Light meter for detecting and measuring intensity of two or more wavelengths of light

• US 20060028639A1
• Filed: 08/09/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Inventors: McLean, Bruce S., Scott, Robert R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,267,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/218
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/004 Hand-held apparatus, e.g. guns
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4252 for testing LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/36 Investigating two or more bands of a spectrum by separate detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/427 Dual wavelengths spectrometry

Abstract

5A light meter for detecting two or more different wavelengths of light and methods for determining whether a light source configure to emit light at two or more dominant wavelengths is working properly. The inventive light meter includes a housing, two or more receiving means for receiving light energy emitted by an external light source wherein each receiving means is configured to receive light energy of a desired wavelength, detecting means for detecting and measuring light energy received by the receiving means, and display means for providing a visual indication of the existence and intensity of one or more wavelengths of light energy received by the receiving means.

Claims

1. A light meter for detecting two or more different dominant wavelengths of light comprising:

a housing;

two or more receiving means for receiving light energy emitted by an external light source,

wherein at least one of said receiving means is configured to receive light energy of a first dominant wavelength, and

at least one other of said receiving means is configured to receive light energy of a second dominant wavelength;

detecting means for detecting and measuring light energy received by said means for receiving light energy within said housing; and

display means for providing a visual indication of the existence and intensity of one or more dominant wavelengths of light energy received by the receiving means.

2. A light meter as recited in claim 1, wherein said two or more receiving means comprise two or more LEDs or LED arrays capable of emitting light at different dominant wavelengths.

3. A light meter as recited in claim 2, wherein said detecting means comprises circuitry for measuring any electrical potential generated by the two or more LEDs or LED arrays when irradiated with light energy.

4. A light meter as recited in claim 2, wherein said display means comprises one of an LED bar display, an analog needle display, or a digital character display for providing a visual indication of the existence and intensity of two or more wavelengths of light energy received by the two or more LEDs or LED arrays.

5. A light meter as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for communicating with a secondary device.

6. A light meter as recited in claim 5, wherein said means for communicating with a secondary device comprises at least one a transmitter, a receiver, an input jack, or an output jack.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, the step for individually detecting a voltage is performed using the light meter according to claims 1 or 7.

7. A light meter for detecting two or more different wavelengths of light comprising:

a housing;

two or more LEDs or LED arrays capable of emitting light at different dominant wavelengths and arranged so as to receive light energy emitted by an external light source;

circuitry that measures any electric potential generated by the two or more LEDs or LED arrays when irradiated with light energy within said housing; and

a display for providing a visual indication of the existence and intensity of one or more wavelengths of light energy received by the two or more LEDs or LED arrays.

8. A light meter as recited in claim 7, wherein at least one of the two or more LEDs or LED arrays is capable of emitting UV light.

9. A light meter as recited in claim 8, wherein said UV light has a mean dominant wavelength of about 380 nm.

10. A light meter as recited in claim 7, wherein at least one of the two or more LEDs or LED arrays is capable of emitting blue light.

11. A light meter as recited in claim 10, wherein said blue light has a mean dominant wavelength of about 455 nm.

12. A light meter as recited in claim 7, further comprising a silicon sensor for detecting the overall light output emitted by an external light source.

13. A light meter as recited in claim 7, further comprising a transmitter for communicating with a secondary device.

14. A light meter as recited in claim 13, wherein said transmitter comprises one of an infrared or radio frequency transmitter.

15. A method of determining whether a light source designed to emit light have two or more dominant wavelengths is working properly, comprising:

activating the light source; and

step for individually detecting a voltage, if any, generated for each of the two or more dominant wavelengths that may be emitted by the light source when the light source is activated.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the light source includes at least one LED or LED array configured to emit light in the blue light spectrum and at least one other LED or LED array configured to emit light in the UV spectrum.

18. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the light source includes at least one LED or LED array configured to emit light in the blue light spectrum and at least one other LED or LED array configured to emit light in the UV spectrum.

19. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the step for individually detecting a voltage is performed using a light meter comprising at least one LED or LED array configured to emit light in the blue light spectrum and at least one other LED or LED array configured to emit light in the UV spectrum.