Plant Lighting System
Systems and methods for positioning artificial lighting lamps across extended vertical growing towers are disclosed. The system can accurately and repeatedly position the lighting lamps in close proximity to the plant canopy vertical grow tower surfaces. A plant lighting system may include a light fixture frame that supports one or more lighting lamps, a first linear actuator, and a second linear actuator. The light fixture frame may be mounted to the top surface of the first linear actuator and to the top surface of the second linear actuator such that the light fixture frame spans the first linear actuator and the second linear actuator.
1 . A plant lighting system comprising:
a light fixture frame that supports one or more lighting lamps, the light fixture frame has a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side joining the first side and the second side, and a fourth side opposite the third side that joins the first side and the second side;
a first linear actuator that has a fully retracted length and a fully extended length, the fully extended length is substantially a multiple of the fully retracted length, the first linear actuator has a base surface and a top surface;
a second linear actuator that has a fully retracted length and a fully extended length, the fully extended length is substantially a multiple of the fully retracted length, the second linear actuator has a base surface and a top surface, the second linear actuator spaced from the first linear actuator; and
the light fixture frame mounted to the top surface of the first linear actuator and the light fixture frame mounted to the top surface of the second linear actuator such that the light fixture frame spans the first linear actuator and the second linear actuator.
2 . The plant lighting system as in claim 1 , further comprising a third linear actuator that has a fully retracted length and a fully extended length, the fully extended length is substantially a multiple of the fully retracted length, the third linear actuator has a base surface and a top surface, the light fixture frame mounted to the top surface of the third linear actuator and the third linear actuator mounted to the light fixture frame between the first linear actuator and the second linear actuator.
3 . The plant lighting system as in claim 1 , further comprising a grow media structure, a height of the grow media structure is less than the fully retracted length of the linear actuators, a base surface of the grow media structure is positioned at or above the base surface of the fully retracted linear actuators and a top surface the grow media structure is positioned at or below the top surface of the fully retracted linear actuators.
4 . The plant lighting system as in claim 1 , wherein the grow media structure is positioned below the light frame fixture when the linear actuators are at the fully retracted length.
5 . The A grow tower comprising the plant lighting system as in claim 1 , wherein the base of the first linear actuator is fixtured proximate to a first end portion of the grow tower and the base of the second linear actuator is fixtured proximate to a second end portion of the grow tower, the light fixture frame spans the first end portion of the grow tower and the second end portion of the grow tower, the third side of the light fixture frame nearest the grow tower is separated by at least a gap from a surface or plane of the grow tower.
6 . The grow tower comprising the plant lighting system of claim 5 , further comprising the third linear actuator, the base of the third linear actuator is fixtured proximate to the grow tower.
7 . The grow tower comprising the plant lighting system as in claim 5 , wherein the base of the first linear actuator is fixtured to the first end portion of the grow tower and the base of the second linear actuator is fixtured to the second end portion of the grow tower.
8 . The grow tower comprising the plant lighting system as in claim 5 , wherein the base of the third linear actuator is fixtured to the grow tower.
9 . The grow tower comprising the plant lighting system as in claim 5 , wherein the third side of the light fixture frame nearest the grow tower is separated by the gap from a surface or plane of the grow tower during vertical movement of the light fixture frame from a position where the actuators are fully retracted and the position where the actuators are fully extended.
10 . The grow tower comprising the plant lighting system as in claim 5 , wherein the base surface of the first linear actuator is positioned at or below a base surface of the grow media structure and the top surface of the first linear actuator is positioned at or above the grow media structure when the first linear actuator is in the fully retracted position; the base surface of the second linear actuator is positioned at or below the base surface of grow media structure and the top surface of the second linear actuator is positioned at or above the top surface of the grow media structure when the second linear actuator is in the fully retracted position.
11 . The grow tower comprising the plant lighting system as in claim 5 , comprising a third linear actuator, the base surface of the third linear actuator positioned at or below the base surface of the grow media structure and the top surface of the third linear actuator is positioned at or above the top surface of the growth media structure when the third linear actuator is in a fully retracted position.
12 . The grow tower comprising the plant lighting system as in claim 5 , wherein the grow media structure comprises a container.
13 . The grow tower comprising the plant lighting system as in claim 5 , comprising two or more independently controllable plant lighting systems.
14 . A plant grow system comprising:
a light fixture frame comprising one or more lighting lamps, the light fixture frame supported by a first set of linear actuators; and
a grow media structure comprising a grow media and a container, the grow media structure supported by a second set of linear actuators;
wherein the first set of linear actuators and the second set of linear actuators are separated from each other and the first set of linear actuators and the second set of linear actuators can be raised and lowered independently.
15 . The plant grow system of claim 14 , wherein the grow media structure further comprises a light fixture frame positioned below grow media structure.
16 . The plant grow system of claim 15 , wherein the light fixture frame positioned below the grow media structure is supported by a third set of linear actuators and the first set of linear actuators, the second set of linear actuators, and the third set of linear actuators can be raised and lowered independently.
17 . A method of growing plants in the plant grow system as in claim 14 , comprising:
a. changing a height of the light fixture frame by actuating the first set of linear actuators to maintain a substantially constant separation between the lighting lamps and the grow media structure or a plant shoot system developing within the grow media structure;
b. changing a height of the grow media structure by actuating the second set of synchronized linear actuators to maintain a separation between the plant shoot system and an obstruction below or above the grow media structure;
c. changing a height of the light fixture frame positioned below the grow media structure; or
d. any combination of (a), (b), and (c)
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the plants produce stolons.
19 . The plant lighting system as in claim 1 , wherein the linear actuators are synchronized.
20 . The plant lighting system as in claim 1 , wherein the light fixture frame is comprised of sections joined together and wherein each section supports a set of elongated lighting lamps.
21 . A method of growing plants in a plant grow system, the method comprising:
actuating a first linear actuator to move between a fully retracted length and a fully extended length to change a height of a light fixture frame of the plant grow system; and
actuating a second linear actuator to move between a fully retracted length and a fully extended length simultaneously to actuation of the first linear actuator to change the height of the light fixture frame of the plant grow system;
wherein the light fixture frame supports one or more lighting lamps, and the light fixture frame has a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side joining the first side and the second side, and a fourth side opposite the third side that joins the first side and the second side;
wherein the fully extended length of the first and second linear actuators is substantially a multiple of the fully retracted length of the first and second linear actuators, and each of the first and second linear actuators has a base surface and a top surface;
wherein the second linear actuator is spaced from the first linear actuator; and
wherein the light fixture frame is mounted to the top surface of the first and second linear actuators.