Photopolymerization apparatus

• US 6,611,110 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ip Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Design Rite LLC
• Inventors: Fregoso, Gilbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US09/907,140
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 315/112, 315/115, 315/117, 315/224, 315/291, 315/225, 315/292, 315/307, 315/360, 315/362, 315/294, 362/119, 362/293, 362/800, 362/294, 362/231, 433/27, 433/29, 433/31
• US Class Current: 315/224
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/004 Hand-held apparatus, e.g. guns
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/18 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light-weight, portable photocuring device possesses a single light emitting diode (LED). The single LED backed with a heat sink is driven by a driving circuit and controlled by a timing circuit. A temperature monitor can be included in a closed loop to feed back and control the driver. Lenses and/or light guides in the device act to further direct the light.

Claims

1. A photopolymerization apparatus comprising:

a housing;

one light emitting diode;

a heat sink;

a timing circuit;

a driver circuit, wherein said driver circuit comprises an inductive storage device, a switching regulator device, a rectifier, a filter, and a current sensing device; and

a means for applying power to said driver circuit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said inductive storage device is wire wound with an inductance between about 22 and 220 micro henries, wherein said switching regulator device is a CMOS PWM/PFM-control step-up switching regulator, wherein said rectifier is a Schottky diode, and wherein said current sensing device is a current driver and temperature compensation circuit comprising an error amplifier, a current sensing resistor, at least two reference voltage resistors, and a transistor as a power driver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said inductive storage device is wire wound with an inductance between about 22 and 220 micro henries.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said switching regulator device comprises:

a reference voltage source;

an oscillation circuit;

an error amplifier; and

a power MOSFET.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said switching regulator device is a CMOS PWM-PFM-control step-up switching regulator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rectifier is a Schottky diode.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said current sensing device is a current driver and temperature compensation circuit comprising an error amplifier, a current sensing resistor and at least two reference voltage resistors.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said current driver and temperature compensation circuit further comprises a transistor as a power driver.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a low voltage power converter circuit.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said low voltage power converter circuit produces 3 to volts and 20 milliamps when supplied with at least 0.8 volts input.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said switching regulator device comprises:

a programmable reference voltage source;

an oscillation circuit; and

an error amplifier.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a super enhanced MOSFET.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for applying power is at least one battery.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for applying power is selected from the group consisting of:

one or more AAA batteries, one or more AA batteries, one or more C batteries and one or more D batteries.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a temperature monitor.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one lens.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light guide.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one lens and a light guide.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a sensing switch for detecting the position of said light guide on said lens.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a phototransistor for detecting stray light and providing feedback to said switching regulator device.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said timing circuit is an LM555 timing circuit.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said timing circuit is a microcontroller.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a thermal switch which feedsback to said microcontroller.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a programmable trim pot to allow power to be ramped up.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said circuit is at least about 70% to about 99% efficient.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said circuit is at least about 90% efficient.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said circuit is at least about 97% efficient.

28. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said switching regulator device comprises a programmable reference voltage source, an oscillation circuit, and an error amplifier, and wherein said circuit further comprises a low voltage power converter circuit capable of producing 3 volts and 20 milliamps when supplied with a least 0.8 volts input and a super enhanced MOSFET.