Dough fermentation device for bread processing and method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a flour fermentation device for bread processing and a method thereof, and relates to the technical field of bread processing, in particular to a flour fermentation device for bread processing and a method thereof, which comprises a fermentation cabinet, a plurality of trays capable of being taken out are placed in the fermentation cabinet, a first air chamber is formed in the tray, a plurality of groups of outer driven ring plates and inner driven ring plates capable of rotating are concentrically arranged on the upper surface of the tray, and the closed assembly, the spiral port and the second air chamber are cooperatively arranged, so that the temperature difference between the first fermentation and the second fermentation in the fermentation cabinet can be utilized to automatically adjust the on-off state of the air inlet channel of the second air chamber, the bottom ventilation is blocked during the first fermentation to maintain the humid microenvironment of the bottom of the dough, the channel is opened during the second fermentation to realize moderate ventilation, and therefore the effect of precisely matching the differentiated requirements for the bottom airflow in different fermentation stages and effectively avoiding the hardening and skinning of the bottom of the dough due to unnecessary ventilation during the first fermentation stage is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of bread processing technology, and more specifically, to a bread processing dough fermentation apparatus and method. Background Technology

[0002] Fermentation refers to the process by which people use the life activities of microorganisms under aerobic or anaerobic conditions to prepare the microbial cells themselves, their direct metabolites, or secondary metabolites. In bread processing, fermentation is the core step that determines the dough's expansion, flavor accumulation, and final texture. It usually needs to be carried out in a fermentation box that can precisely control the temperature and humidity. During the operation, the shaped dough is usually placed on a tray and then pushed into the box to complete the proofing. However, in long-term use, people often find some unsatisfactory details, which leads to continuous improvement of the equipment. For example, a bread fermentation box with application number 202322088080.8, a bread dough fermentation box with application number 202321754138.1, and an automatic bread processing fermentation device with application number 202311463855.3 have all made targeted optimizations to the bread fermentation device from different dimensions. However, in terms of the actual way of supporting the dough, these solutions still generally rely on trays with ventilation holes. The original intention of the ventilation hole design is to promote air circulation and prevent the dough from over-fermenting due to the accumulation of condensate at the bottom. While the dough is sticky and moist, this structure also brings new problems. During fermentation, the lower surface of the dough at the air vents is continuously exposed to the flowing air. According to the principle of water activity and surface mass transfer, the airflow will continuously carry away the moisture in this area, causing the crust to lose water prematurely. After losing water, the gluten protein and starch tend to concentrate, forming a dry and tough film or even a slightly hard crust. This local hard crust not only hinders the even expansion of the dough during fermentation and weakens the extensibility of the gluten network, but also forms an undesirable texture layer during subsequent baking, making the bottom of the bread hard. This problem is particularly prominent when making high-moisture doughs such as chapatta and country bread. These doughs achieve their large internal pore structure and soft, chewy texture through high moisture content and thorough hydrolysis. Their gluten network is highly extensible and has significant overall stickiness. Under the combined effect of their own weight and the expansion of gas during fermentation, the dough easily sinks into the pores, forming a physical mechanical interlock. At the same time, the high content of free water and dissolved starch and soluble protein gradually form a gel-like adhesive layer on the contact surface. After fermentation, the bottom of the bread often sticks firmly to the tray. When unmolding, if a spatula is needed or the dough is pulled forcefully, it is very easy to tear the dough and destroy the carefully formed gluten bubble structure, causing the dough to collapse and deform. This not only affects the appearance and quality of the finished product, but also greatly increases the difficulty of cleaning the tray, making daily operations very inconvenient. Furthermore, bread fermentation typically involves two key stages: primary fermentation and secondary fermentation. These two stages have fundamentally different requirements for the microenvironment of the dough. Primary fermentation is the basic fermentation, and its main purpose is not simply to make the dough expand, but to allow the yeast to fully expand and hydrate the gluten network while carrying out controlled metabolic activities, and to accumulate flavor precursors such as organic acids and alcohols. This stage needs to be carried out at a relatively low temperature, while maintaining a high humidity environment to prevent the dough surface from forming a dry skin due to excessive water loss. If the ventilation holes of the tray are open at this time, airflow will continuously sweep across the bottom. According to the principle of surface water activity and mass transfer, the local dough in the area in contact with the ventilation holes is prone to forming a hard film prematurely due to continuous water loss. This bottom skin not only restricts the free extension of the dough and hinders the full relaxation and expansion of the gluten network, but also destroys the uniform texture and flavor accumulation pursued by primary fermentation, making the dough difficult to shape in subsequent operations, and even affecting the rising potential of secondary fermentation. In contrast, the second fermentation, the final fermentation, needs to be carried out at a relatively high temperature. The purpose is to allow the formed dough to quickly expand and aerate, fixing its final volume and texture. At this stage, it is indeed necessary to properly adjust the bottom airflow to avoid excessive stickiness caused by condensation and water accumulation, so that the bread can be easily unmolded. In other words, the first fermentation should block bottom airflow as much as possible, while the second fermentation can make moderate use of the ventilation function. However, the ventilation holes of the trays currently commonly used are all normally open, and cannot be adjusted according to the changes in the fermentation stage. This "one-size-fits-all" design forces the operator to passively accept unnecessary bottom ventilation during the first fermentation, which increases the risk of localized dryness and hardening of the dough, and makes it impossible to precisely control the airflow during the second fermentation. This brings obvious inconvenience to the precise management of fermentation conditions at different stages, making it difficult to achieve both ideal bread quality and a smooth user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a bread-making dough fermentation apparatus and method, which solves the problems mentioned in the background section.

[0004] The technical solution of this invention is as follows: To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a bread-making dough fermentation device, comprising a fermentation cabinet containing multiple removable trays. Each tray has a first air chamber. Multiple sets of rotatable outer and inner driven ring plates are concentrically arranged on the upper surface of the tray. Each outer and inner driven ring plate has multiple actuating components, one end of which can abut against the lower surface of the bread. The bottom end of each actuating component extends into the first air chamber. A sliding closure component is provided on the lower surface of the tray at a position corresponding to each outer driven ring plate. A spiral opening is provided on the lower surface of the first air chamber at a position corresponding to each closure component. A second air chamber is located within the tray between the spiral opening and the closure component.

[0005] Preferably, the sealing assembly includes two first grooves that are opened opposite each other on the lower surface of the tray. A sealing plate is slidably connected in the first groove. A tension spring is fixedly connected to the opposite face of the two sealing plates. The end of the tension spring away from the sealing plate is fixedly connected to the inner side of the first groove. A memory metal rod is fixedly connected to the opposite back face of the two sealing plates. The end of the memory metal rod away from the sealing plate is fixedly connected to the inner side of the first groove.

[0006] Preferably, the sealing plate is fixedly connected to limit sliders on both the front and rear sides, and the front and rear inner sides of the first groove are provided with limit grooves that are adapted to the limit sliders.

[0007] Preferably, the inner bottom surface of the second air chamber is provided with a plurality of first communication ports, the lower surface of the sealing plate is provided with a plurality of second communication ports that can communicate with the corresponding first communication ports, and the bottom end of the spiral port is connected to the second air chamber.

[0008] Preferably, an auxiliary stabilizing ring plate is rotatably connected to the inner circumferential surface of the outer driven ring plate, an inner driven ring plate is rotatably connected to the inner circumferential surface of the auxiliary stabilizing ring plate, and an auxiliary stabilizing plate is rotatably connected to the inner circumferential surface of the inner driven ring plate. Multiple support rods are fixedly connected to the lower surface of the auxiliary stabilizing ring plate and the lower surface of the auxiliary stabilizing plate, and the bottom end of the support rod is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the first gas chamber.

[0009] Preferably, the actuation assembly includes multiple main jet ports formed on the outer driven ring plate and the inner driven ring plate. Each main jet port has an actuation connecting plate hinged to its inner wall. An actuation plate is fixedly connected to the top of the actuation connecting plate, and an actuation power plate is fixedly connected to the bottom of the actuation connecting plate. The actuation power plate is entirely contained within the first air chamber.

[0010] Preferably, the actuating power plate is inclined, the spiral opening is in the shape of an Archimedean spiral, and the inclination direction is the same as the direction of the spiral airflow ejected from the spiral opening.

[0011] Preferably, the actuating plate is made of rubber, and multiple limiting cylinders are fixedly connected to the upper surface of the tray around the outer side of each outer driven ring plate.

[0012] Preferably, the side of the actuating power plate has a first air port with one end open on the upper surface of the actuating power plate, the lower surface of the actuating connecting plate has a second air port with the bottom end communicating with the first air port, the lower surface of the actuating plate has an air groove with the bottom end communicating with the top end of the second air port, the inner side of the air groove has a secondary air jet port that can be opened when the actuating plate is deformed, and the air outlet of the secondary air jet port is located at the top of the outer surface of the actuating plate.

[0013] A method for using a bread dough fermentation device is described below: S. Remove the tray from the fermentation cabinet, place the weighed bread dough evenly on the upper surface of the tray, and ensure that the dough is within the range enclosed by each set of limiting cylinders. S. Place the tray with the fabric back into the fermentation cabinet, start the fermentation cabinet, first perform low-temperature fermentation at the first fermentation temperature, and then increase the temperature for a second fermentation. S. After fermentation is complete, close the fermentation cabinet. The temperature drops, causing the memory metal rod to return to its original shape. The sealing plate resets under the action of the tension spring and seals the airflow channel. Stop the operation of the rotating component and remove the tray to complete the fermentation of the bread dough.

[0014] Beneficial effects This invention provides a bread dough fermentation apparatus and method, which have the following beneficial effects: 1. The bread processing dough fermentation device and method, through the coordinated arrangement of the closed component, the spiral opening and the second air chamber, can automatically adjust the opening and closing state of the air intake channel of the second air chamber by utilizing the temperature difference between the primary and secondary fermentation stages in the fermentation cabinet. Thus, during the primary fermentation, the bottom ventilation is blocked to maintain a moist microenvironment at the bottom of the dough, and during the secondary fermentation, the channel is opened to achieve moderate ventilation. This achieves the effect of accurately matching the different airflow requirements of the bottom at different fermentation stages and effectively avoiding the bottom of the dough from drying and hardening due to unnecessary ventilation during the primary fermentation stage.

[0015] 2. The bread processing dough fermentation device and method, through the coordinated arrangement of the agitator, outer driven ring plate, inner driven ring plate and spiral opening, can drive the agitator to continuously and gently agitate the lower surface of the bread by the spiral airflow ejected from the spiral opening. Under the combined action of airflow and agitation, the outer driven ring plate and inner driven ring plate are rotated, thereby continuously creating micro gaps between the bottom of the bread and the upper surface of the tray and realizing dynamic airflow sweeping. This achieves the effect of preventing the bottom of the bread from drying and hardening due to local continuous airflow and effectively weakening the gel adhesion and mechanical interlocking between the bottom of the dough and the tray. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of the fermentation cabinet of the present invention, viewed from the front. Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the tray of the present invention from the front. Figure 4 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the tray of the present invention from the front. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tray of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the left cross-section of the toggle connecting plate of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the cooperative structure of the toggle power plate, the toggle connecting plate and the toggle plate of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the secondary jet nozzle of the present invention.

[0017] In the diagram: 1. Fermentation cabinet; 2. Tray; 3. First air chamber; 4. Support rod; 5. Sealing plate; 6. Memory metal rod; 7. Tension spring; 8. First connecting port; 9. Second connecting port; 10. Spiral port; 11. Second air chamber; 12. First slide groove; 13. Limiting groove; 14. Auxiliary stabilizing ring plate; 15. Auxiliary stabilizing plate; 16. Actuating connecting plate; 17. Actuating plate; 18. Actuating power plate; 19. First air port; 20. Limiting cylinder; 21. Outer driven ring plate; 22. Inner driven ring plate; 23. Secondary air port; 24. Secondary air port; 25. Air groove; 26. Main air port. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] Example 1 In existing technologies, the original intention of the vent design is to promote air circulation and prevent the bottom of the dough from becoming too wet and sticky due to the accumulation of condensation. However, this structure also brings new problems. During the fermentation process, the lower surface of the dough at the vent will be continuously exposed to the flowing air. According to the relevant principle of water activity and surface mass transfer, the airflow will continuously carry away the local moisture, causing the crust to lose water prematurely. After losing water, the gluten protein and starch tend to concentrate, forming a dry and tough film or even a slightly hard crust. This local hard crust will not only hinder the even expansion of the dough during fermentation and weaken the extensibility of the gluten network, but will also form an undesirable texture layer during subsequent baking, making the bottom of the bread too hard. This problem is particularly prominent when making high-moisture doughs such as chapatta and country bread. These doughs achieve their large internal pore structure and soft, chewy texture through high moisture content and thorough hydrolysis. Their gluten network is highly extensible and has significant overall stickiness. Under the combined effect of their own weight and the expansion of gas during fermentation, the dough easily sinks into the pores, forming a physical mechanical interlock. At the same time, the high content of free water and dissolved starch and soluble protein gradually form a gel-like adhesive layer on the contact surface. After fermentation, the bottom of the bread often sticks firmly to the tray. When unmolding, if a spatula is needed or the dough is pulled forcefully, it is very easy to tear the dough and destroy the carefully formed gluten bubble structure, causing the dough to collapse and deform. This not only affects the appearance and quality of the finished product, but also greatly increases the difficulty of cleaning the tray, making daily operations very inconvenient. Furthermore, bread fermentation typically involves two key stages: primary fermentation and secondary fermentation. These two stages have fundamentally different requirements for the microenvironment of the dough. Primary fermentation is the basic fermentation, and its main purpose is not simply to make the dough expand, but to allow the yeast to fully expand and hydrate the gluten network while carrying out controlled metabolic activities, and to accumulate flavor precursors such as organic acids and alcohols. This stage needs to be carried out at a relatively low temperature, while maintaining a high humidity environment to prevent the dough surface from forming a dry skin due to excessive water loss. If the ventilation holes of the tray are open at this time, airflow will continuously sweep across the bottom. According to the principle of surface water activity and mass transfer, the local dough in the area in contact with the ventilation holes is prone to forming a hard film prematurely due to continuous water loss. This bottom skin not only restricts the free extension of the dough and hinders the full relaxation and expansion of the gluten network, but also destroys the uniform texture and flavor accumulation pursued by primary fermentation, making the dough difficult to shape in subsequent operations, and even affecting the rising potential of secondary fermentation. In contrast, the second fermentation is the final fermentation, which needs to be carried out at a relatively high temperature. The purpose is to allow the shaped dough to quickly expand and aerate, fixing its final volume and texture. At this stage, it is indeed necessary to properly adjust the bottom airflow to avoid excessive stickiness caused by condensation and water accumulation, so that the bread can be easily unmolded. In other words, the first fermentation should block bottom airflow as much as possible, while the second fermentation can make moderate use of the airflow function. However, the air vents of the trays currently commonly used are all normally open and cannot be adjusted according to the changes in the fermentation stage. This "one-size-fits-all" design forces the operator to passively accept unnecessary bottom ventilation during the first fermentation, which increases the risk of localized dryness and hardening of the dough and makes it impossible to precisely control the airflow during the second fermentation. This brings obvious inconvenience to the precise management of fermentation conditions at different stages, making it difficult to achieve both ideal bread quality and a smooth user experience. This embodiment was invented to solve the above problems.

[0020] Please see Figures 1 to 8 This invention provides a technical solution: a bread-making dough fermentation device, including a fermentation cabinet 1. The fermentation cabinet 1 is a relatively mature existing technology (its bottom is equipped with a fan for gas flow), so its working principle will not be described in detail here. Only the improved parts are described below. The fermentation cabinet 1 contains multiple removable trays 2, wherein multiple limiting hemispheres are fixed on the lower surface of the trays 2 to ensure the stability of the trays 2 when they are placed in the support part inside the fermentation cabinet 1. A first air chamber 3 is opened in the tray 2, and multiple sets of rotatable outer driven rings are concentrically arranged on the upper surface of the tray 2. The tray 21 and the inner driven ring plate 22, each of which includes an outer driven ring plate 21 and an inner driven ring plate 22, and both the outer driven ring plate 21 and the inner driven ring plate 22 are rotatably provided with a plurality of actuating components, one end of which can abut against the lower surface of the bread. The bottom end of the actuating components extends into the first air chamber 3. The lower surface of the tray 2 and the position corresponding to each outer driven ring plate 21 are provided with a sealing component that can slide left and right. The lower surface of the first air chamber 3 and the position corresponding to each sealing component are provided with a spiral opening 10. The tray 2 is provided with a second air chamber 11 located between the spiral opening 10 and the sealing component. The sealing assembly includes two first slide grooves 12 that are opened opposite to each other on the lower surface of the tray 2. A sealing plate 5 is slidably connected in the first slide groove 12. A tension spring 7 is fixedly connected to the opposite face of the two sealing plates 5. The end of the tension spring 7 away from the sealing plate 5 is fixedly connected to the inner side of the first slide groove 12. A memory metal rod 6 is fixedly connected to the opposite back face of the two sealing plates 5. The end of the memory metal rod 6 away from the sealing plate 5 is fixedly connected to the inner side of the first slide groove 12. The shape memory metal rod 6 is made of nickel-titanium shape memory alloy. Its working characteristics are based on the principle of thermoelastic martensitic phase transformation. During the first fermentation stage, the temperature inside the fermentation cabinet 1 is in a low range. At this time, the crystal structure inside the shape memory metal rod 6 is mainly twinned martensite, and the alloy is in a soft martensitic elongation state, generating almost no recovery driving force. Therefore, under the continuous elastic tension provided by the tension spring 7, the two sealing plates 5 can be stably maintained in the closed and close position within the first slide groove 12. The second air chamber 11 is blocked from the external airflow, preventing the bottom airflow from affecting the dough. This causes unnecessary water loss. When the secondary fermentation stage begins, the temperature inside the fermentation tank 1 rises and exceeds the end temperature of the austenitic phase transformation of the nickel-titanium alloy. The shape of the shape memory metal rod 6 then rapidly undergoes a reverse phase transformation from martensite to the parent phase austenite. Its macroscopic shape is restored to the pre-set shrinkage length state, and significant recovery stress is generated during this process. This recovery stress is sufficient to overcome the elastic tension of the tension spring 7, thereby smoothly pulling the two sealing plates 5 to slide away from each other along the first slide groove 12, automatically opening the airflow channel, so that the appropriate bottom ventilation required for the secondary fermentation can be accurately achieved. Limiting sliders are fixedly connected to both the front and rear sides of the sealing plate 5, and limiting grooves 13 adapted to the limiting sliders are opened on both the front and rear inner sides of the first slide groove 12. Therefore, during the process of the memory metal rod 6 driving the sealing plate 5 to slide along the first slide groove 12, the limiting sliders fixedly connected to the sealing plate 5 will be driven synchronously, so that they can make corresponding directional sliding in the limiting groove 13. The inner bottom surface of the second air chamber 11 is provided with multiple first connecting ports 8, and the lower surface of the sealing plate 5 is provided with multiple second connecting ports 9 that can connect with the corresponding first connecting ports 8. The bottom end of the spiral port 10 is connected to the second air chamber 11. In the initial state, the multiple second connecting ports 9 and the multiple first connecting ports 8 are staggered in the internal space of the tray 2, and there is no alignment between them. At this time, the airflow channel is in a structural blocking state, which can effectively isolate the flowing gas in the fermentation cabinet 1 during the first fermentation stage, preventing it from seeping into the second air chamber 11 through this path. This ensures the stability and moisture of the microenvironment at the bottom of the dough and avoids premature local dehydration and crusting caused by unnecessary ventilation. When the fermentation enters the second fermentation stage, as the temperature rises, the memory metal rod 6 undergoes a thermoelastic martensitic reverse phase transformation and generates a restoring force, driving the sealing plate 5 to move along the preset direction, which in turn moves the multiple second connecting ports 9 on it synchronously. As the sealing plate 5 slides to the open position, the alignment deviation between the multiple second connecting ports 9 and the multiple first connecting ports 8 is gradually eliminated, and the two sets of ports achieve axis alignment and form a through airflow path. At this time, the controlled flow of gas in the fermentation cabinet 1 can pass through the second connecting ports 9 and the first connecting ports 8 in sequence and be smoothly introduced into the second air chamber 11. An auxiliary stabilizing ring plate 14 is rotatably connected to the inner circumferential surface of the outer driven ring plate 21. An inner driven ring plate 22 is rotatably connected to the inner circumferential surface of the auxiliary stabilizing ring plate 14. An auxiliary stabilizing plate 15 is rotatably connected to the inner circumferential surface of the inner driven ring plate 22. Multiple support rods 4 are fixedly connected to the lower surface of the auxiliary stabilizing ring plate 14 and the lower surface of the auxiliary stabilizing plate 15. The bottom end of the support rod 4 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the first air chamber 3. Since both the auxiliary stabilizing ring plate 14 and the auxiliary stabilizing plate 15 are rigidly connected to the inner bottom surface of the first air chamber 3 through the support rod 4, the two remain stationary relative to the tray 2 in terms of structure. This restricts all degrees of freedom of the outer driven ring plate 21 and the inner driven ring plate 22 except for rotation around their own central axis, leaving only a single rotational motion possibility. The actuation assembly includes multiple main jet ports 26 opened on the outer driven ring plate 21 and the inner driven ring plate 22. Each main jet port 26 has an actuation connecting plate 16 hinged to its inner wall. Both sides of the actuation connecting plate 16 are hinged to the main jet port 26 via a pivot. An actuation plate 17 is fixedly connected to the top of the actuation connecting plate 16, and an actuation power plate 18 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the actuation connecting plate 16. The actuation power plate 18 is fully housed in the first air chamber 3. The actuation power plate 18 is inclined. The spiral port 10 is in the shape of an Archimedean spiral, and the inclination direction is the same as the direction of the spiral airflow ejected from the spiral port 10. The actuating plate 17 is made of rubber, and multiple limiting cylinders 20 are fixedly connected to the upper surface of the tray 2 around the outer side of each outer driven ring plate 21. Therefore, when the airflow entering the second air chamber 11 is ejected outward through the spiral opening 10 in the shape of an Archimedean spiral, based on the centrifugal effect and guiding constraint generated by the fluid moving along the spiral path, the airflow will spiral upward in a rotating jet manner. Since the toggle power plate 18 is inclined and its inclination direction is consistent with the direction of the spiral airflow ejected from the spiral opening 10, the spiral airflow will form a continuously changing pressure distribution on its surface after hitting the toggle power plate 18, thereby generating a dynamic rotational torque. This torque drives the toggle power plate 18 to drive the toggle connecting plate 16 to swing around the hinge axis between it and the inner wall of the main jet 26. Then, through the lever, the rubber toggle plate 17 fixed at the top of the toggle connecting plate 16 rotates synchronously. Because the spiral airflow itself has unstable turbulent pulsation characteristics, and the airflow velocity and angle of attack of the airflow ejected from different radial positions of the Archimedes spiral nozzle are different, the force of the airflow impact on the agitator plate 18 is constantly changing in both magnitude and direction. This changing excitation force makes the swing amplitude of the agitator plate 18 always in a state of dynamic adjustment, which in turn makes the agitator plate 17 continuously and gently agitate the bottom surface of the bread in a non-uniform amplitude and non-periodic manner. Such repeated gentle agitation will continuously create instantaneous micro gaps between the bottom of the bread and the upper surface of the tray 2, allowing the flowing gas to blow air over the bottom surface of the bread in an overall covering manner along these gaps, thereby avoiding excessive moisture loss caused by local airflow concentration. Simultaneously, the alternating and synergistic action of multiple sets of actuating plates 17 creates multi-point micro-disturbances on the bread, causing a slight passive shaking of the bread as a whole, further disrupting any potential static adhesion at the bottom. When the bread's weight is significant, the actuating plates 17 experience a substantial reaction force during actuation. This reaction force is transmitted back along the actuating plates 17 and the actuation connecting plate 16 to the actuation power plate 18. Due to the tilted posture of the actuation power plate 18, it is difficult for it to withstand the reaction force using its own weight. Self-reset, some of the toggle plates 17 will temporarily maintain the relative position after being toggled out, forming a mechanical state similar to unidirectional intermittent motion. At this time, the thrust exerted by the subsequent action of other toggle plates 17 will form a resultant force with the reaction force of the toggle plates 17 that have not been reset in the previous sequence. This resultant force is sufficient to overcome the static friction resistance torque of the outer driven ring plate 21 and the inner driven ring plate 22 relative to the auxiliary stabilizing ring plate 14 and the auxiliary stabilizing plate 15, thereby driving the outer driven ring plate 21 and the inner driven ring plate 22 to rotate. As the outer driven ring plate 21 and the inner driven ring plate 22 rotate, the position of the main jet nozzle 26 located on them also changes continuously, so that the jet direction can be dynamically changed, further expanding the effective range of the bottom airflow. In addition, since the top of the agitator plate 17 protrudes slightly from the upper surface of the tray 2, during the rotation of the outer driven ring plate 21 and the inner driven ring plate 22, the agitator plate 17 will periodically lift and gently raise a part of the bread, so that a new gap is formed between the bread and the contact surface of the tray 2, creating favorable conditions for the airflow to sweep the bottom surface of the bread. The synergy of the above multiple effects can not only ensure that the bottom surface of the bread will not form a dry and hard crust due to continuous local airflow, but also greatly weaken the adhesion of the dough bottom caused by the gel adhesion layer and mechanical interlocking, effectively reducing the risk of the bottom surface of the bread sticking to the upper surface of the tray 2.

[0021] Example 2 While the above embodiments effectively alleviate the problems of localized hardening of the bread's lower surface and dough sticking to the upper surface of tray 2, there is still room for further optimization in the actual airflow action. Specifically, the airflow ejected from the main jet nozzle 26 is mainly in a vertically upward, straight-blowing pattern. According to jet theory, this type of positive impact jet will form obvious stagnation zones and wall jet zones after reaching the lower surface of the bread. The dynamic pressure of the airflow is mainly concentrated in the local area directly opposite the nozzle axis, while it rapidly attenuates radially outward, easily creating an uneven "blind zone" of airflow coverage at the bottom of the bread. Although this airflow distribution, mainly based on positive impact, can create local gaps through intermittent flicking, it is not suitable for the bread's surface. The gel adhesion layer formed between the dough and the tray has relatively limited airflow shear force. From the perspective of boundary layer separation and mass transfer enhancement, the airflow lacking lateral shear component is unable to effectively disturb and replace the high-humidity microenvironment attached to the bread surface, nor can it form a more complete flow cushion at the bottom of the bread to continuously and evenly support the dough. Therefore, in order to further improve the overall sweeping effect of airflow on the lower surface of the bread, it is necessary to introduce laterally ejected airflow to increase the tangential component of the flow, so that the airflow can form a more three-dimensional envelope sweeping along the bottom contour of the bread, thereby more thoroughly weakening local moisture accumulation and interface adhesion. This embodiment is invented to solve the above problems.

[0022] Please see Figures 1 to 8 Based on the above embodiments, the technical solution adopted includes a first air port 19 with one end open on the upper surface of the actuating power plate 18, a second air port 24 with its bottom end connected to the first air port 19 with its lower surface, an air groove 25 with its bottom end connected to the top of the second air port 24 with its lower surface, an air groove 25 with its bottom end connected to the top of the second air port 24 with its upper surface, an auxiliary air jet port 23 with its air outlet opening when the actuating plate 17 is deformed with its inner side, and the air outlet of the auxiliary air jet port 23 is located at the top of the outer surface of the actuating plate 17. The bottom opening of the first air inlet 19 is intentionally positioned on the windward side of the spiral airflow. When the rotating and rising spiral airflow impacts the actuating power plate 18, a local high-pressure zone is formed on its windward side, pushing a portion of the airflow into the first air inlet 19 under pressure differential. This airflow is then guided into the vertical direct current channel inside the actuating connecting plate 16 through the second air inlet 24. This airflow continues to rise and eventually converges in the air groove 25 opened on the lower surface of the actuating plate 17, establishing a certain static pressure reserve in the air groove 25. When the actuating plate 17 presses against the bottom of the bread and is subjected to contact reaction force during the actuation process, its rubber material undergoes adaptive elastic bending deformation. The shape, it is this bending deformation, that causes the gap of the secondary jet 23, which was originally in a closed or tightly fitted state, to be laterally opened, instantly forming a slit-like opening. The airflow accumulated in the air groove 25 is then rapidly ejected from the opened secondary jet 23 at an angle inclined to the vertical direction, directly sweeping the lower surface of the bread. This lateral shear airflow can generate an effective tangential wiping effect along the bottom contour of the bread, which not only makes up for the coverage blind spot of the main jet 26's forward impact jet, but also more accurately disturbs and peels off the high humidity microenvironment and gel-like adhesive layer accumulated on the bottom surface of the bread, thereby further enhancing the anti-sticking effect and the uniformity of the bottom airflow.

[0023] A method for using a bread dough fermentation device is described below: S1. Take the tray 2 out of the fermentation cabinet 1, place the weighed bread dough evenly on the upper surface of the tray 2, and make the dough within the range enclosed by each set of limiting cylinders 20. S2. Place the tray 2 containing the fabric back into the fermentation cabinet 1, start the fermentation cabinet 1, first perform low-temperature fermentation at the first fermentation temperature, and then raise the temperature for a second fermentation. S3. After fermentation is complete, close the fermentation cabinet 1. The temperature drops, causing the memory metal rod 6 to return to its original state. The sealing plate 5 resets under the action of the tension spring 7 and seals the airflow channel. Stop the operation of the rotating component and remove the tray 2 to complete the fermentation of the bread dough.

[0024] In summary, when the bread processing dough fermentation device and method are used, during the first fermentation stage, the memory metal rod 6 in a relaxed state and the tension spring 7 providing continuous elastic tension work together to stably maintain the two sealing plates 5 in the closed and close position within the first slide groove 12. At this time, the second connecting port 9 and the first connecting port 8 remain staggered, and the airflow path between the second air chamber 11 and the outside is reliably blocked, thereby avoiding the local dehydration and crusting of the dough caused by unnecessary bottom ventilation during the first fermentation. When the secondary fermentation stage begins, the temperature inside the fermentation tank 1 rises above the end temperature of the austenitic phase transformation of the nickel-titanium alloy. The shape memory metal rod 6 undergoes a thermoelastic martensitic reverse phase transformation and generates restoring stress, which smoothly overcomes the elastic tension of the tension spring 7 and drives the two sealing plates 5 to slide away from each other along the first sliding groove 12. During this process, the limiting slider slides in the limiting groove 13 to ensure that the sealing plates 5 move smoothly. As the sealing plates 5 move, the multiple second connecting ports 9 and the multiple first connecting ports 8 gradually achieve axis alignment, and the airflow channel is connected. The flowing gas in the fermentation tank 1 passes through the second connecting ports 9 and the first connecting ports 8 in sequence and enters the second gas chamber 11. Then, it is sprayed into the first gas chamber 3 in a rotating jet manner through the spiral port 10 in the shape of an Archimedean spiral. The spiral airflow impacts the tilted actuating power plate 18, driving the actuating connecting plate 16 to dynamically swing around the hinge axis of the inner wall of the main jet nozzle 26. This, in turn, causes the rubber actuating plate 17 to continuously and gently actuate the lower surface of the bread in a non-uniform and non-periodic manner, constantly creating instantaneous micro-gaps. This allows the airflow to cover the lower surface of the bread with a comprehensive blowing. At the same time, the actuating plate 17 undergoes elastic bending deformation when pressing against the bread, causing the gap of the secondary jet nozzle 23 to be laterally opened. The airflow accumulated in the air groove 25 is then ejected at an inclined angle, forming a lateral shear airflow. This compensates for the blind spot of the positive impact jet of the main jet nozzle 26, further enhancing the uniformity of the bottom airflow and the peeling effect on the gel adhesive layer. The alternating movements of multiple sets of actuating plates 17 generate micro-disturbances that cause the bread to sway slightly. When the bread is heavy, some actuating plates 17 temporarily maintain their extended positions under the reaction force, forming a mechanical state similar to unidirectional intermittent motion. The pushing force of subsequent actuating plates 17 and the reaction force of the previous unreset actuating plates 17 form a resultant force, which overcomes the static friction resistance torque and pushes the outer driven ring plate 21 and the inner driven ring plate 22 to rotate around the auxiliary stabilizing ring plate 14 and the auxiliary stabilizing plate 15, respectively, so that the jet direction of the main jet nozzle 26 changes continuously. In addition, the top of the actuating plate 17 protrudes slightly from the upper surface of the tray 2, and periodically lifts and gently raises parts of the bread during the rotation of the ring plate, constantly forming new airflow to sweep the gaps. Therefore, this bread-processing dough fermentation device effectively solves the problems in the prior art where the bottom of the bread dries and hardens due to localized continuous airflow, and high-moisture dough sticks to the tray 2 due to gel adhesion and mechanical interlocking, through the automatic switching of the airflow channels in the primary and secondary fermentation stages, and the compound movement of the agitator and the rotatable outer driven ring plate 21 and inner driven ring plate 22. At the same time, the operator only needs to normally pick up and put down the tray 2 and start the fermentation cabinet 1, without additional manual intervention in the ventilation structure, which significantly improves the ease of use and the consistency of the fermented product quality.

[0025] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," which indicate direction or positional relationships, are based on the direction or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. These are used merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0026] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0027] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bread-making dough fermentation device, comprising a fermentation cabinet (1), characterized in that: The fermentation cabinet (1) contains multiple trays (2) that can be removed and used to place bread to be fermented. The trays (2) have a first air chamber (3). The upper surface of the trays (2) is concentrically provided with multiple sets of rotatable outer driven ring plates (21) and inner driven ring plates (22). Both the outer driven ring plates (21) and the inner driven ring plates (22) are rotatably provided with multiple actuating components, one end of which can abut against the lower surface of the bread. The bottom end of the actuating components extends into the first air chamber (3). The lower surface of the trays (2) is provided with a sliding sealing component at the position corresponding to each outer driven ring plate (21). The lower surface of the first air chamber (3) is provided with a spiral opening (10) at the position corresponding to each sealing component. The trays (2) are provided with a second air chamber (11) located between the spiral opening (10) and the sealing component.

2. The bread-making dough fermentation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing assembly includes two first grooves (12) that are opened opposite each other on the lower surface of the tray (2). A sealing plate (5) is slidably connected in the first groove (12). A tension spring (7) is fixedly connected to the opposite face of the two sealing plates (5). The end of the tension spring (7) away from the sealing plate (5) is fixedly connected to the inner side of the first groove (12). A memory metal rod (6) is fixedly connected to the opposite back face of the two sealing plates (5). The end of the memory metal rod (6) away from the sealing plate (5) is fixedly connected to the inner side of the first groove (12).

3. The bread-making dough fermentation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The inner bottom surface of the second air chamber (11) is provided with a plurality of first communication ports (8), and the lower surface of the sealing plate (5) is provided with a plurality of second communication ports (9) that can communicate with the corresponding first communication ports (8). The bottom end of the spiral port (10) is connected to the second air chamber (11).

4. The bread-making dough fermentation device according to claim 3, characterized in that: An auxiliary stabilizing ring plate (14) is rotatably connected to the inner circumferential surface of the outer driven ring plate (21). An inner driven ring plate (22) is rotatably connected to the inner circumferential surface of the auxiliary stabilizing ring plate (14). An auxiliary stabilizing plate (15) is rotatably connected to the inner circumferential surface of the inner driven ring plate (22). Multiple support rods (4) are fixedly connected to the lower surface of the auxiliary stabilizing ring plate (14) and the lower surface of the auxiliary stabilizing plate (15). The bottom end of the support rod (4) is fixedly connected to the inner bottom surface of the first air chamber (3).

5. The bread-making dough fermentation device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The actuation assembly includes multiple main jet ports (26) opened on the outer driven ring plate (21) and the inner driven ring plate (22). Each main jet port (26) has an actuation connecting plate (16) hinged to its inner wall. An actuation plate (17) is fixedly connected to the top of the actuation connecting plate (16), and an actuation power plate (18) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the actuation connecting plate (16). The actuation power plate (18) is fully contained in the first air chamber (3).

6. The bread-making dough fermentation device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The actuating power plate (18) is inclined, and the spiral opening (10) is in the shape of an Archimedean spiral, with the inclination direction being the same as the direction of the spiral airflow ejected from the spiral opening (10).

7. The bread-making dough fermentation device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The actuating plate (17) is made of rubber, and multiple limiting cylinders (20) are fixedly connected to the upper surface of the tray (2) around the outer side of each outer driven ring plate (21).

8. The bread-making dough fermentation device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The side of the actuating power plate (18) has a first air port (19) with one end open on the upper surface of the actuating power plate (18). The lower surface of the actuating connecting plate (16) has a second air port (24) with the bottom end connected to the first air port (19). The lower surface of the actuating plate (17) has an air groove (25) with the bottom end connected to the top end of the second air port (24). The inner side of the air groove (25) has a secondary air jet port (23) with the air outlet that can be opened when the actuating plate (17) is deformed. The air outlet of the secondary air jet port (23) is located at the top of the outer surface of the actuating plate (17).

9. The method of using the bread-making dough fermentation apparatus according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that: The details are as follows: S1. Take the tray (2) out of the fermentation cabinet (1), place the weighed bread dough evenly on the upper surface of the tray (2), and make the dough within the range enclosed by each set of limiting cylinders (20); S2. Place the tray (2) with the fabric back into the fermentation cabinet (1), start the fermentation cabinet (1), first perform low-temperature fermentation at the first fermentation temperature, and then raise the temperature for the second fermentation. S3. After fermentation is complete, close the fermentation cabinet (1). The temperature drops, causing the memory metal rod (6) to return to its original state. The sealing plate (5) resets under the action of the tension spring (7) and closes the airflow channel. The rotating component stops moving. Take out the tray (2) to complete the fermentation of the bread dough.

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