Curing light

• US 20030151376A9
• Filed: 02/05/2002
• Published: 08/14/2003
• 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 6,932,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/291
• 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

Abstract

A curing light system useful for curing light activated composite materials is 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.

Claims

8. A curing light comprising:

a wand adapted to be grasped by a human hand for use in positioning and manipulating the curing light,

an elongate heat sink with a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being proximate said wand, said elongate heat sink having a longitudinal axis,

a primary heat sink,

said primary heat sink having a smaller mass than said elongate heat sink,

said primary heat sink being attached to said elongate heat sink,

at least one semiconductor device capable of emitting light useful in curing composite materials directly mounted to said primary heat sink,

a cover that provides protective covering for said chip and which permits light emitted by said chip to pass through it to provide usable light exiting from the cover, and

a thermoelectric cooler located on said elongate heat sink, said thermoelectric cooler serving to assist in heat dissipation.

1. A curing light comprising:

a wand adapted to be grasped by a human hand for use in positioning and manipulating the curing light,

an elongate heat sink with a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being proximate said wand, said elongate heat sink having a longitudinal axis,

a mounting platform located at said elongate heat sink distal end, said mounting platform being adapted to have a LED chip module,

an LED chip module mounted on said mounting platform, said LED chip module including

a primary heat sink, said primary heat sink having a smaller mass than said elongate heat sink,

a well on said primary heat sink for mounting an LED chip,

an LED chip mounted in said well,

a cover that provides protective covering for said LED chip and which permits light emitted by said LED chip to pass through it to provide usable light exiting from said light module, and

a thermoelectric cooler located on said elongate heat sink, said thermoelectric cooler serving to assist in heat dissipation.

2. A curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein light emitted by said LED chip module is emitted at an angle of from about 30 degrees to about 150 degrees to said elongate heat sink longitudinal axis.

3. A curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein light emitted by said LED chip module is emitted at an angle of about 90 degrees to said elongate heat sink longitudinal axis.

4. A curing light as recited in claim 1 further comprising at least one air vent on said wand.

5. A curing light as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of insulators to insulate said elongate heat sink from said wand.

6. A curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said wand has a housing and said elongate heat sink is located at least partially within said housing.

7. A curing light as recited in claim 6 further comprising an air space between said elongate heat sink and said wand.

9. A curing light as recited in claim 8 wherein light emitted by said chip is emitted at an angle of from about 30 degrees to about 150 degrees to said elongate heat sink longitudinal axis.

10. A curing light as recited in claim 8 wherein light emitted by said LED chip module is emitted at an angle of about 90 degrees to said elongate heat sink longitudinal axis.

11. A curing light as recited in claim 8 further comprising a plurality of insulators to insulate said elongate heat sink from said wand.

12. A curing light as recited in claim 11 further comprising an air space between said elongate heat sink and said wand.

13. A curing light as recited in claim 12 further comprising at least one air vent on said wand.

14. A curing light as recited in claim 8 wherein said chip is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diode chips, laser chips, light emitting diode chip array, diode laser chips, diode laser chip array, surface emitting laser chips, edge emitting laser chips, and VCSEL chips.

15. A curing light as recited in claim 8 wherein said cover is selected from the group consisting of windows and focus lenses.

11-1. A curing light as recited in claim 8 wherein said wand has a housing and said elongate heat sink is located at least partially within said housing.

16. A curing light comprising:

a wand adapted to be grasped by a human hand for use in positioning and manipulating the curing light,

a wand housing that forms at least a portion of the outer surface of said wand,

controls located on said wand housing for controlling initiation and termination of light emission from the curing light,

a heat sink, said heat sink serving to assist in heat dissipation, and said heat sink located in said wand housing,

a plurality of insulators useful for insulating said heat sink from said housing,

air space between said heat sink and said housing,

at least one vent located on said housing,

at least one semiconductor device capable of emitting light useful in curing composite materials, and

a thermoelectric cooler in physical contact with said heat sink, said thermoelectric cooler serving to assist in heat dissipation;

wherein light emitted by said chip is emitted at an angle of from about 30 degrees to about 150 degrees to said elongate heat sink longitudinal axis; and

wherein said chip is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diode chips, laser chips, light emitting diode chip array, diode laser chips, diode laser chip array, surface emitting laser chips, edge emitting laser chips, and VCSEL chips.