Patents

Citation

(2007), "Patents", Industrial Robot, Vol. 34 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2007.04934aad.006

Patents

Title: Method and device for gripping and transferring food materialApplicant: Maekawa Seisakusho KKPatent number: JP2005333827Publication date: 8 December 2005

Problem to be solved. To provide a method for gripping and transferring a food material comprising directly gripping the food material with robot hands wherein the food material is surely gripped to exactly transfer the food material to a desired position such as a lunch box or a tray without complicated or expensive control using a simple device: and to provide the device for gripping and transferring the food material.

Solution. The device for gripping and transferring the food material is provided with a pressing plate pressing the food material after subjected to elastic deformation so as to have resilience; and a pin (a needle member) 15 as a gripping mechanism transferring the food material while gripping it by the help of the resilience. In the device, the food material is subjected to elastic deformation and pressed with the pressing plate so as to have the resilience, and at the same time or after pressed, the food material is transferred to the desired position while gripping the food material with the pin through the use of the resilience.

Title: Manipulator with automatic control, especially for the food industryApplicant: Markert Joachim (De);Merk Gunther (De)Patent number: US2005092122Publication date: 5 May 2005

An automatic manipulator, such as a multiaxial industrial robot, with a carrying component structure (support structure) for transmitting forces between individual members of the automatic manipulator. The entire support structure is formed from a material that is inert with respect to external effects, such as moisture or the like. The material of the support structure may be, in particular, a material that is suitable for use in contact with foods, such as stainless steel, so that the automatic manipulator according to the present invention can be used reliably and without additional costly protective measures in environments in which there is a risk for contamination, such as in the food industry.

Title: Spacing and alignment device, particularly for lines for producing and processing rolled-up food productsApplicant: Doge Food Proc Machinery S R L (IT)Patent number: EP1709872Publication date: 11 October 2006

A spacing and alignment device, particularly for portions of dough, comprising a supporting framework, which is associated with a line for conveying at least one continuous ribbon of dough, for means for cutting the continuous ribbon of dough into portions of dough; the spacing device comprises a supporting structure for at least one handling element, which is connected kinematically to an actuation device and can move along an actuation direction which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of arrangement of the portions of dough in order to pass from a disengagement condition, in which the handling element is spaced from the portions of dough, to an engagement condition, in which the handling element engages at least one portion of a respective portion of dough; means for moving the handling element are also provided which are adapted to turn the handling element, at least in the engagement condition, about a rotation axis which is substantially parallel to the actuation direction.

Title: Robotic beverage serverApplicant: Jennings Craig (US);Katchmar Mike (US); Hickle Wade (US); Michael Zane Allan (US);Traynor Carl (US)Patent number: US2006043111Publication date: 2 March 2006

A robotic beverage server configured to take a beverage order, prepare the beverage or mixture of beverages, and serve the beverage to a consumer. The robotic beverage server may include a robot, a controller connected to the robot, and a beverage supply adjacent to the robot. The robot may be configured to approximate a physical representation of a human body comprising a torso, a head, and multiple robotic arms, and wherein the head comprises a multi-pixel display panel configured to display graphic or textual representations thereon. The controller is configured to transmit display data to the display panel. The robot is also configured such that the robotic arms cooperate with the beverage supply to serve a beverage or mixture of beverages from the beverage supply.