Lighting apparatus for controlling plant disease

• US 8,458,954 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2009
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Makoto, Ishiwata, Masaki, Oichi, Akinobu, Furihata, Kanetake, Omi, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRINH T
• Application Number:
  US12/935,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20110016785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 47/10.1 R, 47/17, 47/60, 47/61, 47D/IG.6, 47/581.LS, 47/581.SE, 47/581.R, 362/563, 362/805, 250/493.1, 250/503.1, 250/504.R, 250/494.1, 250/492.1, 422/22, 422/24
• US Class Current: 47/58.1LS
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/045 with electric lighting
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/165 following a pre-assigned programmed sequence; Logic control [LC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/14 Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses

Abstract

A lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease is provided to reliably inhibit a spore formation and a hyphal growth of a filamentous fungi, reliably induce a disease resistance, prevent a leaf scorch, and promote a growth of a plant. A UV light source repeats a light irradiation which has an irradiation pattern of combining a light irradiation, in which UV-C and UV-B and a visible light are superimposed, with a visible light irradiation alone at least twice a day. The emission of UV-B and UV-C enables the reliable inhibition of the spore formation of the filamentous fungi, for example. Its intermittent emission prevents a plant from getting too used to ultraviolet rays, promotes a generation of an antibacterial substance, for example, and prevents a leaf scorch. The continuous emission of the visible light enables a promotion of a growth of the plant.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus, which emits a light including ultraviolet rays to a plant for controlling a plant disease, the lighting apparatus comprising:

a UV light source which emits UV-B and UV-C in which a wavelength component of approximately 250 nm or less is cut off in UV-C;

a visible light source which emits visible light; and

a controller which controls an operation of the UV light source and the visible light source, wherein

the controller controls the respective light sources and repeats a light irradiation which has an irradiation pattern of combining a first light irradiation and a second light irradiation at least twice a day, wherein

the first light irradiation comprises the UV-C and UV-B and the visible light that are superimposed,

the second light irradiation comprises the visible light alone.

2. The lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation pattern is characterized in that the first light irradiation and the second light irradiation are sequentially repeated one after another by turning on the visible light source continuously and turning on the UV light source intermittently.

3. The lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the respective light sources to emit the UV-C and the UV-B of approximately 50 μ

W/cm² or less as a total irradiance and emit the UV-C and the UV-B of approximately 0.2 to 10 kJ/m² as an integrated irradiance per day.

4. The lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease according to claim 1, wherein the UV light source and the visible light source are set up on an upper side, a lateral side, and a bottom side of a plant which is an object to be irradiated.

5. The lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease according to claim 1, wherein the UV light source includes a light source which emits UV-C and UV-B and a filter which blocks out a wavelength component of approximately 250 nm or less in the UV-C and UV-B emitted by the light source.

6. The lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease according to claim 5, wherein the light source is made up of a fluorescent lamp which emits UV-C and UV-B, a HID (High Intensity Discharged) lamp, or a UV-LED alone or a combination of them.

7. The lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease according to claim 5, wherein the filter has a UV-A-proof configuration.

8. The lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease according to claim 2, wherein the controller controls the respective light sources to emit the UV-C and the UV-B of approximately 50 μ

W/cm² or less as a total irradiance and emit the UV-C and the UV-B of approximately 0.2 to 10 kJ/m² as an integrated irradiance per day.

9. The lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease according to claim 2, wherein the UV light source and the visible light source are set up on an upper side, a lateral side, and a bottom side of a plant which is an object to be irradiated.

10. The lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease according to claim 2, wherein the UV light source includes a light source which emits UV-C and UV-B and a filter which blocks out a wavelength component of approximately 250 nm or less in the UV-C and UV-B emitted by the light source.

11. The lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease according to claim 10, wherein the light source is made up of a fluorescent lamp which emits UV-C and UV-B, a HID (High Intensity Discharged) lamp, or a UV-LED alone or a combination of them.

12. The lighting apparatus for controlling a plant disease according to claim 10, wherein the filter has a UV-A-proof configuration.