JP7091064B2 - Food and beverage supply equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a food and drink providing device, and more particularly to a food and drink providing device used in a store.

For example, the following prior art exists for a food and drink providing device that transports and provides food and drink to a guest room.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-164365

An object of the present invention is to provide a food and drink providing device capable of easily providing food and drink.

In order to achieve the above object, according to a certain aspect of the present invention, the food and drink providing device carries the food and drink on the plate along the transportation route provided in the kitchen, and the food and drink on the plate is carried. A first transport means that is a circulation conveyor that circulates in the kitchen and includes two parallel lanes that transport food and drink on a plate in opposite directions, and food and drink to the first transport means. A supply conveyor for supplying goods, a supply conveyor on which cooked goods are placed, a plate on which food and drink to be supplied to the first transportation means in the supply conveyor, and the food and drink thereof. Based on the means for associating the types, the identification means for individually identifying the dishes, and the identification result of the identification means, the food and drink on the dishes carried by the first transportation means are carried by the first transportation. The first transportation means is provided with a second transportation means branched from the means and sent to the customer, and a sensor for detecting whether or not there is a space for placing food and drink at the terminal portion of the second transportation means. Is provided with a shortcut route in its transport route, which is from one of the two parallel lanes to the other without having the food and drink on the plate go around the circulation conveyor in the kitchen. It is a route for moving, and by operating the lever based on the identification result of the identification means, the food and drink on the plate is pushed out from one of the two parallel lanes to the other side. The food and drink on the plate is transported via the shortcut route, and based on the detection result of the sensor, the food and drink carried by the first transportation means in the kitchen when there is a mounting space. The food and drink that is sent from the first transport means to the second transport means and is carried by the first transport means in the kitchen when there is no space for placing the food or drink is delivered from the first transport means to the first transport means. Instead of sending to the transportation means of 2, the kitchen is made to stand by using the shortcut route .

Preferably, the food and drink providing device further includes a third transportation means for transporting the food and drink on the plate and circulating the food and drink in the store, and the third transportation means is different from the first transportation means. It is a means of transportation that is carried by a transportation route.

Preferably, the first transport means is provided with a shortcut route in the transport route, and based on the identification result of the identification means, the food or drink on the plate is transported via the shortcut route.

Preferably, a switching lever is provided near the end of the route of the second transportation means, and it is possible to switch the route for delivering the goods.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a food and drink providing device capable of easily providing food and drink.

It is a top view which shows the structure of the store which adopted the food and drink providing apparatus in one of the Embodiments of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows a part of the food and drink providing apparatus in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the control mechanism of the food and drink providing apparatus in FIG.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of a store that employs the food and drink providing device according to one of the embodiments of the present invention.

The food and drink providing device in the present embodiment is provided with a transportation means (belt conveyor, etc.) for transporting food and drink on a plate along a transportation route (providing lane), such as a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, and circulating the inside of the store. It will be installed in the store. The store will be equipped with multiple tables and seats for customers along the food and beverage transportation route. Multiple customer tables and seats will be provided for multiple customer groups.

The food and drink providing device in the present embodiment is different from the above-mentioned "transporting means (belt conveyor, etc.) that transports the food and drink on the plate along the transportation route (providing lane) and circulates in the store". It is a device that transports and provides food and drink to each customer using a route (lane). The food and drink providing device in the present embodiment does not circulate the food and drink in the store, but directly delivers the food and drink (goods) corresponding to the order received from the customer from the kitchen to the customer.

More specifically, a table touch system (order input device) for receiving orders from customers is provided near the seats of the customer table. The table touch system (order input device) is equipped with a display / input device such as a touch panel display, which inputs product order information (order information) from a customer, sends it to the kitchen, and stores order information. .. At the time of payment, the table touch system (order input device) self-checks the payment information (type and quantity of products provided / consumed) based on the order information and dish count information accumulated for the customer group corresponding to the table. Send. Self-registration calculates the amount of money based on the information sent and presents it to the customer, and also receives the fee from the customer and returns the change.

The product corresponding to the order entered in the table touch system (order input device) is directly delivered from the kitchen to the customer who ordered it by the food and drink providing device in the present embodiment. The order input device of the table touch system is provided in each of the tables 115a to 115f. Since six tables are shown here, six order entry devices are provided for each table.

With reference to the plan view of the store in FIG. 1, the lower side in the figure is a kitchen where craftsmen cook food and drink (such as sushi, which is a product), and the upper side in the figure is a food and drink area where customers eat and drink. ..

In the kitchen at the bottom of FIG. 1, a situation where five craftsmen are cooking is illustrated. In front of each craftsman (upward in the drawing), a supply conveyor 121 for providing food and drink to the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen is provided. A touch panel (not shown) for craftsmen is installed in front of each craftsman. Here, five supply conveyors 121 and five touch panels are installed in front of each craftsman, corresponding to five craftsmen.

The circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen is a conveyor for circulating sushi dishes on a horizontally long circulation track in the kitchen of FIG. 1. The rotation direction of the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen is counterclockwise, and the lane in front of the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen as seen by the craftsman is indicated by the symbol L1, and the lane in the back as viewed by the craftsman is indicated by the symbol L2. It is shown by.

When there is an order (input of the required product type and quantity) through the table touch system (order input device), the touch panel for craftsmen installed in front of the craftsman in charge gives instructions to cook the ordered product. (Type and quantity of products) is displayed. The craftsman who sees it cooks the product, puts the product on a plate, and puts it on the supply conveyor 121.

In addition, the type and number of required products input to the table touch system (order input device) are the ID of the table on which the table touch system (order input device) is installed, as well as the computer server (specific storage means). It is recorded in (eg).

If the craftsman has cooked the quantity of goods corresponding to the order and placed them on the supply conveyor 121, the craftsman touches a predetermined button on the touch panel. Then, the supply conveyor 121 operates, and the goods placed on the supply conveyor 121 are sent to the lane L1 in front of the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen.

At this time, the RF reader 111 provided at the end of the supply conveyor 121 (the side connected to the circulation conveyor 101) records the unique ID provided on each sushi dish for identifying each sushi dish. Read the tag. As a result, the type of the product on the sushi plate is registered in the server (specific example of the storage means) of the computer in association with the ID of the sushi plate. The destination of the product (ID of the customer's table) on the sushi plate may be recorded in the server in association with the ID of the sushi plate. In addition, the type of product and the destination may be recorded on each RF tag.

Using the type of product recorded on the server as a key, the sushi plate is transported to the table of the customer who ordered it. In order to detect the ID of the sushi dish to be conveyed, the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen is provided with an RF reader 105 at predetermined intervals. Further, a dish detection sensor 103 that outputs a trigger for detection by the RF reader 105 is provided in the vicinity of each RF reader 105.

Conveyors 113a to 113c are provided by branching from lane L2. The conveyor 113a conveys the goods to the tables 115a and 115b, and by operating the switching lever on the downstream side, the goods are conveyed to either of the tables 115a and 115b.

The conveyor 113b conveys the goods to the tables 115c and 115d, and by operating the switching lever on the downstream side, the goods are conveyed to either of the tables 115c and 115d.

The conveyor 113c conveys the goods to the tables 115e and 115f, and by operating the switching lever on the downstream side, the goods are conveyed to either of the tables 115e and 115f.

A discharge lever 107 is provided upstream of the conveyors 113a to 113c in order to push the goods carried in the lane L2 to the conveyors 113a to 113c. When the discharge lever 107 operates, the sushi dish on the lane L2 is pushed out to the conveyors 113a to 113c.

Further, routes 117b and 117d for sending (shortcutting) sushi dishes from lane L1 to lane L2 are provided, and routes 117a and 117c for sending (shortcutting) sushi dishes from lane L2 to lane L1 are provided.

When the levers 119b and 119d operate and the sushi dish on the lane L1 is pushed toward the lane L2 via the paths 117b and 117d, the sushi dish moves from the lane L1 to the lane L2 without going around the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen. Moving.

When the levers 119a and 119c operate and the sushi dish on the lane L2 is pushed toward the lane L1 via the paths 117a and 117c, the sushi dish moves from the lane L2 to the lane L1 without going around the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen. Moving.

By sending the sushi plate through the routes 117a and 117c for such a shortcut, it is possible to shorten the transport distance of the sushi plate to the destination. That is, the RF reader 105 individually identifies the ID of the sushi dish to be conveyed. According to the ID of the sushi plate, the type of product associated with it, and the ordered product entered by the table touch system (order input device) of each customer table, the discharge lever 107, the shortcut levers 119a to 119d, and the conveyors 113a to 113c. By controlling the operation of the switching lever downstream of, the dish is sent to the customer who ordered it, which is the shortest route.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of the food and drink providing device in FIG.

With reference to the figure, four lanes in front of one craftsman are shown. As shown in FIG. 1, lanes L1 and L2 are lanes of the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen, and lane L1 conveys the sushi dish to the right and lane L2 to the left.

At the bottom of the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen, a transportation means (belt conveyor PL) for transporting food and drink on a sushi plate along a transportation route (provided lanes L3 and L4) and circulating the inside of the store is provided. There is. Lane L3 conveys the sushi dish to the right and lane L4 conveys the sushi dish to the left.

The belt conveyor PL and the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen are separate conveyors. The former circulates the food and drink on the sushi plate in the store, and the latter circulates the food and drink on the sushi plate in the kitchen. It circulates within.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control mechanism of the food and drink providing device in FIG.

With reference to the figure, a PC (personal computer), a PLC (programmable logic controller), and the like constituting a food and drink providing device are connected by a LAN and exchange signals. More specifically, the food and drink providing devices include a database (computer) 203 interconnected by a hub 201, PC205a, 205b, ..., PLC209a, 209b, ..., And RF readers 105a, 105b, ... and prepare. In addition, various sensors are also connected to the hub 201 or PC205a, 205b, ....

Touch panels 207a, 207b, ... Are connected to PC205a, 205b, .... Switching mechanisms 211a, 211b, ... Are connected to the PLC 209a, 209b, .... The switching mechanisms 211a, 211b, ... Drive a lever that pushes out the sushi dish.

With the food and drink providing device configured as described above, it is possible to deliver the product made by one craftsman to any table in the store. As a result, for example, the items of products in charge of cooking can be restricted for each craftsman, so that the work efficiency in the store can be improved.

Further, by using the shortcut paths 117a to 117d and the levers 119a to 119d, it is possible to quickly deliver the sushi dish to the customer. For example, when the leftmost craftsman cooks a product ordered by a customer at table 115a (or 115b) in FIG. 1, the product is not transported to the right end position in the figure by the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen, but by the lever 119b. By making a shortcut from lane L1 to lane L2, it is possible to quickly deliver the ordered product to the table 115a (or 115b).

In FIG. 1, if 4 to 5 sushi dishes are lined up at the most downstream end of the conveyors 113a to 113c of the customer tables 115a to 115f, the next sushi dish cannot be sent (placement of the sushi dish at the end). The space is full). When it is detected by the sensor provided at the end of the conveyors 113a to 113c that the space for placing the sushi plate is full, the product to be sent to the table exists on the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen and corresponds to the table. Even if the product is transported to a position next to the discharge lever 107, the discharge lever 107 is controlled so as not to operate. This prevents the sushi plate from being transported to the mounting space even though there is no space for placing the sushi plate. That is, the product is circulated on the circulation conveyor 101 in the kitchen until the space for placing the sushi plate becomes empty.

At this time, by using the shortcut routes 117a to 117d so that the product can be immediately sent to the sushi plate mounting space when the storage space becomes empty, the product is not far from the destination. It is desirable to control it. For example, when the sushi plate placing space of the table 115a is full, when the RF reader 105 detects that the sushi plate of the ordered product of the table 115a has come to the position of the lever 119b, the lever 119b operates. Control is performed to push the sushi dish from lane L1 to L2. As a result, the sushi dish of the ordered product on the table 115a can be made to stand by in the circulation track composed of the left side of the circulation conveyor 101 and the shortcut path 117b. Since the sushi plate of the ordered product on the table 115a is not carried to the right of the shortcut path 117b, when the space for the table 115a becomes empty, the ordered product on the table 115a is immediately placed on the table 115a. Can be sent to.

The food and drink providing device configured as described above makes it possible to provide food and drink easily and quickly.

The processing in the above-described embodiment may be performed by software or by using a hardware circuit. Further, a program for executing the process according to the above-described embodiment can be provided, and the program is recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk, a hard disk, a ROM, a RAM, or a memory card and provided to the user. You may decide to do it. The program is executed by a computer such as a CPU. Further, the program may be downloaded to the device via a communication line such as the Internet.

It should be considered that the above embodiments are exemplary in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown by the scope of claims rather than the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims.

101 Circulation conveyor in the kitchen (specific example of the first transportation means)
105 RF reader 107 Discharge lever 111 RF leader 115a to 115n BOX seat table 113a to 113c Conveyor (specific example of the second transportation means)
117a-117d (Shortcut) Path 119a-119d Lever 105a, 105b, ... RF Reader 121 Supply Conveyor 202 Hub 203 Database 205a, 205b, ... PC
207a, 207b, ... Touch panel 209a, 209b, ... PLC
211a, 211b, ... Switching mechanism PL belt conveyor (a specific example of a third transportation means that transports food and drink on a sushi plate along a transportation route (provided lanes L3 and L4) and circulates in the store).

Claims (3)

A circulation conveyor installed in the kitchen that transports food and drink on the plate along the transportation route and circulates the food and drink on the plate in the kitchen . A first means of transport, which is a circulation conveyor containing two parallel lanes to carry,
A supply conveyor for supplying food and drink to the first transportation means, and a supply conveyor on which cooked products are placed.
In the supply conveyor, a means for associating a plate on which the food or drink supplied to the first transportation means is placed with the type of the food or drink and a means for associating the type of the food or drink.
An identification means for individually identifying the dishes and
Based on the identification result of the identification means, the second transportation means for branching the food and drink on the plate carried by the first transportation means from the first transportation means and sending it to the customer.
A sensor for detecting whether or not there is a space for placing food or drink at the terminal portion of the second transportation means is provided.
The first transportation means is provided with a shortcut route in the transportation route.
The shortcut route is a route for moving food and drink on the plate from one of the two parallel lanes to the other without going around the circulation conveyor in the kitchen.
By operating the lever based on the identification result of the identification means, the food or drink on the plate is pushed out from one of the two parallel lanes to the other side, so that the food or drink on the plate is pushed out. Transport via a shortcut route,
Based on the detection result of the sensor, when there is a mounting space, the food and drink carried by the first transport means in the kitchen is sent from the first transport means to the second transport means and loaded. When there is no storage space, the food and drink carried by the first transport means in the kitchen is not sent from the first transport means to the second transport means, but in the kitchen using the shortcut route. A device for providing food and drink that makes you stand by . Further equipped with a third means of transportation that transports food and drink on plates and circulates in the store.
The food and drink providing device according to claim 1, wherein the third transport means is a transport means for transporting by a transport route different from that of the first transport means. The food and drink providing device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein a switching lever is provided near the end of the route of the second transportation means, and the route for delivering the product can be switched.

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