Curing light

• US 6,971,876 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2002
• Issued: 12/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CAO Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CAO Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Cao, Densen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Ralph A.
• Application Number:
  US10/072,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20020168605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 433/29, 433/215, 606/1, 606/13, 606/16, 607/88, 362/119, 362/800, 362/804
• US Class Current: 433/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/004 Hand-held apparatus, e.g. guns
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0096 Portable laser equipment, e.g. hand-held laser apparatus surgical laser instruments A61B18/20, Dental Lasers A61C1/0046, Hand-held laser dental apparatus for curing resins A61C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0608 in the same heat affected zone [HAZ] B23K26/0613, B23K26/0619 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/064 by means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0643 comprising mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0648 comprising lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0665 by beam condensation on the workpiece, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/703 Cooling arrangements by using a fluid stream B23K26/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/804 Surgical or dental spotlight

Abstract

A curing light system useful for curing light activated composite materials is disclosed. Various configurations of light emitting semiconductor chips and heat sinks are disclosed, as well as various structures and methods for driving, controlling and using them.

Claims

1. A curing light comprising:

a housing for housing components of a curing light,

air space within said housing,

at least one vent located on said housing,

a secondary heat sink located within said housing, said heat sink having a proximal side, a radial periphery, and a distal side,

a thermoelectric cooler to assist in heat dissipation located on said secondary heat sink proximal side,

a fan located within said housing, said fan being capable of causing air to move past said thermoelectric cooler in order to improve heat dissipation,

a plurality of light emitting semiconductor modules located on said heat sink,

at least one of said light emitting semiconductor modules being located on said heat sink distal side,

a plurality of said light emitting semiconductor modules being located on said secondary heat sink radial periphery,

light from said light emitting semiconductor module located on said heat sink distal side traveling generally toward a light transport device which serves to transport light to a curing location,

light from said light emitting semiconductor modules located on said heat sink radial periphery traveling generally orthogonal to a light transport device which serves to transport light to a curing location,

each of said semiconductor modules including

a primary heat sink,

a semiconductor chip which emits light of a wavelength useful for curing light curable composite materials, said chip being affixed to said primary heat sink,

a cover serving to protect said chip,

a reflective light collecting device which collects light emitted by said semiconductor modules located on said secondary heat sink radial periphery and directs it as an unfocused beam toward a focusing lens,

a focusing lens which serves to focus said unfocused light beam from said light reflective device onto a light transport device, and

a light transport device for transporting said focused light beam to a curing location.

2. A curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said light transport device is selected from the group consisting of a plastic stack, a fiber bundle and a light guide.

3. A curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said semiconductor chip is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diode chips, laser chips, light emitting diode chip array, diode laser chips, diode laser chip arrays, surface emitting laser chips, edge emitting laser chips, and VCSEL chips.

4. A curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said reflective light collecting device has a light reflective interior surface.

5. A curing light as recited in claim 4 wherein said light reflective interior surface includes a material selected from the group consisting of Al, Au, Ag, Zn, Cu, Pt, chrome, other metals, plating, and plastic.

6. A curing light comprising:

a housing for housing components of a curing light,

a heat sink located within said housing, said heat sink having a proximal side, a distal side and a radial periphery,

a thermoelectric cooler to assist in heat dissipation located on said heat sink proximal side,

a fan located within said housing, said fan being capable of causing air to move past said thermoelectric cooler in order to improve heat dissipation,

a plurality of semiconductor chips which can emit light of a wavelength useful for curing light curable composite materials,

a plurality of said light emitting semiconductor chips being located on said heat sink radial periphery,

light from said light emitting semiconductor chip located on said heat sink radial periphery traveling generally orthogonal to a light transport device which serves to transport light to a curing location,

said heat sink and said thermoelectric cooler serving to dissipate heat produced by said chip,

a reflective light collecting device which collects light emitted by said chips that is traveling generally orthogonal to a light transport device, and reflects it generally in the direction of a light transport device as an unfocused light beam,

a focusing lens which serves to focus said unfocused light beam from said light reflective device onto a light transport device as a focused light beam, and

a light transport device for transporting said focused light beam to a curing location.

7. A curing light as recited in claim 6 wherein said light transport device is selected from the group consisting of a plastic stack, a fiber bundle and a light guide.

8. A curing light as recited in claim 6 wherein said semiconductor chip is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diode chips, laser chips, light emitting diode chip array, diode laser chips, diode laser chip arrays, surface emitting laser chips, edge emitting laser chips, and VCSEL chips.

9. A curing light as recited in claim 6 wherein said reflective light collecting device has a light reflective interior surface.

10. A curing light as recited in claim 9 wherein said light reflective interior surface includes a material selected from the group consisting of Al, Au, Ag, Zn, Cu, Pt, chrome, other metals, plating, and plastic.

11. A curing light comprising:

an elongate light transport device for transporting light to a curing location, said light transport device having a longitudinal axis,

a heat sink, said heat sink having a proximal side, a distal side, and a radial periphery,

at least one light emitting semiconductor device located on said heat sink distal side,

at least one light emitting semiconductor device located on said heat sink radial periphery,

light from said light emitting semiconductor device located on said heat sink distal side side traveling generally along said light transport device longitudinal axis,

light from said light emitting semiconductor device located on said heat sink radial periphery traveling generally orthogonal to said light transport device longitudinal axis,

a light reflector positioned so as to receive light which is emitted by said light emitting semiconductors located on said heat sink radial periphery and which is traveling generally orthogonal to said light transport device longitudinal axis and reflect it in a new direction which is toward said light transport device longitudinal axis,

a focusing lens which serves to receive light from said light reflector and from said light emitting semiconductor device located on said heat sink distal side and focus it onto a light transport device, and

a light transport device for transporting said focused light to a curing location.