Horticultural light module assembly

• US 10,314,243 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluence Bioengineering, Inc. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Speer, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Santiago, Mariceli
• Application Number:
  US15/711,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20190082611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/045 with electric lighting
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/249 Lighting means with special arrangements for promoting growth A01G7/045
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/002 with provision for interchangeability, i.e. component parts being especially adapted to be replaced by another part with the same or a different function F21V17/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/77 with essentially identical diverging planar fins or blades, e.g. with fan-like or star-like cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/041 with conical or pyramidal surface
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/22 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings, e.g. dichroic reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0005 the light guides being of the fibre type G02B6/0003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0096 the lights guides being of the hollow type
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

Abstract

Techniques and architecture are disclosed for horticultural lighting systems and devices, such as a light module assembly. The assembly includes a housing with a first and second light module attached thereto. The first and second light modules include a mounting block to be received in the housing. The mounting block includes a plurality of light sources to generate light to stimulate growth of a plant. The first light module includes a first removable lens to focus light from the light sources to a first portion of the plant and in a first direction relative to the plant. The second light module includes an optical conduit attached thereto. The conduit is to focus light from the light sources to a second portion of the plant and in a second direction different from the first direction. The assembly transmits light to an upper portion and a lower portion of the plant.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising:

a housing;

a first light module attached to the housing, the first light module comprising;

a first mounting block configured to be received in the housing;

a first plurality of light sources disposed on the first mounting block and configured to generate light to stimulate growth of a plant; and

a removable lens attached to the first mounting block and configured to focus light from the first plurality of light sources to a first portion of the plant, the light transmitted to the first portion of the plant in a first direction relative to the plant, and

a second light module attached to the housing, the second light module comprising;

a second mounting block configured to be received in the housing;

a second plurality of light sources disposed on the mounting block and configured to generate light to stimulate growth of the plant; and

an optical conduit attached to the mounting block and configured to focus light from the second plurality of light sources to a second portion of the plant, the light transmitted to the second portion of the plant in a second direction relative to the plant, the second direction different from the first direction, wherein the optical conduit includes a reflective coating to reflect light from the second plurality of light sources within the optical conduit, wherein a first wavelength of light is reflected with a first intensity and a second wavelength of light is reflected at a second intensity different than the first intensity.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical conduit includes at least one reflector located therein, the reflector configured to reflect light from the second plurality of light sources in the second direction.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the reflector includes a reflective surface that is positioned at 45 degrees relative to an axis of the optical conduit, such that light is transmitted in the second direction at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the first direction.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein light from the optical conduit transmitted in the second direction provides an illumination field, the illumination field includes an angle between 0 and 180 degrees relative to an axis of the optical conduit.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the reflector is a conical-shaped reflector that is configured to transmit light in the second direction that is 90 degrees relative to the first direction to provide an illumination field, the illumination field including an angle of 360 degrees about an axis of the optical conduit.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the optical conduit includes a first reflector located at a first end of the optical conduit opposite a second end the optical conduit, the first reflector facing in the second direction so that light from the light sources is transmitted to a second portion of the plant, and a second reflector located between the first end and the second end of the optical conduit, such that light from the second reflector is transmitted to a third portion of the plant different from the first and second portions of the plant.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical conduit is a light tube of one continuous length.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical conduit comprises two or more sections of tubing releasably attachable to one another for adjusting length of at least one optical pathway.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical conduit includes two or more ports, each port configured to transmit light to at least one plant or portion of the at least one plant adjacent to the optical conduit.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical conduit is rotatable to transfer light in a plurality of directions.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second wavelengths of light promotes growth one of a stalk, a leaf, a fruit or a flower of the plant.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second wavelengths of light is within a range of 380 nanometers (nm) to 730 nm.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the first removable lens is configured to deliver light to the plant at a first irradiance level during a portion of a life cycle of the plant.

14. The device of claim 13, further comprising a second removable lens, the second removable lens replacing the first removable lens after the first portion of the life cycle of the plant is complete and configured to focus light to the first portion of the plant with a second irradiance level less than the first irradiance level.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the first direction is a downwardly vertical direction to contact an upper portion of the plant, and the second direction is a horizontal direction such that light from the second light module is received by one of a stalk, a leaf, a fruit and a flower of the plant located beneath the upper portion of the plant.

16. The device of claim 1 further comprising a controller operatively coupled to the first and second light modules and configured to adjust light transmitted from the light sources.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the first and second light modules individually to allow light of varying wavelengths to be transmitted to different portions of the plant.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the optical conduit comprises one or more optical fibers.

19. A system comprising:

a controller; and

a first light module assembly, comprising;

a housing;

a first light module attached to the housing and operatively coupled to the controller, the first light module comprising;

a first mounting block configured to be received in the housing;

a first plurality of light sources disposed on the first mounting block and configured to generate light to stimulate growth of a plant, and

a removable lens attached to the first mounting block and configured to focus light from the first plurality of light sources to a first portion of the plant, the light transmitted to the first portion of the plant in a first direction relative to the plant; and

a second light module attached to the housing and operatively coupled to the controller, the second light module comprising;

a second mounting block configured to be received in the housing;

a second plurality of light sources disposed on the mounting block and configured to generate light to stimulate growth of the plant; and

an optical conduit attached to the second mounting block and configured to focus light from the second plurality of light sources to a second portion of the plant, the light transmitted to the second portion of the plant in a second direction relative to the plant, the second direction different from the first direction, wherein the optical conduit includes a reflective coating to reflect light from the second plurality of light sources within the optical conduit, wherein a first wavelength of light is reflected with a first intensity and a second wavelength of light is reflected at a second intensity different than the first intensity.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to independently adjust light from a plurality of light module assemblies including the first light module assembly.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to allow light of varying wavelengths to be transmitted to different portions of the plant.