AU609792B2

AU609792B2 - Conveyor system for food service system in drive-in restaurants

Info

Publication number: AU609792B2
Application number: AU14145/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Edward F. Bavis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-07-31
Filing date: 1988-04-05
Publication date: 1991-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2008-04-05
Also published as: GB8806898D0; GB2207406A; CA1312572C; AU1414588A; GB2207406B; AU7025091A; NZ225232A; AU626222B2; DE3825694A1

Description

TWENT DLAs' FIVE: DOLLAR'S A PHILLIPS ORMONDE AND FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Strc, t L /83 Melbourne, Australia

AUSTRALIA

Patents A ct 60U97/92z COMP~LETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority 4 4 *00 P *4aO see.

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09 P004 4 0*@W 4609 a 004000 4 Related Art: 1 Sdo:,-urnmnt contains the amendments -'nade under Section 49 ai is correct for printing APPLICANT'S REF.: lBavis-05060-501 Name(s) of Applicant(s): EDWARD F. BAVIS .4 C C 04 I 04 CO C 40 0 5~ *04 4 Address(es) of Applicant(s): 614 Baywood Drive, Wesley Chapel, Florida, United States of America Actual Inventor(s): Edward F. Bavis Y 0400 *004 00 ~.j0 6 0 4 Address for Ser Vice is: Complete Specification for the invention entitled: PHILLIPS, ORMONDE AND FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Colins Street Melbourne, Australia, 3000 V-Ocy V-r ~D~IN C~tvN -SSTE RD.IE-,,E.STAURANTS.

1.

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V Thp following statement is A full description of this Liention, including the best method of performing it known to 'a~,cants):EDWARD F. BAVIS CONVEYOR SZISTEM FOR FOOD SERVICE SYSYEM IN DRIVE-IN

RESTAURANTS

This invention relates to conveyor systems for use in a food service system in drive-in restaurants and similar drive-in service facilities where orders are taken and items dispensed to the customer.

Conveyor systems have hitherto been utilized in drive-in banks to convey a deposit box or similar receptacle from are remote customer station to a teller station and return. Both pneumatic and belt-type conveyor systems have been utilized for this purpose, although the trend has been toward belt-type systems which are less expensive and easier to install and maintain. The belt-systems also lend themselves for uses in any application wherein it is desired to transport objects from one location to another. Examples of belt-type tf. i F e Ns conveyor systems may be found in U.S. Patents Nos.

4,010,824 and 4,645,035.

While conveyor systems of the types described above have materially enhanced the efficiency of drive-in banking facilities in that two, three or even more stations may be provided to accommodate the demand, it has now been recognized t it similar principles of multiple station drive-in facilities can be applied to fast food operations and other similar drive-in facilities. In a conventional drive-in or drive-through restaurant o facility, for example, an order station is provided in advance of the food dispensing station. The order station normally contains a menu board and a two-way communication ft ftf system by means of which the customer's order may be given to an order clerk, whereupon the customer proceeds to the dispensing station, which is normally a window located a substantial distance from the order station so that a number of vehicles may be accommodated between the two stations.

The order clerk, upon receiving the customer's i order, obtains the requested items from within the

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j 1 1 restaurants and packages them for delivery to the customer at the order window. Since the filling of an order may take an appreciable amount of time, depending upon zhe ~1 number and character of the items ordered, the procedure is often time consuming and during periods of high density traffic, substantial back-ups and delays can result. Th is is primarily due to the fact that it is extremely difficult to provide two or more dispensing windows in the building at locations where the motorist can drive up to the window to receive the items directly from an order clerk stationed within the building.

Another major disadvantage of present drive-in food service operations is the fact thatL. the order clerk must also collect payment for the items ordered at the time they are delivered to the customer, which normally entails making change. This adds to the delay in moving customers through the drive-in lane.

In contrast to the foregoing, the present invention provides a system whereby the items being purchased may be delivered to the customer at one or more remote delivery at a a t stations so that two, three or even more lanes may be t provided, each of which may be serviced from a central order processing station within the restaurant.

Z a V 9In accordance with the present invention there is t...provided a conveyor system for delivering items from a processing station to a remote delivery station, an opposing pair of spaced apart drive members, reversible drive means operatively connected to said C" drive members to move them in unison, a carrier extending between said opposing drive members in a horizontally disposed upright position, guide means for each of said drive members positioned to define corresponding paths of travel for said drive members, said corresponding paths of travel "I a extending between said processing station and said delivery station and including vertical segments at each of said stations interconnected by horizontal segments, the vertical segments of said guide means at said delivery R S aionincluding outwardly inclined segments positioned LLa O-A0 2

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to displace the carrier laterally outwardly as it approaches the discharge station, means rotatably mounting said carrier relative to said drive members, whereby said carrier will rotate relative to said drirve members and remain in upright position irrespective of whether said drive members are travelling vertically or horizontally in their mating paths of travel, housings at the processing station and at the delivery station surrounding and enclosing said guide members, an access opening in each housing, the access opening at said delivery station being of a length to define a high delivery position and a low delivery position, the outwardly inclined segments of said guide means at said delivery station being positioned to displace said carrier laterally outwardly as it approaches said high delivery position, the guide means at said delivery station including lower vertical segments S positioned to move said carrier vertically between the 20 high and low delivery positions, and cLP of first stop means positioned to arrest movement of said carrier in alignment with the access opening at said processing station, and second stop means positioned to o. ~selectively arrest movement of said carrier in alignment with either the high or low delivery positions at said delivery station.

Preferably, the movement of the product conveyor to and from its remote delivery station may be under the C control of the order clerk, although provision may be made to permit the customer to effect return of the product carrier to the loading station within the restaurant.

4C C C Two or more delivery stations may be provided utilizing a single order station, in which event the order clerk will advise the customer as to which delivery station is to be used. In a more sophisticated version of the system, separate order stations may be provided for each of the delivery stations, thereby further increasing the capacity of the drive-through system.

SAnother feature of the present invention may be the U1 -3- 4

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ti I -i i 2 utilization of a conveyor system at the order station which enables the customer to pay at the time the order is i given rather than at the time of delivery. To this end, each of the order stations may be provided with a conveyor system having a receptacle or delivery box to deliver payment from the order station to the order clerk, who can then return change and/or a receipt to the customer before the customer leaves the order station. Such arrangement may further facilitate the speed in which customers are moved in that preparation of the customer's order may be initiated during the interval in which payment is being made, thereby reducing the wait time at the delivery station. This arrangement may also insure proper payment prior to the time the order is delivered to the customer.

Preferably, the conveyor systems at the order stations may comprise the belt-type conveyors and delivery boxes disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Patents Nos.

4,010,824 and 4,645,035 due to their simplicity and relatively low cost, although other types of conveyor 0 systems may be used for this purpose.

0 oe The system of the present invention may also lend itself to the computerization of the ordering process in that, instead of placing a verbal order with the order S clerk, the order station may include a computerized 0000 keyboard by means of which the customer may order items listed on the menu board by pressing buttons or touch panels which will register at the processing station I within the restaurant either by visual display or by a printout, which may be in the form of a check or receipt.

A visual display also may be provided at the order station S which will display for the customer the items ordered, S their cost, and the total amount to be paid, which amount may then be deposited in the delivery box and delivered to S the order clerk who may either return the change and/or a Sreceipt.

Preferably, the rear side of the housing at the dispensing station may have a window so that the order clerk may visually determine when the product carrier has been emptied so that the carrier may be returned to the -4 L LSswy -4j 'TO loading station.

Safety devices may be provided at the delivery i station to insure that the conveyor may shut down in the event the customer's hand or arm is caught in the carrier or another obstruction is present which would preclude the free return travel of the carrier.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:- FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a drive-in restaurant equipped with conveyor systems.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic plan view of a drive-in service system utilizing a plurality of order stations incorporating conveyor systems for payment for the items ordered, together with a corresponding series of product delivery conveyors for delivering the orders to the customers at the delivery stations.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a drive o mechanism for the product conveyor.

20 FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of Sthe conveyor system shown in FIG. 3, including the tcectC enclosing housings.

C t FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 illustrating the product carrier, a liner for the housing and a safety mechanism for arresting movement of the carrier in the event of an obstruction.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view with parts broken away similar to FIG. 4 illustrating a v30 modified conveyor system.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view taken along the S 27361 i SLS IV T 0 l I- -1 -l r rr 6 ,TW8.^.

I 1 line 7-7 of FIG. 6 illustrating the remote delivery station. i FIG. 8 is a side elevational view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 6 showing the viewing window in the rear of the remote delivery station.

FIG. 9 is a elevational view of the loading station taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention utilizing a tape driven conveyor.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view illustrating the manner in which the tape may be accumulated in storage pockets lying on opposite sides of the delivery station.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 11, but with the carrier in 4 49 C, 15 dispensing position at the dispensing station.

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view similar to FIG.

11 illustrating a modification wherein the tape is accumulated in storage sheaths.

S' 20 Referring first to FIG. 1 of the drawings, which illustrates an exemplary installation of the present invention in a drive-in restaurant, the restaurant building 1 is provided with an order station 2 which may selectively include a menu board 3, a two-way communica- 25 tion system 4, and an order board 5 having keys or touch i plates by means of which selected items may be ordered.

A video screen 6 may be provided to display items ordered and their cost, and a conveyor 7 is provided by means of which payment may be delivered from the order station to an order processing station located within the I restaurant. In the embodiment illustrated two delivery stations 8 and 9 are provided spaced from the order d station 2, the delivery stations each incorporating a conveyor system for transporting the items ordered from iM 35 the order processing station within the restaurant to the S!:i Ir i

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8* 9 98* a *084 a S 84 4t 9 ai *8 44 84 99 9c 4r 0 7 1 delivery station. Preferably, the restaurant building will have an observation window 10 positioned to provide personnel within the restaurant with a clear view of the delivery stations 8 and 9.

FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates a multiple-lane drive-in comprising lanrs 11, 12 and 13 each having an order station, indicated at 14, 15 and 16, respectively, each of which will be provided with a menu board, a twoway communication system and an order board of the type illustrated in FIG. 1, together with a series of payment conveyors 17, 18 and 19 servicing the respective order stations. Preferably the conveyors 17, 18 and 19 will comprise belt-type conveyor systems such as those disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Patents Nos. 4,010,824 15 and 4,645,035 which act to transport a delivery box from each order station to the central order processing station, indicated generally at 20, located within the restaurant building 1. The central order processing station includes an information center 21 which will 20 monitor each of the order stations 14-16 and effect audio/video communication with the order stations so that one or more order clerks may Lreceive orders from the customers at the order stations for processing, as well as receive payments and return change through the 25 conveyors 17, 18 and 19 if the system incorporates payment conveyors at the order stations.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the vehicle lanes 11, 12 and 13 lead from the order stations 14, and 16 to a series of delivery stations 22, 23 and 24 30 servicing the respective lanes, the delivery stations having product conveyors 25, 26 and 27, respectively, which extend over the vehicle lanes to the conveyor loading stations 26, 29 and 30 located within and forming a part of the central order processing station 20. In the system illustrated, payments are made at the order ri i j r

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;i i ii i; ii:i i 1 8 1 stations, although, if desired, the payments can be made at the delivery stations, with the product conveyors 26 and 27 also utilized to convey payments and change between the delivery stations and the loading stations 28, 29 and Referring next to FIG. 3, which illustrates the operating components of the product conveyors, a product basket or carrier 31 is mounted on an opposing pair of endless conveyor drive members, indicated generally at 32 and 33, which in the embodiment illustrated will preferably comprise drive chains. Each of the drive members 32, 33 has inner and outer vertical flights 34, respectively, at the conveyor loading station, such as the station 30, and similar inner and outer vertical S 15 flights 36 and 37 are provided at the delivery station, orrr Sindicated at 24, the vertical flights being inter- Sconnected by inner and outer horizontal flights 38 and e2" Z39, respectively, the lengths of which will vary C depending upon the distances between the respective

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C 20 loading stations and the corresponding delivery stations.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the drive members 32 and 33 comprise endless chains, as indicated at 40, passirg around sets of guide sprockets 41 which C define identict paths of travel for the drive chains.

C 25 The chains are reversibly driven in synchronism by means of the reversible drive moto 1 l4,.2, gear box 43, and drive t shaft 44 having drive sprockets 41a at it; opposite ends.

The product carrier 31 is preferably suspended from e a support shaft 45 which is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the inner flights of the drive members Sr 32 and 33. As best seen in Figure 5, the shaft 45 is pinned to the links of the chain 40, as by pivot pins 46 which also serve to connect adjoining links on the chains, the product carrier 31 being suspended from the shaft 45 by means of yokes 47 fixed to the shaft and i 9 straps or cables 48 fixed to the yokes. With this arrangement, the carrier will remain vertically disposed irrespective of whether it is traveling horizontally or vertically, the shaft 45 rotating relative to the chains It will noted in Figures 3 and 4 that the inner flights 36 at the delivery station 24 have inclined segments 49 which will act to alter the path of travel of the carrier 31 as it moves vertically at the delivery station. The purpose of these inclined segments is to shift the carrier 31 outwardly as it reaches the delivery station to facilitate removal of the products by the customer, and to this end the inclined segments 49 of the drive members projects the carrier outwardly as it e t C C 0 15 reaches the discharge opening 50 in housing 51 which ca surrounds and encloses the operating mechanism of the C conveyor. A similar housing 52 is provided at the CCt4loading station 30, the housing having a loading opening 53 which, as seen in FIG. 9, may be closed by a pair of S 20 doors 54 preferably having transparent panels 55. The housings are provided.with liners 56, on of which is seen in Figure 5, which may comprise tubular plastic members having slots 57 in their opposite sides through which the ends of support shaft 45 project, the chains and c ends of C 25 sprockets being contained between the housings and the I rc liners. The liners are easy to clean and maintain and C provide a sanitary environment.

Controls 58 are provided adjacent one of the doors 54 to permit the order clerk to start and stop the I 30 conveyor, and such controls will also include a communication system by means of which the order clerk can communicate with the customer at the delivery i station. To this end, and as seen in FIG. 7, the delivery station may be provided with a corresponding set of controls 59, although in instances where it is desired 1 4 ii E3-- IIIICQLI-I---~-~-I_ I g a q cc 1; C V t Ccc.

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w 1 to control the operation of the conveyor solely from the loading station, the controls 59 may be. limited to a microphone and speaker for communcation between the customer and the order clerk. To permit the order clerk to visually determine the status of the carrier when it is at the delivery station, the rear side of the housing 51 may be provided with an observation window 60, as seen in FIG. 8, which will permit visual inspection of the interior of the delivery station from either the window 10 or by means of closed-circuit television monitors.

Preferably, the product carrier will have two positions of use when at the delivery station, a first or lower position, shown in solid lines in FIG. 7, for customers in automobiles, and a second or elevated position, seen in dotted lines, which position will be more conveniently reached by customers in trucks and vans. Suitable stop switches 61 and 62, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4, acting in conjunction with an actuator 63 mounted on and traveling with one of the drive member 32,33, serkto selectively stop the carrier in the desired position, whfth may be selected by the order clerk using the controls 58. The actuator 63 also may be utilized to actuate a stop switch 64 when the carrier 31 reaches the loading opening 53 at the loading 25 station.

As also seen in FIG. 5, the discharge station may be provided with a safety bar 65 which, when elevated, will actuate one or both of the safety switches 66 to deenergize the drive motor 42 in the event the carrier 31 commences upward movement while the customer's hand is in the carrier or there is some other obstruction which would prevent free upward movement of the carrier.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 is similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 except in this instance the drive motor 42a is located beneath the

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I j i Oi bb- j i:- 11 1 discharge window 50 and driven from drive sprockets 41b.

It will be apparent, however, that the conveyor may be driven from any suitable location, although preferably the drive motor will be located at the delivery station to facilitate maintenance and repair without interfering with activities at the loading stations.

FIGS. 10-12 illustrate a further embodin:ant of the invention wherein the conveyor drive members comprise elastomeric drive tapes 67, such as Dymetrol® drive tapes manufactured by DuPont. These tapes are flexible and may be bent and twisted and also may be utilized to both push and pull. To this end, where drive tapes are utilized, sprocket wheels may be eliminated and the tapes guided by flexible plastic sheaths 68 each having a longitudinal i 15 opening 69 along one of its sides which exposes the ecC enclosed tape. The tape is provided with a continuous dEOeto series of spaced apart perforations 70, best seen in Figure 12, adapted to be driven by a cog wheel or r sprocket 71 having lugs 72 which engage the perforations C Ctt* c 20 70 in the tape. In the embodiment illustrated and as seen in Figure .i2, the cog wheels 71 are driven by a reversible motor 73'acting through gear box 74 and drive S shaft 75 housed at the lower end of the delivery station.

If desired, the drive shaft 75 may be provided with t 25 suitable slip clutches 76 to prevent damage to the drive tapes in the event of a malfunction. Where drive tapes are utilized, the support shaft for the carrier 31 is pivotally mounted at its 0 «opposite ends to blocks '77 adapted to travel along the sheaths 68, the blocks having neck portions which project S into the longitudinal openings 69 with the blocks fixedly secured to the drive tapes 67.

The tapes may be endless and follow the same paths |i I of travel as the chain drive members 32 and 33 seen in FIG. 3. However, since the drive tapes can be either j I approaches the dischaige station, 12 1 pushed or pulled, return flights are unnecessary and the arrangement shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 may be utilized, the station. As seen in FIG. 11, the leading end of the tape, indicated at 79, extends just slightly beyond the carrier 31, whereas the trailing end of the tape, indicated at 80, lies within the storage pocket 78, as does a substantial portion of the tape since the carrier 31 is near the delivery station. When it is desired to return the carrier 31 to the loading station, the drive motor is actuated to drive the cog wheels 71 in a clockwise direction which acts to withdraw the tapes from the storage pockets 78 and push them through the sheaths S 15 68, thereby advancing the carrier 31 toward the loading Sr-, station. Sufficient tape will be stored in the pockets i 78 co permit the carrier 31 to be pushed to the loading station. Preferably, the free ends 80 of the tapes will be anchored within the storage pockets to prevent accidental withdrawal.

In order to insure engagement of the perforations in the tape with the lugs 72 on the cog wheels 71, a curved guide on shoe 81 (seen in Figures 11 and 13) is provided S( to maintain positive contact between the drive tapes and 25 the cog wheels. When it is desired to return the carrier to the dbivery station, the motor 73 is reversed, which acts to rotate the cog wheels 71 in a counterclockwise direction, thereby pul'ing the tapes 67 through the o sheaths 68 and depositing'them in the storage pockets 78 where they collect randomly. If desired, the tapes may Sbe wound on reels driven in synchronism with the cog Swheels 71. In an alternative arrangement seen in FIG.

13, the storage pockets 78 are replaced by storage sheaths 82 which extends upwardly through the discharge i' station and then horizontally for a sufficieit distance i i I J I 13 1 to receive the full lengths of the tapes when the carrier is at the discharge station.

It also has been found that the useful life of the tapes can be materially increased by spacing the lugs 72 on the cog wheels 71 at intervals such that they engage non-adjacent perforations in the tapes, every second or third perforation, rather than each perforation. When the perforations wear, the tapes may be shifted so that next adjacent perforations are engaged by the lugs, thereby effectively providing unused perforations for engagement by the cog wheels.

As should now be apparent, the present invention i provides an integrated system for drive-in operations which is adaptable to a wide variety of operating 15 conditions depending upon the extent of automation 49t* Vaeo desired. In its basic form, the system comprises a :product conveyor by means of which the customer's order may be processed at a central order station and delivered Sto the customer at a remote delivery station. In an S 20 expanded version of the system, the orders are received in the central order processing station from one or more order stations located in advance of the delivery stations, the order stations being equipped with conveyors tby means of which payment for the orders may be made and L 25 change received at the order station, thereby decreasing the normal time interval between the placing of the order and the departure&of the customer from the drive-through lane. As also will be apparent, the system of the present invention readily lends itself to computerization of both the ordering and payment procedures, depending upon the degree of automation desired.

Claims

2. The conveyor system claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive members comprise chains, wherein said guide means comprise sprockets engageable with said chains and wherein the means rotatably mounting said carrier relative to said drive members comprises a supporting rod rotatably connected to said chains at its opposite ends, and means suspending said carrier from said supporting rod.
3. The conveyor system claimed in claim 2 wherein said drive means comprises a reversible drive motor, and wherein said motor is operatively connected to a pair of drive sprockets forming a part of said guide means.
4. The conveyor system claimed in claim 1 including :°:displaceable safety switch means at said discharge station to deenergize said drive motor. S 5. The conveyor system claimed in claim 1 wherein said 40 drive members comprise elastomeric drive tapes having r t perforation throughout their lengths at spaced apart cc C intervals, wherein said guide means comprise elongated C CC: sheaths surrounding said tapes, said sheaths having longitudinal extending openings in one side thereof exposing said tapes, and wherein the means rotatably mounting said carrier relative to said drive members comprises a supporting rod rotatably connected to said tapes at its opposite ends, and means suspending said carrier from said supporting rod.
6. The conveyor system claimed in claim 5 wherein said reversible drive means comprises a reversible motor and includes cog wheels operatively connected to said motor, said cog wheels being positioned to engage the perforations in said tapes to thereby drive said tapes.
7. The conveyor system claimed in claim 6 wherein said supporting rod is connected to said tapes in close proximity to one end thereof, and collection means at the opposite ends of said tapes to receive portions of said A tapes when said tapes are driven in the direction of said u" n i 1;, last named ends.
8. The conveyor system claimed in claim 7 wherein said tape collection means comprises tape receiving pockets mounted adjacent the cog wheels.
9. The conveyor system claimed in claim 8 wherein said tape collection means comprise sheaths for said tapes. The conveyor system claimed in claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated: 4 February 1991 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: EDWARD F. BAVIS C C C C Ce e C CDCCC( toc, r tsCit C C~ CC C CC C Cr CCC t 27361 -16-