ILLUMINATION APPARATUS AND PLANT CULTIVATION APPARATUS

• US 20130021797A1
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kubo, Tomoki
• Application Number:
  US13/637,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20130021797A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/235
• 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 17/12 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/007 Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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

An illumination apparatus (12) of the present invention is an illumination apparatus for irradiating a plant with light. The illumination apparatus (12) includes a light-emitting diodes (23) serving as light sources; an LED substrate (22) on which the light-emitting diodes (23) are provided; a lens (25) (an optical member) provided between the LED substrate (22) and the plant to be irradiated, the lens (25) changing the paths of light emitted from the light-emitting diodes (23); and a lens holding plate (24) (an optical member) to hold the lens (25). The lens (25) is removably attached to the apparatus. With this configuration, it is possible to provide an illumination apparatus for cultivating plants, which illumination apparatus has been improved from the viewpoint of control of heat generated by an LED and control of light distribution of the LED.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus for irradiating a plant with light, comprising:

light-emitting diodes serving as light sources;

a substrate on which the light-emitting diodes are arranged; and

an optical member provided between the substrate and the plant to be irradiated, the optical member being for changing the paths of light emitted from the light-emitting diodes,

the optical member being removably attached to the illumination apparatus.

2. The illumination apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the optical member includes a light path changing part and a holding plate for holding the light path changing part; and

the holding plate has a hole corresponding to one of or two or more of the light-emitting diodes provided on the substrate, and the light path changing part is attached in the hole.

3. The illumination apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein one light-emitting diode or two or more light-emitting diodes serve(s) as one unit, and the light path changing part is provided in such a way as to correspond to the one unit.

4. The illumination apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the optical member is constituted by a plurality of members, and the plurality of members are independently removably attached to the illumination apparatus.

5. The illumination apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the holding plate is made of a metal material.

6. The illumination apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the holding plate is made of a resin having a light guiding property.

7. The illumination apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the holding plate further includes a reflective sheet attached to the resin having a light guiding property.

8. The illumination apparatus as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a thermal conductive sheet provided between the substrate and the holding plate.

9. The illumination apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the holding plate is made of a high thermal conductive resin.

10. The illumination apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the light path changing part is a lens.

11. The illumination apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a cooling plate provided on a back surface of the substrate.

12. A plant cultivation apparatus comprising an illumination apparatus as set forth in claim 1.