Rechargeable dental curing light

• US 7,144,250 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Fischer, Dan E., McLean, Bruce S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bumgarne, Melba
• Application Number:
  US10/740,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20050136372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 433/29, 433/215, 433/114, 433/77
• US Class Current: 433/29
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/004 Hand-held apparatus, e.g. guns
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2204/002 using batteries

Abstract

A light curing dental device is configured for curing light-curable compounds and includes a rechargeable power supply. The light curing device is configured to be received by and recharged by a recharging docking station that is connected with a dental hand piece holder tray. The recharging docking station may take the form of a dental hand piece holder. Some light curing devices can be recharged by electrical contact when they are placed within a recharging docking station. Some other light curing devices are water-tight and do not have exposed electrical contacts. These other light curing devices can be recharged by the recharging docking station through induction.

Claims

1. In a dental tray system that includes a plurality of essentially identical hand piece holders each attached to a dental tray for conveniently presenting any of a plurality of different hand pieces for use in performing dental procedures, and wherein at least some of the hand pieces require electrical power, an improved tray system comprising:

a rechargeable dental curing light apparatus mountable at one end thereof in one of the essentially identical hand piece holders of the dental tray system so that the dental curing light apparatus is held in an essentially upright position similar to said some of the hand pieces requiring electrical power, said rechargeable dental curing light apparatus comprising

a slender body portion that extends between a mountable end portion and a light-emitting end portion, the body portion is essentially uniform in circumference from the mountable end portion to the light-emitting end portion, the slender body portion being configured to be held in the hand of a user free from external electrical wires, and the mountable end portion of the dental curing light apparatus comprising a means for providing electrical contact for recharging the dental curing light apparatus;

a light source configured to emit radiant energy suitable for curing a light-curable compound, the radiant energy being emitted from the light-emitting end portion;

an electrically rechargeable power supply disposed within the body portion so that when used for curing a light-curing compound the dental curing light apparatus is not connected to external electrical wires; and

at least one of the essentially identical hand piece holders comprising a recharging docking station comprised of;

a mounting body structure that includes an internal cavity configured in size and shape to frictionally engage the mountable end portion of the dental curing light apparatus and to hold the dental curing light apparatus at said mountable end portion so that the dental curing light apparatus extends upwardly and is presented in an essentially upright position that can be conveniently grasped;

means, located in the internal cavity of said mounting body structure, for electrically contacting the electrical contact means of the mountable end portion of the dental curing light apparatus to permit recharging the rechargeable power supply when the mountable end portion of the dental light curing apparatus is received within the internal cavity of the mounting body structure; and

means for electrically connecting the means for electrically contacting the electrical contact means of the dental curing light apparatus to a source of electrical power.

2. The dental tray system that includes a rechargeable dental curing light apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for electrically contacting the electrical contact means of the mountable end portion of the dental curing light apparatus to permit recharging comprises electrical contacts disposed on or within the mounting body structure, the electrical contacts being configured to electrically couple with electrical pins extending from the mountable end portion of the light curing apparatus when the mountable end portion of the light curing apparatus is mounted within the mounting body structure of the recharging docking station.

3. The dental tray system that includes a rechargeable dental curing light apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for electrically contacting the electrical contact means of the mountable end portion of the dental curing light apparatus to permit recharging comprises electrical contacts disposed on or within the mounting body structure, the electrical contacts being configured to electrically couple with corresponding electrical contacts that circumferentially extend around the mountable end portion of the light curing apparatus when the light curing apparatus is mounted within the mounting body structure of the recharging docking station.

4. The dental tray system that includes a rechargeable dental curing light apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the light source comprises an LED light source.