Multicolor light emitting diode lamp for plant growth, illumination apparatus, and plant growth method

• US 9,485,919 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Resonac Corp. (Resonac Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Showa Denko KK (Resonac Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Ryouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): SONG, ZHENG B
• Application Number:
  US13/388,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20120124903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,287 Days
• Field of Search: 362/231, 362/23, 362/367, 362/157, 362/84, 362/608, 362543-545, 362/293, 362/227, 47/58, 257/100, 257/103, 257/79
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: F21Y 2113/10 of different colours
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49175 Parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/14 Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses

Abstract

A multicolor light emitting diode lamp includes a blue LED and a AlGaInP-based red LED having high luminescence efficiency, balancing with the blue LED are mounted in the same package. The red LED includes a light emitting section including a light emitting layer having a composition formula, (Al_XGa_1-X)_YIn_1-YP (0≦X≦1 and 0<Y≦1). The red LED emits at least as many photons as the blue LED when the same electric current is flowed. When a strong red light is desirable for plant growth, by mounting two red LEDs and one blue LED, a desired mixed color is obtained with one lamp, and irradiation of light can be made uniform.

Claims

1. A multicolor light emitting diode lamp for plant growth comprising:

two first light emitting diodes, each including a pn-junction type light emitting section having a light emitting layer which has a composition formula, (AlXGa1-X)YIn1-YP (0≦

X≦

0.1 and 0<

Y≦

1), and in which a peak luminescence wavelength is not less than 655 nm and not more than 675 nm, and each of which emits red light; and

one second light emitting diode including a light emitting layer which has a composition formula, GaXIn1-XN (0≦

X≦

1) and in which a peak luminescence wavelength is not less than 420 nm and not more than 470 nm, and which emits blue light,

wherein the two first light emitting diodes and the one second light emitting diode are mounted on a surface of a substrate sealed in a same package,

the two first light emitting diodes and the one second light emitting diode are directly electrically connected in series to one another, or the one second light emitting diode is directly electrically connected in parallel to the two first light emitting diodes which are directly electrically connected in series to one another,

a photon flux R [μ

mol·

s−

1] of the two first light emitting diodes and a photon flux B [μ

mol·

s−

1] of the one second light emitting diode mounted on the multicolor light emitting diode lamp satisfy a relation of R>

B per a same amount of an electric current simultaneously flowing through the two first light emitting diodes and the one second light emitting diode, and, and

a distance between two adjacent light emitting diodes of the first and second light emitting diodes is within 10 mm.

2. An illumination apparatus for plant growth comprising:

two or more of the multicolor light emitting diode lamps for plant growth according to claim 1,

wherein the multicolor light emitting diode lamps for plant growth are disposed at approximately equal intervals and configured to be independently controllable.

3. The illumination apparatus for plant growth according to claim 2, wherein the number of multicolor light emitting diode lamps for plant growth is controllable in accordance with a growth area of plants.

4. The illumination apparatus for plant growth according to claim 2, wherein a photon flux of the multicolor light emitting diode lamp for plant growth is controllable in accordance with the distance between the light emitting diode lamp and plants.

5. The illumination apparatus for plant growth according to claim 2, wherein an electric current applied to the multicolor light emitting diode lamp for plant growth is pulse-driven, and

wherein a lighting time of the multicolor light emitting diode lamp for plant growth is controllable in accordance with the growth state of the plants.

6. The illumination apparatus for plant growth according to claim 2, further comprising:

a light guide panel having a light extraction surface,

wherein light of the multicolor light emitting diode lamp for plant growth taken from a side surface of the light guide panel is extractable from the light extraction surface.

7. A plant growth method of controlling a combination of one or more of the number of the multicolor light emitting diode lamps for plant growth which are lit, a photon flux, an applied electric current, and the pulse driving time of the illumination apparatus for plant growth according to claim 2, based on a growth state of plants.

8. The multicolor light emitting diode lamp for plant growth according to claim 1, wherein the two first light admitting diodes and the one second light emitting diode are electronically connected in series to one another in a single string.

9. The multicolor light emitting diode lamp for plant growth according to claim 1, wherein the two first light emitting diodes are connected in series to one another and in parallel to the one second light emitting diode,

a cathode of the one second light emitting diode is connected to an anode of one of the two first light emitting diodes, and

an anode of the one second light emitting diode is connected to a cathode of another one of the two first light emitting diodes.

10. The multicolor light emitting diode lamp for plant growth according to claim 1, wherein a reflecting wall is disposed at a boundary of the substrate, the reflecting wall surrounding the two first light emitting diodes and the one second light emitting diode, and

a sealing material fills a space above the surface of the substrate and inner side of the reflecting wall to seal the two first light emitting diodes and the one second light emitting diode in the same package.