LIGHTING APPARATUS

• US 20130155702A1
• Filed: 09/03/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Stray Light Optical Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stray Light Optical Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Rea, Gerald W., Drake, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US13/819,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20130155702A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/391
• 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: A01K 63/06 Arrangements for heating or lighting in, or attached to, receptacles for live fish
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/085 of high-built type, e.g. street light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/008 Suspending from a cable or suspension line
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/14 Adjustable mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/523 Heating or cooling particular parts of the lamp
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 65/042 by an external electromagnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2806 with semiconductor devices and specially adapted for lamps without electrodes in the vessel, e.g. surface discharge lamps, electrodeless discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/14 Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses

Abstract

A lighting apparatus is disclosed. The lighting apparatus includes an emitter having a plasma bulb and a driver which provides an RF signal to the emitter to drive the plasma bulb. The lighting apparatus may be used for various applications including illuminating plants and organisms in an aquatic environment, growing plants, facility lighting, and other applications.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

a driver unit which generates a radio frequency (RF) signal;

an emitter unit coupled to the driver unit through a cable, the emitter unit configured to generate light energy with a plasma bulb from the received radio frequency signal;

a window positioned below the plasma bulb, light produced by the plasma bulb passing through the window; and

a mounting structure which is coupled to the driver unit, the emitter unit, and the window, wherein the driver unit, the emitter unit, and the window are suspended from the mounting structure.

2. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing, the driver unit being positioned in an interior of the housing, a lower surface of the housing being below the plasma bulb and an upper surface of the housing being above the plasma bulb, the mounting structure extending above the housing.

3. The lighting apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a power supply positioned within the housing, the power supply provides DC power to the driver unit.

4. The lighting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lighting apparatus is suspended over water in an aquarium.

5. The lighting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lighting apparatus is suspended over plants.

6. A method of growing plants, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an artificial light source which produces light having a micromoles/lumen value of greater than about 2.0;

positioning the artificial light source over the plants; and

illuminating the plants with light produced by the artificial light source.

7. A method of illuminating water of an aquarium, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an artificial light source which produces light having a coloring rendering index value of about 95;

positioning the artificial light source over the water of the aquarium; and

illuminating the aquarium with light produced by the artificial light source.

8. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

a first unit including

a power supply which provides DC power; and

a driver unit which receives the DC power and generates a radio frequency (RF) signal; and

a second unit including

an emitter unit coupled to the driver unit through a cable, the emitter unit configured to generate light energy with a plasma bulb from the received radio frequency signal;

wherein the first unit is spaced apart from the second unit and the first unit is coupled to the second unit.

9. The lighting apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first unit includes a first heat sink associated with the driver unit and the second unit includes a second heat sink associated with the emitter unit.

10. The lighting apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second unit is pivotably coupled to the first unit.

11. The lighting apparatus of claim 10, the second unit further comprising a housing having an interior in which the driver unit is positioned.

12. The lighting apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a pole mounting portion provided within the housing, the housing including an aperture adapted to receive a street pole which is to be coupled to the pole mounting portion.

13. The lighting apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a pole mounting portion coupled to the housing and extending from a first end of the housing, the first unit extending from a second end of the housing opposite the first end, the pole mounting portion adapted to receive a street pole which is to be coupled to the pole mounting portion.

14. The lighting apparatus of claim 8, the second unit further comprising a housing having an interior in which the driver unit and the power supply are positioned, the housing having a first housing member and a second housing member rotatably coupled to the first housing member.

15. The lighting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the driver unit is coupled to the first housing member and the power supply is coupled to the second housing member and rotates therewith relative to the first housing member.

16. The lighting apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first housing member is cast and includes at least one heat sink associated with the driver unit.

17. The lighting apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a pole mounting portion provided within the housing, the housing including an aperture adapted to receive a street pole which is to be coupled to the pole mounting portion.

18. The lighting apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a pole mounting portion coupled to the housing and extending from a first end of the housing, the first unit extending from a second end of the housing opposite the first end, the pole mounting portion adapted to receive a street pole which is to be coupled to the pole mounting portion.