U.S. patent application number 09/474308 was filed with the patent office on 2001-09-20 for food processing appliance and method.
Invention is credited to BRAGINSKY, ASIK, KUBICKO, ROBERT, MULLE, THEODORE B..
Application Number | 20010022139 09/474308 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23882966 |
Filed Date | 2001-09-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010022139 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KUBICKO, ROBERT ; et
al. |
September 20, 2001 |
FOOD PROCESSING APPLIANCE AND METHOD
Abstract
A food processor that is operable in a dough mixing mode and in
at least one other mixing mode. When in the dough mixing mode, the
mixing impeller is driven at a continuous speed in the range of
about 1,400 to about 1,600 rpm and preferably form about 1,400 rpm
to about 1,550 rpm. When i8n the other mixing mode, the impeller is
driven at a speed in excess of 1,600 rpm. The impeller has a blade
assembly with an upper blade and a lower blade that are offset
vertically and sloped toward one another to thereby slice a
relatively wide swath of the dough ball during mixing.
Inventors: |
KUBICKO, ROBERT; (SOUTHBURY,
CT) ; MULLE, THEODORE B.; (NEW MILFORD, CT) ;
BRAGINSKY, ASIK; (FOREST HILLS, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHARLES N J RUGGIERO
OHLANDT GREELEY RUGGIERO & PERLE LLP
ONE LANDMARK SQUARE 9TH FLOOR
STAMFORD
CT
06901-2682
US
|
Family ID: |
23882966 |
Appl. No.: |
09/474308 |
Filed: |
December 29, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
99/348 ; 241/191;
241/282.1; 241/292.1; 366/206; 366/251; 366/279; 366/314; 366/96;
416/223R; 416/228; 416/235; 99/467 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01F 27/1123 20220101;
B01F 35/22142 20220101; B01F 2215/0481 20130101; B01F 35/221422
20220101; Y10S 366/601 20130101; A21C 1/145 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
99/348 ; 99/467;
366/251; 366/314; 241/191; 241/282.1; 241/292.1; 416/223.00R;
416/228; 416/235; 366/96; 366/206; 366/279 |
International
Class: |
B29B 007/00; B02C
013/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A food processor comprising: a motor; an impeller driven by the
motor; a mode control that establishes a bread dough mixing mode
and at least one other mixing mode; and a motor control that
responds to the mode control to operate the motor to drive the
impeller at a continuous speed in the range of about 1,400 rpm to
about 1,600 rpm during the bread dough mixing mode and at a speed
in excess of 1,600 rpm during the at least one other mode.
2. The food processor of claim 1, wherein said range is about 1,400
rpm to about 1,550 rpm.
3. The food processor of claim 2, wherein said continuous speed is
about 1,500 rpm.
4. The food processor of claim 2, wherein the impeller is driven at
the continuous speed for a substantial portion of the dough mixing
mode.
5. The food processor of claim 2, wherein the impeller includes an
impeller shaft with a blade assembly, the blade assembly including
an upper blade and a lower blade offset vertically from one another
and sloping toward one another.
6. The food processor of claim 5, wherein the upper blade has a
downwardly sloping tip and the lower blade has an upwardly sloping
tip.
7. The food processor of claim 6, wherein the slopes of the upper
and lower blades are in the range of 10.degree. to about
30.degree..
8. The food processor of claim 7, wherein the slopes of the tips of
the upper blade and the lower blade are less than 10.degree..
9. The food processor of claim 8, wherein blade assembly has a
generally S-shape.
10. A method of operating a food processor that has a mixing
impeller operable in a bread dough mixing mode and at least one
other mode, said method comprising: (a) signaling that the food
processor is in the bread dough mixing mode; (b) signaling that the
food processor is in the at least one other mode; (c) in response
to step (a), driving a mixing impeller at a continuous speed in the
range of about 1,400 rpm to about 1,600 rpm during the bread dough
mixing mode; and (d) in response to step (b), driving the mixing
impeller at a speed in excess of 1,600 rpm during the at least one
other mode.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein said range is about 1,400 rpm
to about 1,550 rpm.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein said continuous speed is about
1,500 rpm.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) drives the impeller at
the continuous speed for a substantial portion of the dough mixing
mode.
14. An impeller for mixing dough, said impeller comprising an
impeller shaft with a blade assembly, the blade assembly including
an upper blade and a lower blade offset vertically from one another
and sloping toward one another.
15. The impeller of claim 14, wherein the upper blade has a
downwardly sloping tip and the lower blade has an upwardly sloping
tip.
16. The impeller of claim 15, wherein the slopes of the upper and
lower blades are in the range of 10.degree. to about
30.degree..
17. The impeller of claim 16, wherein the slopes of the tips of the
upper blade and the lower blade are less than 10.degree..
18. The impeller of claim 17, wherein blade assembly has a
generally S-shape.
19. A bread dough mixer comprising an impeller driven by a motor at
a continuous speed in the range of about 1,400 rpm to about 1,600
rpm.
20. The bread dough mixer of claim 19, wherein the impeller
includes an impeller shaft with a blade assembly, the blade
assembly including an upper blade and a lower blade offset
vertically from one another and sloping toward one another.
21. The bread dough mixer of claim 20, wherein the upper blade has
a downwardly sloping tip and the lower blade has an upwardly
sloping tip.
22. The bread dough mixer of claim 21, wherein the slopes of the
upper and lower blades are in the range of 10.degree. to about
30.degree..
23. The bread dough mixer of claim 22, wherein the slopes the tips
of the upper blade and the lower blade are less than
10.degree..
24. The bread dough mixer of claim 23, wherein blade assembly has a
generally S-shape.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a food processing appliance and
method and, in particular, to a food processing appliance and
method especially adapted for the mixing of bread dough.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ART
[0002] Food processing appliances generally have the capability of
operating in a number of different modes to process a variety of
foods with various impellers at impeller speeds appropriate for the
specific food being processed. When in a bread processing or dough
mixing mode, the temperature of the dough increases with increasing
impeller speed. It is desirable to maintain the dough as cool as
possible while mixing for proper formation of yeast and gas
bubbles. For dough mixing, the impeller has generally been driven
at a speed in excess of 1,600 rpm, usually at about 1,780 rpm.
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,573 discloses a food processor that
drives the impeller according to an impeller speed program for
mixing dough that includes an initial period of nine seconds of
intermittent operation at 1,600 rpm to avoid splattering of dry
flour and water ingredients. The initial period is followed by a
second period of nine seconds of intermittent operation at 3,300
rpm. Then, the impeller is continuously driven during a third
period of 35 seconds at 2,500 rpm. The speed program ends with a
final period of 32 seconds of intermittent operation between 1,600
rpm and 2,500 rpm. Except for the initial and final periods, the
dough mixing speed is continuously 2,500 rpm.
[0004] Gluten is important to making high quality bread without
large holes or air cavities. Gluten is either present in the flour
or can be added. During the mixing process, gluten is developed to
provide a web like consistency to the dough. Mixing with impeller
speeds in excess of 1,600 rpm can result in poorly developed
gluten, thereby giving rise to poor quality bread.
[0005] An impeller used for dough mixing has an S-shape as shown,
for example, in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,573. The
S-shaped impeller has two blades that extend from opposed areas
along the circumference of an impeller shaft, offset vertically
from one another by a small distance. The blades have sharpened
leading edges that cut into the dough ball at two distinct
levels.
[0006] Another impeller used for mixing dough has a planar elongate
blade with vertically extending blade tips as shown in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,380,086. This blade cuts into the dough ball at only a single
level.
[0007] Accordingly, there is a need for an improved food processor
that is operable at low speeds to mix bread dough, thereby
providing a relatively cool dough ball.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A food processor according to the present invention includes
a motor that drives an impeller. A mode control establishes a bread
dough mixing mode and at least one other mixing mode. A motor
control responds to the mode control to operate the motor to drive
the impeller at a continuous speed in the range of about 1,400 rpm
to about 1,600 rpm during the bread dough mixing mode and at a
speed in excess of 1,600 rpm during the other mode. More
preferably, the range is about 1,400 rpm to about 1,550 rpm. Most
preferably, the continuous speed is about 1,500 rpm. The continuous
speed endures for a substantial portion of the dough mixing
mode.
[0009] The method of the present invention operates a food
processor that has a mixing impeller operable in a bread dough
mixing mode and at least one other mode. The method signals that
the food processor is in the bread dough mixing mode or in the
other mode. If in the bread dough mixing mode, the impeller is
driven at a continuous speed in the range of about 1,400 rpm to
about 1,600 rpm. If in the other mixing mode, the impeller is
driven at a speed in excess of 1,600 rpm.
[0010] An impeller for mixing dough according to the invention
includes an impeller shaft with a blade assembly. The blade
assembly includes an upper blade and a lower blade offset
vertically from one another and sloping toward one another to
thereby slice a relatively wide swath of the dough ball. The upper
blade has a downwardly sloping tip and the lower blade has an
upwardly sloping tip. The slopes of the upper and lower blades are
preferably in the range of about 10.degree. to about 30.degree..
The slopes of the blade tips are preferably less than about
10.degree..
[0011] The food processor and method of the present invention also
incorporates the impeller of the invention to provide high quality
dough ball mixing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Other and further objects, advantages and features of the
present invention will be understood by reference to the following
specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which like reference characters denote like elements of structure
and:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a food processor according
to the invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the impeller of the food
processor of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a top view of the impeller;
[0016] FIG. 4 is an end view of the bottom blade of the impeller;
and
[0017] FIG. 5 is an end view of the top blade of the impeller.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Referring to FIG. 1, a food processor 10 according to the
invention includes a panel 12, a motor control 16, a motor 18, a
mixing container 20 and an impeller 30.
[0019] Food processor 10 is operable in at least two modes to
process food in container 20 with impeller 30. To this end, panel
12 includes a dough mixing mode switch 13 and an other mixing mode
switch 14. Panel 12 may include other operator controls, such as an
on/off switch, further food processing modes and the like, none of
which are shown in FIG. 1. When dough mixing mode switch 13 is
actuated, the dough mixing mode is established. On the other hand,
when the other mixing mode switch 14 is actuated, the other mixing
mode is established. As shown by the dotted lines, switches 13 and
14 provide connections to motor control 16 that signal the dough
mixing mode and the other mixing mode, respectively.
[0020] Motor control 16 responds to the signaled mode to control
the speed of motor 18 and, hence, the speed of impeller 30.
According to the invention, motor control 16 controls the speed of
motor 18 to impart a relatively low continuous speed to impeller 30
during a substantial portion of the dough mixing mode and a
relatively high speed to impeller 30 during the other mixing mode.
In particular, the impeller speed during the dough mixing mode is
in the range of about 1,400 rpm to about 1,600 rpm, preferably in
the range of about 1,400 rpm to about 1,550 rpm, and most
preferably in the range of about 1,450 rpm to about 1,550 rpm. In
one design embodying the invention, the impeller speed is
continuous at about 1,500 rpm during the dough mixing mode. The
impeller speed during the other mixing mode is in excess of 1,600
rpm.
[0021] The inventors have discovered that by controlling the
impeller speed to be in the above described ranges during the dough
mixing mode, the dough temperature is cooler than the dough
temperature when mixed at higher speeds, such as 1,780 rpm. Also,
the lower impeller speed produces higher quality bread with fewer
holes, indicating that gluten is properly developed during
mixing.
[0022] Motor 18 has an output shaft that is coupled via a coupler
to impeller 30. The coupler forms no part of the present invention
and is, therefore, not shown on the drawing. Motor 18 may be any
suitable motor capable of driving mixing impeller 30 for food
processing applications, such as, a universal motor, an induction
motor, a dc motor and the like. Motor control 16 may be any
suitable motor speed control for such motors for food processing
applications.
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, impeller 30 includes an
impeller shaft 32 and a blade assembly 34. Blade assembly 34
includes an upper blade 36 and a lower blade 38 disposed on
opposite sides of the circumference of impeller shaft 32. The
vertical offset between upper and lower blades 36 and 38 is
typically about 0.375 inch.
[0024] With specific reference to FIGS. 3 through 5, upper blade 36
has a leading edge 40 with an upwardly sloping chamfer 41 and lower
blade 38 has a leading edge 42 with a downwardly sloping chamfer
43. Chamfers 41 and 43 are selected to give a dull edge to leading
edges 40 and 42, respectively.
[0025] Upper blade 36 has a generally horizontal blade portion 36A
(FIG. 3), a downwardly sloped portion 36B and a downwardly sloped
tip 36C. Lower blade 38 has a generally horizontal blade portion
38A, an upwardly sloped portion 38B and an upwardly sloped tip 38C.
A slope angle .alpha.1 with respect to the horizontal for
downwardly sloped portion 36B and a slope angle .alpha.2 with
respect to the horizontal for upwardly sloped portion 38B are
preferably in the range of about 10.degree. to 30.degree.. In one
design embodying the invention the angles .alpha.1 and .alpha.2 are
equal and are about 20.degree.. A tip angle .alpha.3 for upper
blade tip 36C and a tip angle .alpha.4 for lower blade tip 38C are
preferably less than 10.degree.. Preferably .alpha.3 is greater
than .alpha.4.
[0026] The oppositely sloped blades 36 and 38 enhance mixing of the
dough with slicing across a horizontal thickness of the dough as
contrasted with a single slice or two level slice of prior art
blades. The oppositely sloping tips 36C and 38C give a folding
action that is either up or down depending on the values of
.alpha.3 and .alpha.4. The angles impart a lifting and churning
action which aids in producing a thorough dispersing of
ingredients, resulting in a homogeneous dough mixture.
[0027] The present invention having been thus described with
particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be
obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *