Abstract:
A collapsible reflector oven to be used for cooking in front of an open fire, such as a campfire, constructed of various panels having reflective inside surfaces and a food holder constructed of a non-reflecting, energy-absorbing material. The reflective surfaces of the panels direct heat energy from the fire into the food holder which absorbs the energy, becoming sufficiently hot to properly cook the food placed therein using the same recipes and cooking times as would be used in a conventional kitchen oven. The reflector oven may be collapsed for storage and unfolded for use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field  
           [0002]    The invention relates generally to reflector ovens used for cooking food in front of an open fire such as a campfire, and more particularly to an improved collapsible reflector oven designed to be light weight and easily portable and suitable to effectively cook food using the same recipes and cooking times as would be used in a conventional kitchen oven.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Prior Art  
           [0004]    Collapsible reflector ovens are well known in the industry. Several devices employing the basic concept of reflecting the heat energy of an open fire onto food in order to cook the food have been developed, with many of them having the added property of being collapsible for easy storage and portability. These devices are especially attractive to persons enjoying the outdoors where they will be away from conventional cooking means, such as campers, hunters, backpackers, and the like. Examples of collapsible reflector ovens are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 216,003 (Watson), 240,639 (Austin), 449,432 (Watson), 548,499 (Ashmore), 1,216,008 (Stonebridge), 2,520,030 (Cliff), 2,543,115 (Lindstaedt), 2,580,925 (Jarvis), 2,757,664 (McDowell), 2,921,577 (Smith), 3,026,866 (Lynch), and 5,983,887 (Bourgeois), the disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
           [0005]    Previous reflector ovens have suffered from various problems, of which each of the successive inventions previously identified attempted to correct. However, the one problem that has never been adequately solved by the prior art is the actual cooking effectiveness of reflector ovens. The reflector ovens represented by the prior art fail to effectively cook food using the same recipes and cooking times as would be used in a conventional kitchen oven. This is largely due to the prior art reflector ovens failing to generate adequate heat and distributing the heat evenly to the food to be cooked. Many of the prior art reflector ovens were configured such that the rear of the ovens terminated in a vertex well behind the location of the food and distant from the energy source, causing much of the reflected energy from the fire to be lost in the rear of the oven. See, e.g., Watson, Austin, Watson, Stonebridge, Cliff, Lindstaedt, Jarvis, McDowell, and Smith. The invention disclosed herein reduces this inefficiency by the oven having a rear panel oriented vertically directly behind the food, thereby directing energy onto the food and the food holder. In addition, many of the prior art reflector ovens made use of shelves to hold the food, which shelves were made of the same reflecting material as the sides of the ovens. See, e.g., Stonebridge, Lindstaedt, McDowell, Smith, Lynch, and Bourgeois. These food-supporting shelves reflect energy away from the bottom of the food to be cooked, resulting in lower overall heating of the food and uneven cooking. Finally, none of the prior art reflector ovens teach the use of a container to hold the food which is constructed of a non-reflecting, energy-absorbing material. The disclosed invention makes use of a food holder constructed of a non-reflecting, energy-absorbing material, which minimizes the wasteful reflection of energy away from the food, and more importantly becomes very hot by absorbing the energy directed therein by the reflective surfaces of the oven. So constructed, the food holder may attain temperatures as much as three times hotter than the air temperature within the oven, achieving temperatures similar to those found in a conventional kitchen oven.  
           [0006]    It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved reflector oven which retains the ease of use and portability of the prior art but improves upon the quality of the cooking function such that the user may cook foods in front of an open fire using the same recipes and cooking times as would be used in a conventional kitchen oven.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0007]    In one aspect, the invention is directed to a collapsible reflector oven to be used for cooking in front of an open fire, such as a campfire. The oven comprises a top panel, a bottom panel, a rear panel, a left side panel, a right side panel, and a food holder, whereby the top, bottom, rear, left side, and right side panels are constructed of a metallic material in which at least the inside surface of each panel is reflective, and the food holder is constructed of a non-reflecting, energy-absorbing material. The reflective surfaces of the panels direct heat energy from the fire into the food holder which absorbs the energy, becoming sufficiently hot to cook the food placed therein. The invention permits use of the same recipes and cooking times as would be used in a conventional kitchen oven.  
           [0008]    This aspect may include one or more of the following features: the top and bottom panels are generally rectangular in shape, wider than deep, and of substantially identical dimensions; the rear panel is generally rectangular in shape, substantially the same width as the top and bottom panels but of lesser height; and the left and right side panels are generally trapezoidal in shape, with the front edges of greater height than the rear edges, and of substantially identical dimensions. The five panels are connected to each other along adjacent edges by hinge means, permitting the oven to be folded and unfolded, and the top panel is detachably attached to the two side panels by connection means. The food holder is comprised of a removable container created of a non-reflecting, energy-absorbing material, and two brackets attached to the inner surfaces of the two side panels which support the container in a generally horizontal orientation. The oven may include a handle attached to the top panel for moving the oven while it is in use, for example to regulate the cooking temperature, and may include a support foot attached to the bottom panel to hold the oven in a generally upright position while it is in use.  
           [0009]    Other features and advantages of the invention are described below.  
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of the reflector oven in the fully opened position, showing the interior of the oven and the food holder.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the hinge means connecting two panels.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a left side perspective view of the reflector oven, showing the handle and support foot and the reflector oven&#39;s orientation to a fire.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the reflector oven in a partially collapsed position.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of one embodiment of a reflector oven  1  as it is intended to be used in the fully opened position. The basic components of the reflector oven  1  include a top panel  2 , a bottom panel  3 , a rear panel  4 , a left side panel  5 , a right side panel  6 , and a food holder  7 . The panels are held together by a first connection means  28 , a second connection means  29 , and hinge means  30 . The panels  2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6  constituting the reflector oven  1  are constructed of a metallic material in which at least the inside surface of each panel is reflective of the heat energy generated by an open fire  57 . In one embodiment the panels are made of tinned sheet steel. The food holder  7  must include a container  42  constructed of a non-reflecting, energy-absorbing material. In one embodiment the container is a pan  43  made of blackened steel. The reflector oven  1  is used by placing the food  58  to be cooked in the container  42 , placing the container  42  into the reflector oven  1 , and placing the reflector oven  1  with its open front oriented towards an open fire  57 , such as a camp fire. The heat energy of the open fire  57  is reflected by the panels  2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6  of the reflector oven  1  and directed towards the food  58  and the container  42 . The container  42  absorbs the energy from the fire  57  and becomes much hotter than the air temperature within the reflector oven  1 , thereby efficiently cooking the food  58  placed therein. The temperature of the reflector oven  1  is regulated by moving it closer or further from the fire  57 . The food cooking properties of the reflector oven  1  are enhanced over the prior art by the use of the non-reflecting, energy-absorbing food holder  7 , which allows for quicker, more even cooking of the food  58 , thus permitting the use of recipes and cooking times devised for food preparation using conventional kitchen ovens.  
         [0015]    The shapes of the panels  2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6  enhance the food cooking properties of the reflector oven  1 . The top  2 , rear  4 , and bottom  3  panels are generally rectangular in shape, with a greater width side to side than depth front to back. This permits the reflector oven  1  to present a wider profile to the fire  57 , allowing more of the energy of the fire  57  to be directed into the food holder  7 . The left side panel  5  and right side panel  6  are generally trapezoidal in shape, with their rear edges  21 , 25  shorter then their front edges  20 , 24  and their top and bottom edges  23 , 23 , 26 , 27  substantially equal in length. The top panel  2  and bottom panel  3  are substantially of the same dimensions, and the left side panel  5  and the right side panel  6  are substantially of the same dimensions, thereby creating a generally symmetrical space within the reflector oven  1  above and below the food holder  7  to enhance the even heating and cooking of the food  58 . The rear panel  4  presents a flat surface generally perpendicular to the food holder  7 , allowing energy from the fire  57  to be better directed into the food holder  7  and not lost in the rear of the reflector oven  1 . In one embodiment the top panel  2  is oriented at an angle approximately thirty degrees above the horizontal ascending from the back of the reflector oven  1  to the front, and the bottom panel  3  is oriented at an angle approximately thirty degrees below the horizontal descending from the back of the reflector oven  1  to the front. Other embodiments may orient the top panel  2  and bottom panel  3  at angles slightly greater or lesser than thirty degrees without compromising the effectiveness of the reflector oven  1 .  
         [0016]    The reflector oven  1  is constructed with most of its component parts permanently connected to each other to facilitate ease of set up and collapse. The five panels  2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6  are permanently connected to each other along common edges by hinge means  30 , and the left side panel  5  is detachably attached to the top panel  2  by a first connection means  28  and the right side panel  6  is detachably attached to the top panel  2  by a second connection means  29 . The five panels  2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6  so connected and attached form a five sided reflector oven  1 . The specific connections points are as follows: the top panel  2  is connected to the rear panel  4  by a hinge means  30  connecting the rear edge  9  of the top panel  2  to the top edge  16  of the rear panel  4 ; the rear panel  4  is connected to the bottom panel  3  by a hinge means  30  connecting the bottom edge  17  of the rear panel  4  to the rear edge  13  of the bottom panel  3 ; the left side panel  5  is connected to the bottom panel  3  by a hinge means  30  connecting the bottom edge  23  of left side panel  5  to the left edge  14  of bottom panel  3 ; and the right side panel  6  is connected to the bottom panel  3  by a hinge means  30  connecting the bottom edge  27  of right side panel  6  to the right edge  15  of bottom panel  3 . With the five panels  2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6  so connected by hinge means  30 , they may be positioned to lie flat in an upside down “T” shape, with the top panel  2 , rear panel  4 , and bottom panel  3  forming one axis of the “T” and the left side panel  5 , the bottom panel  3 , and the right side panel  6  forming the other axis of the “T”.  
         [0017]    The reflector oven  1  is readied for use by unfolding the five panels  2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6  into the flat “T” position described above. The left side panel  5  and the right side panel  6  are then positioned generally perpendicular to the bottom panel  3 , the rear panel  4  is positioned such that the left edge  18  of the rear panel  4  is adjacent to the rear edge  21  of the left side panel  5  and the right edge  19  of the rear panel  4  is adjacent to the rear edge  25  of the right side panel  6 . Finally, the top panel  2  is positioned such that the left edge  10  of the top panel  2  is adjacent to the top edge  22  of the left side panel  5  allowing the top panel  2  to be attached to the left side panel  5  by the first connection means  28 , and the right edge  11  of the top panel  2  is adjacent to the top edge  26  of the right side panel  6  allowing the top panel  2  to be attached to the right side panel  6  by the second connection means  29 . Once the outer structure of the reflector oven  1  is assembled, the container  42  is placed into the reflector oven  1 .  
         [0018]    The reflector oven  1  is readied for storage by first removing the container  42  from the reflector oven  1 , detaching the first connection means  28  and the second connection means  29 , unfolding the five panels  2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6  into the flat “T” position described above, and then folding the left side panel  5  and the right side panel  6  onto the bottom panel  3  and folding the top panel  2  onto both the rear panel  4  and the bottom panel  3 . FIG. 4 shows the reflector oven  1  partially collapsed and indicated how the panels  2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6  are to be folded. As so folded, the reflector oven  1  may be placed into a bag for storage  59 , along with the container  42  and the removable components (if any) of the first and second connection means  28 , 29 .  
         [0019]    In one embodiment, the first connection means is formed into the left edge  10  of the top panel  2  and the top edge  22  of the left side panel  5 . One or more flanges  31  extend from the left edge  10  of the top panel  2  and are curved back towards the left edge  10  of the top panel  2 , forming a like number of cylindrical sleeves  32 . Similarly, one or more flanges  31  extend from the top edge  22  of the left side panel  5  and are curved back towards the top edge  22  of the left side panel  5 , forming a like number of cylindrical sleeves  32 . Each cylindrical sleeve  32  is open at either end and has a uniform inside diameter. The internal axis of each cylindrical sleeve  32  is substantially aligned along the edge of the panel on which it is situated. The cylindrical sleeves  32  are situated along the left edge  10  of the top panel  2  and along the top edge  22  of the left side panel  5  in an alternating manner such that when the left edge  10  of the top panel  2  is positioned adjacent to and aligned with the top edge  22  of the left side panel  5 , the individual cylindrical sleeves  32  align with each other end to end forming a continuous cylindrical aperture. A first connection pin  33  is then inserted into the cylindrical sleeves  32 , thereby retaining the top panel  2  firmly in connection with the left side panel  5 . The first connection pin  33  has a generally straight shaft  34  and has a shaped end  35 . The length of the shaft  34  is just slightly longer than the length of the left edge  10  of the top panel  2  and the diameter of the shaft  34  is just slightly less than the inside diameter of the cylindrical sleeves  32 . The shaped end  35  of the first connection pin  33  may be of any suitable shape, such that it stops the shaped end  35  of the first connection pin  33  from completely passing through the cylindrical sleeves  32 . In one embodiment, the first connection pin  33  has a shaped end  35  in the shape of an eye-hook, facilitating easy grasping, and its opposite end is tapered  36 , facilitating insertion of the first connection pin  33  into the cylindrical sleeves  32 . The second connection means  29  is substantially identical to the first connection means  28 , except that it is formed into the right edge  11  of the top panel  2  and the top edge  26  of the right side panel  6 . Other embodiments of the first and second connection means  28 , 29  may be used without departing from the subject or spirit of the invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the hinge means  30 . In this embodiment, each hinge means  30  is formed into the adjacent edges of each pair of panels. One or more flanges  38  extend from the adjacent edge of the first panel in the pair and are curved back towards that edge, forming a like number of cylindrical hinge sleeves  39 . Similarly, one or more flanges  38  extend from the adjacent edge of the second panel in the pair and are curved back towards that edge, forming a like number of cylindrical hinge sleeves  39 . Each cylindrical hinge sleeve  39  is open at either end and has a uniform inside diameter. The internal axis of each cylindrical hinge sleeve  39  is substantially aligned along the edge of the panel on which it is situated. The cylindrical hinge sleeves  39  are situated along the adjacent edge of the first panel in the pair and along the adjacent edge of the second panel in the pair in an alternating manner such that when the adjacent edge of the first panel in the pair is positioned adjacent to and aligned with the adjacent edge of the second panel of the pair, the individual cylindrical hinge sleeves  39  align with each other end to end forming a continuous cylindrical aperture. A hinge pin  40  is then inserted into the cylindrical hinge sleeves  39 , thereby retaining the pair of panels hingedly in connection with each other. The hinge pin  40  has a generally straight shaft  41  and is just slightly shorter than the length of the edge of the panels on which the cylindrical hinge sleeves  39  are situated. The diameter of the shaft  41  is just slightly less than the inside diameter of the cylindrical hinge sleeves  39 . The open ends of the two cylindrical hinge sleeves  39  forming the ends of the continuous cylindrical aperture are crimped to retain the hinge pin  40  within the continuous cylindrical aperture. Other embodiments of the hinge means  30  may be used without departing from the subject or spirit of the invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the food holder  7 . In this embodiment, the food holder  7  is comprised of a removable container  42  and two brackets  44 , 47  attached to the inside surfaces of the left and right side panels  5 , 6 . The left bracket  44  is angled approximately ninety degrees, thereby having a first plane  45  and a second plane  46  oriented approximately ninety degrees to each other. The first plane  45  of the left bracket  44  is attached to and flush with the inside surface of the left side panel  5  and situated slightly below a point midway between the top and bottom edges  22 , 23  of the left side panel  5 . The left bracket  44  is oriented such that the second plane  46  of the left bracket  44  forms a generally horizontal shelf extending into the interior of the reflector oven  1 . The width of the left bracket  44  is less than the width of the left side panel  5 . The right bracket  47  is generally of the same shape and dimension as the left bracket  44 , and is situated at point on the inside surface of the right side panel  6  corresponding to the location of the left bracket  44  on the left side panel  5 . In one embodiment the brackets  44 , 47  are attached to the left and right side panels  5 , 6  by pop rivets  50 . The food holder  7  is readied for use by placing the container  42  upon the second plane  46  of the left bracket  44  and the second plane  49  of the right bracket  47 . In one embodiment the container  42  is a generally rectangular pan  43  with a substantially flat bottom, vertical sides, and open at the top, having a length slightly less than the width of the top panel  2  and a width slightly less than the width of the left side panel  5 . Other embodiments of the food holder  7  may be used without departing from the subject or spirit of the invention, except that the container  42  must be constructed of a non-reflecting, energy-absorbing material.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 3 shows a left side perspective view of the reflector oven  1  and an embodiment of the invention using a handle  51 . The handle  51  is used to position the reflector oven i with respect to the fire  57 , thereby regulating the cooking temperature. In this embodiment, the handle  51  is attached to the top panel  2 . The handle  51  may also be foldable, so that it lies flat against the top panel  2  when not in use for easier storage. In the embodiment shown, the handle  51  is comprised of a rectangular grip  52  composed of a heavy gauge metal wire and an attachment plate  53 . The attachment plate  53  has a generally rectangular shape and is folded against itself, with the fold having a generally cylindrical shape in which to contain one side of the rectangular grip  52 . The fold of the attachment plate  53  accommodates the rectangular grip  52  snugly, such that the rectangular grip  52  may be pivoted by an application of minimal force but will not flop about on its own. In one embodiment the attachment plate  53  is attached to the top panel  2  by pop rivets  50 . Other embodiments of the handle  51  may be used without departing from the subject or spirit of the invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 also shows an embodiment of the invention using a support foot  54 . The support foot  54  is used to support the rear of the reflector oven  1  off the ground such that the reflector oven  1  will have a generally upright orientation and the container  42  will have a generally horizontal orientation. In this embodiment, the support foot  54  is attached to the bottom panel  3 . The support foot  54  may also be foldable, so that it lies against the bottom panel  3  when not in use for easier storage. In the embodiment shown, the support foot  54  is comprised of a rectangular foot  55  composed of a heavy gauge metal wire and an attachment plate  56 . The rectangular foot  55  has a first long side  55 A and a second long side  55 B opposite the first long side  55 A and of substantially identical length to the first long side  55 A and a first short side  55 C and a second short side  55 D opposite the first short side  55 C and of substantially identical length to the first short side  55 C. The attachment plate  56  has a generally rectangular shape and is folded against itself, with the fold having a generally cylindrical shape in which to contain the first long side  55 A of the rectangular foot  55 . The fold of the attachment plate  56  accommodates the rectangular foot  55  snugly, such that the rectangular foot  55  may be pivoted by an application of minimal force but will not flop about on its own. In this embodiment the rectangular foot  55  is angled substantially ninety degrees along its first short side  55 C and its second short side  55 D, with the angle being situated along the first and second short sides  55 C, 55 D at substantially the same distance from the first long side  55 A and closer to the first long side  55 A than to the second long side  55 B. The angled first and second short sides  55 C, 55 D are oriented in the same direction, towards the front of the reflector oven  1 . When the rectangular foot  55  is pivoted upward and forward, the second long side  55 B comes in contact with the bottom panel  3 , causing the support foot  54  to be relatively flat against the bottom of the reflector oven  1 . When the rectangular foot  55  is pivoted downward and rearward, the angle of the rectangular foot  55  comes in contact with the bottom panel  3 , resulting in the portion of the rectangular foot  55  located along the first and second short sides  55 C, 55 D between the angle and the second long side  55 B to be oriented in a generally downward position. The attachment plate  56  may be attached to the bottom panel  3  by pop rivets  50 . Other embodiments of the support foot  54  may be used without departing from the subject or spirit of the invention.  
         [0024]    In one embodiment, the front edge  8  of the top panel  2 , the front edge  12  of the bottom panel  3 , the front edge  20  of the left side panel  5 , and the front edge  24  of the right side panel  6  are rolled back onto themselves forming rounded edges. These rounded edges prevent users of the reflector oven  1  from cutting themselves along the sharp exposed edges and also provide rigidity to the reflector oven  1 . Similarly, the left edge  18  of the rear panel  4 , the right edge  19  of the rear panel  4 , the rear edge  21  of the left side panel  5 , and rear edge  25  of the right side panel  6  are folded onto themselves forming hemmed edges. These hemmed edges prevent users of the reflector oven  1  from cutting themselves along the sharp exposed edges.  
         [0025]    Modifications and variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments of the invention without departing from the subject or spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.