One variation of a method for dispensing toppings onto topping vehicles includes: indexing a first topping vehicle to a first position adjacent a first topping module, the first topping module comprising a first hopper containing a first topping of a first topping type; indexing a second topping veh
One variation of a method for dispensing toppings onto topping vehicles includes: indexing a first topping vehicle to a first position adjacent a first topping module, the first topping module comprising a first hopper containing a first topping of a first topping type; indexing a second topping vehicle to a second position adjacent a second topping module comprising a second hopper containing a second topping of a second topping type; retracting a first blade of the first topping module; advancing the first blade through the first topping; retracting a first retaining plate to dispense a topping slice from the first topping onto the first topping vehicle according to a first topping order for the first topping vehicle specifying the first topping type, the first retaining plate offset from the first blade opposite the first hopper; advancing the first retaining plate; and indexing the first topping vehicle to the second position.
대표청구항▼
1. A system for dispensing toppings onto topping vehicles, comprising: a conveyor configured to move a topping vehicle between a first dispense position and a second dispense position;a first topping module comprising: a first blade defining a serrated leading edge;a first retaining plate arranged o
1. A system for dispensing toppings onto topping vehicles, comprising: a conveyor configured to move a topping vehicle between a first dispense position and a second dispense position;a first topping module comprising: a first blade defining a serrated leading edge;a first retaining plate arranged over the first dispense position and offset below the first blade; anda first hopper arranged over the first blade opposite the first retaining plate and configured to dispense topping samples of a first topping type into the first blade;a second topping module adjacent the first topping module and comprising: a second blade defining a straight leading edge;a second retaining plate arranged over the second dispense position and offset below the second blade; anda second hopper arranged over the second blade opposite the second retaining plate and configured to dispense topping samples of a second topping type into the second blade, the second topping type distinct from the first topping type;an actuation system configured to: advance the first blade to slice a first topping serving from a topping sample of the first topping type;retract the first retaining plate to release the first topping serving onto the topping vehicle in the first dispense position;advance the second blade to slice a second topping serving from a topping sample of the second topping type; andretract the second retaining plate to release the second topping serving onto the topping vehicle in the second dispense position,wherein the second topping module comprises a heating element thermally coupled to the second retaining plate and configured to cooperate with the second retaining plate to heat a face of a topping sample of the second topping type in contact with the second retaining plate. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuation system comprises a first selection actuator configured to engage the first blade in a first position and to engage the first retaining plate in a second position;a first linear actuator configured to advance and retract the first selection actuator;a second selection actuator configured to engage the second blade in a first position and to engage the second retaining plate in a second position; anda second linear actuator configured to advance and retract the second selection actuator and operable independently of the first selection actuation. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first blade is rigidly coupled to the first retaining plate, is vertically offset above the first retaining plate, and defines the serrated leading edge offset ahead of a trailing edge of the first retaining plate; andwherein the second blade is rigidly coupled to the second retaining plate, is vertically offset above the second retaining plate, and defines the straight leading edge offset ahead of a trailing edge of the second retaining plate. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the actuation system comprises a first linear actuator coupled to the first blade and a second linear actuator coupled to the second blade, the first linear actuator and the second linear actuator independently actuatable during a dispense cycle based on food orders corresponding to topping vehicles arranged below the first topping module and the second topping module during the dispense cycle. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuation system comprises: a beam extending across the first topping module and the second topping module;a first selection actuator supported by the beam adjacent the first topping module and configured to selectively couple the first blade to the beam during a dispense cycle in response to entry of a first topping vehicle into the first dispense position, the first topping vehicle associated with a first topping order specifying the first topping type;a second selection actuator supported by the beam adjacent the second topping module and configured to selectively decouple the second blade from the beam during the dispense cycle in response to entry of a second topping vehicle into the second dispense position, the second topping vehicle associated with a second topping order specifying exclusion of the second topping type; anda beam actuator configured to advance and retract the beam, relative to the first topping module and the second topping module, during the dispense cycle. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second blade defines a waveform profile, and wherein the second hopper is configured to dispense topping samples of the second topping type comprising pickles. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second blade comprises a cutting plate defining a blade receptacle configured to transiently receive a razor blade. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the second blade comprises a first razor blade defining the straight leading edge and arranged in the blade receptacle in a first configuration, and wherein the second blade comprises a second razor blade defining the serrated leading edge and arranged in the blade receptacle in a second configuration. 9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a processor configured to correlate a current draw of an actuator, in the actuation system, advancing the cutting plate with a sharpness of the razor blade and configured to trigger an alarm to replace the razor blade in response to the sharpness of the razor blade falling below a threshold blade sharpness. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third topping module adjacent the second topping module and comprising: a third blade defining a grater region and arranged over a third dispense position; anda third hopper arranged over the third blade and configured to dispense topping samples of a third topping type onto the third blade, the third topping type distinct from the first topping type and the second topping type,wherein the actuation system is further configured to advance and retract the third blade to dispense grated portions of a topping sample of the third topping type onto the topping vehicle in the third dispense position. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first blade is vertically offset above the first retaining plate by a first distance, and wherein the second blade is vertically offset above the second retaining plate by a second distance less than the first distance. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the conveyor is configured to advance the topping vehicle comprising a bun heal between the first dispense position and the second dispense position;wherein the first hopper is configured to dispense topping samples of the first topping type comprising tomato onto the bun heal; andwherein the second hopper is configured to dispense topping samples of the second topping type comprising onion onto the bun heal. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first hopper comprises a stake extending from a top of the first hopper and toward the first blade, terminating above the first blade, and configured to pierce samples of the first topping type contained in the first hopper.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (56)
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