Automatic bread maker

Details Automatic bread maker Automatic bread maker

2000-05-17

2001-02-13

Simone, Timothy F. (Department: 1761)

Foods and beverages: apparatus

Cooking

Automatic control

C099S278000, C099S348000, C099S468000, C366S098000, C366S146000, C366S314000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06186053

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an automatic bread maker used in common homes.
BACKGROUND ART
A conventional automatic bread maker will now be described with reference to
FIGS. 9 and 10
.
FIG. 9
is a block view showing the construction of main portions of the conventional automatic bread maker, and reference numeral
1
denotes a baking chamber, reference numeral
2
a heater constituting heating means, reference numeral
3
a bread baking vessel removably mounted within the baking chamber, reference numeral
4
a motor, reference numeral
5
a belt for transmitting the power of the motor
4
, reference numeral
6
a kneading blade driven by the motor
4
, reference numeral
7
a temperature detection means abutted against an outer surface of the baking chamber
1
so as to detect the temperature of the bread baking vessel
3
for the purpose of a process judgment and a temperature control, reference numeral
8
a lid, reference numeral
9
a yeast charging port for charging yeast therethrough, reference numeral
10
a solenoid operatively connected to a valve of the yeast charging port
9
so as to drop the yeast, reference numeral
11
a control means which includes a microcomputer, and is responsive to a signal from the temperature detection means
7
for controlling the heater
2
, the motor
4
and the solenoid
10
so as to bake the bread, reference numeral
12
a display portion for displaying the condition and time of the operation, and reference numeral
13
an operating portion for instructing a menu, a course and the initiation of the cooking (preparation).
When the operating portion
13
is operated to start the cooking, the control means
11
selects one of a plurality of bread-making processes in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detection means
7
, and subsequently controls loads of the heater
2
, the motor
4
and the solenoid
10
in accordance with the selected bread-making process, thereby effecting the bread-making operation.
FIG. 10
is a diagram showing, as one example, the detection temperature of the temperature detection means
7
and the rate of energization of the heater
2
in the baking step of the conventional automatic bread maker. When the baking step is started, the control means
11
causes the heater
2
to be continuously energized. When the temperature within the baking chamber
1
rises, and the temperature reaches 100° C., the control means
11
is responsive to the output of the temperature control means
7
to reduce the rate of energization of the heater
2
to 85%. Then, when the temperature reaches 150°, the control means
11
reduces the rate of energization of the heater
2
to 30%. Thereafter, in accordance with the output of the temperature detection means
7
, a temperature feedback control is effected at the energization rate of 30% when the detected temperature is not less than 130° C., and at the energization rate of 65% when the detected temperature is less than 130° C., and the cooking is completed a predetermined time period (50 minutes) after the baking is started.
In such a conventional automatic bread maker, since the temperature detection means is abutted against the outer surface of the baking chamber, and is not in contact with the bread baking vessel, this temperature detection means can not accurately detect the temperature of the bread baking vessel, and therefore even if the temperature feedback control is effected during the baking in order to keep the temperature of the bread baking vessel constant, the temperature difference between the bread baking vessel and the temperature detection means is large because of the influence of the outside (ambient) temperature and overshoot, and if the time, at which a crest and a trough of a temperature ripple come, is shifted even slightly, the baking color is greatly varied, and there were occasions when though the baking color was set to a dark color, it became a light color, and in contrast, though the baking color was set to a light color, it became a dark color.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
This invention seeks to overcome the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a bread maker in which even if the temperature difference between a temperature detection means and a bread baking vessel is large, bread, having a predetermined baking color, can be prepared.
The above object of the invention has been achieved by an automatic bread maker comprising a baking chamber having a heater, a bread baking vessel removably mounted within the baking chamber, temperature detection means for detecting a temperature within the baking chamber, and control means responsive to an output of the temperature detection means so as to control the heater and others, wherein after the temperature of the temperature control means rises to a predetermined temperature in a baking step, the rate of energization of the heating means fixed regardless of the temperature of the temperature detection means.
With this construction, the energization of the heating means is stabilized during the baking, and the bread, having a predetermined baking color, can be obtained.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an automatic bread maker comprising a baking chamber having a heater, a bread baking vessel removably mounted within the baking chamber, temperature detection means for detecting a temperature within the baking chamber, and control means responsive to an output of the temperature detection means so as to control the heater and others; CHARACTERIZED in that after the temperature of the temperature control means reaches a predetermined temperature in a baking step, the rate of energization of the heating means is kept constant. Therefore, a temperature ripple is small, and a predetermined baking color of the bread can be stably obtained.
In a second aspect of the invention, there is further provided timer means for measuring a rising temperature gradient of the temperature detection means at a temperature-rising stage of the baking step, and after the temperature of the temperature detection means reaches a predetermined temperature, the rate of energization of the heating means is determined in accordance with a time period measured by the timer means. Therefore, a predetermined baking color of the bread can be stably obtained regardless of a variation in room temperature and a variation in voltage.
In a third aspect of the invention, in accordance with a time period measured by the timer means, the control means determines the energization rate before the detection temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, and also determines the energization rate after the detection temperature reaches a predetermined temperature. Therefore, the temperature rise within the baking chamber can be suppressed, and besides the baking color of the bread can be stabilized.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, the control means determines a predetermined temperature in accordance with a time period measured by the timer means. Therefore, the baking color of the bread can be stabilized.
In a fifth aspect of the invention, the time measurement is effected by the timer means, and subsequently in accordance with a time period measured by the timer means, the control means determines a time period before the energization rate is changed, and the time period before the temperature reaches the peak temperature is determined in accordance with the measured time period, and therefore the baking color of the bread can be stabilized as in the above case.
In a sixth aspect of the invention, the rate of energization of the heating means after the detection temperature of the temperature detection means reaches a predetermined temperature is determined in accordance with an amount of change of the detection temperature with the lapse of a predetermined time. Therefore, a predetermined baking color of the bread can be stably obtained regardless of a variation in room temperature and a variation in voltage.
In a seventh aspect of the invention, there

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