System and method for dispensing toppings

摘要

One variation of a method for dispensing toppings onto topping vehicles includes: indexing a first topping vehicle to a first position adjacent a first topping module, the first topping module comprising a first hopper containing a first topping of a first topping type; indexing a second topping vehicle to a second position adjacent a second topping module comprising a second hopper containing a second topping of a second topping type; retracting a first blade of the first topping module; advancing the first blade through the first topping; retracting a first retaining plate to dispense a topping slice from the first topping onto the first topping vehicle according to a first topping order for the first topping vehicle specifying the first topping type, the first retaining plate offset from the first blade opposite the first hopper; advancing the first retaining plate; and indexing the first topping vehicle to the second position.

主权项

1. A system for selectively dispensing toppings onto topping vehicles, comprising:
a first topping module receptacle comprising a first blade; a second topping module receptacle adjacent the first topping module and comprising a second blade; a conveyor configured to advance topping vehicles from an initial position to a first dispense position adjacent the first topping module receptacle and from the first dispense position to a second dispense position adjacent the second topping module receptacle; a first set of topping modules comprising a first topping module and a second topping module, the first topping module configured to transiently engage the first topping module receptacle and to dispense topping samples of a first topping type into the first topping module receptacle during a first time period, and the second topping module configured to transiently engage the second topping module receptacle and to dispense topping samples of a second topping type into the second topping module receptacle during the first time period, the first topping type and the second topping type comprising ingredients of a first menu item; a second set of topping modules comprising a third topping module and a fourth topping module, the third topping module configured to transiently engage the first topping module receptacle in replacement of the first topping module and to dispense topping samples of a third topping type into the first topping module receptacle during a second time period succeeding the first time period, and the fourth topping module configured to transiently engage the second topping module receptacle in replacement of the second topping module and to dispense topping samples of a fourth topping type into the second topping module receptacle during the second time period, the third topping type and the fourth topping type comprising ingredients of a second menu item distinct from the first menu item; and an actuator system:
configured to selectively advance and retract the first blade to dispense a serving of a topping sample from the first topping module and to selectively advance and retract the second blade to dispense a serving of a topping sample from the second topping module during the first time period; andconfigured to selectively advance and retract the first blade to dispense a serving of a topping sample from the third topping module and to selectively advance and retract the second blade to dispense a serving of a topping sample from the fourth topping module during the second time period.