the linear movement of the mechanisms and tools described herein. For example, the flipper 62 can be designed to have longer fingers in an attempt to create a more enhanced or accurate flipping operation. Different configurations are shown in FIG. 8e, and when the control knobs 220 no longer need to be accommodated within their footprints, the overall grill depth (G d ) allows for a greater chassis depth (C d ) within the same footprints.

[0073] FIGS. 9a and 9b show the self - contained flipper 62 of a cooking grill adaptable for use in the embodiments of FIGS. 1a, 1b or other configurations. In this example, the flipper 62 is covered by a first flipper housing 60, and the second flipper housing 50 can be the same except for a different arrangement around the grill grate 30. The flipping system has a first flipper housing 60 that houses the flipper 62. This housing can be removed with a quick - release handle 64. In this embodiment, such a handle 64 can be seen on each of the first flipper housing 60, the second flipper housing 50, the grill cleaning tool housing 70, and the temperature probe housing 80. It will be understood that other mechanisms for securing the housing may be used.

[0074] When the turnover device 62 operates, the turnover device 62 emerges from the turnover device housings 50, 60. The lower protrusion 61 of the turnover device slides just below the top of the grill slat 28 (see FIG. 8), and the upper protrusion 63 slides above the food product. The carriage of the turnover device may be attached to a lead screw driven by a motor. When the motor operates, the lead screw rotates and pushes the turnover device forward. The carriage of the lead screw is attached to a cam that provides the moving direction of the turnover device, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Next, the turnover device 62 is instructed to rise in order to lift the food product held between the upper protrusion 63 and the lower protrusion 61. Another motor may be connected behind the connection part between the turnover device attachment and the turnover carriage. When the turnover device is instructed to rotate, this motor may turn on. Other mechanisms, such as magnets, can also be used to rotate the turnover device 62. The turnover device 62 rotates 180 degrees to return the food product onto the grill slat 28 (inverting the upper and lower protrusions to the lower and upper protrusions), and then the turnover device 62 rotates 180 degrees to return into the housings 50, 60. In this embodiment, the turnover device 62 slides out of the housings 50, 50 by a lead screw driven by an electric actuator, moves on a cam that raises the turnover device from the grill, a second actuator rotates the turnover device 180 degrees, and retreats it to the home position on the cam. In an embodiment having a griddle 350, the lower protrusion 61 slides along the griddle 350. The protrusions 61, 63 may also be removable from the turnover device 62 using, for example, magnets or other coupling / decoupling mechanisms.

[0075] Figures 9c, 9d, and 9e show alternative configurations of the turnover device 62. First, referring to FIGS. 9c and 9d, the turnover device 62 can include a pair of opposing protrusions 61, 63 sized and spaced such that the protrusions 61, 63 can be inserted between the slats 28 of the wire mesh 30 as described above. Also, in this embodiment, a side guard 65 may be included to encourage the insertion of the food product between the pair of protrusions 61, 63 to enable a rotational movement to "turn over" the food product such that the opposing side is placed on the wire mesh 30. In this embodiment, the turnover device 62 is coupled to the main body 600 via a turnover device motor 602. As seen in FIG. 9d, the main body 600 also supports a wheeled axle 608 that follows a track 606 when a drive motor 610 moves the main body 600 towards and / or away from the wire mesh 30. The drive motor 610 can take the form of a captive nut type motor that rotates a nut that interacts with a threaded shaft 612. That is, when the drive motor 610 rotates its internal nut, this causes the motor 610 to follow along the shaft 612 and the movable upper portion of the main body 600 to follow the contour of the slot 606, and as a result, lift the turnover device 62 as shown in FIG. 9e. In this way, the turnover device 62 inserts the protrusion 61 (or 63) from below between the slats 28 and captures the food product between the set of protrusions 61, 63 as it rises through the slats 28, and then raises the food product from the wire mesh 30, minimizing any possible damage to the surface of the food product that may occur when scraping the food product from the wire mesh 30. The drive screw mechanism shown from FIG. 9c to FIG. 9d is merely an example, and it will be understood that other examples include pulling with a belt, articulated arms, telescopic arms with pivotable hinges, and the like.

[0076] The extractor 99 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a is for pushing, pulling, or ejecting food from the baking net 30 or the griddle 350. In one embodiment, the extractor 99 (not shown) may have the same configuration and function as the turnover tool 62 described above. In a further embodiment, the turnover tool 62 may not have a separate extractor but may also function as an extractor (this may be the case when it is necessary to move the turnover tool 62 near the bin).

[0077] In an embodiment having a separate extractor 99, FIGS. 10a and 10b show an autonomous extractor 99 for a cooking grill. In this figure, it is described as having a first extraction surface 100, but an extractor having a second extraction surface 110 may be the same, and the only difference is the arrangement around the hub 40 and may have different extraction surfaces as desired. The extraction surface 100 is extended by an extraction extension arm 105. The extraction extension arm 105 has an extraction arm attachment mechanism 102 having a slot for attaching the extraction surface 100. The extraction surfaces 100, 110 have an extraction surface attachment mechanism 103, and the extraction surface attachment mechanism 103 fits into the slot 104 of the extraction arm attachment mechanism 102 attached to the tip of the extraction extension arm 105. The extraction surface attachment mechanism 103 can be fixed to the slot 104 by a fastener or magnet (not shown) through corresponding arm attachment holes 106 and surface attachment holes 107. The extractor 99 is located under the extraction plate 282 (shown in FIGS. 5a and 5d), and there are extractors 99 on both sides of the axle 42 that rises through the extraction plate opening 283.

[0078] When the ejector 99 operates, the telescopic ejection extension arm 105 extends and presses the ejection surfaces 100, 110 against the food product, pushing the food product out of the grill 30 or the griddle 350. The grooves 101 in the ejection surfaces fit into the grill slats 28 so that the ejection surfaces can scrape the food product from the grill 30. In the case of the griddle 350, the ejection surfaces 100, 110 are lifted to scrape the food product from the griddle, and the ejection surfaces 100, 110 may be flat surfaces instead of having the grooves 101 in the ejection surfaces. The telescopic movement of the ejector 99 is driven by a cable and pulley system under the grill by an electric actuator. It is understood that the ejector 99 may have different configurations, including not having telescoping sides. For example, the ejector 99 may have a rigid shaft that operates to extend the ejection surfaces 100, 110 forward, and there may be room in the hub to accommodate additional length.

[0079] An alternative retrieval system 100 is shown in FIG. 10c, which is adapted to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1b, but can also be adapted for use in the embodiment of FIG. 1a by being placed below the baking grid 30. In this example, the retrieval system 100 includes a set of fingers 702 that are raised through slots 704 in a plate 706 that is placed under the baking grid 30 so that the spaces between the slats 28 of the baking grid 30 are aligned with the fingers 702. The fingers 702 are coupled to a body (not visible), which, as shown in FIG. 10d, after causing the fingers 702 to emerge vertically, pushes forward to lift the food product from the baking grid 30 and push it towards bins 140, 150, as also seen in FIG. 10d, and supports a wheeled axle 714 along the contour of a slot 708. The retrieval system 100 can use a threaded shaft 720 that a drive motor 716 with a captive nut moves during operation, similar to the inverter 62 shown in FIGS. 9c - 9e. The retriever 700 not only provides a larger surface area for interacting with the food product, but also, by emerging from below, can lift the food product from the baking grid 30 more evenly and uniformly so as not to damage the baked surface of the cooked food product. Further, by placing the retrieval system 700 below the baking grid 30, space in the hub 40 region can be saved and / or not utilized as compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a.

[0080] Figures 11a and 11b show the self - cleaning grill tool 72 of the cooking grill 10 according to the embodiment shown in Figure 1a, with the grill cleaning tool housing 70. The grill cleaning tool 72 of the self - cooking grill cleans the grill bars 28 (or griddle 350) after food products are removed therefrom. In the case of an embodiment of a self - cooking grill with a grill 30, the grill cleaning surface 73 can have grooves that scrape towards the hub 40 along the grill bars 28, scraping back any debris that falls through the grill 30 into the grill cleaner housing 70. The grill cleaning tool 72 can be powered in this example by a sliding belt driven by an electric actuator that pushes the grill cleaning tool 72 rearward on the grill 30. Alternatively, the scraper can also be driven by a rack - and - pinion lead screw or a pneumatic actuator. As shown in Figure 13, in an embodiment with a griddle 350, the grill cleaning tool 72 can have a flat surface 73 (not shown) for cleaning the griddle 350, and food debris can be pushed out through the extraction opening 44 on the opposite side of the grill cleaning tool housing 70 and through a slot (not shown) in front of the grill cleaning tool housing 70.

[0081] Figure 11c shows another configuration example of the embodiment shown in Figure 1b. In this example, a similar grill cleaning tool 72 and surface 73 that enable cleaning of the slats 28 of the grill 30 are shown. In this example, the grill cleaning tool 72 is supported by a body 750 that is driven along a threaded shaft 754 using a captive nut - type drive motor 752 to provide accurate control and reliability similar to some of the other tool features 22 described above. It will be understood that the configuration shown in Figure 11c is also adaptable for use with the embodiment shown in Figure 1a and need not be limited to a specific configuration.

[0082] Figures 12a through 12c show the self - regulating temperature probe arm 90 of the cooking grill 10 as shown in FIG. 1a, having a thermometer 92 and a temperature probe housing 80. FIG. 12a shows the temperature probe arm 90 in a sterilization position where the thermometer 92 and the temperature probe arm 90 can be manually wiped with a disinfectant. FIG. 12b shows the temperature probe arm 90 in the home position, and FIG. 12c shows the temperature probe arm 90 in the probing position. In this embodiment, the temperature function is activated for food products (thus not vegetable pates) that need to reach a specific temperature for safety. However, it can also be used for quality control to ensure reaching a desired temperature for either safety or food order reasons (e.g., to achieve a specific "doneness" level such as detecting medium - rare vs. medium - done). When activated to obtain a temperature measurement when a food product is present, the temperature probe arm 90 swings on an axle driven by a belt and an electric actuator, lowers the thermometer 92 into the food for a certain period of time, and then retracts the temperature probe arm 90 back to the home position. The motor rotates in one direction to move the temperature probe arm 90 downward and in the opposite direction to move the temperature probe arm 90 upward. The temperature probe arm 90 and the thermometer 92 usually need to be disinfected after being used multiple times according to a safety protocol. This can be programmed to be done automatically after a certain period of time, or the temperature probe maintenance button 264 can be manually pressed. When the disinfection position is activated, the temperature probe returns to the disinfection position. The temperature probe arm 90 and the thermometer 92 can usually be manually disinfected with a food - grade sterilizing wipe. Disinfection can also be done by holding the thermometer 92 in a flame to reach a temperature suitable for disinfection. The disinfection position is not essential, but it will be understood that it is useful to avoid the disinfectant dripping onto the grill 30. It will be understood that disinfection can also be automated (e.g., by holding the thermometer 92 over the grill 30 when there is an open flame).

[0083] Figures 12d and 12e show another configuration example of the temperature probe arm 90, which does not pivot to the temperature reading position in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 12a to 12c, but rather moves forward and backward toward the food product. In this example, the probe arm 90 is supported within a locking collar 762 that allows the probe to be adjusted according to the thickness of the food product being measured. The probe arm 90 can include a tip 92 that includes a thermometer or other temperature sensing mechanism for measuring the temperature of the food product into which it is inserted. The collar 762 is coupled to a drive motor 764 that can include a threaded shaft 766 or a captive nut for advancing the motor 764 along a drive screw as described above. The body of the motor 764 can also slide along parallel guide shafts 768 to inhibit rotation of the motor 764 itself. As shown in FIG. 12e, the cover 80 can be fixed adjacent to the grill 30 with the probe arm 90 directed toward the station where the temperature is measured by actuating the motor 764 to advance the probe arm 90 toward the food product. It will be understood that the configuration of the probe arm 90 shown in FIGS. 12d and 12e can also be adapted for use with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a.

[0084] Figure 12f shows yet another configuration example of the temperature probe arm 90. In this configuration, the tip 92 projects vertically from the end of the probe arm 90, and the probe arm 92 is operated by a rotation mechanism 770. The rotation mechanism 770 includes a probe arm 90 rotatably coupled to a piston-driven actuator 774, and can include a height adjustment stopper 772 for controlling the height of the tip 92 when the probe arm 90 is rotatably deployed. The rotation mechanism 770 is controlled by a motor 778 housed in a housing 776, and the housing 776 is fixed under the upper surface of the chassis of the grill 10 similar to that shown in, for example, FIG. 6a. By operating the rotation mechanism 770, the probe arm 90 rotates downward toward the grill 35 to engage the tip 92 with the object to be cooked. The probe arm 90 and / or the tip 92 may be removable to facilitate cleaning.

[0085] The housing described above will be understood to be useful for protecting the mechanisms of the turner 62, the temperature probe arm 90, and the grill cleaner 72, but not essential.

[0086] The self - cooking grill 10 can grill any food, but the self - regulating function of the cooking grill shown in the figure functions with suitable food products that can be turned over by the turnover tool 62 and taken out by the take - out tool when being cooked on the grill net 30. When the central grill net or griddle is arranged at the hub 40, other foods can be cooked simultaneously, regardless of the self - regulating cooking procedure. Further, specific stations can be selectively used, such as when only rotation and temperature measurement are required. Examples of such suitable food products include hamburgers (meat and vegetables), steaks, fish, chicken, sausages, samosas, Jamaican patties, bagels, ham slices, dumplings, waffles, breakfast sandwiches, and preferably other foods having consistency and / or shape such that they do not fall off or break apart from the griddle when turned over. When using the griddle 350, the food options may increase. Further, by using an emergency stop button (or any manual mode, e.g., via a touch - screen button), the grill net 30 can be used as a conventional stationary grill during tool failure or as desired. That is, a manual mode can be provided in which the grill net 30 is stationary or simply continues to rotate without being automated. In such a mode, the tool can be retracted from the grill net 30 to enable manual use without problems.

[0087] It will be understood that the self - cooking grill can be used to grill any food without activating the functions that provide self - regulating turnover and / or take - out, and / or temperature measurement. Also, if necessary, the self - cleaning tool 72 of the self - regulating grill can be not activated.

[0088] When an appropriate food product is set on the self - cooking grill 10, the self - turning device 62 turns the food product over, and the self - extraction system removes the food from the grill 30. The self - cooking grill can also be provided with a self - cleaning device 72 for cleaning the segments of the grill 30, and further can be provided with a self - temperature probe system for measuring the temperature of the food product. By combining all these features, the embodiment shown in the figures (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b) turns the food product over, provides a consistently and safely cooked food product, provides a food product with grill marks on both sides, performs quality control checks on the food temperature for safety, removes the food product when cooking is complete, and provides a self - cooking grill 10 that cleans the grill for the next food product.

[0089] In the operation of the self - cooking grill 10 shown in the attached drawings, particularly in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, by opening the gas knobs 222, 224, 226, 228, 232, 234, a gas flow can be individually supplied to the gas burner 320. Alternatively, the user can manually ignite one or more burners and / or implement other electronic and automatic ignition systems. The temperature of the grill grate 30 may be displayed on the main user display 262 in some embodiments, and this display may also show the temperature of the thermometer 92 (FIG. 12a) on the temperature probe 90 and the log information of any notifications, alarms, and any safety protocols (e.g., Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, known as "HACCP"). All of these information and controls can be adapted as necessary, and the information can be displayed locally or remotely and can be controlled by one or more computing devices that include a touch screen or remote control instead of a knob. A control system having a computer with a processing unit can be programmed to manage the specific food being cooked on the self - cooking grill and the various components of the grill. An example of such a control system 820 is shown in FIG. 18 and will be further described below. It can be understood that in the event of a failure of the visual system or other self - governance failures, the display screen may provide UI options for selecting the type of food product added to the grill grate 30 at any given time. Further, such UI options can provide the option to manually move a part of the tool (e.g., the flipper 62) to enable cleaning, maintenance, etc.

[0090] The processing unit can be configured to rotate the grill grate 30 or the griddle 350, operate the flipper 62 to flip any food, operate the temperature probe arm 90 to check the temperature, operate the grill cleaner 72, and adjust the gas flow.

[0091] Typically, when the grill grate 30 or griddle 350 gets hot enough, the grill is started and the temperature of the grill grate / griddle can be determined using an infrared sensor. By pressing any of the selection buttons 266, 268, 272, 274, 276, an actuator (not shown) is electrically turned on and the self - cooking grill can be left plugged into an outlet (the cord and plug are not shown). Alternatively, when a patty or food is placed on the grill grate or griddle, a vision sensor or load sensor senses and automatically starts the rotation of the grill grate or griddle. The actuator rotates an axle 42 connected to the lower part of the hub mounting mechanism 43, and this hub mounting mechanism 43 is attached to the hub 40 at its upper part. Since the hub is above the removal plate 282, the axle is connected to the bottom of the hub mounting mechanism 43 by the removal plate opening 283. When the hub 40 rotates above the removal plate 282, the grill grate 30 rotates counterclockwise.

[0092] The self - cooking grill 10 can be programmed so that the grill net 30 stops at 12, 14, or other desired number of rotations. For example, in another embodiment, the self - cooking grill has 14 slots instead of 12. In alternative programming (e.g., using different cooking procedures 810... see FIG. 17 described later), depending on the type and / or amount of food product on the grill, stops are set only at stations (e.g., flipping, temperature, and cleaning). That is, the grill net 30 can stay in a particular position until it needs to be indexed to the next station. For example, a patty is cooked in place until it needs to be flipped, at which time the cooking algorithm indexes the grill net 30 so that the patty is in line with the flipper 62. In this way, various rotation procedure logics can be used. When used, the selection buttons can be set to cook various food products, for example, to settings for cooking various patties such as large beef patties, regular beef patties, vegetable patties, junior beef patties, and slider (mini - beef) patties respectively. In this embodiment, the selection buttons light up to indicate which selection is active and to confirm the selected setting. To cook different patties, either the visual system 263 detects the different types or the corresponding selection button is pressed to initiate the cooking protocol for the next new patty (e.g., overwrite the UI). In this way, there is one selection item for a large beef patty, and the next selection could be a vegetable patty, etc.

[0093] The self - regulating grill stops at each position as the grill net 30 or griddle 350 rotates. Using each individual grill net segment 35 as a position, the grill net may stop at each rotation to move to the position of the next grill net segment, or it may stop only at specific positions when any operation such as turning over, cleaning, temperature probe, and / or taking out is required. In one embodiment, the grill cleaning tool housing 70 is at the 12th position and moves counterclockwise, and the next position is the first position where each patty is first placed / loaded onto the grill net 30 or griddle 350. A plurality of sensors (e.g., weight or camera / vision... refer to Figure 2e) are used to detect that the patty is currently placed on the grill net 30 or griddle, automatically start the rotation, and automatically activate appropriate operations (turning over, temperature probe, taking out, cleaning).

[0094] When the vegetable patty selection button is selected, when the vegetable patty reaches the first turnover tool housing 60, the turnover tool 62 turns over the patty during its stop, and the vegetable patty moves forward. When the vegetable patty rotates on the grill 30 a sufficient number of times for cooking, when the patty comes to the next of its stop positions, the first take - out tool activates, and the take - out surface 100 pushes the patty onto the first take - out ramp 120 and into the first bin 140. If there is another vegetable patty on the grill, it goes through the same stop and processing. When the take - out tool activates, the grill cleaning tool 72 also activates, comes out of the grill cleaning tool housing 70, and scrapes the grill for the next patty or food product.

[0095] When the normal beef patty selection button is selected and the normal beef patty reaches the second turnover tool housing 50, the turnover tool 62 turns the patty over while it is stopped, and then the patty advances. In an embodiment with a temperature probe, the grill 30 stops at the temperature probe housing 80, the temperature probe operates to the probing position where it inserts the thermometer 90 into the patty, and then returns to the idle position. The temperature of the patty or food on the grill / griddle can all be recorded according to the HACCP logging protocol. When the hamburger rotates on the grill 30 a sufficient number of times for cooking (for example, if the desired temperature has not been reached, it can be rotated further), the second take-out surface 110 pushes the patty onto the second take-out ramp 130, and the second take-out tool operates to put it into the second bin 150. In accordance with the HACCP principle, the temperature probe maintenance button 264 lights up, an audible alarm sounds, indicating that the thermometer 92 needs to be manually disinfected, or it may be exposed to a flame to be heated sufficiently to meet the required hygiene standards. In other alternative embodiments, the grill / griddle rotates clockwise, the stops can be more or less, the grill can be larger or smaller, there may be only one turnover tool and one take-out tool, or there may be multiple turnover tools and take-out tools, the rotation speed can vary, and there may be one gas knob or one on / off switch to control all burners. Further, the grill or griddle can rotate counterclockwise or clockwise and can take an optimal path by the logic of artificial intelligence. For example, if the food reaches optimal cooking and continues to move in the direction it is moving and will move away from the take-out tool, it can change direction to reach the take-out earlier.

[0096] By using different take-out tools, ramps, and bins, the possibility of cross-contamination can be avoided, and it is also possible to meet the consumer preference of not wanting food products to come into contact with other food products.

[0097] Since the patties and other food products are in close proximity to the heat from the grill, they remain warm in bins 140 and 150. Further, the bins can be made of heat-insulating material to keep the cooked food warm. Alternatively, the food products can be placed in a zone having an electric heater, such as a bin having a warming station or an electric heater.

[0098] It will be appreciated that the self-cooking grill is programmed to be advantageous for certain applications and users. The vision sensor and load sensor can be customized according to the desired application of the self-cooking grill to sense operations such as whether there is meat or a vegetable burger, when to turn it over, measure the temperature, take it out, clean it, etc.

[0099] When two types of patties, for example, a regular meat patty and a vegetable patty, are being cooked, the selection button for the meat patty is selected, the meat patty is placed at position 1, and when the meat patty is at position 2, the selection button for the vegetable patty is selected and the vegetable patty is placed at position 1. Each time the grill grate 30 rotates, the meat patty is turned over in the second housing 50 and the vegetable patty is turned over in the first housing 60. The selection button indicates that the patty will come to its place after stopping 6 times for the meat patty and 3 times for the vegetable patty, so the turnover device 62 operates only to turn over the correct patty based on the selection button. The turnover device 62 does not turn over based on the presence of a hamburger even if the selection button is selected. In an alternative embodiment, the turnover device turns over based on the presence of the patty sensed by a load cell and / or a vision system.

[0100] The time for the food product to rotate on the grill 30 can be set using the illustrated buttons, or a remote control, an app, a computer program, etc., based on the selected option. For example, in one setting, the junior beef patty rotates twice for 45 seconds each, for a total of 90 seconds, and the regular beef patty and vegetable patty each rotate four times for a total cooking time of about 180 seconds. For a larger beef patty, six rotations may be required for a total of 270 seconds. It will be appreciated that increasing the size of the grill 30 allows the patty to be cooked with fewer rotations, and increasing or decreasing the heat will increase or decrease the cooking speed.

[0101] In an alternative embodiment, a load cell and a vision sensor detect the type of food product and automatically select the number of rotations and where and when the food product is flipped and removed, rather than pressing a selection button.

[0102] In one embodiment, when a food product is added to the bin, the respective first and second removal counters 242, 244 continue to be tracked by a vision sensor or a weight sensor, and when the removal amount, such as 10 patties, is reached, an audible alarm warning indicating that the bin needs to be emptied is issued. Thereafter, the bin 140 or bin 150 becomes empty and the respective removal reset buttons 246, 248 are pressed to reset. When either bin is removed, the grill 30 stops rotating so that the ejector does not push out the food product without a receiving bin. When the bin is replaced, the rotation of the grill resumes.

[0103] Drips, food scraps, grease, etc. fall through the grill 30 (or the holes in the outlet 44 and the griddle 350) and are received by the first drip tray 284 and the second drip tray 286. To clean the first drip tray 284, pulling the first drip tray handle 200 causes the first drip tray 284 to slide out of the first drip tray slot 205. To clean the second drip tray 286, pulling the second drip tray handle 210 causes the second drip tray 286 to slide out of the second drip tray slot 215.

[0104] The housings, namely the first turnover tool housing 60, the second turnover tool housing 50, the grill cleaning tool housing 70, and the temperature probe housing 80, are not essential, but they keep the grill cleaning tool 72, the turnover tool 62, their internal operations, and the internal operation of the temperature probe cleaner. Each of the housings 50, 60, 70, 80 can be fixed with a quick release handle 64 so that it can be easily removed and reinstalled when cleaning is required, or can have other methods of fixing to the grill, or can not be used at all, or can be configured as one continuous housing for the turnover tool 62, the grill cleaning tool 72, and the temperature probe 90.

[0105] The grill can be composed of conventional grill materials or newly developed materials. For example, the grill body can be made of stainless steel, especially 10-gauge 304 stainless steel. The burner can be a propane-compatible natural gas burner. Twelve burners in six sets can be provided in each grill slot. For safety, for example, if the gas knob is on without a flame, the gas valve is automatically shut off. Also, if there is no electricity, the gas tap automatically turns off (there may be an option to turn it on manually). The grill grate 30 can be made of high-quality cast iron or suitable food-grade steel, or other materials such as ceramic. Each part of the grill grate where the hamburger is placed may have parallel lines so that all the grill marks of the patty are parallel, or any grill marks that are aesthetically pleasing are acceptable. The frame 29 of the grill grate 30 can be made of steel.

[0106] The turnover tool 62, the grill cleaning tool 72, the extraction surfaces 100, 110, the bins 140, 150, and the housings can all be easily removed for frequent cleaning. The grill grate segment 35 can also be easily removed for cleaning, but the frequency of cleaning required is low.

[0107] In the electrical alternative, there are no gas burners, gas knobs, gas piping, etc., and instead, corresponding electrical connections to an electric heat source are included. In a further alternative, debris and drips can be captured by passing them through the holes of the griddle 350, for example, one hole for each section where food products are placed, and the configuration can be such that large drip trays 284, 286 are not required.

[0108] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a, there are two turners 62, two extractors 99, one temperature probe 90, and one grill cleaner 72, but it will be understood that the grill can be expanded or contracted and can have a single or multiple turners, etc. This embodiment can have a grill grate 30 or a griddle 350. It should be understood that the embodiments described herein are not limited to specific variations as various changes or modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims and equivalents can be substituted. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure, each of the individual embodiments described and illustrated herein has individual components and features that can be easily separated from or easily combined with any of the features of some of the other embodiments. Further, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation, material, composition of matter, process, process act(s) or step(s) to the purpose, spirit or scope of the embodiments described herein. All such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the claims herein.

[0109] The self - cooking grill 10 shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 further includes a non - rotating center grill 400 shown in FIG. 15. This center grill 400 may be a grill net or griddle for manually cooking foods such as hamburgers 500, chicken 510 and / or wieners 520. FIG. 14 shows a hub 40 having a hub opening 45 that allows heat to rise from additional gas burner(s) (not shown), for example, four central gas burners or one large gas burner. The self - cooking grill 10 having the center grill 400 does not include a drawer 99, and thus the hub 40 is lower than the hub 40 shown in FIGS. 1a, 2a, 3, 4, 5a - 5d, and 6a. The center grill 400 or the entire self - cooking grill 10 of this embodiment may alternatively be heated by electricity. The center grill 400 is placed on a grill ring 401, and this grill ring 401 is held on the hub 40 by a ring support 402. It will be understood that the center grill could be rotatable if, for example, it were instead connected to the hub by a central support (not shown). The center grill 400 can also be used in any configuration having one or more tool features 22, together with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1b and related figures described above.

[0110] FIG. 15 shows some modifications to the self - cooking grill of FIG. 14, namely, the addition of a cover 410 and the removal of the housing of the drawer 62. The self - cooking grill 10 shown in FIGS. 1a, 2a, 3, 4, 5a - 5d, and 6a can also be configured with such a cover 410. The cover 410 partially covers the grill 30 or griddle 350, confining the heat, thus shortening the cooking time and preventing the splashing of grease. The cover 410 is removable and can be made of sheet metal. In FIG. 15, a temperature probe 90 is placed beside the drawer 62.

[0111] In a further embodiment, the self - cooking grill 10 comprises a grill net 30 or a griddle 350 connected to a rotatable hub connected to a hub rotation mechanism, which is supported by the grill body. When the hub rotation mechanism operates, the hub rotates the grill net. Further, it further comprises a robot or a robot arm capable of performing one or more of the functions of turning over food, taking out food, removing food, measuring the temperature of food, and cleaning the grill net or the griddle. In this embodiment with a robot arm, the robot arm can be located beside, above, or as part of the self - cooking grill 10. Such robot arms are available from third parties and provide 4 degrees of freedom or up to 7 axes. If required by regulations, industrial robot arms covered with a sleeve pressurized with clean and dry air to limit contamination, a sleeve for food or to ensure compliance with such regulations, or a similar material are available.

[0112] In a further embodiment, the self - cooking grill 10 comprises a grill net 30 or a griddle 350 connected to a rotatable hub connected to a hub rotation mechanism, all of which are supported by the grill body, and comprises one or more turners 62, and a robot arm capable of performing one or more of the functions of taking out food, removing food, measuring the temperature of food, and cleaning the grill net or the griddle. Alternatively, the self - cooking grill 10 may further comprise a grill cleaner 72 and / or a temperature probe 90, and the robot arm performs at least the function of taking out food or removing food.

[0113] If there is no power to rotate the self - regulating grill 10, and if gas is still available, cooking can be done manually like a normal grill or griddle. Further, the operator can be given the option not to use automation, in which case the index grill can continue to move without the need to stop with a particular tool during the cooking procedure. For this purpose, the self - regulating grill 10 can be implemented using an index grill 30 as described in any one of the configurations described herein without necessarily requiring a tool positioned with respect to the grill grate 30. That is, the index grill 30 may, in at least one embodiment, provide the main function of the cooking grill 10 itself.

[0114] FIG. 16 is a top - down view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1b to illustrate one configuration including an image system 263, a first turner 62, a temperature probe arm 90, followed by a second turner 62b, followed by a pair of retrieval systems 700 (only one aligned with the bin 150 is shown), and a scraper 72. It will be understood that the position and spacing of the tool features 22 are made according to the expected food product, and different indexing timings can be utilized accordingly. For example, the grill grate 30 can rotate more slowly or use multiple rotations depending on the thickness of the hamburger or steak being cooked. Further, the indexing is done in both directions and does not have to be done in the same direction. For example, when cooking a food product that is to be turned twice, a single turner 62 can be used. After the first turn, the temperature is measured, further cooking is done, then the grill grate 30 is reversed and turned again, and the temperature is measured again before moving to the retrieval station.

[0115] Next, referring to FIG. 17, a cloud-based connection system 800 for connecting and controlling a plurality of locations 804 (e.g., restaurants) to a central server 802 via one or more networks 806 is shown. In this example, three locations (Location A 804a, Location B 804b, and Location C 804c) are shown for illustrative purposes with various features omitted for ease of illustration. For each location, at least one grill 10, 10a, 10b, 10c in this example, is used. Each location 804 stores a data store 808 for cooking logs and a data store 810 for cooking procedures, either on the grill 10 or on a connected computer network or off-machine computer storage. The cooking log 808 can be used to track cooking time, temperature measurements, inventory levels, etc.

[0116] In a commercial kitchen, the existing systems such as inventory management, equipment network, and point-of-sale (POS) management can be integrated with the self-regulating cooking grill 10 to further automate the commercial kitchen environment. For example, when a food product is taken out of the storage, it can be tracked through the inventory system, then through the restaurant order system, then through the addition to the grill 30, then through the self-regulating cooking grill 10, to the server ticket, the addition to the invoice and accounting, and the updated information sent through a wider network. Each event is recorded and tracked in a log and used as a trigger for further operations such as placing a new inventory order, updating the invoice, and issuing the final invoice or bill. The data collected during these operations can be further analyzed to predict future demand and improve the kitchen workflow procedures. Additionally, the order data can be provided to the self-regulating cooking grill 10 in real time to adjust cooking time, "doneness", and other attributes based on what the server entered into the order system. For example, a table that ordered three strip loin steaks may have three different cooking types (e.g., one well-done, one medium-rare, and one medium). Next, when the operator places the food product on the grill 30, the control system 820 can determine, for example, that the first one should be associated with the longest cooking time. The system can also use past order data to create a detailed cooking schedule and a list of when to cook to minimize the hold time. It can also recommend the timing to have patties waiting at the end of the day. Furthermore, due to the connectivity shown in this specification, the grill 10 can be remotely monitored and diagnosed to provide operation and maintenance feedback to the main control system 820.

[0117] The cooking procedure 810 can be used to enable the self-regulating grill 10 to utilize central control programming logic that can be updated and modified based on information collected by the central server 802 through cooking logs 808 generated at different locations 804, for example, using machine learning or other analysis systems (not shown).

[0118] As described above, the self - regulating grill 10 includes a control system 820 that enables utilization of its various features and autonomously operates the tool feature 22. FIG. 18 shows an example of a control system 820 that can be incorporated into the grill 10. In this example, the control system 820 has a system memory 828 and a communication bus 824 and includes a main controller 822 that provides input / output (I / O) to sensor and actuator controllers. The main controller 822 also includes a processor. The system memory 828 stores an operating system 830, which in this example implements a Robot Operating System (ROS) 832. ROS 832 includes a cooking algorithm 834, which in this example is an implementation of the cooking sequence 810 shown in FIG. 17, a data collection system 836 for creating, for example, a cooking log 808, and a Human - Machine Interface (HMI) display system 838 for providing a user interface to, for example, the above - mentioned screen 260. The main controller 822 can communicate with a user interface 840 that includes an emergency stop 842 (e.g., an override button), a mode selection switch 844 (for selecting a cooking mode, whether via a UI or other button / switch / input mechanism), and an HMI screen, e.g., the UI displayed on the screen 260.

[0119] The main controller 822 also communicates with a sensor and actuator controller 848. This can include a first motor controller and sensor encoder module 850, a second motor controller and sensor encoder module 852, and a third motor controller and sensor encoder module 854. Sensors 866 can provide input to the sensor and actuator controller 848 and any machine vision system 868 such as the above - mentioned image system 263. The machine vision system 868 can include a food item recognition program 870 to enable detection of food products placed on the grill grate at any given time.

[0120] The sensor and actuator controller 848 controls the actuator 858 via the motor driver module 856 and controls the gas flow control valve 862 in the gas mode and the flame ignition module 864 via the relay module 860.

[0121] Next, referring to FIG. 19, operations that can be performed by the control system 820 are shown. In block 900, the grill 10 can be preheated to a desired cooking temperature. The screen 260 can indicate to the operator when the machine is ready to start cooking. In block 902, the grill operator places a raw (or otherwise uncooked or to-be-cooked) food product, such as a hamburger patty, on the grill at the front of the grill grate 30 at the loading station, as seen in FIG. 1b for example. In block 904, if the light curtain beam 14 is interrupted during loading, all movement stops, and when the operator successfully loads the food product and exits the detection zone, the movement resumes. In block 906, the indexing mechanism of the grill rotates counterclockwise (in the example shown in FIG. 1b), and when the food product enters the field of view 265 of the image system 263, the image system 263 determines the type of food product that is at that station, i.e., the type of food product that has just been loaded.

[0122] In block 908, in this example, one of a plurality of detection options is selected. For example, a junior patty, an original patty, an Angus patty, a vegetable patty, or a chicken breast / chicken burger is selected, each having its own cooking procedure 810. In block 910, the screen 160 can be updated to indicate which type of food product has been recognized by the image system 263. Thereafter, the grill control system 820 adjusts the cooking algorithm 834 (or selects the corresponding cooking procedure 810) according to what was recognized in blocks 906 and 908. In block 912, if the image system 263 detects an incorrect food item, the operator can manually overwrite the selection via the UI presented on the screen 160.

[0123] At block 914, grill 10 rotates the indexing mechanism according to cooking algorithm 834 or cooking procedure 810. When the correct number of full rotations occur and the food items are at their respective flipping stations, flipper 62 is actuated. For example, at block 916, when the patty is recognized as a vegetable burger, the indexing mechanism rotates to vegetable flipper 62a. On the other hand, at block 918, when the patty is recognized as a meat patty, the indexing mechanism rotates to meat flipper 62b. In either case, cooking algorithm 834 or cooking procedure 810 resumes, and at block 920, grill 10 continues to rotate until cooking algorithm 834 or cooking procedure 810 indicates the completion of patty cooking. If one of flippers 62a, 62b malfunctions, the other can be used, and if vegetable flipper 62a is being used with meat, the vegetable patty can be moved to the center grill (e.g., if provided in the area of hub 40) until the problem is resolved. When the grill section with the patty reaches the temperature probe station, temperature probe arm 90 extends to contact the patty, and the temperature is measured at block 920.

[0124] At block 922, if the measurement of the temperature probe indicates that the patty has not yet reached the desired internal temperature, cooking algorithm 834 or cooking sequence 810 can rotate the indexing mechanism so that the patty moves around the grill again or, alternatively, be updated to continue to be exposed to the heat source for additional time. At block 924, if the measurement of the temperature probe indicates that the patty has reached the desired internal temperature, the cooking algorithm rotates the indexing mechanism so that the patty moves to the removal station. At block 926, when the patty is recognized as a meat patty, the indexing mechanism rotates until the meat patty comes to meat removal tool 700a. When the patty is recognized as a vegetable patty, the indexing mechanism rotates until the vegetable patty comes to vegetable removal tool 700b.

[0125] In block 930, if it is detected that the holding bins 140 and 150 are full after the removal process, the display 160 can notify the user to empty the respective holding bins 140 and 150. Thereafter, the grill 10 continues to rotate until the holding bins 140 and 150 are emptied and replaced. In block 932, next, the indexing mechanism rotates so that the grill section from which the patty has just been removed is positioned at the cleaning tool station, and the cleaning mechanism 72 operates to clean that grill section. In block 934, the indexing mechanism rotates so that the grill section that has just been cleaned is at the patty loading station, and the process is repeated at block 902. At any time during autonomous operation, if a subsystem fails or encounters a mechanical failure, an emergency stop button (mechanical, software, or both) is selected to stop the operation and allow the grill grate 30 and the hub 40 (if applicable) to be used as a conventional grill.

[0126] As can be understood from the logic diagram shown in FIG. 19, the grill sections do not need to pass through each station in order such that a second patty or food product passes through each station directly after the first patty or food product. That is, depending on the cooking time, the patty may spend different amounts of time rotating on the indexing mechanism until it is time to move to the next station, and thus, the grill 10 can execute the cooking procedure 810 or the cooking algorithm 834 in parallel depending on the food product being cooked. In this way, multiple different types of food can be cooked simultaneously using the same autonomous grill 10.

[0127] For the sake of simplicity and clarity of illustration, reference numerals may be repeated in the figures to indicate corresponding or similar elements where considered appropriate. In addition, a number of specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described herein. Also, this description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.

[0128] It will be understood that the embodiments and corresponding diagrams used herein are for illustrative purposes only. Different configurations and terms may be used without departing from the principles shown herein. For example, components and modules may be added, removed, changed, or arranged with different connections without departing from these principles.

[0129] Also, the modules or components that execute instructions, as exemplified in this specification, may include a transient or non-transient memory medium, a computer storage medium, or a computer-readable medium such as a data storage device (removable and / or non-removable) like a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a tape, etc., or may access a computer-readable medium in other ways. It will be understood that computer storage media include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Examples of computer storage media include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical storage devices, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tapes, magnetic disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transient computer-readable medium that can be used to store desired information and can be accessed by an application, a module, or both. Any such computer storage media may be part of, accessible to, or connectable to the self-regulating grill 10, the system 800, or their components or related components. Any application or module described in this specification may be implemented using computer-readable / executable instructions that can be stored by such a computer-readable medium or held in other ways.

[0130] The steps or operations in the flowcharts and diagrams described in this specification are provided by way of example. Without departing from the principles described above, there may be many variations to these steps or operations. For example, the steps may be executed in a different order, or steps may be added, deleted, or modified.

[0131] Although the above principles have been described with reference to specific examples, various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon considering the appended claims in view of the entire specification.

Claims

1. An automatic cooking grill comprising a body supporting the grill with at least one heat source directed towards or coupled to the grill, wherein the grill and at least one tool are relatively movable with respect to each other such that a portion of the grill aligns with at least the one tool according to a cooking procedure.

2. The automatic cooking grill according to claim 1, wherein the grill rotates relative to at least one tool.

3. The automatic cooking grill according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of tools are spaced apart from the grill.

4. The automatic cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one tool includes at least one automatic turning device.

5. The automatic cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one tool includes at least one automatic extraction device.

6. The automatic cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one tool includes at least one automatic grill cleaning device.

7. The automatic cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least one tool includes an automatic temperature probe.

8. The automatic cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising an additional cooking surface disposed at the center of a hub surrounded by the grill.

9. The automatic cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one heat source includes at least one gas burner for heating the grill.

10. The automatic cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the at least one heat source includes at least one electric heat source.

11. The automatic cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one heat source includes both a gas heat source and an electric heat source.

12. The automatic cooking grill according to claim 8, wherein the additional cooking surface is heated by a first heat source different from a second heat source used to heat the grill.

13. The automatic cooking grill according to claim 12, wherein the first heat source is electric and the second heat source is gas.

14. The automatic cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a bin capable of containing food.

15. The self - cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising a main controller coupled to a plurality of signal inputs and an actuator controller that controls an actuator based on the signal inputs and sends an output.

16. The self - cooking grill according to claim 15, wherein the main controller is coupled to a detection system that applies a food item recognition program as an input for determining a cooking algorithm.

17. The self - cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 16, further comprising a user interface coupled to a control system used for operating the grill.

18. The self - cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 17, further comprising at least one data interface for providing cooking log data.

19. The self - cooking grill according to claim 18, comprising a network data interface for transmitting the log data to a central server.

20. The self - cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 19, further comprising an indexing mechanism for determining the position of the rotatable grill grate.

21. The self - cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 20, further comprising a wall disposed on the lower side of the main body below the grill grate, the wall separating a relatively high - temperature zone including the at least one heat source and a relatively low - temperature zone where an area including the at least one tool around the grill grate is aligned.

22. The at least one heat source is sent from a fuel source, the fuel source is regulated by a regulating valve, the regulating valve is computer - controlled and connected to an inlet fuel line, and a heat sensor is configured to measure the temperature of at least a part of the grill grate, and the temperature is used to control the regulating valve. The self - cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 17.

23. The heat sensor provides a temperature reading value to a controller, and the controller uses the temperature reading value to control the regulating valve to change the amount of fuel delivered to each of the at least one heat source and increase or decrease the temperature of the grill grate. The self - cooking grill according to claim 18.

24. At least one self - cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 19, and A network interface coupled to each of the at least one autonomous cooking grill to obtain data generated by each grill, A system comprising a central server coupled to each grill via a respective network interface for data exchange with each grill. **Claim 25** Detecting the position of food being cooked on an autonomous cooking grill according to any one of claims 1 to 19, Detecting the type of food product, Determining a cooking algorithm for each detected type of food product, A method of rotating the grill according to a cooking algorithm. **Claim 26** The method according to claim 25, wherein when cooking is completed, it is rotated to the removal zone as necessary and the removal tool is activated. **Claim 27** The method according to claim 25 or 26, further comprising aligning the food product with a flipping tool and flipping the food product at an indicated time during the cooking algorithm. **Claim 28** The method according to any one of claims 25 to 27, further comprising aligning the food product with a temperature probe and determining the temperature of the food product during the cooking algorithm. **Claim 29** The method according to any one of claims 25 to 28, further comprising aligning the grill grate on which the food product is placed with a scraping tool and activating the scraping tool to clean the grill grate for the next cooking cycle. **Claim 30** The method according to any one of claims 25 to 29, further comprising aligning the food product with a specific warming bin according to the type of the food product. **Claim 31** A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the method according to any one of claims 25 to 30. **Claim 32** In another aspect, an autonomous cooking grill comprising a body supporting a grill grate to which at least one heat source is directed or coupled, the grill grate being rotatable in a clockwise direction and / or a counterclockwise direction. **Claim 33** The autonomous cooking grill according to claim 32, further comprising an indexing mechanism for determining the position of the rotatable grill grate.

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