A food dispensing apparatus includes a refrigerated cabinet having a dispense aperture, a hopper, an accumulator assembly, a weighing system, and a flap door. The hopper is positioned in the cabinet and configured to hold food articles. The accumulator assembly is positioned vertically below the fir
A food dispensing apparatus includes a refrigerated cabinet having a dispense aperture, a hopper, an accumulator assembly, a weighing system, and a flap door. The hopper is positioned in the cabinet and configured to hold food articles. The accumulator assembly is positioned vertically below the first hopper and includes an accumulator bin and a door assembly. The accumulator door is positioned in the cabinet and arranged to receive food articles dispensed from the first hopper. The door assembly is configured to retain the food articles in the accumulator bin and is actuatable between an open position and a closed position. The weighing system is configured to determine an amount of food articles held in the accumulator bin. The flap door is positioned adjacent to the door assembly and is movable between a closed position substantially sealing closed the cabinet dispense aperture, and an open position. The flap door automatically closes upon actuation of the door assembly into the closed position.
대표청구항▼
1. A support stand of a food dispensing apparatus, the support stand comprising: a basket tray having a basket support surface, the basket support surface arranged and configured to support a food basket in at least a storage position and a dispense position;a shelf elevated from the support surface
1. A support stand of a food dispensing apparatus, the support stand comprising: a basket tray having a basket support surface, the basket support surface arranged and configured to support a food basket in at least a storage position and a dispense position;a shelf elevated from the support surface of the basket tray and arranged and configured to support at least a portion of the food basket thereon when the food basket is in the dispense position; anda position sensor arranged within the shelf to detect when the food basket is positioned in the dispense position, wherein at least a portion of the food basket is positioned vertically above the shelf. 2. The support stand of claim 1, wherein when the food basket is in the storage position a front surface of the food basket is adjacent a front surface of the shelf to block the food basket from being detected by the position sensor, and wherein when the food basket is in the dispense position, at least the portion of the food basket is positioned vertically above the shelf to permit the food basket to be detected by the sensor. 3. The support stand of claim 1, wherein the shelf further comprises a sensor window. 4. The support stand of claim 3, wherein the position sensor detects the presence of the food basket through the sensor window. 5. The support stand of claim 4, wherein the position sensor is an inductive sensor. 6. The support stand of claim 5, wherein the inductive sensor detects the presence of at least the portion of the food basket when the food basket is within about 1 inch of the sensor window. 7. A food dispensing apparatus comprising: a refrigerated cabinet configured to hold food articles, the refrigerated cabinet including a dispense aperture sized to permit the food articles to pass through;a support stand configured to support a food basket to receive the food articles from the refrigerated cabinet, the support stand comprising: a basket tray having a basket support surface arranged and configured to support a food basket in at least a storage position and a dispense position;a shelf elevated from the support surface of the basket tray and arranged and configured to support at least a portion of the food basket thereon when the food basket is in the dispense position; anda position sensor arranged within the shelf to detect when the food basket is in the dispense position wherein at least a portion of the food basket is vertically above the shelf, to trigger dispensing of the food articles from the refrigerated cabinet into the food basket. 8. The food dispensing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the position sensor is an inductive sensor. 9. The food dispensing apparatus of claim 7, wherein a front surface of the shelf forms a stop to define an end of the support surface of the basket tray. 10. The food dispensing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the support stand further comprises a rear wall. 11. The food dispensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the rear wall of the support stand is rearward of the front surface of the shelf. 12. The food dispensing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the position sensor is forward of the rear wall and rearward of the front surface of the shelf. 13. The food dispensing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the refrigerated cabinet further comprises: a first hopper configured to hold the food articles within the cabinet;a first accumulator assembly positioned vertically below the first hopper, the first accumulator assembly including: an accumulator bin positioned in the cabinet and arranged to receive food articles dispensed from the first hopper; andat least one door assembly positioned within the cabinet and configured to retain the food articles in the accumulator bin, the at least one door assembly actuatable between an open position and a closed position; anda flap door positioned adjacent to the door assembly, the flap door movable between a closed position substantially sealing closed the cabinet dispense aperture, and an open position wherein the cabinet dispense aperture is open for food articles to pass through. 14. The food dispensing apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: a second hopper positioned in the cabinet adjacent the first hopper, the second hopper configured to hold food articles; anda second accumulator assembly positioned vertically below the second hopper, the second accumulator assembly including: an accumulator bin positioned in the cabinet and arranged to receive food articles dispensed from the second hopper; andat least one door assembly positioned within the cabinet and configured to retain the food articles in the accumulator bin, the at least one door assembly actuatable between an open position and a closed position. 15. The food dispensing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the position sensor is configured to generate a control signal upon detection of at least the portion of the food basket being in a dispense position. 16. The food dispensing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the food basket is located vertically below the dispense aperture when in the dispense position. 17. A method of dispensing food articles from a food dispensing assembly, the food dispensing assembly including a refrigerated cabinet, a hopper, an accumulator assembly, a weighing system, a cabinet, a basket tray, and a food article receiving container, the cabinet including a dispense aperture, the accumulator assembly including an accumulator bin and a door assembly, the method comprising the steps of: loading the articles into the first hopper;maintaining a predetermined refrigerated temperature range in the cabinet;moving food articles from the hopper into the accumulator bin;upon movement of the food article basket on a support surface of the basket tray from a storage position to a dispense position vertically below the dispense aperture, detecting with an inductive sensor the presence of the food article basket in the dispense position wherein a portion of the basket is vertically above a shelf elevated from the support surface, wherein the inductive sensor is positioned in the shelf vertically below the portion of the food article basket and generates a dispense signal; andopening the door assembly in response to the dispense signal to dispense the food articles from the accumulator bin, out of the dispense aperture, and into the food article basket. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein moving the food article basket further comprises lifting a front end of the food article basket and moving at least a portion of the food article basket over the shelf. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the food dispensing assembly further includes a flap door configured to substantially close the dispense aperture when in a closed position, the method comprising moving the flap door into an open position when opening the door assembly, and automatically moving the flap door into a closed position when the door assembly is moved into a closed position. 20. A support stand of a food dispensing apparatus, the support stand configured to support the food basket in at least a storage position and a dispense position, the support stand comprising: a basket tray having a basket support surface, the basket support surface arranged and configured to support a food basket;a shelf elevated from the support surface of the basket tray arranged and configured to support at least a portion of the food basket thereon; anda position sensor arranged within the shelf to detect a presence of at least a portion of the food basket vertically above the shelf,wherein when the food basket is in the storage position a front surface of the food basket is adjacent a front surface of the shelf to block the food basket from being detected by the position sensor,wherein when the food basket is in the dispense position, at least the portion of the food basket is positioned vertically above the shelf to permit the food basket to be detected by the sensor. 21. A food dispensing apparatus comprising: a refrigerated cabinet configured to hold food articles, the refrigerated cabinet including a dispense aperture sized to permit the food articles to pass through, the refrigerated cabinet comprising: a first hopper configured to hold the food articles within the cabinet;a first accumulator assembly positioned vertically below the first hopper, the first accumulator assembly including: an accumulator bin positioned in the cabinet and arranged to receive food articles dispensed from the first hopper; andat least one door assembly positioned within the cabinet and configured to retain the food articles in the accumulator bin, the at least one door assembly actuatable between an open position and a closed position; anda flap door positioned adjacent to the door assembly, the flap door movable between a closed position substantially sealing closed the cabinet dispense aperture, and an open position wherein the cabinet dispense aperture is open for food articles to pass through;a support stand configured to support a food basket to receive the food articles from the refrigerated cabinet, the support stand comprising: a basket tray having a basket support surface arranged and configured to support a food basket;a shelf elevated from the support surface of the basket tray; anda position sensor arranged within the shelf to detect when at least a portion of the food basket is vertically above the shelf to trigger dispensing of the food articles from the refrigerated cabinet into the food basket. 22. The food dispensing apparatus of claim 21, further comprising: a second hopper positioned in the cabinet adjacent the first hopper, the second hopper configured to hold food articles; anda second accumulator assembly positioned vertically below the second hopper, the second accumulator assembly including: an accumulator bin positioned in the cabinet and arranged to receive food articles dispensed from the second hopper; andat least one door assembly positioned within the cabinet and configured to retain the food articles in the accumulator bin, the at least one door assembly actuatable between an open position and a closed position. 23. A method of dispensing food articles from a food dispensing assembly, the food dispensing assembly including a refrigerated cabinet having a dispense aperture, a hopper, an accumulator assembly, a weighing system, a cabinet, a flap door configured to substantially close the dispense aperture when in a closed position, and a food article receiving container, the accumulator assembly including an accumulator bin and a door assembly, the method comprising the steps of: loading the articles into the first hopper;maintaining a predetermined refrigerated temperature range in the cabinet;moving food articles from the hopper into the accumulator bin by lifting a front end of the food article basket and moving at least a portion of the food article basket over an elevated shelf;upon movement of the food article basket from a storage position to a dispense position vertically below the dispense aperture, detecting the presence of the food basket with an inductive sensor positioned vertically below a portion of the food basket and generating a dispense signal;opening the door assembly in response to the dispense signal to dispense the food articles from the accumulator bin, out of the dispense aperture, and into the food article receiving container; andmoving the flap door into an open position when opening the door assembly, and automatically moving the flap door into a closed position when the door assembly is moved into a closed position. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the food dispensing assembly further includes a sensor assembly, and generating a dispense signal includes activating the sensor assembly by positioning the food article receiving container in the dispense position vertically above the sensor assembly.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (17)
Sus, Gerald A.; Dorsten, Ron; Hong, Jenny; Schackmuth, Glenn; Juneau, Christopher; Konold, Steven; Montafi, Richard; Nunley, Benny; Rose, Charles E., Automated device and method for packaging food.
Fritze Karl Jon ; Kuhlemeier Kirby Juhl ; Koerner Bruce Hamilton ; Harrison Scott Mitchell ; Hammer Donald James, Dispenser for frangible frozen food articles.
Karl Jon Fritze ; Kirby Juhl Kuhlemeier ; Bruce Hamilton Koerner ; Scott Mitchell Harrison ; Donald James Hammer, Dispenser for frangible frozen food articles.
Cahlander Robert L. (Red Wing MN) Carroll David W. (Cannon Falls MN) Hollingsworth Alfred C. (Naperville IL) Lawrence Gregory A. (Red Wing MN) Rudesill Brian R. (Woodbury MN), Food dispenser and method.
Cahlander Robert L. (Red Wing MN) Carroll David W. (Cannon Falls MN) Lawrence Gregory A. (Red Wing MN) Rudesill Brian R. (Woodbury MN), Food dispenser and method.
Cahlander Robert L. (Red Wing MN) Carroll David W. (Cannon Falls MN) Hollingsworth Alfred C. (Naperville IL) Lawrence Gregory A. (Red Wing MN) Rudesill Brian R. (St. Paul MN), Food dispenser, dispenser container and method.
McFadden David H. (Lexington MA) Caron Richard N. (Dorchester MA) Collins John M. (Ipswich MA) Farra Robert (Leminster MA) Barnes Kevin P. (Stoneham MA) Hoekstra Joop F. (Medfield MA) Hosmer Thomas P, Frozen food storage & dispensing system.
McFadden David H. (Lexington MA) Caron Richard N. (Dorchester MA) Collins John M. (Ipswich MA) Farra Robert (Leminster MA) Barnes Kevin P. (Stoneham MA) Hoekstra Joop F. (Medfield MA) Hosmer Thomas P, Frozen food storage and dispensing system.
Cahlander Robert L. (Red Wing MN) Carroll David W. (Cannon Falls MN) Hollingsworth Alfred C. (Naperville IL) Lawrence Gregory A. (Red Wing MN) Rudesill Brian R. (St. Paul MN), Prod dispenser, dispenser container and method.
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