LED lighting for livestock development

• US 9,700,019 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Once Innovations Inc. (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Grajcar, Zdenko
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alaeddini, Borna
• Application Number:
  US12/916,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20110101883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,447 Days
• Field of Search: 315291, 315297, 315302, 315307, 315308, 315363, 362126, 362227, 362230, 362231, 362257, 362404, 362407, 362408, 362433, 362437, 362438, 362800, 119174, 119502, 119503, 119508, 119518
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0088 Animal shelters especially adapted for keeping young cattle, i.e. calves
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2227/108 Swine
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/00 Other apparatus for animal husbandry
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 45/00 Other aviculture appliances, e.g. devices for determining whether a bird is about to lay
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/06 by suspension
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/50 Cooling arrangements air-treatment systems dissipating or using the heat of lighting fixtures F24F3/056
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/773 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/31 Phase-control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/36 Circuits for reducing or suppressing harmonics, ripples or electromagnetic interferences [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/40 Details of LED load circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/48 having LEDs organised in strings and incorporating parallel shunting devices

Abstract

Apparatus and associated methods involve a hangable LED light assembly constructed to provide a selected color output illumination as a function of excitation intensity. In an illustrative example, the color output may be selected to promote biological development throughout livestock development stages (e.g., incubation, growth, and reproduction). The light intensity may controllable, for example, in response to a light dimmer arranged to modulate AC excitation applied to the LED downlight. As the light intensity is decreased in response to a simple dimmer control, the spectral output of the LED downlight may shift its output wavelengths. Accordingly, some exemplary installations may provide controlled combinations of intensity and color to substantially optimize lighting conditions for livestock.

Claims

1. A method of artificially illuminating swine during a life cycle to promote growth of the swine, the method comprising:

providing an electric lamp configured to illuminate a livestock area in which swine develop;

illuminating the livestock area with illuminants within the lamp, wherein the illuminants generate a selected wavelength;

illuminating the livestock area with other illuminants within the lamp; and

illuminating swine with the selected wavelength during selected portions of the swine lifecycle; and

simulating a sunrise by increasing light intensity on the swine with a program on a selected program schedule to promote growth of the swine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected wavelength comprises a red color.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected wavelength comprises an infrared color.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected wavelength comprises a blue color.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of reducing a peak intensity level of illumination once the swine in the livestock area have reached a predetermined maturity level.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively discontinuing illuminating the swine with the selected wavelength and illuminating the livestock area with the other illuminants that output a white color.