Plant enclosure with vertically distributed light sources
View Patent ↗A system for lighting a plant comprising a dome/cage defining a volume that receives, surrounds and covers the plant. A plurality of light sources are supported by the dome/cage and distributed vertically from a bottom to a top and around the dome/cage to illuminate the plant evenly. The system is adapted to control the light sources to project light in the dark, extend ambient light hours, increase an intensity of an existing light; and modify a spectrum of the existing light in accordance with growth requirements specific to a given plant growing in a specific environment. A solar panel may be connected to the lights directly or through a battery for operating the system as a standalone unit. A control unit may be provided to receive a user input setting a lighting program, to allow the system to control operation of the lights using the set program.
1 . A method for lighting a plant which is planted in a pot or in the ground, the plant lighting method comprising the steps of:
providing a dome or a cage in a standalone manner, wherein the dome or the cage is distinct from the pot or from the ground and independently stands onto the pot or onto the ground defining an inner volume that at least partially surrounds and covers the plant, the dome or the cage comprising a plurality of arms that are extending vertically, each of the arms comprising telescopic sections telescoping relative to one another, whereby lengths of the arms are adjustable in a telescoping manner by telescoping the telescopic sections relative to one another;
providing a plurality of light sources fixedly supported by a plurality of telescopic sections of the arms of the dome or the cage, the plurality of light sources being distributed vertically over the arms from a bottom of the dome or the cage to a top of the dome or the cage and around the dome or the cage to surround the plant with light from the bottom to the top of the dome or the cage, wherein a height of each of the light sources that are mounted to one of the plurality of the telescopic sections are adjusted when telescoping the telescopic section of the arms the light source is mounted thereto relative to one another, the heights of the light sources and distance between at least two of the light sources being mounted to the same arm being thereby controllable, wherein, in a retracted telescoping position, the telescoping sections of the arms do not block any of the plurality of light sources;
controlling the light sources to perform one or more of: projecting light in the dark, extending ambient light hours, increasing an intensity of an existing ambient light, and modifying a spectrum of the existing ambient light in accordance with growth requirements specific to a given plant growing in a specific environment; and
providing an extension comprising a plurality of light sources and an electrical connection, the extension being configured to match a dimension of the dome or the cage so that the extension can be operably installed below the dome or the cage to make the dome or cage taller, the electrical connection comprising matching electrical connectors that connect to a complementary electrical connection on the dome or the cage for electrically connecting the extension to the dome or the cage to provide electrical power to the plurality of light sources of the extension to shine light on a lower section of the plants.
2 . The plant lighting method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
providing a solar panel on the dome or the cage;
providing the light sources with electric energy generated by the solar panel either directly or through a battery operably connected to the solar panel for storing the electric energy received from the solar panel; and
operating the dome or the cage as a standalone unit independently of external energy sources.
3 . The plant lighting method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
receiving a user input setting a lighting program; and
controlling the light sources in accordance with the set program.
4 . The plant lighting method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of reinstalling the dome or the cage onto any other plant to surround said other plant with light from bottom to top during transportation, storage and normal growth in the specific environment thereof.
5 . The plant lighting method of claim 1 , wherein the step of controlling the plurality of light sources comprises increasing an intensity of an existing ambient light.
6 . The plant lighting method of claim 1 , wherein the step of controlling the plurality of light sources comprises modifying the spectrum of the existing ambient light in accordance with growth requirements specific to the given plant growing in the specific environment.
7 . A system for lighting a plant which is planted in a pot or in the ground, the plant lighting system comprising:
a dome which is standalone in that the dome is distinct from the pot or from the ground and independently stands onto the pot or onto the ground forming an enclosure that at least partially surrounds and covers the plant, the dome comprising a plurality of arms that are extending vertically, each of the arms comprising telescopic sections whereby lengths of the telescopic sections of each of the arms of the dome are adjustable in a telescoping manner;
a plurality of light sources supported by the plurality of the telescopic sections of the arms of the dome, the plurality of light sources being distributed vertically over the arms from a bottom of the dome to a top of the dome and spaced around the dome to illuminate an inside of the dome, wherein a height of each of the light sources that are mounted to one of the plurality of the telescopic sections are adjusted when adjusting the lengths of the arms by telescoping the telescopic sections of the arms relative to one another, the heights of the light sources and distance between at least two of the light sources being mounted to the same arm being thereby controllable, wherein, in a retracted telescoping position, the telescoping sections of the arms do not block any of the plurality of light sources; and
an extension comprising a plurality of light sources and an electrical connection, the extension configured to match a dimension of the dome so that the extension can be operably installed below the dome to make the dome taller, the electrical connection comprising matching electrical connectors that connect to a complementary electrical connection on the dome and which electrically connects the extension to the dome to provide electrical power to the plurality of light sources of the extension to shine light on a lower section of the plant,
wherein the system is adapted to control the light sources to perform one or more of:
projecting light in the dark, extending ambient light hours, increasing an intensity of an existing ambient light and modifying a spectrum of the existing ambient light in accordance with growth requirements specific to a given plant growing in a specific environment, the system being used to surround the plant with light from bottom to top during transportation, storage and normal growth in the specific environment, while protecting the plant from animals, insects and harsh weather conditions.
8 . The plant lighting system of claim 7 , further comprising a solar panel operably connected to the plurality of light sources either directly or through a battery for operating the plant lighting system as a standalone unit independently of external energy sources.
9 . The plant lighting system of claim 7 , further comprising a control unit adapted to receive a user input setting a lighting program, the control unit being adapted to control operation of the plurality of light sources using the set program.
10 . The plant lighting system of claim 7 , wherein the dome comprises a top dome surface above the plant; and a lateral dome surface extending around the plant, a portion of the plurality of light sources being supported by the top dome surface and a remainder of the plurality of light sources being supported by the lateral dome surface.
11 . The plant lighting system of claim 10 , further comprising a fan at the top dome surface for evacuating air upwardly.
12 . The plant lighting system of claim 11 , wherein the top dome surface comprises a lid installed above the fan.
13 . The plant lighting system of claim 12 , further comprising a fan installed on the lid for evacuating air upwardly.
14 . The plant lighting system of claim 11 , further comprising a filter which is installed above the fan for filtering particles evacuated from the system.
15 . The plant lighting system of claim 11 , wherein the top dome surface and the lateral dome surface have perforations distributed vertically from the bottom of the dome to the top of the dome and around the dome, wherein the plurality of light sources can be mounted to the dome by being inserted into the perforations from outside of the dome to illuminate inside of the dome.
16 . The plant lighting system of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of light sources are light-emitting diodes having an illumination portion and an electronic portion, the illumination portion being directed toward the enclosure of the dome and the electronic portion remaining outside of the dome out of the enclosed inner volume.
17 . The plant lighting system of claim 7 , wherein the dome is made of a translucent material that allows ambient light to penetrate the dome.
18 . The plant lighting system of claim 7 , wherein the dome is made of an opaque material that does not allow ambient light into the dome.
19 . The plant lighting system of claim 18 , wherein the dome comprises a reflective layer on an inside surface of the dome to reflect and recycle the light generated by the light sources.
20 . The plant lighting system of claim 7 , wherein the extension is dimensioned to operably connect to the dome for extending the height of the enclosure defined by the dome, the extension comprising light sources distributed vertically from a bottom of the extension to a top of the extension and around the extension and being electrically connected to the dome so that operation of the plurality of light sources of the dome causes operation of the plurality of light sources of the dome extension.
21 . The plant lighting system of claim 20 , further comprising a control unit adapted to receive a user input setting a lighting program, the control unit being adapted to control operation of the plurality of light sources using the set program.
22 . The plant lighting system of claim 7 , wherein the plant lighting system is reinstallable on any other plant to surround said other plant with light from bottom to top during transportation, storage and normal growth in the specific environment thereof.
23 . The plant lighting system of claim 7 , wherein the plant lighting system is adapted to control the light sources to increase an intensity of an existing ambient light.
24 . The plant lighting system of claim 7 , wherein the plant lighting system is adapted to control the light sources to modify a spectrum of the existing ambient light in accordance with growth requirements specific to a given plant growing in a specific environment.
25 . A system for lighting a plant which is planted in a pot or in the ground, the plant lighting system comprising:
a cage comprising self-supporting arms that are extending vertically and that are forming the cage which is standalone in that the cage is distinct from the pot or from the ground and independently stands onto the pot or onto the ground, the cage forming an enclosure that at least partially surrounds and extends over the plant, each of the arms comprising telescopic sections whereby lengths of the telescopic sections of each of the arms are adjustable in a telescoping manner;
a plurality of light sources supported by a plurality of telescopic sections of the arms of the cage, the plurality of light sources being distributed vertically over the arms from a bottom of the cage to a top of the cage and around the cage to illuminate an inside of the cage, wherein a location of each of the light sources are adjusted when adjusting the lengths of the arms by telescoping the telescopic sections of the arms relative to one another, the locations of light sources and distance between at least two of the light sources being mounted to the same arm being thereby controllable, wherein, in a retracted telescoping position, the telescoping sections of the arms do not block any of the plurality of light sources; and
an extension adapted to be operably connected to the cage, the extension being adapted to match a dimension of the cage so that the extension can be installed below the cage to make the cage taller, the extension comprising an electrical connection comprising matching electrical connectors that connect to a complementary electrical connection on the cage for electrically connecting the extension to the cage to provide electrical power to the plurality of light sources of the extension to shine light on a lower section of the plants,
wherein the plant lighting system is adapted to control the plurality of light sources to perform one or more of: projecting light in the dark, extending ambient light hours, increasing an intensity of an existing ambient light, and modifying a spectrum of the existing ambient light in accordance with growth requirements specific to a given plant growing in a specific environment,
the system being used to surround the plant with light from bottom to top during transportation, storage and normal growth in the specific environment.
26 . The plant lighting system of claim 25 , further comprising a solar panel operably connected to the plurality of light sources either directly or through a battery for operating the plant lighting system as a standalone unit independently of external energy sources.
27 . The plant lighting system of claim 25 , wherein the extension is dimensioned to operably connect to the cage for extending the height of the cage, the extension comprising a plurality of light sources distributed vertically from a bottom of the extension to a top of the extension and around the extension and being electrically connected to the cage so that operation of the plurality of light sources of the extension is caused by the operation of the plurality of light sources of the cage.
28 . The plant lighting system of claim 25 , wherein the plant lighting system is reinstallable on any other plant to surround said other plant with light from bottom to top during transportation, storage and normal growth in the specific environment thereof.
29 . The plant lighting system of claim 25 , wherein the plant lighting system is adapted to control the light sources to increase an intensity of an existing ambient light.
30 . The plant lighting system of claim 25 , wherein the plant lighting system is adapted to control the light sources to modify a spectrum of the existing ambient light in accordance with growth requirements specific to a given plant growing in a specific environment.