A loading apparatus for loading food products onto and/or into a slicing apparatus, in particular a high-speed slicer, comprises at least one magazine unit that includes a conveying means that endlessly circulates along a running direction. The conveying means is configured to lift the products to a transferring height at which the products can be transferred to the slicing apparatus and includes several product support surfaces, the product support surfaces being oriented essentially perpendicular to the running direction and positioned subsequently along the running direction with a space between each other. At least one product is loadable onto a respective product support surface for lifting the product to the transferring height.

A loading apparatus for loading food products onto and/or into a slicing apparatus, in particular a high-speed slicer, comprises at least one magazine unit that includes a conveying means that endlessly circulates along a running direction. The conveying means is configured to lift the products to a transferring height at which the products can be transferred to the slicing apparatus and includes several product support surfaces, the product support surfaces being oriented essentially perpendicular to the running direction and positioned subsequently along the running direction with a space between each other. At least one product is loadable onto a respective product support surface for lifting the product to the transferring height.

A loading apparatus for loading food products onto and/or into a slicing apparatus, in particular a high-speed slicer, comprises at least one magazine unit that includes a conveying means that endlessly circulates along a running direction. The conveying means is configured to lift the products to a transferring height at which the products can be transferred to the slicing apparatus and includes several product support surfaces, the product support surfaces being oriented essentially perpendicular to the running direction and positioned subsequently along the running direction with a space between each other. At least one product is loadable onto a respective product support surface for lifting the product to the transferring height.

A plate delivery system provides storage for plates in a first-in, last-out configuration. As the kitchen staff completes a meal (plated), the plate holding the meal is presented to the plate delivery system and the plate moves into the plate delivery system to be ready for the next plate. After a number of plates are stored in the plate delivery system, the plate delivery system is transported from the kitchen to the eating area (e.g., restaurant table or banquet table) and each plate is sequentially presented to a delivery mechanism (e.g., a robot or a waitperson) for final delivery to the table. In some embodiments, the plate delivery system is enclosed and has a cover mechanism to prevent food contamination by foreign matter and in some embodiments, the plate delivery system has heating/cooling mechanisms to help keep warm food warm or cool food cool.

A plate delivery system provides storage for plates in a first-in, last-out configuration. As the kitchen staff completes a meal (plated), the plate holding the meal is presented to the plate delivery system and the plate moves into the plate delivery system to be ready for the next plate. After a number of plates are stored in the plate delivery system, the plate delivery system is transported from the kitchen to the eating area (e.g., restaurant table or banquet table) and each plate is sequentially presented to a delivery mechanism (e.g., a robot or a waitperson) for final delivery to the table. In some embodiments, the plate delivery system is enclosed and has a cover mechanism to prevent food contamination by foreign matter and in some embodiments, the plate delivery system has heating/cooling mechanisms to help keep warm food warm or cool food cool.

A slicing apparatus for slicing food products into slices comprises a feeding unit configured to feed products along a feeding direction into a cutting region in which a blade for slicing the products into slices is arranged, wherein the feeding unit comprises a moving device that is configured to move the products into the cutting region, and wherein the moving device comprises a transporting member that is configured to apply a pressure onto an upper product side while the product is fed into the cutting region.

A slicing apparatus for slicing food products into slices comprises a feeding unit configured to feed products along a feeding direction into a cutting region in which a blade for slicing the products into slices is arranged, wherein the feeding unit comprises a moving device that is configured to move the products into the cutting region, and wherein the moving device comprises a transporting member that is configured to apply a pressure onto an upper product side while the product is fed into the cutting region.

The system can include: a container 110, a set of sensors 120, and a controller 130. The system can optionally include a robot 140. However, the system 100 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable set of components. The system functions to monitor and/or maintain a fullness level of a container. The system can additionally or alternatively function to enable robotic picking out of the container (e.g., in a pick-and-place setting). The system can additionally function to maintain candidate objects within reach of the robot's end effector to increase robot uptime while minimizing the extent of the robot's required motion (e.g., in the z-axis).

A sprung display case for dispensing products, particularly heavy products such as beverage multipacks. The case comprises a vertical chamber that is open at an upper end (and is sized and shaped such that a plurality of the products can be vertically stacked within the chamber; a horizontal platform that is mounted to be vertically slidable within the chamber, the platform having at least one air hole formed therethrough; a single resiliently compressible member mounted in the chamber between a lower side of the platform and an upper side of a base of the chamber to bias the platform towards the upper end of the chamber; and a tether fixed at a first end to the platform and at a second end to the base of the chamber to prevent the platform moving out of the upper end of the chamber.

A sprung display case for dispensing products, particularly heavy products such as beverage multipacks. The case comprises a vertical chamber that is open at an upper end (and is sized and shaped such that a plurality of the products can be vertically stacked within the chamber; a horizontal platform that is mounted to be vertically slidable within the chamber, the platform having at least one air hole formed therethrough; a single resiliently compressible member mounted in the chamber between a lower side of the platform and an upper side of a base of the chamber to bias the platform towards the upper end of the chamber; and a tether fixed at a first end to the platform and at a second end to the base of the chamber to prevent the platform moving out of the upper end of the chamber.