System for curing polymeric materials, such as those used in dentistry, and for tailoring the post-cure properties of polymeric materials through the use of light source power modulation
First Claim
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1. A light curing system for light curing of composite materials comprising:
- a. a light power supply which utilizes electrical power to generate voltage and current at appropriate levels for use in the light curing system, b. a light producing device configured to receive and utilize voltage and current from said light power supply, said light producing device being capable of producing light at selected intensities for selected periods of time, c. a wavelength separating, mixing and eliminating device capable of receiving light from said light producing device and manipulating said light into a format for exposure to a polymeric material, d. a delivery device capable of delivering light manipulated by said wavelength separating, mixing and eliminating device to a remote location for exposure to a polymeric material, and e. a computer control system which controls said light power supply and said wavelength separating, mixing and eliminating device to produce light according to a selected modulation scheme based on the cured composite material.
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Abstract
A method and system are disclosed for curing polymeric materials including dental composites. Preferably, modulated light is used to control the formation of polymer chains in the polymeric material so that a cured polymeric material that has the desired physical characteristics for its intended function. Formation of short chain and long chain polymers from monomers in the polymeric material is initiated and controlled by using a light source with a wavelength suitable for one or more initiators found in the polymeric material.
347 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A light curing system for light curing of composite materials comprising:
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a. a light power supply which utilizes electrical power to generate voltage and current at appropriate levels for use in the light curing system, b. a light producing device configured to receive and utilize voltage and current from said light power supply, said light producing device being capable of producing light at selected intensities for selected periods of time, c. a wavelength separating, mixing and eliminating device capable of receiving light from said light producing device and manipulating said light into a format for exposure to a polymeric material, d. a delivery device capable of delivering light manipulated by said wavelength separating, mixing and eliminating device to a remote location for exposure to a polymeric material, and e. a computer control system which controls said light power supply and said wavelength separating, mixing and eliminating device to produce light according to a selected modulation scheme based on the cured composite material. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A system for light curing of polymeric materials comprising:
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a. a light power supply which supplies power for use by a light source, b. a light source which utilizes power supplied by said power supply to produce raw light, c. a light refining device capable of receiving light from said light source and manipulating said raw light into a format suitable for exposure to a polymeric material, d. a light delivery device capable of receiving light from said light refining device and delivering said light to a remote location for exposure to a polymeric material, and e. a light modulation control system which modulates said light according to a predetermined light modulation scheme based on the cured polymeric material. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for curing dental materials, the system comprising:
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a. at least one light source which produces raw light of at least one wavelength suitable for curing a dental material, b. a poly chromatic acusto optic modulator capable of causing raw light from said light source to be processed into a format suitable for curing a dental material, c. a delivery device capable of receiving light from said poly chromatic acusto optice modulator and delivering said light to a remote location for exposure to a polymeric materials, d. a light modulation control system which modulates said light according to a predetermined light modulation scheme based on the cured polymeric material. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for polymerizing a material containing monomers, the system comprising:
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a. a light source that can produce raw light of at least one wavelength suitable for curing a dental material, b. a light delivery device capable of receiving light from said light source and delivering said light to a remote location, c. a light refining system capable of modifying characteristics of said light in order to produce light in a format more suitable for exposure to the material containing monomers than said raw light, and d. a light modulation control system which modulates said light according to a predetermined light modulation scheme based on the polymerizing material in order to control polymerization of the material containing monomers. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification