Bread Ingredient Box Automation for Accurate Water and Mixing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bread machines require manual estimation of ingredients and water, leading to potential mistakes in bread preparation, resulting in poor-tasting bread and waste.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for self-making bread using a bread ingredient box with a jagged ring and microcomputer-controlled bread machine, where the ingredient box is automatically identified, and the corresponding ingredients and water are measured and mixed according to a recipe, ensuring accurate dough preparation and baking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual estimation of ingredients and water is used, then the operation is simple and quick, but measurement errors occur leading to poor bread quality and waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-weighs and packages ingredients in sealed bags with printed weight information before use. This preliminary action of pre-measuring and labeling ingredients eliminates the need for manual weighing during operation, ensuring accurate measurements while maintaining simple operation. The ingredient bags are prepared in advance with precise quantities, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of the controller and display device that mediates between the user and the ingredients. The controller receives input about ingredient weights and automatically controls the water adding mechanism and mixing process. This intermediary system ensures precise measurement and control without requiring the user to manually measure, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and measurement precision.
2Device complexity
If the operator manually measures ingredients and water, then no additional equipment is needed, but mistakes in determination lead to waste and poor bread quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the controller receives information about ingredient weights (either manually input or from pre-packaged ingredient data), processes this information, and automatically adjusts the water adding quantity and mixing parameters. The display device provides feedback to the user about the selected recipe and measured quantities. This closed-loop feedback system ensures reliable and consistent bread making by eliminating manual measurement errors while maintaining reasonable equipment complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the system to automatically perform measurements and calculations that would otherwise require manual intervention. The controller automatically determines the required water quantity based on the ingredient weights, controls the water adding mechanism, and manages the mixing and heating processes. This self-service capability ensures reliable and consistent results without requiring complex manual measurement equipment, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and process reliability.
3Measurement precision
If automatic identification and control systems are added, then measurement accuracy and bread quality improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a simplified approach where ingredient weight information is copied from pre-printed labels on packaged ingredients or manually entered once, rather than implementing complex automatic weighing sensors. The controller stores recipe data and automatically retrieves the appropriate water quantity based on the ingredient information. This copying method maintains high measurement accuracy while avoiding the complexity of sophisticated automatic identification and measurement equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of measurement from direct physical weighing during operation to using pre-determined weight values from packaged ingredients. By shifting the measurement action to the ingredient packaging stage rather than the bread-making stage, the system achieves high measurement precision without adding complex measurement equipment to the bread machine. The controller simply uses the pre-established parameter values to determine water quantity and processing conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Simplifies the bread-making process, prevents ingredient and water measurement errors, and ensures consistent bread quality, allowing common operators to produce satisfactory bread with minimal manual effort.
Implementation Method 1
using the jagged ring of the bottom portion of said containing region to open the thin film of the bottom portion of the bread ingredient box, so said ingredients will fall into the mixing container
Implementation Method 2
controlling the water delivering mechanism inside the bread machine to deliver a certain amount of water according to the ingredient into said mixing container
Implementation Method 3
starting the mixing device inside the bread machine, mixing the ingredients and water in said mixing container into an appropriate dough
Implementation Method 4
energizing the electric heating tube in the bread machine, said electric heating tube heats the dough inside said mixing container, so said dough will be baked into bread
Data Source
AI summary
The self-making bread method includes: weighing a certain amount of ingredients according to a bread recipe and placing them in a bread ingredient box; putting the bread ingredient box into the corresponding containing region of the top portion of the bread machine; using the jagged ring of the bottom portion of said containing region to open the thin film of the bottom portion of the bread ingredient box, so the ingredients will fall into the mixing container in the bread machine; controlling the water delivering mechanism inside the bread machine to deliver a certain amount of water into said mixing container; starting the mixing device inside the bread machine, which mixes the ingredients into an appropriate dough; turning off the mixing device; energizing the electric heating tube in the bread machine, to bake the dough inside the mixing container into bread.