JP2021052768A - Led lighting module for growing animals and plants, animal and plant growing shelves, and animal and plant growing factory - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an LED lighting module for growing animals and plants, which can increase the accumulated amount of light per unit time from an LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants to obtain animals and plants with good yield, to provide animal and plant growing shelves, and to provide animal and plant growing factories.SOLUTION: An LED lighting module 10 for growing animals and plants comprises: an LED lighting sheet 20 for growing animals and plants with multiple LED chips 21 arranged; and a control unit 40 electrically connected to the LED lighting sheet 20 for growing animals and plants. A constant voltage is applied from the control unit 40 to the LED lighting sheet 20 for growing animals and plants.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to an LED lighting module for growing animals and plants, a shelf for growing animals and plants, and a plant for growing animals and plants.

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for lighting devices that use LEDs as a light source, which consume less power, in place of conventional fluorescent lamps, high-pressure sodium lamps, and the like as lighting devices used in plant growing plants.

As an example of a plant cultivation factory using a lighting device using an LED as a light source, a plant cultivation device in which a plurality of straight tube type plant growing lights using an LED as a light source are arranged on a shelf board of a plant cultivation shelf is known. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

An LED lighting device for growing animals and plants in which a plurality of LED chips are arranged on a flexible type circuit board to form a planar light source has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-118957 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-251230

The present disclosure is an LED lighting module for growing animals and plants, a shelf for growing animals and plants, and a plant for growing animals and plants, which can increase the integrated amount of light per unit time from the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants and obtain animals and plants in a good yield. I will provide a.

The LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment is an LED lighting module for growing animals and plants, and is an LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants in which a plurality of LED chips are arranged, and the LED lighting for growing animals and plants. A control unit electrically connected to the sheet is provided, and a constant voltage is applied from the control unit to the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants.

In the LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment, the control unit may be able to control the dimming of the LED chip.

In the LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment, the control unit may be externally connected to the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants.

In the LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment, the control unit may be detachably connected to the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants via a connector.

In the LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment, even if the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants is provided with a power supply line for supplying an electric current to another LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants. Good.

In the LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment, a plurality of the LED chips are arranged in series, and a plurality of rows of the LED chips are arranged in parallel on the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants. Is provided with a regulator corresponding to each row of the LED chips, and the regulator may keep the current flowing through the plurality of LED chips in each row constant.

In the LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment, 10 or more LED chips may be arranged in series, and 4 or more rows of the LED chips may be arranged in parallel.

In the LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment, the LED chip may be covered with a transparent protective film.

The animal and plant growing shelf according to the present embodiment is an animal and plant growing shelf, and includes a shelf board, and the shelf board is attached to the lower surface side of the substrate and is LED lighting for growing the animals and plants according to the present embodiment. It has a module.

The animal and plant growing factory according to the present embodiment includes a building and a shelf for growing the animals and plants according to the present embodiment, which is arranged inside the building.

According to this embodiment, the integrated light amount per unit time from the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants can be increased, and animals and plants can be obtained in a good yield.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an LED lighting module according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an LED lighting sheet according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a modified example of the LED lighting sheet. FIG. 4A is a graph showing the relationship between time and voltage when a constant voltage is applied to the LED lighting sheet from the control unit, and FIG. 4B is a graph in which a pulse is applied to the LED lighting sheet as a comparative example. It is a graph which shows the relationship between time and voltage in the case of being done. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view (VV line cross-sectional view of FIG. 2) showing an LED lighting sheet according to one embodiment. 6 (a)-(h) are cross-sectional views showing a method of manufacturing an LED lighting sheet according to an embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a plant growing plant according to one embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing a plant growing shelf according to one embodiment. 9 (a) and 9 (b) are views showing a modified example of a plant growing shelf.

The LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment is electrically connected to an LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants in which a plurality of LED chips are arranged and an LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants. A control unit is provided, and a constant voltage is applied from the control unit to the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants.

Since the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants included in the LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment is a sheet-shaped LED lighting device, the whole is compared with the LED bar light in which a plurality of straight tube type LEDs are arranged. The thickness can be reduced. Therefore, the vertical spacing between the shelves of the animal and plant growing shelves can be narrowed to improve the yield per floor area of the animal and plant growing plant. Further, since the thickness of the LED chip is smaller than the thickness of the LED straight tube, the LED lighting sheet has the height difference between the place where the LED chip is arranged and the place where the LED chip is not arranged. It can be made smaller than the height difference between the place where the LED straight tube is arranged and the place where the LED straight tube is not arranged. Therefore, since the shadow on the side of the LED chip is less likely to be generated, it is possible to suppress the variation in the light irradiating the animals and plants even when the animals and plants grow and come close to the LED lighting sheet. In the LED lighting device for growing animals and plants, it is important to suppress the variation of the light irradiating the animals and plants because the size and quality of the animals and plants to be grown are kept within a certain standard range and the number of nonconforming products is reduced. is there. In the growth of animals and plants, it is important to control the light and heat emitted to the animals and plants in the late stage of growth when the animals and plants grow and photosynthesis becomes active. The LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment can suppress variations in relatively strong light emitted to animals and plants when the animals and plants and the LED lighting sheet are in close proximity to each other.

In the LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment, a constant voltage is applied from the control unit to the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants, so that the integrated amount of light from the LED lighting sheet per unit time is increased. Can be done. That is, for example, the integrated light amount when a constant voltage is applied to the LED lighting sheet can be made larger than the integrated light amount when a voltage is applied in a pulse waveform. As a result, the luminous efficiency of the light from the LED lighting sheet can be increased, and the growing efficiency of animals and plants can be improved. As a result, it is possible to increase the amount of grown animals and plants grown while suppressing a decrease in the yield of grown animals and plants, and it is possible to obtain animals and plants with a good yield. In the LED lighting device for growing animals and plants, even if an attempt is made to increase the amount of grown animals and plants by simply increasing the integrated light amount, if the variation in the light cannot be suppressed, the variation becomes larger and the number of nonconforming products increases. On the contrary, the yield may decrease. According to the sheet-shaped LED lighting device, variation in light is suppressed and a good yield can be obtained.

Since the LED lighting module for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment has an external control unit, it is possible to increase the amount of animals and plants to be grown while suppressing a decrease in the yield of animals and plants to be grown. Can be obtained with good yield. The heat generated locally near the control unit has a strong effect on the animals and plants grown near the control unit, and has a low effect on the animals and plants grown far from the control unit. Therefore, there is a risk that the growing state of animals and plants will vary, the number of non-conforming products will increase, and the yield will decrease. As the amount of light of the LED lighting sheet increases, the heat generated from the control unit increases. According to the LED lighting module in which the control unit is externally connected to the LED lighting sheet, the control unit can be installed at an arbitrary place, so that variation can be suppressed and a good yield can be obtained.

The shelves for growing animals and plants according to the present embodiment, the shelves for growing animals and plants, and the plant for growing animals and plants are provided with the LED lighting sheets or modules for growing animals and plants according to the above-described embodiment, so that good yields of animals and plants can be obtained. Can be obtained at.

Hereinafter, one embodiment will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. Each figure shown below is schematically shown. Therefore, the size and shape of each part are exaggerated as appropriate to facilitate understanding. In addition, it is possible to change and implement as appropriate within the range that does not deviate from the technical idea. In each of the figures shown below, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and some detailed description thereof may be omitted. Further, numerical values such as dimensions of each member and material names described in the present specification are examples of embodiments, and are not limited to these, and can be appropriately selected and used. In the present specification, terms that specify a shape or a geometric condition, such as parallel, orthogonal, and vertical, are intended to include substantially the same state in addition to the exact meaning. As used herein, the term animal and plant means an animal and / or a plant. In the following, for convenience, a case where a plant is cultivated (cultivated) by an LED lighting module will be described as an example, but it can also be applied to a case where an animal is cultivated within a range where no contradiction occurs.

(LED lighting module for growing plants)
The LED lighting module 10 (hereinafter, also referred to as LED lighting module 10) for growing plants according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is located in a plant growing factory 90 (FIG. 7) using artificial light, as will be described later. It is installed and grows plants. Such an LED lighting module 10 includes an LED lighting sheet 20 for growing plants (hereinafter, also referred to as an LED lighting sheet 20) and a control unit 40 electrically connected to the LED lighting sheet 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, the LED lighting sheet 20 has a plurality of LED chips 21 arranged on the light emitting surface side (the side facing the plant direction at the time of use) of the sheet surface. By using such a direct type LED lighting sheet 20, the irradiation light from the LED chip 21 passes through the light emitting surface as it is and reaches the plant directly under it, so that the amount of light is strengthened to promote the growth of the plant. In addition, the thickness of the entire sheet can be reduced to make it difficult for shadows on the side side of the LED chip 21 to be generated. Although FIG. 2 shows an example of the direct type LED lighting sheet 20, the present invention is not limited to this, and an edge type LED lighting sheet with a light guide plate or the like interposed may be used. The edge type LED lighting sheet can easily suppress variations in the amount of light from the light emitting surface. The LED lighting sheet 20 of FIG. 2 includes a flexible wiring board 30 and a plurality of LED chips 21 regularly arranged on the flexible wiring board 30. By using such a flexible wiring board 30, it is possible to obtain an LED lighting sheet 20 having a relatively large sheet surface area. Generally, in a plant growing factory or a plant growing shelf, a plurality of LED lighting sheets 20 are arranged and used, but if the positions of adjacent LED lighting sheets 20 vary, the amount of light varies and the yield of plants occurs. May decrease. Since the LED lighting sheet 20 having a relatively large sheet surface area can reduce the number of LED lighting sheets 20 used, it is possible to suppress variations in the amount of light due to the arrangement of the plurality of LED lighting sheets 20. Note that FIG. 2 shows an example of the LED lighting sheet 20 provided with the flexible wiring board 30, but the present invention is not limited to this, and an LED lighting sheet provided with the rigid wiring board may be used. The LED lighting sheet provided with the rigid wiring board has high resistance to stress and is not easily damaged. In FIG. 2, the display of the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 and the transparent protective film 35, which will be described later, is omitted.

In this case, the LED chips 21 are arranged in a grid pattern in the flexible wiring board 30 in a plan view. That is, the LED chips 21 are arranged in multiple stages in a matrix, and rows R of M LED chips 21 connected in series are arranged in N rows. For example, in FIG. 2, 14 LED chips 21 (M = 14) are connected in series along the first arrangement direction (X direction) of the LED chips 21. Further, rows R having the 14 LED chips 21 are arranged in parallel in 10 rows (N = 10) along the second arrangement direction (Y direction) of the LED chips 21. The number of LED chips 21 arranged is not limited to this. Specifically, 10 or more and 14 or less (14 ≧ M ≧ 10) LED chips 21 are arranged in series in the first arrangement direction (X direction), and this row R is arranged in the second arrangement of the LED chips 21. It is preferable to arrange them in parallel in the direction (Y direction) of 4 rows or more and 10 rows or less (10 ≧ N ≧ 4). By arranging 10 or more LED chips 21 in series, the LED chips 21 can be arranged at short intervals along the first arrangement direction (X direction), and the in-plane variation of the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 can be caused. It can be suppressed, and the variation of the light irradiating the plant can be suppressed. By arranging 14 or less LED chips 21 in series, power consumption can be reduced, and running costs such as utility costs in the plant growing plant 90 can be reduced. Further, by arranging four or more rows of LED chips 21 in parallel in the second arrangement direction (Y direction) of the LED chips 21, even if a specific LED chip 21 is damaged, the LED chips 21 in other rows are arranged. It is possible to prevent the LED lighting sheet 20 from being extremely reduced in illuminance. Further, by limiting the range in which the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 is reduced, the range in which nonconforming products may occur can be limited, and the decrease in yield can be suppressed. In order to obtain the LED lighting sheet 20 that irradiates light having a total luminous flux of 3000 lm or more, it is necessary to improve the performance of the LED chip 21. Therefore, it is important from the viewpoint of risk management to limit the influence when a specific LED chip 21 is damaged as much as possible. Further, when the LED lighting sheet 20 is a direct type, there is a high possibility that the LED chip 21 may be accidentally and strongly contacted during installation or cleaning and damaged. Therefore, it is risk management to take measures in case of damage. It is important from the viewpoint of. Further, by arranging 10 or less rows of LED chips 21 in parallel, power consumption can be reduced, and running costs such as utility costs in the plant growing plant 90 can be reduced.

The LED lighting sheet 20 has a plurality of metal wiring portions 22, and the plurality of metal wiring portions 22 are arranged along the first arrangement direction (X direction). The plurality of metal wiring portions 22 arranged along the first arrangement direction (X direction) correspond to each row R of the LED chip 21. The LED chips 21 are arranged so as to straddle a pair of metal wiring portions 22 adjacent to each other in the X direction. Further, each terminal (not shown) of the LED chip 21 is electrically connected to the pair of metal wiring portions 22. The plurality of metal wiring units 22 form a power supply unit for the LED chips 21, and when power is supplied to the plurality of metal wiring units 22, all the LED chips 21 arranged in the row R are lit. .. The plurality of metal wiring portions 22 form a part of the metal wiring portion 32 described later.

The distance Px between the LED chips 21 in the first arrangement direction (X direction) is preferably 37 mm or more and 50 mm or less. Further, the distance Py between the LED chips 21 in the second arrangement direction (Y direction) is preferably 37 mm or more and 100 mm or less. By setting the distance between the LED chips 21 to the above range, the brightness of the LED lighting sheet 20 can be made uniform in the plane, the variation of the light irradiating the plants can be suppressed, and the power consumption of the LED lighting sheet 20 can be suppressed. Can be done.

The thickness of the thickest portion of the LED lighting sheet 20 is preferably 5 mm or less. By reducing the thickness of the LED lighting sheet 20 in this way, the vertical distance between the substrates 81 (FIG. 8) on which the LED lighting sheet 20 is installed can be narrowed, whereby the growing shelf 80 of each plant (FIG. 8) can be narrowed. The number of substrates 81 per FIG. 8) can be increased. As a result, the yield of plants per unit area can be increased. Further, it is possible to further suppress the variation of the relatively strong light emitted to the plant when the plant and the LED lighting sheet 20 are in close proximity.

The arrangement of the LED chips 21 is not limited to the point shape of the grid in a plan view, and may be arranged in a staggered pattern in a plan view as shown in FIG. 3 (a). Further, the LED chips 21 do not have to be uniformly arranged in the plane of the LED lighting sheet 20. For example, the density of the LED chip 21 may be further increased in the peripheral portion of the LED lighting sheet 20. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), the LED chips 21 are arranged in a grid pattern at the central portion (lower part of FIG. 3 (b)) of the LED lighting sheet 20, and the peripheral portion of the LED lighting sheet 20. The LED chips 21 may be arranged in a staggered pattern (upper part of FIG. 3B). As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the brightness of the LED lighting sheet 20 at the peripheral edge of the LED lighting sheet 20, make the brightness of the LED lighting sheet 20 uniform in the plane, and suppress variations in the light irradiating the plant. ..

The overall shape of the LED lighting sheet 20 is a rectangular shape in a plan view, but the size and plane shape of the LED lighting sheet 20 are not particularly limited. Since the LED lighting sheet 20 has a high degree of freedom in processing the size and shape, it is possible to flexibly meet various demands in this regard. Further, taking advantage of its flexibility, it can be mounted not only on a flat installation surface but also on an installation surface having various shapes. Further, since the LED lighting sheet 20 itself has rigidity, for example, by bending the LED lighting sheet 20 into a cylindrical shape so that the LED chip 21 is on the outside, the LED lighting sheet 20 alone can be used as lighting even if there is no installation surface. It is also possible.

In FIG. 2, the length Lx of the LED lighting sheet 20 in the first arrangement direction (X direction) is preferably 500 mm or more and 700 mm or less, and more preferably 550 mm or more and 650 mm or less. The length Ly of the LED lighting sheet 20 in the second arrangement direction (Y direction) is preferably 300 mm or more and 500 mm or less, and more preferably 350 mm or more and 450 mm or less. By setting the size of the LED lighting sheet 20 in the above range, the LED lighting sheet 20 can be adapted to a general plant cultivation substrate 81 (FIG. 8), and the dead space of the substrate 81 can be reduced. .. Further, since the size of each LED lighting sheet 20 is not excessively large, when a specific LED chip 21 is damaged, the influence on other LED chips 21 is minimized, and the entire shelf board is used. It is possible to prevent the illuminance of the LED from being extremely reduced and to limit the range in which the illuminance is reduced.

In the present embodiment, the total luminous flux of the LED lighting sheet 20 is 3000 lm or more, more preferably 3900 lm or more. The total luminous flux can be measured by a light distribution measuring device (for example, a spectral light distribution measuring system GP-2000 manufactured by Otsuka Electronics Co., Ltd.). The measurement condition of the total luminous flux is performed in a stable state after 5 minutes with a DC voltage of 44 V applied to the LED lighting sheet 20. The LED lighting sheet 20 is installed on the 2-axis rotation stage, the vertical angle is rotated from 0 ° to 360 ° in 5 ° increments, and the luminous intensity (cd) at a photometric distance of 12 m is measured. As a result, a light distribution with a horizontal angle of 0 ° to 180 ° can be obtained. By rotating the LED lighting sheet 20 by 90 ° and measuring the vertical angle in the same manner, a light distribution with a horizontal angle of 90 ° to 270 ° can be obtained. The total luminous flux (lm) is calculated from the angle-dependent data of luminosity. When the LED lighting sheet 20 can be dimmed, the value at the maximum setting is adopted in the present embodiment.

By increasing the total luminous flux from the LED lighting sheet 20 in this way, it is possible to accelerate the growth of plants, increase the amount of plant growth, and shorten the number of growing days while suppressing a decrease in yield. it can. As a result, the yield of plants in the plant growing plant 90 can be improved. That is, conventionally, in the straight tube type LED light bar, the light emitted to the plant varies when the lighting device and the plant are close to each other, and only a planar light source sheet having a low output exists. In the present embodiment, the total luminous flux of the LED lighting sheet 20 is set to 3000 lm or more, more preferably 3900 lm or more, as compared with the case where a conventional straight tube type LED light bar or a planar light source sheet is used. Therefore, the yield of plants can be improved.

Photosynthetic photon flux of the LED illumination sheet 20 Density PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density) is preferably in the 50μmol ^{· m} -2 ^{· s -1} or 300μmol ^{· m} -2 ^{· s -1} or less, 200 [mu] mol · ^{m -2} · It is more preferably s ^-1 or more and 300 μmol · m ^-2 · s ^{-1 or less.} This PPFD is a value measured directly under the LED chip 21 and at a distance of 20 cm from the LED chip 21. By setting the PPFD in the above range, it is possible to sufficiently provide the PPFD required for growing a plant in the plant growing plant 90 and promote the growth of the plant. The PPFD can be measured by a measuring device such as a photon meter (for example, a photon sensor LI-190R and a light meter LI-250A manufactured by LI-COR in the United States). The photon sensor LI-190R is arranged so as to be horizontal to the cultivation surface (or light source), and is arranged discretely in a matrix according to the cultivation area, and the numerical value is read in a state where the numerical value indicating the amount of light is stable. The numerical value is read after being calibrated to the eigenvalue of the sensor with a light meter. In the present embodiment, the numerical value of PPFD is expressed by the average value of the numerical values measured in the above matrix.

Next, the control unit 40 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 40 supplies electric power to the LED lighting sheet 20 and controls light emission and the like of the LED lighting sheet 20. The control unit 40 is detachably connected to the LED lighting sheet 20 via a first connector 44A provided on the LED lighting sheet 20. That is, the control unit 40 is configured separately from the LED lighting sheet 20 and is externally connected to the LED lighting sheet 20. That is, the control unit 40 is not integrated with the LED lighting sheet 20. As a result, the control unit 40, which is a heat source, can be separated from the LED lighting sheet 20, and the heat from the control unit 40 does not affect the growth of the plant.

Further, the control unit 40 includes a power input unit 41, an AC / DC converter (driver) 42, and a PWM control unit 43. Of these, the power input unit 41 is supplied with an AC voltage having an arbitrary voltage of, for example, 100V to 240V. The AC / DC converter 42 converts an AC voltage of 100V to 240V into a DC voltage of a constant pressure (for example, 44V). The PWM control unit 43 adjusts the LED chip 21 of the LED lighting sheet 20 by arbitrarily changing the pulse width of the constant voltage waveform from the AC / DC converter 42. That is, the PWM control unit 43 also serves as a dimming control unit that controls the dimming of the LED lighting sheet 20. The constant voltage output from the PWM control unit 43 is applied to the LED lighting sheet 20 via the first connector 44A.

By applying a constant voltage to the LED lighting sheet 20 from the PWM control unit 43 of the control unit 40, the dimming of the LED chip 21 is performed unlike the case where a rectified pulse voltage is directly applied to the LED lighting sheet 20. It becomes possible to do. That is, the PWM control unit 43 can arbitrarily control the illuminance of the LED chip 21 by appropriately changing the duty ratio of the DC voltage from the AC / DC converter 42. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the PWM control unit 43 suppresses the duty ratio of the constant voltage from the AC / DC converter 42 from 100% (solid line) to 50% (dotted line), so that the LED chip 21 The illuminance of the can be reduced.

By appropriately adjusting the illuminance of the LED chip 21 in this way, the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 can be adjusted according to the growth stage of the plant, and the degree of growth of the plant can be adjusted. For example, the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 may be lowered in the early stage of small growth of plant leaves, and the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 may be high in the late stage of growth of large leaves of plants. Alternatively, since the distance between the plant and the LED chip 21 is increased in the early stage of growth when the plant is short, the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 is increased, and in the late stage of growth when the plant is tall, the plant and the LED chip are increased. Since the distance from 21 is short, the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 may be lowered. As another example of adjusting the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20, the illuminance may be increased when the type of plant requires high illuminance, and may be decreased when the type of plant can be grown even with low illuminance. The illuminance may be increased when the shipping time is to be advanced, and the illuminance may be decreased when the shipping time is to be delayed. Since the LED lighting sheet 20 that irradiates light having a total luminous flux of 3000 lm or more has a wide range in which the illuminance can be adjusted, there is a great advantage that the dimming of the LED chip 21 can be controlled. In the case of the LED lighting sheet 20 having a low amount of light, even if the dimming function is added, the LED lighting sheet 20 is eventually used at an illuminance near the maximum, and the advantage of having the dimming function is small.

Further, by applying a constant voltage from the PWM control unit 43 to the LED lighting sheet 20, the integrated light amount per unit time of the light from the LED lighting sheet 20 can be increased. That is, for example, the integrated light amount when a constant voltage is applied to the LED lighting sheet 20 (the area of the shaded portion in FIG. 4A) is used as a comparative example, and the integrated light amount when a pulse voltage is applied (FIG. It can be made larger than the area of the shaded portion of 4 (b)). As a result, the luminous efficiency of the light from the LED lighting sheet 20 can be increased, and the plant growing efficiency can be improved.

Referring to FIG. 1 again, the LED lighting sheet 20 is provided with a regulator 45. In this case, the regulator 45 is provided corresponding to each row of the LED chips 21, and specifically, 10 regulators 45 are provided corresponding to each row of the LED chips 21 in 10 rows. .. The regulator 45 serves to keep the current flowing through the plurality of LED chips 21 in each row constant. As a result, even if one LED chip 21 is damaged, it is possible to prevent an excessive current from flowing through the LED chips 21 in the other row and prevent the LED chips 21 in the other row from being damaged. As a result, it is possible to prevent the illuminance of the entire LED lighting sheet 20 from being extremely lowered, and it is possible to suppress variations in the light irradiating the plants. Further, the regulator 45 can control the amount of current controlled by the connected resistance value for each column. For example, by changing the control resistance value of the first column and the last column, only the peripheral columns are output. I can give it. As a result, the aim is usually to ensure uniformity by laying the LED lighting sheets 20 together without gaps, but from the viewpoint of cost and ensuring breathability, it is assumed that the LED lighting sheets 20 are separated by about 5 cm to 10 cm. However, the effect of erasing the seams can be expected.

Further, the LED lighting sheet 20 is provided with a power supply line 46 branched from the first connector 44A. Further, a second connector 44B is provided on the LED lighting sheet 20. The power supply line 46 is not electrically connected to the LED chip 21 of the LED lighting sheet 20, but is electrically connected to the wiring of another LED lighting sheet 200 having the same configuration as the LED lighting sheet 20. Be connected. That is, the power supply line 46 is detachably connected to the wiring of the LED lighting sheet 200 via the second connector 44B and another first connector 44A provided on the other LED lighting sheet 200. The current from the power supply line 46 is supplied to the other LED lighting sheet 200 via the second connector 44B and the other first connector 44A. As a result, the two LED lighting sheets 20 and 200 can be connected, and the two LED lighting sheets 20 and 200 can be controlled by one control unit 40 at the same time. Since a plurality of LED lighting sheets 20 and 200 can be controlled simultaneously by one control unit 40, the number of control units 40 which are heat sources can be reduced, so that light having a total luminous flux of 3000 lm or more can be produced. Even when the LED lighting sheet 20 to be irradiated is used, it is possible to suppress a decrease in yield because variations in plant growth due to heat from the control unit 40 are less likely to occur.

(Each member of LED lighting sheet)
Next, each member constituting the LED lighting sheet 20 will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the LED lighting sheet 20 includes a flexible wiring board 30 and a plurality of LED chips 21 arranged on the flexible wiring board 30. Of these, the flexible wiring board 30 has a flexible substrate film 31 and a metal wiring portion 32 formed on the surface (the surface on the light emitting surface side) of the substrate film 31. The metal wiring portion 32 is laminated on the substrate film 31 via the adhesive layer 33.

Each LED chip 21 is mounted on the metal wiring portion 32 in a conductive manner. In the LED lighting sheet 20, since the LED chips 21 are mounted on the flexible wiring board 30, a plurality of LED chips 21 can be arranged at a desired high density.

The light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is formed so as to cover the area of the LED lighting sheet 20 excluding the area where the LED chip 21 is provided and the peripheral area thereof. The light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is arranged so as to cover the metal wiring portion 32. The light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is a layer having both an insulating function that contributes to improving the migration resistance of the LED lighting sheet 20 and a light reflecting function that contributes to improving the light environment created by the LED lighting sheet 20. This layer is formed of an insulating resin composition containing a white pigment. When the migration resistance characteristic and the light reflection function can be obtained only by the metal wiring portion 32 described above and the transparent protective film 35 described later, a structure without the light reflective insulating protective film 34 is also possible.

Further, a transparent protective film 35 is formed so as to cover the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 and the LED chip 21. The transparent protective film 35 is a resin film formed mainly on the outermost surface (the surface located on the light emitting surface side) of the LED lighting sheet 20 in order to ensure the waterproof property.

A solder portion 36 is provided on the metal wiring portion 32. Each LED chip 21 is electrically connected to the metal wiring portion 32 via the solder portion 36, respectively.

(Substrate film)
As the substrate film 31, a flexible resin film can be used. In the present specification, "flexible" means that the radius of curvature can be bent to at least 1 m or less, preferably 50 cm, more preferably 30 cm, still more preferably 10 cm, and particularly preferably 5 cm. That means ".

As the material of the substrate film 31, a thermoplastic resin having high heat resistance and insulating properties may be used. As such a resin, a polyimide resin (PI) having excellent heat resistance, dimensional stability during heating, mechanical strength, and durability, or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) can be used. Among them, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) whose heat resistance and dimensional stability are improved by subjecting it to a heat resistance improving treatment such as an annealing treatment can also be preferably used. Further, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) having improved flame retardancy by adding a flame retardant inorganic filler or the like may be used.

The thickness of the substrate film 31 is not particularly limited, but is approximately 10 μm or more and 500 μm from the viewpoint of not causing a bottleneck as a heat dissipation path, having heat resistance and insulating properties, and balancing manufacturing costs. Hereinafter, it is preferably 50 μm or more and 250 μm or less. Further, from the viewpoint of maintaining good productivity in the case of manufacturing by the roll-to-roll method, it is preferable that the thickness is within the above range.

(Adhesive layer)
As the adhesive forming the adhesive layer 33, a known resin-based adhesive can be appropriately used. Among these resin adhesives, urethane-based, polycarbonate-based, silicone-based, ester-based, or epoxy-based adhesives can be particularly preferably used.

(Metal wiring part)
The metal wiring portion 32 is a wiring pattern formed by a conductive base material such as a metal foil on the surface (the surface on the light emitting surface side) of the substrate film 31. The metal wiring portion 32 is preferably formed on the surface of the substrate film 31 by a dry laminating method via an adhesive layer 33. The metal wiring unit 32 includes the plurality of metal wiring units 22 described above. The plurality of metal wiring portions 22 include a first metal wiring portion 22A and a second metal wiring portion 22B arranged apart from the first metal wiring portion 22A. An LED chip 21 is mounted on the first metal wiring portion 22A and the second metal wiring portion 22B, and the LED chip 21 is electrically connected to the first metal wiring portion 22A and the second metal wiring portion 22B. Has been done. The LED chip 21 is lit by the electric power supplied to the first metal wiring portion 22A and the second metal wiring portion 22B.

The metal wiring portion 32 preferably has both heat dissipation and electrical conductivity at a high level, and for example, copper foil can be used. In this case, the heat dissipation from the LED chip 21 is stable and the increase in electrical resistance can be prevented, so that the variation in light emission between the LED chips 21 is reduced and stable light emission is possible. In addition, the life of the LED chip 21 is also extended. Further, since deterioration of peripheral members such as the substrate film 31 due to heat can be prevented, the product life of the LED lighting sheet 20 can be extended. Examples of the metal forming the metal wiring portion 32 include metals such as aluminum, gold, and silver in addition to the above-mentioned copper.

The thickness of the metal wiring portion 32 may be appropriately set according to the magnitude of the withstand current required for the flexible wiring board 30 and the like. However, in order to suppress the warp due to heat shrinkage of the substrate film 31 during the soldering process by the reflow method or the like, the thickness of the metal wiring portion 32 is preferably 10 μm or more. On the other hand, the thickness of the metal wiring portion 32 is preferably 50 μm or less, whereby sufficient flexibility of the flexible wiring board 30 can be maintained, and deterioration of handleability due to an increase in weight is suppressed. be able to.

(Solder part)
The solder portion 36 joins the metal wiring portion 32 and the LED chip 21. This soldering can be performed by either a reflow method or a laser method.

(LED chip)
The LED chip 21 is a light emitting element that utilizes light emission at a PN junction where a P-type semiconductor and an N-type semiconductor are joined. The LED chip 21 may have a structure in which a P-type electrode and an N-type electrode are provided on the upper surface and the lower surface of the element, respectively, and a structure in which both the P-type electrode and the N-type electrode are provided on one side of the element. You may.

In the present embodiment, the total luminous flux of the LED lighting sheet 20 is increased to 3000 lm or more, more preferably 3900 lm or more. Therefore, it is preferable to use each LED chip 21 having a large luminous flux. Specifically, as the LED chip 21, it is preferable to use an LED chip 21 having a luminous flux amount of 30 lm or more, and it is more preferable to use an LED chip 21 having a luminous flux amount of 35 lm or more. Further, it is preferable to select an LED chip 21 having high luminous efficiency. Specifically, it is preferable to use an LED chip 21 having a luminous efficiency of 150 lm / W or more, and it is more preferable to use an LED chip 21 having a luminous efficiency of 180 lm / W or more. By increasing the luminous efficiency of the LED chip 21 to 150 lm / W or more, the number of mounted LED chips 21 (density) can be reduced, the heat generated by Joule heat from the LED chip 21 can be reduced, and the heat from the LED chip 21 can be reduced. It is possible to suppress the decrease in yield by making it difficult for variations in plant growth to occur.

As described above, the LED lighting sheet 20 directly mounts the LED chip 21 on the metal wiring portion 32 capable of exhibiting high heat dissipation. As a result, even when the LED chips 21 are arranged at a high density, the excess heat generated when the LED chips 21 are lit is quickly diffused through the metal wiring portion 32, and the outside of the LED lighting sheet 20 is quickly diffused through the substrate film 31. Sufficient heat can be dissipated to the LED chip 21, and variations in plant growth due to heat from the LED chip 21 are less likely to occur, and a decrease in yield can be suppressed.

(Light reflective insulating protective film)
The light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is a layer formed in a region excluding the region where the LED chip 21 is provided and the peripheral region thereof. The light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is a so-called resist layer that improves the migration resistance of the flexible wiring board 30 by having sufficient insulating properties, and contributes to the improvement of the light environment created by the LED lighting sheet 20. It is a light-reflecting layer having light-reflecting properties.

The light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 can be formed of various resin compositions using a urethane resin or the like as a base resin and further containing a white pigment made of an inorganic filler such as titanium oxide. As the base resin of the resin composition used for forming the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34, an acrylic urethane-based resin, a polyester-based resin, a phenol-based resin, or the like can be appropriately used in addition to the urethane-based resin. As the base resin of the resin composition forming the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34, it is more preferable to use the same or similar resin as the resin composition forming the transparent protective film 35 as the base resin. As for the transparent protective film 35, it is preferable to use an acrylic urethane-based resin as the main material resin, as will be described later. From this, when the base resin of the resin composition forming the transparent protective film 35 is an acrylic urethane-based resin, the base resin of the resin composition for forming the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is a urethane-based resin or It is more preferable to use an acrylic urethane resin.

Examples of the inorganic filler to be contained as a white pigment in the resin composition forming the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 include titanium oxide, alumina, barium sulfate, magnesia, aluminum nitride, boron titanate, barium titanate, and kaolin. At least one selected from talc, calcium carbonate, zinc oxide, silica, mica powder, powdered glass, powdered nickel and powdered aluminum can be used.

The thickness of the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is 5 μm or more and 50 μm or less, more preferably 7 μm or more and 20 μm or less. If the thickness of the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is less than 5 μm, the light-reflective insulating protective film becomes thin, especially at the edge portion of the metal wiring portion 32, and the metal wiring cannot be covered and is exposed. The risk of not being able to maintain insulation increases. On the other hand, the thickness of the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is preferably 50 μm or less from the viewpoint of retaining the light-reflective insulating protective film 34 from the bending of the substrate during handling and transportation.

Further, the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 preferably has a light average reflectance of 65% or more, more preferably 70% or more, and more preferably 80% or more at a wavelength of 400 nm or more and 780 nm or less. Is more preferable. The LED lighting sheet 20 contains, for example, 20 parts by mass or more of titanium oxide with respect to 100 parts by mass of a urethane-based or acrylic urethane-based base resin, so that the thickness of the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is 8 μm. In some cases, the light reflectance of the same layer can be 75% or more.

(Transparent protective film)
The transparent protective film 35 is formed on the outermost surface of the LED lighting sheet 20 so as to cover the LED chip 21. The transparent protective film 35 is waterproof and transparent. Due to the waterproof property of the transparent protective film 35, it is possible to prevent water from entering the inside of the device when the LED lighting sheet 20 is used as a light source for growing plants. In the LED lighting sheet 20 that irradiates light having a total luminous flux of 3000 lm or more, it is necessary to improve the performance of the LED chip 21, and the influence when the specific LED chip 21 is damaged becomes large. Therefore, it is important from the viewpoint of risk management to make the LED chip 21 as hard to be damaged as possible.

The transparent protective film 35 can be formed of various resin compositions using an acrylic urethane resin or the like as a base resin. As the base resin of the resin composition used for forming the transparent protective film 35, urethane-based resin, polyester-based resin, phenol-based tree and the like can be appropriately used in addition to acrylic urethane-based resin. As the base resin of the resin composition forming the transparent protective film 35, it is more preferable to use the same or similar resin as the resin composition forming the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 as the base resin. As a preferable specific combination, a combination in which the base resin of the resin composition forming the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is a urethane-based resin and the resin forming the transparent protective film 35 is an acrylic urethane-based resin can be mentioned. it can.

The thickness of the transparent protective film 35 is 10 μm or more and 40 μm or less, preferably 15 μm or more and 30 μm or less, and more preferably 20 μm or more and 25 μm or less. By setting the thickness of the transparent protective film 35 within the above range, it is possible to maintain the good flexibility, thinness, and lightness of the LED lighting sheet 20 and the good optical properties required for plant growing applications. In addition, the LED lighting sheet 20 can be provided with sufficient waterproofness required for plant growing applications.

The water resistance of the LED lighting sheet 20 by the transparent protective film 35 is such that deterioration of the LED chip 21 can be suppressed when water for growing plants is sprayed on the LED lighting sheet 20. There is no particular limitation. As such water resistance, it is preferable to indicate IPX4 or higher in the waterproof / dustproof protection standard defined by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). The waterproof property of IPX4 or higher is such that water droplets from all directions do not have a harmful effect on the LED chip 21. Specifically, when watering from the watering nozzle at a watering amount of 10 L / min for 5 minutes over the entire range of ± 180 ° with respect to the normal direction of the LED lighting sheet 20, a harmful effect is exerted on the LED chip 21. It is said that it will not be done.

(Manufacturing method of LED lighting sheet)
Next, a method of manufacturing the LED lighting sheet 20 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 (a)-(h).

First, the substrate film 31 is prepared (FIG. 6 (a)). Next, a metal foil 32A such as a copper foil used as a material for the metal wiring portion 32 is laminated on the surface of the substrate film 31 (FIG. 6 (b)). In the metal foil 32A, the metal foil 32A is adhered to the surface of the substrate film 31 by an adhesive layer 33 such as a urethane-based adhesive. Alternatively, the metal foil 32A may be directly formed on the surface of the substrate film 31 by an electrolytic plating method or a vapor phase film forming method (sputtering, ion plating, electron beam vapor deposition, vacuum vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, etc.). Alternatively, the substrate film 31 may be directly welded to the metal foil 32A to form the film 31.

Next, an etching mask 37 patterned in a shape required for the metal wiring portion 32 is formed on the surface of the metal foil 32A (FIG. 6 (c)). The etching mask 37 is provided so that the portion corresponding to the wiring pattern of the metal foil 32A, which is the metal wiring portion 32, is not corroded by the etching solution. The method for forming the etching mask 37 is not particularly limited, and for example, a photoresist or a dry film may be formed by exposing it to light through a photomask and then developing it, and the metal foil 32A may be formed by a printing technique such as an inkjet printer. An etching mask may be formed on the surface.

Next, the metal foil 32A located at a portion not covered by the etching mask 37 is removed by an immersion liquid (FIG. 6 (d)). As a result, the portion of the metal foil 32A other than the portion that becomes the metal wiring portion 32 is removed.

The etching mask 37 is then removed using an alkaline stripper. As a result, the etching mask 37 is removed from the surface of the metal wiring portion 32 (FIG. 6 (e)).

Subsequently, the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is laminated and formed on the metal wiring portion 32 (FIG. 6 (f)). The formation of the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 is not particularly limited as long as it is a coating means capable of uniformly coating the material resin composition constituting the light-reflective insulating protective film 34, and for example, screen printing, offset printing, etc. Methods such as dip coater and brush coating can be used. Alternatively, the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 may be formed by applying a photosensitive insulating protective film material on the entire surface, exposing only necessary portions through a photomask, and then developing the film.

Next, the LED chip 21 is mounted on the metal wiring portion 32 (FIG. 6 (g)). In this case, the LED chip 21 is joined to the metal wiring portion 32 by soldering via the solder portion 36. The bonding by soldering can be performed by a reflow method, a laser method, or a bonding using a conductive resin.

Next, the transparent protective film 35 is formed so as to cover the light-reflecting insulating protective film 34 and the LED chip 21 (FIG. 6 (h)). The transparent protective film 35 is preferably formed by spraying a transparent resin composition by a spray treatment (hereinafter referred to as "spray coating method") or a method of forming by a curtain coating method. To form the transparent protective film 35 by the spray coating method, for example, a coating liquid for spray coating treatment containing an acrylic polyurethane resin is sprayed onto a desired region on the flexible wiring substrate 30 by a spray coating machine to form the coating film. It can be done by forming. To form the transparent protective film 35 by the curtain coating method, for example, a coating liquid for curtain coating treatment containing an acrylic polyurethane resin is dropped onto a desired region on the flexible wiring substrate 30 by a curtain coating machine to form the coating film. It can be done by forming.

The LED lighting sheet 20 according to the present embodiment is not limited to the method described above, and is known for manufacturing a conventionally known flexible wiring board for an LED chip and various LED modules in which the LED chip is mounted therein. It can also be manufactured by the method.

(Plant growing factory and plant growing shelf)
FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of a plant growing plant 90 using the LED lighting sheet 20 according to the present embodiment. The plant growing factory 90 includes a building 91 and a plurality of plant growing shelves 80 arranged inside the building 91.

As shown in FIG. 8, the plant growing shelf 80 has a plurality of (4) columns 82, and a plurality of substrates 81 arranged along the columns 82 at intervals in the vertical direction. .. A medium region for cultivating plant PL is provided on the upper surface of each substrate 81 except for the uppermost substrate 81. The lower surface of each substrate 81 except the lowermost substrate 81 constitutes a ceiling surface with respect to the substrate 81 located below the substrate 81, and the LED lighting sheets 20 are arranged in parallel. In this case, the control unit 40 is arranged at a position sufficiently distant from the LED lighting sheet 20. Therefore, there is little possibility that the growth of the plant PL located near the control unit 40 and the plant PL located far from the control unit 40 will vary due to the heat from the control unit 40. Further, the substrate 81 and the LED lighting sheet 20 attached to the lower surface side of the substrate 81 constitute a shelf board 83 for growing plants. Alternatively, the substrate 81 and the LED lighting module 10 attached to the lower surface side of the substrate 81 constitute a shelf board 83 for growing plants. In the present embodiment, a plant growing plant 90 (FIG. 7) including a shelf board 83 for such a plant growing shelf (FIG. 8), a plant growing shelf 80 (FIG. 8), and a plant growing shelf 80 (FIG. 7). Also provided.

Since the LED lighting sheet 20 according to the present embodiment has flexibility and light weight, the LED lighting sheet 20 can be easily attached to the lower surface of each substrate 81 as compared with the conventional straight tube type lighting device or the like. Can be done. Further, since the LED lighting sheet 20 has flexibility, the LED lighting sheet 20 can be attached to a ceiling surface having various sizes and shapes. As a result, the LED lighting sheet 20 according to the present embodiment can be applied to various plant growing shelves 80 and plant growing factories 90.

Further, the LED lighting sheet 20 is thinner than the conventional straight tube type lighting device. As a result, the distance between the substrates 81 in the vertical direction can be narrowed, and the number of substrates 81 included in the growing shelf 80 of each plant can be increased. As a result, the yield of plant PL per unit area can be increased.

As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the LED lighting sheet 20 may be arranged not only on the lower surface of the substrate 81 but also on the side surface side of the substrate 81. The LED lighting sheet 20 on the side surface side hangs down from the substrate 81 located above toward the substrate 81 located below the substrate 81. In this case, as shown in FIG. 9A, the LED lighting sheet 20 may reach the substrate 81 located below. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9B, the LED lighting sheet 20 may cover only the upper side of the space located between the upper and lower substrates 81 without reaching the lower substrate 81. By further arranging the LED lighting sheet 20 on the side surface side of the substrate 81 in this way, the amount of light at the peripheral edge of the substrate 81 where the illuminance tends to be weak is supplemented, and the brightness of the LED lighting sheet 20 is made uniform in the plane. be able to. As a result, the growth of the plant can be made uniform in the plane, and the yield of the plant to be grown can be improved.

(Action of the present embodiment)
Next, the operation of the present embodiment having such a configuration will be described.

First, the power input unit 41 (see FIG. 2) of the LED lighting module 10 is connected to a power source, and an alternating current having an arbitrary voltage of, for example, 100 V to 240 V is supplied to the power input unit 41. Next, the current input to the power input unit 41 is converted into a DC voltage of a constant pressure (for example, 44V) by the AC / DC converter 42. Subsequently, the DC voltage from the AC / DC converter 42 is adjusted by the PWM control unit 43 to adjust the pulse width of the constant voltage waveform, and the LED chip 21 is controlled to have a predetermined light beam amount. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the PWM control unit 43 changes the pulse width of the constant voltage waveform to reduce the duty ratio from 100% (solid line) to 50% (dotted line). After that, the constant voltage from the PWM control unit 43 is supplied to the LED lighting sheet 20, and the LED chip 21 lights up.

The light from the LED chip 21 of the LED lighting sheet 20 reaches the plants arranged on the substrate 81 and promotes the growth of the plants. In the present embodiment, since the LED lighting sheet 20 has a sheet shape, the LED chip 21 of the LED lighting sheet 20 uniformly irradiates the plant with light. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of bias in the growth rate. On the other hand, when a conventional LED bar light in which straight tube type LEDs are arranged is used as a comparative example, the amount of light to the plant located between the straight tube type LEDs is insufficient, and the growth rate of the plant is biased. There is a risk.

According to this embodiment, since a constant voltage is applied from the control unit 40 to the LED lighting sheet 20, the integrated light amount per unit time from the LED chip 21 can be increased and the growth of plants can be promoted. That is, the integrated light amount (the area of the shaded portion in FIG. 4A) when a constant voltage is applied to the LED lighting sheet 20 is the integrated light amount when a pulse voltage is applied as a comparative example (FIG. 4 (A)). It can be made larger than the area of the shaded portion of b). As a result, the plant can be obtained with a good yield by increasing the growth rate of the plant and growing the plant more efficiently. Further, by increasing the integrated light amount per unit time, the power consumption can be reduced, and the running cost such as the utility cost in the plant growing plant 90 can be further reduced.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the control unit 40 can control the dimming of the LED chip 21, the amount of light from the LED chip 21 is adjusted according to the growth stage and type of the plant. Can be done. For example, when the amount of light from the LED chip 21 is small as in the early stage of plant growth, the amount of light from the LED chip 21 is adjusted to be small, and the amount of light from the LED chip 21 is adjusted as in the late stage of plant growth. When it is necessary to increase the amount of light from the LED chip 21, the amount of light can be increased. Alternatively, since the distance between the plant and the LED chip 21 is increased in the early stage of growth when the plant is short, the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 is increased, and in the late stage of growth when the plant is tall, the plant and the LED chip are increased. Since the distance from 21 is short, the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 may be lowered. In addition, the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 may be increased when cultivating a type of plant that requires high illuminance, and the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 may be decreased when cultivating a type of plant that can be grown even with low illuminance. .. Further, when it is desired to advance the shipping time, the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 may be increased, and when it is desired to delay the shipping time, the illuminance of the LED lighting sheet 20 may be decreased. In this way, by adjusting the amount of light from the LED chip 21 as needed, it is possible to freely control the growth of plants. In addition, power consumption can be reduced, and running costs such as utility costs at the plant growing plant 90 can be further reduced.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the control unit 40 is externally connected to the LED lighting sheet 20, the control unit 40 is separated from the LED lighting sheet 20 and the plant is affected by the heat from the control unit 40. Can be prevented from reaching. That is, as a comparative example, if the control unit 40 is integrated with the LED lighting sheet 20, when a plant is grown on the plant growing shelf 80, the control unit 40 will be applied to the plant located near the control unit 40. The heat from the control unit 40 is easily transferred, and the heat from the control unit 40 is difficult to transfer to the plant located far from the control unit 40. In this case, the temperature of the atmosphere on the plant becomes uneven, so that the growth of the plant may become uneven in the plane. On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, since the control unit 40 is externally connected to the LED lighting sheet 20, the control unit 40 can be sufficiently separated from the plant, and the control unit 40 can be sufficiently separated. It is possible to suppress unevenness in the temperature of the atmosphere on the plant due to the heat from the plant, and to make the growth of the plant uniform in the plane. As a result, the plant can be obtained with a good yield.

Further, according to the present embodiment, 10 or more LED chips 21 are arranged in series, and 4 or more rows of the LED chips 21 are arranged in parallel. As a result, the LED chips 21 can be uniformly arranged in the plane, and the arrangement of the LED chips 21 can be parallelized to disperse the risk when the LED chips 21 are damaged.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the LED chip 21 is covered with the transparent protective film 35, the LED chip 21 can be protected from the moisture scattered during the growth of the plant.

[Example]
Next, a specific example in the present embodiment will be described.

(Creation of LED lighting sheet)
The LED lighting sheets of Examples and Comparative Examples were produced as follows.

(Example)
A copper foil (thickness 35 μm) for forming a metal wiring portion is laminated on one surface of a film substrate (polyethylene naphthalate, thickness 50 μm) having a size of 560 mm × 390 mm, and then a copper foil for metal wiring is provided. Etching treatment was performed to form metal wiring portions having the same pattern in all the examples and comparative examples. Then, on the substrate film and the metal wiring part, a urethane resin is used as the base resin, and titanium oxide is added to the base resin at a ratio of 20% by mass, and screen printing is performed using an insulating ink having a thickness of 10 μm. A light-reflecting insulating protective film was formed. Next, in the metal wiring section, a plurality of LED chips ("NFSW757G-V2" (manufactured by Nichia Corporation)) are placed in 10 rows of 14 rows at a pitch of 40 mm in the X direction and a pitch of 35 mm in the Y direction. It was mounted by soldering. The LED chip is a top light emitting type light emitting element, and has an outer shape of a rectangular parallelepiped having a size of 3.0 mm (length) × 3.0 mm (width) × 0.65 mm (height). Further, each of these LED chips has a color temperature of 3000 K, a luminous flux of 36.2 lm, and a luminous efficiency of 196 lm / W. Further, the above-mentioned insulating protective film and the transparent protective film for covering the LED chip were formed by a spray coating method. The LED lighting sheet produced as described above was connected to the control unit to produce an LED lighting module. A 200V AC power supply was connected to the control unit, and a constant voltage of 44V was applied from the control unit to the LED lighting sheet. At this time, the duty ratio of the DC voltage to the LED lighting sheet was set to 100%.

(Comparison example)
An LED lighting system was manufactured by removing the regulator from the LED lighting sheet of the embodiment, providing a half-wave rectifying type rectifying driver on the LED lighting sheet instead, and connecting AC200V to the rectifying driver.

The LED lighting modules of Examples and Comparative Examples were attached to the growing shelves of the plants, respectively, and the plants (baby spinach) were actually cultivated. Then, the living body weight (g / m ² ) was measured as the amount of growth of the grown plant. This biological weight was calculated by measuring the above-ground biological weight after cultivation for each cultivation panel and calculating the weight per square meter. In addition, the daily body weight (g / m ² / day), which is the living body weight per cultivation day, was calculated. The above evaluation results are shown in Table 1.

As shown in Table 1 above, when the LED lighting module of the example was used, the biological weight of the plant could be increased as compared with the case of using the LED lighting module of the comparative example. Specifically, when the LED lighting module of the example was used, the living weight of the plant could be increased by about 70% as compared with the case of using the LED lighting module of the comparative example. As described above, when the LED lighting module of the example was used, the productivity of the plant could be improved by increasing the integrated light amount per unit time from the LED chip.

It is also possible to appropriately combine a plurality of components disclosed in the above-described embodiments and modifications as necessary. Alternatively, some components may be removed from all the components shown in the above embodiments and modifications.

10 LED lighting module 20 LED lighting sheet 21 LED chip 22 Metal wiring part 30 Flexible wiring board 31 Board film 32 Metal wiring part 33 Adhesive layer 34 Light reflective insulation protective film 35 Transparent protective film 36 Solder part 40 Control unit 41 Power input Part 42 AC / DC converter 43 PWM control unit 44A 1st connector 44B 2nd connector 45 Regulator 46 Power supply line 80 Plant growing shelf 81 Board 82 Prop 83 Shelf board for plant growing shelf 90 Plant growing factory 91 Building

Claims (1)

An LED lighting module for growing animals and plants
An LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants, in which multiple LED chips are arranged,
A control unit electrically connected to the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants is provided.
An LED lighting module for growing animals and plants, in which a constant voltage is applied from the control unit to the LED lighting sheet for growing animals and plants.

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