Food dispensing device and method

Patent 7337594 Issued on March 4, 2008. Estimated Expiration Date:

April 22, 2022. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Assignee

Restaurant Technology, Inc.

Application

No. 10127400 filed on 04/22/2002

US Classes:

53/495, Responsive to complete group or subgroup53/502, By weight of contents53/525, By agitation53/437, Agitating (e.g., vibrating or jarring)426/393, Involving temperature 32 degrees F. or less426/394, In container having diverse utility, e.g., dispensing, etc.426/392, Packaging or treatment of packaged product99/404, With conveyer99/355, Subsequent treating or handling222/57, By weight, volume or pressure of a second dispensed material221/81, Interrelated with means to advance cell position99/334, Of material99/325, Automatic control99/357, Combined99/336, Egg boiler or deep fat fryer type53/236, Long slender articles (e.g., matches)53/281, With separate closure221/175, WITH STACK FORMING MEANS118/19, Tumbling particulate work (i.e., rumble)221/75, With article movement from cell to cell99/353, Changing form or shape222/167, Rotatable222/219, Double-ended ejector141/1, PROCESSES99/356, Receptacle filling or closing119/51.13, Sequential discharge from plural sources211/78, Rotatable425/133.1, Concentric426/615, Plant material is basic ingredient other than extract, starch or protein222/56, Delivery from source controlled by quantity in discharging receiver222/449, With biasing means222/252, Plural222/1, PROCESSES OF DISPENSING222/77, WEIGHING221/13, Of discharge assistant operation99/330, Of cooking fluid99/483, NON-COOKING HEAT TREATMENT OF FOOD222/314, Reciprocating nonpivoted controller222/130, At least one nondispensing131/304, Including means to convey tobacco222/55, Constant weight, volume or pressure control by output119/53.5, Animal-controlled414/730, Programmable or condition responsive means controls grab operation119/51.11, Timer-controlled99/327, By time99/326, Of heat and material221/224, Plural or combined with manipulating means177/59, DISCHARGE FROM WEIGHER TO RECEIVER55/322, Serially spaced with at least one of other type intermediately positioned426/461, By steam221/24, SIMULATIONS414/421, Oscillated426/242, Product dry in final form99/407, With feeding and/or discharging99/450, Foraminous support406/63, Input to fluid conveyor99/427, Movably mounted222/352, Brush119/51.04, For aquatic animal; e.g., a fish, etc.209/592, Responsive to weight of item62/374, With article conveyer or transporter99/408, With crumb or sediment segregating or handling141/129, WITH CONVEYING MEANS TO SUPPLY SUCCESSIVE RECEIVERS62/378, ARTICLE MOVING MEANS525/132, With saturated phenolic reactant or polymer thereof; or with solid copolymer derived from at least one phenolic reactant wherein at least one of the reactants forming the solid copolymer is saturated; or with SPFI wherein at least one of the necessary ingredients is a phenolic reactant or with a reaction product thereof; or with a SICP containing a phenolic group Si-H or Si-C bond62/63, Moving through cooling zone during cooling222/66, Empty container cutoff177/16, Integrator of steadily flowing fluent material141/174, Cup-type dispenser222/306, Single inlet-outlet, adjustable bottom53/511, With receptacle forming221/62, Pivoted container component426/438, Heat treatment of food material by contact with glyceridic fat or oil, e.g., potato chip frying, etc.426/321, INHIBITING CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL CHANGE OF FOOD BY CONTACT WITH A CHANGE INHIBITING CHEMICAL AGENT OTHER THAN AN ANTIOXYGEN AGENT177/64, Controlling feed221/6, Empty source indicating means426/289, APPLYING DIVERSE EDIBLE PARTICULATE SOLID TO COAT OR IMPREGNATE A SOLID CORE, I.E., SURFACE COATING OR IMPREGNATION99/342, With signal, indicator or tester222/196, JARRING AND/OR VIBRATING177/119, Conveyer221/203, Rotary141/67, FLUENT CHARGE IMPELLED OR FLUID CURRENT CONVEYED INTO RECEIVER53/247, Simultaneous deposit of plural articles221/3, Audible222/158, Graduated transparent container or trap705/26, Electronic shopping (e.g., remote ordering)111/177, Rotating dispensing element218/7, Operating mechanism structure or arrangement141/83, WITH TESTING OR WEIGHING RECEIVER CONTENT141/196, Control by test receiver or chamber or by filled preceding receiver131/112, Packing or bundling99/331, Of heat or heater99/494, By stuffing or applying particulate material426/238, Involving wave energy of the sonic or pulsating type53/155, Diverse forms or shapes of units235/383, Mechanized store53/234, Rotary turret or carrier221/1, PROCESSES426/231, MEASURING, TESTING, OR CONTROLLING BY INANIMATE MEANS53/131.5, On continuous web99/286, With prior handling or treating (e.g., roasting or grinding)198/716, Flight means in conduit for lifting flowable solid material222/58, By the weight of the material in the supply container141/362, Relatively movable actuator198/463.4System includes gate means

Examiners

Primary: Harmon, Christopher

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Ryndak & Suri LLP

Foreign Patent References

0 335 698 EP 10/01/1989
2 491 031 FR 04/01/1982
2 200 039 GB 07/01/1988
52.2954 JP 11/01/1977
WO 86/07648 WO 12/01/1986

International Classes

A23B 4/06
B65B 1/32

Abstract

An automated food processing system and method is provided that allows food to be dispensed, fried and packaged in a suitable container, which may be an individual portion-sized container. In one embodiment, the system includes separate automated modules for dispensing, frying and packaging the food. In one embodiment, an automated dispensing device dispenses a predetermined portion of food from a food dispensing magazine located in a freezer. Food is dispensed from the magazine to a secondary container located within the freezer for containing a plurality of pieces dispensed from the food magazine. A device is provided for determining the number of food pieces in the container located in the secondary container and for dumping the secondary container so that food pieces contained in the secondary container are dumped to a location outside of the freezer.