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.

A vending machine configured to dispense foodstuffs includes a plurality of cartridges having a plurality of slots with each slot releasably retaining a foodstuff; a heating section configured to receive at least one foodstuff from at least one of the plurality of slots and to heat the at least one foodstuff; and a dispensing drawer configured to receive the at least one foodstuff passing through the heating section and to permit access to the foodstuff.

Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to a touchless automatic food locker apparatus, system, and method providing automated self-serve food lockers. Embodiments include arrays of modular food lockers having a public access door and a kitchen access door opposed to each other, assembled as a wall between the public space and the kitchen. Each food locker kitchen access door is adapted to receive a food item disposed into the locker. Heating and cooling elements maintain the appropriate food item temperature in the locker. Sensors, lighting, and UV lighting coupled to the locker detects a state of the item in the locker. The locker further includes credentialed access by the customer to the food locker from the public access door by an assembly coupled to the food locker utilizing mobile communication and intelligent analysis to reduce waiting time, keep food products fresh, and assure quality product delivery.

An automatic vending machine for boxed frozen and hot food includes a cupboard, a refrigeration device, racks, an oven, a robotic picking system, a feeding slot and a conveyor board. The refrigeration device and the oven are installed in a first accommodation space and a second accommodation space of the cupboard respectively, and the interior of the first accommodation space is formed into a placing space by a rack for putting food boxes. The robotic picking system picks one of the food boxes and moves it sideway into the oven for heating, and a moving tray in the oven and the conveyor board move the food box into the feeding slot in a seesaw gravitational sliding manner for delivery.

A vending machine includes a refrigerated enclosure including a housing for storage of an associated pre-packaged food product. The housing has a sidewall with a sidewall opening A door is mounted to the sidewall for closing and opening the sidewall opening. A drive mechanism is operably connected to the door and adapted to mechanically mow the door between a closed position and an opened position. The drive mechanism includes at least one sensing device adapted to determine whether the door is in one of the closed position and the opened position. A door rail is mounted to the sidewall and has a guide track. The door is movably received in the guide track.

A vending machine system for loading and dispensing pre-baked unpackaged food including a fixed cartridge disposed in a refrigerator of a vending machine, and a transport cartridge adapted to removably attach to the fixed cartridge, the transport cartridge operable for holding trays of unpackaged food and loading the trays of unpackaged food from the transport cartridge into the fixed cartridge, wherein, when the transport cartridge is removably attached to the fixed cartridge, a front opening of the transport cartridge aligns with a front opening of the fixed cartridge, and wherein the rack of the transport cartridge aligns with the conveyor system of the fixed cartridge such that trays of unpackaged food within the transport cartridge can simultaneously be transitioned from the rack to the conveyor system.

A food dispensing device or system which dispenses food extracted from pre-packaged food containers is described. One or more food extraction mechanisms retrieve food from storage containers. The food can be packaged and dispensed to a user for subsequent preparation.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a cloud based management system controlling a plurality of automated food production systems residing at different locations. A machine learning algorithm may be used to modify recipe data to customize recipes.

An automatic heating vending machine including a storage space, a storage mechanism, a fetching mechanism, a gripping arm mechanism, a rotating disc mechanism and a heating mechanism are disclosed. The storage mechanism is installed in the storage space to store food. The fetching mechanism is installed in the storage space and disposed under the storage mechanism to catch the food. The gripping arm mechanism grips the food on the fetching mechanism. The rotating disc mechanism is disposed on one side of the gripping arm mechanism. The gripping arm mechanism grips the food and then places the food on the rotating disc mechanism. The heating mechanism is disposed above the rotating disc mechanism. After the food has been placed on the rotating disc mechanism, the rotating disc mechanism undergoes horizontal movement and vertical movement, allowing the food to be admitted to the heating mechanism and heated.

Device (10) for treating products (100), in particular bakery products, comprising: at least one treating unit (40), comprising at least one storage belt (41) and arranged to process the products (100); at least one dispensing unit (50), comprising at least one storage belt (51) and arranged to dispense the products (100); at least one operating device (20), arranged to transport the products (100); wherein the operating device (20) comprises at least one operating belt (21) and at least one coupling device (30); wherein the operating belt (21) is arranged to store the products (100); wherein the coupling device (30) is arranged to couple the operating belt (21) with a storage belt (41, 51) in order to exchange the products (100) with the coupled storage belt (41, 51), and wherein the operating device (20) comprises at least one operating belt (21) and at least one coupling device (30).

wherein the coupling device (30) comprises at least one drive unit (23) which is arranged to drive at least one storage belt (41, 51) coupled to the operating device (20).