Bread baking apparatus

• US 4,903,589 A
• Filed: 11/09/1988
• Issued: 02/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoyama, Michishige
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US07/269,126
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 99/348, 99/352, 99/353, 99/331, 99/467, 99/468, 99/470, 99/473, 99/474, 99/475, 99/476, 99/483, 99/484, 366/144, 366/145, 366/146, 366/149, 366/69, 366/98, 366/341, 426/27
• US Class Current: 99/348
• CPC Class Codes: A21B 7/005 in combination with mixing or kneading devices

Abstract

A bread baking apparatus includes a case having an upper open end closed and opened by a lid, a heater for heating the atmosphere in the case, a dough container disposed in the case so that a space is circumferentially defined between the case and the dough container, an electric motor for driving a kneading blade disposed in the dough container, an electric fan disposed outside the case and energized for a predetermined period during the first half of a baking step, and a microcomputer for controlling the motor, the fan and the heater.

Claims

1. A bread baking apparatus comprising:

(a) a container for containing dough and yeast;

(b) a heating element for heating said container so that the dough contained therein is baked;

(c) fan means for directing a current of air to said container so that an upper surface of the dough contained in said container is dried; and

(d) control means for controlling said fan means so that the driving of said fan means is started when the temperature of the dough reaches a predetermined temperature during a temperature increasing stage of the dough after the starting of baking, said predetermined temperature ranging from 65°

C. to 75°

C.

2. A bread baking apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fan means is driven for a predetermined period which is less than a period needed for the temperature of the dough to reach a baking temperature.

3. A bread baking apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the increase of temperature of said container is interrupted or moderated for the period during which said fan means is driven.

4. A bread baking apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined intermediate temperature is approximately 70°

C.

5. A break baking apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the drive period of said fan means ranges from approximately five to six minutes.

6. A bread baking apparatus comprising:

(a) a case;

(b) a container for containing dough and yeast, said container having an open upper end and disposed in said case so that a space is circumferentially defined therebetween;

(c) a heating element provided in said case for heating said container so that the dough contained therein is baked;

(d) fan means for directing a current of air to the interior of said case so that the drying of the dough surface is facilitated; and

(e) control means for controlling said fan means so that the driving of said fan means starts when the temperature of the dough reaches a predetermined temperature during a temperature increasing stage of the dough after start of the baking step, said predetermined temperature ranging from 65°

C. to 75°

C.

7. A bread baking apparatus comprising:

(a) a case having an open upper end;

(b) a container disposed in said case for containing dough and yeast, with a space circumferentially defined therebetween, said container having an open upper end, said container being put into and taken out of said case through the open upper end of said case;

(c) a heating element provided in said case for heating said container so that the dough contained therein is baked;

(d) a lid for closing and opening the open upper end of said case, said lid having an air outlet opening opposite the upper open end of said container and an air passageway communicating with the air outlet opening;

(e) fan means for directing a current of air to the air passageway of said lid so that air is introduced to the interior of said container through the air outlet opening of said lid; and

(f) control means for controlling said fan means so that the driving of said fan means starts when the temperature of the dough reaches a predetermined temperature during a temperature increasing stage of the dough after the starting of the baking step, said predetermined temperature ranging from 65°

C. to 75°

C.

8. A bread baking apparatus comprising:

(a) a case having an open upper end;

(b) a lid for closing and opening the open upper end of said case;

(c) a container disposed in said case for containing dough and yeast, a space being circumferentially defined therebetween, said container having an open upper end and a kneading blade disposed at the lower interior thereof;

(d) a heating element provided outside of said container, in said case, for heating the air in said case;

(e) an electric motor provided outside of said case for driving the kneading blade;

(f) fan means located outside of said case, the driving of said fan means starting when the temperature of the dough reaches a predetermined temperature during a temperature increasing stage of the dough after start of the baking step, so that air outside said case is introduced to the interior of said case through the open upper end thereof, the predetermined temperature ranging from 65°

C. to 75°

C.; and

(g) control means for controlling said motor for the kneading of the dough and controlling said heating element and said fan means for the fermenting of the yeast and the baking of the dough.