IP Library Granted Patent US 11,109,716
Granted Patent B2
US 11,109,716 · App. 15/945,483 · Granted Sep 7, 2021

Enhanced automated food making apparatus

Inventors: Deepak Chandra Sekar (San Jose, CA); Kathirgugan Kathirasen (Selangor, MY); Brian Richardson (Los Gatos, CA); Sanath Bhat (Redwood City, CA)
Assignee: CHOWBOTICS
A47J44/00A47J36/00B25J9/026Y10S901/16
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,109,716
App. No.
15/945,483
Granted
Sep 7, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for operating an automated food making apparatus having a motor, actuator arm, and an apparatus. The apparatus may be a paddle with flexible fins. The method rotates the paddle with a pin-shaft mechanism to dispense an ingredient placed in a canister, controls the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings, and locates a position of the actuator arm with position sensors. The same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters. The method may have a plurality of paddle rotation and weight measurement steps until a target weight is reached. The plurality of paddle rotation steps may be unidirectional or bidirectional paddle rotation. The paddle may be rotated according to one or more paddle rotation algorithms, an error recovery algorithm, or different algorithms based on the amounts of ingredients remaining in the canister. The paddle may be rocked until the target weight is achieved.

Claims (98)

1. A method of operating an automated food making apparatus comprising:

rotating, with a motor with an actuator arm, a paddle with a hard center and flexible fins to dispense an ingredient placed in a canister,

rotating the paddle with a pin-shaft mechanism,

controlling the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings, and

locating a position of the actuator arm with position sensors,

wherein the same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters,

performing a plurality of paddle rotation and weight measurement steps until a target weight is reached, and

straightening a pin following the plurality of paddle rotation and weight measurement steps.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of unidirectional paddle rotation and weight measurement steps until a target weight is reached.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of bidirectional paddle rotation and weight measurement steps until a target weight is reached.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

rotating the paddle according to a first paddle rotation algorithm until an initial target weight is reached, and subsequently rotating the paddle according to a second paddle rotation algorithm until a final target weight is reached.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

rotating the paddle according to an error recovery algorithm when further paddle rotation with a first algorithm does not cause significant changes in the weight sensor readings.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

rotating the paddle according to different algorithms when different amounts of ingredients remain in the canister.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

rocking the paddle and measuring the weight until a target weight is reached.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

rocking the paddle with progressively increasing angles and measuring the weight until a target weight is reached.

9. A method of operating an automated food making apparatus comprising:

rotating, with a motor with an actuator arm, an apparatus that dispenses an ingredient placed in a canister,

rotating the apparatus with a pin-shaft mechanism,

controlling the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings,

locating a position of the actuator arm with position sensors,

performing a plurality of apparatus rotation and weight measurement steps until a target weight is reached, and

straightening a pin following the plurality of apparatus rotation and weight measurement steps,

wherein the same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

a plurality of bidirectional apparatus rotation and weight measurement steps until a target weight is reached.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

rotating the apparatus according to a first rotation algorithm until an initial target weight is reached, and subsequently rotating the apparatus according to a second rotation algorithm until a final target weight is reached.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

rotating the apparatus according to an error recovery algorithm when further apparatus rotation with a first algorithm does not cause significant changes in the weight sensor readings.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

rotating the apparatus according to different algorithms when different amounts of ingredients remain in the canister.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

rocking the apparatus and measuring the weight until a target weight is reached.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

rocking the apparatus with progressively increasing angles and measuring the weight until a target weight is reached.

16. A method of operating an automated food making apparatus comprising:

rotating, with a motor with an actuator arm, a paddle with a hard center and flexible fins to dispense an ingredient placed in a canister,

rotating the paddle with a pin-shaft mechanism,

controlling the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings,

locating a position of the actuator arm with position sensors, and

rotating the paddle according to a first paddle rotation algorithm until an initial target weight is reached, and subsequently rotating the paddle according to a second paddle rotation algorithm until a final target weight is reached,

wherein the same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters.

17. A method of operating an automated food making apparatus comprising:

rotating, with a motor with an actuator arm, a paddle with a hard center and flexible fins to dispense an ingredient placed in a canister,

rotating the paddle with a pin-shaft mechanism,

controlling the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings,

locating a position of the actuator arm with position sensors, and

rotating the paddle according to an error recovery algorithm when further paddle rotation with a first algorithm does not cause significant changes in the weight sensor readings,

wherein the same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters.

18. A method of operating an automated food making apparatus comprising:

rotating, with a motor with an actuator arm, a paddle with a hard center and flexible fins to dispense an ingredient placed in a canister,

rotating the paddle with a pin-shaft mechanism,

controlling the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings,

locating a position of the actuator arm with position sensors, and

rotating the paddle according to different algorithms when different amounts of ingredients remain in the canister,

wherein the same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters.

19. A method of operating an automated food making apparatus comprising:

rotating, with a motor with an actuator arm, a paddle with a hard center and flexible fins to dispense an ingredient placed in a canister,

rotating the paddle with a pin-shaft mechanism,

controlling the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings,

locating a position of the actuator arm with position sensors, and

rocking the paddle with progressively increasing angles and measuring the weight until a target weight is reached,

wherein the same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters.

20. A method of operating an automated food making apparatus comprising:

rotating, with a motor with an actuator arm, an apparatus that dispenses an ingredient placed in a canister,

rotating the apparatus with a pin-shaft mechanism,

controlling the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings,

locating a position of the actuator arm with position sensors, and

rotating the apparatus according to a first rotation algorithm until an initial target weight is reached, and subsequently rotating the apparatus according to a second rotation algorithm until a final target weight is reached,

wherein the same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters.

21. A method of operating an automated food making apparatus comprising:

rotating, with a motor with an actuator arm, an apparatus that dispenses an ingredient placed in a canister,

rotating the apparatus with a pin-shaft mechanism,

controlling the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings,

locating a position of the actuator arm with position sensors, and

rotating the apparatus according to an error recovery algorithm when further apparatus rotation with a first algorithm does not cause significant changes in the weight sensor readings,

wherein the same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters.

22. A method of operating an automated food making apparatus comprising:

rotating, with a motor with an actuator arm, an apparatus that dispenses an ingredient placed in a canister,

rotating the apparatus with a pin-shaft mechanism,

controlling the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings,

locating a position of the actuator arm with position sensors, and

rotating the apparatus according to different algorithms when different amounts of ingredients remain in the canister,

wherein the same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters.

23. A method of operating an automated food making apparatus comprising:

rotating, with a motor with an actuator arm, an apparatus that dispenses an ingredient placed in a canister,

rotating the apparatus with a pin-shaft mechanism,

controlling the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings,

locating a position of the actuator arm with position sensors, and

rocking the apparatus with progressively increasing angles and measuring the weight until a target weight is reached,

wherein the same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2023
From: CHOWBOTICS, INC.
To: DOORDASH, INC.
Reel/Frame 062281/0838 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME OF CHOWBOTICS WAS INCORRECT AND SHOULD BE CHOWBOTICS, INC. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 046417 FRAME: 0647. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 19, 2022
From: SEKAR, DEEPAK CHANDRA; KATHIRASEN, KATHIRGUGAN; RICHARDSON, BRIAN; BHAT, SANATH
To: CHOWBOTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061463/0913 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 057848 FRAME: 0402. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 19, 2022
From: LALLA, LEVI
To: CHOWBOTICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061464/0348 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2021
From: LALLA, LEVI
To: CHOWBOTICS
Reel/Frame 057848/0402 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2018
From: SEKAR, DEEPAK CHANDRA; KATHIRASEN, KATHIRGUGAN; RICHARDSON, BRIAN; BHAT, SANATH
To: CHOWBOTICS
Reel/Frame 046417/0647 →
Continuity (11)
Continuation In Part 15449548 · Mar 3, 2017
Continuation In Part 14847959 · Sep 8, 2015
Provisional Application 62481217 · Apr 4, 2017
Provisional Application 62304277 · Mar 6, 2016
Provisional Application 62047785 · Sep 9, 2014
Provisional Application 62056368 · Sep 26, 2014
Provisional Application 62094595 · Dec 19, 2014
Provisional Application 62150303 · Apr 21, 2015
Provisional Application 62185524 · Jun 26, 2015
Provisional Application 62201105 · Aug 4, 2015
Related Publication 20180310773A1 · Nov 1, 2018