Dental curing light
First Claim
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1. A dental curing instrument for curing a target, the target including a restorative material that is curable in response to application of light energy, the dental curing instrument comprising:
- a light source capable of outputting the light energy to cure the restorative material, the light source being controllable to vary the light energy being output;
a light sensor for sensing a light energy characteristic;
an optical feedback path operable coupled to the light sensor, the optical feedback path being disposed to channel light reflected back from the target to the light sensor, wherein the light sensor is configured to sense the light energy characteristic with respect to the light reflected back from the target; and
a controller operably coupled to the light sensor and the light source, the controller configured to vary, based on the light energy characteristic sensed by the light sensor, an operating characteristic of the light source from a first operating characteristic to a second operating characteristic to affect the light energy being output from the light source, wherein the light source is configured to output light based on operation at the first operating characteristic, wherein the light source is configured to output light based on operation at the second operating characteristic.
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Abstract
An optical sensor for an instrument to form a closed-loop curing instrument that is configured to manage the quantity of delivered energy to a curable material, including a composite restoration for a tooth. The closed-loop curing instrument is configured to analyze a signal indicative of the light reflecting from the curable material, and to adjust light output based on the analysis.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A dental curing instrument for curing a target, the target including a restorative material that is curable in response to application of light energy, the dental curing instrument comprising:
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a light source capable of outputting the light energy to cure the restorative material, the light source being controllable to vary the light energy being output; a light sensor for sensing a light energy characteristic; an optical feedback path operable coupled to the light sensor, the optical feedback path being disposed to channel light reflected back from the target to the light sensor, wherein the light sensor is configured to sense the light energy characteristic with respect to the light reflected back from the target; and a controller operably coupled to the light sensor and the light source, the controller configured to vary, based on the light energy characteristic sensed by the light sensor, an operating characteristic of the light source from a first operating characteristic to a second operating characteristic to affect the light energy being output from the light source, wherein the light source is configured to output light based on operation at the first operating characteristic, wherein the light source is configured to output light based on operation at the second operating characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A curing instrument for curing a light-curable material, said curing instrument comprising:
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a light source configured to generate light energy to cure the light-curable material, said light source configured to provide an illumination beam of light energy to the light-curable material; optical drive circuitry operably coupled to said light source, said optical drive circuitry configured to provide a power signal to said light source to generate said light energy, wherein said optical drive circuitry is configured to vary one or more operating characteristics of said power signal to vary output of light energy from said light source; a controller operably coupled to said optical drive circuitry, said controller configured to control operation of said optical drive circuitry to control generation of said light energy from said light source; an optical feedback sensor arranged to collect light reflected from the light-curable material, said optical feedback sensor having a light input with an optical sense path directed to the light-curable material, wherein said optical sense path of said light input is surrounded by said illumination beam generated from said light source; and a light sensor optically coupled to said light input of said optical feedback sensor, said light sensor is configured to generate an optical sensor feedback signal based on said light collected by said light input, wherein said controller directs said optical drive circuitry to vary, based on said optical sensor feedback signal, at least one of said one or more operating characteristics from a first operating characteristic to a second operating characteristic to vary output of light energy from said light source, wherein said light source is configured to output light based on operation at said first operating characteristic, wherein said light source is configured to output light based on operation at said second operating characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification