JP2011200204A - Lighting apparatus for growing plant - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lighting apparatus for growing a plant, that can efficiently enhance growth of the plant without giving a feeling of strangeness at an appearance of the plant.SOLUTION: The lighting apparatus for growing the plant 1 includes: an irradiation part 5 applying light to a plant for enhancing the growth of the plant; and a controller 22 controlling an irradiation energy of light emitted from the irradiation part 5. The irradiation part 5 includes a white light emitting diode 2 which emits a white light and a red light emitting diode 3 which emits red light. The controller 22 controls such that the irradiation energy emitted from the red light emitting diode 3 becomes less than a half of the irradiation energy emitted from the white light diode 2.

Description

  The present invention relates to a plant growth lighting device that irradiates a plant with light using a light emitting diode in order to promote the growth of the plant.

  Conventionally, white fluorescent lamps, high-pressure sodium lamps, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and the like are generally used as light sources for plant-growing lighting devices installed indoors. And when performing in a small scale in the room of a general household, the light emitting diode which can aim at power saving as a light source of the illuminating device for plant cultivation is suitable.

  By the way, photosynthesis by plants is performed with light in the range of 400 to 700 nm, and since the energy conversion efficiency is high particularly in the red system on the long wavelength side, the emission peak is at 660 nm which is the red wavelength that promotes photosynthesis. The red light emitting diode having the above becomes an efficient light source of a lighting device for plant growth.

  And, with a light emitting diode that further promotes power saving, it is possible to easily emit light of different wavelengths with sufficient intensity, and further using a lighting device suitable for special purposes such as commercial plant growth Is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1). Moreover, the plant growing method which can promote the healthy growth without the bias of a plant with the light of a light emitting diode is also disclosed (for example, refer patent document 2).

JP 2009-125007 A JP 2005-192517 A

  However, in the conventional lighting device using only white light, the efficiency of photosynthesis of the plant is lowered, and an illuminance of about 3000 to 5000 lux is required to sufficiently grow the plant. For this reason, there is a problem that excessive energy waste occurs.

  In addition, in a plant-growing lighting device that uses many red light emitting diodes in order to give priority to plant growth, the plant is irradiated with red light from the red light emitting diodes. There is a problem that it looks discolored and the appearance (color) of the plant deteriorates.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and when a person grows a plant indoors while serving as ornamental or food cultivation, the plant is efficiently produced without giving a sense of incongruity to the appearance of the plant. It aims at providing the illuminating device for plant cultivation which can accelerate | stimulate photosynthesis of this.

  In order to achieve the above object, the plant-growing lighting device of the present invention includes an irradiating unit that irradiates light to a plant to promote plant growth, and a control unit that controls irradiation energy of light emitted by the irradiating unit. In the plant growing lighting device, the irradiation means includes a white light emitting diode that emits white light and a red light emitting diode that emits red light, and the control means includes the red light emitting diode. The radiant energy of light emitted from the white light emitting diode is controlled to be ½ or less of the radiant energy of light emitted from the white light emitting diode.

  The plant-growing lighting device further includes a human detection sensor, and when the human detection sensor does not detect a person, the control means emits white light when radiant energy of light emitted from the red light-emitting diode is detected. Control is performed so as to be at least 1/2 of the radiant energy of light emitted from the diode.

  In addition, the plant-growing lighting device further includes a timer, and the control means is configured such that the radiant energy of the light emitted from the red light-emitting diode is the white light in a predetermined time period measured by the timer. Control is performed so that the radiation energy of the light emitted from the light emitting diode is 1/2 or more.

  In the plant-growing lighting device according to the present invention, the radiant energy of the light emitted from the red light emitting diode is controlled to be ½ or less of the radiant energy of the light emitted from the white light emitting diode. The plant growth can be promoted more efficiently than when white light is used without giving a sense of incongruity.

(A) And (b) is an external view of the illuminating device which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention, respectively. The functional block diagram of the illumination device. (A) Combined output when combining blue light emitting diode and yellow phosphor, (b) Combined output when combining blue light emitting diode with green and red phosphor, (c) Ultraviolet light emitting diode and blue, green The figure which shows the synthetic | combination output at the time of combining with red fluorescent substance. The figure which shows the spectral characteristic of the light emitting diode for white, the spectral characteristic of the light emitting diode for red, and the curve of human visual efficiency. The figure which shows the curve which multiplied the output from the white light emitting diode and the red light emitting diode, and human visual efficiency, when the radiant energy of the white light emitting diode and the red light emitting diode is equal. A curve obtained by multiplying the output from the white light emitting diode and the red light emitting diode and the human visual efficiency when the radiant energy from the red light emitting diode is about ½ of the radiant energy from the white light emitting diode. FIG. The external view of the illuminating device which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. The functional block diagram of the illumination device. The flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of the illumination device. The functional block diagram of the illuminating device which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. The flowchart which shows the operation | movement procedure of the illumination device.

  Hereinafter, a plant-growing lighting device (hereinafter referred to as a lighting device) according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the lighting device 1 according to the first embodiment grows plants by light irradiation using light emitting diodes for the purpose of growing or appreciating the target plants. It is a device to perform. And the illuminating device 1 shown to Fig.1 (a) and (b) is provided with the irradiation part 5 which has the light emitting diode 2 for white, and the light emitting diode 3 for red. 1A shows a relatively large type lighting device 1 using a plant shelf 6, and FIG. 1B shows a relatively small stand type lighting device 1.

  The plant 4 is an ornamental plant, for example. Ornamental plants are mainly potted plants and cut flowers with flowers, but non-flowering herbs and ornamental plants, vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplants, and fruits such as watermelons, melons and persimmons. Plants to be attached are also targeted.

  The irradiation unit 5 is small in size, has high light directivity, has a long life, hardly emits radiant heat, and actively causes the photosynthesis reaction and flower bud formation reaction of the plant 4. A large number of red light emitting diodes 3 are mixed therein. Moreover, since the irradiation part 5 is on condition that a person can appreciate the plant 4 normally in a house, the light emitting diode for red is used so that the plant 4 looks almost the same color as that seen under sunlight. 3, a large number of white light emitting diodes 2 are mounted to emit light in a balanced manner from a short wavelength to a long wavelength.

  In addition, it is desirable that a metal having high thermal conductivity such as aluminum or magnesium alloy is used on the back surface of the irradiation unit 5 so as to facilitate heat dissipation. The irradiation unit 5 may be provided on the side of the plant 4.

  Next, the functional configuration of the lighting device 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the lighting device 1 according to the first embodiment includes an AC / DC conversion unit 21, a control unit 22, a white light emitting diode 2, and a red light emitting diode 3. The white light emitting diode 2 and the red light emitting diode 3 constitute an irradiating section 5.

  The AC / DC conversion unit 21 is a circuit that converts, for example, a 100 V commercial power source from an AC power source into a constant DC voltage.

  The control unit 22 includes, for example, a dimming circuit. The dimming circuit controls increase / decrease of irradiation energy emitted from the white light emitting diode 2 and the red light emitting diode 3. For example, the control unit 22 controls the ratio of the number of the white light emitting diodes 2 and the red light emitting diodes 3 through which current flows according to the control content of the radiant energy. Here, “radiant energy” means energy that moves from each of the light emitting diodes 2 and 3 that are light sources to the space, and a unit such as joule (J) is used. This control unit 22 promotes photosynthesis of the plant while preventing red discoloration in which the white flowers are reddish and the green leaves and stems appear blackish while the white color is too much. Control is performed so that the radiant energy of the light emitted from the light-emitting diode 3 is ½ or less (more preferably, about ½) of the radiant energy of the light emitted from the white light-emitting diode 2.

  Examples of the white light emitting diode 2 include a combination of a blue light emitting diode and a yellow phosphor, a combination of a blue light emitting diode and a green and red phosphor, or a combination of an ultraviolet light emitting diode and a blue, green and red phosphor. Anything in which a person feels white by mixing colors can be applied.

  FIG. 3 shows a combined output of the relative spectral powers of the light emitting diodes constituting the white light emitting diode 2. FIG. 3A is a curve of a combined output (relative spectral power) combining a blue light emitting diode and a yellow phosphor, and FIG. 3B is a combined output combining a blue light emitting diode and green and red phosphors. FIG. 3C shows a composite output curve obtained by combining an ultraviolet light emitting diode and blue, green and red phosphors. The combined output of these multiple colors makes the human eye feel white.

  The red light emitting diode 3 is a light emitting diode having a light emission peak wavelength of 600 to 700 nm. This red light emitting diode 3 has a peak wavelength at 660 nm which is a peak wavelength of phytochrome (red light absorption type) which is a photoreceptor (chromoprotein) which has a great influence on flower bud formation in particular.

  In addition, it is desirable for the illumination intensity irradiated to the plant from the irradiation part 5 of the illuminating device 1 to become 3000 lux or more in the vicinity of the growth point in the canopy part of the plant or near the top for the purpose of growing. However, if the purpose is simply to extend the plant viewing period by suppressing the withering without growing the plant, it may be about 1000 lux.

  Next, human vision when the lighting device 1 is used will be described with reference to FIGS. It is known that human vision (stimulation of light with respect to photoreceptor cells such as a rod existing on the retina) generally feels a common logarithmic change. For example, even if the sum of the radiant energy of light from the irradiation unit is physically increased by a factor of 100, the human perception is only about twice as bright. Moreover, a person can feel that it became dark only after the brightness (input of radiant energy to the housing) became 1/10 or less.

  In addition, when a recognition experiment of stimulating light (light from the red light emitting diode 3 in the present invention) added to the reference background light (light from the white light emitting diode 2 in the present invention) is performed, the stimulating light is used. If the visual recognition from the retina is less than 1/10 of the background light, the stimulus light cannot be recognized. On the contrary, when the visual recognition of the stimulus light is more than 1/10, the recognition can be performed. Therefore, in the illumination device 1 of the present invention, it is assumed that the visual recognition of the red light-emitting diode 3 is about one-tenth of the visual recognition of the white light-emitting diode 2 so that the red light-emitting diode 3 looks slightly red.

  FIG. 4 is a curve showing the relationship between the wavelength of the white light emitting diode 2 and the relative spectral power when the radiant energy (sum of relative energy) of the light emitted from the white light emitting diode 2 and the red light emitting diode 3 is equal. 41, a curve 42 showing the relationship between the wavelength and the human visual efficiency, and a curve 43 showing the relationship between the wavelength of the red light emitting diode 3 and the relative spectral power.

  As can be seen from FIG. 4, the region where the curve 41 of the relative spectral power from the white light emitting diode 2 and the curve 42 of the human visual efficiency overlap is the curve 43 of the relative spectral power from the red light emitting diode 3 and the human. It is larger than the region where the luminous efficiency curve 42 overlaps. Therefore, it can be seen that red is low in human visual efficiency.

  FIG. 5 shows the product of the relative spectral power of the white light emitting diode 2 and the human visual efficiency (Vλ) when the radiant energy emitted from the white light emitting diode 2 and the radiant energy emitted from the red light emitting diode 3 are equal. A curve 53 obtained by multiplying the relative spectral power of the red light emitting diode 3 by the human visual efficiency (Vλ) and a curve 52 obtained by adding these curves 51 and 53 are shown.

  In the case shown in this figure, the integration ratio (area ratio) of the curve 51 for white light and the curve 53 for red light corresponding to the human visual efficiency that a human can perceive is about 5: 1. In this case, the observer The red color is felt strongly.

  FIG. 6 shows the relative spectral power and human sense of the white light emitting diode 2 when the output of the radiant energy from the red light emitting diode 3 is about ½ of the output of the radiant energy from the white light emitting diode 2. A curve 61 obtained by multiplying the efficiency (Vλ) and a curve 62 obtained by multiplying the relative spectral power of the red light emitting diode 3 and the human visual efficiency (Vλ) are shown.

  In FIG. 6, the integration ratio (area ratio) of the curve 61 for white light and the curve 62 for red light corresponding to the human visual efficiency that a human can perceive is about 10: 1, and does the person feel red? Or you feel a little light. Therefore, in order to set the area ratio of white light and red light to human visual efficiency to about 10: 1, the control unit 22 of the lighting device 1 according to the present invention uses the radiant energy emitted from the red light emitting diode 3 to emit white light. It is controlled to ½ or less (more preferably about ½) of the radiant energy emitted from the diode 2.

  As described above, in the lighting device 1 according to the first embodiment, the light radiant energy from the red light emitting diode 3 is 1 with respect to the light radiant energy from the white light emitting diode 2 in the control unit 22. The plant 4 is irradiated with light by controlling it to / 2 or less. For this reason, in the lighting device 1, humans do not feel redness, and a sufficient amount of red light components that are effective for photosynthesis and flower bud formation remain, which is far more effective for plant growth than a single state of white light. Light irradiation.

(Embodiment 2)
Embodiment 2 of the lighting device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the illumination device 7 according to the second embodiment further includes a human detection sensor 8 in addition to the configuration of the illumination device 1 according to the first embodiment described above. As the human detection sensor 8, an infrared sensor that senses infrared radiation emitted from a person and outputs an electrical signal, an image sensor that processes an input image from a camera, and detects a human are used.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 22 determines that no person is detected when no signal is input from the human detection sensor 8 or when a predetermined electrical signal is input, and the red light emitting diode 3 The output of the radiant energy is controlled to be ½ or more of the radiant energy of the white light emitting diode 2.

  On the other hand, when a predetermined electrical signal is input from the human detection sensor 8, the control unit 22 determines that a person is detected, and outputs the radiant energy output of the red light emitting diode 3 to the white light emitting diode 2. Control is performed so that the radiation energy is ½ or less.

  Then, the operation procedure of the illumination device 7 according to the second embodiment will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 9, the human detection sensor 8 determines whether or not a person is detected in the detection area ( S1). Next, when a person is not detected by the human detection sensor 8 (No in S1), the control unit 22 uses the radiant energy of the light from the red light emitting diode 3 to the radiant energy of the light from the white light emitting diode 2. It is set to 1/2 or more (S2).

  On the other hand, when a person is detected by the human detection sensor 8 (Yes in S1), the control unit 22 uses the radiant energy of the light from the red light emitting diode 3 to the radiant energy of the light from the white light emitting diode 2. It is set to 1/2 or less (more preferably about 1/2) (S3).

  Therefore, in the lighting device 7 according to the second embodiment, when the person detection sensor 8 does not detect a person, the plant can be actively irradiated with as much red light as possible, which is suitable from the viewpoint of plant growth. Yes. On the other hand, when a person is detected by the human detection sensor 8, the radiant energy of light from the red light emitting diode is ½ or less of the radiant energy of light from the white light emitting diode, or the white light emitting diode. Since only is used, the color of the plant is not damaged.

  In addition, the presence or absence of a person in the vicinity of the lighting device 7 is confirmed by the human detection sensor 8, and different irradiation is automatically controlled between when the person is in the vicinity and when the person is not in the vicinity. The trouble of operating can be saved.

(Embodiment 3)
Hereinafter, Embodiment 3 of the illumination device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. As shown in FIG. 10, the lighting device 9 according to the third embodiment further includes a timer 10 in addition to the configuration of the lighting device 1 according to the first embodiment.

  The timer 10 basically has a clock function, and outputs an ON signal and an OFF signal to the control unit 22 according to a predetermined time and elapsed time. The control unit 22 controls the current output to the white light emitting diode 2 or the red light emitting diode 3 according to the signal input from the timer 10. The timer 10 transmits time information to the control unit 22 via a transmission line such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable.

  Then, the operation procedure of the lighting device 9 according to the third embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 11, first, the timer 10 determines whether or not it is a predetermined night time zone (S11). . Here, the night time zone can be set by the user, for example, from midnight to 7:00 the next morning. Next, when the timer 10 corresponds to the night time zone (Yes in S11), the control unit 22 receives the input signal from the timer 10 and the light emitted from the white light emitting diode 2 is The radiation energy of light from the red light emitting diode 3 is set to 1/2 or more (S12).

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the timer 10 is not in the night time zone (No in S11), the control unit 22 radiates light from the red light emitting diode 3 with respect to the radiant energy of light from the white light emitting diode 2. The energy is set to 1/2 or less (more preferably about 1/2) (S13).

  As described above, the lighting device 9 according to the third embodiment efficiently irradiates red light during the night time when the person does not appreciate, so that the appearance color of the plant is not deteriorated when the person appreciates it. And it becomes possible to bring about the effect of extending plant growth and the viewing period stably. Moreover, in the illuminating device 9, it can simplify to a circuit structure rather than using the human detection sensor 8 with which the illuminating device 7 which concerns on Embodiment 2 mentioned above is equipped, and can irradiate efficiently efficient red light at the fixed time. It becomes like this.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it can be realized as a plant growing method using characteristic constituent means of the lighting device 1 of the present invention as steps, or as a program including all these steps. Moreover, the illuminating device 1 which concerns on this invention can be used not only for the purpose of growing a plant but for the purpose of extending the appreciation period of a plant.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,7,9 Illuminating device 2 White light emitting diode 3 Red light emitting diode 4 Plant 5 Irradiation part 8 Human detection sensor 10 Timer 21 AC / DC conversion part 22 Control part

Claims (3)

In an illuminating device for plant growth, comprising an irradiating means for irradiating light to a plant to promote plant growth, and a control means for controlling the irradiation energy of light emitted by the irradiating means,
The irradiation means includes a white light emitting diode that emits white light, and a red light emitting diode that emits red light.
The plant control lighting device, wherein the control means controls the radiant energy of light emitted from the red light emitting diode to be ½ or less of the radiant energy of light emitted from the white light emitting diode. A human detection sensor;
The control means controls the radiant energy of the light emitted from the red light emitting diode to be ½ or more of the radiant energy of the light emitted from the white light emitting diode when no person is detected by the human sensor. The plant growth lighting device according to claim 1. A timer,
In the control means, the radiant energy of the light emitted from the red light emitting diode is ½ or more of the radiant energy of the light emitted from the white light emitting diode during a predetermined time period measured by the timer. The lighting device for plant cultivation according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lighting device is controlled as described above.

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