Marine LED lighting system and method

• US 7,878,674 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2009
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sierra Space Corporation
• Original Assignee: Orbital Technologies Corporation (Sierra Nevada Co. LLC)
• Inventors: Crabb, Thomas M., Gustafson, Marty, Emmerich, Jeffrey C., Morrow, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi; Ali
• Application Number:
  US12/349,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20090116224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 362/101, 362/231, 362/267
• US Class Current: 362/101
• 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: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 31/10 by light emitting elements located inside the reactor, e.g. LED or OLED
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 41/06 of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/805 Horticultural

Abstract

A method and apparatus of lighting a marine habitat for growth utilizing an LED light system. The light system includes an LED light source, a power supply for such light source and a controller for controlling the activation status and the intensity of the LED light source.

Claims

1. A combination marine habitat and lighting system, comprising:

a marine habitat having an open top defined by a top edge; and

a lighting system comprising;

a housing connectable to the top edge being disposed submersible into the marine habitat; and

an LED light source mounted to an inner side of the housing which is transparent watertight, the LED light source comprising at least one light engine having a plurality of individual LEDs, the LED light source being a main source of lighting to the marine habitat.

2. The combination marine habitat and lighting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller for controlling activation status and intensity of one or more of the individual LEDs.

3. The combination marine habitat and lighting system of claim 2, further comprising:

a power supply sufficient to drive the LEDs, the controller is connected with the power supply.

4. The combination marine habitat and lighting system of claim 1, wherein the LED light source, when activated, is sufficient to support marine growth.

5. The combination marine habitat and lighting system of claim 1, wherein the LED light source includes at least one of chip-based, organic or discreet LEDs.

6. The combination marine habitat and lighting system of claim 1, wherein the submersible housing is arranged in a planar configuration and is hung from the top edge of the open top of the marine habitat and disposed in parallel to the open top.

7. The combination marine habitat and lighting system of claim 1, wherein the submersible housing is arranged in a planar configuration and is hung from the top edge of the open top of the marine habitat and disposed vertically to the open top.

8. The combination marine habitat and lighting system of claim 1, wherein the submersible housing is arranged in a point configuration and disposed at bottom of the marine habitat.

9. The combination marine habitat and lighting system of claim 1, wherein the submersible housing is arranged in a planar configuration and suspended from the open top of the marine habitat.

10. The combination marine habitat and lighting system of claim 1, wherein the submersible housing is arranged in a point configuration and suspended from the open top of the marine habitat.