U.S. patent application number 12/462072 was filed with the patent office on 2011-02-03 for solar oven.
Invention is credited to Melinda Seller.
Application Number | 20110023868 12/462072 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43525814 |
Filed Date | 2011-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110023868 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Seller; Melinda |
February 3, 2011 |
Solar oven
Abstract
A portable solar oven which relies upon sunlight as a clean,
readily-available and inexpensive source of fuel to generate the
heat necessary to cook solid foods or boil liquids. The solar oven
includes a cooking trough in which the food to be cooked or liquid
to be boiled is placed. A hood is hingedly connected to the cooking
trough and rotatable between a closed position seated upon the
trough and an open position lifted upwardly and off the trough. A
flared sunlight collector is connected atop the hood and rotatable
therewith. The solar oven is removably received by and transported
from place to place in a stand. The solar oven is rotatable
relative to the stand in response to a pushing or pulling force
that is applied to a position-control arm attached to the cooking
trough whereby the sunlight collector can be correspondingly
repositioned to remain in alignment with the sun as it moves across
the sky.
Inventors: |
Seller; Melinda; (La Canada,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Morland C. Fischer
Suite 1300, 2030 Main Street
Irvine
CA
92614
US
|
Family ID: |
43525814 |
Appl. No.: |
12/462072 |
Filed: |
July 30, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/681 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02B 40/18 20130101;
Y02A 40/926 20180101; Y02E 10/40 20130101; Y02E 10/45 20130101;
F24S 20/30 20180501; F24S 23/74 20180501 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/681 |
International
Class: |
F24J 2/02 20060101
F24J002/02 |
Claims
1. A solar oven in which to cook food or boil a liquid by means of
sunlight, said solar oven comprising: a cooking trough having an
interior at which the food or liquid is placed; a hood connected to
said cooking trough and movable between a closed position seated
upon said trough and an open position lifted upwardly and off said
trough so as to permit access to the interior thereof; and a first
light-transparent panel located above said cooking trough and
extending across said hood so that rays of light emitted from the
sun are supplied to the interior of the cooking trough by way of
said first light-transparent panel for providing heat to cook the
food or boil the liquid when said hood is in the closed
position.
2. The solar oven recited in claim 1, wherein said hood is
pivotally connected to said cooking trough so that said hood is
rotatable relative to said trough between said closed and open
positions.
3. The solar oven recited in claim 1, wherein said hood is
pivotally connected to said coupling trough at a hinge extending
therebetween.
4. The solar oven recited in claim 1, further comprising a flared
light-reflective sunlight collector rhounted atop and movable with
said hood between said closed and open positions, said sunlight
collector extending above said light-transparent panel to reflect
light rays from the sun to the interior of the cooking trough by
way of said first light-transmitting panel when said hood is in
said closed position.
5. The solar oven recited in claim 1, further comprising a second
light-transparent panel extending across said hood in spaced
parallel alignment with said first light-transparent panel so as to
completely cover said cooking trough, at least one of said first
and second light-transparent panels being manufactured from an
insulating material to prevent heat generated by the rays of
sunlight from escaping from said cooking trough.
6. The solar oven recited in claim 1, further comprising a pair of
hubs projecting inwardly from opposite sides of said cooking trough
and a grill hanging from said pair of hubs, said grill adapted to
receive the food to be cooked or the liquid to be boiled.
7. The solar oven recited in claim 1, further comprising a
position-control arm connected to said cooking trough, a pushing or
pulling force applied to said position-control arm causing a
corresponding displacement of said cooking trough and said hood
connected thereto.
8. A combination comprising: a stand; and a solar oven in which to
cook food or boil a liquid by means of sunlight, said solar oven
mounted on said stand and including: a cooking trough having an
interior at which the food or liquid is placed, said cooking trough
being rotatable relative to said stand; a hood connected to said
cooking trough and movable between a closed position seated upon
said trough and an open position lifted upwardly and off said
trough so as to permit access to the interior thereof; and a
light-transparent panel located above said cooking trough and
extending completely across said hood so that rays of light emitted
from the sun are supplied to the interior of said cooking trough by
way of said light-transparent panel for providing heat to cook the
food or boil the liquid when said hood is in the closed
position.
9. The combination recited in claim 8, wherein said stand includes
a frame surrounding an open window at the top of said stand, the
cooking trough of said solar oven being removably received through
said open window and supported by said frame for rotation relative
to said stand.
10. The combination recited in claim 9, wherein said solar oven
also includes a pair of hubs extending inwardly and lying in spaced
axial alignment with one another through opposite sides of the
cooking trough, and said stand includes a coupling notch formed in
each of the opposite ends of said frame, said pair of hubs being
received by respective ones of said coupling notches so that said
hubs are rotatable within said notches.
11. The combination recited in claim 10, wherein said solar oven
also includes a grill hanging downwardly from said pair of hubs,
said grill positioned to receive the food to be cooked or the
liquid to be boiled within said cooking trough.
12. The combination recited in claim 9, wherein said solar oven
also includes a position-control arm connected to said cooking
trough, a pushing or pulling force applied to said position-control
arm causing the cooking trough of said solar oven to rotate within
the open window of the frame of said stand.
13. The combination recited in claim 8, wherein the hood of said
solar oven is pivotally connected to the cooking trough of said
oven by means of a hinge extending therebetween so that said hood
is rotatable relative to said trough between said open and closed
positions.
14. The combination recited in claim 8, wherein said solar oven
also includes a flared light-reflective sunlight collector mounted
atop and movable with the hood of said solar oven between said
closed and open positions, said sunlight collector extending above
said light-transparent panel to be moved into alignment with the
sun in response to a rotation of the cooking trough relative to the
stand depending upon the position of the sun in the sky.
15. The combination recited in claim 8, wherein the cooking trough
of said solar oven includes at least one leg projecting downwardly
thereform so as to contact the ground and thereby hold said cooking
trough in alignment with the sun when said solar oven is removed
from and used independently of said frame.
16. The combination recited in claim 15, wherein the length of said
one leg is adjustable.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a portable solar oven capable of
being transported from place to place in a stand and used at most
locations around the world by taking advantage of the sun as a
clean, readily-available and inexpensive source of fuel for
generating the heat necessary to cook food. The solar oven is
removable from or rotatable within the stand so that a sunlight
collector can be repositioned to remain in alignment with the sun
as it moves across the sky during the day.
[0003] 2. Background Art
[0004] Conventional cooking ovens of the kind commonly found in a
home are known to consume natural gas or electricity. Some outdoor
barbecues are powered by electricity, while others use different
sources of carbon-based fuel (e.g., charcoal) to generate the heat
necessary to cook food. Such cooking ovens and barbecues may not be
entirely compatible with a philosophy that promotes protecting the
environment and conserving natural resources. That is to say, at a
time when "going green" is attracting attention, the desirability
of an environmentally-friendly and economical means to cook food is
becoming increasingly important.
[0005] What is even more, electricity and natural gas are not
available in some areas of the world. The inhabitants of these
areas are typically required to use wood and wood byproducts as a
source of fuel for cooking. In the case of a large population,
trees have been cut down in order to provide the wood by which to
fuel a cooking fire. In some locations, an abundance of trees is
not available so as to supply the wood needed to maintain the
cooking fires. Thus, an alternate means to cook food is desirable
which does not necessitate the destruction or consumption of
natural resources and is powered by a clean, readily-available and
inexpensive fuel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In general terms, a portable solar oven is disclosed which
uses sunlight as a clean, readily-available and inexpensive fuel to
generate the heat necessary to cook solid foods or boil liquids.
The solar oven is carried by and transported in a stand that can be
moved into areas flooded with sunlight. The solar oven includes a
cooking trough in which the solid food or liquid is placed. A hood
is pivotally connected to the cooking trough at a hinge lying
therebetween, and a flared sunlight collector and reflector is
mounted atop the hood. The hood is rotatable at the hinge between
an open position, lifted upwardly and off the cooking trough at
which to permit access to the interior of the trough, and a closed
position seated upon the cooking trough, at which access thereto is
prevented. At least one laterally-extending light-transparent panel
is located between the hood and the flared sunlight collector so
that with the hood in the closed position, rays of sunlight emitted
by the sun can be reflected into the cooking trough via the
light-transparent panel.
[0007] A pair of hubs which are axially aligned with one another
extend inwardly through opposite sides of the cooking trough. A
grill hangs downwardly from the pair of hubs by means of a pair of
hooks which surround the hubs. A cooking vessel laid upon the grill
will be suspended within the cooking trough so that the contents
thereof can be heated within the solar oven by the rays of sunlight
which are captured by the sunlight collector and transmitted
through the transparent panel.
[0008] The stand includes pairs of legs and a rectangular frame
which extends between the pairs of legs. A utility shelf projects
outwardly from each pair of legs at the top of the stand. The solar
oven is removably received by the stand by moving the cooking
trough through an open window surrounded by the frame such that the
pair of hubs which project through the sides of the cooking trough
are dropped into respective coupling notches formed in the utility
shelves. A pushing or pulling force applied to a position-control
arm attached to the cooking trough causes the solar oven to rotate
relative to the stand. That is, the hubs projecting from the
cooking trough rotate within the coupling notches of the utility
shelves, whereby the position of the trough can be selectively
adjusted until the flared sunlight collector of the solar oven is
correspondingly moved into alignment with the sun depending upon
its particular location in the sky throughout the day.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a solar oven according to a
preferred embodiment of this invention carried by a stand and
positioned so as to receive light emitted by the sun for heating a
cooking vessel that is suspended within a cooking trough of the
oven;
[0010] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the solar oven of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a hood of the solar oven rotated to an open
position off the cooking trough to permit access to the interior of
the trough;
[0012] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the solar oven having a
plurality of grills extending across the cooking trough
thereof;
[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates the solar oven moving into removable
receipt by the stand;
[0014] FIG. 6 illustrates the solar oven after being received by
the stand so that the contents of the cooking vessel are heated by
sunlight within the cooking trough of the oven; and
[0015] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the solar oven being rotated
relative to the stand so that a sunlight collector of the oven is
correspondingly moved into alignment with the sun depending upon
the position thereof in the sky.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] A portable solar oven 1 according to a preferred embodiment
of this invention is initially described while referring
concurrently to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings. As will soon be
described, the solar oven 1 relies upon the sun as a clean,
readily-available and inexpensive source of fuel to generate the
heat necessary to cook solid food or boil liquids. Thus, the solar
oven 1 can be advantageously operated almost anywhere in the world
at any location where sunlight is present during the day. In this
same regard, the solar oven 1 can be used without consuming scarce
natural resources and requires no additional fuel so as to avoid
polluting the environment. As will also be described, the solar
oven 1 is removably received by and carried in a stand 3 (best
shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) to facilitate a convenient transport of the
oven 1 from one place to another.
[0017] The solar oven 1 includes a hollow semi-cylindrical cooking
trough 5 that is preferably manufactured from a refractory
material. The dimensions of the cooking trough 5 may vary depending
upon the food or liquid to be heated therewithin. A pair of
cylindrical hubs 7 (best shown in FIG. 2) project through opposite
sides and inwardly of the cooking trough 5. As will be described in
greater detail hereinafter, the cooking trough 5 is adapted to be
removed from or rotated within the stand 3 in which it is carried.
To this end, a position-control arm 9 (also best shown in FIG. 2)
is attached to and manually accessible at a side of the cooking
trough 5. A pushing or pulling force applied to the
position-control arm 9 will impart a corresponding rotation to the
cooking trough 5 for a purpose that will be described while
referring to FIGS. 7 and 8. A hollow leg 10 projects downwardly
from the bottom near the rear of the cooking trough 5. A set of
bumps or stops 11 (best shown in FIG. 1) may be formed at the
bottom near the front of the cooking trough 5. In the case where
the solar oven 1 is removed from and used independently of its
stand 3, the leg 10 and stops 11 support the cooking trough 5 on
the ground and prevent a displacement thereof should the ground be
sloped. To this same end, a leg extension 10-1 can be slidably
received and locked within the hollow leg 10 in order to increase
the length of the leg 10 and adjust the alignment of the cooking
trough 5 with respect to the position of the sun.
[0018] A cylindrical coupling barrel 12 runs longitudinally along
the top of one side wall of the cooking trough 5. A pivot pin 14
(of FIG. 2) runs along the rear of a hood 16. With the pivot pin 14
moved inwardly through the coupling barrel 12 to create a hinge,
the hood 16 is rotatable relative to the trough 5 between an open
position, raised upwardly and off the cooking trough 5 (best shown
in FIG. 3) at which to allow a user to gain access to the interior
thereof, to a closed position, moved downwardly and seated upon the
cooking trough 5 (best shown in FIG. 1) at which to cover the
trough and separate the interior thereof from the user. The barrel
12 and the pivot pin 14 may also be located on the opposite side of
the oven 1. Like the cooking trough 5, the hood 16 of solar oven 1
is preferably manufactured from a refractory material. Each of the
cooking trough 5 and the hood 16 of the solar oven 1 are preferably
covered with a layer of light-absorbing (e.g., enamel) material to
maximize the heat generated within the oven for cooking
purposes.
[0019] A handle 18 is manually accessible at the front of the hood
16. A lifting force applied by the user to the handle 18 will cause
the hood 16 to rotate from the closed position of FIG. 1 to the
open position of FIG. 3 so that solid food or liquid can be located
in or removed from the cooking trough 5 of the solar oven 1.
[0020] Projecting upwardly from the top of the hood 16 is a
metallic sunlight collector and reflector 20 that ideally flares
outwardly for alignment with the sun. A first light-transparent
panel 22 extends laterally across the hood 16 so as to lie between
the cooking trough 5 and the sunlight collector and reflector 20
when the hood is in the closed position. A second light-transparent
panel 24 also extends laterally across the hood 16 so as to lie
above and in spaced parallel alignment with the first panel 22. By
way of a preferred embodiment, the first transparent panel 22 is
manufactured from an insulating (e.g., plastic) material that is
adapted to withstand high temperatures, and the second transparent
panel is manufactured from glass. As is best represented in FIG. 1,
rays of sunlight emitted from the sun which are directed towards
the sunlight collector 20 are reflected through the
light-transparent panels 22 and 24 for receipt by the cooking
trough 5 of oven 1. With the hood 16 rotated to the closed
position, the pair of light-transparent panels 22 and 24 seal the
cooking trough 5 and prevent the escape of heat therefrom.
[0021] The earlier-described hubs 7 which project inwardly through
the sides of the cooking trough 5 are axially aligned to establish
a support from which a grill 28 or the like can be suspended. A
pair of upstanding hooks 30 are attached to respective opposite
ends of the grill 28. The hooks 30 are sized to freely surround and
hang downwardly from the hubs 7 such that the grill 28 will be
positioned within the cooking trough 5 of the solar oven 1 below
the light-transparent panels 22 and 24. By virtue of the foregoing,
a cooking vessel 32 containing a solid food or a liquid can be laid
upon the grill 28 to be cooked or heated by means of the sunlight
captured by flared sunlight collector 20 located atop the hood
16.
[0022] As is best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, a set of (e.g.,
four) grill supports seats 34 project inwardly from each side wall
of the cooking trough 5 of oven 1. The grill support seats 34 from
each set thereof are spaced one above the other along the inside
wall of the trough 5 so as to lie in opposing axial alignment. It
may be that a relatively wide grill or a plurality of grills are
desirable for use within the oven 1 at the same time in place of
the single relatively narrow grill 28 shown hanging from the rod 26
in FIGS. 1 and 3. In this case, one or more grills (e.g.,
designated 36-1 and 36-2 in FIG. 4) are placed upon and extend
between any pair of the grill support seats 34 which project
inwardly from opposite sides of the trough 5. Thus, the grills 36-1
and 36-2 can support correspondingly larger cooking vessels
compared with the cooking vessel 28 that is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.
Moreover, a number of different grills 36-1 and 36-2 can be used to
support a corresponding number of cooking vessels.
[0023] As is also best shown in FIG. 4, an optional thermostat 17
communicates with the interior of the solar oven 1 (e.g., through
the hood 16) so as to provide the user with an indication of the
cooking temperature therewithin.
[0024] Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the solar oven
1 is shown being removably received by its stand 3. That is, the
solar oven 1 can be shipped, stored and used independently of the
stand 3. The stand 3 includes a set of vertical legs 40. At least
some (e.g., two) of the legs 40 are connected at first ends thereof
to wheels 42 to enable the stand 3 of the solar oven 1 to be rolled
to a location at which sunlight is plentiful. The opposite ends of
the legs 40 terminate at a pair of utility shelves 44 located at
opposite sides of the stand 3. The utility shelves 44 may be used
for a variety of purposes such as, for example, to provide a
surface on which to place food to be cooked, cooking vessels,
cooking utensils, plates, etc. The stand 3 may also include a
storage shelf 46 connected to each of the legs 40 below the utility
shelves 44.
[0025] Located between and below the utility shelves 44 of the
stand 3 is a (e.g., rectangular) frame 48. The frame 48 surrounds
an open window 50 near the top of the stand 3. The window 50 is
sized to receive therethrough the cooking trough 5 of the solar
oven 1. An arcuate coupling notch 52 is formed in each of the
utility shelves 44 above opposite sides of the frame 48. The
coupling notches 52 are axially aligned and sized to removably
receive respective ones of the cylindrical hubs 7 which project
through the opposite sides of the cooking trough 5 of oven 1. When
the cooking trough 5 is moved through window 50 inside the frame 48
of stand 3, the hubs 7 of the trough 5 will automatically drop into
the coupling notches 52 formed in the utility shelves 44 of the
stand, by which to permit the position of the solar oven 1 to be
selectively adjusted with respect to the position of the sun in the
sky.
[0026] Referring in this regard to FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings,
the solar oven 1 is shown rotated within the stand 3 so that the
flared sunlight collector 20 atop the hood 16 of oven 1 is aimed
towards the sun to receive rays of light through the
light-transparent panels 22 and 24 in order to supply the heat
necessary for cooking the solid food or liquid within the cooking
vessel 32 that is laid upon the grill 28 which is suspended from
the hubs 7. More particularly, a pulling or pushing force is
applied by the user to the position-control arm 9 (of FIG. 6) at
one side of the cooking trough 5 of oven 1. The pulling or pushing
force is transferred from arm 9 to the trough 5, whereby to cause
the trough to rotate within the window 50 (of FIG. 5) of the stand
3. That is, the pushing or pulling force applied to the
position-control arm 9 causes the cylindrical hubs 7 at opposite
sides of trough 5 to rotate within the coupling notches 52 (of FIG.
6) formed in the utility shelves 44 of the stand 3 in which the
hubs 7 are removably received. Accordingly, the cooking trough 5,
the hood 16 and the sunlight collector 20 will all rotate together
relative to stand 3 without having to move the stand as the
position of the sun changes.
[0027] Once the sunlight collector and reflector 20 has been
rotated into axial alignment with the sun, the force applied to the
position-control arm 9 is terminated. It may, however, be necessary
to reposition the sunlight collector 20 from time to time as the
sun moves across the sky during the day. Because the grill 28 hangs
downwardly within the trough 5 by way of the hooks 30 which
surround the hubs 7, the grill 28 will not rotate with the trough,
but will remain suspended under the influence of gravity in
parallel alignment with the ground. Thus, the position of the
cooking vessel 32 seated upon the grill 28 will not tip, slide or
spill its contents during the heating/cooking process.
* * * * *