RIGS FOR ILLUMINATING FIELDS AND METHODS OF ILLUMINATING PLANTS

• US 20160198640A1
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Published: 07/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Almendra Pte. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Almendra Pte. Ltd.
• Inventors: SINGH, INDER, TOMOV, ASLAN
• Granted Patent: US 10,231,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/09 Watering arrangements making use of movable installations on wheels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/045 with electric lighting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/14 Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for an irrigation rig (100) comprising a plurality of light sources (103) and methods of illuminating short-day plants. As described herein, a mobile irrigation rig (100) may comprise a plurality of light sources (103) attached to a support arm of the mobile irrigation rig (100), wherein the plurality of light sources (103) are configured to emit light on a subject during a mobile or stationary operation of the irrigation rig (100). The irrigation rig (100), using the plurality of light sources (103), may illuminate a short-day plant with light to control a bloom or a flowering of a plant subject.

Claims

1. A mobile irrigation rig, comprising:

a plurality of light sources attached to the mobile irrigation rig, wherein the plurality of light sources are configured to emit light on a plant subject during a mobile operation of the rig.

2. The mobile irrigation rig of claim 1, wherein the light source emits the light in a wavelength range of about 600 nm to 800 nm, about 250 nm to 400 nm, or a combination thereof or monochromatic and which is, optionally, polarized, plane-polarized, circularly polarized, elliptically polarized or unpolarized or collimated.

3. The mobile irrigation rig of claim 1, wherein the light source emits the light in a wavelength range of about 630 nm to 660 nm, about 730 nm, or a combination thereof and which is, optionally, polarized, plane-polarized, circularly polarized, elliptically polarized or unpolarized, or collimated.

4. The mobile irrigation rig of claim 1, wherein the light source further comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

5. The mobile irrigation rig of claim 4, wherein the LED emits light in a wavelength range of about 630 nm to 660 nm, about 730 nm, or a combination thereof.

6. The mobile irrigation rig of claim 1, wherein the light source includes a filter so that only light in a wavelength range of about 600 nm to 800 nm, about 250 nm to 400 nm, or a combination thereof, passes through the filter.

7. The mobile irrigation rig of claim 1, wherein the light source is selected from a group consisting of:

a solid state plasma lamp, a high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp, a fluorescent lamp, an incandescent lamp, a laser and a sulfur lamp.

8. The mobile irrigation rig of claim 1, wherein the mobile irrigation rig further comprises a linear rig or a pivoting rig.

22. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile irrigation rig comprises a plurality of wheels operable to move the mobile irrigation rig from a first location to a second location.

9. A system, comprising:

a mobile irrigation rig; and

a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) light sources attached to the mobile irrigation rig, wherein the plurality of LED light sources are configured to emit light on a plant subject during a mobile operation of the rig.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the light source emits the light in a wavelength range of about 600 nm to 800 nm, about 250 nm to 400 nm, about 630 nm to 660 nm, about 730 nm, or a combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of LED light sources include a filter so that only light in a wavelength range of about 600 nm to 800 nm, about 250 nm to 400 nm, or a combination thereof, passes through the filter.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of LED light sources are selected from a group consisting of:

a solid state plasma lamp, a high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp, a fluorescent lamp, an incandescent lamp, a laser and a sulfur lamp.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the mobile irrigation rig further comprises a linear rig or a pivoting rig.

11. (canceled)

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of LED light sources emit light in a wavelength range of about 630 nm to 660 nm, about 730 nm, or a combination thereof.

16. A method, comprising:

illuminating, via a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) light sources attached to a mobile irrigation rig, a plant subject with light, wherein the plurality of LED light sources are configured to emit light on the plant subject during a operation of the mobile irrigation rig, wherein the plant subject is a short-day plant or a long-day plant.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein illuminating is performed periodically during nighttime hours.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein illuminating is performed after an irrigation of the plant subject.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the plant subject is the short-day plant and illuminating the short-day plant is performed periodically during nighttime hours so that the short-day plant is not subject to nighttime light conditions for more than about 12 hours, about 10 hours, about 8 hours, or about 6 hours.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the plant subject is the short-day plant and, wherein the method further comprises illuminating of the short-day plant with a flash of light of about 1 millisecond or longer and with light about 1 second or longer, about 2 minutes or longer, about 3 minutes or longer, about 5 minutes or longer, about 10 minutes or longer, about 15 minutes or longer or about 30 minutes or longer.

21. (canceled)