Systems and method for protection of optical system of laser-based apparatus

Abstract

In an apparatus for directing a laser beam to a dental treatment area, where the apparatus includes a hand piece having an optical subsystem including a turning mirror for directing a laser beam to a treatment area via an orifice of the hand piece, a fluid supply subsystem creates a fluid flow within the hand piece proximate the turning mirror so as to mitigate contamination thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for directing a laser beam to a dental treatment area, the apparatus comprising:
 a hand piece comprising an optical subsystem including a turning mirror for directing a laser beam to a treatment area via an orifice of the hand piece; and   a fluid supply subsystem for creating a fluid flow within the hand piece, proximate the turning mirror so as to mitigate contamination of the turning mirror.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hand piece comprises at least a portion of the fluid supply subsystem. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid supply subsystem comprises a conduit and a nozzle for directing a pressurized flow of a fluid directly toward the turning mirror. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid supply subsystem comprises a conduit and a nozzle for directing a pressurized flow of a fluid transversely across the turning mirror. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid supply subsystem is disposed upstream of the turning mirror. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid supply subsystem is adapted to pressurize an internal cavity of the hand piece. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid supply subsystem is further adapted to direct an air curtain across the orifice of the hand piece. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the optical subsystem is further characterized by an absence of an optical element downstream of the turning mirror. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises air. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises a gas and a liquid. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a radio frequency (RF) excited CO 2  laser filled with gas at a pressure in a range of about 260 to 600 Torr, for generating the laser beam. 
     
     
         12 . A method of protecting during treatment an optical subsystem of a treatment system, the method comprising:
 directing a laser beam to a treatment area via a hand piece comprising a turning mirror that is positioned to direct the laser beam to the treatment area through an orifice of the hand piece; and   generating, using a fluid supply subsystem, a fluid flow within the hand piece and proximate the turning mirror, so as to mitigate contamination of the turning mirror.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the hand piece comprises at least a portion of the fluid supply subsystem. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the fluid supply subsystem comprises a conduit and a nozzle; and   generating the fluid flow comprises directing a pressurized flow of a fluid through the nozzle directly toward the turning mirror.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the fluid supply subsystem comprises a conduit and a nozzle; and   generating the fluid flow comprises directing a pressurized flow of a fluid through the nozzle transversely across the turning mirror.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid supply subsystem is disposed upstream of the turning mirror. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein generating the fluid flow comprises pressurizing an internal cavity of the hand piece. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising directing an air curtain across the orifice of the hand piece using the fluid supply subsystem. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the optical subsystem is further characterized by an absence of an optical element downstream of the turning mirror. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid comprises air. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid comprises a gas and a liquid. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the laser beam using a radio frequency (RF) excited CO 2  laser filled with gas at a pressure in a range of about 260 to 600 Torr.