Vending machine that delivers made-to-order food items

• US 20040238555A1
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charley M. Parks
• Original Assignee: Charley M. Parks
• Inventors: Parks, Charley M.
• Application Number:
  US10/855,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20040238555A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/80
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/70 in which the articles are formed in the apparatus from components, blanks, or material constituents
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0078 Food articles which need to be processed for dispensing in a hot or cooked condition, e.g. popcorn, nuts
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/105 Heating or cooling means, for temperature and humidity control, for the conditioning of articles and their storage dispensers for food articles requiring a processing by temperature treatment or conditioning before they are ready for dispensing G07F17/0064

Abstract

The vending machine disclosed automatically assembles and delivers a made-to-order food item such as a submarine sandwich, salad, taco, or sandwich wrap in response to a customer order. The machine includes a conveyer that produces relative motion between a food item and ingredient dispensing stations that dispense customer-selected ingredients, including condiments, dressings, seasonings, sliced meats and cheeses, vegetables, and soft sandwich spreads. The machine may include an oven that bakes a portion of the food item, and may include a computer with a network interface.

Claims

1. A vending machine that automatically assembles a food item in response to a customer order, comprising:

a conveyer that produces relative motion between a food item and a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations within the vending machine;

wherein said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations further comprises a first dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected first ingredient onto the food item;

a second dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected second ingredient onto the food item; and

a third dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected third ingredient onto the food item.

2. The vending machine of claim 1, wherein said food item is a sandwich, and wherein said first ingredient, said second ingredient, and said third ingredient each comprise one of the following:

a condiment, one or more slices of meat, one or more slices of cheese, a diced vegetable, or a soft sandwich spread.

3. The vending machine of claim 1, further comprising an oven that bakes one or more portions of said food item.

4. The vending machine of claim 1, further comprising a computer that controls said conveyer and said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations.

5. The vending machine of claim 4, wherein said computer interfaces to a network.

6. An automatic food assembly system that assembles a food item in response to a customer order, comprising:

a conveyer that produces relative motion between a food item and a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations within the system;

wherein said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations further comprises a first dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected first ingredient onto the food item;

a second dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected second ingredient onto the food item; and

a third dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected third ingredient onto the food item.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said food item is a sandwich, and wherein said first ingredient, said second ingredient, and said third ingredient each comprise one of the following:

a condiment, one or more slices of meat, one or more slices of cheese, a diced vegetable, or a soft sandwich spread.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising an oven that bakes one or more portions of said food item.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising a computer that controls said conveyer and said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said computer interfaces to a network.

11. A method to manufacture a vending machine that assembles a food item in response to a customer order, comprising:

providing a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations; and

providing a conveyer that produces relative motion between a food item and said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations;

wherein said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations further comprises a first dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected first ingredient onto the food item;

a second dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected second ingredient onto the food item; and

a third dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected third ingredient onto the food item.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said food item is a sandwich, and wherein said first ingredient, said second ingredient, and said third ingredient each comprise one of the following:

a condiment, one or more slices of meat, one or more slices of cheese, a diced vegetable, or a soft sandwich spread.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing an oven that bakes one or more portions of said food item.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a computer that controls said conveyer and said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said computer interfaces to a network.

16. A method that uses a vending machine that assembles a food item in response to a customer order, comprising:

producing relative motion between a food item and a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations using a conveyer;

dispensing a customer-selected first ingredient onto the food item using a first dispensing station within said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations;

dispensing a customer-selected second ingredient onto the food item using a second dispensing station within said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations; and

dispensing a customer-selected third ingredient onto the food item using a third dispensing station within said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said food item is a sandwich, and wherein said first ingredient, said second ingredient, and said third ingredient each comprise one of the following:

a condiment, one or more slices of meat, one or more slices of cheese, a diced vegetable, or a soft sandwich spread.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising using an oven to bake one or more portions of said food item.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising controlling said conveyer and said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations using a computer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said computer interfaces to a network.

21. A program storage device readable by a computer that tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method that uses a vending machine that assembles a food item in response to a customer order, said method comprising:

producing relative motion between a food item and a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations using a conveyer;

dispensing a customer-selected first ingredient onto the food item using a first dispensing station within said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations;

dispensing a customer-selected second ingredient onto the food item using a second dispensing station within said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations; and

dispensing a customer-selected third ingredient onto the food item using a third dispensing station within said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations.

22. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein said food item is a sandwich, and wherein said first ingredient, said second ingredient, and said third ingredient each comprise one of the following:

a condiment, one or more slices of meat, one or more slices of cheese, a diced vegetable, or a soft sandwich spread.

23. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein said method further comprises using an oven to bake one or more portions of said food item.

24. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein said computer interfaces to a network.

25. A vending machine that automatically assembles a food item in response to a customer order, comprising:

a conveyer that produces relative motion between a food item and a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations within the vending machine;

a computer that controls said conveyer and said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations, said computer has a network interface;

an oven that bakes one or more portions of said food item;

wherein said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations further comprises a first dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected first ingredient onto the food item;

a second dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected second ingredient onto the food item; and

a third dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected third ingredient onto the food item; and

wherein said food item is a sandwich, and wherein said first ingredient, said second ingredient, and said third ingredient each comprise one of the following;

a condiment, one or more slices of meat, one or more slices of cheese, a diced vegetable, or a soft sandwich spread.

26. An automatic food assembly system that assembles a food item in response to a customer order, comprising:

a conveyer that produces relative motion between a food item and a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations within the system;

a computer that controls said conveyer and said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations, said computer has a network interface;

an oven that bakes one or more portions of said food item;

wherein said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations further comprises a first dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected first ingredient onto the food item;

a second dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected second ingredient onto the food item; and

a third dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected third ingredient onto the food item; and

wherein said food item is a sandwich, and wherein said first ingredient, said second ingredient, and said third ingredient each comprise one of the following;

a condiment, one or more slices of meat, one or more slices of cheese, a diced vegetable, or a soft sandwich spread.

27. A method to manufacture a vending machine that assembles a food item in response to a customer order, comprising:

providing a conveyer that produces relative motion between a food item and a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations within the vending machine;

providing a computer that controls said conveyer and said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations, said computer has a network interface;

providing an oven that bakes one or more portions of said food item;

wherein said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations further comprises a first dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected first ingredient onto the food item;

a second dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected second ingredient onto the food item; and

a third dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected third ingredient onto the food item; and

wherein said food item is a sandwich, and wherein said first ingredient, said second ingredient, and said third ingredient each comprise one of the following;

a condiment, one or more slices of meat, one or more slices of cheese, a diced vegetable, or a soft sandwich spread.

28. A method that uses a vending machine that assembles a food item in response to a customer order, comprising:

producing relative motion between a food item and a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations within the vending machine using a conveyer;

controlling said conveyer and said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations using a computer having a network interface; and

baking one or more portions of said food item using an oven;

wherein said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations further comprises a first dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected first ingredient onto the food item;

a second dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected second ingredient onto the food item; and

a third dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected third ingredient onto the food item; and

wherein said food item is a sandwich, and wherein said first ingredient, said second ingredient, and said third ingredient each comprise one of the following;

a condiment, one or more slices of meat, one or more slices of cheese, a diced vegetable, or a soft sandwich spread.

29. A program storage device readable by a computer that tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method that uses a vending machine that assembles a food item in response to a customer order, said method comprising:

producing relative motion between a food item and a plurality of ingredient dispensing stations within the vending machine using a conveyer;

controlling said conveyer and said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations using a computer having a network interface; and

baking one or more portions of said food item using an oven;

wherein said plurality of ingredient dispensing stations further comprises a first dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected first ingredient onto the food item;

a second dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected second ingredient onto the food item; and

a third dispensing station that dispenses a customer-selected third ingredient onto the food item; and

wherein said food item is a sandwich, and wherein said first ingredient, said second ingredient, and said third ingredient each comprise one of the following;

a condiment, one or more slices of meat, one or more slices of cheese, a diced vegetable, or a soft sandwich spread.