Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to equipment for making food items, and, more particularly, to pizza-making equipment, specifically to pizza sauce dispensers and methods of dispensing pizza sauce. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Commercial kitchens and restaurants face the challenge of making large quantities of food items while maintaining the individual quality of each item prepared. For example, in a pizza restaurant, hundreds of pizzas are made daily. Naturally, this volume requires manually repeating the same preparation tasks (e.g., rolling or otherwise preparing dough, spreading sauce, adding toppings, etc.) over and over again. Manually applying and spreading sauce, however, leads to variability in the amount of sauce applied as well as variability in the spreading pattern. 
     In other environments, such as a frozen pizza factory where thousands of pizzas are made daily, many of these repetitive tasks are automated. For example, a sauce dispenser is used to apply pizza sauce onto a pizza crust (e.g. unbaked dough flattened out to its desired shape and size). The dispenser deposits a predetermined amount (e.g. five ounces) of sauce onto the pizza crust. Such dispensers typically have a single sauce dispensing head and are sized to apply a single-sized portion of sauce. In other words, the dispensing head is capable of dispensing only a single volume of sauce, such as five ounces, rather than being capable of dispensing variable volumes, such as two ounces, three ounces, or even eight ounces of sauce. 
     While generally useful in a factory setting, these types of dispensers are not helpful in a restaurant setting where many different sized pizzas (e.g., ten inch, twelve inch, sixteen inch diameter) are made, each requiring a different amount of sauce. If these factory-type sauce dispensers were used in the restaurant setting, a food service operator would be forced to change the dispensing head each time a different sized pizza was made. This required changeover would defeat any intended gains in efficiency. Moreover, in the restaurant setting, there are several types of pizza with different types of dough and different types of sauce. Since different sauces typically have different viscosities, a different dispensing head likely would be necessary since the flow rate of the conventional dispensing heads is fixed. 
     While conventional sauce dispensing machines are capable of putting sauce on the pizza dough, the sauce still must be spread over the dough. In the factory setting, the typical conventional sauce dispenser drops a single dollop of sauce in the center of the dough and an automated roller rolls across the dough to spread the sauce about the surface of the dough. The roller frequently accumulates particulates from the sauce and dough, compromising the effectiveness of the roller and the appearance of the pizza. Moreover, a different roller is generally necessary for a different type sauce, to avoid cross-contamination of different sauces on the roller. Alternatively, in the retail restaurant setting, a food service operator spreads the sauce manually by hand, such as with a spoon or other cooking utensil. 
     In the retail pizza business, using a roller or spoon to spread the sauce is undesirable since manual pressure applied against the pizza dough can damage the dough. This effect is particularly noticeable for pan pizza dough, which is very delicate. Undue pressure on this dough pushes air out of the dough, causing it to flatten and possibly harden in the area of contact. Of course, this type of damage is noticeable by the consumer and therefore is undesirable. 
     Another conventional method of dispensing pizza sauce includes using a large multi-port dispensing head that sits over and above the pizza dough. Sauce drips through the ports, which are in a dot matrix or honeycomb pattern, down onto the dough. Unfortunately, selected portions of the multiple ports cannot be selectively deactivated, which would permit control over the pattern and volume of sauce applied to each pizza. Accordingly, this type of conventional, multi-port dispensing head is suitable only for saucing a single-sized pizza. A differently sized dispensing head or different machine would be required for each differently sized pizza. In addition, the ports tend to drip sauce even after the saucing operation is terminated, and the ports typically clog, thereby requiring frequent maintenance. 
     Accordingly, conventional methods of applying sauce to pizza crusts in the restaurant setting suffer from several disadvantages. First, manual application and spreading of the sauce leads to variability in the volume of sauce applied and can damage the crust. Second, dispensing sauce through a factory-type sauce dispenser is impractical, because the conventional dispensing heads permit dispensing only a single volume of sauce (e.g., six-ounce portions only) and do not assist in spreading the sauce. Moreover, the rollers available in the factory setting damage some delicate crusts while spreading and present contamination issues where different types of sauces are used. Consequently, conventional factory-type sauce dispensers do not provide the desired efficiencies in the retail restaurant setting, and current manual preparation techniques remain inefficient and lead to variable quality. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A pizza sauce dispenser, according to an embodiment of the invention, simultaneously dispenses and spreads a precisely controlled amount of sauce onto a pizza dough base without requiring a food service operator to manually handle the sauce or the dough during operation. According to one embodiment, the dispenser includes a selectively rotatable disc, an arm that selectively pivots over the disc, and a spraying mechanism for spraying sauce onto the disc (or a pizza dough base on the disc). The rotatable disc includes a surface adapted to receive a pizza pan with dough thereon, for example. A nozzle of the spraying mechanism is disposed on an end of the arm and selectively deposits sauce onto the dough. Sauce is supplied to the nozzle by the remainder of the spraying mechanism, including a pumping system and reservoir. A control mechanism coordinates activation and deactivation of the rotatable disc, the pivotable arm, and the nozzle, and/or one or more of the following: (1) a selected rate of disc rotation; (2) a selected rate and selected directional pivoting of dispensing arm; and (3) a selected rate of dispensing sauce through the nozzle. 
     To sauce a pizza dough base, a pizza dough/crust is placed on the disc, the disc is rotated and the dispensing arm can be pivoted simultaneously, so that the nozzle strikes a path from the outer edge of the dough to the center of the dough. While the arm is pivoting over the rotating dough (set on the disc), sauce is sprayed from the nozzle onto the dough, forming a spiral sauce pattern on the dough. 
     The rotatable disc preferably includes a surface having a plurality of nested, concentric rings that match pizzas of different diameters, to permit the disc to instantly accept different sized pizza pans and/or dough bases. In addition, the concentric ring pattern results in automatic centering of the pizza pan (and dough thereon) on the sauce dispenser. 
     The sauce dispensing system optionally includes a second spraying mechanism having a second nozzle, which also is mounted on the end of the pivoting arm, and a second pumping system with its own reservoir. This additional spraying mechanism permits instantaneous access to a second, different type of pizza sauce without requiring any changeover of the first spraying mechanism. 
     Accordingly, a pizza sauce dispenser, according to an embodiment of the invention, automatically applies and spreads sauce onto a pizza dough for many different sized pizzas and multiple sauces, without requiring complicated changeovers of a dispensing head or other equipment, and without a roller, as is generally required with conventional sauce dispensers. Moreover, the sauce dispenser alleviates time pressure and the variable quality associated with pizzas that are sauced manually by food service operators. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the figures, in which like reference numerals denote like elements and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pizza sauce dispenser, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration, with sectional views, of the pizza sauce dispenser of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the invention, and further incorporating a small pizza pan with dough; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the invention, and further incorporating a large pizza pan with dough; 
     FIG. 5 is a top, generally schematic illustration of the dispenser of FIG. 1 in operation, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the dispenser of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the invention, and further incorporating a pizza pan with dough and sauce applied by the dispenser onto the dough; 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic top view of an additional sauce pumping system, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a rotatable disc of a pizza sauce dispenser, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic top view of a pizza sauce dispensing system including a stationary arm and multi-port nozzle, according to an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of a pizza sauce dispensing arm, according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
     FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of a control mechanism of a pizza sauce dispenser, according to an alternate embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A pizza sauce dispensing system  10 , according to an embodiment of the invention, is shown generally in FIG.  1 . System  10  includes base  11 , selectively rotatable disc  12 , dispensing arm  14 , which is selectively pivotable according to one embodiment, dispensing or spraying mechanism  15  with nozzle  16  and hose  17 , and controls  18  having display/keypad  20 . Rotatable disc  12  is adapted to receive a pizza pan, with a pizza crust thereon. Spraying mechanism  15  also includes a pumping system and sauce reservoir (not shown) for supplying pizza sauce to nozzle  16 . 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of pizza sauce dispensing system  10 . As shown in FIG. 2, rotatable disc  12  includes tray  40  having an upper surface of nested, concentric rings  41 , center  42  and outer edge  44  with rim  46 . Rotatable disc  12  further includes motor engagement member  48 . In association with disc  12 , base  11  of system  10  further includes motor  50  having receptacle  52  for receiving base engagement member  48 . Motor  50  is in electrical and operative communication with controls  18  and programmable logic controller (PLC)  54 . 
     Dispensing arm  14  further includes vertical support  60 , horizontal member  62 , first end  64 , second end  65 , and fasteners  68 . In association with arm  14 , base  11  of system  10  further includes motor  70  and sensor  72 , which are both in electrical and operative communication with controls  18  and PLC  54 . 
     As also shown in FIG. 2, spraying mechanisim  15  further includes pump system  80  that supplies nozzle  16  with pizza sauce. Pump system  80  includes reservoir  82  and pump  84  having optional drawback cylinder  86 . Pump  84  is in electrical and operative communication with controls  18  and PLC  54 . Reservoir  82  is preferably refrigerated to lengthen the storage time of the pizza sauce. 
     Rotatable disc  12  is removably attached to motor  50  and supported on base  11  via engagement member  48 , which is removably inserted in receptacle  52 . Motor  50  is preferably a stepper motor, or a motor known in the art for permitting selective clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of disc  12  relative to base  11 . Motor  50  can operate independently (e.g. as a direct drive motor for turntables) or in association with other motors and/or belts and pulleys, as known in the art, for providing selective rotation of disc  12 . Motor  50  receives commands from controls  18  and PLC  54  to determine the activation, deactivation, acceleration, and deceleration of rotation of disc  12 , particularly in relationship to the operation of dispensing arm  14  and spraying mechanism  15 . 
     Dispensing arm  14  is pivotally mounted relative to base  11 , according to one embodiment. In particular, vertical support  60  is mounted to, and extends upwardly from, motor  70  of base  11 . Motor  70  is preferably a stepper motor and is capable of causing rotation of vertical support  60  in either a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation. As with motor  50 , motor  72  also can be another type motor that operates independently (e.g. a direct drive motor) or in association with accompanying belts, pulleys, etc., as known in the art, to achieve selective control over the activation, deactivation, acceleration, deceleration and the rate and direction of rotation of vertical support  60 . Sensor  72  acts in cooperation with motor  70  and PLC  54  to control the extent and direction of pivoting of vertical support  60 . 
     Horizontal member  62  of dispensing arm  14  is connected to vertical support  60  in a generally perpendicular relationship, so that horizontal member  62  extends over rotatable disc  12 . Horizontal member  62  has a length (e.g. up to about ten inches) to ensure that first end  64  will be disposed over or adjacent to center  42  of tray  40  for the largest pizza (e.g. with a sixteen inch diameter dough base) that can be set in tray  40  of rotatable disc  12 . Vertical support  60  has a length sufficient to ensure that horizontal member  62  is vertically spaced from rotatable disc  12 . Horizontal member  62  also carries hose  17  along its length and fasteners  68  for securing hose  17  on member  62  from its first end  64  to second end  64 , and for securing nozzle  16  at second end  65 . 
     Nozzle  16  of spraying mechanism  15  receives sauce for spraying or otherwise dispensing onto the pizza dough base via hose  17  and pumping system  80 . Pumping system  80  can comprise a commercially available condiment pumping system that includes a pump, regulator(s), air solenoid, and/or drawback cylinder, for example. Reservoir  82 , which preferably holds a large volume of sauce, is operably coupled to pump  84 . Drawback cylinder  86  is an optional component of system  80  and causes sauce to evacuate from nozzle  16  through hose  17  after pump  84  is deactivated to prevent dripping and clogging of sauce at nozzle  16 . Other pumping systems known in the art that provide the functions described herein can be readily used. 
     Pump  84  is activated and deactivated selectively, and its flow rate controlled, by PLC  54  and controls  18 . Pumping system  80  also optionally includes a stepper motor that is incorporated into pump  84 , or operates in association with pump  84 , to facilitate control of a variable flow rate of sauce through hose  17  and nozzle  16 . For example, with this feature, it is believed the flow rate may be automatically decreased when less sauce is needed at a given location on the pizza crust (e.g. center) or increased when more sauce is needed at other locations on the pizza crust (e.g. outer edge). 
     FIG. 3 shows dispensing arm  14  of sauce dispensing system  10  in a storage mode, and illustrates the automatic pan-centering feature of system  10 . Arm  14  is stationed adjacent to outer edge of disc  12 . A smaller size pan  110  with dough  111  thereon, such as a pan for a personal pan pizza, is placed concentrically relative to center  42  of nested rings  41 . Each one of the rings  41  is sized with a predetermined diameter and generally has a circular shape, to accommodate a predetermined size and shape of a pan, such as pan  110 . Since rings  41  are concentrically arranged, once pan  110  is set within its matching diameter-sized ring  41 , pan  110  is automatically centered on rotatable disc  12 . 
     FIG. 4 shows sauce dispensing system  10  just prior to use, according to one embodiment. In this example, a larger size pan  120  with dough  122  is set on rotatable disc  12 , in one of the rings  41  that matches the diameter of pan  120 . Pan  120  is automatically centered, as described above, by the concentricity of rings  41 . 
     Using controls  18 , a saucing operation is started. In particular, the diameter size of pan  120 , type and volume of sauce, and type of dough is identified at controls  18  (as well as other parameters). Optimally, this identification at controls  18  occurs by pressing a single key on keypad  20  or via bar code scanning, as will be further described. This information is entered into, or recalled from memory, in PLC  54 . PLC  54  then identifies several parameters regarding the saucing operation for that identified pizza, including a starting location adjacent the outer edge on the dough and an ending location adjacent the center of the dough. Additional parameters of the pre-programmed operation can include: (1) the total time, rate, and/or direction that disc  12  rotates throughout the operation; (2) the total time, rate, and/or direction (counterclockwise or clockwise) that arm  14  pivots over disc  12 ; and (3) the total time, rate, and time of initiation and termination of sauce flowing through nozzle  16  of spraying mechanism  15 . 
     PLC  54  is programmed for these parameters using well known principles of kinematics for a rotating disc, pivoting arm, and vertically dropping liquid, for example including the use of the following equations: 
     
       
           W =2 πN /60=0.10472  N  (in rad/sec), where  N =RPM, and  (1) 
       
     
     
       
           T =2π/ω, where T is equal to the time required to complete one full cycle.  (2) 
       
     
     Using the pressure of the sauce spraying mechanism  15 , the volume of sauce to be sprayed, the desired sauce pattern on the pizza, and the above equations and familiar kinematic principles, a program for activation, deactivation, and rate control of rotatable disc  12 , pivotable arm  14 , and spraying mechanism  15  is stored in PLC  54  for later activation. Ideally, each program for a given pizza results in the time to complete one cycle, including the time to sauce a pizza, being less than nine seconds. 
     After this information is registered in PLC  54  for saucing the dough on pan  120 , operation begins with arm  12  pivoting so that nozzle  16  is located at a predetermined site above dough  122  adjacent an outer edge  131  of dough  122  (e.g., one-quarter inch from an outer edge of the pizza). In a single step, according to one embodiment, disc  12  begins rotating as arm  12  pivots inward and sauce sprays out of nozzle  16  onto dough  122 . 
     FIG. 5 schematically illustrates the interaction of disc  12  and arm  14  as sauce  17  is deposited on dough  122  (resting on tray  40  of rotatable disc  12 ). While sauce is being deposited on dough  122 , disc  12  rotates in a counterclockwise direction (identified by directional arrow A) and arm  14  pivots in a counterclockwise direction (directional arrow B) from an outer position  130  (identified by phantom lines) adjacent outer edge  131  of dough  122  to a center position  132  adjacent center  42  of disc  12  and/or dough  122 . If desired, sauce  17  also can be deposited when arm  14  pivots from its center position  132  to outer position  130 . This return movement is identified by directional arrow C. As seen in e.g. FIG. 5, this operation results in sauce  17  forming a spiral pattern  133  on dough  122 . 
     As described above, PLC  54  is programmed so that an exact start location and an ending location of arm  14 , as well as other identified parameters, during the saucing operation are used for each differently sized pizza, type of pizza and type of sauce. For example, a twelve-inch pan pizza might require about 4.25 ounces of sauce to be deposited over a dough having a surface area diameter of about 10.5 inches. In addition, the pan pizza might require that saucing start about one-quarter inch from outer edge  131  of the dough  122  and use sauce type “A.” Using this criteria and accounting for the speed of rotation of any given point on disc  12  using well known principles of kinematics, the preprogrammed PLC  54  initiates and variably maintains the spraying rate of nozzle  16  (by controlling the rate and/or activation and deactivation of pump  84 ), the rate of rotation of disc  12  and the rate of pivoting and direction of arm  14 . In another example, such as for a different brand pizza, PLC  54  would be preprogrammed to start saucing at about three-quarters of an inch from outer edge  131  of the dough  122 , and/or use sauce type “B.” Finally, in another example, for thin pizza, PLC  54  would be preprogrammed to start saucing at the lip of dough  122 , with one or more of sauce types “A” and “B”, and/or additional sauce types. Of course, for each of the types of pizza, the starting location is achieved by pivoting arm  14 . By using sensor  72  at vertical support  60  of dispensing arm  14 , PLC  54  determines the position of arm  14  relative to outer edge of disc  12  and/or relative to center  42  of the tray  40 . 
     As shown in FIG.  6  and using the above-described method with sauce dispensing system  10 , sauce  17  is distributed evenly over the surface of dough  122  in the exact volume required and without manually handling the sauce or manually spreading the sauce on the dough. This technique is fast and prevents damage to dough since no mechanical force presses downwardly against dough  122 . 
     FIG. 7 shows an optional second spraying mechanism  90  having reservoir  91 , pump  92 , hose  94 , and nozzle  96 . Second spraying mechanism  90  is in electrical and/or operative communication with controls  18 , including PLC  54 . Having second spraying mechanism  90 , in addition to spraying mechanism  15 , allows system  10  to instantaneously apply different types of sauces without changing nozzle  16 , pump  84  or reservoir  82  of pump system  80 . PLC  54  is programmed to selectively activate one or both of pump system  90  and pump system  80  to achieve the desired saucing. As seen in FIG. 7, spraying mechanisms  15  and  90 , particularly nozzle  16  and  96  are arranged side by side on dispensing arm  14 . 
     Of course, more than two spraying mechanisms can be used. For example, if a third or fourth type of sauce is available, a third and fourth spraying mechanism, or portions thereof (e.g. a nozzle or reservoir), can be operably connected to controls  18  and PLC  54  for selectively operating the extra spraying mechanisms. Moreover, if desired, two types of sauces can be applied to a dough base simultaneously or in succession, again without changing hardware or other features of the system. 
     FIG. 8 shows, in greater detail, the nested concentrically arranged rings  41  of tray  40  according to one embodiment. In particular, disc  12  includes optional lower base  141  and removable upper tray  142 . Tray  142  includes rim  144 , center  146 , and large-sized diameter ring  152 , medium-sized diameter ring  154 , and small-sized diameter ring  156 . Tray  142  preferably has an overall height h 1  of about two and one-half inches to maintain a space saving low profile. Each ring  41  of tray  142  (e.g., ring  154 ) has a height h 2  (which may be the same as or different than other rings  41 ) to act as a border to contain the pizza pan that matches the diameter of that ring. Height h 2  is preferably 0.125 inches, according to one embodiment, to allow the entire tray  142  to have a low profile. Of course, a wide variety of dimensions are contemplated according to the invention, for this and other features described herein. 
     Tray  142  optionally is formed integrally with lower base  141 . Tray  142 , with or without base  141 , is preferably removable from base  11  of system  10  to permit easy washing and maintenance of tray  142 . Of course, tray  142  can be formed with any number of rings  41  (more or less than rings  152 ,  154 ,  156 ), with each ring  41  having a predetermined diameter that matches the diameter of an available pizza pan. Tray  142  is preferably made from a plastic material for easy and inexpensive manufacture, lightweight handling, and convenient washing, although other materials will be apparent for use, of course. 
     FIG. 9 shows pizza sauce dispensing system  200 , according to an alternate embodiment of the invention. System  200  uses rotatable disc  12  and includes stationary arm  201 , inner multi-port nozzle  202 , intermediate multi-port nozzle  204 , and outer multi-port nozzle  206 . Each nozzle  202 ,  204 ,  206  has its own hose  208  and solenoid  210 . Of course, system  200  further includes controls  18  with PLC  54  and sauce pumping system  215  with reservoir  216  (similar to pump system  80 ) or other pumping systems known in the art. Sauce pumping system  215  is in fluid communication with each hose  208  to supply sauce to nozzles  202 ,  204 , and  206 . In addition, as previously described for sauce dispensing system  10 , controls  18  with PLC  54  coordinate the rotation of disc  12 , and activation/deactivation and spray rate of nozzles  202 ,  204 ,  206  to achieve the selected amount of sauce deposited at the selected thickness and spacing on the pizza crust. 
     In use, arm  201  is stationary while sauce is sprayed from nozzles  202 ,  204 , and  206  as rotatable disc  12  rotates underneath arm  201 . For pizzas having smaller diameters, only inner multi-port nozzle  202  is activated to spray sauce on disc  12  while disc  12  rotates through a single revolution. For pizzas with intermediate size diameters, both inner multi-port nozzle  202  and intermediate multi-port  204  are activated to spray sauce on disc  12  while disc  12  rotates through a single revolution. Finally, for pizzas with larger diameters, all three of the inner, intermediate and outer multi-port nozzles  202 ,  204 ,  206  are activated to spray sauce on disc  12  while disc  12  rotates through a single revolution. Of course, multiple revolutions instead of single revolutions are also contemplated according to the invention. 
     FIG. 10 also schematically illustrates a sauce dispensing system  220 , according to an alternate embodiment of the invention. System  200  includes stationary bracket  221 , slidable member  222 , nozzle  224 , and rotatable disc  226 . Nozzle  224  of system  220  is supplied with sauce from a pump and reservoir system (not shown) substantially similar to pumping system  80  as previously described in connection with FIG.  2 . In this example, sauce is sprayed from nozzle  224  onto rotating disc  226  (with dough thereon), while slidable member  222  selectively slides along bracket  221  from an outer edge of disc  226  to a center of disc  226 , and/or conversely from a center of disc  226  to its outer edge. This arrangement also causes sauce to be deposited in a spiral pattern onto dough on disc  226 , if desired. In addition, as previously described for sauce dispensing system  10 , controls  18  with PLC  54  coordinate the rotation of disc  226 , sliding of member  222 , and activation/deactivation and spray rate of nozzle  224  to achieve the selected amount of sauce deposited at the selected thickness and spacing on the pizza crust. 
     Finally, controls  18 , previously shown in FIG. 2, are further illustrated according to one embodiment in FIG.  11 . Controls  18  include display  250 , manual start  252 , stop  254 , reset  256 , power  258 , operation light  260 , and program selection arrows  262 . Controls  18  also include a communications port  264  (such as a RS232 or other known communication mode, e.g. Ethernet), and associated programming in PLC  54  for receiving and operating with optional bar code scanner  270 . Finally, a membrane-type keypad  280  permits saucing a pizza by identifying a type of pizza sauce and size of pizza with the touch of a single button. 
     To operate system sauce dispensing system  10  using optional bar code scanner  270 , a pizza dough to be sauced will carry a unique bar code ticket that identifies parameters such as a predetermined diameter, sauce type and dough type, or more simply that identifies a preprogrammed saucing operation for that type of pizza. An operator scans the bar code ticket using bar code scanner  270 , thereby registering the selected parameters with the PLC, or identifying the preprogrammed saucing operation within PLC  54 . 
     Updates or changes to programs for running saucing operations can be obtained online, e.g. through the Internet, according to one embodiment, and then downloaded into PLC  54 . Of course, such updates or changes also can be supplied by disk, telephone modem or other known data-transfer devices and methods. Updates can include refinements in coordinating disc rotation and arm pivoting, and/or can include supplying a new set of parameters for applying sauce for a new size or type of pizza and/or type of sauce. The programmable logic controller (PLC)  54  also permits counting the number of pizzas sauced and to be sauced, as well as recording their types, for coordination with e.g. cleaning or maintenance requirements for the system, reservoir replenishment, etc. Since this information can be displayed on display  250 , these features greatly facilitate the preparation of a large number of pizzas having different characteristics. 
     Pizza sauce dispensing systems according to embodiments of the invention provide many advantageous features. First, such systems allow a precisely controlled amount of sauce to be deposited on a pizza dough, in a predetermined pattern, without manually handling the sauce during application and without manual spreading. Second, by using multiple pumping systems, embodiments of the invention permit at least two different sauces to be applied without requiring a change in a dispensing head, pump, or reservoir. Third, the programmable logic controller permits customization of sauce operations that are not practical with factory-type sauce dispensers, to permit saucing a high volume of pizzas while still accommodating different sized pizzas and different sauces. Finally, the sauce dispensing system saves space by allowing several types of pizza to be rapidly made in the space of a single pizza make table. Other advantages will be apparent to those of ordinary skill upon reading this disclosure. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the description is illustrative and is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. For example, although embodiments of the invention have been described with respect to pizza, pizza sauce, pizza pans and pizza toppings, the invention is applicable to the preparation of other food items as well. Similarly, references to dough and dough bases should be interpreted to include other edible and inedible platforms for receiving food substances or other substances in the manner disclosed and contemplated herein. Other devices and methods according to the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 1