JP7652556B2 - Plant growth lighting equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a lighting device for growing plants, which promotes photosynthesis in plants to grow them.

There is known a plant cultivation system equipped with a light source that irradiates plants with light (artificial light) in a wavelength range that promotes photosynthesis in order to grow plants stably regardless of the external weather, for example, sunlight conditions (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The plant cultivation system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a system for hydroponically cultivating plants such as vegetables using artificial light in addition, and is configured to set up a cultivation bed approximately vertically and spray nutrient solution onto plant roots exposed on the underside of the cultivation bed. This configuration is said to make it possible to improve plant cultivation efficiency even in a small space.

However, the plant cultivation system disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that there are restrictions on the planting posture of the plants, which imposes restrictions on the types of plants that can be grown.
For this reason, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a home plant cultivation device that includes a cultivation bed in which cultivated plants are planted, and a ceiling portion that is provided above the cultivation bed and has an artificial light source that can be moved up and down according to the growth of the cultivated plants. It is said that such a home plant cultivation device can significantly improve production efficiency even in a small space.

JP 2008-92859 A Patent No. 4314316

However, in a home plant cultivation device such as that disclosed in Patent Document 2, the light source held in the ceiling is linked to the movement of the ceiling, so the range in which the position of the light source can be changed is limited, and there is a problem in that the irradiation angle and irradiation distance of the light irradiated on the plant being grown cannot be partially adjusted.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a lighting device for growing plants that can partially adjust the irradiation angle and irradiation distance of light emitted to the plant being grown.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means.
The lighting device for plant growth of the present invention comprises a support part arranged facing a growth space in which a plant to be grown is placed, a frame body supporting one or more of the support parts and arranged to surround the growth space, a support pillar supporting multiple frame bodies along a height direction, a light source holding part supported in a movably state relative to the support part, and a light source for plant growth attached to the light source holding part , wherein the light source holding part is supported by the support part so that the distance from the growth space can be adjusted, and is supported by the support part so that the angle of the illumination optical axis of the light source relative to the direction in which the plant grows can be adjusted .

The lighting device for plant growth of the present invention allows partial adjustment of the angle and distance of the light emitted to the plant being grown. For example, by adjusting the light emitted from each light source so that it hits the leaves of the plant respectively according to the growth state of the plant, it is possible to efficiently promote photosynthesis without being affected by external sunlight, etc., and increase the growth rate, allowing vegetables, etc. to be grown efficiently.

Another lighting device for plant growth of the present invention comprises a support part arranged facing a growth space in which a plant to be grown is arranged, a frame body supporting one or more of the support parts and arranged to surround the growth space, a plurality of support columns supporting the frame body along a height direction, a light source holding part supported in a movably state relative to the support part, and a light source for plant growth attached to the light source holding part, wherein the support part has a pair of slide rails, each of which has a recess formed therein, and the light source is arranged between the opposing recesses via the light source holding part.

In addition, in the present invention, each of the slide rails may have two recesses extending parallel to each other, and the light source may be arranged in each of the two opposing recesses via the light source holding portion .

According to the present invention, it is possible to partially adjust the irradiation angle and irradiation distance of the light irradiated onto the plant being grown, thereby providing a lighting means and lighting device for plant growth that can adjust the irradiated light with high precision according to the growth state of the plant.

1 is an external perspective view showing a lighting means for growing a plant and a lighting device for growing a plant according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main portion showing a support portion and a light source holding portion. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of a socket portion. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is an external perspective view showing a lighting device for growing a plant according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main portion showing a joint between a support pillar and a frame body. FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is an external perspective view showing a lighting device for growing a plant according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Below, a plant growth lighting means and a plant growth lighting device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each embodiment shown below is specifically described to provide a better understanding of the gist of the invention, and does not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. Also, the drawings used in the following description may show key parts enlarged for convenience in order to make the features of the present invention easier to understand, and the dimensional ratios of each component may not necessarily be the same as the actual ones.

First Embodiment
Fig. 1 is an external perspective view showing a lighting means for growing a plant and a lighting device for growing a plant according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of a support part and a light source holding part. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of a socket part.

The lighting device 10 for plant growth of this embodiment, which has a lighting means for plant growth, includes four support parts 11, 11..., a light source holding part 12 supported by each of the support parts 11, a light source 13 attached to the light source holding part 12, and a frame body 14 that supports the four support parts 11.

The support section 11 is composed of a pair of slide rails 21, 21 arranged at a distance from each other and a bonding material 22 that connects the slide rails 21, 21 at one end side of the slide rails 21, 21, and is formed in a roughly U-shape when viewed from above. The support section 11 may be integrally formed from an insulating and lightweight material, for example, resin.

The slide rails 21, 21 each have a recess 21a, 21a extending in the longitudinal direction M, and the recesses 21a, 21a are formed so that their openings face each other. In addition, the bonding material 22 has a recess 22a formed therein that supports a power cable 28 extending from the light source 13, which will be described later.

The frame 14 supports a plurality of support parts 11. In this embodiment, the frame 14 is formed in a ring shape, and four support parts 11 are arranged at 90° intervals from each other. A growth space S is formed in a central region surrounded by these four support parts 11. Each support part 11 faces the growth space S and is arranged to surround the growth space S.
In this embodiment, the frame 14 and the support portion 11 are integrally formed, but the frame 14 and the support portion 11 may be formed as separate members.

The plant H to be cultivated is placed in the cultivation space S. The plant to be cultivated is not limited to any particular type, and may be any type of plant, such as vegetables, fruits, or ornamental plants. For example, vegetables include leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach, as well as eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and okra. It can also be used for creeping vegetables such as beans.

The light source holding part 12 has a holding part main body 23 made of, for example, resin, a socket part 24 into which the light source 13 described later is inserted, and a power cable 28 extending from the socket part 24. The holding part main body 23 is integrally formed with fitting parts 23a, 23a that enter into the recesses 21a, 21a of the slide rails 21, 21 formed in the support part 11, respectively, and slidably fit therewith.
As a result, the light source holding part 12 is supported by the support part 11 so that the distance from the cultivation space S can be adjusted arbitrarily.

The holder body 23 is also provided with a fixing device 26 that engages the socket portion 24 with the holder body 23, and a fastener 27 that fixes the holder body 23 at any position in the longitudinal direction of the slide rails 21, 21.

As shown in FIG. 3, the socket portion 24 is rotatably attached to the holding portion main body 23 by a rotation shaft 24a in the height direction G in which the plant grows. As a result, the holding portion main body 23 is supported by the support portion 11 so that the angle of the irradiation optical axis L of the light source 13 can be adjusted with respect to the height direction G in which the plant arranged in the cultivation space S grows.

The socket portion 24 is rotatably attached to the holder body 23 around a rotation axis 24b that is parallel to the longitudinal direction M. This allows the angle of the irradiation optical axis L of the light source 13 relative to the height direction G to be adjusted around the rotation axis 24a, and then the light source 13 can be further rotated around the rotation axis 24b to adjust the direction of the irradiation optical axis L of the light source 13 to any direction within a hemispherical range, such as diagonally upward or downward relative to the height direction G.

The light source 13 is removably engaged with the socket portion 24 of the light source holding portion 12. The light source 13 emits light rays (irradiated light) that promote photosynthesis of the target plant placed in the cultivation space S. In this embodiment, an LED element that generates little heat, for example an LED light bulb, is used as the light source 13. The light source 13 can be an LED light bulb that emits light in a wide wavelength range from the infrared range to the visible light range to the ultraviolet range, similar to sunlight, or an LED light bulb that emits light in the red range or blue-violet range, which are wavelength ranges effective for photosynthesis.

As in this embodiment, by making the light source 13 detachable from the socket section 24, it is possible to increase the amount of light emitted by attaching a new light source 13 to the socket section 24 of your choice depending on the state of growth of the plant, or to remove the light source 13 from the socket section 24 from a portion where light is no longer required. Also, compared to conventional plant growth devices that irradiate light uniformly downward from the top surface, it is easier to attach and detach a light source 13 located at a lower position, making it possible to adjust the light emitted partially, which was difficult with conventional plant growth devices.

Also, as the light source 13, an LED element that can change the wavelength of the irradiated light depending on the applied voltage can be used. This makes it possible to irradiate the target plant with light that has a different proportion of red light, such as daytime sunlight or evening sunlight, at any time.

The lighting device 10 for growing plants of this embodiment can be applied to both soil and hydroponic cultivation. The lower part of the cultivation space S of the lighting device 10 for growing plants may be provided with soil in which the plant to be grown is planted, or with a hydroponic culture solution in which the plant to be grown is supported.

The operation and effects of the lighting device 10 for growing a plant according to the present embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration will be described.
When cultivating a plant using the lighting device 10 for cultivating a plant of this embodiment, the lighting device 10 for cultivating a plant is installed so that the plant to be cultivated, for example, a vegetable plant, is placed in the cultivation space S.

Next, the light source 13 is adjusted according to the growth condition of the plant. First, the light source holding part 12 is slid along the longitudinal direction of the slide rails 21, 21 of the support part 11 to appropriately adjust the distance (irradiation distance) between the front end (irradiation surface) of the light source 13 and the plant. By adjusting the distance between the light source 13 and the plant, the amount of light irradiated to the plant and the irradiation range can be appropriately changed.

Next, the socket portion 24 is rotated relative to the holding portion main body 23 to adjust the angle (irradiation angle) of the irradiation optical axis L of the light source 13 with respect to the height direction G. This allows the angle of the irradiation optical axis L with respect to the height direction G to be set to an angle other than 90°, so that the irradiation optical axis L is aligned with the leaf portion of a plant, for example.

The irradiation distance and irradiation angle of the illumination light are adjusted individually for each of the light sources 13, 13... supported by the four support parts 11, 11... arranged to surround the plant. Then, a voltage is applied to the light source 13 to turn it on.

In this way, according to the lighting device 10 for plant growth of this embodiment, the irradiation angle and irradiation distance of the irradiated light can be partially adjusted for the plant being grown. For example, by adjusting the irradiation light from each light source 13, 13... so that it hits the leaf portion of the plant according to the growth state of the plant, it is possible to efficiently promote photosynthesis without being affected by external sunlight, etc., and increase the growth rate, thereby efficiently cultivating vegetables, etc. It is preferable to periodically adjust the irradiation angle and irradiation distance of the irradiated light as the growth of the plant progresses.

(Modification of the first embodiment)
As shown in Fig. 4, two recesses 21a, 21a can be formed in parallel on one slide rail 21 constituting the support portion 11. This allows two light sources 13 to be provided on one support portion 11 so as to be stacked in the height direction G. This allows more light sources 13 (eight in Fig. 4) to be provided on one frame body 14, increasing the degree of freedom in the number of light sources 13 to be arranged.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a lighting device for growing a plant according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
In the following description, the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.
In the plant growth lighting device 20 of this embodiment, a plurality of support parts 11 are arranged along the height direction G in which the plants grow. Specifically, in this embodiment, four support columns 16 are provided that support a plurality of frame bodies 14, each of which supports four support parts 11, along the height direction G in which the plants grow.

As shown in FIG. 6, the support column 16 has a shaft 16a, a locking device 16b that connects the shaft 16a to the frame body 14, and a fixing device 16c that fixes the height position of the locking device 16b relative to the shaft 16a at any position.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, as the plant grows in the height direction G, multiple frame bodies 14 with the support parts 11 supported can be installed in a stacked manner. This makes it possible to partially adjust the light emitted by the light source 13 according to the growth level of the plant, for example by irradiating all of the leaves with light for photosynthesis, thereby efficiently growing the plant.

(Modification of the second embodiment)
7, the support portion 11 can be directly engaged with the shaft 16a of the support column 16. With such a configuration, a frame supporting the multiple support portions 11 is not necessary, and all of the support portions 11 can be fixed at different height positions in the height direction G, thereby realizing a more flexible arrangement of the light sources 13.

Third Embodiment
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a lighting device for growing a plant according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
In the following description, the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.
In the plant growth lighting device 30 of this embodiment, the frame 34 is formed in a circular ring shape surrounding the growth space S. The frame 34 is formed integrally with a flat ring-shaped main body 34a and a rail 34b protruding in a circular ring shape from the upper surface of the main body 34a.

The support part 11, which is equipped with a light source holding part 12 that holds the light source 13, is slidably fitted to the rail 34b of the frame body 34 and is supported so as to be movable on the rail 34b in a circular ring shape that surrounds the cultivation space S.

Furthermore, the frame body 34 can be installed so that multiple frame bodies 34 with the support parts 11 supported by the support columns 36 are stacked as the plant grows in the height direction G. According to the plant growth lighting device 30 of this embodiment, the support parts 11 are supported movably in a circular ring shape surrounding the growth space S, so that light for photosynthesis can be irradiated from any direction around the plant being grown. This makes it possible to grow plants efficiently by partially controlling the irradiated light depending on the growth condition of the plant.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are within the scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the claims, as well as the scope and gist of the invention.

10...Lighting device for plant growth (lighting means for plant growth)
Reference Signs List 11: Support section 12: Light source holding section 13: Light source 14: Frame body 21: Slide rail 22: Bonding material 23: Holding section main body 24: Socket section S: Cultivation space

Claims (3)

A support portion is arranged facing a growing space in which a plant to be grown is arranged;
A frame body that supports one or more of the support parts and is arranged to surround the growth space;
A plurality of support columns supporting the frame body along a height direction;
a light source holding part supported in a movable state relative to the support part;
A light source for plant growth attached to the light source holding part ,
A lighting device for growing plants, characterized in that the light source holding unit is supported by the support unit so that the distance from the growth space is adjustable, and the light source holding unit is supported by the support unit so that the angle of the light axis of the light source relative to the direction in which the plant grows is adjustable . A support portion is arranged facing a growing space in which a plant to be grown is arranged;
A frame body that supports one or more of the support parts and is arranged to surround the growth space;
A plurality of support columns supporting the frame body along a height direction;
a light source holding part supported in a movable state relative to the support part;
A light source for plant growth attached to the light source holding part ,
The support portion has a pair of slide rails,
Each of the slide rails has a recess formed therein,
A lighting device for growing plants, characterized in that the light source is disposed between the opposing recesses via the light source holding portion . Each of the slide rails is formed with two recesses extending parallel to each other,
3. The lighting device for growing a plant according to claim 2, wherein the light sources are disposed in the two recesses facing each other via the light source holders.

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