Multi-robotic arm cooking system

Abstract

A cooking system includes a grill, a first arm assembly and a second arm assembly. An electronic hardware controller is in signal communication with the at least one grill, the first arm assembly and the second arm assembly. The controller operates the first arm assembly to transfer a prepared product to the grill, and operates the second arm assembly to transfer a cooked product from the grill.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A cooking system comprising: at least one grill, the at least one grill includes an upper platen assembly installed with an upper grilling plate, and a lower platen assembly installed with a lower grilling plate, the upper platen assembly being pivotable with respect to the lower grilling plate;
 a first arm robotic assembly and a second robotic arm assembly, the first and second robotic arm assemblies configured to move along at least one track; and   an electronic hardware controller in signal communication with the at least one grill, the first robotic arm assembly and the second robotic arm assembly, the controller configured to control the first robotic arm assembly to transfer a prepared product to the at least one grill, and to control the second robotic arm assembly to transfer a cooked product from the at least one grill,   further comprising a conveyor system that includes a conveyor belt in heated contact with the at least one grill and disposed between the upper and lower grilling plates, wherein the prepared product is transferred onto the conveyor belt and transferred from the conveyor belt, wherein the upper platen assembly and the lower platen assembly each move between a cooking position and a non-cooking position, wherein when in the cooking position the lower grilling plate is in close proximity to but not in contact with the conveyor belt to allow the lower grilling plate to transfer heat to the prepared product disposed upon the conveyor belt by conduction heat transfer through the conveyor belt, wherein when the lower platen assembly is in the non-cooking position the lower platen assembly is spaced away from the conveyor belt such that heat is not transferred to the conveyor belt by conduction heat transfer.   
     
     
         17 . The cooking system of  claim 16 , wherein the first robotic arm assembly includes a first utensil and the second robotic arm assembly includes a second utensil, the first utensil configured to move in a plurality of directions to transfer the prepared product from a preparation station to the grill, and the second utensil configured to move in a plurality of directions to transfer the cooked product from the grill to a staging system. 
     
     
         18 . The cooking system of  claim 17 , wherein the staging system is heated. 
     
     
         19 . The cooking system of  claim 17 , wherein the lower grilling plate extends along a first direction to define a grill length and a second direction to define a grill width. 
     
     
         20 . The cooking system of  claim 19 , wherein the first and second utensils are configured to move in a vertical direction with respect to the lower grilling plate and a lengthwise direction along the at least one track, the lengthwise direction being parallel with respect to a front of the lower grilling plate. 
     
     
         21 . The cooking system of  claim 20 , wherein the controller outputs a command signal that pivots the upper platen into the cooking position that places the upper platen a first distance from the lower platen, and into the non-cooking position that places the upper platen a second distance from the lower platen that is greater than the first distance. 
     
     
         22 . The cooking system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller controls the first robotic arm assembly to transfer the prepared product to the conveyor belt, and to control the second robotic arm assembly to transfer the cooked product from the conveyor belt. 
     
     
         23 . A cooking system comprising: at least one grill, the at least one grill includes an upper platen assembly installed with an upper grilling plate, and a lower platen assembly installed with a lower grilling plate, the upper platen assembly being pivotable with respect to the lower grilling plate;
 a first robotic arm assembly and a second robotic arm assembly; and   an electronic hardware controller in signal communication with the at least one grill, the first robotic arm assembly and the second robotic arm assembly, the controller configured to control the first robotic arm assembly to transfer a prepared product to the at least one grill, and to control the second robotic arm assembly to transfer a cooked product from the at least one grill,   further comprising a conveyor system that includes a conveyor belt in heated contact with the at least one grill and disposed between the upper and lower grilling plates, wherein the prepared product is transferred by the first robotic arm assembly onto the conveyor belt and transferred by the second robotic arm assembly from the conveyor belt, wherein the upper platen assembly and the lower platen assembly each move between a cooking position and a non-cooking position, wherein when in the cooking position the lower grilling plate is in close proximity to but not in contact with the conveyor belt to allow the lower grilling plate to transfer heat to the prepared product disposed upon the conveyor belt by conduction heat transfer through the conveyor belt, wherein when the lower platen assembly is in the non-cooking position the lower platen assembly is spaced away from the conveyor belt such that heat is not transferred to the conveyor belt by conduction heat transfer.   
     
     
         24 . The cooking system of  claim 23 , wherein the first robotic arm assembly includes a first utensil and the second arm assembly includes a second utensil, the first utensil configured to move in a plurality of directions to transfer the prepared product from a preparation station to the grill, and the second utensil configured to move in a plurality of directions to transfer the cooked product from the grill to a staging system. 
     
     
         25 . The cooking system of  claim 24 , wherein the staging system is heated. 
     
     
         26 . The cooking system of  claim 24 , wherein the lower grilling plate extends along a first direction to define a grill length and a second direction to define a grill width. 
     
     
         27 . The cooking system of  claim 26 , wherein the first and second utensils are configured to move in a vertical direction with respect to the lower grilling plate and a lengthwise direction, the lengthwise direction being parallel with respect to a front of the lower grilling plate. 
     
     
         28 . The cooking system of  claim 27 , wherein the controller outputs a command signal that pivots the upper platen into the cooking position that places the upper platen a first distance from the lower platen, and into the non-cooking position that places the upper platen a second distance from the lower platen that is greater than the first distance. 
     
     
         29 . The cooking system of  claim 23 , wherein the controller controls the first robotic arm assembly to transfer the prepared product to the conveyor belt, and to control the second robotic arm assembly to transfer the cooked product from the conveyor belt. 
     
     
         30 . A cooking system comprising: at least one grill, the at least one grill includes an upper platen assembly installed with an upper grilling plate, and a lower platen assembly installed with a lower grilling plate, the upper platen assembly being pivotable with respect to the lower grilling plate;
 a first arm robotic assembly and a second robotic arm assembly; and   an electronic hardware controller in signal communication with the at least one grill, the first robotic arm assembly and the second robotic arm assembly, the controller configured to control the first robotic arm assembly to transfer a prepared product to the at least one grill, and to control the second robotic arm assembly to transfer a cooked product from the at least one grill,   further comprising a conveyor system that includes a conveyor belt in heated contact with the at least one grill and disposed between the upper and lower grilling plates, wherein the upper platen assembly and the lower platen assembly each move between a cooking position and a non-cooking position, wherein when in the cooking position the lower grilling plate is in close proximity to but not in contact with the conveyor belt to allow the lower grilling plate to transfer heat to the prepared product disposed upon the conveyor belt by conduction heat transfer through the conveyor belt, wherein when the lower platen assembly is in the non-cooking position the lower platen assembly is spaced away from the conveyor belt such that heat is not transferred to the conveyor belt by conduction heat transfer.   
     
     
         31 . The cooking system of  claim 30 , wherein the first robotic arm assembly includes a first utensil and the second robotic arm assembly includes a second utensil, the first utensil configured to move in a plurality of directions to transfer the prepared product from a preparation station to the grill, and the second utensil configured to move in a plurality of directions to transfer the cooked product from the grill to a staging system. 
     
     
         32 . The cooking system of  claim 31 , wherein the staging system is heated. 
     
     
         33 . The cooking system of  claim 31 , wherein the lower grilling plate extends along a first direction to define a grill length and a second direction to define a grill width. 
     
     
         34 . The cooking system of  claim 33 , wherein the first and second robotic arm assemblies configured to move along at least one track. 
     
     
         35 . The cooking system of  claim 34 , wherein the first and second utensils are configured to move in a vertical direction with respect to the lower grilling plate and a lengthwise direction along the at least one track, the lengthwise direction being parallel with respect to a front of the lower grilling plate. 
     
     
         36 . The cooking system of  claim 35 , wherein the controller outputs a command signal that pivots the upper platen into the cooking position that places the upper platen a first distance from the lower platen, and into the non-cooking position that places the upper platen a second distance from the lower platen that is greater than the first distance. 
     
     
         37 . The cooking system of  claim 36 , wherein the controller controls the first robotic arm assembly to transfer the prepared product to the conveyor belt, and to control the second robotic arm assembly to transfer the cooked product from the conveyor belt.