Heat sink for dental curing light comprising a plurality of different materials

• US 7,056,116 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Jessop, Dee, Scott, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): KILKENNY, PATRICK L
• Application Number:
  US10/973,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20060088797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 433/29, 433/32, 433/150, 372/36
• US Class Current: 433/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/003 Apparatus for curing resins by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/004 Hand-held apparatus, e.g. guns

Abstract

A dental curing light comprises an elongate hollow wand housing having a proximal first end, a distal second end, a light source disposed at the distal second end of the wand housing, and a heat sink disposed at least partially within the wand housing. The heat sink is in contact with the light source, and comprises a plurality of layers or regions comprising different materials. A first layer or region comprises a first material having a higher thermal conductivity than that of a second layer or region, while the second layer or region comprises a second material having a specific heat greater than that of the first layer or region.

Claims

1. A dental curing light comprising:

an elongated housing having a proximal end and a distal end;

at least one light source disposed at the distal end of the housing, the light source and distal end being configured so as to be easily inserted into a patient'"'"'s mouth when using the curing light to cure a dental composition;

an elongated heat sink, disposed within said housing, said elongated heat sink comprising a first portion adjacent to said light source and a second portion separated from the light source, and wherein the elongated heat sink is further comprised of;

a first layer comprising a first material having a first specific heat and a first thermal conductivity;

a second layer comprising a second material different from said first material, said second material having a second specific heat and a second thermal conductivity;

wherein the first layer surrounds the second layer so that the second layer forms a core within the first layer of the elongated heat sink, with the first layer contacting the light source; and

wherein said first thermal conductivity is greater than said second thermal conductivity, and said second specific heat is greater than said first specific heat.

2. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said first material comprises at least one of copper, aluminum, brass, steel, silver, another metal, a metal oxide ceramic, diamond, graphite, carbon fiber, a polymer based epoxy, silicon carbide, or silicone.

3. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said second material comprises at least one of water, copper, nickel, magnesium, silicon or beryllium.

4. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein the core formed by said second material comprises one of a solid, liquid, or gas core within said heat sink.

5. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said second layer comprises a material that undergoes a phase change between room temperature and about 135°

C.

6. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said material that undergoes a phase change is selected from the group comprising waxes, water, salts, fatty acids, fatty esters, polyols, metals, metal allows, hydrocarbons that change phase above room temperature and below about 135°

C., iodine and gallium.

7. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said heat sink further comprises a third layer comprising a third material disposed between the first and second layers, said third material having a thermal conductivity that is higher than the thermal conductivity of the second region.

8. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said second layer comprises about half the volume of said heat sink.

9. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one light source comprises at least one LED.

10. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, said at least one light source being powered by an external power source.

11. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, further comprising an integral battery pack for powering said at least one light source.

12. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said first material of said first layer has a thermal conductivity of at least about 120 J/sec-m-K.

13. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said first material of said first layer has a thermal conductivity of at least about 240 J/sec-m-K.

14. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said first material of said first layer has a thermal conductivity of at least about 350 J/sec-m-K.

15. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said second material of said second layer has a specific heat of at least about 380 J/kg-K.

16. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said second material of said second layer has a specific heat of at least about 900 J/kg-K.

17. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein said second material of said second layer has a specific heat of at least about 1800 J/kg-K.

18. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein the product of the density and specific heat of said second material is at least about 3 J/cm³-K.

19. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein the product of the density and specific heat of said second material is at least about 3.3 J/cm³-K.

20. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1, wherein the product of the density and specific heat of said second material is at least about 3.8 J/cm³-K.

21. A dental curing light, comprising:

a housing having a proximal end and a distal end;

at least one LED light source disposed at the distal end of the housing, the light source and distal end being configured so as to be easily inserted into a patient'"'"'s mouth when using the curing light to cure a dental composition;

an elongated heat sink, disposed within said housing, said elongated heat sink comprising a first portion located at a distal end of the heat sink so as to be adjacent to said light source and a second portion that is located toward a proximal end of the heat sink so as to be separated from the light source, and wherein the elongated heat sink is further comprised of;

a first layer comprising a first material having a first specific heat and a first thermal conductivity, said first layer being being in thermal contact with to said at least one LED light source;

a second layer comprising a second material different from said first material, said second material having a second specific heat and a second thermal conductivity, said second layer being in thermal contact with said first layer; and

a third layer comprising a third material having a third specific heat and a third thermal conductivity, said third layer being in thermal contact with said second layer; and

wherein the second layer continuously surrounds the third layer so that the third layer forms a core within the second layer of the elongated heat sink, and the first layer being disposed in thermal contact along the entire length of the second layer and being disposed between the light source and the second layer; and

wherein said first thermal conductivity is greater than said second thermal conductivity, said second thermal conductivity is greater than said third thermal conductivity, and said third specific heat is greater than said first specific heat.

22. A dental curing light as recited in claim 21, wherein said third specific heat is also greater than said second specific heat.

23. A dental curing light as recited in claim 21, wherein said core comprises water.