Abstract: A sun tracking solar energy collection system includes a sun tracker having a base with a rotatable member driven by a base motor. A support extends from the base and is rotatably driven in conjunction with the rotatable member by the base motor. An arm in communication with the support is pivotable relative to the base and the support and is driven by an arm motor associated with the arm. A light sensitive element in conjunction with the arm receives a light from a light source for determining an amount of received light. A solar energy collector is movably positioned to correspond to a relative position of the base and the arm to correspond to the position of the light source for collecting solar energy. A controller controls a position of the sun tracker and the solar energy collector to correspond to a position of the light source.

Abstract: An oven for cooking foods includes a housing having a front, a back, a top, a bottom and opposing first and second sides. The oven further includes a vessel for holding solid fuel for cooking. A fire chamber in the housing is adapted for holding the solid fuel vessel. The housing includes a first movable closure at a location on the front of the housing mounted for opening and closing at a location to permit selective access to the solid fuel vessel in the fire chamber. A cooking chamber in the housing is adapted for holding food to be cooked by the oven. The housing further includes a second movable closure on the front of the housing mounted for opening and closing at a location to permit access to the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A solar energy system comprising: solar collector having thermo-oil piping and three thermo-oil valves; three tanks each having steam inlet and outlet valves; an electric generator device downstream of the three tanks; and a controller, wherein a flow of thermo-oil is alternatively controllable to flow into each of the three tanks wherein fluid in the three tanks is alternatively heatable to a gaseous phase and providable to the electric generator device for producing electrical energy.

Abstract: Solar connector receiver tubes with getter systems having a substantially toroidal shape are described.

Abstract: A meso-scaled combustion system. In one aspect, the system has a housing with a housing wall, a top portion defining an exhaust port, and a bottom portion having a bottom surface. A combustion chamber is positioned therein the interior volume of the housing. The combustion chamber wall has a proximal portion adjacent the top portion of the housing and a distal portion spaced from the bottom surface of the housing. In another aspect, there is a lid that is in sealed relation with the housing wall and the combustion chamber wall. An annulus is defined by the lid, the combustion chamber wall, and the housing wall.

Abstract: A potentiometer for a household cooking appliance including a gas valve having a valve stem. The potentiometer includes a circuit board having a contact, a wiper rotor that is rotatable with respect to the circuit board and having an opening corresponding to an axis of rotation of the wiper rotor, the opening of the wiper rotor for engaging the valve stem of the gas valve, the wiper rotor including a wiper electrically contacting the contact of the circuit board, a housing coupled to the circuit board and enclosing the wiper rotor between the housing and the circuit board, and a first interior edge and a second interior edge formed in each of the circuit board, the wiper rotor, and the housing and defining a channel extending from an outer edge of the potentiometer to the opening of the wiper rotor.

Abstract: A self-filling candle which fills itself with melted wax to form a second candle for additional burning. The self-filling candle generally includes a hollow candle body having a cavity extending therein from an upper opening. The candle body one or more layers of wax, wherein an outer layer of wax has a higher burning point than the one or more interior layers. A first wick is helically wound through the middle layer of wax in the candle body. As the first wick is burned, melted wax will pool and collect in the cavity to form a second candle. A second wick is positioned in the lower surface of the cavity, which will be utilized to burn the second candle after it has been formed.

Abstract: Mounting for a window in an oven appliance is provided so as to allow for thermal expansion during oven use. More particularly, an expansion zone is provided around the window such that, during heating of the window from oven operation, the window is allowed to expand without restraint that could cause cracking or shattering. Space can be allowed for both lateral and longitudinal expansion of the window.

Abstract: A reverse flow combustor has an inlet end. A flowpath extends downstream from the inlet end through a turn. The turn directs the flowpath radially inward and reversing an axial flow direction. A large exit duct (LED) is along the turn. A small exit duct (SED) is along the turn and joined by a joint to a mounting structure to resist separation in a first axial direction. The joint comprises: a first surface on the SED facing partially radially inward; and a mounting feature engaging the first surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a hybrid solar radiation collection and distribution system comprising both passive solar and active solar components, generating electric potential, generating heat, and distributing visible light to numerous endpoints.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of what are called multiple-chamber ring furnaces, for the baking of carbon blocks, and more particularly to a shutter (13) with inflatable seal (15), for sealing off a port (8) of a hollow partition (7) in a multiple-chamber ring furnace, characterized in that its shutter comprises: a rigid core (14) of a substantially rectangular elongated shape, intended to be placed opposite a port (8) of a hollow partition (7) in said furnace, so as to shut off most of the flow area for gas entering via said port (8); and at least one inflatable air chamber (15), retracted in the deflated state in a housing of the core (14) and forming, in the inflated state, a peripheral seal (16) projecting around the perimeter of the core (15) such that said seal (16) extends around its entire periphery in order to complete the sealing off of said port (8).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotating barbeque grill assembly that allows a user to put various food in a carrying frame thereof, parallelly install insert rods at both ends of the carrying frame into position-limit slots on both sides of a metal frame thereof respectively, and insert two transmission shafts into ends of fixed portions on both sides of the metal frame respectively. After the transmission shafts are fixed in the fixed portions, the user can turn on the barbeque apparatus, such that the metal frame can be rotated along the same axis of the two transmission shafts, and the carrying frame then slides from an original position far away from a heat source along the position-limit slots to a position proximate to the heat source, such that the food on both sides of the carrying frame can be heated uniformly and be barbequed to be a delicious dish quickly.

Abstract: A gas cooktop includes a burner box assembly having a top surface with a plurality of air inlets and gas burners disposed therethrough. A partition is disposed between the top surface and a bottom surface, the partition defining a plurality of segregated air paths that each leading from at least one of the plurality of air inlets to one of the plurality of gas burners.

Abstract: In a hot water supply system having a solar heater that heats a heating medium with absorbed solar heat, a cogeneration unit that heats the medium by heat exhausted from an engine, a hot water supply unit with a heat exchanger for heat-exchanging between the medium and water supplied from a water supply source to generate the hot water, a medium circulator that circulates the medium among the solar heater, cogeneration unit and heat exchanger, an electric heater that heats the hot water with the power generated by the generator, a heat absorption amount to be adsorbed by the solar heater is estimated and operations of the cogeneration unit and the electric heater are controlled based on the estimated heat absorption amount, thereby enabling to improve energy efficiency of the entire system.

Abstract: The present invention is a knock-down design of an outdoor heater. An outdoor heater without resorting to knock-down designs is heavy and bulky. It is costly to ship due to its sheer size and heavy weight. A knock-down design on the other hand resorts to innovative designs in using light weight components with structural reinforcements to increase load bearing capacities thus achieve the same effect as using heavier traditional materials. A knock-down design also resorts to innovative designs in reducing component size so as to occupy a small footprint for ease of packaging and shipment. Consequently, a knock-down design heater can be packaged in a footprint many times smaller than a full size heater and it weights much less than a traditional outdoor heater. It provides cost advantages in pre-sale shipment and general distribution, post-sale transportation convenience as well as ease of relocation during subsequent years of usage.

Abstract: The power control apparatus of the present invention is comprised of a local oscillator signal path coupled to a mixer (106) through a variable attenuator (107) and an IF signal path coupled to the mixer (106) through two variable attenuators (108 and 109) coupled in series. The IF signal path attenuators (108 and 109) are controlled by digital control circuitry (111) while the local oscillator path attenuator (107) is controlled by the control circuitry through a level shifter (110). The power level of the signal generated by the mixing of these two signals is less than the conducted output of the radiotelephone's power amplifier.