Light guide exposure device

• US 7,802,910 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2008
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dymax Corporation (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Dymax Corporation (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Hallock, Todd J., Platzer, Stephan J. W., Middlemass, Kirk A., Lester, George H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawhney; Hargobind S
• Application Number:
  US12/021,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20090190349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 362/109, 362/119, 362/294, 362/373, 362/555, 362/556, 362/572, 362/574, 362/577, 362/580, 362/800, 362/804, 257/81, 257/88, 257 98- 10, 385/90, 385/91, 433/29, 433/215, 600/78, 600/182
• US Class Current: 362/573
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4203 Optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/425 Optical features semiconductor laser arrays H01S5/40; hybrid LED arrays H01L25/0753; monolithic LED arrays H01L27/153
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4296 coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4298 coupling with non-coherent light sources and/or radiation detectors, e.g. lamps, incandescent bulbs, scintillation chambers

Abstract

The invention provides a light guide exposure device comprising light emitting diodes arranged in a single array defining an array width and a flexible light guide having a proximal end and a distal end; the proximal end defining a proximal end diameter. The array is positioned in substantial alignment with the light guide proximal end to direct substantially all of the light from the array to the proximal end. There is no optical element between the light emitting diodes and the proximal end which optical element would decrease the intensity of light directed from the light emitting diodes to the proximal end. The array width is substantially equal to the proximal end diameter.

Claims

1. A light guide exposure device comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes wherein the light emitting diodes emit substantially non-collimated light at a maximum peak wavelength in the range of from about 360 nm to about 420 nm, arranged in a single array defining an array width;

a flexible light guide having a proximal end and a distal end;

said proximal end defining a proximal end diameter;

said array being positioned in substantial alignment with the light guide proximal end to direct substantially all of the light from the array to the proximal end, in the absence of any optical element between the light emitting diodes and the proximal end which optical element would decrease the intensity of light directed from the light emitting diodes to the proximal end;

the array width being substantially equal to the proximal end diameter.

2. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein said light guide proximal end is positioned in substantial alignment with the array by a holder for the light guide proximal end.

3. The light guide exposure device of claim 2 wherein the holder further comprises cooling fins.

4. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes emit substantially non-collimated light at a maximum peak wavelength in the range of from about 390 nm to about 420 nm.

5. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes emit substantially non-collimated light at a light intensity at the light guide proximal end of from about 1 watt/cm² to about 20 watts/cm².

6. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes emit substantially non-collimated light at a light intensity at the light guide proximal end of from about 2 watts/cm² to about 10 watts/cm².

7. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes emit at a light intensity at the light guide proximal end of from about 1 watt/cm² to about 20 watts/cm².

8. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein the light intensity at the light guide distal end ranges from about 0.1 watt/cm² to about 10 watts/cm².

9. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein the light intensity at the light guide distal end ranges from about 1 watts/cm² to about 5 watts/cm².

10. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein the array width and the light guide proximal end diameter are from about 1 mm to about 12 mm.

11. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein the array and the light guide proximal end are separated by from about 0.1 mm to about 60 mm.

12. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein the array and the light guide proximal end are separated by from about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm.

13. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 further comprising an arrangement for adjustably controlling the light intensity at the light guide distal end by adjustably fixing a distance between the array and the light guide proximal end.

14. The light guide exposure device of claim 13 wherein the arrangement comprises a threaded light guide proximal end and a mating threaded holder attached in front of the array.

15. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 further comprising a heat sink in juxtaposition with the array opposite to said light guide proximal end.

16. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein the array comprises a matrix of from about 4 to about 625 light emitting diodes in an arrangement selected from the group consisting of a planar square arrangement or a circular arrangement.

17. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein the light emitting diodes are powered by an adjustable power supply.

18. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 further comprising a light sensor for monitoring the light intensity of the light emitting diodes.

19. The light guide exposure device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of different light emitting diodes are present, wherein each different light emitting diode has a different maximum peak wavelength in the range of from about 360 nm to about 420 nm, such that said light emitting diodes emit substantially non-collimated light at more than one peak wavelength.

20. A light exposure apparatus comprising the light guide exposure device of claim 1 and further comprising a housing containing the array.

21. The light exposure apparatus of claim 20 further comprising one or more additional light guide exposure devices each having its array within the housing.

22. A method for exposing a light sensitive composition comprising:

i) providing a light guide exposure device comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes wherein the light emitting diodes emit substantially non-collimated light at a maximum peak wavelength in the range of from about 360 nm to about 420 nm, arranged in a single array defining an array width;

a flexible light guide having a proximal end and a distal end;

said proximal end defining a proximal end diameter;

said array being positioned in substantial alignment with the proximal end to direct substantially all of the light from the array to the proximal end, in the absence of any optical element between the light emitting diodes and the proximal end which optical element would decrease the intensity of light directed from the light emitting diodes to the proximal end;

the array width being substantially equal to the proximal end diameter;

ii) generating light with the light emitting diodes;

iii) directing light from the light emitting diodes to the proximal end; and

thereafter

iv) directing light from the distal end to the light sensitive composition.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the light sensitive composition comprises a light hardenable adhesive composition, coating composition, encapsulant composition, masking composition, or sealant composition.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the light sensitive composition comprises a polymerizable or crosslinkable material comprising an acrylate, a methacrylate, a cyanoacrylate, an epoxy, or combinations thereof.