Automated food processing system and method

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 dispenser a predetermined portion of food from a bulk storage container or food dispensing magazine. Food is dispensed from the automated dispensing device to an automated fry device that can include at least one circular fry wheel having a plurality of food containing compartments. After the food is fried it is dispensed from the fry device to an automated packaging device. The automated packaging device dispenses food to a container that may be an individual portion-sized container that is retrieved, erected and held into position for filling by an automated container handling system. After a food container is filled, a conveyor system transports the filled container to a suitable pick-up location.

1 . An automated modular system for dispensing, frying and packaging food into individual portion-sized containers comprising: 
 an automated dispensing module capable of dispensing a desired quantity of food to be fried;    an automated fry module adjacent the dispensing module to receive and fry the quantity of food dispensed from the dispensing module, and to produce and dispense a quantity of fried food;    an automated packaging module adjacent the fry module to receive and package the fried food from the fry module into an individual portion-sized container.    
     
     
         2 . The automated modular system of  claim 1  wherein the three modules are independent from each other and can be operated independently.  
     
     
         3 . The automated modular system of  claim 2  wherein any one of the modules can be deactivated and a human operator can manually perform the function of the deactivated module with manually operated equipment.  
     
     
         4 . The automated modular system of  claim 1  further comprising an automated seasoning device to put seasoning on the food.  
     
     
         5 . The automated modular system of  claim 1  wherein said dispensing module is capable of dispensing one or more of French fries, chicken nuggets, hash browns, chicken patties and fish filets.  
     
     
         6 . The automated modular system of  claim 1  wherein said automated dispensing module comprises: 
 a freezer;  
 a storage container located in the freezer for containing food to be dispensed;  
 means for dispensing a predetermined quantity of food from the storage container into a secondary container, said means for dispensing and said secondary container located in the freezer; and  
 means for dispensing the quantity of food from the secondary container to a location outside of the freezer.  
 
     
     
         7 . The automated modular system of  claim 1  wherein said fry module comprises: 
 (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;  
 (b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments, each compartment having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the fry wheel, which radial axis is disposed above the normal operating level of the frying oil in the fry vat; and  
 (c) a drive mechanism for rotating the fry wheel.  
 
     
     
         8 . The automated modular system of  claim 7  further comprising a control system for causing the drive mechanism to periodically rotate the fry wheel back and forth through a relatively small amount of angular rotation to simulate shaking of a fry basket.  
     
     
         9 . The automated modular system of  claim 6  wherein said fry module comprises: 
 (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;  
 (b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the wheel which radial axis is disposed above the normal operating level of the frying oil in the fry vat; and  
 (c) a drive mechanism for rotating the fry wheel.  
 
     
     
         10 . The automated modular system of  claim 1  wherein said automated packaging module comprises: 
 a rotatable food dispensing member having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked food and a discharge location to discharge cooked food;  
 a food dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked food from the discharge location of the rotatable food dispenser, said food dispensing chute having a discharge location.  
 
     
     
         11 . The automated modular system of  claim 6  wherein said automated packaging module comprises: 
 a rotatable food dispensing member having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked food and a discharge location to discharge cooked food;  
 a food dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked food from the discharge location of the rotatable food dispenser, said food dispensing chute having a discharge location.  
 
     
     
         12 . The automated modular system of  claim 9  wherein said automated packaging module comprises: 
 a rotatable food dispensing member having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked food and a discharge location to discharge cooked food;  
 a food dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked food from the discharge location of the rotatable food dispenser, said food dispensing chute having a discharge location.  
 
     
     
         13 . The automated modular system of  claim 10  further comprising a carton holding device for holding the individual portion-sized food carton in position to receive food from the discharge location of the dispensing chute.  
     
     
         14 . The automated modular system of  claim 13  further comprises a rotatable food collecting member disposed to collect food dispensed from the discharge location of the dispensing chute that are not deposited into the individual portion-sized food container.  
     
     
         15 . The automated modular system of  claim 1  further comprising a food carton holding device for holding the individual portion-sized food carton in position to receive food from the discharge location of the dispensing chute.  
     
     
         16 . The automated modular system of  claim 15  further comprising a conveyor system for transporting filled individual portion-sized food containers from adjacent the filling location to a filled food container holding area.  
     
     
         17 . The automated modular system of  claim 1  wherein said automated packaging device comprises: 
 a rotatable food dispensing member having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked food and a discharge location to discharge cooked food;  
 a food dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked food from the discharge location of the rotatable food dispenser, said food dispensing chute having a discharge location, wherein said dispensing chute has a food holding area for holding a quantity of cooked food deposited therein; and  
 the automated device further comprising an automated food carton retrieving device for retrieving and grasping an individual portion-sized food container.  
 
     
     
         18 . The automated modular system of  claim 17  wherein said automated retrieving device comprises a moveable member for selectively grasping and releasing the food container.  
     
     
         19 . The automated modular system of  claim 18  wherein said retrieving device is capable of grasping and releasing an unerected food container on one side and further comprising a second device for selectively grasping the unerected food container on the other side and means for moving the retrieving device and the second device relatively apart when grasping the sides of the container to erect the container.  
     
     
         20 . The automated modular system of  claim 19  wherein the container has a bottom and further comprising automated urging means for urging the container bottom upwardly relative to the sides of the container when the retrieving device and second device are moved relatively apart when grasping the container.  
     
     
         21 . The automated modular system of  claim 1  further comprising an electronic control system for coordinating the operation of said three modules.  
     
     
         22 . The automated modular system of  claim 21  wherein said electronic control system receives current customer order information and said electronic control system causes the selection from a plurality of different sizes and filling with food of the ordered size of food container in response to a customer order.  
     
     
         23 . The automated modular system of  claim 21  wherein the electronic control system receives customer order information and controls the dispensing rate of food dispensed from the food dispensing module to the fry module which dispensing automatically determines the amount of food being fried without further intervention by said electronic control.  
     
     
         24 . An automated modular system for dispensing, frying and packaging French fries into individual portion-sized containers comprising: 
 an automated dispensing module capable of dispensing a desired quantity portion of French fries to be fried;    an automated fry module adjacent the dispensing module to receive the French fries dispensed from the dispensing module;    an automated packaging module adjacent the fry module to receive and package the French fries into individual portion-sized containers.    
     
     
         25 . The automated modular system of  claim 24  further comprising an electronic control system for coordinating the operation of said three modules.  
     
     
         26 . The automated modular system of  claim 25  wherein said electronic control system receives current customer order information and said electronic control system causes the selection from a plurality of different sizes and filling with French fries of the ordered size of French fry container in response to a customer order.  
     
     
         27 . The automated modular system of  claim 24  wherein said automated dispensing module comprises: 
 a freezer;  
 a storage container located in the freezer for containing French fries to be dispensed;  
 means for dispensing a predetermined quantity of French fries from the storage container into a secondary container, said means for dispensing located in the freezer; and  
 means for dispensing the quantity of French fries from the secondary container to a location outside of the freezer.  
 
     
     
         28 . The automated modular system of  claim 24  wherein said fry module comprises: 
 (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;  
 (b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the wheel which radial axis is disposed above the normal operating level of the frying oil in the fry vat; and  
 (c) a drive mechanism for rotating the fry wheel.  
 
     
     
         29 . The automated modular system of  claim 24  wherein said automated packaging module comprises: 
 a rotatable French fry dispensing member having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked French fries and a discharge location to discharge cooked French fries;  
 a French fry dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked French fries from the discharge location of the rotatable French fry dispenser, said French fry dispensing chute having a discharge location.  
 
     
     
         30 . An automated method of dispensing, frying and packaging food into individual portion-sized containers comprising: 
 dispensing a desired quantity portion of food to be fried from an automated dispensing module to an automated fry module;    frying the portion of food dispensed from the dispensing module in the automated fry module adjacent the dispensing module to produce a quantity of fried food;    dispensing the quantity of fried food from the fry module to a packaging module;    packaging the fried food dispensed from the fry module into individual portion-sized containers with an automated packaging module.    
     
     
         31 . The automated method of  claim 30  further comprising seasoning the quantity of fried food with an automated seasoning device.  
     
     
         32 . The automated method of  claim 30  wherein said dispensing comprises automatically dispensing food from a storage container located in a freezer and onto a ramp that permits the food to enter the fry module.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said dispensing comprises: 
 dispensing a predetermined quantity of food from the storage container into a secondary container located in the freezer and dispensing the quantity of food from the secondary container to a location outside of the freezer.  
 
     
     
         34 . The automated method of  claim 30  wherein said frying comprises: 
 rotating a fry wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments, each compartment having an opening towards the perimeter, the food being contained in one of said compartments during said frying, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the fry wheel in a fry vat, which radial axis is disposed above a normal operating level of the cooking oil in the fry vat.  
 
     
     
         35 . The automated method of  claim 34  further comprising controlling a drive mechanism to periodically rotate the fry wheel back and forth through a relatively small amount of angular rotation to simulate shaking of a fry basket during said frying.  
     
     
         36 . The automated method of  claim 30  wherein said packaging comprises: 
 rotating a rotatable food dispensing member, having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked food and a discharge location to discharge cooked food, to dispense food into a food dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked food from the discharge location of the rotatable food dispenser;  
 and dispensing said food from said dispensing chute.  
 
     
     
         37 . The automated method of  claim 36  further comprising holding the individual portion-sized food carton in position to receive food from the dispensing chute with an automated carton holding device.  
     
     
         38 . The automated method of  claim 37  further comprising collecting food dispensed from the discharge location of the dispensing chute that are not deposited into the individual portion-sized food container with a rotatable food collecting member disposed to collect such not deposited food.  
     
     
         39 . The automated method of  claim 30  further comprising transporting filled individual portion-sized food containers from adjacent a filling location to a filled food container holding area with a conveyor system.  
     
     
         40 . The automated method of  claim 30  further comprising retrieving and grasping an individual portion-sized food container to be filled with an automated food carton retrieving device.  
     
     
         41 . The automated method of  claim 40  wherein said retrieving and grasping comprises grasping and retrieving an unerected food container on one side of the container with the retrieving device and further comprising grasping the unerected food container on the other side with a second device and moving the retrieving device and the second device relatively apart when grasping the sides of the container to erect the container.  
     
     
         42 . The automated method of  claim 40  wherein the container has a bottom and the method further comprises urging the container bottom upwardly relative to the sides of the container when the retrieving device and second device are moved relatively apart when grasping the container.  
     
     
         43 . The automated method of  claim 30  further comprising electronically coordinating the operation of said three modules with an electronic control system.  
     
     
         44 . The automated method of  claim 43  further comprising electronically receiving current customer order information by said electronic control system which causes selection of a container from a plurality of different size containers and filling the container with food of the ordered size of food container in response to a customer order by the packaging module.  
     
     
         45 . The automated method of  claim 43  further comprising electronically receiving customer order information and controlling the dispensing rate of food dispensed from the food dispensing module to the fry module which dispensing automatically determines the amount of food being fried without further intervention by said electronic control system.  
     
     
         46 . An automated method for dispensing, frying and packaging French fries into individual portion-sized containers comprising: 
 dispensing a desired quantity portion of French fries to be fried with an automated dispensing device to a frying device;    frying with the frying device the French fries dispensed from the dispensing module to produce a quantity of fried French fries;    packaging the French fries into individual portion-sized containers with an automated packaging device.    
     
     
         47 . The automated method of  claim 46  further comprising coordinating the operation of said dispensing device, frying device and packaging device with an electronic control system.  
     
     
         48 . The automated method of  claim 47  further comprising electronically receiving current customer order information and causing selection of a container from a plurality of different size French fry containers and filling the container with French fries of the ordered size of French fry container in response to a customer order.  
     
     
         49 . The automated method of  claim 46  wherein said dispensing comprises: 
 containing French fries to be dispensed in a storage container located in an environment that is below 32° F.;  
 dispensing a predetermined quantity of French fries from the storage container into a secondary container located in an environment that is below 32° F.; and  
 dispensing the quantity of French fries from the secondary container to a location outside of the environment that is below 32° F.  
 
     
     
         50 . The automated method of  claim 46  wherein said packaging comprises: 
 rotating a rotatable French fry dispensing member having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked French fries to discharge cooked French fries into a French fry dispensing chute positioned to receive the cooked French fries; from the rotatable French fry dispenser, said French fry dispensing chute; and dispensing the French fries from the dispensing chute into an individual portion-sized French fry container.  
 
     
     
         51 . An automated system for dispensing, frying and packaging French fries into individual portion-sized containers comprising: 
 an automated dispensing device capable of dispensing a desired quantity portion of French fries to be fried;    an automated fry module proximate the dispensing device to receive and fry the portion of French fries dispensed from the dispensing device, and to produce and dispense a quantity of fried French fries;    an automated packaging device proximate the fry device to receive and package the fried French fries from the fry device into an individual portion-sized French fry container.    
     
     
         52 . The automated system of  claim 51  wherein the three devices are independent from each other and can be operated independently.  
     
     
         53 . The automated system of  claim 52  wherein any one of the devices can be deactivated and a human operator can manually perform the function of the deactivated device with manually operated equipment.  
     
     
         54 . The automated system of  claim 51  further comprising a seasoning device to put seasoning on the French fries.  
     
     
         55 . The automated system of  claim 51  wherein said automated dispensing device comprises: 
 a freezer;  
 a storage container located in the freezer for containing frozen French fries to be dispensed;  
 a device for dispensing a predetermined quantity of French fries from the storage container into a secondary container, said device for dispensing and said secondary container located in the freezer; and  
 means for dispensing the quantity of food from the secondary container to a location outside of the freezer.  
 
     
     
         56 . The automated system of  claim 51  wherein said fry device comprises: 
 (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;  
 (b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each suitable for containing a plurality of French fries, each compartment having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the fry wheel, which radial axis is disposed above the normal operating level of the frying oil in the fry vat; and  
 (c) a drive mechanism for rotating the fry wheel.  
 
     
     
         57 . The automated system of  claim 56  further comprising a control system for causing the drive mechanism to periodically rotate the fry wheel back and forth through a relatively small amount of angular rotation to simulate shaking of a French fry basket.  
     
     
         58 . The automated system of  claim 55  wherein said fry device comprises: 
 (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;  
 (b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each suitable for containing French fries and each having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the wheel which radial axis is disposed above the normal operating level of the frying oil in the fry vat; and  
 (c) a drive mechanism for rotating the fry wheel.  
 
     
     
         59 . The automated system of  claim 55  wherein said automated packaging device comprises: 
 a rotatable food dispensing member located downstream of said fry device having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked French fries after frying in said fry device and a discharge location to discharge cooked French fries;  
 a French fry dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked French fries from the discharge location of the rotatable food dispenser, said food dispensing chute having a discharge location.  
 
     
     
         60 . The automated system of  claim 51  wherein said automated packaging device comprises: 
 a rotatable food dispensing member having an inlet location to receive a quantity of cooked French fries and a discharge location to discharge cooked food;  
 a French fry dispensing chute positioned to receive cooked French fries from the discharge location of the rotatable French fry dispenser, said French fry dispensing chute having a discharge location.  
 
     
     
         61 . The automated system of  claim 59  further comprising a French fry carton holding device for holding the individual portion-sized French fry carton in position to receive French fries from the discharge location of the dispensing chute.  
     
     
         62 . The automated system of  claim 61  further comprises a rotatable French fry collecting member disposed to collect French fries dispensed from the discharge location of the dispensing chute that are not deposited into the individual portion-sized French fry container.  
     
     
         63 . An automated method of frying food in a fry vat having a heated cooking oil contained therein and packaging the fried food comprising: 
 depositing from an automated food dispenser a quantity of food to be fried into one compartment of a circular fry wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the fry wheel;    rotating the fry wheel so that the compartment having food therein travels through the heated cooking oil over a period of time to cause the food to be fried;    rotating the fry wheel to cause fried food to be discharged from one of the compartments;    directing the fried food that is discharged from one of the compartments into an automated packaging device; and    operating the automated packaging device to package the fried food into a plurality of individual portion-sized containers.    
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63  wherein said depositing from an automated food dispenser a quantity of food comprises depositing a quantity of French fries.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64  further comprising salting the food with an automated salting device.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 63  further comprising placing each individual portion-sized container having food contained therein into a separate individual French fry container receptacle.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66  further comprising transporting the individual receptacle to a desired location.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67  wherein said transporting comprises transporting by a magnetic conveyor.  
     
     
         69 . An automated device for frying food and packaging the fried food in a food carton comprising: 
 a fry module;    a packaging module adjacent said fry module;    said fry module composed of a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil, a container for containing food that is moveable through the heated cooking oil for a period of time sufficient to cook the food contained therein and then out of the cooking oil and a drive mechanism for moving the container through the cooking oil and means for discharging the food from the container after frying and to the packaging module;    said packaging module comprising a rotatable food dispensing member having an inlet location to receive a quantity of fried food and a discharge to discharge the cooked food, a cooked food dispensing chute to receive cooked food from the discharge of the rotatable food dispensing member and a food dispensing chute positioned to receive fried food from the discharge of the rotatable fried food dispenser, the food dispensing chute having a discharge location.    
     
     
         70 . The automated device of  claim 69  further comprising a weighing device associated with said dispensing chute to weigh food that is in the dispensing chute.  
     
     
         71 . The automated device of  claim 69  further comprising an automated food carton holding device for holding the food container in a receiving position to receive fried food from the discharge location of said dispensing chute.  
     
     
         72 . The automated device of  claim 71  wherein said automated food carton holding device if capable of placing the carton containing food at a second location different from the receiving position.  
     
     
         73 . The automated device of  claim 72  further comprising a conveyor to move the carton from the second location to a desired location.  
     
     
         74 . The automated device of  claim 69  further comprising a dispensing module, located adjacent the fry module, for dispensing a desired portion of food to be fried into the container of said fry module.  
     
     
         75 . The automated device of  claim 69  further comprising a hood structure located over said fry module.  
     
     
         76 . The automated device of  claim 75  wherein said hood structure comprises an air filter located at an air exit of said hood structure and a drip pan to collect cooking oil from the filter, the drip pan located below the filter.  
     
     
         77 . An automated system for dispensing, frying and storing cooked food comprising: 
 an automated dispensing device capable of dispensing a desired quantity portion of food to be cooked;    an automated fry module proximate the dispensing device to directly receive and fry the portion of food dispensed from the dispensing device, and to produce and dispense a quantity of fried French fries;    a food receiving device proximate the fry device to directly receive and store the cooked food received from the fry device.    
     
     
         78 . The automated system of  claim 77  wherein said automated dispensing device comprises: 
 a freezer;  
 a storage container located in the freezer for containing frozen food to be dispensed;  
 a device for dispensing a predetermined quantity of French fries from the storage container into a secondary container, said device for dispensing and said secondary container located in the freezer; and  
 means for dispensing the quantity of food from the secondary container to a location outside of the freezer.  
 
     
     
         79 . The automated system of  claim 77  wherein said fry device comprises: 
 (a) a fry vat for containing and heating cooking oil;  
 (b) at least one circular fry wheel having at least a generally circular perimeter and a plurality of compartments each suitable for containing a plurality of French fries, each compartment having an opening towards the perimeter, the fry wheel mounted for rotational movement relative to the radial axis of the fry wheel, which radial axis is disposed above the normal operating level of the frying oil in the fry vat; and  
 (c) a drive mechanism for rotating the fry wheel.  
 
     
     
         80 . The automated system of  claim 79  further comprising a control system for causing the drive mechanism to periodically rotate the fry wheel back and forth through a relatively small amount of angular rotation to simulate shaking of a French fry basket.  
     
     
         81 . The automated device of  claim 77  wherein said food receiving device is heated.  
     
     
         82 . The automated device of  claim 81  wherein said food receiving device comprises a heated holding bin positioned to receive food from an outlet slide located between the fry module and the food receiving device.  
     
     
         83 . The automated system of  claim 82  wherein said holding bin comprises four heated sides and a heated bottom.