Multi-Stage Cooking Systems

20210321825

17/233508

April 18, 2021

A cooking system comprising two or more cooking apparatuses, each capable of cooking a food from one or more foods and/or one or more food ingredients. A semi-cooked food is produced in a first cooking apparatus and is used as an ingredient in a second cooking apparatus. The cooking apparatuses work together to produce cooked food from food or food ingredients. A computer system is used to control the cooking system.

1. A cooking system comprising: a plurality of cooking containers, each configured to contain or otherwise hold food or food ingredients; a first cooking apparatus comprising: a plurality of container holders each configured to position or hold a said cooking container wherein said container holders are rigidly or fixedly connected to each other; an intermittent motion mechanism configured to move said container holders; and corresponding to each said container holder, an enclosure mechanism comprising: a lid or enclosure member; and a motion mechanism configured to move the lid or enclosure member between a first end-position and a second end-position; wherein the lid or enclosure member, if stopped at the first end-position, is configured to help enclose a cooking chamber such that the container holder is positioned inside the cooking chamber; a second cooking apparatus comprising a cookware configured to contain or otherwise hold food or food ingredients; and a food dispensing apparatus configured to move a said cooking container positioned at, or held by, a said container holder of the first cooking apparatus to dispense food or food ingredients from the cooking container to the cookware of the second cooking apparatus, said food dispensing apparatus comprising: a gripping mechanism comprising a support component and one or more grippers, said gripping mechanism being configured to grip said cooking container; and a motion mechanism configured to move the support component of the gripping mechanism, said motion mechanism comprising a motor or other driving mechanism

2. The cooking system of claim 1; further comprising a plurality of ingredient containers, each configured to contain or otherwise hold food or food ingredients; wherein the second cooking apparatus comprises an ingredient dispensing apparatus configured to move a said ingredient container to dispense food or food ingredients from the ingredient container into the cookware, said ingredient dispensing apparatus comprising: a gripping mechanism comprising a support component and one or more grippers, said gripping mechanism being configured to grip the ingredient container; and a motion mechanism configured to move the support component of the gripping mechanism, said motion mechanism comprising a motor or other driving mechanism.

3. The cooking system of claim 2, further comprising a transport system configured to move a container of food or food ingredients.

4. The cooking system of claim 3, wherein the transport system comprises a vehicle configured to move a container of food or food ingredients.

5. The cooking system of claim 1, wherein the first cooking apparatus further comprises a steam generator configured to produce steam to heat the food or food ingredients in the cooking container which is positioned inside a said cooking chamber.

6. The cooking system of claim 1; wherein the first cooking apparatus further comprises a plurality of heaters, each corresponding to a said container holder; wherein each said heater is configured to heat the food or food ingredients in the cooking container which is positioned or held by the corresponding container holder.

7. The cooking system of claim 1; further comprising a plurality of ingredient containers, each configured to contain or otherwise hold food or food ingredients; wherein the first cooking apparatus comprises an ingredient dispensing apparatus configured to move a said ingredient container to dispense food or food ingredients from the ingredient container into a said cooking container which is positioned at, or held by, a said container holder of the first cooking apparatus, said ingredient dispensing apparatus comprising: a gripping mechanism comprising a support component and one or more grippers, said gripping mechanism being configured to grip the ingredient container; and a motion mechanism configured to move the support component of the gripping mechanism, said motion mechanism comprising a motor or other driving mechanism.

8. The cooking system of claim 1, wherein said first cooking apparatus comprises a liquid dispensing apparatus configured to dispense a liquid to a said cooking container which is positioned at, or held by, a said container holder, said liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid pipe, a liquid container, and/or a pump.

9. The cooking system of claim 1, wherein the gripping mechanism of the food dispensing apparatus comprises one or more robot fingers and the motion mechanism of the food dispensing apparatus comprises a robot arm.

10. The cooking system of claim 1, wherein said motion mechanism of said second cooking apparatus is configured to move said cookware to stir, mix or distribute food or food ingredients held in said cookware.

11. The cooking system of claim 1; further comprising a plurality of ingredient containers, each configured to contain or otherwise hold food or food ingredients; wherein the first cooking apparatus comprises an ingredient dispensing apparatus configured to move a said ingredient container and to dispense food or food ingredients from the ingredient container to a said cooking container which is positioned at, or held by, a said container holder of the first cooking apparatus, said ingredient dispensing apparatus comprising: a gripping mechanism comprising a support component and one or more grippers, said gripping mechanism being configured to grip the ingredient container; and a motion mechanism configured to move the support component of the gripping mechanism, said motion mechanism comprising a motor or other driving mechanism.

12. The cooking system of claim 1; further comprising a plurality of food containers, each configured to contain or otherwise hold food; wherein the second cooking apparatus comprises a motion mechanism comprising a motor, said motion mechanism being configured to move the cookware as to dispense food from the cookware to a said food container.

13. A cooking system comprising: a plurality of cooking containers, each configured to contain or otherwise hold food or food ingredients; a first cooking apparatus comprising: a plurality of container holders each configured to position or hold a said cooking container wherein said container holders are rigidly or fixedly connected to each other; an intermittent motion mechanism configured to move said container holders; and corresponding to each said container holder, an enclosure mechanism comprising: a lid or enclosure member; and a motion mechanism configured to move the lid or enclosure member between a first end-position and a second end-position; wherein the lid or enclosure member, if stopped at the first end-position, is configured to help enclose a cooking chamber such that the container holder is positioned inside the cooking chamber; a transfer apparatus configured to move a said cooking container to and from a said container holder of the first cooking apparatus, said food dispensing apparatus comprising: a gripping mechanism comprising a support component and one or more grippers, said gripping mechanism being configured to grip said cooking container; and a motion mechanism configured to move the support component of the gripping mechanism, said motion mechanism comprising a motor or other driving mechanism

14. The cooking system of claim 13, wherein said container holders are configured to be positioned at two or more different heights.

15. The cooking system of claim 13, wherein the first cooking apparatus further comprises a steam generator configured to produce steam to heat the food or food ingredients in the cooking container which is positioned inside a said cooking chamber.

16. The cooking system of claim 13; wherein the first cooking apparatus further comprises a plurality of heaters, each corresponding to a said container holder; wherein each said heater is configured to directly or indirectly heat the food or food ingredients in the cooking container which is positioned or held by the corresponding container holder.

17. The cooking system of claim 13, wherein the motion produced by the intermittent motion mechanism of the first cooking system is configured to be a rotation.

18. A cooking system comprising: a plurality of ingredient containers, each configured to contain or otherwise hold food or food ingredients; a plurality of cooking containers, each configured to contain or otherwise hold food or food ingredients; and a first cooking apparatus comprising: a plurality of container holders each configured to position or hold a said cooking container wherein said container holders are rigidly or fixedly connected to each other, wherein the container holders are positioned at two or more different heights; an intermittent motion mechanism configured to move said container holders; corresponding to each said container holder, an enclosure mechanism comprising: a lid or enclosure member; and a motion mechanism configured to move the lid or enclosure member between a first end-position and a second end-position; and an ingredient dispensing apparatus configured to move a said ingredient container as to dispense food or food ingredients from the ingredient container to a said cooking container which is positioned at or held by a said container holder, said ingredient dispensing apparatus comprising: a gripping mechanism comprising a support component and one or more grippers, said gripping mechanism being configured to grip the ingredient container; and a motion mechanism configured to move the support component of the gripping mechanism, said motion mechanism comprising a motor or other driving mechanism. wherein the lid or enclosure member, if stopped at the first end-position, is configured to help enclose a cooking chamber such that the container holder is positioned inside the cooking chamber.

19. The cooking system of claim 18; wherein the first cooking apparatus further comprises a plurality of heaters, each corresponding to a said container holder; wherein each said heater is configured to directly or indirectly heat the food or food ingredients in the cooking container which is positioned or held by the corresponding container holder.

20. The cooking system of claim 18, wherein the motion produced by the intermittent motion mechanism of the first cooking system is configured to be a rotation.

47; 47; 47; 47; 47; 25

edspap.20210321825