JP4804578B2 - Automatic bread machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic bread maker mainly used in general households.

  A commercially available automatic bread maker for home use puts a bread container containing bread ingredients into a baking chamber in the main body, kneads the bread ingredients in the bread container with a kneading blade and kneads (kneading process), after passing through a fermentation process In general, the bread container is used as a baking mold as it is to bake bread (baking process).

  Some of these automatic bread machines are equipped with an ingredient container so that breads with ingredients such as raisins, nuts, and cheese can be baked (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). Such an automatic bread maker is configured such that the ingredients contained in the ingredient container during the kneading process are automatically charged into the bread container, for example, by program control.

Japanese Patent No. 3191645 JP 2006-255071 A JP 2008-279034 A

  By the way, conventionally, when bread is manufactured using an automatic bread maker, flour (rice flour, rice flour, etc.) obtained by milling grains such as wheat and rice, and various auxiliary raw materials are mixed with such milled flour. The mixed flour was obtained and used as a bread material to produce bread. However, in general households, as represented by rice grains, grains are sometimes held in the form of grains, not in the form of flour. For this reason, it would be very convenient if bread could be produced directly from grain using an automatic bread maker. For this reason, the present inventors have invented a method for producing bread using cereal grains as a raw material after extensive research. In addition, regarding this, a patent application has already been filed (Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-201507).

  Here, the bread manufacturing method filed earlier will be introduced. In this bread manufacturing method, first, cereal grains are mixed with a liquid, and the mixture is pulverized by a pulverizing blade (pulverization step). Then, for example, gluten or yeast is added to the paste-like pulverized powder obtained through the pulverization step, and the dough is kneaded (kneading step), fermented (fermentation step), and then baked into bread (baking step).

  In an automatic bread maker to which the above manufacturing process is applied, it is necessary to put bread materials such as gluten and dry yeast into a bread container after pulverizing grains in the pulverization process. For this reason, as an automatic bread maker, for example, a buzzer sound or the like may be used to notify the user of the timing of charging the bread material such as gluten, and the user himself may input the bread material such as gluten. It is done. However, the automatic bread maker having such a configuration is very inconvenient because the user must be on the device side until the above-mentioned feeding timing is reached.

  For this reason, it is preferable that the bread raw material to be input after the pulverization step can be automatically input. For example, in order to automatically add bread materials such as gluten and dry yeast after the pulverization step, it is conceivable to use material containers as shown in Patent Documents 1 to 3, for example.

  However, as described above, since the pulverization process is performed in a state in which the grains and the liquid are mixed, steam is likely to be generated. Due to the influence of the steam, when the conventional ingredient container is used, There was a problem of being easily wet. As a result, there is a problem that, for example, the bread raw material adheres to the ingredient container, the amount of the bread raw material that is automatically charged becomes inaccurate, and an unsatisfactory bread is produced. In addition, the conventional ingredient container is not considered to correspond to the powder in terms of its shape and material, so even if it is not affected by steam, the bread ingredient remains on the ingredient container side. There was a problem of producing bad bread.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic bread maker capable of producing bread from cereal grains, and an automatic bread maker that can easily and automatically input bread ingredients after the pulverization step.

  In order to achieve the above object, an automatic bread maker of the present invention includes a bread container into which bread ingredients are charged, a baking chamber that houses the bread containers and provided with heating means, and the bread container as a bread ingredient. A crushing means for crushing the grains to be charged, a bread ingredient storage container for storing bread ingredients to be introduced into the bread container at a predetermined timing after the grain grains have been crushed, and a lock that the bread ingredient storage container has An unlocking means for releasing the locked state of the mechanism, a kneading means for kneading the bread ingredients in the bread container into bread dough, the heating means, the crushing means, the unlocking means, and the kneading means are provided in a controllable manner. An automatic bread maker comprising a control means for executing a bread making course for baking bread, wherein the bread raw material storage container is disposed outside the opening and the side edge of the opening. A container body provided with a flange that protrudes into the container, a lid that is rotatably provided with respect to the container body, and capable of opening and closing the opening, and fixed to the container body, the lid A sealing member that seals between the flange and the lid in a state in which the opening is closed by, and is arranged so that the opening faces the opening of the bread container. Thus, the locked state in which the lid is supported from the outer surface side and the opening is maintained closed is obtained, and the locked state is released by the unlocking means, whereby the lid is The bread raw material stored in the bread raw material storage container is rotated and opened, and the bread raw material is put into the bread container.

  According to this configuration, when baking bread from cereal grains, by controlling the unlocking means so that the opening of the bread raw material storage container is opened at a predetermined timing after pulverizing the cereal grains, For example, bread ingredients such as gluten and dry yeast can be automatically added. For this reason, the automatic bread maker having this configuration is convenient for the user. And the bread raw material storage container with which an automatic bread maker is equipped is comprised so that between the collar part of a container main body and a cover body may be sealed with a sealing member in the state which the opening part was closed. For this reason, it can suppress that the water | moisture content which generate | occur | produces in the grinding | pulverization process which grinds a grain, for example enters in a bread raw material storage container. Moreover, in this structure, since the sealing member is attached to the container main body, it is difficult for a situation that the bread material such as gluten is caught by the sealing member when it is automatically charged. Therefore, with this automatic bread maker, when bread ingredients such as gluten are automatically added, the situation where the amount of bread ingredients in the bread container becomes inaccurate due to powder remaining in the bread ingredient storage container is suppressed. it can.

  In the automatic bread maker configured as described above, it is preferable that the seal member is fixed to the flange so as not to protrude from the opening. According to this structure, when a cover body rotates and the opening part of a bread raw material storage container will be in the open state, the possibility that a bread raw material will be caught by a sealing member can be made still lower. That is, according to this structure, since the quantity of the bread raw material which remains in a bread raw material storage container can be decreased, it becomes easy to manufacture a well-made bread.

  In the automatic bread maker configured as described above, it is preferable that the inner surfaces of the container main body and the lid body are smooth surfaces on which uneven portions are not formed. According to this configuration, for example, powders such as gluten and dry yeast easily slide down from the bread ingredient storage container to the bread container, and the amount of bread ingredients remaining in the bread ingredient accommodation container can be reduced.

  In the automatic bread maker configured as described above, the container body and the lid are preferably made of metal, and further, a coating layer is preferably formed on the inner surfaces of the container body and the lid. Thereby, for example, powders such as gluten and dry yeast can be easily slid down from the bread raw material storage container to the bread container, and the amount of bread raw material remaining in the bread raw material storage container can be reduced. In addition, when the container body and lid of the bread ingredient container are made of metal, the bread ingredient container reflects heat in the baking process to bake the dough, so the upper part of the bread can be baked firmly and evenly. It becomes.

  In addition, as a metal used as a container main body and a cover body, aluminum is preferable. The coating layer may be a coating layer using, for example, silicon or fluorine, and is preferably a silicon coating layer.

  In the automatic bread maker configured as described above, the bread raw material storage container further includes a cover member that sandwiches the seal member together with the flange, the lock mechanism is provided on the cover member, and the lid body is the cover. It is good also as being attached to the member so that rotation is possible. According to this configuration, for example, by making the cover member made of resin, the bread ingredient storage container can be easily manufactured.

  In the automatic bread maker configured as described above, the cover member may be provided so as to cover the container body, and further, an air layer is formed between the cover member and the container body. It is good as well. Thus, by covering the container main body with the cover member, a heat insulating structure can be obtained, and the possibility that the powder stored in the bread raw material storage container adheres to the container can be reduced.

  In the automatic bread maker configured as described above, the lock mechanism includes a lock member that supports the lid from the outer surface side and maintains the closed state of the opening, and the lock release means includes the lock The locked state may be released by pressing a member. In this configuration, the control unit may intermittently drive the lock release unit so as to apply an impact to the lock member after releasing the locked state. By configuring in this way, after dropping the bread ingredients from the bread ingredient storage container, the bread ingredient storage container can be vibrated, and the amount of bread ingredients remaining in the bread ingredient accommodation container can be extremely reduced. Is possible.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it is an automatic bread maker which can manufacture bread from a grain grain, Comprising: The automatic bread maker which is easy to supply a bread raw material appropriately automatically after a grinding | pulverization process can be provided. For this reason, it can be expected that bread making at home will become popular by making bread manufacture at home more familiar.

Vertical sectional view of the automatic bread maker of this embodiment 1 is a partially vertical sectional view of the automatic bread maker according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 cut in a direction perpendicular to FIG. The schematic perspective view for demonstrating the structure of the grinding | pulverization blade with which the automatic bread maker of this embodiment is equipped, and a kneading | mixing blade The schematic plan view for demonstrating the structure of the grinding | pulverization blade with which the automatic bread maker of this embodiment is equipped, and a kneading | mixing blade Top view of bread container when kneading blade is in folded position Top view of bread container with kneading blade in open position Schematic plan view showing the state of the clutch when the kneading blade is in the open position The schematic perspective view which shows the structure of the bread raw material storage container with which the automatic bread maker of this embodiment is provided. Schematic cross-sectional view at position AA in FIG. Control block diagram of automatic bread maker of this embodiment The schematic diagram which shows the flow of the bread-making course for rice grains in the automatic bread maker of this embodiment The figure for demonstrating a mode that the locked state of a bread raw material storage container is cancelled | released by a solenoid The figure which shows the modification of the structure of the bread raw material storage container with which the automatic bread maker of this embodiment is provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of an automatic bread maker of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, the specific time, temperature, etc. which appear in this specification are illustrations to the last, and do not limit the content of this invention.

  FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the automatic bread maker according to the present embodiment. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view of the automatic bread maker according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 cut in a direction perpendicular to FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the configuration of the crushing blade and the kneading blade provided in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment, and is a view when seen obliquely from below. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view for explaining the configuration of the crushing blade and the kneading blade provided in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment, and is a view seen from below. FIG. 5 is a top view of the bread container when the kneading blade is in the folded position. FIG. 6 is a top view of the bread container when the kneading blade is in the open posture. Hereinafter, the configuration of the automatic bread maker 1 of the present embodiment will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

  In the following, the left side in FIG. 1 is the front surface (front surface) of the automatic bread maker 1, and the right side is the back surface (rear surface) of the automatic bread maker 1. Further, it is assumed that the left hand side of the observer facing the automatic bread maker 1 from the front is the left side of the automatic bread maker 1, and the right hand side is the right side of the automatic bread maker 1.

  The automatic bread maker 1 has a box-shaped main body 10 constituted by a synthetic resin outer shell. The main body 10 is provided with a U-shaped synthetic resin handle 11 connected to both ends of the left side surface and the right side surface thereof, thereby facilitating transportation. An operation unit 20 is provided on the front surface of the main body 10. Although not shown, the operation unit 20 includes a start key, a cancel key, a timer key, a reservation key, a bread manufacturing course (a course for manufacturing bread from rice grains, a course for manufacturing bread from rice flour, and manufacturing bread from wheat flour). And a display unit for displaying contents set by the operation key group, errors, and the like. The display unit includes, for example, a liquid crystal display panel and a display lamp using a light emitting diode as a light source.

  The upper surface of the main body behind the operation unit 20 is covered with a synthetic resin lid 30. The lid 30 is attached to the back side of the main body 10 with a hinge shaft (not shown), and is configured to rotate in a vertical plane with the hinge shaft as a fulcrum. Although not shown, the lid 30 is provided with a viewing window made of heat-resistant glass so that a firing chamber 40 described later can be seen.

  A firing chamber 40 having a substantially rectangular planar shape is provided inside the main body 10. The baking chamber 40 is made of sheet metal and has an open top surface, from which a bread container 50 is placed. The firing chamber 40 includes four peripheral side walls 40a and a bottom wall 40b having a substantially rectangular horizontal cross section. Inside the baking chamber 40, a sheathed heater 41 is disposed so as to surround the bread container 50 accommodated in the baking chamber 40, so that the bread ingredients in the bread container 50 can be heated. The sheathed heater 41 is an embodiment of the heating means of the present invention.

  A sheet metal base 12 is installed inside the main body 10. On the base 12, a bread container support 13 made of an aluminum alloy die-cast product is fixed at a location corresponding to the center of the firing chamber 40. The inside of the bread container support part 13 is exposed inside the baking chamber 40.

  A driving shaft 14 is vertically supported at the center of the bread container support 13. The pulleys 15 and 16 give rotation to the driving shaft 14. A clutch is disposed between the pulley 15 and the driving shaft 14. When the pulley 15 is rotated in one direction to transmit the rotation to the driving shaft 14, the rotation of the driving shaft 14 is not transmitted to the pulley 16. The rotation of the driving shaft 14 is not transmitted to the pulley 15 when the rotation is transmitted to the driving shaft 14 by rotating the 16 in the direction opposite to the pulley 15.

  The pulley 15 is rotated by a kneading motor 60 fixed to the base 12. The kneading motor 60 is a saddle shaft, and the output shaft 61 protrudes from the lower surface. A pulley 62 connected to the pulley 15 by a belt 63 is fixed to the output shaft 61. Since the kneading motor 60 itself is a low speed / high torque type, and the pulley 62 rotates the pulley 15 at a reduced speed, the driving shaft 14 rotates at a low speed / high torque.

  The pulley 16 is rotated by a crushing motor 64 that is also supported on the base 12. The grinding motor 64 is also a saddle shaft, and the output shaft 65 protrudes from the upper surface. A pulley 66 connected to the pulley 16 by a belt 67 is fixed to the output shaft 65. The crushing motor 64 plays a role of giving high-speed rotation to a crushing blade described later. Therefore, a high-speed rotating motor is selected as the grinding motor 64, and the reduction ratio between the pulley 66 and the pulley 16 is set to be approximately 1: 1.

  The bread container 50 is made of sheet metal and has a bucket-like shape, and a handle (not shown) for handbags is attached to the lip. The horizontal section of the bread container 50 is a rectangle with rounded corners. Further, a concave portion 55 for accommodating a grinding blade 54 and a cover 70, which will be described in detail later, is formed at the bottom of the bread container 50. The concave portion 55 is circular in a planar shape, and a gap 56 is provided between the outer peripheral portion of the cover 70 and the inner surface of the concave portion 55 to allow the flow of bread ingredients. In addition, a cylindrical pedestal 51 that is a die-cast product of an aluminum alloy is provided on the bottom surface of the bread container 50. The bread container 50 is arranged in the baking chamber 40 in a state where the pedestal 51 is received by the bread container support part 13.

  At the center of the bottom of the bread container 50, a blade rotation shaft 52 extending in the vertical direction is supported in a state where a countermeasure against sealing is taken. A rotational force is transmitted to the blade rotating shaft 52 from the driving shaft 14 through the coupling 53. Of the two members constituting the coupling 53, one member is fixed to the lower end of the blade rotating shaft 52, and the other member is fixed to the upper end of the driving shaft 14. The entire coupling 53 is enclosed by the pedestal 51 and the bread container support 13.

  Protrusions (not shown) are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the bread container support 13 and the outer peripheral surface of the pedestal 51, respectively, and these protrusions constitute a known bayonet connection. Specifically, when the bread container 50 is attached to the bread container support part 13, the bread container 50 is lowered so that the protrusions of the base 51 do not interfere with the protrusions of the bread container support part 13. Then, after the pedestal 51 is fitted into the bread container support part 13, when the bread container 50 is twisted horizontally, the protrusion of the pedestal 51 is engaged with the lower surface of the protrusion of the bread container support part 13. Thereby, the bread container 50 cannot be pulled out upward. In addition, the coupling 53 is simultaneously achieved by this operation.

  A grinding blade 54 is attached to the blade rotating shaft 52 at a position slightly above the bottom of the bread container 50. The crushing blade 54 is attached to the blade rotation shaft 52 so as not to rotate. The crushing blade 54 is made of a stainless steel plate and has a shape like an airplane propeller (this shape is merely an example) as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The crushing blade 54 can be pulled out and removed from the blade rotating shaft 52, and can be easily washed after the bread-making operation and replaced when the sharpness deteriorates. The crushing blade 54 is an embodiment of the crushing means of the present invention together with the crushing motor 64.

  A planar dome-shaped cover 70 is attached to the upper end of the blade rotation shaft 52. The cover 70 is made of an aluminum alloy die-cast product, and is received by the hub 54a (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of the grinding blade 54 to cover the grinding blade 54. Since this cover 70 can also be easily pulled out from the blade rotating shaft 52, it is possible to easily perform washing after the bread making operation is completed.

  On the outer surface of the upper portion of the cover 70, a planar-shaped kneading blade 72 is attached by a support shaft 71 that extends in the vertical direction and is disposed at a location away from the blade rotation shaft 52. The kneading blade 72 is a die-cast product of aluminum alloy. The support shaft 71 is fixed or integrated with the kneading blade 72 and moves together with the kneading blade 72.

  The kneading blade 72 rotates in a horizontal plane around the support shaft 71, and takes a folded posture shown in FIG. 5 and an open posture shown in FIG. In the folded position, the kneading blade 72 is in contact with a stopper portion 73 formed on the cover 70 and cannot be rotated clockwise with respect to the cover 70 any more. At this time, the tip of the kneading blade 72 slightly protrudes from the cover 70. In the open position, the tip of the kneading blade 72 is separated from the stopper portion 73, and the tip of the kneading blade 72 protrudes greatly from the cover 70.

  The kneading blade 72 is an embodiment of the kneading means of the present invention together with the kneading motor 60. Further, the cover 70 has a window 74 that communicates the space inside the cover and the space outside the cover, and guides the pulverized material provided on the inner surface side corresponding to each window 74 and pulverized by the pulverization blade 54 toward the window 74. And ribs 75 are formed. With this configuration, the efficiency of pulverization using the pulverization blade 54 is enhanced.

  A clutch 76 is interposed between the cover 70 and the blade rotation shaft 52 as shown in FIG. The clutch 76 connects the blade rotation shaft 52 and the cover 70 in the rotation direction of the blade rotation shaft 52 when the kneading motor 60 rotates the driving shaft 14 (this rotation direction is referred to as “forward rotation”). On the contrary, in the rotation direction of the blade rotation shaft 52 when the crushing motor 64 rotates the driving shaft 14 (this rotation direction is referred to as “reverse rotation”), the clutch 76 connects the blade rotation shaft 52 and the cover 70. Separate. 5 and 6, the “forward rotation” is a counterclockwise rotation, and the “reverse rotation” is a clockwise rotation.

  The clutch 76 switches the coupling state according to the attitude of the kneading blade 72. That is, when the kneading blade 72 is in the folded position shown in FIG. 5, as shown in FIG. 4, the second engagement body 76b interferes with the rotation path of the first engagement body 76a, and the blade rotation shaft 52 is in the normal position. When rotating in the direction, the first engaging body 76 a and the second engaging body 76 b are engaged, and the rotational force of the blade rotating shaft 52 is transmitted to the cover 70 and the kneading blade 72. On the other hand, when the kneading blade 72 is in the open position shown in FIG. 6, the second engagement body 76b is in a state of deviating from the rotation track of the first engagement body 76a as shown in FIG. The first engagement body 76a and the second engagement body 76b are not engaged even if the rotation is reversed. Accordingly, the rotational force of the blade rotation shaft 52 is not transmitted to the cover 70 and the kneading blade 72. FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing the state of the clutch when the kneading blade is in the open position.

  Returning to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the automatic bread maker 1 of this embodiment includes a bread raw material storage container 80 attached to the lid 30. In the present embodiment, the bread raw material storage container 80 is attached to the lid 30, but may be attached to the main body 10 in some cases. This bread ingredient storage container 80 is a container provided so that a part of the bread ingredients can be automatically put into the bread container 50 during the course of the bread making course for baking bread. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG.8 and FIG.9, the structure of this bread raw material storage container 80 is demonstrated. FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing a configuration of a bread raw material storage container provided in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view at the position AA in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the bread raw material storage container 80 generally includes a container main body 81 and a lid body 82 that can open and close an opening 81 a of the container main body 81.

  The container main body 81 is a box-shaped member having a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape, and in detail, the side wall and the bottom wall constituting the container main body 81 (in FIG. 8 and FIG. And the portion where the side walls are connected to each other are rounded. For this reason, on the inner surface side of the container main body 81, the side surface, the bottom surface, and the side surfaces are gently continued without being bent sharply. The planar shape of the opening 81a of the container body 81 is a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners. As shown in FIG. 9, the container body 81 is formed with a flange portion (flange portion) 81b that protrudes outward from the side edge of the opening portion 81a. The planar shape of the flange 81b is a frame shape with rounded corners.

  The container body 81 configured as described above is formed of a metal (including an alloy) such as aluminum or iron, and has a thickness of about 1.0 mm, for example. Further, a coating layer 83 made of silicon, fluorine or the like is provided on the inner surface of the container body 81 as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. In addition, although the metal which comprises the container main body 81 is not the meaning limited to it, it is preferable to form using aluminum for the reason of forming the container main body 81 easily. In addition, the coating layer 83 provided on the inner surface of the container body 81 is not limited thereto, but is preferably formed using silicon.

  As described above, the bread ingredient storage container 80 is used to automatically put a part of bread ingredients into the bread container 50. For this reason, the bread raw material storage container 80 needs to be configured so that the stored bread raw material can be put into the bread container 50 without leaving it in the container as much as possible. Specifically, the bread raw material storage container 80 stores, for example, powders such as gluten and dry yeast. Since powder such as gluten easily adheres to the container body 81, the container body 81 needs to be configured such that powder such as gluten does not easily adhere.

  Considering such points, it is preferable that the container body 81 be made of a metal such as aluminum, not a resin that is easily charged with static electricity. Then, it is preferable to provide a coating layer 83 made of silicon, fluorine or the like to improve the sliding property of the powder, as in this embodiment, rather than simply making the container body 81 from metal. The coating layer 83 is formed by baking on the inner surface of the container body 81, for example. When fluorine is used for the coating layer 83, the baking temperature is higher than when silicon is used (for example, about 300 ° C. when fluorine is used, and about 200 ° C. when silicon is used). When the container body 81 is formed using aluminum, if fluorine is used as the coating layer 83, the temperature during baking is too high, and the strength of the container body 81 is reduced. For this reason, when the container body 81 is made of aluminum, it is preferable to use silicon as the coating layer 83.

  In addition, because of the requirement to prevent powder such as gluten from adhering, protrusions such as rivets and screws are not provided on the inner surface of the container main body 81, and the inner surface of the container main body 81 is smooth with no uneven portions. It is a surface. As described above, the container body 81 is configured such that the side surface and the bottom surface thereof and the side surfaces of the container body 81 are gently continuous without being bent suddenly. This is to make it difficult.

  As shown in FIG. 9, for example, a silicon packing 84 is fixed to the flange 81 b of the container body 81. The silicon packing 84 is an embodiment of the seal member of the present invention. The appearance of the packing 84 has a substantially frame shape in a planar shape. As shown in FIG. 9, the packing 84 has a U-shaped mounting portion 84a attached to the container body 81 so as to sandwich the flange 81b from above and below, and protrudes from below the mounting portion 84a and has an opening. And a thin elastic portion 84b that is folded back in the direction opposite to the direction toward 81a. The packing 84 is fixed to the container body 81 by a cover member 85 that is disposed so as to cover the U-shaped attachment portion 84a and sandwiches the packing 84 together with the flange portion 81b. The material of the cover member 85 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin in which a glass filler is dispersed.

  A cover body support portion 85a (see FIG. 8) that rotatably supports a cover body 82 made of a flat metal plate at one end of one of the two long sides of the cover member 85 formed in a substantially frame shape. And FIG. 9). An engaging portion 82a (see FIG. 9) that engages with an engaging protrusion 851 (see FIG. 9) protruding from the lid supporting portion 85a is provided at one end of one of the two long sides of the substantially rectangular lid 82. Reference) is provided. That is, the lid body 82 is supported by the cover member 85 in a state in which the lid body 82 can rotate around the engaging protrusion 851 (in FIG. 9, the lid body 82 rotates within the paper surface).

  In addition, a clamp hook support that rotatably supports a clamp hook 86 (an embodiment of the lock member of the present invention) is provided at a substantially central portion of the long side of the cover member 85 where the lid support portion 85a is not formed. A portion 85b is provided. The clamp hook support portion 85b has a groove shape extending in a direction substantially parallel to the depth direction of the container body 81 (vertical direction in FIG. 9). A shaft 852 is attached to the clamp hook support portion 85b so that both ends are fixed by two opposing side walls, and the clamp hook 86 is rotatably supported on the shaft 852. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a spring 853 for urging the clamp hook 86 outward (leftward in FIG. 9) is attached to the bottom surface above the shaft 852 of the clamp hook support portion 85b provided in the groove shape. It has been.

  As a result, the clamp hook 86 having one tip side (lower side in FIG. 9) provided in a hook shape supports a lid 82 by bringing a part thereof into contact with the outer surface (lower surface) of the lid 82. It is possible to maintain the state in which the body 82 closes the opening 81a of the container body 81 (the state shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, corresponding to the locked state of the present invention). The lid 82 is in a state in which the outer peripheral portion thereof overlaps with the flange 81b of the container main body 81 in a state where the opening 81a of the container main body 81 is closed, and completely covers the opening 81a.

  Further, by pressing the other tip side (the upper side in FIG. 9) of the clamp hook 86 from the outside toward the container body 81 side (the right side in FIG. 9), the locked state by the clamp hook 86 is released (by the clamp hook 86). The support of the lid body 82 is released), and the lid body 82 can be rotated to open the opening 81a.

  In addition, the clamp hook 86, the clamp hook support part 85b, the shaft 852, and the spring 853 in this embodiment are embodiments of the lock mechanism of the present invention. The cover member 85 is also formed with an attachment portion (not shown) for fixing the bread ingredient storage container 80 to the lid 30 of the automatic bread maker 1.

  Further, the lid 82 made of a flat metal plate (for example, a thickness of about 1.0 mm) is preferably formed of aluminum in the same manner as the container body 81, and the inner surface (upper surface in FIG. 9) As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 9, it is preferable to form a coating layer 83 made of silicon or the like.

  When the lid 82 is in a state of closing the opening 81a of the container main body 81 using the lock mechanism (the state shown in FIGS. 8 and 9), the elastic portion 84b of the packing 84 is the lid 82. Is always in contact with the inner surface (the upper surface in FIG. 9). Therefore, in a state where the lid 82 closes the opening 81b, the gap between the flange 81b of the container main body 81 and the lid 82 is sealed by the packing 84, and moisture, dust, etc. hardly enter the container main body 81 from the outside. It has become.

  Moreover, the packing 84 fixed to the collar part 81b of the container main body 81 is provided so that it may not protrude to the opening part 81a, as shown in FIG. This is because if the packing 84 protrudes into the opening 81a, the bread ingredients stored in the bread ingredient storage container 80 are caught by the packing 84 and remain in the bread ingredient storage container 80, and the amount of bread ingredients input is not sufficient. It takes into account that it may become appropriate. Further, if the packing 84 is fixed to the lid 82 side, when the bread raw material is put into the bread container 50 from the bread raw material storage container 80, the bread raw material is caught by the packing 84 and the amount of bread raw material input becomes inappropriate. The packing 84 is fixed to the container body 81 side.

  FIG. 10 is a control block diagram of the automatic bread maker according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the control operation in the automatic bread maker 1 is performed by the control device 90. The control device 90 is configured by, for example, a microcomputer including a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and an input / output (I / O) circuit unit. . The control device 90 is preferably disposed at a position that is not easily affected by the heat of the baking chamber 40. Further, the control device 90 is provided with a time measuring function, and temporal control in the bread manufacturing process is possible. This control device 90 is an embodiment of the control means of the present invention.

  The control unit 90 is electrically connected to the operation unit 20, the temperature sensor 18, the solenoid drive circuit 91, the grinding motor drive circuit 92, the kneading motor drive circuit 93, and the heater drive circuit 94. ing. The temperature sensor 18 is a sensor provided so that the temperature of the baking chamber 40 can be detected.

  The solenoid drive circuit 91 is a circuit that controls the drive of the solenoid 19 under a command from the control device 90. The solenoid 19 is provided to release the lock mechanism provided in the above-described bread ingredient storage container 80, and is attached to the lid 30 of the automatic bread maker 1, for example. However, the solenoid 19 may be attached to the main body 10 in some cases. When the solenoid 19 is driven, the protruding amount of the plunger from the housing increases. And the clamp hook 86 which comprises a lock mechanism is pressed by this plunger or the movable member which is pressed and moved by this plunger, and the locked state of a lock mechanism is cancelled | released. The solenoid 19 is an embodiment of the unlocking means of the present invention.

  The crushing motor drive circuit 92 is a circuit that controls the driving of the crushing motor 64 under a command from the control device 90. The kneading motor driving circuit 93 is a circuit that controls the driving of the kneading motor 60 under a command from the control device 90. The heater drive circuit 94 is a circuit that controls the operation of the sheathed heater 41 under a command from the control device 90.

  The control device 90 reads a program relating to a bread manufacturing course (breadmaking course) stored in a ROM or the like based on an input signal from the operation unit 20, drives the solenoid 19 via the solenoid drive circuit 91, and grinds the motor. While controlling the rotation of the grinding blade 54 via the drive circuit 92, the rotation of the kneading blade 72 via the kneading motor drive circuit 93, and the heating operation by the sheath heater 41 via the heater drive circuit 94, Execute bread manufacturing process.

  Next, the bread making course (rice bread making course) for producing (baking) bread from rice grains (one form of grain) is executed by the automatic bread maker 1 of the present embodiment configured as described above. The operation in this case will be described. In addition, although the automatic bread maker 1 of this embodiment is provided so that the bread-making course which bakes bread using wheat flour and rice flour as a raw material for bread is also provided, the present invention crushed grain grains (rice grains), It is characterized by a mechanism that automatically feeds the remaining bread ingredients. For this reason, it demonstrates focusing on the operation | movement in the case of performing the bread-making course for rice grains.

  FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of the bread making course for rice grains in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, in the rice grain breadmaking course, the dipping process, the crushing process, the kneading (kneading) process, the fermentation process, and the baking process are sequentially performed in this order.

  In executing the rice grain breadmaking course, the user attaches the crushing blade 54 and the cover 70 with the kneading blade 72 to the bread container 50. Then, the user measures a predetermined amount of each of the rice grains and water and puts them in the bread container 50. Here, rice grains and water are mixed, but instead of mere water, for example, a liquid having a taste component such as broth, fruit juice, a liquid containing alcohol, or the like may be used.

  In addition, the user measures a predetermined amount of bread ingredients (usually a plurality) other than rice grains and water and puts them into the container body 81 of the bread ingredient storage container 80. When the bread material to be stored is stored in the container body 81, the lid body 82 is arranged so that the opening 81a of the container body 81 is closed, and the lid body 82 is supported by the clamp hook 86 and locked. And

  Examples of the bread ingredients stored in the bread ingredient storage container 80 include gluten, dry yeast, salt, sugar, shortening, and the like. Instead of gluten, for example, flour or thickener (eg, guar gum) may be stored in the bread ingredient storage container 80. Further, for example, dry yeast, salt, sugar, and shortening may be stored in the bread raw material storage container 80 without using gluten, flour, or thickener. In some cases, for example, salt, sugar, and shortening may be introduced into the bread container 50 together with the rice grains, and the bread raw material storage container 80 may store only gluten and dry yeast, for example.

  Thereafter, the user puts the bread container 50 into which the rice grains and water are put into the baking chamber 40, attaches the bread raw material storage container 80 to a predetermined position, closes the lid 30, and uses the operation unit 20 to make the bread for rice grains Select a course and press the Start key. Thereby, the bread-making course for rice grains which manufactures bread from rice grains is started.

  The bread material storage container 80 is disposed so that at least a part of the opening 81a faces the opening of the bread container 50 in a state where the opening 81a is opened. In the case where only a part of the opening 81a is configured to face the opening of the bread container 50, it is necessary to devise so that the bread raw material is charged into the bread container 50 without leakage. As such a device, for example, the bread raw material storage container 80 is configured so as to abut the edge of the bread container 50 in a state in which the locked lid 82 is released and is rotated, and the bread raw material is covered with the lid. For example, it can be put into the bread container 50 while sliding on the body 82.

  When the rice grain breadmaking course is started, the dipping process is started by a command from the control device 90. In the dipping process, the mixture of rice grains and water is allowed to stand, and this standing state is maintained for a predetermined time (in this embodiment, 50 minutes). This dipping process is a process aimed at making the rice grains easy to be pulverized to the core in the subsequent pulverization process by adding water to the rice grains.

  The water absorption speed of rice grains varies depending on the temperature of the water. If the water temperature is high, the water absorption speed increases, and if the water temperature is low, the water absorption speed decreases. For this reason, you may make it fluctuate the time of an immersion process with the environmental temperature etc. in which the automatic bread maker 1 is used, for example. Thereby, the dispersion | variation in the water absorption degree of a rice grain can be suppressed. Moreover, in order to make immersion time short, you may make it raise the temperature of the baking chamber 40 by supplying with electricity to the sheathed heater 41 at the time of an immersion process.

  In the dipping process, the grinding blade 54 may be rotated at the initial stage, and the grinding blade 54 may be intermittently rotated thereafter. In this way, the surface of the rice grain can be damaged, and the liquid absorption efficiency of the rice grain can be increased.

  When the predetermined time elapses, the dipping process is ended by a command from the control device 90, and the pulverizing process for pulverizing the rice grains is started. In this pulverization step, the pulverization blade 54 is rotated at high speed in a mixture of rice grains and water. Specifically, the control device 90 controls the crushing motor 64 to rotate the blade rotation shaft 52 in the reverse direction to start the rotation of the crushing blade 54 in the mixture of rice grains and water. At this time, the cover 70 also starts rotating following the rotation of the blade rotation shaft 52, but the rotation of the cover 70 is immediately prevented by the following operation.

  The rotation direction of the cover 70 accompanying the rotation of the blade rotation shaft 52 for rotating the pulverization blade 54 is clockwise in FIG. 5, and the kneading blade 72 has been in the folded posture (the posture shown in FIG. 5). In this case, the resistance is changed by the resistance received from the mixture of rice grains and water and the posture is changed to the posture shown in FIG. When the kneading blade 72 is in the open position, as shown in FIG. 7, the clutch 76 connects the blade rotation shaft 52 and the cover 70 so that the second engagement body 76b deviates from the rotation track of the first engagement body 76a. Separate. At the same time, the kneading blade 72 in the open position abuts against the inner wall of the bread container 50 as shown in FIG.

  The pulverization of the rice grains in the pulverization step is performed in a state where water is soaked in the rice grains by the previously performed immersion step, and thus the rice grains can be easily pulverized to the core. The rotation of the grinding blade 54 in the grinding process is intermittent. This intermittent rotation is performed, for example, in a cycle of rotating for 30 seconds and stopping for 5 minutes, and this cycle is repeated 10 times. In the last cycle, the stop for 5 minutes is not performed. Although the rotation of the crushing blade 54 may be continuous rotation, for example, for the purpose of preventing the temperature of the raw material in the bread container 50 from becoming too high, it is preferable to perform intermittent rotation.

  In the automatic bread maker 1, the crushing process is completed in a predetermined time (in this embodiment, 50 minutes). However, the grain size of the pulverized powder may vary depending on the hardness of the rice grains and the environmental conditions. For this reason, the end of the pulverization process may be determined based on the magnitude of the load of the pulverization motor 64 (for example, it can be determined by the control current of the motor) at the time of pulverization.

  By the way, in this pulverization process, heat is generated by friction between the rice grains and the pulverization blade 54 when pulverizing the rice grains, and the water in the bread container 50 is easily evaporated. In this case, moisture enters the bread ingredient storage container 80 arranged on the upper part of the bread container 50, and the bread ingredient adheres to the bread ingredient storage container 80 when the bread ingredients are automatically charged, which will be described later. I am worried that it will be difficult to fall from 80. However, since the bread raw material storage container 80 is difficult for moisture to enter due to the packing 84, it is possible to suppress the attachment of such bread raw material to the container.

  When the pulverization process is completed, the kneading process is started by a command from the control device 90. In addition, it is necessary to perform this kneading process at the temperature (for example, around 30 degreeC) in which a yeast works actively. For this reason, you may make it start a kneading process when it becomes a predetermined temperature range.

  When the kneading process is started, the control device 90 controls the kneading motor 60 to rotate the blade rotation shaft 52 in the forward direction. When the cover 70 is rotated in the forward direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 6) following the forward rotation of the blade rotation shaft 52, the bread material in the bread container 50 (at this stage, the crushed powder of rice grains and water) The kneading blade 72 is turned from the open position (see FIG. 6) to the folded position (see FIG. 5) under the resistance from the mixture. In response to this, as shown in FIG. 4, the clutch 76 connects the blade rotating shaft 52 and the cover 70 at an angle at which the second engagement body 76 b interferes with the rotation track of the first engagement body 76 a. As a result, the cover 70 and the kneading blade 72 rotate in the forward direction together with the blade rotation shaft 52. The kneading blade 72 is rotated at a low speed and a high torque.

  The rotation of the kneading blade 72 is very slow in the initial stage of the kneading process, and is controlled by the control device 90 so that the speed is increased stepwise. In the initial stage of the kneading process in which the kneading blade 72 rotates very slowly, the control device 90 drives the solenoid 19 to unlock the lock mechanism provided in the bread ingredient storage container 80, for example, gluten, dry yeast Bread ingredients such as salt, sugar and shortening are automatically charged into the bread container 50.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a state in which the locked state of the bread ingredient storage container is released by the solenoid, and FIG. 12 (a) is a diagram when the bread ingredient storage container is in the locked state, and FIG. 12 (b). These are figures at the time of the lock | rock state of a bread raw material storage container being cancelled | released. As shown in FIG. 12, when the solenoid 19 is driven by a command from the control device 90, the upper portion of the clamp hook 86 is pressed by the plunger 19a of the solenoid 19, and the clamp hook 86 is centered on the shaft 852 in the arrow B direction. To turn. Thereby, the engagement between the clamp hook 86 and the lid body 82 is released, and the lid body 82 rotates in the direction of arrow C. When the lid 82 rotates, the opening 81a of the container body 81 is opened, so that the bread ingredients fall into the bread container 50 below the bread ingredients storage container 80.

  In addition, it is preferable to comprise so that the position of the cover body 82 after opening the opening part 81a may become a position which does not contact bread dough in the fermentation process performed later.

  As described above, the bread raw material storage container 80 is provided with the coating layer 83 inside the container body 81 and the lid body 82 to improve the slipperiness, and is devised so that the uneven portion is not provided inside. Has been. Furthermore, the situation where the bread raw material is caught by the packing 84 is also suppressed by the device of the arrangement method of the packing 84. For this reason, almost no bread ingredients remain in the bread ingredient storage container 80.

  In addition, even if it is devised as described above, the bread ingredients may remain attached to the bread ingredient storage container 80. For this purpose, the solenoid 19 is intermittently driven to knock the clamp hook 86 (impact is applied to the clamp hook 86), and the bread raw material storage container 80 is vibrated to drop the bread raw material remaining in the container. May be. The timing for driving the solenoid 19 is preferably set so that the upper portion of the clamp hook 86 approaches the solenoid 19 side by the biasing force of the spring 853.

  In this embodiment, the bread ingredients stored in the bread ingredient storage container 80 are charged while the kneading blade 72 is rotating. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the kneading blade 72 stops. You may throw it in However, as in the present embodiment, it is preferable to add the bread ingredients while the kneading blade 72 is rotated so that the bread ingredients can be uniformly dispersed.

  After the bread ingredients stored in the bread ingredient storage container 80 are put into the bread container 50, the bread ingredients in the bread container 50 are kneaded by the rotation of the kneading blade 72, and the dough connected to one having a predetermined elasticity. (Dough) When the kneading blade 72 swings the dough and knocks it against the inner wall of the bread container 50, an element of “kneading” is added to the kneading. The cover 70 is also rotated by the rotation of the kneading blade 72. When the cover 70 rotates, the ribs 75 formed on the cover 70 also rotate, so that the bread ingredients in the cover 70 are quickly discharged from the window 74 and the lump (dough) of the bread ingredients kneaded by the kneading blade 72. Assimilate to.

  In the automatic bread maker 1, a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) obtained experimentally as a time for obtaining bread dough having a desired elasticity is adopted as the time for the kneading process. However, if the time of the kneading process is constant, the degree of bread dough may vary depending on the environmental temperature or the like. For this reason, for example, a configuration in which the magnitude of the load of the kneading motor 60 (for example, judgment can be made based on the control current of the motor) is used as an index may be used.

  In addition, what is necessary is just to make it throw in by the user's hand in the middle of this kneading process, when baking bread containing ingredients (for example, raisins, nuts, cheese, etc.).

  When the kneading process is completed, the fermentation process is started by a command from the control device 90. In this fermentation process, the control device 90 controls the sheathed heater 41 to set the temperature of the baking chamber 40 to a temperature at which fermentation proceeds (for example, 38 ° C.). Then, it is left for a predetermined time (in this embodiment, 60 minutes) in an environment in which fermentation proceeds.

  In some cases, in the middle of this fermentation process, the kneading blade 72 may be rotated to degas or round the dough.

  When the fermentation process ends, the firing process is started by a command from the control device 90. The control device 90 controls the sheathed heater 41 to increase the temperature of the baking chamber 40 to a temperature suitable for baking (for example, 125 ° C.), and in a baking environment for a predetermined time (50 in this embodiment). Min) Bake bread. The end of the firing process is notified to the user by, for example, a display on a liquid crystal display panel (not shown) of the operation unit 20 or a notification sound. When the user detects the completion of bread making, the user opens the lid 30 and takes out the bread container 50 to complete the bread production.

  By the way, in the automatic bread maker of this embodiment, it has the structure by which the bread raw material storage container 80 by which the container main body 81 and the cover body 82 are formed with a metal is arrange | positioned at the lid | cover 30. For this reason, at the time of a baking process, heat | fever is easy to be reflected by the bread raw material storage container 80, and generation | occurrence | production of the baking unevenness in the top | upper surface etc. of a bread can be prevented.

  As described above, according to the automatic bread maker 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to bake bread from rice grains, which is very convenient. And since the raw materials for bread such as gluten and dry yeast that are introduced after the pulverization of the rice grains can be automatically and accurately introduced, it is convenient for the user.

  The automatic bread maker shown above is an example of the present invention, and the configuration of the automatic bread maker to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the embodiment described above.

  For example, the bread ingredient storage container 80 of the embodiment described above may be configured as shown in FIG. In the modification shown in FIG. 13, the cover member 85 included in the bread raw material storage container 80 is configured to cover the entire outer surface side of the container main body 81. In FIG. 13, the cover member 85 is provided on the cover member 85. The support part etc. which are shown are abbreviate | omitted and shown.

  A gap (air layer) 87 having a predetermined width is provided between the cover member 85 and the container main body 81. When the bread raw material storage container 80 is configured as described above, the temperature fluctuation in the bread raw material storage container 80 can be suppressed to be small by the heat insulating effect, and the possibility that the bread raw material adheres to the inside of the container can be reduced. Although the air layer 87 may not be provided, it is preferable to provide the air layer 87 as shown in FIG.

  Further, in the embodiment described above, the bread raw material storage container 80 is configured to include the cover member. However, the bread raw material storage container 80 may be configured not to include the cover member. The packing may be fixed.

  In the embodiment described above, bread is produced from rice grains. However, the bread is not limited to rice grains, and bread is produced using grains such as wheat, barley, straw, buckwheat, buckwheat, corn, and soybeans as raw materials. Even in this case, the present invention is applied.

  Moreover, the manufacturing process performed with the bread-making course for rice grain shown above is an illustration, and it is good also as another manufacturing process. For example, when manufacturing bread from rice grains, after the pulverization step, the pulverized powder may be subjected to a dipping step and then a kneading step in order to absorb water.

  In addition, in the embodiment described above, the automatic bread maker 1 includes two blades of the crushing blade 54 and the kneading blade 72, and a motor is separately provided for each of them. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, a configuration including a blade and a motor that are used for both pulverization and kneading may be employed. Further, the bread making course executed by the automatic bread maker may be only the rice grain making course.

  The present invention is suitable for an automatic bread maker for home use.

1 Automatic bread maker 19 Solenoid (part of unlocking means)
40 Firing chamber 41 Seeds heater (heating means)
50 bread container 54 grinding blade (part of grinding means)
60 Kneading motor (part of kneading means)
64 Crushing motor (part of crushing means)
72 Kneading blade (part of kneading means)
80 Bread raw material storage container 81 Container body 81a Opening part 81b Ridge part 82 Cover body 83 Coating layer 84 Packing (seal member)
85 Cover member 85b Clamp hook support (part of the lock mechanism)
86 Clamp hook (locking member, part of locking mechanism)
90 Control device (control means)
852 Shaft (part of locking mechanism)
853 Spring (part of lock mechanism)

Claims (10)

A bread container into which bread ingredients are charged;
While containing the bread container, a baking chamber provided with heating means,
Pulverizing means for pulverizing grain grains to be put into the bread container as bread material
A bread raw material storage container for storing bread raw materials to be put into the bread container at a predetermined timing after pulverizing the grain;
Unlocking means for releasing the lock state of the locking mechanism of the bread ingredient storage container;
Kneading means for kneading bread ingredients in the bread container into bread dough;
An automatic bread maker provided with control means for controlling the heating means, the crushing means, the unlocking means, and the kneading means to execute a bread making course for baking bread,
The bread ingredient storage container is:
A container body provided with an opening and a flange protruding outward from the opening side edge;
A lid that is pivotally provided with respect to the container body and capable of opening and closing the opening;
A sealing member that is fixed to the container body and seals between the flange and the lid in a state where the opening is closed by the lid, and the opening is an opening of the bread container Arranged to face each other,
The lock mechanism supports the lid from the outer surface side and maintains the closed state in which the opening is closed, and the lock state is released by the lock release means, An automatic bread maker, characterized in that a lid is rotated to open the opening, and the bread ingredients stored in the bread ingredient storage container are put into the bread container.   The automatic bread maker according to claim 1, wherein the seal member is fixed to the flange so as not to protrude from the opening.   The automatic bread maker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein inner surfaces of the container main body and the lid body are smooth surfaces on which uneven portions are not formed.   The automatic bread maker according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the container body and the lid are made of metal.   The automatic bread maker according to claim 4, wherein a coating layer is formed on the inner surfaces of the container body and the lid. The bread raw material storage container further includes a cover member that sandwiches the seal member together with the collar portion,
The locking mechanism is provided on the cover member;
The automatic bread maker according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the lid is rotatably attached to the cover member.   The automatic bread maker according to claim 6, wherein the cover member is provided so as to cover the container body.   The automatic bread maker according to claim 7, wherein an air layer is formed between the cover member and the container body. The lock mechanism includes a lock member that supports the lid from the outer surface side and maintains the closed state of the opening,
The automatic bread maker according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the lock releasing means presses the lock member to release the locked state.   The automatic bread maker according to claim 9, wherein the control means intermittently drives the lock releasing means to apply an impact to the lock member after releasing the locked state.

Images