GB2286040A - A portable heating device - Google Patents

A portable heating device Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2286040A
GB2286040A GB9401782A GB9401782A GB2286040A GB 2286040 A GB2286040 A GB 2286040A GB 9401782 A GB9401782 A GB 9401782A GB 9401782 A GB9401782 A GB 9401782A GB 2286040 A GB2286040 A GB 2286040A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
reflector
container
support
base layer
heating device
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB9401782A
Other versions
GB9401782D0 (en
GB2286040B (en
Inventor
Valentina Neufille
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB9401782A priority Critical patent/GB2286040B/en
Publication of GB9401782D0 publication Critical patent/GB9401782D0/en
Publication of GB2286040A publication Critical patent/GB2286040A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2286040B publication Critical patent/GB2286040B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S23/00—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
    • F24S23/70—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors
    • F24S23/81—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors flexible
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S20/00—Solar heat collectors specially adapted for particular uses or environments
    • F24S20/30—Solar heat collectors for heating objects, e.g. solar cookers or solar furnaces
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S23/00—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
    • F24S23/70—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors
    • F24S23/82—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors characterised by the material or the construction of the reflector
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
    • F24S50/00—Arrangements for controlling solar heat collectors
    • F24S50/20—Arrangements for controlling solar heat collectors for tracking
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A40/00—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
    • Y02A40/90—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in food processing or handling, e.g. food conservation
    • Y02A40/924—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in food processing or handling, e.g. food conservation using renewable energies
    • Y02A40/926—Cooking stoves or furnaces using solar heat
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B40/00—Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
    • Y02B40/18—Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers using renewables, e.g. solar cooking stoves, furnaces or solar heating
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/40—Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
    • Y02E10/47—Mountings or tracking

Abstract

A collapsible, portable heater has a reflector 2 focusing solar energy, e.g. to cook food in container 8 or to heat water, e.g. for a swimming pool. The reflector may be collapsed about fold lines, and the tubular support 7 may fold. The reflector may be of aluminium, and may be electroplated on a base layer of plastics or paper. The support may allow the repositioning of the reflector and the container. <IMAGE>

Description

A PORTABLE HEATING DEVICE The invention relates to a portable heating device and more particularly to a portable heating device for use in the open air and which can be easily transported, as for example when camping.
In the past, a large number of transportable heating devices have been devised, employing various heat producing strategies. Such devices have all suffered from the major disadvantage that their portability is restricted because of the need to transport heavy and bulky fuel containers. Examples of such devices are those employing butane and other gases which require the use of potentially hazardous pressurised gases, a further example being stoves which burn paraffin, which employ complicated and unreliable lighting procedures and require large amounts of paraffin to be transported.
It is an object of the present invention to seek to mitigate disadvantages such as these.
Thus according to the present invention there is provided a portable heating device, comprising a reflector operable to provide a heat source by focusing solar energy, the device being collapsible to facilitate transportation and storage.
It is preferred that the reflector comprises a concave surface, and that it comprises fold lines through which it may be collapsed.
It is further preferred that the reflector is supported on a base layer, and that the base layer may comprise a plastics material or a paper material.
The reflector itself may comprise aluminium, and may conveniently be formed by electrostatic plating.
The device may include a support, which may comprise a tubular frame, and may preferably be formed from a plastics material.
The device may further include a container for a substance to be heated, and it is preferred that the container comprises a heat transmitting material to allow heat to reach its contents. It is further preferred that the container comprises a closure and that the container may be supported by a support means, which may conveniently be integral with the device support already mentioned.
In order to allow a measure of control over cooking times it is desirable that the distance between the reflector and the container may be variable, so that the container may be moved from the hottest area if cooking proceeds too quickly.
It is also desirable that the device includes adjustment means to enable the position of the reflector to be adjusted in relation to the position of the sun.
A portable heating device embodving the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a reflector for use in a device according to the invention; and Fig. 3 shows a section through a reflector for use in the invention.
Referring to the drawings there is shown a portable heating device 1, comprising a reflector 2, operable to provide a heat source by focusing solar energy, the device 1 being collapsible to facilitate transportation and storage.
As can be seen from Fig. 1 the reflector 2 may take the form of a bowl or dish having an inner (in use) concave surface 3. The reflector 2 may be formed from a material such as a metal foil having a reflective surface, or alternatively a reflective layer 4 may be applied to a base layer 5 as can be seen from Fig. 3.
As it is intended that the device is easily transportable, it will be apparent that the material or materials from which the reflector 2 is constructed are of relatively light weight i.e. so that the device may be carried easily by an average person with little effort. Where the reflector is constructed from material having a reflective surface, an example of a suitable material would be a metal foil having sufficient thickness to sustain the bowl shape. When it is desired to make the reflector 2 with a reflective layer 4 and base layer 5, the base layer could be for example a plastics material, or a cardboard, and the reflective layer 4 could be for example an aluminium overlay. The reflective layer 4 could for example be applied to the base layer by electrostatic plating.
It will be apparent that the amount of heat produced by the reflector 2 will vary in proportion to the intensity of the incident solar energy, and also on the ability of the reflector 2 to concentrate the reflected energy. For example it has been found that a reflector 2 with a diameter of 123cm is capable of producing sufficient heat to cook an average sized chicken in about one hour. In order to facilitate transport and storage of a reflector of this size, the reflector is preferably constructed from a material which can be creased in order to be folded. This can be accomplished by folding the reflector in half, and collapsing one half against the inside surface of the other half, and then folding the flattened semi-circle so formed in half again to form a wedge shaped quadrant.
In this form the reflector 2 can easily be stored and transported in for example a rucksack or bag.
It preferred that the reflector 2 is supported by support means 6, which may take the form of a series of hollow plastic or light alloy tubes 7 which may be fitted together to form a frame as shown in Fig. 1, upon which the reflector 2 rests.
The construction and use of tubular members suitable in the construction of the support means is well known. The particular design of the support may vary from that shown in the Figure, the important design considerations being that when disassembled the support is light and compact.
The device mav further be provided with a container 8 in which substances to be heated can be placed. The container 8 is preferably constructed from a material which is lightweight, and which transmits heat easily. In the particular embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the container 8 is shown depending from container support means 9 at a position where the heat from the reflector 2 is greatest. It is desirable that the container support means 9 is provided with means to enable the container to be moved into and out of the warmest area to provide some degree of control over the heating. Any suitable means could be employed for this, for example in the embodiment of Fig. 1 the container support means 9 could be provided with hooks at their distal ends, enabling the container 8 to be moved horizontally towards or away from the reflector 2, along the horizontal bar of the support 6.
In use, the device is transported to a desired location, and the support means 6 is assembled. The reflector 2 is unfolded and mounted on the support. The device is positioned with the concave face of the reflector facing the sun. While the device is in use, it may be moved in order to remain facing the sun.
Alternatively, means may be provided, for example on the support means 6 to allow the reflector 2 to be repositioned, without having to move the whole structure.
It will be apparent that this device by virtue of its versatility has a large number of applications, including as a cooking device for use in wild and uninhabited regions and where it is of utmost importance to travel light. The device may also be used to heat water for example for use in heating water in swimming pools etc.

Claims (19)

1. A portable heating device comprising a reflector operable to provide a heat source by focusing solar energy, the device being collapsible to facilitate transportation and storage.
2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the reflector comprises a concave surface.
3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the reflector comprises fold lines about which it may be collapsed.
4. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the reflector is supported on a base layer.
5. A device according to Claim 4, wherein said base layer comprises a plastics material.
6. A device according to Claim 4, wherein said base layer comprises a paper material.
7. A device according to any preceding Claim, wherein the reflector comprises aluminium.
8. A device according to any one of Claims 4 to 7, wherein the reflector is formed by electrostatic plating.
9. A device according to any preceding claim, including a support.
10. A device according to Claim 9, wherein said support comprises a tubular frame.
11. A device according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein said support comprises a plastics material.
12. A device according to any preceding claim, including a container for a substance to be heated.
13. A device according to Claim 12, wherein said container comprises a heat transmitting material.
14. A device according to Claim 13, wherein said container comprises a closure.
15. A device according to any of Claims 12 to 14, wherein the distance between the reflector and the container is variable.
16. A device according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein said container is supported by a support means.
17. A device according to claim 16, wherein said container support means is integral with said device support.
18. A device according to any preceding claim, including adjustment means to enable the position of the reflector to be adjusted in relation to the position of the sun.
19. A heating device, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB9401782A 1994-01-31 1994-01-31 A portable heating device Expired - Fee Related GB2286040B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9401782A GB2286040B (en) 1994-01-31 1994-01-31 A portable heating device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9401782A GB2286040B (en) 1994-01-31 1994-01-31 A portable heating device

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9401782D0 GB9401782D0 (en) 1994-03-23
GB2286040A true GB2286040A (en) 1995-08-02
GB2286040B GB2286040B (en) 1998-09-16

Family

ID=10749590

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9401782A Expired - Fee Related GB2286040B (en) 1994-01-31 1994-01-31 A portable heating device

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2286040B (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2128264A1 (en) * 1997-06-04 1999-05-01 Univ Madrid Politecnica Foldable, dismantleable solar reflector for heating food products
GB2341675A (en) * 1998-09-21 2000-03-22 Dominic Michaelis Solar collector and cooker

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB801751A (en) * 1955-08-01 1958-09-17 George Oscar Gage Loef Solar cooker
GB1182601A (en) * 1966-02-23 1970-02-25 Austin Knivett An improvement in or relating to Solar Heating Appliances
GB1319773A (en) * 1969-06-24 1973-06-06 Hill G F Means for enhancing the effect of sunlight and for protection against cold
GB1330092A (en) * 1970-08-21 1973-09-12 Tarcici A Solar heating device
US4262660A (en) * 1979-08-02 1981-04-21 Ilich Daniel F Solar cooker
US4583521A (en) * 1985-04-17 1986-04-22 Ciambella Bart C Portable solar cooking apparatus
GB2264790A (en) * 1992-03-06 1993-09-08 Ecovision Limited Refelector dish for solar cooker

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3906927A (en) * 1973-10-19 1975-09-23 Harry W Caplan Solar-thermal power system employing adjustable curvature reflective panels and method of adjusting reflective panel curvature
US3959056A (en) * 1973-10-19 1976-05-25 Caplan Harry W Lightweight reflective panels for solar-thermal power plants and methods of forming such panels
BE824099A (en) * 1975-01-03 1975-05-02 HEAT REFLECTOR SAVING AND DISTRIBUTING THE HEAT EMITTED BY A HEATING APPLIANCE OR AN ELEMENT OF A HEATING APPLIANCE
US4343533A (en) * 1980-12-31 1982-08-10 Dow Corning Corporation Solar radiation reflector with a cellulosic substrate and method of making
US4833571A (en) * 1988-02-16 1989-05-23 Vladimir Granovksy Folding solar reflector panel and assembly

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB801751A (en) * 1955-08-01 1958-09-17 George Oscar Gage Loef Solar cooker
GB1182601A (en) * 1966-02-23 1970-02-25 Austin Knivett An improvement in or relating to Solar Heating Appliances
GB1319773A (en) * 1969-06-24 1973-06-06 Hill G F Means for enhancing the effect of sunlight and for protection against cold
GB1330092A (en) * 1970-08-21 1973-09-12 Tarcici A Solar heating device
US4262660A (en) * 1979-08-02 1981-04-21 Ilich Daniel F Solar cooker
US4583521A (en) * 1985-04-17 1986-04-22 Ciambella Bart C Portable solar cooking apparatus
GB2264790A (en) * 1992-03-06 1993-09-08 Ecovision Limited Refelector dish for solar cooker

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2128264A1 (en) * 1997-06-04 1999-05-01 Univ Madrid Politecnica Foldable, dismantleable solar reflector for heating food products
GB2341675A (en) * 1998-09-21 2000-03-22 Dominic Michaelis Solar collector and cooker
GB2341675B (en) * 1998-09-21 2001-05-09 Dominic Michaelis Solar collector and cooker

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9401782D0 (en) 1994-03-23
GB2286040B (en) 1998-09-16

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19981216