System and method for robot to prepare a food product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10682765-B2
Application number	US-201916417123-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 20, 2019
Priority date	May 21, 2018
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

A system and method utilizing a robotic arm to prepare a food product such as a meat for cooking and then subsequently assembling a sandwich from the cooked meat is disclosed. In addition, the robotic arm may also be used to wrap the assembled sandwich in a wrapper. The system may utilize a wire basket with a basket adapter, or handle, to allow the robotic arm to easily maneuver the basket and also utilize a wrapping assist device to wrap a wrapper around the assembled sandwich.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A basket adapter for engaging a wire basket comprising:
an elongated primary member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end with a body member extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the body member has a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a front surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, and a rear surface opposite the front surface, and wherein the body member includes a recess along the top surface of a central portion of the basket adapter;
a protrusion extending from the recess, wherein the protrusion extends at an acute angle to the top surface of the body member and also extends rearward of the rear surface; and
wherein the body member includes a first groove in the top surface spaced inward from the first end and a second groove in the top surface spaced inward from the second end, wherein the first groove and the second groove are both configured to engage side handles of the wire basket, and wherein the first groove and the second groove both extend from the front surface to the rear surface of the body member.

2. The basket adapter of claim 1 , wherein the body member has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

3. The basket adapter of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion has a substantially square cross-sectional shape.

4. The basket adapter of claim 1 , wherein the first groove has a planar bottom surface.

5. The basket adapter of claim 4 , wherein the first groove and the second groove are configured to slidably engage side handles of the wire basket.

6. The basket adapter of claim 1 , wherein the first groove and the second groove are configured to releasably engage the side handles of the wire basket.

7. The basket adapter of claim 1 , wherein the first groove has a width at a bottom surface of the first groove that is larger than a width at an opening at a top end of the first groove.

8. The basket adapter of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion has at least two planar surfaces.

9. The basket adapter of claim 1 , wherein the acute angle is between 25 degrees and 55 degrees.

10. The basket adapter of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is pivotally connected to the elongated primary member.

11. A basket adapter for engaging a wire basket comprising:
an elongated primary member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end with a body member extending between the first end and the second end,
wherein the body member has a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a front surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, and a rear surface opposite the front surface,
wherein the body member has a first end region adjacent the first end, a second end region adjacent the second end, and a central portion positioned between the first end region and the second end region, wherein the first end region and the second end region have a first thickness that is greater than a second thickness of the central portion of the body member;
a protrusion extending from the central portion of the body member, wherein the protrusion extends at an acute angle to the top surface of the body member and also extends rearward of the rear surface, wherein the protrusion has at least two planar surfaces and a substantially square cross-sectional shape; and
wherein the body member includes a first groove in the top surface of the first end region, wherein the first groove is spaced inward from the first end, and a second groove in the top surface of the second end region, wherein the second groove is spaced inward from the second end, and wherein the first groove and the second groove are both configured to releasably engage side handles of the wire basket using a snap fit connection.

12. The basket adapter of claim 11 , wherein the body member has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

13. The basket adapter of claim 11 , wherein the body member has a cross-sectional height within a range of 0.5 inches and 1.5 inches.

14. The basket adapter of claim 11 , wherein the first groove has a planar bottom surface.

15. The basket adapter of claim 11 , wherein the first groove has a curved bottom surface.

16. The basket adapter of claim 11 , wherein the at least two planar surfaces are arranged opposite of each other.

17. The basket adapter of claim 11 , wherein the first groove has a width at a bottom surface of the first groove that is larger than a width at an opening at a top end of the first groove.

18. The basket adapter of claim 11 , wherein the first groove and the second groove are configured to slidably engage side handles of the wire basket.

19. The basket adapter of claim 11 , wherein the protrusion is pivotally connected to the elongated primary member.

20. A system for holding a food product comprising:
a wire basket configured to hold the food product, wherein the wire basket includes a wire mesh portion and a pair of wire basket handles arranged on opposite sides of the wire basket, wherein the wire basket handles are spaced above the wire mesh portion,
a basket adapter engaged with the wire basket, the basket adapter including:
an elongated primary member having a first end and a second end opposite the first end with a body member extending between the first end and the second end, wherein the body member has a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a front surface extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, and a rear surface opposite the front surface;
a protrusion extending from the body member, wherein the protrusion extends at an acute angle to the top surface of the body member and also extends rearward of the rear surface; and
wherein the elongated primary member extends along a length of the wire basket and extends underneath the wire basket handles.

21. The system for holding a food product of claim 20 , wherein the body member includes a first groove in the top surface spaced inward from the first end and a second groove in the top surface spaced inward from the second end,
wherein the first groove and the second groove receive the wire basket handles of the wire basket, and wherein the first groove and the second groove both extend from the front surface to the rear surface of the body member.

Assignees

• Prince Castle LLC

Inventors

• Mirkhaef David
• Fienup William James

Classifications

• B65B11/004

  in blanks, e.g. sheets precut and creased for folding · CPC title

• A47J37/1295

  Frying baskets or other food holders · CPC title

• B25J11/0045 Primary

  Manipulators used in the food industry · CPC title

• A47J37/1228

  Automatic machines for frying and dispensing metered amounts of food · CPC title

• B65B25/001

  of foodstuffs, combined with their conservation (B65B25/041, B65B25/062, B65B25/067 take precedence) · CPC title