Light for activating light-activated materials, the light including a plurality of individual chips and providing a particular spectral profile

• US 20020177099A1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CAO Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CAO Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Cao, Densen
• Granted Patent: US 6,979,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/004 Hand-held apparatus, e.g. guns
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0096 Portable laser equipment, e.g. hand-held laser apparatus surgical laser instruments A61B18/20, Dental Lasers A61C1/0046, Hand-held laser dental apparatus for curing resins A61C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0608 in the same heat affected zone [HAZ] B23K26/0613, B23K26/0619 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/064 by means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0643 comprising mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0648 comprising lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0665 by beam condensation on the workpiece, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/703 Cooling arrangements by using a fluid stream B23K26/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Light system useful for activating light-activated materials are disclosed. Various configurations of light emitting semiconductor chips and heat sinks are disclosed, as well as various structures and methods for driving, controlling and using them, and materials and structures usable therewith.

Claims

1. A light for activating a light-activated material comprising:

a light module capable of emitting light useful in activating a light-activated material,

a primary heat sink in said light module,

at least one well in said primary heat sink,

said well having a wall,

said heat sink having thermal conductance qualities,

a plurality of light emitting chips,

said chips being mounted to said heat sink,

at least one of said chips being mounted in said well,

an optical cover,

said cover covering said chip mounted in said well in order to provide protection for said chip,

at least some of said light emitting chips being capable of emitting light of a wavelength that is useful in activating a light activated material,

the actual number of said plurality of light emitting chips being a positive integer “

n”

, where n is greater than or equal to 2,

each of said light emitting chips emitting light of a certain peak wavelength λ

_i, where “

i”

is an integer between 1 and n,

a first of said light emitting chips having the lowest peak wavelength light emission of said plurality of light emitting chips, said lowest peak wavelength light emission being referred to as “

λ

₁”

,

a last of said light emitting chips having the highest peak wavelength light emission of said plurality of light emitting chips, said highest peak wavelength light emission being referred to as “

λ

_n”

,

the wavelength of λ

₁ being less than λ

_n,

each of said light emitting chips peak wavelengths λ

₁ being greater than or equal to λ

₁ and less than or equal to λ

_n,

λ

₁ and λ

_n serving to define the lower and upper wavelength limits output by said plurality of light emitting chips,

said peak wavelength limits λ

₁ and λ

_n being selected to define a wide light spectrum profile capable of activating various light-activated materials having sensitivities to various light wavelengths in the range of λ

₁ . . . λ

_n,

each of said light emitting chips emitting light of an intensity I₁, where “

i”

is an integer between 1 and n,

a first of said light emitting chips having the lowest intensity of light emission of said plurality of light emitting chips, said lowest intensity light emission being referred to as “

I₁”

,

a last of said light emitting chips having the highest intensity of light emission of said plurality of light emitting chips, said highest intensity light emission being referred to as “

I_n”

,

the intensity of I₁ being less than or equal to the intensity of I_n, and

the intensity of light emitted by a particular chip “

i”

being designated I_i where I₁ is greater than or equal to I₁ and where I_i is less than or equal to I_n;

wherein the intensity of I_i of at least some of said plurality of light emitting chips is sufficient to cause activation of a light-activated material sensitive to activation by light of the wavelength λ

_i.

2. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 further comprising a secondary heat sink, said primary heat sink being affixed to said secondary heat sink, said secondary heat sink serving to draw heat away from said primary heat sink, and said secondary heat sink serving to dissipate heat.

3. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said chips has a width dimension of not less than 300 micrometers.

4. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said chips has a width dimension of not less than 1 millimeter.

5. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 wherein I_i for at least one of said plurality of light emitting chips is at least 40 mW.

6. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 wherein I₁ is less than I_n.

7. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 wherein I₁ is greater than I_n.

8. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 wherein λ

₁ is greater than or equal to 200 nm and λ

_n is less than or equal to 455 nm.

9. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 wherein λ

₁ is greater than or equal to 300 nm and λ

_n is less than or equal to 460 nm.

10. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 wherein λ

₁ is greater than or equal to 300 nm and λ

_n is less than or equal to 455 nm and wherein I_i is greater than or equal to 40 mW for said plurality of light emitting chips.

11. A light for activating light-activated materials as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said chips is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diode chips, laser chips, light emitting diode chip arrays, diode laser chips, diode laser chip arrays, surface emitting laser chips, edge emitting laser chips, and VCSEL chips.

12. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 wherein said cover is an optical dome.

13. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 12 wherein said optical dome focuses light emitted by said chip.

14. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 13 wherein said optical dome includes a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, polycarbonate, epoxy and glass.

15. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 14 wherein said optical dome provides for light emission along an arc of a circle defined by an angle φ

.

16. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 15 wherein said optical dome serves to modify light output from said chip into a beam of a desired configuration.

17. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 wherein all of said chips are mounted in a single well.

18. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said chips is mounted in its own individual well.

19. A light for activating a light-activated material comprising:

a light module capable of emitting light useful in activating a light-activated material,

a primary heat sink in said light module,

at least one well in said primary heat sink,

said well having a light reflective wall,

said wall serving to reflect light which strikes it,

said heat sink having thermal conductance qualities,

a plurality of light emitting chips,

said chips being mounted to said heat sink,

at least one of said chips being mounted in said well,

an optical cover,

said cover covering said chip mounted in said well in order to provide protection for said chip,

a secondary heat sink, said primary heat sink being affixed to said secondary heat sink, said secondary heat sink serving to draw heat away from said primary heat sink, and said secondary heat sink serving to dissipate heat,

at least some of said light emitting chips being capable of emitting light of a wavelength that is useful in activating a light activated material,

the actual number of said plurality of light emitting chips being a positive integer “

n”

, where n is greater than or equal to 2,

each of said light emitting chips emitting light of a certain peak wavelength λ

_i, where “

i”

is an integer between 1 and n,

a first of said light emitting chips having the lowest peak wavelength light emission of said plurality of light emitting chips, said lowest peak wavelength light emission being referred to as “

λ

₁”

,

a last of said light emitting chips having the highest peak wavelength light emission of said plurality of light emitting chips, said highest peak wavelength light emission being referred to as “

λ

_n”

,

the wavelength of λ

₁ being less than λ

_n,

each of said light emitting chips peak wavelengths λ

_i being greater than or equal to λ

₁ and less than or equal to λ

_n,

λ

₁ and λ

_n serving to define the lower and upper wavelength limits output by said plurality of light emitting chips,

said peak wavelength limits λ

₁ and λ

_n being selected to define a wide light spectrum profile capable of activating various light-activated materials having sensitivities to various light wavelengths in the range of A₁ . . . λ

_n,

each of said light emitting chips emitting light of an intensity I_i, where “

i”

is an integer between 1 and n,

a first of said light emitting chips having the lowest intensity of light emission of said plurality of light emitting chips, said lowest intensity light emission being referred to as “

I₁”

,

a last of said light emitting chips having the highest intensity of light emission of said plurality of light emitting chips, said highest intensity light emission being referred to as “

I_n”

,

the intensity of I₁ being less than or equal to the intensity of I_n, and

the intensity of light emitted by a particular chip “

i”

being designated I_i where I_i is greater than or equal to I₁ and where I_i is less than or equal to I_n;

wherein the intensity of I_i of at least some of said plurality of light emitting chips is sufficient to cause activation of a light-activated material sensitive to activation by light of the wavelength λ

_i;

wherein at least one of said chips has a width dimension of not less than 300 micrometers;

wherein I_i for at least one of said plurality of light emitting chips is at least 40 mW;

wherein λ

₁ is greater than or equal to 200 nm and λ

_n is less than or equal to 460 nm;

wherein said cover is an optical dome;

wherein said optical dome provides for light emission along an arc of a circle defined by an angle φ

; and

wherein said optical dome serves to modify light output from said chip into a beam of a desired configuration.

20. A light for activating a light-activated material comprising:

a light module capable of emitting light useful in activating a light-activated material,

a primary heat sink in said light module,

said heat sink exhibiting thermal conductivity,

a plurality of light emitting chips,

said chips being mounted to said primary heat sink,

an optical cover,

said cover covering at least one of said chips in order to provide protection for said chip,

at least some of said light emitting chips being capable of emitting light of a wavelength that is useful in activating a light activated material,

some of said chips emitting light at a peak wavelength that is different from the peak wavelength of light emitted by other of said chips.

21. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 20 further comprising a secondary heat sink, said primary heat sink being affixed to said secondary heat sink, said secondary heat sink serving to draw heat away from said primary heat sink, and said secondary heat sink serving to dissipate heat.

22. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 21 wherein at least one of said chips has a width dimension of not less than 300 micrometers.

23. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 20 wherein at least one of said chips has a width dimension of not less than 1 millimeter.

24. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 20 wherein I_i for at least one of said plurality of light emitting chips is at least 40 mW.

25. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 20 wherein λ

₁ is greater than or equal to 300 nm and λ

_n is less than or equal to 460 nm.

26. A light for activating a light-activated material as recited in claim 20 wherein λ

₁ is greater than or equal to 200 nm and λ

_n is less than or equal to 455 nm and wherein I_i is greater than or equal to 40 mW for at least one of said plurality of light emitting chips.

27. A light for activating light-activated materials as recited in claim 20 wherein at least one of said chips is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diode chips, laser chips, light emitting diode chip arrays, diode laser chips, diode laser chip arrays, surface emitting laser chips, edge emitting laser chips, and VCSEL chips.