Curing light
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A curing light comprising:
- a wand adapted to be grasped by a human hand for use in positioning and manipulating the curing light, a power supply, electronic control circuitry for controlling the curing light, a light module, said light module including an elongate secondary heat sink, said secondary heat sink being configured to assist in heat dissipation, said secondary heat sink having a longitudinal axis, a primary heat sink affixed to said secondary heat sink, at least one light emitting semiconductor chip mounted on said primary heat sink, and means for providing pulsed current input to said chip in a square wave pattern that consists of periods of current input at a level I followed by periods of rest with no current input in order to provide light output at an average light output power level that is greater than the light output power level that would result from providing continuous wave current input to said chip at current input level I;
light emitted directly forward from said light emitting semiconductor chip travels away from said chip at an angle of from about 45 degrees to about 135 degrees with said longitudinal axis.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A curing light comprising:
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a wand adapted to be grasped by a human hand for use in positioning and manipulating the curing light, a power supply, electronic control circuitry for controlling the curing light, a light module, said light module including an elongate secondary heat sink, said secondary heat sink being configured to assist in heat dissipation, said secondary heat sink having a longitudinal axis, a primary heat sink affixed to said secondary heat sink, at least one light emitting semiconductor chip mounted on said primary heat sink, and means for providing pulsed current input to said chip in a square wave pattern that consists of periods of current input at a level I followed by periods of rest with no current input in order to provide light output at an average light output power level that is greater than the light output power level that would result from providing continuous wave current input to said chip at current input level I;
light emitted directly forward from said light emitting semiconductor chip travels away from said chip at an angle of from about 45 degrees to about 135 degrees with said longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A curing light comprising:
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a wand adapted to be grasped by a human hand for use in positioning and manipulating the curing light, a heat sink, said heat sink being configured to assist in heat dissipation, said heat sink having a longitudinal axis, at least one light emitting semiconductor chip mounted on said heat sink, said chip being 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, and electronic control circuitry for providing pulsed current input to said chip in a square wave pattern that consists of periods of current input at a level I followed by periods of rest with no current input in order to provide light output at an average light output power level that is greater than the light output power level that would result from providing continuous wave current input to said chip at current input level I;
light emitted directly forward from said light emitting semiconductor chip travels at an angle of from about 45 degrees to about 135 degrees with said longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A curing light comprising:
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a wand adapted to be grasped by a human hand for use in positioning and manipulating the curing light, an elongate heat sink, said heat sink being configured to assist in heat dissipation, said heat sink having a longitudinal axis, at least one light emitting semiconductor chip module mounted on said heat sink, said light emitting semiconductor chip module including a primary heat sink, a well in said primary heat sink, a light emitting semiconductor chip mounted in said well, and a cover over said well, said chip having a plurality of epitaxial layers, at least one of said epitaxial layers being an active layer which when bombarded with electrons releases photons, and electronic control circuitry for providing pulsed current input to said chip in a square wave pattern that consists of periods of current input at a level I followed by periods of rest with no current input in order to provide light output at an average light output power level that is greater than the light output power level that would result from providing continuous wave current input to said chip at current input level I;
wherein light emitted directly forward from said light emitting semiconductor chip travels at an angle of from about 45 degrees to about 135 degrees with said longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A curing light comprising:
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a wand adapted to be grasped by a human hand for use in positioning and manipulating the curing light, a heat sink, said heat sink being configured to assist in heat dissipation, said heat sink being elongate and having a longitudinal axis, an array of light emitting semiconductor chips mounted on said heat sink, at least one of said chips having a plurality of epitaxial layers, at least one of said epitaxial layers being an active layer which when bombarded with electrons releases photons, and electronic control circuitry for providing pulsed current input to said chips in a square wave pattern that consists of periods of current input at a level I followed by periods of rest with no current input in order to provide light output at an average light output power level that is greater than the light output power level that would result from providing continuous wave current input to said chips at current input level I;
wherein light emitted directly forward from said light emitting semiconductor chips travels at an angle of from about 45 degrees to about 135 degrees with said longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification