Abstract:
A bread maker including a main body forming an oven compartment; a pair of kneading drums spaced apart from each other inside the oven compartment, each kneading drum having a holding part holding opposite ends of a mixing bag containing ingredients for bread; a bar code reader reading a bar code printed on, or applied to, the mixing bag to obtain bar code information; a timer recording a present time; and a controller determining whether the mixing bag has expired by comparing an expiration date of the mixing bag obtained from the bar code information with the present time transmitted from the timer, and warning a user when the mixing bag expires.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 2002-42593, filed Jul. 19, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a bread maker and a method of controlling the same, and, more particularly, to a bread maker and a method of controlling the same, in which an expiration date of a mixing bag is automatically checked to warn a user of the expiration of the contents of the mixing bag.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Generally, a bread maker automatically performs kneading, leavening, and baking of bread dough, and provides fresh bread to a user, so that a user only needs to put ingredients in the bread maker. Some bread makers use a mixing bag to make the bread. The mixing bag is made of a flexible material, and contains mixed ingredients such as flour, sugar, etc., for the bread. On the surface of the mixing bag is printed or applied a bar code that includes baking information on kneading time, leavening time and temperature, baking time and temperature, moisture, etc., and product information about the ingredients, such as an expiration date, etc.  
           [0006]    The conventional bread maker that uses a mixing bag includes a pair of kneading drums that each has a holding part to hold the mixing bag, and a bar code reader behind one of the kneading drums to read the bar code. Opposite ends of the mixing bag are held by the holding parts of the kneading drums, and the mixing bag is wound on the kneading drums as the kneading drums are rotated. At this time, the bar code reader reads the bar code printed on, or applied to, the mixing bag, so that the baking information of the bar code is transmitted to the bread maker. Then, the bread maker automatically performs kneading, leavening, and baking of the dough, etc., according to the transmitted baking information. Thus, because it is easy and safe to use the bread maker and the mixing bag, a user, including children and older persons, can easily control the bread maker and safely make the bread.  
           [0007]    However, the ingredients, such as flour contained in the mixing bag, may go bad if not used within a certain amount of time. Therefore, the expiration date of the mixing bag is specified, and a user must check the expiration date of the mixing bag before making the bread.  
           [0008]    However, a user is likely to carelessly forget to check the expiration date of the mixing bag. Further, if a user does not have the ability to read the expiration date of the mixing bag, such as illiterate children or older persons having poor eyesight, it is difficult to check the expiration date of the mixing bag.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a bread maker and a method of controlling the same, in which an expiration date of a mixing bag is automatically checked to warn a user of the expiration of the mixing bag.  
           [0010]    It is another aspect of the present invention is to provide a bread maker and a method of controlling the same, in which an expired mixing bag is prevented from being used in making bread.  
           [0011]    Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.  
           [0012]    To achieve the above and/or other aspects according to the present invention, there is provided a bread maker including a main body forming an oven compartment; a pair of kneading drums spaced apart from each other inside the oven compartment, each kneading drum having a holding part holding opposite ends of a mixing bag containing ingredients for bread; a bar code reader reading a bar code printed on, or applied to, the mixing bag to obtain bar code information; a timer recording a present time; and a controller determining whether the mixing bag has expired by comparing an expiration date of the mixing bag obtained from the bar code information with the present time transmitted from the timer, and warning a user when the mixing bag is determined to be expired.  
           [0013]    The bread maker further includes a display part on the main body, wherein the controller controls the display part to display the expiration of the mixing bag when the mixing bag is determined to be expired.  
           [0014]    The bread maker further includes a drum driving part rotating the kneading drums, wherein the controller controls the drum driving part to rotate the kneading drums in a direction that unwinds the mixing bag from the kneading drums when the mixing bag is determined to be expired.  
           [0015]    The bread maker further includes a drum driving part rotating the kneading drums, wherein the controller controls the drum driving part to stop the kneading drums from rotating when the mixing bag is determined to be expired.  
           [0016]    To achieve the above and/or other aspects according to the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a bread maker having a main body forming an oven compartment, and a pair of kneading drums spaced apart from each other inside the oven compartment, each kneading drum having a holding part holding opposite ends of a mixing bag containing ingredients for bread, the method comprising reading an expiration date in a bar code printed on, or applied to, the mixing bag; determining whether the mixing bag has expired according to the read expiration date; and warning a user of expiration of the mixing bag when the mixing bag is determined to be expired.  
           [0017]    The method further includes rotating the kneading drums in a direction that unwinds the mixing bag from the kneading drums when the mixing bag is determined to be expired.  
           [0018]    The method further includes stopping the kneading drums from rotating when the mixing bag is determined to be expired.  
           [0019]    To achieve the above and/or other aspects according to the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a bread maker having a main body forming an oven compartment, and a pair of kneading drums spaced apart from each other inside the oven compartment, each kneading drum having a holding part holding opposite ends of a mixing bag containing ingredients for bread, the method including attaching the mixing bag to the kneading drums positioned at an initial position, and rotating the kneading drums to wind the mixing bag on the kneading drums; sensing rotation of the kneading drums; reading a bar code on the mixing bag to obtain bar code information, and determining an expiration date of the mixing bag from the bar code information; determining a current date, and comparing the expiration date with the current date to determine whether the mixing bag has expired; displaying a warning message, when the mixing bag is determined to be expired, to warn a user of the expiration of the mixing bag, and rotating the kneading drums to unwind the mixing bag therefrom and return the kneading drums to the initial position based upon the sensed rotation, and preventing further rotation of the kneading drums; and controlling the kneading drums, when the mixing bag is determined not to be expired, to knead the dough according to the bar code information.  
           [0020]    These together with other aspects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    These and aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mixing bag and a bread maker according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a part of the bread maker, taken along line I-I in FIG. 1, which reads a bar code;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the bread maker according to the embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is a control flowchart of the bread maker according to the embodiment of the present invention, in which the bar code is automatically read;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a mixing bag and a bread maker according to another embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 6 is a control flowchart of the bread maker according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0028]    Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mixing bag and a bread maker according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown therein, the bread maker  1  includes a main body  3  forming an oven compartment  7 , and a door  5  opening and closing the front opening of the oven compartment  7 . On the right front of the main body  3  are an operation selecting part  10  allowing a user to select an operation of the bread maker  1 , and a display part  12  displaying an operating state of the bread maker  1 . In the right rear of the main body  3  is a component compartment (not shown) accommodating a plurality of components for operating the bread maker  1 . In the oven compartment  7  and the door  5  are a plurality of heaters  14  for heating the inside of the oven compartment  7  (the heaters  14  inside the oven compartment  7  are not shown). Inside the oven compartment  7  is a baking tray  16  to contain the dough.  
         [0030]    At inner upper and lower parts of the oven compartment  7  are parallel kneading drums  18  (the lower kneading drum  18  is not shown). Each kneading drum  18  has a plurality of holding projections  19  protruding lengthwise therefrom and holding opposite ends of a mixing bag  100 , so that the mixing bag  100  can be attached to the kneading drums  18 . One of the kneading drums  18 , particularly, the kneading drum  18  placed at the inner upper part of the oven compartment  7 , is close to a bar code reader  20  that reads a bar code  102  printed on, or applied to, the mixing bag  100 , which is held by the holding projections  19  of the kneading drums  18  and wound on the kneading drums  18 .  
         [0031]    The mixing bag  100  is held by the holding projections  19  of the kneading drums  18 . The mixing bag  100  is made of a flexible material, and contains mixed ingredients such as flour, sugar, etc., for the bread. On the surface of the mixing bag  100  is printed or applied the bar code  102 , which includes baking information on kneading time, leavening time and temperature, baking time and temperature, moisture, etc., and product information about the ingredients, such as an expiration date, etc. The opposite ends of the mixing bag  100  have a plurality of holding holes  104  that are placed on the holding projections  19  of the kneading drums  18 , thereby attaching the mixing bag  100  to the kneading drums  18 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a part of the bread maker that reads the bar code  102 , taken along line I-I in FIG. 1. As shown therein, to make the bread maker  1  read the bar code information, the mixing bag  100  is first attached to the kneading drums  18 , and the kneading drums  18  are rotated in response to a user selection of the operation selecting part  10 . As the kneading drums  18  are rotated, the mixing bag  100  is partially wound on the kneading drums  18 , with the bar code  102  being in contact with an optical sensor (not shown) of the bar code reader  20 , which is behind the upper kneading drum  18 . Thus, the bar code reader  20  reads the bar code  102  printed on, or applied to, the mixing bag  100 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the bread maker  1 . As shown therein, the operation selecting part  10  allows a user to select an operation of the bread maker  1 . The display part  12  displays an operating state of the bread maker  1 . The bar code reader  20  reads the bar code  102  on the mixing bag  100 . A drum driving part  32  rotates the kneading drums  18 . A rotation sensing part  34  senses rotation of the kneading drums  18 . A timer  36  records the present time. A controller  30  controls the above components.  
         [0034]    To read the bar code information, a user first selects an operation through the operation selecting part  10 . The controller  30  controls the drum driving part  32  to rotate the kneading drums  18  by supplying electric power to a motor (not shown), thereby winding the mixing bag  100  on the kneading drums  18 . As the mixing bag  100  is wound on the kneading drums  18 , the bar code reader  20  reads the bar code  102  on the mixing bag  100 . According to the baking information read by the bar code reader  20 , the controller  30  controls the drum driving part  32  to drive the kneading drums  18  to knead the dough, and controls a heater driving part (not shown) to drive the heaters  14  to leaven and bake the dough.  
         [0035]    The timer  36  records the present time, and transmits the time to the controller  30 . An auxiliary power supply (not shown) such as a battery, etc., supplies electric power to the timer  36  to operate the timer  36  continuously, even when the bread maker  1  is turned off.  
         [0036]    The controller  30  compares the expiration date of the mixing bag  100  read by the bar code reader  20  with the present time transmitted from the timer  36 , thereby determining whether the mixing bag  100  has expired.  
         [0037]    If the mixing bag  100  has expired, the controller  30  controls the display part  12  to display a warning message to warn the user of the expiration of the mixing bag  100 . The warning of the expiration may be aurally achieved by a buzzer, etc. In this case, the bread maker  1  includes a sound circuit (not shown) and a speaker (not shown), and the controller  30  controls the sound circuit to make a buzzing sound through the speaker.  
         [0038]    When the mixing bag  100  has expired, the controller  30  controls the drum driving part  32  to rotate the kneading drums  18  to unwind the mixing bag  100  from the kneading drums  18  and return the kneading drums  18  to an initial position, which is the position at which the mixing bag  100  is attached to the kneading drums  18 . The kneading drums  18  are returned to the initial position based upon a rotated position of the kneading drums  18  sensed by the rotation sensing part  34 . Hence, the expired mixing bag  100  is easily removed from the kneading drums  18 .  
         [0039]    After the kneading drums  18  have been returned to the initial position, the controller  30  cuts off the electric power supplied to the drum driving part  32 , thereby preventing the drum driving part  32  from rotating the kneading drums  18 . Hence, the kneading drums  18  stop kneading the dough contained in the expired mixing bag  100 . Thus, the bread maker  1  discontinues the bread making process, thereby preventing spoiled ingredients from being made into the bread.  
         [0040]    The bread maker  1  is controlled as follows. Referring to FIG. 4, first, the mixing bag  100  is attached to and wound on the kneading drums  18  (S 10 ). Then, the bar code reader  20  reads the bar code  102  on the mixing bag  100 , and transmits the bar code information to the controller  30  (S 12 ). The controller  30  determines the expiration date of the mixing bag  100  from the bar code information (S 14 ). The controller  30  receives the present time from the timer  36  (S 16 ). Thereafter, the controller  30  compares the expiration date of the mixing bag  100  with the present time transmitted from the timer  36 , thereby determining whether the mixing bag  100  has expired (S 18 ).  
         [0041]    When it is determined that the mixing bag  100  has not expired, the controller  30  controls the kneading drums  18  and the heaters  14  to perform the bread making process according to the baking information (S 20 ).  
         [0042]    However, when it is determined that the mixing bag  100  has expired, the controller  30  controls the display part  12  to display a warning message to warn the user of the expiration of the mixing bag  100  (S 22 ). Simultaneously, the controller  30  controls the drum driving part  32  to rotate the kneading drums  18  in a direction that unwinds the mixing bag  100  from the kneading drums  18 , thereby allowing the mixing bag  100  to be easily removed from the kneading drums  18  (S 24 ). Thus, the bread maker  1  stops the expired mixing bag  100  from being kneaded, so that the bread making process is discontinued.  
         [0043]    When it is determined that the mixing bag  100  has expired, the mixing bag  100  is unwound from the kneading drums  18 . Also, the controller  30  cuts off the electric power supplied to the drum driving part  32 , thereby preventing the drum driving part  32  from further rotating the kneading drums  18 .  
         [0044]    In the embodiment described above, the bar code reader  20  is placed near the upper kneading drum  18 , and automatically reads the bar code  102  on the mixing bag  100 . However, in another embodiment of the present invention, a handheld bar code reader  21  may be used to manually read the bar code  102 , as shown in FIG. 5.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 6 is a control flowchart of a bread maker according to the embodiment of the present invention in which the bar code  102  is manually read. As shown therein, first, a user inputs the bar code information to the controller  30  using a handheld bar code reader  21  that is electrically connected to the bread maker  2  (P 10 ). Then, the controller  30  determines the expiration date of the mixing bag  100  from the bar code information (P 12 ). The controller  30  receives the present time from the timer  36  (P 14 ). Thereafter, the controller  30  compares the expiration date of the mixing bag  100  with the present time transmitted from the timer  36 , thereby determining whether the mixing bag  100  has expired (P 16 ).  
         [0046]    When it is determined that the mixing bag  100  has not expired, the controller  30  controls the kneading drums  18  to wind the mixing bag  100  thereon to knead the dough (P 20 ), and controls the kneading drums  18  and the heaters  14  to perform the bread making process on the basis of the baking information (P 22 ).  
         [0047]    Oppositely, when it is determined that the mixing bag  100  has expired, the controller  30  controls the display part  12  to display a warning message to warn a user of the expiration of the mixing bag  100  (P 18 ) and discontinues the bread making process. That is, even though the user selects the operation selection part  10  to rotate the kneading drums  18 , the controller  30  prevents the kneading drums  18  from rotating, so that the mixing bag  100  cannot be wound on the kneading drums  18 . Hence, it is impossible to perform the bread making process. The controller  30  discontinues the bread making process until new bar code information on a new mixing bag  100  indicates the new mixing bag  100  has not expired, so that the expired mixing bag  100  is prevented from being used in making bread.  
         [0048]    In the embodiments of the present invention described above, the display part  12  displays the warning message to warn the user of the expiration of the mixing bag  100 . However, the warning of the expiration may be aurally achieved by using a buzzer, etc.  
         [0049]    As described above, according to the embodiments of the present invention, the bread maker  1 ,  2  determines whether the mixing bag  100  has expired on the basis of the expiration date provided on the bar code  102  on the mixing bag  100 . When the mixing bag  100  has expired, the bread maker  1 ,  2  prevents the bread making process from being performed and automatically returns the kneading drums  18  to the initial position by rotating the kneading drums  18  in a direction that unwinds the mixing bag  100  from the kneading drums  18 , allowing the user to easily remove the expired mixing bag  100  from the kneading drums  18  so that the expired mixing bag  100  is prevented from being used in making bread.  
         [0050]    As described above, the embodiments of the present invention provide a bread maker and a method of controlling the same, in which an expiration date of a mixing bag is automatically or manually checked to warn a user of the expiration of the mixing bag. Further, the present invention provides a bread maker and a method of controlling the same, in which an expired mixing bag is prevented from being used in making bread.  
         [0051]    Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.