Apparatus and method for curing materials with light radiation

Abstract

An instrument and method for curing light-curable compounds in the mouth of a patient, the instrument comprising a housing and a plurality of solid state, light-emitting elements on a substrate supported by the housing. The elements form a collective array on the substrate operable for collectively emitting light having wavelengths within a narrow band of wavelengths. An optical focusing device is positioned to intercept the light emitted by the array of elements and includes a non-imaging optical device which is operable for collimating the light from the array into a beam to be directed onto a compound for curing the compound. A disposable sleeve covers the housing and array and may incorporate the optical focusing device. The sleeve is removed and discarded after use to eliminate the need to autoclave the instrument.

1 . An instrument for curing light-curable compounds which are curable in: the mouth of a patient, the instrument comprising: 
 a housing;    a plurality of solid state, light-emitting elements, the elements comprising semiconductor junctions and being mounted on a substrate supported by the housing to form a collective array on said substrate, the array of elements operable for collectively emitting light having wavelengths within a narrow band of wavelengths;    a generally clear layer simultaneously covering all of the plurality of light-emitting elements for protecting the array of semiconductor junctions;    an optically reflective element coupled to surround the plurality of light-emitting elements to capture the collective light from an array of light-emitting elements and direct it forwardly away from the collective array an ultimately to a compound for curing.    
   
   
       2 . The instrument of  claim 1  wherein said solid state elements are light emitting dies formed of a semiconductor material.  
   
   
       3 . The instrument of  claim 1  further comprising a heat sink thermally coupled to the substrate for absorbing heat generated by the array of elements.  
   
   
       4 . The instrument of  claim 1  further comprising a thermally conductive element which is thermally coupled to the substrate for conductively transferring heat generated by the array of elements away from the substrate.  
   
   
       5 . The instrument of  claim 1  further comprising a heat exchanger which is thermally coupled to the substrate for dissipating heat generated by the array of elements.  
   
   
       6 . The instrument of  claim 1  further comprising a first heat sink element thermally coupled to the substrate for absorbing heat generated by the array of elements, and a heat exchange element thermally coupled to the heat sink for conductively transferring heat generated by the array of elements.  
   
   
       7 . The instrument of  claim 1  wherein said housing comprises a barrel portion having a proximal end spaced from a distal end of the barrel portion, the distal end being configured to be placed in the mouth of a patient, the array of light-emitting elements being positioned proximate to said proximal end, a light transmitting device being operably coupled to said array for transmitting the light beam from the array to the housing distal end.  
   
   
       8 . The instrument of  claim 7  wherein said light transmitting device comprises a plurality of fiber optic elements operably coupled together for directing said beam.  
     to the mouth of the patient.  
   
   
       9 . The instrument of  claim 1  further comprising a portable power supply positioned within said housing for portable operation of the instrument.  
   
   
       10 . The instrument of  claim 1  wherein said array of elements has a density of elements on the substrate operable for collectively emitting a power density of light in the range of 200 to 1400 mW/cm 2 .  
   
   
       11 . The instrument of  claim 7  wherein said light transmitting device has an acceptance angle, said optical focusing device operable for generating a beam of light which does not diverge significantly from said acceptance angle.  
   
   
       12 . The instrument of  claim 11  wherein said array of light-emitting elements emits light in the range of 0°-180° and said optical focusing device is operable for collimating the light into a beam which does not diverge significantly from said acceptance angle.