A.j. Antunes & Company

Chad Elliott

Steve Gauger

Joe Carone

Bhupendra Patel

David Anchor

Cheryl L Panasik

Joseph R Clark

Jignesh Patel

Francisco Vega

Margaret Naden

Robert Jonelis

Willilam Harrell

An automatic packaging dispensing system comprises a plurality of different packaging boxes disposed in vertical stacks upon a plurality of packaging box platforms, and a plurality of different wrapping paper packaging sheets disposed within trays housed within a housing. A vacuum pickup device is located at vacuum pickup station toward which a predeterminedly selected one of the plurality of different packaging boxes, or a predeterminedly selected one of the plurality of different wrapping paper packaging sheets, may be moved such that the vacuum pickup device may pick up the predeterminedly selected one of the different packaging boxes or wrapping paper packaging sheets and transfer the predeterminedly selected one of the different packaging boxes or wrapping paper packaging sheets to a downstream location.

Automatic packaging dispensing system

A new and improved automated bun handling and toasting system and method are disclosed comprising a plurality of horizontally oriented bun storage tubes mounted upon a carousel, and an indexing system operatively connected to the carousel so as to rotate the carousel in a predetermined incremental manner and thereby dispose a particular one of the plurality of horizontally oriented bun storage tubes at a predetermined discharge position such that a bun can be discharged from the particular bun storage tube. The discharged bun has a vertical orientation, however, a bun separator separates the bun into its crown and heel bun segments which then attain horizontal orientations with the internal surface portions facing upwardly so as to pass through a toaster appliance so as to be toasted.

Automated bun handling and toasting system and method

A new and improved touchless flowable product dispenser which is to be utilized to reduce the amount of bacteria and germs transmitted when a customer wishes to dispense a flowable product, such as, for example, various condiments into a container. This invention allows large quantities of the flowable product to be stored and dispensed without customer contact, thereby reducing the risk of germ and bacteria transmission inside of a restaurant, particularly during infectious disease events or calendar seasons.

Touchless flowable product dispenser

An automatic food preparation line for automatically preparing bread products for making sandwiches or burgers comprises an automatic bread product handling system containing a plurality of different types of bread products, an automatic toaster appliance for toasting the bread products, an automatic packaging system for automatically dispensing both box and wrapping paper packaging, an automatic sauce dispensing system for dispensing a plurality of different sauces onto the bread product, an automatic non-sauce condiment dispensing system for dispensing one or more different condiments onto the bread product, and an automatic conveyor system for conveying the bread product between the various systems. The entire automatic food preparation line is under the control of a suitable computer, such as, for example, a programmable logic controller (PLC), and a patron may select the type of bread product, the type of sauce, and the type of non-sauce condiment by inputting such selections into a user interface (UI) located at a point-of-sale (POS) location.

Automatic food preparation line

An automated bun feeding and toasting system is disclosed wherein the system is to be utilized in restaurants, particularly fast-food restaurants, in order to quickly and accurately prepare food products, such as, for example, conventional hamburger sandwiches which require two buns, or Big Mac&#xae; sandwiches which require three buns, in accordance with specific patron orders. The system comprises a plurality of bun storage tubes, discharge mechanisms for discharging bun segment into a bun separator, a chute conveyor, a bun rotator, and at least one toaster appliance whereupon completion of a toasting operation, the bun segments are picked up and conveyed downstream toward a food or sandwich preparation station. All operations are automated and are under the control of a master control unit such as, for example, a programmable logic controller (PLC).

Automated bun handling system

A bulbous or spherically shaped food product container for heating or cooking various food products by means of steam in order to cook multiple sized portions of food products within relatively short cooking times is dis-closed. When steam flows into the food product container, the food product is cooked by the steam. The use of the unique bulb-shaped or spherical food product container enables more than a single or individual food product portion to be cooked within the food product container, and the use of the steam, in conjunction with the bulbous or spherically-shaped food product container, causes the steam and food product to undergo turbulent, rotational, or swirling flow within the bulbous or spherically-configured food product container whereby the food product is greatly dispersed, effectively thinned, and is caused to travel along the internal peripheral surface areas of the bulbous or spherical food product container such that cooking times are dramatically reduced.

Spherical food product container for heating or cooking various food products by steam in order to cook multiple sized portions of food products within shortened cooking times, and a food cooking appliance incorporating the spherical food product container therein

A conveyor belt for conveying articles along a conveyor path comprises a plurality of slat members disposed parallel to each other and disposed transversely with respect to the conveyor path, wherein leading and trailing edge portions of the slat members are angled downwardly with respect to the conveying surface upon which articles being conveyed are supported so as to prevent edge portions of the articles being conveyed from being interposed between the leading and trailing edge portions of the slat members so as not to be pinched by adjacent ones of the leading and trailing edge portions of adjacent slat members.

Conveyor belt for use within a toaster appliance for preventing the pinching of food buns

A super steam cup cooking appliance, for cooking various food products, comprises a housing, a steam generator, and an individually-sized serving cup removably attached from the appliance housing. The steam generated by the steam generator flows into a steam manifold, a steam delivery conduit, and a steam discharge pipe. A steam flux director can be removably attached to the steam discharge. Steam, generated by means of the steam generator, can thus flow into the steam manifold, through the steam delivery conduit, through the steam discharge pipe, and out from the steam flux director so as to be conducted onto the food product disposed within the individually-sized serving cup such that the food product is cooked by the steam exiting from the steam flux director. The appliance can operate either with the steam flux director attached to the steam discharge pipe, or without the steam flux director being attached to the steam discharge pipe.

Growing community of inventors

Frankfort, IL, United States of America

Chad Elliott