System and method for controlling a light actuator to achieve partial polymerization
First Claim
1. A light curing system for polymerizing photoreactive resin, comprising:
- light source means for providing light energy to the photoreactive resin, the light source means having an intensity;
timing means for causing the light source means to provide light energy to the photoreactive resin for an illumination time, during which the light source means provides light energy to the photoreactive resin, the timing means selectively operable in a plurality of different time increments so as to more finely tune total time exposure of the photoreactive resin, including a first time increment and a second time increment that is different in duration from the first time increment, such that the illumination time is a sum of an integer multiple of the first time increment and an integer multiple of the second time increment; and
power supply means electrically coupled to the light source means and the timing means for supplying electrical power to the light source means and the timing means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for achieving partial polymerization of a photoreactive resin include: (i) light source means for providing light energy to the photoreactive resin, the light source means having an intensity; (ii) timing means for causing the light source means to provide light energy to the photoreactive resin for an illumination time, during which the light source means provides light energy to the photoreactive resin, the timing means selectively operable in a plurality of different time increments, thereby allowing fine tuning of the total amount of light energy provided to the photoreactive resin; and (iii) power supply means electrically coupled to the light source means and the timing means for supplying electrical power to the light source means and the timing means. In one embodiment, the system is programmed to automatically achieve a constant total light energy output despite variations in the intensity of the light source means. The system may also pulsate and is operable in a full cure and partial cure mode.
154 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A light curing system for polymerizing photoreactive resin, comprising:
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light source means for providing light energy to the photoreactive resin, the light source means having an intensity; timing means for causing the light source means to provide light energy to the photoreactive resin for an illumination time, during which the light source means provides light energy to the photoreactive resin, the timing means selectively operable in a plurality of different time increments so as to more finely tune total time exposure of the photoreactive resin, including a first time increment and a second time increment that is different in duration from the first time increment, such that the illumination time is a sum of an integer multiple of the first time increment and an integer multiple of the second time increment; and power supply means electrically coupled to the light source means and the timing means for supplying electrical power to the light source means and the timing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A light curing system for polymerizing photoreactive resin, comprising:
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light source means for providing light energy to the photoreactive resin, the light source means having an intensity; timing means for causing the light source means to provide light energy to the photoreactive resin for an illumination time, during which the light source means provides light energy to the photoreactive resin; automatic time selecting means for automatically selecting the total illumination time based on a value of a predetermined total light energy to be emitted by the light source, and on a measurement of the intensity of the light source means; and power supply means electrically coupled to the light source means and the timing means, for supplying electrical power to the light source means, the compensating means, and the timing means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A light curing system for polymerizing photoreactie resin, comprising:
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light source means for providing light energy to the photoreactive resin, the light source means having an intensity; metering means for measuring the intensity of the light source means; timing means for causing the light source means to provide light energy to the photoreactive resin for an illumination time, during which the light source means provides light energy to the photoreactive resin, the timing means including automatic time selecting means electrically coupled to the metering means for automatically selecting the illumination time based on a value of a predetermined total light energy to be emitted by the light source, and on a measurement of the intensity of the light source means; and power supply means electrically coupled to the light source means and the timing means for supplying electrical power to the light source means and the timing means. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A light curing system for polymerizing photoreactive resin, the light curing system including
(a) light source means for providing light energy to the photoreactive resin, the light source means having an intensity; -
(b) timing means for causing the light source means to provide light energy to the photoreactive resin for an illumination time, during which the light source means provides light energy to the photoreactive resin; and (c) power supply means electrically coupled to the light source means and the timing means for supplying electrical power to the light source means and the timing means, wherein the improvement comprises; metering means for measuring the intensity of the light source means, and wherein the timing means comprises automatic time selecting means electrically coupled to the metering means for automatically selecting the illumination time based on a value of a predetermined total light energy to be emitted by the light source, and on a measurement of the intensity of the light source means, the automatic time selecting means programmed such that the light curing system produces a substantially reproducible total light energy. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A pulsating light curing system for polymerizing photoreactive resin, comprising:
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light source means for providing light energy to the photoreactive resin, the light source means having an intensity; timing means for causing the light source means to provide light energy to the photoreactive resin for a predetermined total light energy, including a plurality of pulses that are selectively variable in duration from one another; and power supply means electrically coupled to the light source means and the timing means for supplying electrical power to the light source means and the timing means and for providing a plurality of pulses of light energy to the photoreactive resin during the illumination time. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for manufacturing a light curing system for polymerizing photoreactive resin, the method comprising electrically coupling power supply means for supplying electrical power to:
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(i) light source means for providing light energy to the photoreactive resin, the light source means having an intensity; and (ii) timing means for causing the light source means to provide light energy to the photoreactive resin for an illumination time, during which the light source means provides light energy to the photoreactive resin, the timing means selectively operable in a plurality of different time increments so as to more finely tune total time exposure of the photoreactive resin, including a first time increment and a second time increment that is different in duration from the first time increment, such that the illumination time is a sum of an integer multiple of the first time increment and an integer multiple of the second time increment.
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31. A method for manufacturing a light curing system for polymerizing photoreactive resin, the method comprising:
electrically coupling power supply means for supplying electrical power to; light source means for providing light energy to the photoreactive resin, the light source means having an intensity; and timing means for causing the light source means to provide light energy to the photoreactive resin for an illumination time, during which the light source means provides light energy to the photoreactive resin, the timing means including automatic time selecting means for automatically selecting the illumination time based on a value of pre-determined total light energy to be emitted by the light source and on a measurement of light intensity from the light source means; and electrically coupling the automatic time selecting means to metering means for measuring the intensity of the light source means. - View Dependent Claims (32)
Specification