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Solar cooking systemSolar cooking system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20090165781, Solar cooking system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to a system for heating objects and, particularly, to an easily transportable solar cooking system having a plurality of reflective elements that may be individually placed adjacent to an object to be heated and manually adjusted so as to reflect focused rays of sunlight onto the object. 2. Description of the Related Art Solar cooking systems are well known in the prior art. It is often desirable to utilize solar cooking systems by persons who cannot or who prefer not to utilize cooking systems powered by electricity, fossil fuels, or other energy sources. By harnessing the sun\'s rays, solar cooking systems allow for an inexpensive and nonpolluting means for cooking and heating substances such as food or liquids. The prior art is replete with various solar cooking system configurations. Many such prior art solar cooking systems are configured to utilize reflectors having a parabolic or spherical dish form that reflect sunlight to a focal point located on, or directly adjacent to, a cooking container. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,770,229 to Tarcici (the “Tarcici \'229 patent”) discloses a solar cooker having a parabolic reflector. The Tarcici \'229 patent teaches that a support rod may be connected to the reflector such that the support rod extends outward along the reflector\'s principal axis to support a cooking container located adjacent to the reflector\'s focal point and thus, allowing for a focused reflection of light onto the cooking container. Rather than using a single reflective structure, other solar cooking systems found in the prior art teach the use of a plurality of mirrors that are all affixed to a structure such as a frame. The mirrors of some such prior art systems have been pivotally attached to the frame allowing the user of the system to independently position the angle of each mirror. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 681,095 to Baker (the “Baker \'095 patent”) teaches the use of a plurality of mirrors pivotally mounted on a standard. The angle of the mirrors of the Baker \'095 patent may be adjusted to optimally direct light on a cooking oven. Given that sunlight is required to utilize any solar cooking system, most solar cooking systems are used in locations having unobstructed views of the sky such as locations with few trees or other obstructions that would block the sun\'s rays. However, in some locations such as forests, it is difficult or impossible to locate areas that allow for unobstructed views of the sky. In such locations, it may not be possible to adequately utilize the solar cooking systems found in the prior art as the amount of light that is reflected off of the system\'s reflective surface or surfaces may not provide sufficient heat with which to cook. For example, in a forest where only a small amount of the sun\'s rays penetrate the forest\'s canopy, a parabolic reflector or array of mirrors on a frame, may be placed under the canopy and yet only reflect an insufficient amount of light onto a cooking vessel. As will be recognized by those with ordinary skill in the art, the size of the reflectors or mirror arrays of prior art solar cooking systems would be required to be impractically large to reflect an adequate amount of light onto an object for cooking purposes. Therefore, a need exists for a solar cooking system that is capable of efficiently utilizing available sunlight in locations having obstructed views of the sky. Solar cooking systems are also often used by persons who must transport the system to the location where it will be used. For example, persons on camping trips often transport a solar cooking system to a campsite for use. The difficulty with which the prior art solar cooking systems may be transported is a significant drawback for persons who must transport a system before and/or after its use. It is difficult or impractical to transport large nodular reflective structures or mirror arrays, particularly by persons who must transport the systems without the use of motorized vehicles such as is often the case for those who camp long distances from roads or who do not own a motorized vehicle. Therefore, a need exists for a solar cooking system that is easily transportable. Accordingly, there is provided herein, an easily transportable solar cooking system that, in its preferred embodiments, is capable of effectively utilizing available sunlight in locations having obstructed views of the sky. In one aspect of the invention, a solar cooking system having a plurality of reflective elements, such as mirrors, may be placed adjacent to an object to be heated for the purposes of reflecting sunlight onto the object. Each reflective element is attached to and supported by a support member, such as rod, that may be placed at any location adjacent to the object to be heated by inserting one end of the support member into the soil. A user may independently place each support member and attached reflective element in any place where sunlight is not obstructed and can be adequately directed to the object to be heated. In another aspect of the invention, each reflective element is pivotally attached to the support member in any manner that will permit the angle of the principal axis of the reflective element to be adjusted with respect to the support member. The reflective element may be adjusted by the user to sufficiently direct the light from the sun onto the object that is to be heated. In yet another aspect of the invention, the reflective elements are concave mirrors having different focal lengths. Depending on the distance between the position of the object to be heated and the position at which sunlight penetrates to the level of the reflective element, a particular reflective element to be utilized in cooking an object may be chosen with respect to the focal length of the reflective element. For example, if the invention is being utilized to heat an object under a forest canopy and sunlight penetrates approximately thirty centimeters from the object to be heated, a reflective element having an approximate focal length of thirty centimeters may be chosen from a plurality of reflective elements having different focal lengths, and placed approximately thirty centimeters from the object. The angle of the reflective element may then be further adjusted by the user to obtain an optimum reflection of sunlight onto the object to be heated. A more complete understanding of the solar cooking system of the present invention nay be had by reference to the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Continue reading about Solar cooking system... Full patent description for Solar cooking system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Solar cooking system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Solar cooking system or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Thermal electric power generation system, heating medium supply system, and temperature fluctuation suppressing device Next Patent Application: Electromagnetic radiation collection device Industry Class: Stoves and furnaces ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Solar cooking system patent info. 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