WO2018167742A2

WO2018167742A2 - Rotating display with a dual heating system in stackable units

Info

Publication number: WO2018167742A2
Application number: PCT/IB2018/053973
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jaime QIU; Manuel TONG; Lucía CHEUNG; Elena CHONG
Original assignee: Tinkerall
Priority date: 2018-05-22
Filing date: 2018-06-04
Publication date: 2018-09-20
Also published as: WO2018167742A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rotating food display made up of at least one autonomous mobile modular unit, where said autonomous mobile modular unit comprises an upper body provided with a lighting system; a lower body or base comprising a rotating platform upon which food is deposited, a heating system for keeping the food hot and a control and management system of the autonomous modular unit and a central body, located between the upper and the lower body, which has transparent walls that enable the food to be seen, said walls having automatic doors that provide access to the inside of the central body, and a system for providing dry heat.

Description

ROTATING DISPLAY WITH A DUAL HEATING SYSTEM IN STACKABLE

UNITS

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a rotating display for displaying food. In particular, the invention relates to a display made up of at least one stackable and autonomous mobile modular unit with a system for keeping the food hot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This present invention uses the "MOBILE AND MODULAR

AUTONOMOUS ROBOT FOR STACKABLE UNITS" as a reference. We use the concept for a system that is more focused on the commercial area, specifically for the use thereof in businesses that sell food. In restaurant or inn- type food businesses there are static food displays and/or food carts. The latter can come with or without a heater for keeping the food in the cart hot and a person is required to move it.

The static displays normally take up a lot of space and can carry a wide variety of dishes to be shown to the consumers. The disadvantage of this is that the diner must go to the display and, after ordering, it is likely that they have to carry the order to their seat.

The food carts, if they have a heater, can keep the food hot while it is in service. The carts have different sizes and shapes for which reason a considerable amount of food can be loaded. Said carts are mobile but they require human effort to be moved.

In some businesses, such as in jewelry shops, static displays are used with rotating platforms that show the product in movement which makes it more attractive in order to attract attention.

The present invention proposes a food display that has a system for keeping the food hot and can be moved autonomously to the customer or diner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a modular unit based on an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) system.

The main objective of this modular unit, called a DSAM, is that it is an autonomous service system that transports the hot food to the table of the diner. It has two heat sources to keep the food hot, one with resistor components for dry heat and the other with steam.

In particular, one aspect of the invention relates to a rotating display with a dual heating system in stackable units comprising at least one autonomous mobile modular unit (autonomous mobile robot, AMR), where said autonomous mobile modular unit in turn comprises:

- an upper body comprising a lighting system,

- a lower body or base comprising a rotating platform upon which the food is deposited, a heating system for keeping the food hot and a control and management system of the autonomous modular unit, and

- a central body, located between the upper body and the lower body, comprising transparent walls that enable the food to be seen, said walls having automatic doors that provide access to the inside of the central body, and a system for providing dry heat.

The control and management system for the autonomous modular unit is configured to receive information from the different sensors of the modular unit, as well as to control the heating systems, the rotating platform and the automatic doors and carry out the necessary or required actions at all times. Likewise, it is configured to be able to receive orders from the diners from a remote device.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper body further comprises temperature sensors configured to send information to the control and management system regarding the temperature in the central body.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the heating system for keeping the food hot is a steam heating system and the rotating platform comprises holes for the steam to pass from the base or lower body to the central body.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the system for providing dry heat comprises resistors or resistor elements.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper body and the lower body of the modular unit comprise corresponding coupling elements configured to be connected to other modular units.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the automatic doors are provided with a sensor or scanner configured to provide information to the control and management system in relation to the food that was removed from the display. The display thus described enables the heat to be kept inside the unit thanks to the heating system and the automated doors.

Furthermore, the display with the rotating platform thereof improves the visibility and appearance of the products inside of it. Said platform also helps to better distribute the heat of the food.

Another advantage of this display is that it can keep control of the orders that the customers make and take from the stackable displays.

The operation of the display described is basically a robot assistant that carries out the function of a waiter, which can transport different dishes to the table of the diner while maintaining the temperature thereof. Like all the similar concepts, this stackable modular unit requires two essential resources to be supplied, water and a power source, however it is not limited to these two. These resources are provided by the autonomous mobile modular unit which is a robot (AMR), which also provides movement for the system.

Each modular unit has sensors that enable the internal temperature of the central body in which the food is found to be monitored. These sensors collect information that will then be evaluated by the control and management system (autonomous robot) which will decide on an action; for example, if one of the modules thereof which is stacked requires heat, the control and management system will provide electricity and signals to activate the resistor elements to generate heat or it will additionally supply water to heat with steam. Furthermore, these sensors can record information that will tell the control and management system that it must deviate from its programmed route in order to be restocked, otherwise the modular unit will not operate properly.

The base of the stackable module display itself has a heating system that produces steam and the platform also has a system that provides the rotating movement thereof. Due to the fact that the platform can rotate, the steam machine can have a timer that synchronizes with the holes of the rotating platform, such that when the holes are above the steam machine, it activates and enables the steam to pass to the compartment. The food platform is kept in movement at a constant speed so that the heat in the food dishes can be distributed evenly.

The upper portion or body of the display contains electrical circuitry that is responsible for providing the lighting for the stackable unit and the mechanical control of the door, such that when it receives the signal from the control and management system, the doors can be opened or closed. This door has rails in the base to assist and restrict the movement thereof.

The diner can call the system remotely and order or take the desired dish from the display. A scanner in the automatic door takes information from what the diner took out and will record this information on their payment account. In order to take the plate of food, the diner will have to wait until the door opens and take the dish closest to the door or wait for the dish to arrive to them while it is rotating continuously.

One the diner has finished ordering, it will be made known that they have stopped ordering by means of the scanner, whether it be by scanning a customer card, a registration code, etc. When the interaction ends, the display closes the door(s) and continues the programmed course thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 . General side view of the display of the present invention.

FIG. 2. General top view of the display of the present invention.

FIG. 3. General bottom view of the display of the present invention.

FIG. 4. General top view of the base of the display of the present invention.

FIG. 5. General bottom view of the upper body of the display of the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In the following description several specific details are disclosed with the aim of providing a complete understanding of the rotating display system for hot foods (hereinafter DSAM) assisted by a base robot called AMR. It will be obvious to a person with skill in the art that the DSAM can be used without some of the specific details. Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown must be considered as exemplary, not as limitations of the DSAM. The following descriptions only intend to provide an example of a possible implementation of the DSAM, instead of providing an exhaustive list of all the possible implementations of the system.

It is worth clarifying that the shape and the dimensions described can vary according to the implementation. The components that the device must have in order to carry out the essential operations thereof are shown, with the aim of meeting the objectives thereof.

FIG. 1 shows a general schematic representation of the side view of the display. The element (1 ) corresponds to the upper portion or body of the display where there is a lighting system, rails for the door and a sensor system that facilitates controlling the unit, by sending information to the command center located in the base of the AMR system. The element (2) corresponds to the base of the display, which contains the mechanism for the rotating platform, as well as the steam-based heating system and the mechanism for the door. The central column (3) located in the central body contains the electricity supply lines and other resources such as, for example, water ducts, which are necessary for the correct operation of the modular unit. This modular unit has glass walls or a transparent screen, for example OLED (4) or another similar material or technology with a certain degree of transparency, so that the plates of food may be visible. In order to take the food that is inside the display, there is an automatic door (5). The elements (6a) and (6b) are coupling elements, which enable the modules (modular units) to be stacked in a safe and stable manner. The element (7) represents resistor elements that can be connected to the system in order to provide dry heat.

FIG. 2 shows a view of the upper body (1 ) of the display. As mentioned previously, this portion has the part (6a) which enables the stackable display to be coupled to another display. The coupling part also has electrical connections (8a), supply piping (9a) and additional lines (10a) for other operations.

FIG. 3 shows a view of the lower portion (2) of the modular unit (display). The elements (8b), (9b) and (10b) connect to the elements (8a), (9a) and (10a), respectively, in order to transport the different resources. Just like in the upper portion described in FIG. 3, the supply lines are found in the coupling part (6b). The coupling part (6a) of one modular unit fits with a coupling part (6b) of another modular unit.

FIG. 4 shows a diagram of the upper inner portion of the base of the modular unit (2). This view shows the rotating platform (1 1 ) on which the food is placed and which has holes (12) that enable the passage of the steam used to heat or maintain the temperature of the food. There is a sensor (13) next to the door (5) which enables the system to know that plates have been removed from the display, and thereby keep track of the tally that is integrated into the payment system. FIG. 5 shows a diagram of a bottom view of the upper body (1 ) of the display. In this portion, the lighting (14) of the display is installed in addition to what was already mentioned.

Claims

1 . A rotating display with a dual heating system in stackable units characterized in that it comprises at least one autonomous mobile modular unit, where said autonomous mobile modular unit in turn comprises:

- an upper body comprising a lighting system,

- a lower body or base comprising a rotating platform upon which the food is deposited, a heating system for keeping the food hot and a control and management system of the autonomous modular unit and

2. The rotating display, according to claim 1 , where the upper body further comprises temperature sensors configured to send information to the control and management system regarding the temperature in the central body.

3. The rotating display, according to claim 1 , where the heating system for keeping the food hot is a steam heating system and where the rotating platform comprises holes for the steam to pass from the base or lower body to the central body.

4. The rotating display, according to claim 1 , where the system for providing dry heat comprises resistors or resistor elements.

5. The rotating display, according to claim 1 , where the upper body and the lower body of the modular unit comprise corresponding coupling elements configured to be connected to other modular units.

6. The rotating display, according to claim 1 , where the automatic doors are provided with a sensor or scanner configured to provide information to the control and management system in relation to the food that was removed from the display.