Lighting apparatus for controlling plant disease

• US 8,299,445 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Makoto, Kuramitsu, Osamu, Ishiwata, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanore, David A
• Assistant Examiner(s): IPPOLITO, NICOLE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US12/669,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20100193707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,567 Days
• Field of Search: 362/563, 362/805, 47/581.LS, 47/581.R, 250/493.1, 250/503.1, 250/504.R, 250/453.11, 250/454.11, 250/455.11, 250/494.1, 422/20, 422/22, 422/24
• US Class Current: 250/455.11
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/04 Electric or magnetic or acoustic treatment of plants for promoting growth
• 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 is a lighting device for use in the control of a plant disease, which has a light source capable of emitting light containing ultraviolet ray. The light source can emit both of UV-B having a wavelength component with a wavelength of about 280 to 340 um and UV-C in which a wavelength component with a wavelength of about 255 nm or less is cut off from wavelength components with wavelengths of about 100 to 280 nm to plant in a superimposed manner. The irradiation of a plant with the UV-C and the UV-B ensures to further inhibit the spore formation or the hypha growth of a filamentous fungus that causes a disease or the like, and to induce a resistance against a disease in the plant.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease provided with a light source to emit a light including ultraviolet rays, wherein

the light source emits superimposedly UV-B having a wavelength component of approximately 280 to 340 nm and UV-C having a wavelength component of approximately 100 to 280 nm wherein a wavelength component of approximately 255 nm or less is cut off,

the lighting apparatus comprising an illuminance sensor which detects an illuminance in proximity to a plant;

and

a controller that controls the light source to be turned on when the illuminance sensor detects visible light.

2. The lighting apparatus for controlling the plant disease according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the light source so that a total amount of UV-B and UV-C emitted to an area in the plant by the light source is 50 μ

W/cm² or less.

3. The lighting apparatus for controlling the plant disease according to claim 2, comprising a first filter which controls a wavelength of the light emitted by the light source, wherein

the first filter blocks out UV-A having a wavelength component of approximately 340 to 380 nm in the light emitted by the light source.

4. The lighting apparatus for controlling the plant disease according to claim 3, wherein

the first filter blocks out visible light having a wavelength range of approximately 380 nm or more in the light emitted by the light source.

5. The lighting apparatus for controlling the plant disease according to claim 4, wherein

the light source comprises at least one of a fluorescent lamp, a mercury lamp, a metal halide lamp, and a xenon lamp which emit the UV-B and the UV-C.

6. The lighting apparatus for controlling the plant disease according to claim 4, wherein

the light source comprises a lamp which emits a light including ultraviolet rays and a second filter which transmits UV-B having a wavelength component of approximately 280 to 340 nm and UV-C having a wavelength component of approximately 100 to 280 nm wherein a wavelength component of approximately 255 nm or less is cut off, in a light emitted by the lamp.

7. The lighting apparatus for controlling the plant disease according to claim 1, wherein

the light source is provided on an upper side, a lateral side, and a bottom side of a plant which is an object to be irradiated.

8. The lighting apparatus for controlling the plant disease according to claim 7, wherein the controller controls the light source so that a total amount of UV-C and UV-B emitted to an area in the plant by the light source is 50 μ

W/cm² or less.

9. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the luminance sensor outputs a detection signal to the controller, when a light volume of detected visible light exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and

the controller controls the light source to emit ultraviolet rays, based on the detection signal.

10. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second light source that emits white light,

wherein the luminance sensor detects the visible light emitted from the second light source, and

the controller controls the light source to emit ultraviolet rays together with the white light emitted by the second light source so that the ultraviolet rays and the white light are irradiated on the plant at the same time.