Bread making apparatus

• US 5,415,081 A
• Filed: 12/01/1993
• Issued: 05/16/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Shinji, Tanaka, Hisanobu, Shimokubo, Hironobu, Hironaka, Yasumasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US08/160,388
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 99/325-328, 99/329 R, 99/331-333, 99/337, 99/338, 99/348, 99/352, 99/353, 99/467, 99/468, 99/483, 99/484, 99/486, 366/69, 366/96-98, 366/144-147, 366/601, 366/314, 426/504, 426/512
• US Class Current: 99/326
• CPC Class Codes: A21B 7/005 in combination with mixing or kneading devices

Abstract

A bread baking apparatus makes dough by kneading raw ingredients tossed into a bread baking case installed in an oven, and baking after fermentation. The object of this invention is to conveniently provide attractive-appearing bread having a specified expanded volume and a pre-specified color when baked. Namely, in order to prevent undesirable results, such as expanding more or less than specified in the fermenting process, or being affected by external room temperature and humidity which has penetrated the oven through a glass lid installed on the baking oven, this apparatus is provided with means for detecting fermenting conditions while fermenting, and means for extending the fermenting process time. This apparatus is further provided with baking timer means for defining the color of the final baked product by applying temperature measuring means. Furthermore, air ventilating and heating means, especially uniform heating means during baking are provided in this apparatus to prevent unwanted changes in the baking bread.

Claims

1. A bread baking apparatus comprising

a bread baking oven,

a bread baking case detachably installed in said oven,

a lid openably installed on an upper opening of said oven, and

control means for

kneading raw ingredients placed in said bread baking case and making dough,

fermenting said dough, and

a baking process for baking said fermented dough,

said control means comprising,

fermented condition-detecting means for detecting expansion of said dough near said lid, and

process transferring means for making said fermenting process stop at the point of time said detecting means detects said dough expansion, and for transferring said fermenting process to said baking process.

2. A bread baking apparatus cited in claim 1, wherein said control means further comprises signal generating means for generating a signal for extending said dough forming and fermenting time which performs said dough forming and fermenting process, and process time-extending means for controlling said bread making processes of that said fermenting time is extended for as much time as is specified by said transmitted signal from said signal generating means, and, when said detecting signal from said fermented condition-detecting means is not transmitted before said set time of said fermenting process has ended, and said dough has not expanded to the specified degree, then said signal generating means further functions for setting a time to be extended, and said process time extending means further functions for extending said fermentation time.

3. A bread baking apparatus cited in claim 1, wherein said control means are characterized by further comprising

temperature detecting means for detecting the dough temperature,

color-setting means for setting the desired color of the processed bread,

timer means for setting new baking time starting from the time a specified standard dough temperature corresponding to said baked color set by said color-setting means is reached, after detecting the dough temperature already reaching said standard dough temperature by said temperature detecting means, in said baking process.

4. A bread baking apparatus cited in claim 1, wherein said control means further comprises,

air supplying means for supplying air into said enclosed bread baking oven for dehumidifying said baked bread, heating means for intermittently heating said baked bread by operating said heating means with specified intervals of ON-OFF action while said air supply means is operated.

5. A bread making apparatus cited in claim 1, wherein

a heater is installed around said case by shaping a ring-like form,

both ends of said heater placed at the power inputting side crossing each other, and as a result the lower heat-generating portions of said heater are not installed around said bread baking case.

6. A bread making apparatus cited in claim 1, wherein,

a heater is installed around said case by shaping a ring-like form,

the center of said heater being placed in the position shifted from the center of said bread baking case so that the lower heat generating portions of said heater placed near the power inputting portion are more nearly located around said bread baking case than other higher heat-generating portions of said heater.

7. A bread baking apparatus comprising:

a bread baking oven,

a bread baking case detachably installed in said oven,

a lid openably installed in an upper opening of said oven, and

control means for automatically carrying out bread baking steps of a sequence program stored in read-only-memory of a microcomputer in the order of a primary kneading step, a pausing step, a secondary kneading step, a fermentation step, and a baking step, and

a fermentation regulating sensor means installed on a guide duct for detecting dough that has risen before said dough rises up to said lid,

said control means receiving a touch signal from said fermentation regulating sensor means for stopping a preprogrammed fermentation step and forcibly starting said baking step.

8. A bread baking apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said control means is further provided with an extension time-setting means for extending the predetermined fermentation period until said fermentation regulating sensor detects dough that has risen, sending a touch signal to said control means to stop the fermentation step and forcibly starting said bread baking step, even if a touch signal is not sent after passing the pre-set fermentation period.