Spectrally selective grow tube

• US 8,171,668 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Plantra, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Plantra, Inc.
• Inventors: Lais, Joseph F., Siems, Christian E., Tillmann, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Kristen C
• Application Number:
  US12/410,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20090272031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 47 291- 294, 47/201, 47/321, 47/311, 47/30
• US Class Current: 47/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 13/0243 Protective shelters for young plants, e.g. tubular sleeves

Abstract

A spectrally selective grow tube or tree shelter that improves the establishment of woody plant forms by reduction and/or elimination of certain biotic and abiotic stress factors. The grow tube may provide an enhanced micro climate that is humid and rich in CO₂ and promotes photosynthesis by selectively propagating photosynthetically active radiation. In addition to providing a physical barrier to wind and herbivores, certain embodiments of the grow tube can also provide protection from chemical sprays while permitting ventilation of the grow tube. Various embodiments of the spectrally selective grow tube may comprise separate interior and exterior members for enhancement of the interior and exterior surface functions and that may be co-extruded. The interior member may be dyed or pigmented to selectively transmit wavelengths of the visible spectrum known to promote photosynthesis, such as red light and/or blue light. The exterior member may include a semi-reflective coating such as TiO2 or ZnS that reflects at least a portion of the visible light spectrum while enabling transmission of infrared wavelengths therethrough for radiative cooling.

Claims

1. A grow tube, comprising:

an interior member that is at least partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and substantially opaque to electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, said interior member having a greater transmittance in at least one of a blue and a red band pass than in a green band pass;

an exterior member substantially surrounding said interior member; and

an intermediate member disposed between said interior and exterior members, said intermediate member being opaque and having a reflectance that reflects electromagnetic radiation incident on said intermediate member in said red and blue band passes.

2. The grow tube of claim 1, wherein said exterior member is substantially opaque to electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet, the visible and the infrared portions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

3. The grow tube of claim 1, wherein said exterior member is partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, and wherein electromagnetic radiation passing through said exterior member is substantially reflected by said intermediate member.

4. The grow tube of claim 1, wherein said interior member comprises greening interference pigments.

5. The grow tube of claim 1, wherein at least one of said interior member, said exterior member and said intermediate member includes at least one of a film and a coating.

6. The grow tube of claim 1 wherein said exterior member is at least partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

7. The grow tube of claim 1 wherein said exterior member comprises a coating that transmits a fraction of visible light incident thereupon, said fraction being less than approximately 30%.

8. The grow tube of claim 7 wherein said fraction is approximately 1%.

9. The grow tube of claim 1 wherein said interior member is comprised of polyethylene.

10. The grow tube of claim 1 wherein at least one of said interior member and said exterior member comprises a bittering agent.

11. The grow tube of claim 1 wherein said interior member includes surface structure for scatter of electromagnetic radiation transmitted therethrough.

12. The grow tube of claim 1 wherein said interior member has greater transmittance in both of said red band pass and said blue band pass than in said green band pass.

13. The grow tube of claim 12 wherein said interior member has greater transmittance in said red band pass than in said blue band pass.

14. The grow tube of claim 1 wherein a majority of said electromagnetic radiation incident on said intermediate member in said red and blue bandpasses is reflected by said intermediate member.

15. The grow tube of claim 1, wherein said interior member comprises at least one of a dye and a metal oxide pigment.