Energy concentrator system and method

• US 7,311,677 B1
• Filed: 06/26/2002
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John G. Fields, Philip A. Dalton
• Original Assignee: John G. Fields, Philip A. Dalton
• Inventors: Fields, John G., Dalton, Philip A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith; Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US10/186,182
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/437, 600/439, 600473-478, 601/2, 601/3, 601/4, 367/142, 367/147, 367/171, 367/174, 367/150, 367/151
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/28 using reflection, e.g. parabolic reflectors

Abstract

Reflective apparatus and method by which energy is radiated in divergent fashion from an elongated source and is reflected by a first parabolic reflector as a paraxial beam, focused by a second parabolic reflector onto a hyperbolic reflector and reflectively concentrated by the hyperbolic reflector at a focus at a distance from the source. The system also shields the point from extraneous radiation that would not be concentrated at the point. In one exemplary application, electromagnetic energy radiated from a point or linear source is focused by the multiple reflector system to a very high concentration at a point, for example, within an organism such as a human or animal body.

Claims

1. An energy concentrator, comprising:

an elongated source of divergent emitted energy; and

a housing surrounding the source and comprising internal reflector surfaces capturing the divergent energy and concentrating the divergent energy from the source to a point focus;

the housing further comprising an aperture;

the point focus being external to the housing;

the internal reflector surfaces being adapted for focusing the divergent energy through the aperture to the point focus;

wherein the internal reflector surfaces include a first parabolic reflector, a second parabolic reflector and a hyperbolic reflector.

2. The energy concentrator of claim 1, wherein the elongated source is linear and the first and second parabolic reflectors and the hyperbolic reflector are arranged in a corresponding linear configuration.

3. The optical reflector system of claim 1, wherein the source is arcuate and the first and second parabolic reflectors and the hyperbolic reflector are arranged in a corresponding arcuate configuration.

4. The optical reflector system of claim 1, wherein the source is circular and the first and second parabolic reflectors and the hyperbolic reflector are arranged in a toroid configuration such that said second focal point of the hyperbolic reflector is located within the plane of the circle for concentrating the energy within the plane of the circle.

5. The optical reflector system of claim 1, wherein the source is circular and the first and second parabolic reflectors and the hyperbolic reflector are arranged in a circular configuration such that said second focal point of the hyperbolic reflector is located external to the plane of the circle for concentrating the energy external to the plane of the circle.

6. An energy concentrator, comprising:

an elongated source emitting divergent energy; and

a housing surrounding the source, the housing comprising first reflector means for converting to a paraxial beam energy broadcast or emitted by the source, and second reflector means for focusing the beam to a point;

the first reflector means comprising a first parabolic reflector having a concave reflector surface and a focus, the first parabolic reflector being positioned with the focus thereof coincident with the source and with the concave reflector surface thereof oriented to intercept energy from the source such that the intercepted energy is reflected in a paraxial beam; and

the second reflector means comprising a second parabolic reflector having a concave reflector surface and a focus, the concave reflector surface of the second parabolic reflector being positioned to intercept the path of the paraxial beam and oriented to reflect the beam toward the focus of the second parabolic reflector; and

a hyperbolic reflector having a convex reflector surface and having first and second foci, the hyperbolic reflector positioned with the convex reflector surface thereof intercepting the path of energy reflected from the second parabolic reflector and with the first focus thereof coinciding with the focus of the second parabolic reflector for reflecting energy reflected from the second parabolic reflector and concentrating the energy reflected from the second parabolic reflector at the second focus of the hyperbolic reflector.

7. The energy concentrator of claim 6, the second focus of the hyperbolic reflector being external to the housing.

8. An energy concentrator, comprising:

an elongated source of divergent radiated energy; and

a housing surrounding the source;

the housing comprising internal reflector surfaces; and

the internal reflector surfaces including a first parabolic reflector for intercepting the divergent energy from the source and reflectively producing a paraxial beam therefrom;

a second parabolic reflector having a focal point, the second parabolic reflector being positioned for reflectively focusing the paraxial beam of energy toward the focal point of the second parabolic reflector; and

a hyperbolic surface having first and second focal points, the hyperbolic surface being positioned with the first focal point thereof coincident with the focal point of the second parabolic surface, for intercepting the energy focused by the second parabolic reflector and reflectively concentrating the intercepted energy to the second focal point.

9. A reflector system for concentrating energy, comprising:

an elongated source generating energy radiated divergent from the source;

a first elongated parabolic reflector having a reflector surface which is of concave parabolic profile in transverse cross-section and forms an elongated focus, the first parabolic reflector being positioned and oriented with the elongated focus thereof coincident with the elongated source for intercepting energy from the source and reflecting the intercepted energy as a paraxial beam;

a second elongated parabolic reflector having a reflector surface which is of concave parabolic profile in transverse cross-section and forms a focus, the second parabolic reflector being positioned and oriented for intercepting the path of the paraxial beam and reflecting and focusing the beam toward the focus of the second parabolic reflector; and

a hyperbolic reflector having a reflector surface which is of convex hyperbolic profile in transverse cross-section and having first and second foci;

the hyperbolic reflector being positioned and oriented with the convex reflector surface thereof intercepting the path of energy reflected from the second parabolic reflector and with the first focus thereof coinciding with the focus of the second parabolic reflector, for reflecting energy from the second parabolic reflector and concentrating said reflected energy at the second focus of the hyperbolic reflector.

10. A reflector system for concentrating energy at a point, comprising:

a circular source generating energy radiated divergent from the source;

a first elongated annular parabolic reflector having a reflector surface which is of concave parabolic profile in transverse cross-section and forms a circular focus, the first parabolic reflector being positioned and oriented with the circular focus thereof coincident with the circular source for intercepting energy from the source and reflecting the intercepted energy as a paraxial annular beam;

a second elongated annular parabolic reflector having a reflector surface which is of concave parabolic profile in transverse cross-section and forms a focal point, the concave surface of the second parabolic reflector being positioned and oriented facing the first parabolic reflector for intercepting the path of the paraxial beam and reflecting and focusing the beam toward the focal point of the second parabolic reflector; and

the second parabolic reflector having an aperture proximate the center thereof; and

a circular hyperbolic reflector having a reflector surface which is of convex hyperbolic profile in transverse cross-section and having first and second foci;

the hyperbolic reflector being positioned and oriented with the convex reflector surface thereof inside the first annular parabolic reflector and intercepting the path of energy reflected from the second parabolic reflector and with the first focal point thereof coinciding with the focal point of the second parabolic reflector, for reflecting energy from the second parabolic reflector through said aperture and concentrating said reflected energy at the second focal point of the hyperbolic reflector.

11. A reflector system for concentrating energy along a linear focus, comprising:

a linear source generating energy radiated divergent from the source;

a first elongated parabolic reflector having a reflector surface which is of concave parabolic profile in transverse cross-section and forms a linear focus, the first parabolic reflector being positioned and oriented with the linear focus thereof coincident with the linear source for intercepting energy from the source and reflecting the intercepted energy as a paraxial beam;

a second elongated parabolic reflector having a reflector surface which is of concave parabolic profile in transverse cross-section and forms a linear focus, the concave surface of the second parabolic reflector being positioned and oriented facing the first parabolic reflector for intercepting the path of the paraxial beam and reflecting and focusing the beam toward the linear focus of the second parabolic reflector; and

an elongated hyperbolic reflector having a reflector surface which is of convex hyperbolic profile in transverse cross-section and having first and second linear foci;

the hyperbolic reflector being positioned and oriented with the convex reflector surface thereof intercepting the path of energy reflected from the second parabolic reflector and with the first linear focus thereof coinciding with the linear focus of the second parabolic reflector, for reflecting energy from the second parabolic reflector and concentrating said reflected energy along the second linear focus of the hyperbolic reflector.

12. A toroidal reflector system for concentrating energy at a point focus within the reflector, comprising:

an arcuate source forming at least a section of a circle in a plane orthogonal to the xy plane and parallel to the y axis and perpendicular to the x axis;

a cross-section of a reflector being defined in an xy plane and having a point focus located at the intersection of the x and y axes defining the xy plane, the reflector being described by rotation of said cross-section through a selected arc about said point focus and the x axis;

the reflector cross section comprising in the xy plane;

a primary parabolic reflector of concave parabolic profile forming a focal point, the source and the primary parabolic reflector being positioned and oriented such that the source intersects the xy axis at the point focus of the primary parabolic reflector as the reflector cross section is rotated about the x-axis, the primary parabolic reflector thereby intercepting energy from the source and reflecting the intercepted energy as a paraxial beam;

a secondary parabolic reflector of concave parabolic profile forming a point focus in the xy plane, said spr point focus forming an elongated arcuate focus as the reflector cross section is rotated about the x-axis, the concave surface of the secondary parabolic reflector thereby being positioned and oriented facing the first parabolic reflector for intercepting the path of the paraxial beam and reflecting and focusing the beam toward the focus of the secondary parabolic reflector; and

a hyperbolic reflector adjacent the primary parabolic reflector, the hyperbolic reflector being of convex hyperbolic profile and having first and second point foci;

the hyperbolic reflector being positioned and oriented with the convex reflector surface thereof intercepting the path of energy reflected from the secondary parabolic reflector and with the first focus thereof coinciding with the focus of the secondary parabolic reflector as the reflector cross section is rotated about the x-axis and thereby describing an arc; and

the second focus thereof coinciding with the intersection of the x and y axes and said point focus, the hyperbolic reflector thereby reflecting energy from the secondary parabolic reflector and concentrating said reflected energy at said point focus.

13. A method for reflectively concentrating energy from a source to a point focus a distance removed from the source, comprising:

divergently radiating energy from an elongated source;

intercepting energy from the source with a first parabolic reflector and reflectively forming the energy into a paraxial beam;

intercepting the paraxial beam with a second parabolic reflector and reflectively focusing the energy comprising the paraxial beam toward a first focal point of a hyperbolic reflector having first and second focal points; and

intercepting the energy directed toward the first focal point of the hyperbolic reflector with the hyperbolic reflector and reflectively focusing the energy to the second focal point of the hyperbolic reflector.