The invention concerns a cooking system (1) comprising a base module (2) with a drive motor (20) and a drive arm (22), wherein the drive arm (22) has a coupling (21) for releasable connection of a tool (4) to the drive motor (20), and wherein the base module (2) is assigned to a cooking zone (50) of a hob (5), so that the drive arm (22) can be arranged above the cooking zone (50) in order, by means of a tool (4) coupled to the coupling of the drive arm (22), to act on a medium in a container (6) arranged at the cooking zone (50), wherein the base module (2) is arranged on a housing (10), wherein the housing (10) is fitted on the hob (5) so as to be movable in the vertical direction between a stowage position and a usage position, extendable in the horizontal direction, and/or foldable about a pivot axis. The invention furthermore concerns a kitchen appliance with a cooking system (1).

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.

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.

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.

An automated food preparation system includes a conveyance system configured to move a foodstuff into a sauce position. The automated food preparation system includes multiple sauce reservoirs each having a pump and each configured to contain a respective one of multiple sauces. The automated food preparation system includes multiple tubes, each in fluid communication with the pump of a respective one of the sauce reservoirs. The automated food preparation system includes a scanning head including multiple openings each coupled with a respective one of the tubes. The automated food preparation system includes a motor drivingly coupled to the scanning head and operable to move the scanning head relative to the foodstuff in the sauce position to position a selected one or more of the openings over a selected one or more regions of the foodstuff.

An automated food preparation system includes a conveyance system configured to move a foodstuff into a sauce position. The automated food preparation system includes multiple sauce reservoirs each having a pump and each configured to contain a respective one of multiple sauces. The automated food preparation system includes multiple tubes, each in fluid communication with the pump of a respective one of the sauce reservoirs. The automated food preparation system includes a scanning head including multiple openings each coupled with a respective one of the tubes. The automated food preparation system includes a motor drivingly coupled to the scanning head and operable to move the scanning head relative to the foodstuff in the sauce position to position a selected one or more of the openings over a selected one or more regions of the foodstuff.

A dispensing device for dispensing material. The dispensing device comprises a dispensing head; a capsule magazine including at least one void; at least one material capsule, wherein the at least one material capsule is disposed within the at least one void in the material capsule magazine; a motor, operable to provide mechanical power for material dispensing operations, wherein the motor is disposed within the dispensing head; and a gear mechanically connected to the motor, wherein the gear is further disposed in connection with the at least one material capsule, such that operation of the motor causes rotation of the gear and, in turn rotation of the at least one material capsule.

A dispensing device for dispensing material. The dispensing device comprises a dispensing head; a capsule magazine including at least one void; at least one material capsule, wherein the at least one material capsule is disposed within the at least one void in the material capsule magazine; a motor, operable to provide mechanical power for material dispensing operations, wherein the motor is disposed within the dispensing head; and a gear mechanically connected to the motor, wherein the gear is further disposed in connection with the at least one material capsule, such that operation of the motor causes rotation of the gear and, in turn rotation of the at least one material capsule.

The present invention provides a new bulk, dry foods dispensing apparatus and system for commercial, retail and home use designed to dispense a predetermined volume of dry bulk food into a bowl or other receptacle without crushing or breaking the food. The bulk food dispenser includes a hopper, a dispensing chamber including two or more openings, a baffle located above the dispensing chamber for directing the solid bulk material to be dispensed from the hopper to the dispensing chamber, and a paddle wheel located within the dispensing chamber, where the paddle wheel further includes a plurality of protrusions for directing a solid material out of the dispensing chamber when the paddle wheel is rotated, where at least one of the two or more openings receive the solid material directed by the baffle, and where at least one of the two or more openings dispense the solid material out of the dispensing chamber.

A dispenser, a dispensing system and a dispensing method are disclosed. A plurality of dispensers may be implemented. The dispenser includes a flexible container having a top and a bottom and capable of holding a product therein, the flexible container including top and bottom openings. A rigid support structure that supports the flexible container is provided. A moveable dispensing arm that operatively facilitates product dispensing is also provided. The moveable dispensing arm is operable between a dispensing condition and a retaining condition, and it includes a pinching edge which is configured to pinch the flexible container shut in either the dispensing condition or the retaining condition of the dispensing arm.