Dental curing light using primary and secondary heat sink combination

US 20020197582A1
Filed: 12/13/2001
Published: 12/26/2002
Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1. A dental curing light comprising:

a light module, an elongate heat sink located in said light module, said elongate heat sink having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis therebetween, said elongate heat sink being part of said light module, a mounting platform located at said elongate heat sink distal end, a primary heat sink mounted to said mounting platform, said primary heat sink being smaller in overall volume than said elongate heat sink, a well located on said primary heat sink, a light emitting semiconductor device mounted in said well of said primary heat sink.

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Abstract

A curing light system useful for curing light activated composite materials is disclosed. The system includes a light emitting semiconductor device, a primary heat sink and a secondary heat sink. Various configurations of light emitting semiconductor chips and heat sinks are disclosed, as well as various structures and methods for driving, controlling and using them.

31 Citations

20 Claims

1. A dental curing light comprising:
- a light module, an elongate heat sink located in said light module, said elongate heat sink having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis therebetween, said elongate heat sink being part of said light module, a mounting platform located at said elongate heat sink distal end, a primary heat sink mounted to said mounting platform, said primary heat sink being smaller in overall volume than said elongate heat sink, a well located on said primary heat sink, a light emitting semiconductor device mounted in said well of said primary heat sink.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- - 2. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said light emitting semiconductor device is mounted in said well by use of an adhesive selected from the group consisting of light reflective adhesive and heat conductive adhesive.
  - 3. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said light emitting semiconductor device is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diode chips, laser chips, light emitting diode chip array, diode laser chips, diode laser chip array, surface emitting laser chips, edge emitting laser chips, and VCSEL chips.
  - 4. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said light emitting semiconductor device utilizes a driving current of not more than about 350 mililiamps.
  - 5. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting platform is oriented so that light emitted from said light emitting semiconductor device is emitted generally orthogonal to said elongate heat sink longitudinal axis.
  - 6. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting platform is oriented so that light emitted from said light emitting semiconductor device is emitted at generally a 30 to 150 degree angle to said elongate heat sink longitudinal axis.
  - 7. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting platform is oriented so that light emitted from said light emitting semiconductor device is emitted at generally a 45 to 135 degree angle to said elongate heat sink longitudinal axis.
  - 8. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said primary heat sink and said elongate heat sink include material selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, silicon carbide, boron nitride, natural diamond, monocrystalline diamond, polycrystalline diamond, polycrystalline diamond compact, diamond deposited through chemical vapor deposition, and diamond deposited through physical vapor deposition.
  - 9. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said light emitting semiconductor device includes a substrate and epitaxial layers grown thereon.
  - 10. A dental curing light as recited in claim 9 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of Si, GaAs, GaN, InP, sapphire, SiC, GaSb and InAs.
  - 11. A dental curing light as recited in claim 9 wherein said epitaxial layers include at least one active layer, at least one cladding layer, at least one buffer layer, and at least one contact layer.
  - 12. A dental curing light as recited in claim 9 wherein at least one of said epitaxial layers includes a GaN.
  - 13. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 further comprising a cover over said light emitting semiconductor device.
  - 14. A dental curing light as recited in claim 13 wherein said cover is transparent.
  - 15. A dental curing light as recited in claim 13 wherein said cover is a focus lens.
  - 16. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 wherein said well includes a light reflective coating on its interior.
  - 17. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 further comprising electronic circuitry for controlling operation of the dental curing light.
  - 18. A dental curing light as recited in claim 17 wherein said electronic circuitry is capable of providing pulsed current input to said light emitting semiconductor device.
  - 19. A dental curing light as recited in claim 1 further comprising a thermoelectric cooler on said elongate heat sink, said thermoelectric cooler assisting in heat dissipation.

20. A dental curing light comprising:
- a light module, an elongate heat sink located in said light module, said elongate heat sink having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis therebetween, said elongate heat sink being part of said light module, a mounting platform located at said elongate heat sink distal end, a primary heat sink mounted to said mounting platform, said primary heat sink being smaller in overall volume than said elongate heat sink, a light emitting semiconductor device mounted to said primary heat sink.

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Current Assignee
CAO Group, Inc.
Original Assignee
CAO Group, Inc.
Inventors
Cao, Densen

Granted Patent

US 6,783,362 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

433/29
CPC Class Codes

A61C 19/004   Hand-held apparatus, e.g. guns

A61N 2005/0652   Arrays of diodes

B23K 26/0096   Portable laser equipment, e...

B23K 26/064   by means of optical element...

B23K 26/0643   comprising mirrors

B23K 26/0648   comprising lenses

B23K 26/0665   by beam condensation on the...

B23K 26/703   Cooling arrangements by usi...

Y10S 362/80   Light emitting diode

Dental curing light using primary and secondary heat sink combination

First Claim

1 Assignment

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

31 Citations

20 Claims

Specification

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Dental curing light using primary and secondary heat sink combination

First Claim

1 Assignment

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0 Petitions

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Accused Products

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Abstract

31 Citations

20 Claims

Specification

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Solutions

Use Cases

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