US 12,213,629 B2
Modular system for food assembly
Daniel Fukuba, San Jose, CA (US); Erik Norris, Redwood City, CA (US); Maneesh Jain, San Jose, CA (US); Mark Manfrey, San Jose, CA (US); John Vassa, Nazareth, PA (US); and Keegan Schoch, Nazareth, PA (US)
Assigned to Hyphen Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Hyphen Technologies, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 26, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/424,497.
Application 18/424,497 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/494,736, filed on Oct. 5, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/521,042, filed on Jun. 14, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/441,406, filed on Jan. 26, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/087,662, filed on Oct. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0164588 A1, May 23, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A47J 44/00 (2006.01); A47J 39/00 (2006.01); A47J 39/02 (2006.01); A47J 47/01 (2006.01); B65G 15/22 (2006.01)
CPC A47J 44/00 (2013.01) [A47J 39/003 (2013.01); A47J 39/02 (2013.01); A47J 47/01 (2013.01); B65G 15/22 (2013.01); A47J 2202/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A food production system comprising:
a food preparation surface arranged at a work surface height and defining a receptacle configured to transiently receive a set of food-dispensing modules configured to store and dispense ingredients for preparation of units of a food product type;
a first module housing:
arranged below and supporting the food preparation surface at the work surface height;
defining a first autonomous assembly zone extending along a longitudinal assembly axis;
configured to transiently house a first food-dispensing module, in the set of food-dispensing modules, configured to seat above the longitudinal assembly axis and dispense units of a first ingredient toward the first autonomous assembly zone;
configured to transiently house a cooling module configured to cool ingredients transiently stored in the first food-dispensing module;
comprising a first positioner module arranged within the first autonomous assembly zone, below the first food-dispensing module, and configured to transiently locate a food container below the first food-dispensing module for dispensation of the first ingredient into the food container; and
comprising a first window:
arranged adjacent the first autonomous assembly zone on a first front side of the first module housing laterally offset the longitudinal assembly axis; and
configured to provide user access to the first autonomous assembly zone;
a second module housing:
arranged below and supporting the food preparation surface at the work surface height;
defining a second autonomous assembly zone extending along the longitudinal assembly axis;
configured to transiently house a second food-dispensing module, in the set of food-dispensing modules, configured to seat above the longitudinal assembly axis and dispense units of a second ingredient toward the second autonomous assembly zone;
configured to transiently house a heating module configured to heat ingredients transiently stored in the second food-dispensing module;
comprising a second positioner module arranged within the second autonomous assembly zone, below the second food-dispensing module, and configured to transiently locate the food container below the second food-dispensing module for dispensation of the second ingredient into the food container; and
comprising a second window:
arranged adjacent the second autonomous assembly zone on a second front side of the second module housing laterally offset the longitudinal assembly axis, the second front side of the second module housing arranged coplanar the first front side of the first module housing; and
configured to provide user access to the second autonomous assembly zone; and
a controller configured to:
receive a food order;
coordinate motion of the first positioner module and the second positioner module to selectively locate the food container below the set of food-dispensing modules according to the food order; and
selectively trigger the set of food-dispensing modules to dispense amounts of ingredients into the food container to assemble a unit of the food product type according to the food order.