Method, greenhouse and an installation for illuminating plants

• US 7,475,512 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hortilux Schréder B.V.
• Original Assignee: Hortilux Schréder B.V.
• Inventors: Van Den Dool, Teunis Cornelis
• Primary Examiner(s): Palo; Francis T
• Application Number:
  US11/189,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20060032115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 47/17, 47/10.1 R, 47/581.R
• 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. A method for illuminating and heating plants in a greenhouse, the method comprising:

(a) illuminating the plants with one or more lamps positioned above the plants;

(b) moving the one or more lamps upwardly as the plants grow to maintain the height between the one or more lamps and the tips of the growing plants between 80 cm and 240 cm;

(c) heating the greenhouse with a heat source supplemental to the one or more lamps; and

(d) moving the supplemental heating tube and the one or more lamps upwardly as the plants grow using lifting gear;

wherein the lamp and the heating tube are fixed to a support section that is coupled to the lifting gear.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising keeping the distance between the lamp and the tips of the growing plants between 120 cm and 210 cm.

3. A method according to claim 1, comprising setting the distance between the one or more lamps and the top of the plants depending on the temperature and/or the atmospheric humidity in the greenhouse.

4. A method according to claim 3, comprising increasing the distance between the one or more lamps and the tops of the plants in response to a rise in temperature in the greenhouse and/or in response to a fall in the atmospheric humidity in the greenhouse and reducing the distance between the one or more lamps and the tops of the plants in response to a fall in temperature in the greenhouse and/or in response to a rise in the atmospheric humidity in the greenhouse.

5. A method according to claim 1 comprising moving the heat source together with the one or more lamps.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the heat source is located between the plants.

7. A greenhouse for plants comprising an installation for illuminating and heating the plants, the installation comprising:

(a) one or more lamps disposed to illuminate the plants from above, the one or more lamps being movable upwardly relatively to the plants as the plants grow;

(b) a heating tube supplemental to the one or more lamps and movable upwardly relatively to the plants as the plants; and

(c) lifting gear to move the one or more lamps and the heating tube upwardly as the plants grow;

wherein the lamp and the heating tube are fixed to a support section that is coupled to the lifting gear.

8. A greenhouse according to claim 7 comprising a control means for measuring and/or setting the distance between the one or more lamps and the tips of the upwardly growing plants.

9. A greenhouse according to claim 8, wherein the control means comprise a sensor.

10. A greenhouse according to claim 9, wherein the sensor measures the temperature and/or the atmospheric humidity in the greenhouse in order to set the distance between the lamp and the upwardly growing tips of the plants.

11. An installation for illuminating and heating plants intended for use in a green house, the installation comprising:

(a) one or more lamps;

(b) lifting gear for moving the one or more lamps upwardly relatively to the plants;

(c) control means for measuring and/or setting the distance between the lamp and the tips of the upwardly growing plants; and

(d) a heating tube supplemental to the one or more lamps for heating the greenhouse, the heating tube being movable upwardly by the lifting gear relatively to the plant;

wherein the lamp and the heating tube are fixed to a support section that is coupled to the lifting gear.