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System for dispensing toppings

  • US 10,219,535 B2
  • Filed: 08/14/2017
  • Issued: 03/05/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for dispensing toppings onto a plurality of topping vehicles, the system comprising:

  • a first topping module comprising;

    a first hopper configured to contain a first topping sample of a first topping type; and

    a first blade movable relative to the first hopper to cut a first topping serving from the first topping sample;

    a second topping module comprising;

    a second hopper configured to contain a second topping sample of a second topping type; and

    a second blade movable relative to the second hopper to cut a second topping serving from the second topping sample;

    a conveyor configured to move the plurality of topping vehicles independently of each other between a first position below a discharge end of the first hopper to selectively receive the first topping serving and a second position below a discharge end of the second hopper to selectively receive the second topping serving; and

    an actuator system drivingly connected to the first and second blades,wherein the actuator system is configured to selectively move the first blade to cut the first topping serving according to custom topping orders to allow the first topping serving to be dispensed onto one of the plurality of topping vehicles,wherein the actuator system is configured to selectively move the second blade to cut the second topping serving according to the custom topping orders to allow the second topping serving to be dispensed onto one of the plurality of topping vehicles, andwherein the conveyor is configured to, in response to (i) a first order of the custom topping orders being associated with a first topping vehicle of the plurality of topping vehicles and specifying presence of the first topping type and the second topping type and (ii) a second order of the custom topping orders being associated with a second topping vehicle of the plurality of topping vehicles and specifying absence of the second topping type;

    position the first topping vehicle at the first position and stop the first topping vehicle at the first position to receive the first topping serving while simultaneously and independently moving the second topping vehicle past the second position to bypass the second topping module without receiving any topping servings of the second topping type.

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