A food-automatic-cook-and-processing system, which may be used in the automatic-cooking-and-processing vending system; a series of auto piercing food-processing devices have tunnel(s) to pierce the disposable food container(s) in the devices, heat the hot air inside and adjust the temperature, make it circulating and past the food in the food containers, finally cook the food.

A modular food holding bin has multiple food holding units or bins, which can be connected and disconnected from each other in multiple different configurations. Each bin can be set to its own temperature, independently of the others. The modular holding bin includes a power recover mode.

The present invention relates to an infant feeding warming system useful to repeatedly and precisely warm breastmilk or formula for use in the NICU. The system in one form comprises a bedside unit that is attachable to an IV pole. The system may also comprise a centralized warming station with multiple chambers, wherein one chamber heats a bottle or syringe, and the remaining chambers are used for storage and/or refrigeration. The system will use a non-liquid heating system to heat feedings. A disposable liner may be used inside the chamber. The system may also contain heating algorithms that are based on a user inputting milk parameters such as volume and initial temperature.

In an embodiment, an automatic food preparation and serving method comprises: releasing, from one or more magazines in a storage apparatus, a plurality of food canisters, each loaded with a different ingredient of a human consumable dish or meal, onto a canister transportation mechanism under program control by one or more digital electronic processors; transporting, using the canister transportation, the plurality of food canisters to a food dispensing mechanism under program control of the one or more processors; retrieving, using a bowl placement apparatus, a bowl from a bowl dispensing apparatus and placing the bowl on a bowl orientation mechanism below the food dispensing mechanism under program control of the one or more processors; dispensing, using the food dispensing mechanism, the ingredient of the human consumable dish or meal from the plurality of food canisters into the bowl under program control of the one or more processors; removing the plurality of food canisters using a canister removing apparatus into a bin using gravity.

In an embodiment, an automatic food preparation and serving method comprises: releasing, from one or more magazines in a storage apparatus, a plurality of food canisters, each loaded with a different ingredient of a human consumable dish or meal, onto a canister transportation mechanism under program control by one or more digital electronic processors; transporting, using the canister transportation, the plurality of food canisters to a food dispensing mechanism under program control of the one or more processors; retrieving, using a bowl placement apparatus, a bowl from a bowl dispensing apparatus and placing the bowl on a bowl orientation mechanism below the food dispensing mechanism under program control of the one or more processors; dispensing, using the food dispensing mechanism, the ingredient of the human consumable dish or meal from the plurality of food canisters into the bowl under program control of the one or more processors; removing the plurality of food canisters using a canister removing apparatus into a bin using gravity.

A temperature monitoring and control system is provided. The system includes a plurality of temperature sensors for obtaining temperature readings of food items. The system is scalable and configurable with each sensor being capable of functioning as an individual sensor and/or as part of a grouping of sensors. The system is configured to obtain a variety of information, such as ambient air temperature, dwell time of food items, moisture levels, and the like, thereby enabling the system to recognize current and future temperature concerns. The system provides audio and visual warnings and visual displays. In some embodiments, the system performs one or more physical operation based on one or more detected condition. The system is further configured to distinguish between accurate temperature readings and inaccurate temperature readings and/or to otherwise determine if an obstacle is preventing a temperature sensor from obtaining an accurate temperature reading.

A baked goods handling system includes a holding cabinet operable to create a controlled environment therein. A dispenser receives a baked good from the holding cabinet and directs the baked good away from the holding cabinet. A treatment device receives the baked good from the dispenser to perform a treatment on the baked good.

A cubby unit includes a plurality of cubbies and one or more processing circuits. Each of the plurality of cubbies includes a cubby housing defining an internal compartment, a light disposed within the internal compartment, and a door. The door facilitates accessing the internal compartment of the cubby housing. At least a portion of the door is transparent. The one or more processing circuits are configured to to acquire access information, determine whether the access information is associated with a respective order within a respective cubby of the plurality of cubbies, and activate the light of the respective cubby in response to the access information being associated with the respective order such that light emitted by the light shines through the portion of the door that is transparent of the respective cubby to indicate in which one of the plurality of cubbies the respective order is located.

A cubby unit includes a plurality of cubbies and one or more processing circuits. Each of the plurality of cubbies includes a cubby housing defining an internal compartment, a light disposed within the internal compartment, and a door. The door facilitates accessing the internal compartment of the cubby housing. At least a portion of the door is transparent. The one or more processing circuits are configured to to acquire access information, determine whether the access information is associated with a respective order within a respective cubby of the plurality of cubbies, and activate the light of the respective cubby in response to the access information being associated with the respective order such that light emitted by the light shines through the portion of the door that is transparent of the respective cubby to indicate in which one of the plurality of cubbies the respective order is located.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an air-based fryer, comprising: a food preparation chamber (1); a heating device (3); an airflow generating device (2) configured to enable air heated by the heating device (3) to form an airflow to heat food in the food preparation chamber (1); a first temperature sensing device (4) located nearby or on the heating device (3) and configured to detect a temperature of a surface of the heating device (3); and a controller (5) configured to control operation of the heating device (3) based on the temperature of the surface of the heating device (3) detected by the first temperature sensing device (4). The air-based fryer reduces the generation of fume by restricting the surface temperature of the heating device.