GREENHOUSE FOR ENHANCED PLANT GROWTH

• US 20110016779A1
• Filed: 03/19/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Grow Foil B.V.
• Original Assignee: Grow Foil B.V.
• Inventors: Hermans, Ko, Slager, Ben
• Application Number:
  US12/933,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20110016779A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 47/17
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/1438 Covering materials therefor; Materials for protective coverings used for soil and plants, e.g. films, canopies, tunnels or cloches
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/243 Collecting solar energy in general F24S
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/12 using renewable energies, e.g. solar water pumping

Abstract

This application relates to a greenhouse for enhancing plant growth and a method of enhancing plant growth. A greenhouse is described that comprises transparent sheets having two main surface sides, characterised in that there is on at least one of the two main surface sides an array of geometrical optical elements and a single element of the array comprises a base and at least one other surface.

Claims

1. Greenhouse for enhanced plant growth comprising

transparent sheets having two main surface sides, containing a luminescent dye within the transparent sheet, wherein:

there is on at least one of the two main surface sides an array of geometrical optical elements;

a single element of said array comprises a base and at least one other surface; and

an angle between the base and the at least one other surface is less than 45 degrees.

2. Greenhouse according to claim 1, wherein the transparent sheet contains a combination of two optically connected transparent materials, which have different refractive indices, and the array of geometrical optical elements faces inwards.

3. Greenhouse according to claim 2, wherein the angle between the base and at least one other surface of which a single geometrical optical element is comprised is more than 45 degrees.

4. Greenhouse according to claim 1, wherein a luminescent dye is contained within a separate layer which is in contact with the transparent sheet.

5. Greenhouse according to claim 1, wherein the luminescent dye is a mixture of different luminescent dyes.

6. Greenhouse according to claim 1, wherein the luminescent dye predominantly absorbs light between 200-400 nm and emits between 300-500 nm.

7. Greenhouse according to claim 1, wherein the luminescent dye predominantly absorbs light between 400-500 nm and emits between 500-700 nm.

8. Greenhouse according to claim 5, wherein the mixture contains a luminescent dye predominantly absorbing light between 200-400 nm and emitting between 300-500 nm and a luminescent dye predominantly absorbing light between 400-500 nm and emitting between 500-700 nm.

9. Greenhouse according to claim 1, wherein the transparent sheet is made of a polymeric material.

10. Greenhouse according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the transparent sheet is less than 5 cm.

11. Greenhouse according to claim 1, wherein the array of transparent geometrical optical elements is adapted with one or more of the following layers or coatings:

an anti-fouling coating, an anti-fogging coating, an anti-reflection coating, an anti-glare coating;

color reflecting/absorbing layers, and an infra-red filter layer.

12. Transparent sheet having two main surface sides, containing a luminescent dye within the transparent sheet, wherein

there is on at least one of the two main surface sides an array of geometrical optical elements;

a single element of said array comprises a base and at least one other surface; and

the angle between the base and the at least one other surface is less than 45 degrees.

13. Transparent sheet according to claim 12, wherein the transparent sheet is placed between a light source and a plant for enhanced plant growth.

14. Method for enhancing plant growth in a green house, comprising:

passing sunlight to plants through transparent sheets containing a luminescent dye having two main surface sides;

wherein

there is on at least one of the two main surface sides an array of geometrical optical elements;

a single element of said array comprises a base and at least one other surface and

the angle between the base and the at least one other surface is less than 45 degrees.

15. Method according to claim 14 wherein the transparent sheet contains a combination of two optically connected transparent materials, which have different refractive indices, and that the array of geometrical optical elements faces inwards.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the angle between the base and at least one other surface of which a single geometrical optical element is comprised is more than 45 degrees.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein a luminescent dye is contained within a separate later which is in contact with the transparent sheet.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the luminescent dye is a mixture of different luminescent dyes.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the luminescent dye predominantly absorbs light between 200-400 nm and emits between 300-500 nm.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the luminescent dye predominantly absorbs light between 400-500 nm and emits between 500-700 nm.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the mixture contains a luminescent dye predominantly absorbing light between 200-400 nm and emitting between 300-500 nm and a luminescent dye predominantly absorbing light between 400-500 nm and emitting between 500-700 nm.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the transparent sheet is made of a polymeric material.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the thickness of the transparent sheet is less than 5 cm.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the array of transparent geometrical optical elements is adapted with one or more of the following layers or coatings:

an anti-fouling coating, an anti-fogging coating, an anti-reflection coating, an anti-glare coating;

color reflecting/absorbing layers, and an infra-red filter layer.