Automated bin system for accepting food items in robotic kitchen workspace

• Main Authors: Guffey, William, Sinnet, Ryan W, Wach, Ryan R, Bhakuni, Abhimanyu, Anderson, Robert
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.09.2024
• Subjects: APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES; COFFEE MILLS; CONVEYING; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; FURNITURE; HAND TOOLS; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HUMAN NECESSITIES; KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; MANIPULATORS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS; SPICE MILLS; STORING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES; TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING ORTIPPING; TRANSPORTING

A robotic kitchen system for preparing food items in combination with at least one kitchen appliance such as a fryer comprises an automated bin assembly, a robotic arm, and a basket held by the robotic arm. The automated bin assembly comprises at least one automated bin for holding the food items. A camera or sensor array collects image data of the food items in the bin(s). A central processor is operable to compute and provide directions to the first robotic arm and automated bin assembly based on the image data and stored data to (a) move the robotic arm to the bin; (b) actuate the bin to drop the food items from the bin into the basket; (c) and to move the basket into the fryer all without human interaction. Related methods are also described.