This invention relates to automatic bread making machines, and more particularly, to a baking rack assembly and method for use thereof
In recent years, automatic bread making machines have become increasingly popular. These machines make bread without requiring a user to expend the time and effort associated with mixing, repeated kneading, and baking. Typically, a user pours the bread making ingredients into the machine, and presses a few selected control buttons. The machine includes electronic control circuitry that controls the operation of a motor and heating element. By selecting a desired program, the user may leave the machine to mix the ingredients, knead the dough, allow the dough to rise, and bake the dough, resulting in a baked loaf of bread.
At times, however, the user may desire the end, baked product to be in a form other than a single loaf of bread. For example, the user may wish to make rolls, baguettes, bagels, etc. In this situation, a user may place the ingredients into the chamber of the automatic bread making machine, and select a program that simply mixes and kneads the dough, but does not bake it. The user then removes the dough from the machine, divides it and forms it into the desired shapes, and bakes the individual portions of dough in a conventional oven.
It would be advantageous to bake individually formed portions of dough in an automatic bread making machine. However, this is not possible with currently available machines, given that these machines provide only a single, unitary baking chamber. The present invention provides this and other advantages, as will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying figures.
Briefly, the present invention allows a user to bake multiple portions of dough, formed into any desired shape, within an automatic bread making machine. An automatic bread making machine, according to the present invention, includes a container having an opening for receiving a quantity of bread making ingredients. The automatic bread making machine is further provided with a motor coupled to a mixing blade for mixing the ingredients within the container to form a dough, and to further knead the dough. The container is positioned within a baking chamber, to which a heating element is coupled. The operation of the motor and heating element are controlled by electronic control circuitry provided in the bread making machine. The electronic control circuitry includes a microcomputer, which further includes software instruction processing means, for example a microprocessor, which executes a series of preprogrammed bread making instructions stored in a data/instruction storage means, such as a computer register or memory. The user selects a program through a keyboard of a control panel provided on the bread machine. The control panel also includes a visual display that provides bread making status information to the user. The functions of an automatic bread making machine described above are of a type known in the art, and will therefore not be described in greater detail.
In accordance with the present invention, a baking rack assembly having a frame, and a plurality of trays coupled to the frame in vertically spaced relation to each other, is selectively placed into and removed from the baking chamber of an automatic bread making machine. Each of the trays provides a substantially horizontal support surface for a quantity of dough that can be proofed or baked on the tray when the frame and trays are positioned within the baking chamber. To facilitate the insertion and removal of the baking rack assembly, a handle is coupled to an upper region of the frame. To facilitate the flow of air around and through the assembly, the frame is of an open-sided construction, and each of the trays is provided with one or more holes extending therethrough.
In operation, a dough may be formed using the automatic bread making machine by placing the ingredients within the machine and selecting an appropriate program to mix and knead the dough. In accordance with the present invention, the dough may then be removed from the bread making machine, and divided and formed into a plurality of portions. The individually formed portions of dough may be placed on the trays of the baking rack assembly, and the baking rack assembly positioned within the baking chamber of the bread making machine. A program may then be executed to bake the individual portions of dough.
The baking rack assembly of the present invention therefore allows a user to bake multiple portions of dough within the unitary chamber of a conventional bread making machine, by holding the individual portions of dough separate from each other in vertically and/or horizontally spaced relation to each other. A user may therefore form individual baked goods, for example rolls, baguettes, bagels, etc., entirely with the automatic bread making machine, without use of a conventional oven. Alternatively, a user may purchase premade dough, or make dough by conventional means, and bake individual portions of dough within the automatic bread making machine.
As illustrated in
Each of the trays 17 provides a substantially horizontal support surface 18 for a quantity of dough 19 that can be proofed or baked on the tray 17 when the frame 16 and trays 17 are positioned within the baking chamber 9. To facilitate the flow of air around and through the assembly, the frame 16 has an open-walled construction, as best seen in
As illustrated in
In operation, therefore, as illustrated in
Alternatively, as illustrated in
It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various programs may be provided with an automatic bread making machine appropriate for proofing and/or baking a variety of types of individual portions of dough, for example small rolls, baguettes, bagels, etc. It will also be understood that the baking rack assembly 15 of the present invention may be used in conjunction with other available features of conventional automatic bread making machines.
A baking rack assembly and method of use for an automatic bread making machine have been shown and described. From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that although embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein, but rather is defined by the claims which follow.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20020104443 A1 | Aug 2002 | US |