Method, greenhouse and an installation for illuminating plants

• US 20060032115A1
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hortilux Schréder B.V.
• Original Assignee: Hortilux Schréder B.V.
• Inventors: Van Den Dool, Teunis Cornelis
• Granted Patent: US 7,475,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 47/17
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/045 with electric lighting
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/24 Devices or systems for heating, ventilating, regulating temperature , illuminating, or watering, in greenhouses, forcing-frames, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/249 Lighting means with special arrangements for promoting growth A01G7/045
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/14 Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for illuminating plants in a greenhouse, comprising the provision of a lamp above the plants, with adjustment of the distance between the lamp and the tip of the plants growing upwards to the height of the growing plants, this distance being kept between 80 cm and 240 cm. The present invention furthermore relates to a greenhouse, containing plants and an installation for illuminating plants, wherein the installation comprises a lamp, lifting gear for moving the lamp in the height direction relative to the plants and control means for measuring and/or setting the distance between the lamp and the tip of the plants growing upwards, and also relates to an installation for illuminating plants intended for use in such a greenhouse.

Claims

1. Method for illuminating plants in a greenhouse, comprising the provision of a lamp above the plants, with adjustment of the distance between the lamp and the tip of the plants growing upwards to the height of the growing plants, said distance being kept between 80 cm and 240 cm, as well as heating of the greenhouse by means of a beat source, such as a heating tube, wherein the heat source is provided between the plants and is moved upwards as the plants grow and in that said lamp moves together with said heat source.

2. Method according to claim 1, comprising keeping the distance between the lamp and the tip of the plants growing upwards between 120 cm and 210 cm.

3. Method according to claims 1, comprising setting the distance between the lamp and the top of the plan depending on the temperature and/or the atmospheric humidity recorded in the greenhouse.

4. Method according to claim 3, comprising, one the one hand, increasing the distance between the lamp and the top of the plants when a rise in temperature in the greenhouse is recorded and/or when a fall in the atmospheric humidity in the greenhouse is recorded and, on the other hand, reducing the distance between the lamp and the top of the plants when a fall in temperature in the greenhouse is recorded and/or when a rise in the atmospheric humidity in the greenhouse is recorded.

5. Greenhouse, containing plants and an installation for illuminating plants, wherein the installation comprises a lamp, lifting gear for moving the lamp in the height direction relative to the plants and control means for measuring and/or setting the distance between the lamp and the tip of the plants growing upwards, wherein a heating tube is provided for heat the greenhouse, wherein the lifting gear moves the heating tube in the height direction relative to the plants.

6. Greenhouse according to claim 5, wherein the control means comprise a sensor.

7. Greenhouse according to claims 5, wherein the sensor (6) measures the temperature and/or the atmospheric humidity in the greenhouse in order to set the distance (L) between the lamp and the tip of the plants growing upwards.

8. Greenhouse according to claims 5, wherein the lamp comprises a gas discharge lamp, the series (ballast) unit for which is provided below the lamp some distance from the latter.

9. Greenhouse according to claim 8, wherein the series unit is fixed to a first section that is provided at a fixed height in the greenhouse.

10. Greenhouse according to claims 5, wherein the lamp and the heating tube are fixed to a second section that is coupled to the lifting gear.

11. Installation for illuminating plants, intended for use in a greenhouse containing plants and an installation for illuminating plants, wherein the installation comprises a lamp, lifting gear for moving the lamp in the height direction relative to the plants and control means for measuring and/or setting the distance between the lamp and the tip of the plants growing upwards, wherein a heating tube is provided for heating the greenhouse, wherein the lifting gear moves the heating tube in the height direction relative to the plants.