Patent Publication Number: US-2011068110-A1

Title: Baking pan assembly

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/855,069, filed May 27, 2004. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a novelty bun having a sculptural surface or artistic shape and to methods of manufacture thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional buns such as hot dog and hamburger buns have a simple and merely utilitarian shape; they generally feature a uniform and unornamented surface. The shape is generally controlled by the intended application; e.g. hot dog buns are oblong and hamburger rolls are round. The only ornamentation is typically sesame seeds, onion flakes, or other garnish sprinkled on the surface, or split or cut surface. The conventional baking process, which involves proofing and baking dough on a planar surface, does not allow the creation of buns which have a sculptural shape. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One embodiment pertains to a baking apparatus for baking breads such as hamburger rolls or hot dog buns having a sculpted surface. The apparatus includes a baking pan having a cavity having a floor, a wall and a ceiling. The floor of the cavity may be recessed, or concave. The ceiling of the cavity generally extends only partially over the floor. The baking pan has a design in base relief on the floor, wall and upper portion of the cavity. The cavity also generally has a large opening for the removal of the finished product. The cavity may be configured to produce single articles of bread or clusters. The baking pan may be of any desired shape such as round, rectangular or oblong. The baking pan may be of unitary or of two-piece, or multi-piece construction. Another embodiment is a baking pan cover which may be used with a standard baking pan to produce articles of bread having a design in them. 
     The above summary of some embodiments is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. The figures and detailed description which follow more particularly exemplify these embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a partial perspective view of an example baking pan assembly  100 ; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a rear view of baking pan assembly  100 ; 
         FIG. 2   b  is a partial rear view of baking pan assembly  100  in use; 
         FIG. 2   c  is a partial side view of baking pan assembly  100 ; 
         FIG. 2   d  is a partial side view of baking pan assembly  100  in use; 
         FIG. 2   e  is a partial top view of baking pan assembly  100 ; 
         FIG. 2   f  is a partial top view of baking pan assembly  100  in use; 
         FIG. 3   a  is a side view of a bun  114 ; 
         FIG. 3   b  is a front view of bun  114 ; 
         FIG. 3   c  is a top view of bun  114 ; 
         FIG. 3   d  is a perspective view of an article of bread  114  in a bun arrangement; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a baking pan assembly  300 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a baking pan assembly  400 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of a baking pan assembly  500   
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a bun  518  in a bun arrangement; 
         FIG. 8   a  is a partial rear view of a baking pan assembly  600 ; 
         FIG. 8   b  is a partial rear view of baking pan assembly  600  in use; 
         FIG. 8   c  is a front view of a bun  614 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a baking pan assembly  700 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference is now made to the figures, in which like element numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
       FIG. 1  is a partial perspective view of baking pan assembly  100 , which includes a bottom wall  102 , a side wall  104 , and a top wall  106 . These walls at least partially define a baking cavity  108 . Side wall may extend around the perimeter of bottom wall  102 , may only partially extend around the perimeter of the bottom wall, may have a base portion which extends around the perimeter of the bottom wall and a top portion which extends only partially around the perimeter of the bottom wall as in the depicted embodiment, or may have another suitable configuration. Top wall  106  may only partially extend over cavity  108  and may have less area than bottom wall  102 . For example, top wall  106  may be essentially a lip. In the embodiment shown top wall  106  is essentially a lip on side wall  104 . Top wall  106  may also be offset from the center of cavity  108 . Top wall  106  and side wall  104  generally form a concave inner surface  110  in which a three-dimensional pattern  112  may be formed. Pattern  112  may be any desired pattern, such as the fanciful face depicted in the Figure. The extent and configuration of side wall  104  and top wall  106  may be determined in regard to the pattern desired. For example, one embodiment may be a baking pan assembly which has a side wall with a pattern, a bottom wall and no top wall. 
     Pan  100  may include a plurality of such baking cavities  108  arranged in any suitable fashion, such as in columns and rows. Another suitable configuration is to arrange the baking cavities in a cluster fashion, having 2, 4, 8 or another desired number of cavities in close proximity with no separating wall so that the bread articles baked together, as is shown in  FIG. 3   d . Pan  100  may have a variety of baking cavities  108 , each cavity or set of cavities having a different pattern and configuration of walls, if desired. Pan  100  may be made of any suitable material and by any suitable process. For example, baking pan  100  may be made of steel or aluminum and may be formed by a molding, stamping, welding, machining, or hydroforming process, or other suitable process or combination thereof. Pan  100  may include a coating such as an anodized coating or a non-stick coating. Pan  100  may be made of other suitable materials including polymers such as silicone, metal reinforced polymers, paper, ceramic or glass. Pan  100 , as shown and described, causes variance in browning which accentuates the design. Different materials may cause the surface of the article of bread to brown differently. Thus different sections of baking pan assembly  100  may be made from different materials to achieve a product having a surface with selective shading. For example, the pan may be generally made from an aluminum having a dark coating while the teeth and the eyes in the pattern may be made from silicone. This may produce a product where the teeth and eyes on the bun are lighter than the surrounding surfaces. Selective browning may also be achieved by the use of varying thicknesses of material or by the selective application of reflective or darkening coatings to the pan. 
       FIGS. 2   a ,  2   c , and  2   e  are a rear partial view, a side partial view and a top partial view, respectively, of baking pan assembly  100 .  FIGS. 2   b ,  2   d , and  2   f  are a rear partial view, a side partial view, and a top partial view, respectively, of baking pan assembly  100  in use. Bread article  114  is in cavity  108  and as depicted is in a proofing or baking stage. Dough is herein understood to be a precursor to a bread product such as a loaf, a bun, or a roll. Dough usually includes at least flour, water, and a leavening agent such as yeast or baking powder. Any dough which can rise and press against surface  110  may be suitable for use in the baking pan assembly. 
     The process of using baking pan assembly  100  generally includes putting a suitable quantity of dough in cavity  108 . Dough may be shaped into a ball or disc, if desired. The dough may then be proofed for a desired period of time; the proofing process permits the dough to expand and leaven. The dough is baked into an article of bread. During the proofing or baking or both, the dough rises to press against surface  110 , impressing pattern  112  into the surface of the article of bread. A substantial portion of the baking happens while the dough is pressed against surface  110 . This permits the baked article of bread to retain pattern  112 , in reverse, in its surface. The article of bread may be allowed to cool, in which time it may shrink away from surface  110 , and then may be depanned. Of course, other steps may be included if desired. For example, baking pan assembly  100  may be greased or coated with a non-stick spray, or the article of bread may be glazed or coated with a garnish such as sesame seeds. This steps outlined in this process are suitable for use in a discrete process such as baking at home or in an industrial process, which may be continuous. Baking pan assembly  100  is not limited to the features described above and may include features which render it more suitable for either a home application or an industrial application. 
       FIGS. 3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  are a side view, a front view, and a top view, respectively, of an article of bread  114  produced by baking pan assembly  100 . Article of bread  114  includes an ornamental three dimensional design  116  imparted to it by surface  110  and pattern  112  of the baking pan assembly.  FIG. 3   d  is a perspective view of article of bread  114  in an ornamental arrangement displaying design  116  to good effect. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of a baking pan assembly  300 , which has two-piece construction. The base pan  302  includes bottom wall  102  and may include a portion of side wall  104 . The cover pan  304  includes the remainder of side wall  104  and top wall  106 . Base pan  302  and cover pan  304  come together to define baking cavity  108 .  FIG. 4  depicts only one baking cavity, but the baking pan assembly may include multiple baking cavities arranged as desired. Cover pan  304  may include a planar member  306  to which additional side and top walls may be attached, and may include handle  308 . In one alternative embodiment, planar member  306  is a lattice work grid joining a plurality of top walls  106  together. Pan  300  may include means for positioning the cover pan with respect to the base pan, such as pins. Alternatively, the cover pan and base pan may be held in position by the baking machinery. Pan  300  permits the removal of the cover pan prior to depanning of the article of bread. This may permit configurations where side walls and top walls more completely envelope cavity  108 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a baking pan assembly  400 , which includes tray  402  and lid  404 . Tray  402  includes bottom wall  102  and receiving wall  406 , which is configured to receive a portion of side wall  104 . Lid  404  includes side wall  104  and top wall  106  and may include a bottom wall  405 . Alternatively, lid  404  may not include bottom wall  405 . When the lid is inserted into the tray, baking cavity  108  is formed. Of course, baking pan assembly  400  may include other features such as a planar member  306  or handle  308  similar that of baking pan assembly  300 . Tray  402  may be a standard baking tray, which lid  404  may insert into to form baking pan assembly  400 . 
       FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of a baking pan assembly  500 . Baking pan assembly  500  includes a bottom wall  502 , a side wall  504  and a top wall  506 . Side wall  504  includes an edge  508  having a vertical component and top wall  506  includes an edge  510 . These edges may form apart of pattern  512  formed into surface  514 . For example, in this embodiment edge  508  may define a cheek and edge  510  may define a lip. This may happen when and if the dough expands beyond the edges of cavity  516  during the proofing or baking process. Thus the extent of walls  504  and  506  may form a part of the ornamental pattern. A bun  518  as might be produced by baking pan assembly  500  is shown in perspective view in  FIG. 7  in a group of such buns. 
       FIG. 8   a  is a partial rear view of a baking pan assembly  600 , which has a bottom wall  602 , a side wall  604  and a top wall  606  partially defining a cavity  608 . A three dimensional pattern  612  is formed into an inner surface  610  that is part of walls  604  and  606 . Of course, pattern  612  could extend to wall  602  if desired.  FIG. 8   b  is a partial rear view depicting a bun  614  disposed in cavity  608  of baking pan assembly  600 .  FIG. 8   c  is a front view of bun  614  removed from the baking pan assembly. 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic rear view of a baking pan assembly  700 . Baking pan assembly  700  includes a tray  402  and a lid  704 . Tray  402  includes a bottom wall  102  and a receiving wall  406 . Cover  704  includes side wall  104  and may include a top wall  106 . The shape and extent of side wall  104  and top wall  106  creates the ornamental design in the bread article. Cover  704  may include a planar member  306  to which additional side and tip walls may be attached, and may include a handle  308  or means for attaching cover  704  to automated baking machinery. 
     In another embodiment, a cover such as cover  704  or cover  404  may be configured to be used with a standard baking pan. Thus, to produce an ornamented article of bread or to change designs only a cover needs to be provided. 
     Numerous advantages of the invention covered by this document have been set forth in the foregoing description. It will be understood, however, that this disclosure is, in many respects, only illustrative. Changes may be made in details, particularly in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts without exceeding the scope of the invention. The invention&#39;s scope is, of course, defined in the language in which the appended claims are expressed.