JPH02305525A - Automatic bread making machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the bread height uniform through the utilization of ultrasonic waves by furnishing a horn part which transmits and receives ultrasonic waves in the upper part of a cooking chamber, and providing a control device to sense the distance through calculation of the time difference between the signal transmission and reception and generation of ultrasonic waves. CONSTITUTION:Horn parts 18, 19 are wired to a control device 22 installed on the body 10, wherein the control device 22 calculates the time difference between the transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves and generation of ultrasonic waves from the horn parts, and senses the distance. In an automatic bread making machine, specified materials are put in a kneading vessel 15 set in a cooking chamber 12, followed by a push of a start switch to perform kneading, and its finishing transfers to the fermentation process. In the fermentation process, a shutter 21 is opened by an actuator 20, and the height of the dough is measured while the ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received from the horn parts 18, 19 for signal transmission and reception (or at a certain interval). When a specified height of the dough is attained, the fermentation is finished, and the shutter 21 is closed to shut off heat and/or steam for the purpose of protection of the horn parts, and the baking process is performed as final stage.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an automatic bread maker that can automatically bake bread by simply adding predetermined ingredients.

BACKGROUND ART The method of detecting the fermentation state of bread dough in automatic bread making machines currently on the market is to control the fermentation state using fermentation temperatures and times that are stored in a computer in advance.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the conventional automatic bread making machines as described above, fermentation is controlled by the temperature and time in the cooking chamber. It is not possible to deal with differences in fermentation conditions depending on the type of yeast, or differences in fermentation conditions caused by changes in the degree of activity depending on the type of yeast. The height of the bread varies depending on the fermentation state, and the size of the final baked bread is also inconsistent.Also, if the height of fermentation changes, the temperature distribution in the cooking chamber during baking also changes, resulting in a change in the color of the baked bread. There is a problem that the value is not constant.

The present invention is intended to solve such problems, and its first purpose is to make the bread height constant using ultrasonic waves, and its second purpose is to achieve the first purpose. The goal is to provide practical means.

Means for Solving the Problems The means for achieving the first object of the present invention includes a horn section that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves in the upper part of the cooking chamber, and a distance that is detected by calculating the time difference between the generation and transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves. It is equipped with a control device to

A means for achieving the second object is to provide a shutter that can be opened and closed at the opening of the horn section that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves.

Effect: According to the first means, during the fermentation process, an ultrasonic wave is emitted from a transmitting horn, the ultrasonic wave bounces off the top surface of the dough being fermented, and is detected by a receiving horn,
The control device determines the time difference between transmission and reception as the distance to the dough, and detects the height of the dough. As a result, bread dough can always be fermented to a constant height regardless of the difference in fermentation state, and bread can always be baked to a constant size and color.

Further, by means of the second means, the horn portion that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves is closed with a shutter, thereby making it possible to shut off heat and steam during the firing process.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. In the figure, 10 is the main body of the automatic bread making machine, 11 is a motor, and 12 is a cooking chamber that has a heater 13. Inside the cooking chamber 12, there is a kneading chamber that has kneading blades 14 at the inner bottom that are rotated by transmission drive from the motor 11. A container 15 is detachably provided. Further, a temperature detection section 16 is provided so as to come into contact with the outside of the kneading container 15, and detects the temperature of the kneading container 15 to control the heater 13 to maintain a predetermined temperature. The upper part of the cooking chamber 12 is covered with a lid 17 that can be opened and closed, and a transmitting horn section 18 for transmitting ultrasonic waves and a receiving horn section 19 are fixed inside the lid 17. Furthermore, a shutter 21 that can be opened and closed by an actuator 20 is provided in an opening 23 in which the transmitting and receiving horn parts 18 and 19 are directed toward the cooking chamber 12. Furthermore, the horn part 18.19
is connected to a control device 22 provided in the main body 10. This control device 22 is for calculating the generation of ultrasonic waves from the horn section and the time difference between transmission and reception of the ultrasonic waves to detect distance.

Next, the operation of the configuration of this embodiment will be explained. In an automatic bread maker, predetermined ingredients are put into a kneading container 15 set in a cooking chamber 12, and when a start switch is pressed, kneading is performed, which is completed, and a fermentation process begins. During the fermentation process, the shutter 21 is opened by the actuator 20, and the height of the dough is measured while transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves from the transmitting and receiving horn parts 18 and 19 (or at regular time intervals). Fermentation is completed when the dough reaches a certain height, and the shutter 21 is closed to block heat and steam to protect the horn for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, and baking begins to bake the bread. It is something.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention emits ultrasonic waves from the transmitting horn part during the fermentation process, the ultrasonic waves bounce off the top surface of the dough being fermented, and are detected by the receiving horn part. By determining the time difference between transmission and reception as the distance to the dough by the control device and detecting the height of the dough, it is possible to always ferment the dough to a constant height regardless of the difference in fermentation status, and it is possible to always ferment the dough to a constant height regardless of the difference in fermentation status. It is possible to bake bread of a certain size and with a uniform color.

In addition, a shutter that can be opened and closed is provided at the opening of the horn section that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, and by closing this shutter during the firing process, it blocks heat and steam, protects the horn section that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, and increases durability. This improvement has made it possible to always accurately detect the height of bread.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an automatic bread maker showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 12... Cooking room, 18... Transmission horn, 19...
- Receiving horn, 22...control circuit section. Name of agent: Patent attorney Shigetaka Awano and 1 other person ・-X Renno [18- Transmission Ff4 horn tq-1 ¥ Credit horn

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An automatic bread maker equipped with a horn part that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves above the cooking chamber, and a control device that calculates the time difference between the generation and transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves and detects the distance. (2) The automatic bread maker according to claim 1, further comprising a shutter that can be opened and closed at the opening of the horn section that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves.