Improved food dispensing method and apparatus

Abstract

A food dispensing machine and method of use are provided that include first and second food portions that are separately stored, loaded, conveyed, and heated. A first food portion, such as a meat product, is dispensed from a chain of portions in a sealing film via a first dispensing device, which slices the film and expels the food portion. The first food portion is heated in a first heating device. The second food portions, such as buns, are stored within containers attached to a film so as to form a chain, are dispensed by a second dispensing device, which separates each container from the film for placement onto a platform. The platform conveys the second food portions to a second heating device, and the heated first and second food portions are then combined and dispensed.

1 . A food dispensing device for combining and dispensing food product having a first food portion combined with a second food portion, the food dispensing device comprising:
 a first food portion dispensing device that dispenses a chain of first food portions encased by a first film;   a first food portion deployment device that deploys a first food portion dispensed from the first food portion dispensing device;   a first heating component that provides microwave heating and infrared heating to heat the first food portion, the first heating component having an interior surface that defines an interior heating space, and an end wall having an opening through which the first food portion is passed to be heated;   a conveyance mechanism that receives the first food portion from the first food portion deployment device when the conveyance mechanism is in a first position and provides the first food portion to the interior heating space of the first heating component when the conveyance mechanism is in a second position and substantially prevents leakage of microwaves from the first heating component, the conveyance mechanism including a face plate that covers the opening in the end wall of the first heating component when the conveyance mechanism is in the second position;   a second food portion dispensing device that dispenses a chain of second food portions within a container, the container being enclosed by a second film;   a second deployment mechanism that deploys a second food portion dispensed from the second food portion dispensing device; and   a food product transport mechanism that transports a combined food product including the first food portion and the second food portion to a food delivery compartment.   
   
   
       2 . The food dispensing device of  claim 1 , further comprising a refrigeration unit that stores the first food portion, the refrigeration unit having an interior refrigerated compartment that includes:
 an upper door having a bottom and a top, wherein the bottom of the upper door is pivotally attached to the refrigeration unit, and the upper door pivots on a horizontal axis at the bottom of the upper door and opens from the top of the upper door; and   a lower door having a left side and a right side, wherein the left side of the lower door is pivotally attached to the refrigeration unit, and the lower door pivots on a vertical axis at the left of the lower door and opens from the right of the lower door.   
   
   
       3 . The food dispensing device of  claim 2 , wherein a seal is attached to a bottom edge of the upper door, and the seal forms a seal with an upper edge of the lower door. 
   
   
       4 . The food dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first food portion deployment device includes:
 a guide wheel that tapers outwardly towards its ends;   a first food portion separation component having a ramp portion that received the first food portion, a cutter that slices the first film, and a shelf portion, the shelf portion including:
 a guide at a first end of the shelf portion; 
 a film recess at a second end of the shelf portion; and 
 a rail; 
   a film take up reel that winds the sliced first film, the film take up reel including:
 a first half having first end, a second mating end, and a plurality of tapered ribs that extend from the first end; 
 a second half that matingly joins with the first half, the second half having first end, a second mating end, and a plurality of tapered ribs that extend from the first end. 
   
   
   
       5 . The food dispensing device of  claim 4 , wherein the guide of the first food portion separation component tapers outwardly towards its ends. 
   
   
       6 . The food dispensing device of  claim 4 , wherein the first half of the film uptake reel includes a first cylindrical center portion, and the second half of the film uptake reel includes a second cylindrical center portion that matingly joins with the first cylindrical center portion. 
   
   
       7 . The food dispensing device of  claim 6 , wherein the first cylindrical center portion includes a first slot, and the second cylindrical center portion includes a second slot that aligns with the first slot when the second cylindrical portion matingly joins with the first cylindrical center portion to form an elongated slot. 
   
   
       8 . The food dispensing device of  claim 7 , wherein the elongated slot receives the first film to secure the first film to the film take up reel. 
   
   
       9 . The food dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the interior surface of the first heating component has an upper half and a lower half, and the first heating element includes two sealed infrared coils on the lower half of the interior surface. 
   
   
       10 . The food dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first heating component further includes:
 a vertical cooling divider across a top of the first heating component; and   a first horizontal cooling divider and a second horizontal cooling divider located along opposite sides of the first heating component.   
   
   
       11 . The food dispensing device of  claim 10 , wherein the vertical cooling divider and the horizontal cooling dividers form a high pressure zone above the horizontal cooling dividers and a low pressure zone below the horizontal cooling dividers. 
   
   
       12 . The food dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the conveyance mechanism includes a plurality of rollers on which first food portion is rotated during heating in the first heating component. 
   
   
       13 . The food dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the second food portion deployment device includes a film roller, the film roller including:
 a tapered first half having a first end, a second end, and an axle; and   a tapered second half that matingly joins with the tapered first half, the tapered second half having a first end and a second end.   
   
   
       14 . The food dispensing device of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first half and the second half includes a slot that receives the second film. 
   
   
       15 . The food dispensing device of  claim 13 , the second food portion deployment device further including:
 a first wall;   a second wall opposite the first wall;   a door within the first wall; and   an opening within the door;   wherein the axle of the film roller is inserted into the second food portion deployment device through the door, a first end of the axle of the film roller is received by the opening in the door, and a second end of the axle is received by a receiver in the second wall.   
   
   
       16 . The food dispensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises:
 a platform that receives the second food portion within the container, the platform being loaded onto the transport mechanism;   wherein the second food portion deployment device includes:   a container guide having a top surface;   an opening bounded by the top surface of the container guide; and   two positioning tabs that stabilize the platform for loading on the transport mechanism.   
   
   
       17 . A food dispensing device for combining and dispensing food product having a first food portion combined with a second food portion, the food dispensing device comprising:
 a first food portion dispensing device that dispenses a chain of first food portions encased by a first film;   a first food portion deployment device that deploys a first food portion dispensed from the first food portion dispensing device, the first food portion deployment device having a first film take up reel including:
 a first half having first end, a second mating end, and a plurality of tapered ribs that extend from the first end; and 
 a second half that matingly joins with the first half, the second half having first end, a second mating end, and a plurality of tapered ribs that extend from the first end; 
   a first heating component that provides microwave heating and infrared heating to heat the first food portion;   a second food portion dispensing device that dispenses a chain of second food portions within a container, the container being enclosed by a second film;   a second deployment mechanism that deploys a second food portion dispensed from the second food portion dispensing device; and   a food product transport mechanism that transports a combined food product including the first food portion and the second food portion to a food delivery compartment.   
   
   
       18 . The food dispensing device of  claim 17 , wherein the first half of the film uptake reel includes a first cylindrical center portion, and the second half of the film uptake reel includes a second cylindrical center portion that matingly joins with the first cylindrical center portion. 
   
   
       19 . The food dispensing device of  claim 6 , wherein the first cylindrical center portion includes a first slot, and the second cylindrical center portion includes a second slot that aligns with the first slot when the second cylindrical portion matingly joins with the first cylindrical center portion to form an elongated slot. 
   
   
       20 . A food dispensing device for combining and dispensing food product having a first food portion combined with a second food portion, the food dispensing device comprising:
 a first food portion dispensing device that dispenses a chain of first food portions encased by a first film;   a first food portion deployment device that deploys a first food portion dispensed from the first food portion dispensing device;   a first heating component that provides microwave heating and infrared heating to heat the first food portion;   a second food portion dispensing device that dispenses a chain of second food portions within a container, the container being enclosed by a second film;   a second deployment mechanism that deploys a second food portion dispensed from the second food portion dispensing device, the second food portion deployment device having a film roller including:
 a tapered first half having a first end, a second end, and an axle; and 
 a tapered second half that matingly joins with the tapered first half, the tapered second half having a first end and a second end; and 
   a food product transport mechanism that transports a combined food product including the first food portion and the second food portion to a food delivery compartment.