LIGHT DIFFUSER AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME
First Claim
1. A light diffuser consisting of an at least partly transparent diffuser material, the light diffuser comprising:
- a proximal end suitable for coupling light supplied by a light conductor into the light diffuser, andthe light diffuser further comprising light scattering surface areas through which the light coupled into the light diffuser is deflected diffusely out of the light diffuser,wherein the light scattering surface areas comprise structures which are produced by interpenetration of the diffuser material in a liquid state in a boundary layer of a porous shaping material and which therefore comprise undercut forms induced by a surface tension.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A light diffuser (10), which is particularly suitable for introducing diffuse light into a tissue, is produced by interpenetration of a diffuser material in a liquid state into a boundary layer (4) of a porous shaping material, by which process a diffuser surface is formed having a surface structure which represents essentially a negative of the pore structure of the shaping material and includes undercut structures induced by a surface tension. The light diffuser (10) is e.g. produced by introducing a diffuser blank (1) including material which is liquefiable through mechanical vibration into the shaping material and simultaneously stimulating it with mechanical vibrations, such that the liquefiable material liquefies at least there where it is in contact with the shaping material and is pressed into the shaping material. An in situ production of the diffuser is particularly advantageous for photodynamic therapy in bone tissue (20).
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A light diffuser consisting of an at least partly transparent diffuser material, the light diffuser comprising:
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a proximal end suitable for coupling light supplied by a light conductor into the light diffuser, and the light diffuser further comprising light scattering surface areas through which the light coupled into the light diffuser is deflected diffusely out of the light diffuser, wherein the light scattering surface areas comprise structures which are produced by interpenetration of the diffuser material in a liquid state in a boundary layer of a porous shaping material and which therefore comprise undercut forms induced by a surface tension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for introducing diffuse light into an area in a tissue to be treated, comprising the steps of:
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supplying light to the tissue area by means of a light conductor with a distal light conductor end, implanting a diffuser blank comprising a thermoplastic material and a light-scattering/light-absorbing agent in the tissue such that its proximal end remains accessible and its distal end reaches to, or into the tissue area to be treated, for implantation, coupling light which is predominantly absorbed by the light-scattering/light-absorbing agent into the diffuser blank through its proximal end and pressing the diffuser blank into the tissue such that the thermoplastic diffuser material is liquefied at least partly and is pressed into the tissue, and wherein light, which is pre-dominantly scattered by the light-scattering/light-absorbing agent is then coupled into the diffuser.
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30. A pin-shaped implant suitable for implantation in bone tissue, the implant comprising:
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a distal end, a proximal end suitable for light being coupled into the implant, the implant comprising a thermoplastic material, which in a pure state is light-transparent, and further comprising a light-scattering/light-absorbing agent. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification