Patent Overview
Title
Robotic kitchen assistant for frying including agitator assembly for shaking utensil
Inventors
- Ryan Sinnet 🙋♂️
- Robert Anderson
- William Werst
Patent No.
US 11,192,258 B2
Issued
Patent Family
The patent was extended in the following continuation patent(s) (wherein the key differences are described):
- US-11833663-B2: Robotic kitchen assistant for frying including agitator assembly for shaking utensil
Abstract
A robotic kitchen assistant for frying includes a robotic arm, a fryer basket, and a robotic arm adapter assembly allowing the robotic arm to pick up and manipulate the fryer basket. The robotic arm adapter includes opposing gripping members to engage the fryer basket. A utensil adapter assembly is mounted to the handle of the fryer basket, and the opposing gripper members are actuated to capture a three-dimensional (3D) feature of the utensil adapter assembly. The robotic arm adapter assembly can include an agitator mechanism to shake the fryer basket or another utensil as desired. Related methods are also described.
The Problem We Solved
Commercial kitchens face several challenges with deep fryers. Hot oil is dangerous for workers, causing burns and injuries. Food tends to clump together, requiring regular shaking, and debris builds up in oil that needs constant cleaning.
But automating these tasks with robots creates its own challenges. Kitchen utensils like fryer baskets aren’t manufactured to precise specifications – they get bent and deformed with use. Standard robot grippers struggle to reliably grab these irregular items. When a robot shakes a basket to prevent food clumping, the violent motion can damage the expensive robot arm joints. And the messy, chaotic environment of a busy kitchen makes it hard for robots to safely and accurately perform these tasks alongside human workers.
These technical hurdles have prevented widespread automation of frying tasks, forcing restaurants to continue putting workers at risk.
The Innovation
We created a robotic system that safely handles the entire frying process. The robot includes:
- A special gripper that can reliably pick up fryer baskets (even if they’re slightly bent)
- A unique “agitator” that gently shakes the basket to prevent food from sticking together
- A clever design that isolates the shaking motion so it doesn’t damage the robot arm
- A system to automatically skim debris from the oil
The robot works alongside kitchen staff through specially designed transfer stations where humans can safely load baskets of uncooked food, while the robot handles the dangerous frying work.
Scope of the Patent
The patent covers the complete robotic frying system, including:
- The mechanical gripping mechanism
- The shaking/agitator assembly
- The oil debris removal system
- Methods for operating these systems in a commercial kitchen
- The basket transfer stations
- Safety features that allow robots and humans to work together
Why It Matters
This technology makes commercial kitchens safer and more efficient. By automating the dangerous, repetitive task of deep frying, it:
- Reduces workplace injuries from hot oil
- Improves food quality through consistent cooking
- Maintains cleaner frying oil
- Frees up kitchen staff to focus on food preparation and customer service
The system is designed to integrate into existing kitchen workflows rather than requiring kitchens to completely change how they operate. This practical approach makes automation accessible to restaurants of all sizes, not just large chains with custom-built facilities.