WO2008116348A1

WO2008116348A1 - Automatic bread making apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2008116348A1
Application number: PCT/CN2007/000974
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antony Sit
Original assignee: Sun Cupid Industries Ltd.
Priority date: 2007-03-27
Filing date: 2007-03-27
Publication date: 2008-10-02

Abstract

An automatic bread making apparatus has a housing and a lid that is pivotally attached to the housing. The lid is pivotal between a closed position and an opened position. The lid having an opening, when opened, provides access to a baking chamber and bread mold located in the interior of the housing. An ingredients holder assembly is positioned within the opening of the lid. The automatic bread making apparatus also has a device that has an activated state in which a moveable member of the device strikes the ingredients holder in order to tilt the ingredients holder to the second, tilted position, and an inactivated state in which movable member is retracted to a normal, retracted position wherein there is no physical contact between the movable member and the ingredients holder.

Description

AUTOMATIC BREAD MAKING APPARATUS

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention is generally relates to an automatic bread making apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART Automatic bread making machines are known in the art and are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,615,605, 6,095,034 and 6,217,924. U.S. Patent No. 5,615,605 discloses an automatic bread making machine that utilizes an added-food container that holds bread making ingredients. An engagement member engages a projection on the added-food container so as to maintain the added-food container in a generally horizontal position in order to keep the bread making ingredients in the added-food container. The added-food container is seated upon a pivotable door that covers an opening to the baking chamber. A slider member engages the engagement member, the pivotable door and a solenoid such that when the solenoid is activated, the slider member moves forward and simultaneously displaces the engagement member and pivots the door downward. The added-food container tilts downward simultaneously when the door is pivoted downward thereby allowing the bread making ingredients in the added-food container to empty into the baking chamber. When the solenoid is deactivated, a spring urges the slider member in the opposite direction thereby causing the door to pivot upward to the closed position. The added-food container pivots upward simultaneously with the door while the door pivots upward to its closed position. Movement of the slider member in the opposite direction causes the engagement member to engage the projection on the added- food container as the added-food container reaches its horizontal position. U.S. Patent Nos. 6,095,034 and 6,217,924 also describe automatic bread making machines that utilize a complex ingredients-dispenser mechanism for adding bread making ingredients to the baking chamber. This complex ingredients dispenser has many components including a dispenser case, a pivoting dispenser door that is pivotally mounted to the dispenser case, a solenoid, a movable plunger, a plunger spring, a latch slide, a latch spring, a latch hook, a wedge, and a push rod. Upon activation of the solenoid, these aforesaid components cooperate to move the dispenser door to an open position to allow bread making ingredients to empty into the baking chamber. What is needed is a new and improved automatic bread making machine that uses a relatively less complex device to add bread making ingredients to the bread making chamber.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved automatic bread making apparatus which generally comprises a housing, and a lid that is pivotally attached to the housing. The lid, when opened, provides access to a baking chamber and bread mold located in the interior of the housing. The lid has an opening therein. An ingredients holder assembly is positioned within the opening of the lid. When the lid is closed, the ingredients holder assembly is positioned above the bread mold. The ingredients holder assembly comprises a bracket that is attached to the lid and an ingredients holder that is pivotally attached to bracket. The ingredients holder can pivot between a normal, first position in which bread making ingredients in the ingredients holder remain in the ingredients holder and a second, tilted position that allows the bread making ingredients to empty into the bread mold. The automatic bread making apparatus further comprises a device that has an activated state in which a moveable member of the device strikes the ingredients holder in order to tilt the ingredients holder to the second, tilted position, and an inactivated state in which the movable member is retracted to a normal, retracted position. There is no physical contact between the movable member and the ingredients holder when the movable member is in the normal, retracted position. Thus, in one embodiment, the automatic bread making apparatus, comprises a housing having an interior, a baking chamber located within the interior of the housing, a bread mold positioned within the baking chamber and a lid movably attached to the housing so as to provide access to or close off access to the baking chamber. The lid has an opening therein. The automatic bread making apparatus further comprises an ingredients holder assembly positioned within the opening in the lid. The ingredients holder assembly is positioned above the bread mold when the lid is in the closed position. The ingredients holder assembly comprises a bracket connected to the lid, and an ingredients holder pivotally attached to the bracket at a pair of pivot points. The ingredients holder is pivotable between a normal, first position in which bread making ingredients in the ingredients holder remain in the ingredients holder and a second, tilted position that allows bread making ingredients to empty into the bread mold. The automatic bread making apparatus further comprises a device located within the housing to tilt the ingredients holder to the second, tilted position. The device has a movable member that moves bi- directionally between a normal, retracted position and an extended position. The device has an activated state in which the movable member moves to the extended position to strike the ingredients holder so as to pivot the ingredients holder to the second, tilted position. The device has an inactivated state in which the movable member is in or returns to the normal, retracted position. There is no physical contact between the movable member and the ingredients holder when the movable member is in the normal, retracted position. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and the accompanying drawings . BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing features of the present invention will become more readily apparent and may be understood by referring to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the automatic bread making apparatus of the present invention, the view purposely not showing the lid of the automatic bread making apparatus in order to clearly show the position of an ingredients holder assembly during operation of the automatic bread making apparatus; FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an ingredients holder assembly depicted in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a front elevational view, partially in cross- section, of the automatic bread making apparatus, the view showing an ingredients holder, depicted in FIG. 2, in a normal, first position; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the view shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the automatic bread making apparatus, the view showing the ingredients holder in a second, tilted position; FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of the view shown in FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a side view, in elevation, of the right side of the automatic bread making apparatus; FIG. 8 is a view of the automatic bread making apparatus, partially in cross-section, which shows the ingredients holder assembly and a spring assembly that engages the ingredients holder of the ingredients holder assembly; FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion of the view shown in FIG. 8 ; FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of the view shown in FIG. 7; and FIG. 11 is a partial, cross-sectional view that is opposite the view shown in FIG. 4.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3-6, there is shown automatic bread making apparatus 20 of the present invention. Automatic bread making apparatus 20 generally comprises base 22 and baking chamber 24. Baking chamber 24 is secured to base 22. This configuration is described in detail in the ensuing description. Baking chamber 24 can have any suitable shape. Bread making apparatus 20 includes a heater (not shown, but known in the art) that is disposed within baking chamber 24 and extends above base 22. A typical heater for bread making machines is described in U.S. Patent No. 5,615,605. Automatic bread making apparatus 20 further comprises housing 34 which is attached to base 22. Housing 34 has an upper edge or upper portion 34A. Housing 34 can be made from any one of a variety of materials, e.g. plastic, resin, sheet metal, etc. Automatic bread making apparatus 20 further includes top portion 36 that comprises lid 37. Lid 37 is pivotally and removably attached to housing 34. In a preferred embodiment, lid 37 opens or pivots in the direction indicated by arrow 37A shown in FIG. 7. Lid 37 has handle 45 (see FIG. 8). Lid 37, when opened, provides access to baking chamber 24 and bread mold 40. Bread mold 40 is further discussed in the ensuing description. Top portion 36 further comprises section 38 which houses holder-moving device 160 and electronic control circuitry 190 which are discussed in detail in the ensuing description. In a preferred embodiment, lid 37 includes transparent member 39 to allow a user to observe the baking chamber 24 during operation of the automatic bread making apparatus 20. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 8, in one embodiment, lid pivot mount 49 is attached to housing 34 in proximity to edge 34A. In such an embodiment, lid 37 has a complementary engagement member (not shown) that is configured to be removably engaged to lid pivot mount 49. This configuration allows lid 37 to be pivotally engaged to lid pivot mount 49, and then easily removed by a user by pivoting lid 37 to a vertical position and then lifting lid 37 upward to disengage the complementary engagement member (not shown) on lid 37 from lid pivot mount 49. However, it is to be understood that this is only one example of how lid 37 can be pivotally attached to housing 34 and that other suitable configurations and techniques may be used to pivotally attach lid 37 to housing 34. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3-6, bread mold 40 is positioned within baking chamber 24 and is seated upon base 22. Bread mold 40 has an interior for holding bread making ingredients and an opening (not shown) in the bottom of bread mold 40 for receiving rotatable mixing vanes (not shown) . The purpose of such a configuration is discussed in the ensuing description. Bread mold 40 also has bottom portion 41 and engagement member 42 that is attached to and centrally located on bottom portion 41. Engagement member 42 extends downward from bottom portion 41. Engagement member 42 has a central bore 43 therein which is in communication with the opening (not shown) in the bottom of bread mold 40. As explained in the ensuing description, rotatable mixing vanes (not shown, but known in the art) extend through bore 43 and through the opening (not shown) in the bottom of bread mold 40 and into the interior of the bread mold 40. These rotatable mixing vanes mix the bread making ingredients. Typical rotatable mixing vanes are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,615,605. Engagement member 42 is configured to engage a complementary engagement member 44 that is connected to base 22. Complementary engagement member 44 defines a central opening therein for receiving a mixing vane shaft (not shown) to which are connected the rotatable mixing vanes. Specifically, engagement member 42 has a channel formed therein that is sized to receive complementary engagement member 44. The size of this aforesaid channel is such that it provides for a tight-fitting relationship between engagement members 42 and 44 in order to prevent movement of bread mold 40 during operation of automatic bread making apparatus 20. The mixing vane shaft (not shown) extends through the central opening in engagement member 44, and central bore 43 of engagement member 42. Pulley 46 is rotatably connected to base 22 and is also connected to the mixing vane shaft (not shown) so that upon rotation of pulley 46, the mixing vane shaft rotates as well thereby rotating the rotatable mixing vanes within bread mold 40. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3-6, automatic bread making apparatus 20 further includes motor 47 which has rotating output shaft 48. A belt (not shown) engages rotating output shaft 48 and pulley 46 so that when motor 47 is activated, the rotatable mixing vanes (not shown) in bread mold 40 rotate. Such a motor, belt and pulley configuration is described in the aforesaid U.S. Patent No. 5,615,605, the disclosure of which patent is hereby incorporated by reference. Referring to FIGS. 2-6, lid 37 has opening 50 therein that is -sized to receive ingredients holder assembly 54. Inner rim 51 extends about the periphery of opening 50. As shown in FIG. 2, ingredients holder assembly 54 comprises ingredients holder 56 and holder bracket 58. Ingredients holder 56 is positioned within and pivotally attached to holder bracket 58. Holder bracket 58 is attached to inner rim 51. Ingredients holder 56 is sized to receive bread making ingredients, e.g. dough, sugar, spices, nuts, etc. Holder bracket 58 has upper edge 61. When lid 37 is closed and ingredients holder 56 is tilted to a maximum tilting position, the bread making ingredients will fall out of ingredients holder 56 and into bread mold 40. In order to clearly show the position of ingredients holder assembly 54 with respect to bread mold 40 when lid 37 is closed, FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of ingredients holder assembly 54 without lid 37 being shown. However, it is to be understood that the view in FIG. 1 is only for purposes of providing a perspective view of ingredients holder assembly 54 without the view being obstructed by lid 37. It is to be understood that ingredients holder assembly 54 is always connected to lid 37. Referring to FIGS. 2-6, ingredients holder assembly 54 includes cover 59 and cover support member 60. Cover support member 60 is attached to cover 59 and is pivotally attached to inner rim 51 that extends about the periphery of opening 50. Thus, cover 59 rotates with cover support member 60. When a user lifts cover 59, the ingredients holder 56 is accessible thereby enabling a user to pour bread making ingredients into ingredients holder 56. When in the closed position, cover 59 closes access to ingredients holder 56 and is substantially flush with the exterior surface of lid 37. Referring back to FIGS. 2, 9, 10 and 11, ingredients holder 56 has interior 62 for receiving bread making ingredients. Ribs 63 provide structural support for ingredients holder 56. Ingredients holder 56 has sidewalls 64, 66 and rear wall 68. Sidewalls 64 and 66 have openings 70 and 72, respectively. The purpose of openings 70 and 72 is discussed in the ensuing description. Sidewall 64 has additional opening 74 therein. The purpose of opening 74 is discussed in the ensuing description. Holder bracket 58 comprises sidewalls 82, 84, rear wall 86 and front wall 88. In one embodiment, rear wall 86 is attached to vertical wall 178 of top portion 36 (see FIG. 6) . Holder bracket 58 has openings (not shown) in sidewalls 82 and 84 that are aligned with openings 70 and 72, respectively, of ingredients holder 56. Shaft bearings 90 and 92 are inserted through the openings (not shown) in sidewalls 82 and 84, respectively, and through openings 70 and 72, respectively, so that ingredients holder 56 is able to pivot about shaft bearings 90 and 92 (see FIG. 9) . Holder bracket 58 further includes extending shaft bearing covers 94 and 96. Bearing clip 100 is attached to vertical post 102 so that shaft bearing 90 is retained between shaft bearing cover 94 and bearing clip 100. Similarly, bearing clip 104 is attached to a corresponding vertical post (not shown but similar to vertical post 102) so that shaft bearing 92 is retained between shaft bearing cover 96 and bearing clip 104. Referring to FIGS. 2, 9 and 10, automatic bread making apparatus 20 further comprises a spring assembly, generally indicated by reference number 120. Spring assembly 120 has spring 122 and spring block 124. Spring block 124 has holster 124A which is sized to receive nut 132 which is described in the ensuing description. Spring assembly 120 includes spring clip 125, ball bearing clip 126, and ball bearing 128. Spring 122 is disposed within ball bearing clip 126 (see FIG. 10) . Ball bearing 128 is also located in ball bearing clip 126. Ball bearing clip 126 is positioned within spring block 124. Spring clip 125 is inserted into one end of spring 122. Spring block 124 is attached to sidewall 82 of holder bracket 58 via screws (not shown) that are inserted through screw inlets 134 and 136 of spring block 124 and screwed to threaded openings 138 and 140, respectively, in sidewall 82 of bracket 58. Spring block 124 is removably connected to interior wall 150.' Specifically, screw 132 is inserted through opening 152 in interior wall 150 and threaded into nut 132 (see FIG. 9) . This configuration secures spring assembly 120 to housing 34. Spring 122 is interposed between one end of spring block 124 and ball bearing 128. Thus, spring 122 urges ball bearing 128 outward so that ball bearing 128 protrudes through opening 158 in sidewall 82 of holder bracket 58 and protrudes through opening 74 in sidewall 64 of ingredients holder 56. The force created by spring 122 and ball bearing 128 provides a frictional relationship between ball bearing 128 and side wall 64 of ingredients holder 56. This friction is sufficient to maintain ingredients holder 56 in a horizontal position while bread making ingredients are being added to ingredients holder 56. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4-6, automatic bread making apparatus 20 further comprises a holder-moving device, generally indicated by reference number 160. Holder-moving device 160 is positioned within section 38 of top portion 36. Holder-moving device 160 comprises solenoid 164. Solenoid 164 is attached or mounted to the interior structural members 165A and 165B of housing 34. Solenoid 164 comprises electromagnet 166 and plunger 168. Plunger cover 170 is mounted on the end of plunger 168. Plunger 168 can move bi-directionally as indicated by arrows 172A and 172B (see FIG. 4) . Section 38 of top portion 36 has vertical wall 174 that is adjacent to vertical wall 178. Vertical wall 174 has opening 176 therein. Opening 176 has a particular size that allows plunger cover 170 to move therethrough. Vertical wall 178 has opening 180 that is aligned with opening 176. Opening 180 also has a particular size that allows plunger cover 170 to move therethrough. Notch 182 of rear wall 86 of bracket holder 58 is aligned with opening 180 so that plunger cover 170 can pass through opening 180 and through the space created by notch 182 in order to strike rear wall 68 of ingredients holder 56. This feature will be further described in the ensuing description. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4-6, solenoid 164 has inputs (not shown) for receiving an electrical signal from electronic control circuitry 190. Electronic control circuitry 190 is in electrical communication with user interface control panel 200 that is mounted on the exterior of section 38 of top portion 36. User interface control panel 200 allows a user to control the operation of automatic bread making apparatus 20. Electronic control circuitry 190 includes a microprocessor that controls the function of the electric motor 47, the heater (not shown) and solenoid 164 via electronic drive circuits (not shown) . Such electronic control circuitry and user interface control panels are known in the art and are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,615,605, 6,095,034 and 6,217,924. The solenoid 164 is activated upon receipt of an electrical signal. Upon activation of solenoid 164, plunger 168 is thrust in the direction indicated by arrow 172A. As a result, plunger cover 170 moves through openings 176 and 180 and notch 182 and strikes rear wall 68 of ingredients holder 56 in order to tilt ingredients holder 56 so that ingredients therein empty into bread mold 40 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The force at which plunger cover 170 strikes rear wall 68 is sufficient to overcome the frictional relationship between ball bearing 128 and sidewall 64 of ingredients holder 56 thereby enabling ingredients holder 56 to pivot or tilt to the second, tilting position to empty the bread making ingredients into bread mold 40. When solenoid 164 is deactivated, plunger 168 moves in the opposite direction, indicated by arrow 172B, until it reaches its normal, retracted position as shown in FIG. 4. Once the bread making ingredients in ingredients holder 56 are emptied into bread mold 40, the user can insert his or her fingers into opening 50 and manually pivot ingredients holder 56 back to the normal, horizontal position as shown in FIG. 4. As the user manually pivots ingredients holder 56 back to its normal position, sidewall 64 of ingredients holder 56 pushes ball bearing 128 back in a direction that is opposite the direction in which spring 122 normally urges ball bearing 128. Thus, as the user pivots ingredients holder 56 back to the normal position, sidewall 64 presses ball bearing 128 inward and ball bearing 128 frictionally rubs against sidewall 64 until ball bearing 128 slips back into opening 74 in sidewall 64. When this happens, ingredients holder 56 is in its normal, horizontal position. When solenoid 164 is deactivated, plunger 168 is retracted into its normal, retracted position and there is no physical contact between plunger cover 170 and ingredients holder 56. Thus, no part of ingredients holder-moving device 160 contacts ingredients holder 56 when plunger 168 is in its retracted position. Once solenoid 164 is deactivated and ingredients holder 56 is positioned at its normal, generally horizontal position, the user may open cover 59 and add more ingredients to ingredients holder 56 if desired. Ingredients holder assembly 54 and ingredients holder- moving device 160 are relatively less complex and use fewer components when compared to the ingredients dispenser case described in prior art U.S. Patent Nos . 6,095,034 and 6,217,924 and the added-food container described in prior art U.S. Patent No. 5,615,605. Furthermore, ingredients holder 56 does not use or need the dispenser door described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,095,034 and 6,217,924 or the rotatable door described in U.S. Patent No. 5,615,605. The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description only. It is neither intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed; and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the accompanying claims. What is claimed is:

Claims

automatic bread making apparatus, comprising:

a housing having an interior;

a baking chamber located within said interior of said housing;

a bread mold positioned within said baking chamber;

a lid movably attached to the housing so as to provide access to or close off access to said baking chamber, said lid having an opening therein;

an ingredients holder assembly positioned within said opening in said lid, said ingredients holder assembly comprising:

a bracket connected to the lid;

an ingredients holder pivotally attached to said bracket at a pair of pivot points, said ingredients holder being pivotable between a normal, first position in which bread making ingredients in said ingredients holder remain in the ingredients holder and a second, tilted position that allows bread making ingredients to empty into said bread mold; and

a device located within said housing to tilt said ingredients holder to said second, tilted position, said device having a movable member that moves bi-directionally between a normal, retracted position and an extended position, said device having an activated state in which said movable member moves to said extended -position to strike said ingredients holder so as to pivot said ingredients holder to said second, tilted ' position, said device having an inactivated state in which said movable member is in or returns to said normal, retracted position such that there is no physical contact between said movable member and said ingredients holder.

2. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an apparatus to maintain said ingredients holder in said normal, first position until said movable member strikes said ingredients holder.

3. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bracket comprises a sidewall that has an opening, and said ingredients holder has a sidewall that has an opening that is aligned with said opening in said sidewall of said bracket when said ingredients holder is in said first, normal position.

4. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising means for maintaining said ingredients holder in said normal, first position until said movable member strikes said ingredients holder.

5. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said housing has an interior structure and said means for maintaining comprises:

a spring block having an end attached to said interior structure of said housing, at least a portion of said spring block being attached to said bracket;

a spring disposed within said spring block; and

a ball bearing positioned within said spring block and positioned between said spring and said bracket so that said spring urges said ball bearing toward said bracket and said ball bearing protrudes through said opening in said sidewall of said bracket and into said opening in said sidewall of said ingredients holder.

6. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising electronic control circuitry in electrical signal communication with said device to configure said device in said activated state.

7. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a user interface in electrical signal communication with said electronic control circuitry to allow a user to activate said device.

8. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said device comprises a solenoid configured to receive an electrical signal from said electronic control circuitry wherein said electrical signal energizes said solenoid and the absence of an electrical signal deactivates said solenoid, and wherein said movable member comprises a plunger that moves bi-directionally between said normal, retracted position and said extended position.

9. An automatic bread making apparatus, comprising:

a housing having an interior;

a baking chamber located within said interior of said housing; a bread mold positioned within said baking chamber;

a bracket connected to the lid;

an ingredients holder pivotally attached to said bracket at a pair of pivot points, said ingredients holder being pivotable between a normal, first position in which bread making ingredients in said ingredients holder remain in the ingredients holder and a second, tilted position that allows bread making ingredients to empty into said bread mold;

a device located within said housing to tilt said ingredients holder to said second, tilted position, said device having a movable member that moves bi-directionally between a normal, retracted position and an extended position, said device having an activated state in which said movable member moves to said extended position to strike said ingredients holder so as to pivot said ingredients holder to said second, tilted position, said device having an inactivated state in which said movable member is in or returns to said normal, retracted position such that there is no physical contact between said movable device and said ingredients holder; and

an apparatus to maintain said ingredients holder in said normal, first position until said movable member strikes said ingredients holder.

10. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said bracket comprises a sidewall that has an opening, and said ingredients holder has a sidewall that has an opening that is aligned with said opening in said sidewall of said bracket when said ingredients holder is in said first, normal position.

11. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said housing has an interior structure and said apparatus for maintaining said ingredients holder in said first, normal position comprises: a spring block having an end attached to said interior structure of said housing, a portion of said spring block being attached to said bracket;

a spring disposed within spring block;

a ball bearing positioned within said spring block such that said ball bearing is between said spring and said bracket wherein said spring effects an urging force on said ball bearing such that said ball bearing protrudes through said opening in said sidewall of said bracket and through said opening in said sidewall of said ingredients holder when said ingredients holder is in said first, normal position; and

wherein said spring urges said ball bearing to protrude through said openings in said sidewall of said bracket and said sidewall of said ingredients holder in order to maintain said ingredients holder in said first, normal position until said movable member strikes said ingredients holder.

12. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising electronic control circuitry in electrical signal communication with said device to configure said device in said activated state.

13. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 12 further comprising a user interface in electrical signal communication with said electronic control circuitry to allow a user to activate said device.

14. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said device comprises a solenoid configured to receive an electrical signal from said electronic control circuitry wherein said electrical signal energizes said solenoid and the absence of an electrical signal deactivates said solenoid.

15. The automatic bread making apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said movable member comprises a plunger that moves bi-directionally between said normal, retracted position and said extended position.