Automatic breadmaking machine
First Claim
1. In an automatic breadmaking appliance including a housing having a bottom wall, upwardly extending sidewalls and an open top, an oven chamber having a bottom, sidewalls and an open top located in the housing in spaced relation to said housing bottom wall and sidewalls, a hinged cover mounted on the housing and movable between a closed position closing the housing and the oven chamber and an open position, an open-topped bread mold removably mounted in the oven chamber with the open top of the bread mold spaced below the top of the oven chamber, a mixing and kneading paddle removably mounted in the mold, a drive motor connected with the paddle for mixing and kneading dough in the mold, a heater located in the lower region of the oven chamber externally of the mold, and a process controller for controlling operation of the drive motor and the heater, an improved ventilating system comprisinga motor driven blower mounted in said housing outside of said oven chamber, said blower having an inlet connected to the oven chamber through the sidewall thereof and an outlet,first and second duct means each having one end connected to said outlet, said first duct means having its other end open to the atmosphere and said second duct means having its other end connected to said oven chamber adjacent the bottom thereof, andvalve means movable between a ventilating position closing said second duct means and opening said first duct means for directing the blower outlet to the atmosphere and a second position closing said first duct means and opening said second duct means for recirculating air from the blower outlet to the bottom portion of the oven chambersaid process controller including means for controlling operation of the ventilation blower and said valve means in coordination with said drive motor and said heater.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic breadmaking appliance has an outer housing containing a baking chamber for receiving a mold in which the bread ingredients are mixed, kneaded and baked. A heating element located in the baking chamber supplies heat as necessary throughout the breadmaking process and an improved ventilating system is selectively operable under control of the appliance process controller to circulate cooling air through the baking chamber and to recirculate heated air from the upper region of the baking chamber to the lower regions thereof to accelerate heating and conserve energy. The ventilating system also effectively cools the housing and prevents condensation from forming thereon. Temperature sensing means located outside the baking chamber senses the temperature of the contents of the mold in the baking chamber. An improved viewing window, window cover, and light facilitate visual inspection of the bread being baked.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. In an automatic breadmaking appliance including a housing having a bottom wall, upwardly extending sidewalls and an open top, an oven chamber having a bottom, sidewalls and an open top located in the housing in spaced relation to said housing bottom wall and sidewalls, a hinged cover mounted on the housing and movable between a closed position closing the housing and the oven chamber and an open position, an open-topped bread mold removably mounted in the oven chamber with the open top of the bread mold spaced below the top of the oven chamber, a mixing and kneading paddle removably mounted in the mold, a drive motor connected with the paddle for mixing and kneading dough in the mold, a heater located in the lower region of the oven chamber externally of the mold, and a process controller for controlling operation of the drive motor and the heater, an improved ventilating system comprising
a motor driven blower mounted in said housing outside of said oven chamber, said blower having an inlet connected to the oven chamber through the sidewall thereof and an outlet, first and second duct means each having one end connected to said outlet, said first duct means having its other end open to the atmosphere and said second duct means having its other end connected to said oven chamber adjacent the bottom thereof, and valve means movable between a ventilating position closing said second duct means and opening said first duct means for directing the blower outlet to the atmosphere and a second position closing said first duct means and opening said second duct means for recirculating air from the blower outlet to the bottom portion of the oven chamber said process controller including means for controlling operation of the ventilation blower and said valve means in coordination with said drive motor and said heater.
- 21. In an automatic breadmaking appliance including a housing having a bottom wall, upwardly extending sidewalls and an open top, an oven chamber having a bottom, sidewalls and an open top located in the housing in spaced relation to said housing bottom wall and sidewalls, a hinged cover mounted on the housing and movable between a closed position closing the housing and the oven chamber and an open position, an open-topped bread mold removably mounted in the oven chamber with the open top of the bread mold spaced below the top of the oven chamber, a mixing and kneading paddle removably mounted in the mold, a drive motor connected with the paddle for mixing and kneading dough in the mold, a heater located in the lower region of the oven chamber externally of the mold, and a process controller for controlling operation of the drive motor and the heater, the improvement comprising an opening formed in the bottom of said oven chamber, an elongated finger integrally formed on said mold and projecting downwardly therefrom in position to project through said opening in said oven chamber when the mold is mounted in the oven chamber, and a temperature sensor mounted outside said oven chamber and contacting said elongated finger for sensing the temperature thereof, said temperature sensor being calibrated to relate the sensed temperature of said finger to the temperature of dough in the mold.
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24. In an automatic breadmaking appliance including a housing having a bottom wall, upwardly extending sidewalls and an open top, an oven chamber having a bottom, sidewalls and an open top located in the housing in spaced relation to said housing bottom wall and sidewalls, a hinged cover mounted on the housing and movable between a closed position closing the housing and the oven chamber and an open position, an open-topped bread mold removably mounted in the oven chamber with the open top of the bread mold spaced below the top of the oven chamber, a mixing and kneading paddle removably mounted in the mold, a drive motor connected with the paddle for mixing and kneading dough in the mold, a heater located in the lower region of the oven chamber externally of the mold, and a process controller for controlling operation of the drive motor and the heater, an improved ventilating system comprising
a motor driven blower mounted in said housing outside of said oven chamber, said blower having an inlet connected to the oven chamber through the sidewall thereof and at a location adjacent to but below the open top of the mold and an outlet, a ventilation opening in said hinged cover to provide a flow path for air into the oven chamber and an escape path for gas from the chamber, and said process controller including means for controlling operation of the ventilation blower in coordination with operation of said drive motor and said heater.
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27. In an automatic breadmaking appliance including a housing having a bottom wall, upwardly extending sidewalls and an open top, an oven chamber having a bottom, sidewalls and an open top located in the housing in spaced relation to said housing bottom wall and sidewalls, a hinged cover mounted on the housing and movable between a closed position closing the housing and the oven chamber and an open position, an open-topped bread mold removably mounted in the oven chamber with the open top of the bread mold spaced below the top of the oven chamber, a mixing and kneading paddle removably mounted in the mold, a drive motor connected with the paddle for mixing and kneading dough in the mold, a heater located in the lower region of the oven chamber externally of the mold, and a process controller for controlling operation of the drive motor and the heater, the improvement wherein said hinged cover comprises,
an outer wall and an inner wall spaced from said outer wall, flange means on said inner wall adapted to engage and form a seal with said open top of said oven chamber when said hinged cover is in the closed position, and spring-biased hinge means resiliently urging said cover to the closed position wherein said flange means engages and forms a seal with the open top of said oven chamber, and vent openings in said outer and said inner walls of said hinged cover at a location near one side of said oven chamber to permit the flow of air into and the flow of gas from the oven chamber, said breadmaking appliance further comprising a motor driven blower mounted in said housing outside of said oven chamber, said blower having an inlet connected to the oven chamber through the sidewall thereof and an outlet, said blower being operable to draw air into said chamber through said vent opening in said hinged cover to be discharged from said outlet.
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28. In an automatic breadmaking appliance including a housing having a bottom wall, upwardly extending sidewalls and an open top, an oven chamber having a bottom, sidewalls and an open top located in the housing in spaced relation to said housing bottom wall and sidewalls, a hinged cover mounted on the housing and movable between a closed position closing the housing and the oven chamber and an open position, an open-topped bread mold removably mounted in the oven chamber with the open top of the bread mold spaced below the top of the oven chamber, a mixing and kneading paddle removably mounted in the mold, a drive motor connected with the paddle for mixing and kneading dough in the mold, a heater located in the lower region of the oven chamber externally of the mold, and a process controller for controlling operation of the drive motor and the heater, the improvement comprising,
mold stabilizing means engaging said bread mold to releasably retain the bread mold in said oven chamber, said mold stabilizing means including resilient means interposed between said oven chamber and said bread mold to resiliently resist movement of the bread mold within the oven chamber during kneading of dough in the bread mold.
Specification