Laminated Food Dispensing Module for Automated Grill Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking systems in restaurants require significant human intervention and do not efficiently automate the transfer of refrigerated food products to cooking units, especially in aseptic conditions, leading to inefficiencies and potential contamination.
Innovation Solution
A dual-surface grill system with automated food handling and dispensing mechanisms that ensure the upper and lower platens are parallel for consistent cooking, and a food dispensing assembly using laminated food strips that can be automatically delaminated and dispensed without human contact, allowing for automated transfer from refrigerated storage to the grill.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual food handling is used to transfer food from refrigerated storage to cooking units, then human flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but contamination risk increases and operational efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary robotic arm system that acts as a mediator between refrigerated storage and cooking units. The robotic arm with gripper mechanism transfers food items without human contact, maintaining aseptic conditions while enabling automated operation. This intermediary device resolves the contradiction by providing automated transfer capability without compromising food safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service automation where the robotic arm autonomously retrieves food items from refrigerated storage, transports them to cooking units, and returns empty containers. This self-acting mechanism eliminates the need for continuous human intervention in food transfer operations, improving both efficiency and contamination prevention.
2Reliability
If automated delaminating and dispensing mechanisms are implemented, then human contact with food is eliminated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The delaminating mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: a delaminating roller that separates laminated food packaging layers, a dispensing mechanism that releases individual food items, and a positioning system. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining automated food handling capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex manual delaminating operations with a mechanically simple roller-based system. The delaminating roller uses rotational motion and friction to automatically separate laminated packaging layers, substituting what would otherwise require complex mechanical manipulation systems. This reduces device complexity while achieving the goal of eliminating human contact with food.
Data Source
AI summary
A food dispensing module for a delaminating food dispensing system includes an outer housing; and a delaminating housing. The delaminating housing has a first portion being located within the outer housing and a second portion located outside the outer housing. The delaminating housing includes delaminating nips, a first film take-up roller, a second film take-up roller, an output opening, and a trap void. The output opening is located in the second portion of the delaminating housing.