Curing light capable of multiple wavelengths
The present invention relates to a curing light having at least one wavelength transformer for transforming a shorter wavelength suitable for curing a dental composite into a longer wavelength also suitable for curing a dental composite. The wavelength transformer may be made of materials including organic dyes, inorganic dyes, pigments, nanocrystals and combinations thereof. The wavelength transformer can be of many different configurations. The curing light also includes at least one heat sink which can be made of a material including at least one phase change material.
1 . A dental curing light suitable for curing light curable dental composite materials comprises:
a light module housing having at least one heat sink therein, said heat sink comprising at least one mounting platform for mounting a light source; and
a device proximate the light source comprising at least one wavelength transformer for transforming light of a shorter wavelength suitable for curing light activatable composites into light of a longer wavelength comprising at least a portion that is suitable for curing light activatable composite.
2 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein said wavelength transformer is capable of capturing substantially all light in its path and transforming at least a portion of the captured light into a longer wavelength.
3 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises one absorber/emitter having at least a portion that is substantially transparent to an incident light, and at least a portion capable of absorbing an incident light and emitting light having a longer wavelength.
4 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein at least one wavelength transformer is positioned to capture substantially all light in its path and transforming only a portion of the captured light into a longer wavelength.
5 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein at least one wavelength transformer is configured to capture at least a portion of the light emitted by the light source and transforming all of it into a longer wavelength.
6 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises an absorber/emitter comprising a material selected from the group consisting of an organic dye, a pigment, an inorganic dye, a semiconductor nanocrystal and combinations thereof.
7 . The dental curing light of claim 6 wherein said organic dye comprises any fluorescent dye, any compound having an N-aryl substituent and mixtures thereof.
8 . The dental curing light of claim 7 wherein said the N-aryl substituent selected from the group consisting of phenyl, naphthyl, anthracyl, dinaphthyl, ditoluyl, bis(p-methylphenyl), dianthracenyl, mixed aryl groups, substituted aryl groups and combinations thereof.
9 . The dental curing light of claim 6 wherein said organic dye absorbs between about 350 nm to about 430 nm and emits between about 450 nm and about 500 nm.
10 . The dental curing light of claim 6 wherein said inorganic dye comprises at least one element selected from the lanthanides.
11 . The dental curing light of claim 6 wherein said semiconductor nanocrystals are selected from the group consisting of CdS, CdSe, CdTe and mixtures thereof.
12 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises an absorber/emitter capable of absorbing a relatively broad spectrum and transforming it into a relatively broad spectrum at a higher wavelength.
13 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises an absorber/emitter capable of absorbing a relatively broad spectrum and transforming it into a relatively narrow spectrum at a higher wavelength.
14 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises an absorber/emitter capable of absorbing a relatively narrow spectrum and transforming it into a relatively narrow spectrum at a higher wavelength.
15 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises a cover comprising a wavelength transformer, an emitting surface or combinations thereof.
16 . The dental curing light of claim 15 wherein said emitting surface comprises an absorber/emitter.
17 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein at least one wavelength transformer is stationary.
18 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein at least one wavelength transformer is adapted for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the light module housing.
19 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein said heat sink comprises a phase change material.
20 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein at least one light source is selected from the group consisting of a lamp, an arc lamp such as a halogen light source, semiconductor light emitting devices, light-emitting chips such as an LED, a solid state LED, an LED array, a fluorescent bulb and combinations thereof.
21 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein said device comprises a reflector.
22 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises a beam splitter.
23 . The dental curing light of claim 1 wherein said light module housing comprises a reflecting surface.
24 . A dental curing light capable of generating light of a multiple wavelength suitable for curing light curable dental composite materials comprises:
a light module housing; and
at least one heat sink located in the light module housing, said heat sink includes at least one mounting platform for mounting at least one light source comprising at least one wavelength transformer for transforming at least a portion of light emitted by the light source suitable for curing light activatable composites into a longer wavelength suitable for curing light activatable composites.
25 . The dental curing light of claim 24 wherein said wavelength transformer is capable of capturing at least a portion of the light emitted by the light source and transforming all captured light into a longer wavelength.
26 . The dental curing light of claim 24 wherein said wavelength transformer is capable of capturing all light emitted by the light source and transforming at least a portion of it into a longer wavelength.
27 . The dental curing light of claim 24 wherein said light source comprises a cover comprising a wavelength transformer.
28 . The dental curing light of claim 24 wherein said light source comprises an emitting surface.
29 . The dental curing light of claim 28 wherein said wavelength transformer is present on at least a portion of the emitting surface.
30 . The dental curing light of claim 24 wherein said light source comprises an emitting source comprising at least one edge.
31 . The dental curing light of claim 30 wherein said wavelength transformer is present on at least one emitting edge.
32 . The dental curing light of claim 24 the light module housing further comprises a beam splitter.
33 . The dental curing light of claim 24 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises an absorber/emitter comprising a material selected from the group consisting of an organic dye, a pigment, an inorganic dye, a semiconductor nanocrystal and combinations thereof.
34 . The dental curing light of claim 24 wherein said heat sink comprises a phase change material.
35 . A dental curing light suitable for curing light curable dental composite materials comprises:
a light module housing having at least one heat sink located therein, said heat sink comprising at least one mounting platform for mounting at least one light source; and
a device situated in the light path of the light source comprising at least one wavelength transformer for transforming at least a portion of the light emitted by the light source suitable for curing light activatable composites into a longer wavelength suitable for curing light activatable composites.
36 . The dental curing light of claim 35 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises at least one beam splitter and at least one absorber/emitter comprising a chemical capable of absorbing incident light and emitting light having a longer wavelength.
37 . The dental curing light of claim 35 wherein said at least one heat sink comprises a phase change material.
38 . The dental curing light of claim 35 wherein said at least one heat sink comprises a well having side walls.
39 . The dental curing light of claim 35 wherein at least a portion of the side walls is reflective.
40 . The dental curing light of claim 36 wherein said at least one wavelength transformer is configured to capture substantially one beam coming from the beam splitter.
41 . The dental curing light of claim 35 wherein said at least one wavelength transformer is positioned at an oblique angle to the emitted light path.
42 . The dental curing light of claim 35 wherein said at least one heat sink comprises a reflecting surface.
43 . A dental curing light capable of generating light of more than one wavelength suitable for curing light curable dental composite material comprises at least one wavelength transformer capable of transforming at least a portion of light emitted by a light source suitable for curing a dental composite into a longer wavelength suitable for curing a composite.
44 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein said at least one wavelength transformer comprises at least one absorber/emitter having at least a portion that is substantially transparent to incident light, and at least one portion comprising a chemical capable of absorbing incident light and emitting light having a longer wavelength.
45 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein said at least one wavelength transformer is configured to capture substantially all light emitted by the light source.
46 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein said at least one wavelength transformer is configured to capture at least a portion of light emitted by the light source.
47 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein said at least one wavelength transformer comprises at least one beam splitter.
48 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises an absorber/emitter capable of absorbing a relatively broad spectrum and transforming it into a relatively broad spectrum at a higher wavelength.
49 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises an emitter/absorber capable of absorbing a relatively broad spectrum and transforming it into a relatively narrow spectrum at a higher wavelength.
50 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises an emitter/absorber capable of absorbing substantially all wavelengths below about 400 nm, and transforming them into a relatively narrow spectrum at a higher wavelength.
51 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises an emitter/absorber capable of absorbing substantially all wavelengths below about 400 nm, and transforming them into a relatively broad spectrum at a higher wavelength.
52 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein said wavelength transformer comprises an emitter/absorber capable of absorbing a relatively narrow spectrum at a low wavelength and transforming it to a relatively narrow spectrum at a higher wavelength.
53 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein light from the curing light comprises multiple discrete peaks.
54 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein light from the curing light comprises a continuum between about 390 nm to about 500 nm.
55 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein said light source comprises an emitting source comprising at least one edge comprising at least one wavelength transformer.
56 . The dental curing light of claim 43 wherein said at least one heat sink comprises a phase change material.
57 . A curing light system capable of generating light of more than one wavelength suitable for curing light curable dental composite materials comprises:
a light module housing having at least one heat sink therein, said heat sink comprising at least one mounting platform for mounting a light source;
a device positioned proximate the light source comprising at least one wavelength transformer for transforming light of a shorter wavelength suitable for curing light activatable composites into light of a longer wavelength suitable for curing light activatable composites; and
a light guide comprising a formation adapted for supporting the curing light at a target position.
58 . The curing light system of claim 57 wherein said system further comprises a lip retracting device comprising wing-like members.
59 . The curing light system of claim 57 wherein said formation is adapted for coupling the light guide to the wing-like members of the lip retracting device.
60 . The curing light system of claim 57 wherein said light module housing comprises a support means for supporting the curing light on said light guide.