Multipurpose solar drying tray assemblies and methods therefor
AssigneePurdue Research Foundation
InventorsKlein Erhekabor Ileleji, Heeju Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Tray assemblies and methods of their use to dry products with sunlight. Such a tray assembly includes at least a first base having four side walls, a bottom wall, legs configured to support the bottom wall above the surface when resting thereon, side wall holes in the side walls, and bottom wall holes in the bottom wall. A cover is releasably coupled to the base to define an enclosure between the cover, the side walls, and the bottom wall. At least one window is provided in the cover to allow infrared radiation to pass therethrough that is absorbed by interior surfaces of the base to cause an increase in a temperature within the enclosure sufficient to increase a rate of drying products located within the enclosure.
Claims20
A tray assembly configured to rest on a surface, the tray assembly comprising:
- at least a first base having four side walls, a bottom wall, and legs configured to support the bottom wall above the surface when resting thereon;
- a plurality of side wall holes in the side walls and a plurality of bottom wall holes in the bottom wall;
- a cover configured to releasably couple to the sidewalls of the first base and thereby define an enclosure between the cover, the side walls, and the bottom wall;
- at least one window in the cover configured to allow infrared radiation to pass therethrough that is absorbed by interior surfaces of the first base to cause an increase in a temperature within the enclosure sufficient to increase a rate of drying products located within the enclosure;
- and
- at least one vent in the cover configured to ventilate the enclosure to reduce the likelihood of overheating the products located within the enclosure during drying.
At least two tray assemblies each configured to rest on a surface, each of the at least two tray assemblies comprising:
- at least a base having four side walls, a bottom wall, and legs configured to support the bottom wall above the surface when resting thereon;
- a plurality of side wall holes in the side walls and a plurality of bottom wall holes in the bottom wall;
- a cover configured to releasably couple to the sidewalls of the base and thereby define an enclosure between the cover, the side walls, and the bottom wall;
- and
- at least one window in the cover configured to allow infrared radiation to pass therethrough that is absorbed by interior surfaces of the base to cause an increase in a temperature within the enclosure sufficient to increase a rate of drying products located within the enclosure;
- wherein the base of a first tray assembly of the at least two tray assemblies is configured to be inserted partially into the base of a second tray assembly of the at least two tray assemblies such that the bases of the first and second tray assemblies are stacked;
- and
- wherein at least one of the side walls of the base of the first tray assembly includes a pair of end portions with an intermediate portion therebetween that extends further toward an end of the base of the first tray assembly relative to the end portions so as to provide recessed areas at the end portions, and located within the recessed areas are members configured to limit a depth that the base of the first tray assembly may be inserted into the base of the second tray assembly such that a gap is provided between the bottom walls of the bases of the first and second tray assemblies when stacked.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.