TRAY FOR GROWING ORGANIC MATERIAL AND A NURSERY ASSEMBLY

• US 20100115837A1
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Raaijmakers, Antonius Henricus Maria, Van Der Poel, Lucas Leo Desiree
• Application Number:
  US12/594,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20100115837A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 47/66.600
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/045 with electric lighting
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/045 Trays for receiving multiple pots
• 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

A tray (200) for growing organic material comprising a plurality of LEDs (204) is disclosed. The tray (200) comprises an upper side (202) and a lower side (206). The upper side (202) is arranged to carry a substrate (210) for growing organic material and the lower side (206) is arranged to radiate the light generated by the LEDs (204). The tray (200) comprises a structure which enables the tray (200) to radiate more heat, generated by the LEDs (204), at the upper side(202) than at the lower side(206) of the tray(200). The tray(200) enables to provide an improved nursery assembly (100), wherein the soil with organic material is heated up with the heat generated by the LEDs (204). In this way, the heat is not wasted to heat up the air but is used to heat up the soil such that it can have a higher average temperature than the air above the organic material.

Claims

1. Tray for growing organic material comprising a plurality of LEDs, the tray having an upper side and a lower side, the upper side being arranged to carry a substrate for growing organic material and the lower side being arranged to radiate the light generated by the LEDs, wherein the tray comprises a structure for enabling the tray to radiate more heat, generated by the LEDs, at the upper side than at the lower side of the tray.

2. Tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structure comprises a first part and a second part, a side of the first part forming the upper side and a side of the second part forming the lower side of the tray, the LEDs being attached on the first part, which has a higher thermal conductivity than the second part.

3. Tray as claimed in claim 2, wherein a gap separates the first part and the second part.

4. Tray as claimed in claim 2, wherein the material of the first part is at least one of the materials:

metal, glass, Plexiglass or plastic.

5. Tray as claimed in claim 2, wherein the material of the second part is at least one of the transparent or diffuser materials:

glass, Plexiglass or plastic.

6. Tray as claim in claim 3, wherein the first part at the side of the gap has a reflective surface.

7. Tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structure comprises one or more heat pipes to which the LEDs are thermally coupled.

8. Tray as claimed in claim 7, wherein the heat pipes are positioned substantially horizontally.

9. Tray as claimed in claim 8, wherein the heat pipes are positioned above a bottom layer comprising one or more areas for allowing passage of the light emitted by the LEDs.

10. Tray as claimed in claim 7, wherein the heat pipes are positioned substantially vertically.

11. A nursery assembly comprising a plurality of trays as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trays are positioned above each other.

12. (canceled)