UV LED curing assembly
First Claim
1. A curing assembly comprising an array of UV LEDs, a lens, and a reflector, the reflector being formed as an elongate reflective surface partly surrounding the array and defining an opening at a distal end of the reflector opposite of the array for emission of radiation towards a substrate supported in a position to receive radiation emitted through the opening for curing a coating thereon, the lens being positioned between the array and the opening defined by the distal end of the reflector, the lens and reflector being configured such that a first portion of an emission of radiation from the LEDs is reflected by the reflector and passes through the opening without passing through the lens and a second portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs passes through the lens and through the opening without being reflected by the reflector, and a third portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs is at least one of scattered and reflected by the reflector and passed through the lens and is consistent with a leakage amount;
- wherein the first portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs is greater than the third portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs;
wherein the second portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs is greater than the third portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs; and
wherein the reflective surface and lens have a common focal point at the substrate support position and the first and second portions of the emission of radiation from the LEDs are combined together at a focal region at the substrate support position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A curing assembly for curing of inks and the like comprises at least one array of UV LEDs 18. A reflector 4 with an elongate reflective surface 14 partly surrounds the array 18 and has an opening for emission of radiation towards a substrate. A lens 24 is positioned between the array 18 and the opening.
34 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A curing assembly comprising an array of UV LEDs, a lens, and a reflector, the reflector being formed as an elongate reflective surface partly surrounding the array and defining an opening at a distal end of the reflector opposite of the array for emission of radiation towards a substrate supported in a position to receive radiation emitted through the opening for curing a coating thereon, the lens being positioned between the array and the opening defined by the distal end of the reflector, the lens and reflector being configured such that a first portion of an emission of radiation from the LEDs is reflected by the reflector and passes through the opening without passing through the lens and a second portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs passes through the lens and through the opening without being reflected by the reflector, and a third portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs is at least one of scattered and reflected by the reflector and passed through the lens and is consistent with a leakage amount;
- wherein the first portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs is greater than the third portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs;
wherein the second portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs is greater than the third portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs; and
wherein the reflective surface and lens have a common focal point at the substrate support position and the first and second portions of the emission of radiation from the LEDs are combined together at a focal region at the substrate support position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- wherein the first portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs is greater than the third portion of the emission of radiation from the LEDs;
Specification