Concentration of divergent light from light emitting diodes into therapeutic light energy
First Claim
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1. A therapeutic light source for treating a target tissue with a therapeutic light energy having a therapeutic light power density, the source comprising:
- a plurality of LEDs, each LED transmitting divergent light, the LEDs distributed across a first region, the divergent light across the first region having a first total light power density less than the therapeutic light energy; and
an optical train optically coupling the LEDs with the target tissue, the optical train combining the divergent light and delivering the divergent light within a second region smaller than the first region so that the delivered divergent light has the therapeutic light power density.
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Abstract
The present invention generally provides improved therapeutic light sources and methods for their use. The invention also provides novel methods for fabricating therapeutic light sources. The present invention generally makes use of light emitting diodes (LEDs), and provides higher intensity therapeutic light than has previously been available with light emitting diode systems.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A therapeutic light source for treating a target tissue with a therapeutic light energy having a therapeutic light power density, the source comprising:
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a plurality of LEDs, each LED transmitting divergent light, the LEDs distributed across a first region, the divergent light across the first region having a first total light power density less than the therapeutic light energy; and
an optical train optically coupling the LEDs with the target tissue, the optical train combining the divergent light and delivering the divergent light within a second region smaller than the first region so that the delivered divergent light has the therapeutic light power density. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A therapeutic light source comprising:
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a plurality of LEDs, each LED generating divergent light;
a plurality of optical waveguides, each waveguide having a first end and a second end;
a plurality of light concentrators;
a registration substrate having a first plurality of positioning features and a second plurality of positioning features, the first positioning features each receiving an LED, each second positioning feature maintaining registration between a first end of an optical waveguide and an associated LED with a light concentrator disposed therebetween so as to concentrate the divergent light from the LED into the waveguide;
the second ends of the waveguides being bundled together and transmitting the divergent light. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for fabricating a therapeutic light source, the method comprising:
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registering an array of LEDs with an associated array of first optical waveguide ends so that a portion of divergent light from each LED enters an associated first end of an associated optical waveguide, the array having an array area;
gathering together the optical waveguides downstream of the first ends into a bundle having a bundle area less than the array area.
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31. A method for treating a target tissue with therapeutic light, the method comprising:
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generating divergent light with a plurality of LEDs, the LEDs distributed within an LED region;
concentrating at least a portion of the divergent with an optical train; and
transmitting the concentrated light from the optical train to a target region of a target tissue, the target region being significantly smaller than the LED region, so that the concentrated light selectively heats and treats the target tissue.
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Specification