Illumination – With plant-like ornament or wreath
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-03
2001-07-31
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
With plant-like ornament or wreath
C362S001000, C362S263000, C362S264000, C362S373000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267483
ABSTRACT:
PRIORITY OF RELATED FOREIGN PATENT APPLICATION
This patent application claims the benefit of United Kingdom Patent Application, Ser. No. 9811797.1 entitled “Horticultural Lights”, filed on Jun. 3, 1998.
I. FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to light fixtures used in horticultural settings and more particularly, to a horticultural light fixture that promotes plant growth while simultaneously keeping the heat associated with the prior art to a minimum.
II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
Lights are used in the horticultural field for a variety of purposes. For example, they are used to force seed growth during in climate months for later outdoor planting; in green houses to grow and maintain plants indoors, and, for certain agricultural crops that are grown indoors, such as mushrooms.
Lighting systems used to promote plant growth come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and types. Until the present invention, horticultural lighting systems have suffered from the same shortcoming: while providing adequate light for plant growth, they generate significant heat. Depending on the distance the light is mounted from the plant, the heat reaching the plant may exceed 100° F. Heat may be acceptable for some plants but others are effected negatively by the heat generated by the lights. Deleterious effects such as delicate new growth leaf burning and excessive soil drying can result. These effects, in turn, lead to unnecessary plant loss, thereby decreasing harvest potential and increasing costs.
The prior art is replete with horticultural lights. The devices, however, principally focus on illumination. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,078,169, 4,600,973, 4,609,974, 5,025,356, and 5,065,294. Certain attempts have also been made to reduce or eliminate the problems associated with excessive heat. However, these attempts have been limited to heat reduction for infrared lights and stage lights, and are not suitable for use in horticultural settings.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,659 to Wheeler discloses and claims a narrow band, air-cooled light fixture. The device is designed to filter conventional broad spectrum energy so that only desired spectrum regions are transmitted. The device employs a fan and series of filters containing a plurality of holes to emit light to achieve its stated purpose.
A variation of U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,659 is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,420 to Wheeler, et al, which discloses and claims a similar device having the same stated purposes but instead of filters containing a plurality of holes, this version employs filters having slotted peripheries.
There is a need, therefore, for a horticultural light apparatus that promotes growth through adequate supply of light yet generates little heat, thereby reducing damage to heat sensitive plants. Such a system should be simple to use and not add significantly to the cost of artificial light based horticulture.
II. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a horticultural light apparatus that keeps minimizes heat generation.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a horticultural light apparatus that includes a hollow transparent cylindrical housing having open ends into which an elongated light source of a diameter smaller than that of the housing is inserted.
It is a further object of the present invention to include a means to secure the light source in the housing.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide such a horticultural light apparatus that further includes reflective means contained within the housing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a low temperature horticultural light apparatus that is economical to produce, easy to use, does not add significantly to the cost of horticultural operations, and aids in increasing horticultural yields, thereby reducing the number of plants lost due to excessive heat.
III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above objects are provided for in a low-temperature horticultural light apparatus. The invention comprises a hollow transparent cylindrical housing having open ends into which a light source is inserted. The light source should be cylindrical in shape and of a diameter smaller than that of the housing and further of a diameter to enable sufficient air flow through the housing once the light source is inserted. The light source should further be of a length slightly less than that of the housing.
The ends of the housing are fitted with end caps that secure the light source into place so that the center point of the light source diameter is effectively in line with the center point of the housing diameter. The end caps are further defined by having a hollow center to enable air flow through the housing.
The housing further includes a light reflecting means that reflects light in a downward direction.
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patent: 4321659 (1982-03-01), Weheler
patent: 4344112 (1982-08-01), Brown
patent: 4546420 (1985-10-01), Wheeler et al.
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patent: 5025356 (1991-06-01), Gawad
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patent: 5436815 (1995-07-01), Grooms et al.
patent: 5765939 (1998-06-01), Tanner, Jr.
patent: 5765941 (1998-06-01), Vest
patent: 5964518 (1999-10-01), Shen
Knechtel Demeur & Samlan
O'Shea Sandra
Ward John Anthony
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