A DENTAL LIGHT DEVICE

Abstract

A dental light device which has a light output for providing blue light, and an air outlet arranged adjacent the light output. The air outlet is connected or connectable to an air supply. The dental light device provides for simultaneously irradiating an object and cooling the object.

Claims

1. A dental light device, comprising; a light output for providing blue light; and an air outlet arranged adjacent the light output, wherein the air outlet is connected or connectable to an air supply.

2. The dental light device of claim 1, wherein the light output is adapted for emitting light toward a working area and wherein the air outlet is arranged to guide air supplied through the outlet to essentially the working area.

3. The dental light device of claim 1, further comprising a body portion and a tip portion, each of the body portion and the tip portion having a front end and a rear end, wherein the body front portion and the tip rear portion are connected to each other, and wherein the tip front portion forms a head that comprises the light output and the air outlet.

4. The dental light device of claim 3, wherein the tip portion forms a light guide with the head optionally comprising a light deflector.

5. The dental light device of claim 1 being of wireless configuration and comprising the air supply.

6. The dental light device of claim 1, further comprising a light source in the form of a single LED or a single laser diode.

7. The dental light device of claim 6, further comprising a heat sink for dissipating heat generated by the light source and an air channel extending between an air inlet and the air outlet, and wherein the heat sink is arranged within the air channel.

8. The dental light device of claim 7, wherein the air supply comprises a motor-drivable fan adapted for generating an air stream in a direction from the air inlet toward the air outlet.

9. The dental light device of claim 8, wherein the heat sink is arranged downstream of the fan.

10. The dental light device of claim 8, further comprising an air filter downstream the fan and the heat sink.

11. The dental light device of claim 1, further comprising a battery, electronics for controlling the light output at different operating modes and controls for selecting a particular operating mode from the different operating modes.

12. The dental light device of claim 11, wherein the different operating modes concern different time periods for which the light output remains activated before it deactivates automatically.

13. The dental light device of claim 1, further comprising a fan that adjusts a flow rate of air emitted from the air outlet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dental light device according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] FIG. 1 shows dental light device 1 according to the invention. The device 1 has a body portion 11 and a tip portion 12. The body portion 11 and the tip portion 12 are connected to each other via magnetic coupling 13. The magnetic coupling 13 in the example is formed by a magnetic plug 131 formed at a front end 111 of the body portion 11 and a steel socket 132 formed at a rear end 122 of the tip portion 12. The magnetic plug 131 and the steel socket 132 are of a cylindrical shape. Thus although the magnetic coupling 13 provides for a tight connection between the body portion 11 and the tip portion 12, the magnetic coupling 13 still enables a rotation of the body portion 11 and the tip portion 12 relative to each other.

[0024] The body portion 11 in the example includes preferably all electrical components required for operation of the device. Further the tip portion 12 is preferably free of any electric components. Thus the tip portion 12, which normally is the portion used in a patient's mouth, is provided with sufficient robustness to survive multiple disinfections.

[0025] In particular the body portion 11 of the device 1 comprises a light source 113, which in the example is a blue laser diode, electronics 114 for operating the light source 113 and a rechargeable battery 115 for powering the device 1. The skilled person will recognize that the electronics 114 may be configured to provide further functions. In particular the electronics 114 may have a charger circuit for controlling the charging of the battery 115 and security circuits for avoiding overheating and/or short circuits etc. The body portion 11 further has controls 117, in particular one or more buttons (not illustrated in detail), for selecting an operating mode of the device 1, for activating the device 1 (for switching on) and for deactivating the device 1 (for switching off). The device 1 of the example has different predetermined operating modes. A select button is provided for pre-selecting the operating mode. In this example at least some of the operating modes relate to a time period over which the light source 113 after activation is maintained activated until it is automatically deactivated. For activation of the light source 113 and for activating the operating mode the device 1 has a start button. The start button may be further configured for deactivating the activated light source at any time. Thus a user may for example pre-select a time period of 10 seconds by using the select button. Pressing the start triggers the light source and the operating mode to be activated. The device 1 in the selected and activated operating mode causes the light source to stay activated and causes the light source to automatically deactivate 10 seconds later. Typical pre-selectable time periods may be for example 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 seconds.

[0026] The device 1 further has an air channel 14 extending between an air outlet 142 at a front end 121 of the tip portion 11 to an air inlet 141, which in this example is arranged at a rear end 112 of the body portion 11. Accordingly the air channel 14 runs between the rear end 112 of the body portion 11 all the way through the device 1 to the front end 121 of the tip portion 11. At the transition between the body portion 11 and the tip portion 12 the air channel preferably comprises a ring-shaped configuration on at least one of the body portion 11 and the tip portion 12, and the ring-shaped configuration is arranged concentric to the coupling 13. Thus a rotation of the body portion 11 and the tip portion 12 relative to each other does not affect the permeability of the air channel 14.

[0027] The body portion 11 further has a fan 116 which is arranged and operable to generate an air stream in a direction from the air inlet 141 toward the air outlet 142. The fan 116 is powered by the battery 115 and controlled by the electronics 114. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the device may have a replaceable or refillable air pressure tank and an electrically operable control valve for controlling the release of air from the tank. In yet another embodiment the device may have an interface for coupling the device with an external air supply, for example as it may be provided at a dentist's chair. The fan 116 is arranged within the air channel 14, downstream the battery 115 and upstream the light source 113. The light source 113 is arranged in thermal contact with a heat sink 118. In one example (indicated by dashed lines) the heat sink 118 may extend into the air channel so that the air stream cools the heat sink and the thereby the air stream is warmed up. This provides an air stream which is warmed up, for example toward the temperature of a human body. Accordingly a treatment using the air stream may be made relatively convenient for the patient.

[0028] The tip portion 12 in the example comprises a light deflector 123 which in the example is formed by a reflective mirror. The light deflector 123 is arranged and configured to deflect light emitted from the light source 113 at an angle of approximately 90 degrees toward a light output 124. This is to enable a convenient use of the device even in narrow spaces in the patent's mouth. In another example the light deflector may however be formed by other means, like for example one or more prisms or transparent fibers. In still another example the tip portion 12 may comprise a light guide formed from one or a plurality of transparent fibers, for example glass fibers, which are bent by approximately 90 degrees adjacent the front end 121 of the tip portion 12. Independent from the particular embodiment of the tip portion 12 regarding deflecting and/or guiding light, all of the embodiments comprise the section of the air channel 14 extending through the tip portion. The light output 124 and the air outlet 142 are arranged adjacent and in a manner such that the air stream emitted from the air outlet 142 crosses the light beam emitted from the light output 124 at a determined distance outside the tip portion 12. The area at which the air stream and the light beam intersect preferably corresponds to a working area at which the device may be used for hardening the dental material. The dental material is typically hardened by exposing it to the light that is emitted from the light output. Accordingly some of the light energy typically causes the dental material to warm up over time. In case the dental material is hardened in a cavity in the patient's mouth such warming is acceptable to some extent but nevertheless generally undesired due to a variety of reasons. Firstly a dentist using the device typically does not receive any feedback about the actual temperature of the dental material. For filling larger cavities in a patent's tooth the device may have to be used over a relatively long time period, for example for subsequently hardening several portions of dental material, so that the material may be gradually warmed up over the acceptable temperature. Further any change of temperature, like warming up during hardening and cooling after, may cause discomfort for the patient. By guiding the air stream emitted from the air outlet 142 of the device 1 toward the dental material while it is hardened over-warming can be avoided. Further it has been found that the air stream further can be used to dry and keep dry any surface in the patient's mouth. In particular the light device may be used to dry a cavity in a tooth of a patient prior to inserting the dental material into the cavity. Further any portion of dental material may be hardened and kept dry during hardening so that a further portion of dental material can be applied directly onto the previously hardened portion. This facilitates for example filling of a patent's tooth because the need to change between the light device and a separate air supplying device (as it is for example available at a dentist's chair) may be minimized.