Parabolic reflector
View Patent ↗A reflection device including a sheet of flexible material with memory capabilities having a surface with a reflective property. The sheet comprises an elastic bendable material of a uniform thickness and the width of the sheet varies from the first end to the second end. The sheet forms into a parabolic shape by pulling the first end of the sheet toward the second end of the sheet and coupling them to the first and second securing ends of the securing mechanism.
1. A reflection device comprising:
a sheet of flexible material with memory capabilities having a surface with a reflective property, a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side, and
a securing mechanism,
wherein the sheet comprises an elastic bendable material of a uniform thickness, and has a length measured between the first end and the second end, and a width measured between the first side and the second side and perpendicular to the length,
wherein the width of the sheet varies from the first end to the second end;
wherein the securing mechanism has a securing mechanism length and a first securing end and a second securing end, and
wherein the sheet forms into a parabolic shape by pulling the first end of the sheet toward the second end of the sheet and coupling them to the first and second securing ends of the securing mechanism.
2. The reflection device of claim 1 , wherein the sheet is made of, acrylic, polycarbonate, fiberglass or carbon fiber.
3. The reflection device of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of sheets are overlapped to form a trough structure.
4. The reflection device of claim 1 , wherein
the parabolic shape of the sheet has a Cartesian coordinate system comprising a X′ axis and a Y′ axis, wherein the Y′ axis and X′ axis are mutually perpendicular and the Y′ axis corresponds to an axis of symmetry of the parabola and the X′ axis;
the Y′ axis and the parabolic shape intersect at a common point at a base of the parabolic shape, wherein the parabolic shape has a focal point,
wherein F is a distance that is perpendicular from the focal point to the X′ axis;
a scaling constant A defined by the equation A=¼F; and
wherein a first end having a coordinate X 1 ′ on the X′ axis and a second end having a coordinate X 2 ′ on the X′ axis, and
the length L of the sheet of flexible material between the first end and the second end is given by the equation
L
=
X
1
′
X
2
′
A
*
1
4
4
(
X
′
A
)
2
+
1
*
2
(
X
′
A
)
+
ln
|
4
(
X
′
A
)
2
+
1
+
2
(
X
′
A
)
wherein
the shape of the first side and the second side conform to a curve formed by a plurality of points with coordinates a and b lying on the sheet and defined by the equations:
a
=
∫
X
1
′
X
′
1
+
(
ⅆ
Y
′
ⅆ
X
′
)
2
=
X
1
′
X
′
|
1
4
[
4
(
X
′
A
)
2
+
1
*
2
(
X
′
A
)
+
ln
4
(
X
′
A
)
2
+
1
+
2
(
X
′
A
)
]
b
=
B
*
(
(
X
2
′
A
)
*
(
X
′
A
)
+
(
X
1
′
A
)
*
(
X
′
A
)
-
(
X
1
′
A
)
*
(
X
2
′
A
)
-
(
X
′
A
)
2
)
(
1
+
4
(
X
′
A
)
2
)
3
/
2
where a is the distance of the point from the first of two ends of the sheet and b is the distance of the point from the centerline of the sheet, and
wherein the first side is composed with values of b measured to one side of the centerline and the second side is composed with values of b measured to the other side of a centerline of the sheet and B is a scaling constant.
5. The reflection device of claim 1 , wherein the surface reflects light.
6. The reflection device of claim 1 , wherein the surface reflects energy waves.
7. The reflection device of claim 1 , wherein the sheet is a polyester film.
8. The reflection device of claim 1 wherein the first end of the sheet and the second end of the sheet and coupled using glue.
9. The reflection device of claim 1 further comprising a collector situated at a focal point of the parabola.