Apparatus and method for curing materials with light radiation
DCFirst Claim
1. An instrument for curing light-curable compounds which are curable in the mouth of a patient, the instrument comprising:
- a housing;
a plurality of solid state, light-emitting elements, the elements comprising semiconductor junctions and being mounted on a substrate supported by the housing to form a collective array on said substrate, the array of elements operable for collectively emitting light having wavelengths within a narrow band of wavelengths;
a generally clear layer simultaneously covering all of the plurality of light-emitting elements for protecting the array of semiconductor junctions;
an optically reflective element coupled to surround the plurality of light-emitting elements to capture the collective light from the array of light-emitting elements and direct it forwardly away from the collective array and ultimately to a compound for curing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An instrument and method for curing light-curable compounds in the mouth of a patient, the instrument comprising a housing and a plurality of solid state, light-emitting elements on a substrate supported by the housing. The elements form a collective array on the substrate operable for collectively emitting light having wavelengths within a narrow band of wavelengths.
An optical focusing device is positioned to intercept the light emitted by the array of elements and includes a non-imaging optical device which is operable for collimating the light from the array into a beam to be directed onto a compound for curing the compound. A disposable sleeve covers the housing and array and may incorporate the optical focusing device. The sleeve is removed and discarded after use to eliminate the need to autoclave the instrument.
194 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An instrument for curing light-curable compounds which are curable in the mouth of a patient, the instrument comprising:
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a housing; a plurality of solid state, light-emitting elements, the elements comprising semiconductor junctions and being mounted on a substrate supported by the housing to form a collective array on said substrate, the array of elements operable for collectively emitting light having wavelengths within a narrow band of wavelengths; a generally clear layer simultaneously covering all of the plurality of light-emitting elements for protecting the array of semiconductor junctions; an optically reflective element coupled to surround the plurality of light-emitting elements to capture the collective light from the array of light-emitting elements and direct it forwardly away from the collective array and ultimately to a compound for curing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An instrument for curing light-curable dental compounds, the instrument comprising:
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a light-emitting element having a plurality of generally bare semiconductor junctions positioned together to form multiple light emitting surfaces on a substrate and operable for collectively emitting light having wavelengths within a narrow band of wavelengths suitable for curing dental compounds; a generally clear protective layer simultaneously covering the plurality of semiconductor junctions for protecting the junctions, the light generated by the light-emitting element passing through the protective layer; an optically reflective element coupled to surround the light-emitting element and protective layer and operable to capture the light generated by the light-emitting element and direct it generally forwardly. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An instrument for curing light-curable dental compounds, the instrument comprising
a first plurality of light-emitting elements, the first elements comprising generally bare semiconductor junctions forming a collective array operable for collectively emitting light having within a narrow band of wavelengths suitable for curing a dental compound; -
a second plurality of light-emitting elements, the second elements comprising generally bare semiconductor junctions forming a collective array operable for collectively emitting light within a narrow band of wavelengths suitable for curing a dental compound and operating separately from the first plurality of light-emitting elements; a generally clear protective layer covering the semiconductor junctions of at least one of the pluralities of light-emitting elements for protecting the junctions, light generated by the plurality of light-emitting elements passing through the protective layer; an optically reflective element coupled to surround at least one of the pluralities of light-emitting elements and operable to capture the light generated by the plurality of light-emitting elements and direct it generally forwardly. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification