DISPOSITIF DE PHOTODURCISSEMENT PORTATIF A DIODES LUMINESCENTES

A PORTABLE LED PHOTOCURING DEVICE

Abrégé français

Dispositif de photopolymérisation portable comprenant une matrice de diodes électroluminescentes, pouvant être énergisée avec de l'énergie de batterie pour fournir de l'énergie optique aux fins d'un processus de photopolymérisation. Les diodes peuvent être facilement commandées et ajustées pour émettre une lumière de couleurs et d'intensité sélectionnées avec une instrumentation complexe.

Abrégé anglais

The portable photocuring device has a light emission diodes matrix which can be energised with battery power to provide optical power for photocuring curing purposes. The diodes can be easily controlled and adjusted to emit light of selected colours and intensity with complex instrumentation.

Revendications

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A hand-held portable photocuring device comprising,
a portable housing having a front end and rear end,
a light emitting semiconducting means having a matrix of a plurality of
light emitting diode means mounted at said front end, said light emitting
diode
means being operative to emit in combination a light energy suitable for
photocuring,
a power means coupled to said semiconducting means and operative
to provide the electrical power for energizing said plurality of light
emitting
diode means to emit in combination said light energy,
control means connected to said semiconducting means and said
power means, and operative to vary the level of said light energy,
a mounting means provided at said front end of said housing,
a tubular light guide member mounted to said mounting means, said
light guide member being operative to direct said light energy generated from
said light emitting diode means to a photocuring location disposed adjacent to
a distal free end of said light guide member.
a transparent cap member mounted at said front end and covering over
said light emitting diode means,
a heat sink means disposed juxtaposed to said semiconducting means
and being operative to dissipate heat generated in said semiconducting
means.
2. A hand-held portable photocuring device according to claim 1 wherein
said light emitting diode means is capable of emitting light energy having a
level of at least 470 nanometers.
3. A hand-held portable photocuring device according to claim 2 wherein
said light guide means is irremovably mounted to said mounting means.
4. A hand-held portable photocuring device according to claim 3 including
a driver means connected to said semiconducting means and said control
means and being operative to actuate said light emitting diode means to



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generate said light energy, and said power means is a rechargeable battery
disposed in said housing.



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Description

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This invention relates to photocuring curing device, and
particularly relates to a portable photocuring curing device
suitable fox dental curing~pur_p_os,es.
Commonly, the radiant energy required for photocuring is
provided by a halogen lamp located in a power station or inside
a portable photocuring device. The light thus generated by the
halogen lamp can be conveyed and directed to the location fox
curing with a conventional light guide made of a plurality of
optical fibres. Due to the large amount of inherent heat also
generated in the halogen lamp, it is necessary to provide a large
blower to dissipate the heat during operation. Such large blower
requires a relatively large size housing and would thus increase
the housing size of the light generating means. For this reason
the halogen lamp light source device tends to be relatively bulky
and large in size. Also, halogen lamp has a relatively short life
span and the quality of the light generated by the lamp would
decline with the deterioration of the lamp. Thus the light
becomes less efficient. Furthermore, the colour of the light
generated by the halogen lamp may only be changed with the use of
colour filters.
It is the principal object' of the present to provide a
photocuring device using light emitting diodes as the light
generating means.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a
photocuring device using a semiconductor module having a
plurality of light emitting diodes formed therein.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a
portable hand-held photocuring device having a relatively small
size and light in weight.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
a portable photocuring device in which the colour of the light
generated therein can be easily controlled without the use of
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colour filters.
It is still another object of the present invention to
provide a portable photocur:ing device which is simple in
construction.
Briefly, the photocuring device comprises a light emitting
module having a plurality of Eight emitting semiconductor means
formed therein. A power means is coupled to the semiconductor
means and is operative to provide the electrical power for
energizing the semiconductor means to emit light energy of a
selected level. A control means is connected to the semiconductor
means and the power means and is operative to vary the light
energy emitted from the semiconductor means. The entire system
can be enclosed in a relatively small housing that can be held in
a user's palm.
1.5 Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments thereof in connection with the accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of the circuit system
of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the light emission
diode module thereof.
Figure 3 is a side sectional view of the portable
photocuring device according to the present invention.
With reference to the drawings in which like reference
numerals in the various views indicate same parts, the light
emitting diodes module 10 is made of a semiconductor matrix
having a plurality of light emitting diodes formed on a ceramic
substrate. A large number of light emitting diodes can be
typically formed on a substrate of only 3 mil in diameter. The
light emitting diodes commonly abbreviated as LEDs can be
actuated by a power. source 11 such as a rechargeable battery
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through a driver 'circuit 12 and a control circuit 13. The light
emitted by the LEDs may have a peak wavelength of 470nm which can
be used for photocuring purposes. LEDs of various selected
colours may be formed on the module by using selected colour dyes
so that the emitted light is a pure white light or a combination
of a selected colour lights to provide a predetermined
photocuring effect.
The driver circuit 12 may provide a series of pulse signals
for actuating the LEDs to emit the light in a series of short
durations such that relatively little heat is generated by the
LEDs.
The entire photocuring system of the present invention can
be enclosed particularly in a relatively small housing that can
be conveniently held in a user's palm, as best shown in Figure 3.
The LED module 10 is mounted at the front end of the housing 14.
A heat sink 15 such as an aluminum block is located juxtaposed to
the LED module 10 so as to dissipate any heat that may be
generated in the LEDs during operation. The light emitting front
surface of the LED module 10 is covered with a transparent
protective cap 16 mounted to the front end of the housing such
that the LEDs will not be contaminated with dust; and the cap 16
can be cleaned without causing any physical damage to the LEDs.
The front portion of the cap 16 is also shaped or provided with
mounting means far. receiving a light guide 17 removably mounted
thereto. The light guide 17 transmits the light emitted from the
LED module to the. location for photocuring. It can be appreciated
that due to the simple construction and the small physical size
of the device, it is very light in weight and is easy to operate.
The LEDs have a very long life span.
While the instant invention has been showw and described in
what .is considered to be a practical and preferred embodiment,
departures may be made within the spirit arid scope of ;this
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invention which should therefore not be limited except as set
forth in the claims which follow and within the doctrine of
equivalents.

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