Abstract: A new and improved touchless flowable product dispenser which is to be utilized to reduce the amount of bacteria and germs transmitted when a customer wishes to dispense a flowable product, such as, for example, various condiments into a container. This invention allows large quantities of the flowable product to be stored and dispensed without customer contact, thereby reducing the risk of germ and bacteria transmission inside of a restaurant, particularly during infectious disease events or calendar seasons.

Abstract: An optical telescope may include an array of optical lenslets in a common plane, and optical waveguides extending from respective optical lenslets and each having a common optical path delay. Further, at least one optical star coupler may be downstream from the optical waveguides, and an optical detector may be downstream from the at least one optical star coupler and having an optical image formed thereon.

Abstract: An automatic food preparation line for automatically preparing bread products for making sandwiches or burgers comprises an automatic bread product handling system containing a plurality of different types of bread products, an automatic toaster appliance for toasting the bread products, an automatic packaging system for automatically dispensing both box and wrapping paper packaging, an automatic sauce dispensing system for dispensing a plurality of different sauces onto the bread product, an automatic non-sauce condiment dispensing system for dispensing one or more different condiments onto the bread product, and an automatic conveyor system for conveying the bread product between the various systems.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and method for automated food preparation systems for coating food items with a coating material. An example device comprises a first subsystem, a second subsystem, a compression device, and an item retrieval lift. The compression device is configured to assist with combining a coating material to the food item.

Abstract: An optical telescope may include an array of optical lenslets in a common plane, and optical waveguides extending from respective optical lenslets and each having a common optical path delay. Further, at least one optical star coupler may be downstream from the optical waveguides, and an optical detector may be downstream from the at least one optical star coupler and having an optical image formed thereon.

Abstract: A new and improved touchless flowable product dispenser which is to be utilized to reduce the amount of bacteria and germs transmitted when a customer wishes to dispense a flowable product, such as, for example, various condiments into a container. This invention allows large quantities of the flowable product to be stored and dispensed without customer contact, thereby reducing the risk of germ and bacteria transmission inside of a restaurant, particularly during infectious disease events or calendar seasons.

Abstract: A new and improved automated bun handling and toasting system and method are disclosed comprising a plurality of horizontally oriented bun storage tubes mounted upon a carousel, and an indexing system operatively connected to the carousel so as to rotate the carousel in a predetermined incremental manner and thereby dispose a particular one of the plurality of horizontally oriented bun storage tubes at a predetermined discharge position such that a bun can be discharged from the particular bun storage tube. The discharged bun has a vertical orientation, however, a bun separator separates the bun into its crown and heel bun segments which then attain horizontal orientations with the internal surface portions facing upwardly so as to pass through a toaster appliance so as to be toasted.

Abstract: An imaging spectro-polarimetry system includes a polarizer, a tunable laser, a number of optical nodes and an image processing circuit. The polarizer produces polarized light using light received from an object. The tunable laser generates optical local oscillator (LO) signals. Each optical node receives the polarized light and an optical LO signal, performs a heterodyne mixing and generates a digital signal. The image processing circuit receives digital signals from the optical nodes and generates a magnetogram of the object. The polarizer, the tunable laser, the plurality of optical nodes and the image processing circuit are implemented on a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), and the polarized light includes right and left circularly polarized light.

Abstract: An automated bun feeding and toasting system is disclosed wherein the system is to be utilized in restaurants, particularly fast-food restaurants, in order to quickly and accurately prepare food products, such as, for example, conventional hamburger sandwiches which require two buns, or Big Mac® sandwiches which require three buns, in accordance with specific patron orders. The system comprises a plurality of bun storage tubes, discharge mechanisms for discharging bun segment into a bun separator, a chute conveyor, a bun rotator, and at least one toaster appliance whereupon completion of a toasting operation, the bun segments are picked up and conveyed downstream toward a food or sandwich preparation station. All operations are automated and are under the control of a master control unit such as, for example, a programmable logic controller (PLC).

Abstract: An automatic food preparation line for automatically preparing bread products for making sandwiches or burgers comprises an automatic bread product handling system containing a plurality of different types of bread products, an automatic toaster appliance for toasting the bread products, an automatic packaging system for automatically dispensing both box and wrapping paper packaging, an automatic sauce dispensing system for dispensing a plurality of different sauces onto the bread product, an automatic non-sauce condiment dispensing system for dispensing one or more different condiments onto the bread product, and an automatic conveyor system for conveying the bread product between the various systems.

Abstract: A rod mounted on a bracket designed to be attached to one of a jamb of a closet, on a substantial vertical center post, or other substantial vertical support where access to space behind is desired, as well as the ability to fully access a clothing, or other items that may be supported by the rod by moving the rod out of the space where access is desired. With more than a single hinge point the support rod will move in, and out of the space that it occupies allowing access to otherwise wasted space that a normal support rod would occupy. The rod is able to then allow the user to access both the space by moving the rod, and supported items out of the way, and allowing the user to access the full array of items supported by the rod with ease.

Abstract: An automatic packaging dispensing system comprises a plurality of different packaging boxes disposed in vertical stacks upon a plurality of packaging box platforms, and a plurality of different wrapping paper packaging sheets disposed within trays housed within a housing. A vacuum pickup device is located at vacuum pickup station toward which a predeterminedly selected one of the plurality of different packaging boxes, or a predeterminedly selected one of the plurality of different wrapping paper packaging sheets, may be moved such that the vacuum pickup device may pick up the predeterminedly selected one of the different packaging boxes or wrapping paper packaging sheets and transfer the predeterminedly selected one of the different packaging boxes or wrapping paper packaging sheets to a downstream location.

Abstract: A new and improved automatic sauce dispensing system, which is to be utilized in restaurants, particularly fast-food restaurants, in order to quickly and accurately prepare food products, such as, for example, conventional hamburger sandwiches which require two buns, or Big Mac® sandwiches which require three buns, or other food items which desire or require to have specific sauces deposited thereon in accordance with specific patron orders, is disclosed. A plurality of sauce containers are fluidically connected to a plurality of sauce dispensing valves which are capable of being moved in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of food products along a food product conveyor. The dispensing valves are therefore capable of being located at any xy coordinate relative to the food product conveyor so as to accurately dispense and deposit a particular sauce onto a food product.

Abstract: A bulbous or spherically shaped food product container for heating or cooking various food products by means of steam in order to cook multiple sized portions of food products within relatively short cooking times is dis-closed. When steam flows into the food product container, the food product is cooked by the steam. The use of the unique bulb-shaped or spherical food product container enables more than a single or individual food product portion to be cooked within the food product container, and the use of the steam, in conjunction with the bulbous or spherically-shaped food product container, causes the steam and food product to undergo turbulent, rotational, or swirling flow within the bulbous or spherically-configured food product container whereby the food product is greatly dispersed, effectively thinned, and is caused to travel along the internal peripheral surface areas of the bulbous or spherical food product container such that cooking times are dramatically reduced.

Abstract: A fiber-coupled phased-array includes a first photonic integrated circuit (PIC) and a second PIC. The first PIC includes a first set of lenslets and waveguides. The second PIC includes a second set of lenslets and waveguides and is placed at a distance from the first PIC. The optical fibers couple the first PIC to the second PIC and form an interferometric imager that can sample spatial frequencies of a target. Optical delay errors induced by a relative placement of the first PIC and the second PIC are compensated for.

Abstract: An automated bun feeding and toasting system is disclosed wherein the system is to be utilized in restaurants, particularly fast-food restaurants, in order to quickly and accurately prepare food products, such as, for example, conventional hamburger sandwiches which require two buns, or Big Mac® sandwiches which require three buns, in accordance with specific patron orders. The system comprises a plurality of bun storage tubes, discharge mechanisms for discharging bun segment into a bun separator, a chute conveyor, a bun rotator, and at least one toaster appliance whereupon completion of a toasting operation, the bun segments are picked up and conveyed downstream toward a food or sandwich preparation station. All operations are automated and are under the control of a master control unit such as, for example, a programmable logic controller (PLC).

Abstract: A conveyor belt for conveying articles along a conveyor path comprises a plurality of slat members disposed parallel to each other and disposed transversely with respect to the conveyor path, wherein leading and trailing edge portions of the slat members are angled downwardly with respect to the conveying surface upon which articles being conveyed are supported so as to prevent edge portions of the articles being conveyed from being interposed between the leading and trailing edge portions of the slat members so as not to be pinched by adjacent ones of the leading and trailing edge portions of adjacent slat members.

Abstract: A multi-aperture optical system includes a photonic integrated circuit, a spacer substrate coupled to the photonic integrated circuit, a plurality of optical cells, a beam combiner, and a photodetector coupled to the beam combiner. The photonic integrated circuit, the spacer substrate, the plurality of optical cells, the beam combiner, and the photodetector are integrated as a single monolithically formed optical head. Each optical cell includes a focusing optical element formed on the spacer substrate and configured to focus the light through the substrate and onto a folding element. The folding element is integrated into the photonic integrated circuit to couple light incident on the optical cell into a waveguide. The waveguide is coupled to the phase shifter to transport the light reflected by the folding element through a phase shifter. The phase shifter is coupled to the focusing optical element to shift a phase of an optical signal received by the focusing optical element.

Abstract: A multi-aperture optical system includes a photonic integrated circuit, a spacer substrate coupled to the photonic integrated circuit, a plurality of optical cells, a beam combiner, and a photodetector coupled to the beam combiner. The photonic integrated circuit, the spacer substrate, the plurality of optical cells, the beam combiner, and the photodetector are integrated as a single monolithically formed optical head. Each optical cell includes a focusing optical element formed on the spacer substrate and configured to focus the light through the substrate and onto a folding element. The folding element is integrated into the photonic integrated circuit to couple light incident on the optical cell into a waveguide. The waveguide is coupled to the phase shifter to transport the light reflected by the folding element through a phase shifter. The phase shifter is coupled to the focusing optical element to shift a phase of an optical signal received by the focusing optical element.

Abstract: A rod mounted on substantial vertical support either to the jamb at the side of the closet, on a substantial vertical center post, or other substantial vertical support where access to space behind may be desired, as well as the ability to fully access all clothing, or other items that may be supported by the movable rod by moving the rod out of the space where access may be desired, or to a point where it is easy to access the items that the rod carries. Fastened into wood with lag bolts at either the center point of the closet, or at the door jambs, and firmly supported by wall bracket, or in use in conjunction with adjustable center post, and modified bracket. With more than a single hinge point the clothing, or support rod will move in, and out of the space that it occupies allowing access to otherwise wasted space that a normal clothing, or support rod would occupy.