Abstract:
The invention relates to a portable heating system. The system includes a support including an annular structure and at least one support arm attached thereto, where the support is adapted to interface with a base. The support can be used to support cooking utensils such as frying pans, skillets, and pots.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates generally to systems and methods of heat exchange including systems and methods for heating food and beverages.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     It has long been desirable to have a portable heating assembly for heating liquids and food stuffs to allow a user to prepare a heated beverage or meal at a location remote from cooking facilities. Because the user must carry the fuel used for heating, high efficiency heating is desirable to reduce the weight of fuel which must be carried. In addition, it is desirable to provide a heating assembly that is compact to facilitate transportation and storage of the device.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The invention relates to systems and methods for using conventional cooking utensils, such as frying pans, skillets, or other cooking pots with a compact, portable, and highly efficient heating system. In one aspect, the invention includes a support comprising an annular structure and at least one support arm attached thereto, where the support is adapted to interface with a base. In one embodiment, the support has two, three, four, five, six, seven, or eight support arms. In another embodiment, the annular structure defines a center round aperture. The support arm may also pivot about a point located on the annular structure. For instance, the support arm may pivot into a recess defined by the annular structure. In another embodiment, the support arm interfaces with the base, and may optionally include a slot for interfacing with the base. In one embodiment, the slot is tapered. Optionally, the annular structure includes tabs that interface with the base.  
         [0004]     The annular structure and the support arms can be made from various materials. For example, in one embodiment, the annular structure includes stainless steel. In another embodiment, the annular structure includes titanium. Similarly, the support arm, in one embodiment, includes stainless steel. In another embodiment, the support arm includes titanium.  
         [0005]     These and other objects, along with the features of the present invention herein disclosed, will become apparent through reference to the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the claims. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the features of the various embodiments described herein are not mutually exclusive and can exist in various combinations and permutations. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the following description, various embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following drawings.  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a heating assembly including a utensil support coupled to a burner assembly in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of the utensil support of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of the utensil support of  FIG. 1  with support arms rotated inwardly.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of a support arm in accordance with one aspect of the invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a schematic partial cutaway view showing the heating assembly of  FIG. 1  as stowed in a vessel. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a heating assembly  10  which includes a utensil support  100  coupled to a burner assembly  130 . The utensil support  100  is configured to support conventional cooking utensils such as frying pans, skillets, or pots over the burner assembly  130 .  
         [0013]     With reference to  FIG. 2  the utensil support  100  includes an annular reflector  102  that includes a center round cutout  106 . The utensil support  100  also includes support arms  108  that are coupled to the outer periphery of the reflector  102  using tension washers  110 . Other attachment modes are able to be used such as pins or rivets. In the illustrated embodiment, the utensil support  100  includes four support arms  108 . However, in other embodiments, two, three, five, six, seven, or eight support arms may be included. The support arms  108  have a ridged or serrated surface  111  that contacts the utensil when in use, but other embodiments may be without the ridges. The reflector  102  and the support arms  108  may be made from, for instance, stainless steel, titanium, or any other suitable material. The reflector  102  and the support arms  108  may be formed in a stamping operation.  
         [0014]     With reference to  FIGS. 1-2 , the support arms  108  are rotatable into a first position to engage the burner assembly  130 , and each support arm  108  includes a vertical tapered slot  112  that is engageable with a base  114  disposed on the burner assembly  130 . The slots  112  engage the base  114 , which in one from, may be a thin metal rim. Gravity and the downward force of a utensil resting on the support arms  108  of the utensil support  100  (not shown) secure the utensil support  100  to the base  114  of the burner assembly  130 . Additional vertical tabs  116  formed on the reflector  102  are also engageable with the base  114  of the burner assembly  130 , and provide extra support and tip resistance to the heating assembly  10 .  
         [0015]     With reference to  FIG. 3 , it will be seen that the support arms  108  are rotatable into a second position such that the arm body  118  fits into a recess  120  on the outer periphery of the reflector  102  as shown for the purpose of storage in a manner to be described hereinafter.  
         [0016]     In use, the reflector  102  shields the burner assembly  130  from radiative heating resulting from heating a utensil on the utensil support  100 . In certain instances, the reflector  102  may reach temperatures of up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, while the burner assembly  130  below remains at temperatures of 150 degrees Fahrenheit or below, protecting vulnerable components within the burner assembly  130 .  
         [0017]     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the burner assembly  130  includes a heat source that takes the form of a burner or burner head  302 . The burner receives fuel from a fuel source  104  that couples to a fuel intake port  144  of the burner assembly  130 . In this embodiment, the fuel source  104  is a gas source, such as a pressurized canister of mixed propane and butane. Such fuel sources are known in the art, particularly in the camping and hiking fields. In other embodiments, the fuel source could be of a different type, such as white gas, kerosene, alcohol or gasoline. In yet other embodiments, fuel sources could include electricity or solid fuels. Ambient air is received via a gas flow path (described below) formed in the burner assembly  130 . An igniter  306  provides a spark to burner  302 , which causes combustion at the burner  302 . The igniter  306  generates sparks in response to user activation of the igniter button  148 .  
         [0018]     The burner requires a certain amount of oxygen to produce and maintain a flame. The flame produces heated exhaust as it burns. Accordingly, the burner assembly  130  includes a gas flow path configured to enable the supply of oxygen to the burner  302  and the flow of exhaust from the burner  302 . In operation, a vacuum is formed through the gas flow path that achieves this result.  
         [0019]     Portions of the utensil support  100  and the burner assembly  130  combine to form the gas flow path. The burner assembly  130  includes a bottom housing  147  that includes a plurality of air inlet vents  142  that allow air to flow to the burner  302  from the external environment. In this embodiment, the bottom housing  147  may be made of a thermoplastic material, and also forms legs that support the burner assembly  130  when the fuel source  104  is not attached. When a cooking utensil is disposed on the utensil support  100 , an exhaust path is formed between the base of the cooking utensil and a top portion of the reflector  102 . The exhaust path enables the gases produced in the combustion process to travel upwards from the burner  302  through the center round cutout  106  of the reflector  102  and then radially outwards to the surrounding atmosphere.  
         [0020]     Referring now  FIG. 4 , a support arm  108  is shown to include an upstanding body portion  118  terminating in the ridged surface  111 , and a co-planar leg portion  119  extending downwardly and having a tapered slot  112  therein for interfacing with the base  114  as described hereinabove. An integrally connected and substantially normally extending connecting arm  121  is provided for attachment of the arm  108  to the reflector  102  by way of the tension washer  110 .  
         [0021]     With reference to  FIG. 5 , the utensil support  100  is illustrated in its storage configuration. The support arms  108  are rotated inwardly to a second position and are received in the recesses  120  formed in the outer periphery of the reflector  102  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The utensil support  100  can then be stowed between the fuel canister  104  and the burner assembly  130  within a portable vessel  500  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The utensil support  100  can either be stowed in the inverted position as shown, with the arms  108  extending downwardly in overlapping relationship with the fuel canister  104  or it may be stowed in the same location but in a non-inverted position such that the arms  108  extend upwardly towards the burner assembly  130 . In either case, this configuration allows for convenient and compact storing of the utensil support  100 , along with the heating assembly  130  in the portable vessel  500 .  
         [0022]     Other embodiments incorporating the concepts disclosed herein may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as only illustrative and not restrictive.