Device And Apparatus For Horticultural Lighting And Ventilation
Patent No. US11226090 (titled "Device And Apparatus For Horticultural Lighting And Ventilation") was filed by Kappa Agtech Llc on Jul 31, 2020.
What is this patent about?
’090 is related to the field of horticulture , specifically devices that provide both lighting and ventilation for plants grown in controlled environments. Traditional high-density indoor growing systems often struggle with heat management from lighting and adequate air circulation, especially when using high-power LEDs close to crops.
The underlying idea behind ’090 is to integrate lighting and ventilation into a single unit to improve efficiency in high-density horticulture. This is achieved by using a hollow tube with LEDs mounted on its exterior and holes along its surface. Forced air is pumped through the tube, exiting through the holes, providing ventilation and cooling the LEDs simultaneously.
The claims of ’090 focus on a device that combines lighting and air circulation for plants. It specifically covers a hollow body with at least one opening connected to a source of forced air. The surface of this body has multiple holes for air to exit, and LEDs are attached to the outside surface. The LED density is sufficient to provide at least 200 μmol/m²/s of photosynthetically active radiation at 1 inch from the surface. A portion of the holes are on the same surface as the LEDs, directing airflow parallel to the light.
In practice, the device would be implemented as a long tube, potentially made of metal to act as a heat sink , with LEDs mounted along its length. A fan or duct system would force air into one end of the tube. The air would then escape through the holes, creating a flow of air across the plants and cooling the LEDs. The density and placement of the LEDs would be optimized to provide the correct light intensity for the specific crop being grown.
This design differentiates itself from prior approaches by combining two essential functions into a single, integrated unit. Instead of separate lighting and ventilation systems, ’090 offers a more compact and efficient solution. By directing airflow parallel to the light, it ensures that plants receive both adequate light and ventilation, preventing overheating and promoting healthy growth, especially in high-density setups where space and environmental control are critical.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the late 2010s when ’090 was filed, high-density indoor horticulture and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) were becoming more prevalent, at a time when LEDs were increasingly relied upon for lighting, but managing heat and ensuring adequate ventilation in these dense environments remained a challenge. Systems commonly relied on active cooling and ventilation strategies to mitigate the risk of crop damage from high light intensity and heat generated by the LEDs, when hardware or software constraints made precise control of microclimates non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner allowed the claims because the prior art did not teach or suggest the specific combination of features recited in claim 38, particularly the arrangement of LEDs and holes on the same surface of a hollow body to provide a specific level of photosynthetically active radiation (at least 200 µmol/m²/s) at a defined distance (1 inch). While some prior art taught hollow bodies with LEDs and holes, they did not disclose this particular configuration or the specified radiation level. The examiner acknowledged that the general concept of adjusting radiation levels for plant growth was known, but the specific claimed arrangement was not.
Claims
The patent has 17 claims, with claim 1 being the only independent claim. Independent claim 1 is directed to a device for illuminating plants and circulating air, comprising a hollow body with LEDs and forced air circulation. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features and configurations of the device described in the independent claim, such as the type of forced air source, LED density, dimming capabilities, remote control, air flow rates, LED power output, and arrays of the device.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
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Date
Description
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US11226090
- Application Number
- US16944700
- Filing Date
- Jul 31, 2020
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Oct 2, 2040
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents