Pizza Sauce Applicator

Abstract

A pizza saucer having a housing in which components may be mounted. The housing includes a base having an upwardly facing deck, a neck that extends from the base to a head, and a manifold mounted to the head facing the deck. The housing contains at least one pump to convey pizza sauce from a source to the manifold, and a computer that controls a rotary prime mover in the base with a driveshaft extending through the deck to a tray drivingly linked to the driveshaft. An input, such as a touchscreen, is mounted to the head and faces the user during operation. With the touchscreen, the user may input the crust size. The computer actuates the pumps and the rotary prime mover, simultaneously causing the crust to rotate 360-370 degrees and the manifold to dispense sauce onto the crust until the crust is coated.

1 . An apparatus for applying a fluent food to a substantially circular food product, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a manifold having at least one inlet in fluid communication with at least one outlet, wherein the at least one outlet is positioned directly above a tray for holding the circular food product;   (b) at least one pump in fluid communication with the at least one inlet and a reservoir for holding fluent food, wherein the pump is configured to pump fluent food from the reservoir to the at least one inlet and then out of the at least one outlet to the circular food product below; and   (c) a rotary prime mover disposed beneath the tray and drivingly linked to the tray and configured to rotate the circular food product relative to the manifold as the fluent food is dispensed out of the at least one outlet to the circular food product below.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one outlet comprises multiple outlets that are configured to be selectively actuated to dispense fluent food on the circular food product. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the at least one pump comprises multiple pumps, the at least one inlet comprises multiple inlets, wherein each pump is in fluid communication with one of the inlets and each inlet is in fluid communication with at least one of the outlets, whereby actuation of one of the pumps conveys fluent food to a respective one of the inlets and out at least one of the outlets. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus for applying a fluent food to a substantially circular food product, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a manifold having at least one inlet in fluid communication with multiple outlets, the manifold having means for selectively obstructing at least one of the outlets;   (b) a tray configured for holding the circular food product positioned directly below the outlets;   (c) at least one pump in fluid communication with the at least one inlet and a reservoir for holding fluent food, wherein the pump is configured to pump fluent food from the reservoir to the at least one inlet and then out of at least one of the outlets to the circular food product below; and   (d) a rotary motor drivingly linked to the tray and configured to rotate the tray, with the circular food product resting thereon, relative to the manifold as the fluent food is dispensed out of the outlets to the circular food product below, wherein the rotation of the tray rotates the circular food product while the fluent food is dispensed onto the circular food product.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the outlets are configured to be selectively actuated to dispense fluent food on the circular food product. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the at least one pump comprises multiple pumps, the at least one inlet comprises multiple inlets, wherein each pump is in fluid communication with one of the inlets and each inlet is in fluid communication with at least one of the outlets, whereby actuation of one of the pumps conveys fluent food to a respective one of the inlets and out at least one of the outlets.