Flashlight Device for Curing Light-Curable Materials, Method and Set

Abstract

The invention relates to a flashlight device comprising at least one unit for generating flashlight and at least one unit for focusing the generated flashlight. The invention further relates to methods for the use thereof and to a set comprising at least one flashlight device according to the invention and a light-curable material, and to a device.

Claims

1. A flashlight device comprising at least one unit for generating flashlight and at least one unit for focusing the generated flashlight.

2. The flashlight device according to claim 1, wherein the focusing unit is a light guide.

3. The flashlight device according to claim 1, wherein the focusing unit is a reflector unit.

4. The flashlight device according to claim 1, having at least one filter attachment with a filter effect in the range from 390 to 500 nanometers (nm), in particular in the range from 450 to 480 nm, in particular at 470 nm, and in particular in a range from 400 to 410 nm, in particular at 405 nm.

5. The flashlight device according to claim 1, wherein the unit for generating flashlight generates a voltage in a range from 400 to 500 Volts.

6. The flashlight device according to claim 1, having a unit for attaching the flashlight device to the user thereof, in particular to the head of the user.

7. A method for curing a light-curable material, comprising the step: using a flashlight device, in particular a flashlight device according to claim 1.

8. A method for curing a light-curable material, comprising the step: using light guides between a first adhesive section, which is to be bonded to a second adhesive section by means of the light-curable material, and the second adhesive section.

9. A set comprising a flashlight device, in particular a flashlight device according to claim 1, and a quantity of light-curable material.

10. The set according to claim 9, comprising at least one light guide for use between a first adhesive section, which is to be bonded to a second adhesive section by means of the light-curable material, and the second adhesive section.

11. A set comprising a quantity of light-curable material and at least one light guide for use between a first adhesive section, which is to be bonded to a second adhesive section by means of the light-curable material, and the second adhesive section.

12. The use of a light-curable material for gluing or bonding or modeling using a flashlight device according to claim 1 or an LED lamp.

13. The use of a light-curable material for gluing or bonding or modeling, in particular using a flashlight device according to claim 1 or an LED lamp, comprising the steps: introducing the light-curable material into a liquid or below a liquid level; and then curing the light-curable material.

14. A device which is intended to be bonded to a structure, in particular by means of a flashlight device according to any of claims 1 to 6 and/or a method according to claim 7, wherein the device has at least one retention means (110), wherein the retention means (110) is intended to accommodate a quantity of light-curable material (120) for bonding the device to the structure.

15. The device according to claim 14, which has at least one retention means (110) which has or forms an undercut within the device.

16. The device according to claim 14, which is made of or comprises a first material, intended to be bonded by means of the light-curable material (120) to a structure which is made of or comprises a second material, wherein the first and the second material are different from one another.

17. The device according to claim 14, which is a corner protector (100), in particular for household furniture (200), or a hook (300).

18. A device which has at least one reservoir (510) for a quantity of light-curable material and at least one light-emitting unit for curing the light-curable material, in particular an LED lamp (520).

19. The device according to claim 18, which has a metering mechanism for discharging the light-curable material.

20. The device according to claim 18, which has a housing (540) that can be deformed at least in sections thereof and/or a deformable reservoir (510) as the metering mechanism for discharging the light-curable material.

21. The device according to claim 18, in which the at least one reservoir (510) and the light-emitting unit, in particular the LED lamp (520), are arranged or provided at two opposite end regions of the device.

22. The device according to claim 18, which has a section that is suitable and/or intended and/or prepared for connecting the device, in particular in a detachable manner, to an attachment for metering the light-curable material when it is removed and/or for filling the reservoir (510) with light-curable material.

23. A method for discharging and/or for curing light-curable material, comprising the step: using a device according to claim 18.

24. The method according to claim 23, comprising the step of discharging the light-curable material (120) from the reservoir (510) in a metered manner by actuating a manually controlled metering mechanism.

25. The method according to claim 23, comprising the step of curing the light-curable material, after it has been discharged, by rotating or turning the device, in particular about a transverse axis of the device, and then activating the light-emitting unit, in particular the LED lamp (520).

26. A set which comprises at least one device according to claim 18, and a quantity of light-curable material.

27. The set according to claim 26, wherein the set further comprises a closure cap (570) for the device and/or one or more attachments for metering the light-curable material for the device.

Description

[0128] The present invention will be explained by way of example below with reference to the appended drawing, in which identical reference signs denote identical or similar components. In the figures, which are in part shown in highly simplified form:

[0129] FIG. 1 schematically shows, in simplified form, a device according to the invention in a perspective view;

[0130] FIG. 2 shows a section through the device according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1;

[0131] FIG. 3 shows a further device according to the invention in the form of a hook;

[0132] FIG. 4 shows a flashlight device according to the invention for curing the light-curable material, in the form of a lamp/magnifying glass combination;

[0133] FIG. 5 shows a further device according to the invention having a reservoir for the light-curable material and an LED lamp; and

[0134] FIG. 6 shows the device of FIG. 5 in one possible use.

[0135] FIG. 1 schematically shows, in simplified form, a device according to the invention in the form of a corner protector 100, in a perspective view. It is not only suitable but rather is expressly intended for being bonded to a structure (not shown in FIG. 1).

[0136] Such a bonding may take place by means of a flashlight device 105 or other suitable light devices. The corner protector 100 has two retention means 110, wherein the number two is to be understood here to be purely by way of example.

[0137] The retention means 110 are intended to accommodate a quantity of light-curable material 120. The latter can be cured by means of the flashlight 105 in order to bond the corner protector 100 to the structure 200. The light-curable material 120 is shown darker in contrast in FIG. 1 relative to the rest of the corner protector 100, which is transparent here by way of example.

[0138] As can be seen in FIG. 1 and also FIG. 2, the retention means 110 are designed as an undercut within the corner protector 100. By means of the retention means and the associated possibility of accommodating light-curable material therein, it is advantageously possible for the corner protector 100, after curing, to be held on the household furniture 200 even when the corner protector 100 has no surface properties for permanent or stable or reliable bonding by means of the light-curable material 120. By providing the retention means 110, it may be possible to produce a reliable hold between the corner protector 100 and the structure 200 even when the light-curable material 120 is not suitable for generating an or a sufficiently stable adhesive bond between the corner protector 100 and the light-curable material 120. The bond is generated to a lesser extent or not at all by the adhesive effect between the corner protector 100 and the light-curable material 120; instead, it is generated by a force fit and/or form fit in that the light-curable material 120 cures in the retention means 110 and is bonded to the corner protector 100 by the curing.

[0139] The device, which is configured by way of example as a corner protector 100, may in this case be made of or comprise a first material; the structure 200 may be made of or comprise a second material, wherein the first and the second material are different from one another or are identical.

[0140] The structure 200 may be an item of household furniture or any other structure.

[0141] FIG. 3 shows a further device according to the invention in the form of a hook 300. The latter is shown as a side view in the left-hand diagram of FIG. 3 and as a front view in the right-hand diagram. The hook 300 has a hook section 310 with a retention space 320. The hook 300 further has a base retention plate 330. The retention plate 330 contains perforations 340. The latter can accommodate excess light-curable material prior to the curing of the latter. In this way, the excess material is “cleared away”; it may also make its own contribution to the adhesive strength that can be achieved between the hook 300 and the wall surface (not shown).

[0142] FIG. 4 shows a flashlight device according to the invention for curing the light-curable material, in the form of a lamp/magnifying glass combination 400. The latter stands on a base 410 and is designed to be flexible in a region 420. The lamp/magnifying glass combination 400 carries one magnifying glass 430 or a plurality of magnifying glasses, optionally of different strength. A first lamp 440 emits the light necessary for curing purposes. A second, optional lamp 450 emits any desired light and can be used, for example, for working or illumination purposes. In certain embodiments, the second lamp 450 emits any desired light but not light used for curing purposes. In some embodiments, the second lamp 450 emits no or substantially no light in the wavelength range of the first lamp 440.

[0143] A foot-operated switch, a hand-operated switch, an acoustic switch or the like may be provided for actuating the first lamp 440.

[0144] The base 410 may be able to be attached by means of a clamp, a magnet, a pedestal or the like. It may have an anti-slip coating or may comprise an anti-slip material.

[0145] FIG. 5 shows a further device according to the invention in the form of a pen 500 having a reservoir 510 for the light-curable material 120 and having an LED lamp 520 as an example of a light-emitting unit.

[0146] For use purposes, the pen 500 is intended to be held by one hand. A finger rest 530, which is not absolutely necessary, is provided for an advantageously precise and secure guidance and handling of the pen 500 by the hand.

[0147] The housing 540 of the pen 500 is advantageously impermeable to light and is made of plastic for production reasons. The housing 540 is softer or more flexible in the region of the finger rest 530 than in the rest of the housing 540. As a result, using the fingers, pressure can be exerted on the housing 540 via the finger rest 530 and thus pressure can be exerted on the internal reservoir 510. As a result of this pressure, the reservoir 510 is compressed in the middle and rear, closed part of the reservoir 510. As a result, the light-curable material 120 is discharged from the reservoir 510 through the exit opening or reservoir opening 515 out of the pen 500.

[0148] The exit opening 515 is adjoined by an (optional, not absolutely necessary) adapter 550 which is intended to adapt or to hold a push-on or screw-on, preferably light-impermeable, nozzle 560 (as an example of an attachment). The movement direction of the nozzle, both when being pushed on and when removing the nozzle 560, is illustrated by the arrow 565. By virtue of this nozzle 560, the light-curable material 120 to be applied can be finely metered according to the nozzle opening cross-section. The nozzle 560 can also be used to fill the reservoir 510 with light-curable material 120.

[0149] Furthermore, a closure cap 570 can be pushed onto the housing 540 in one of the end regions of the device. The closure cap 570 is, inter alia, impermeable to light so that, for example, remaining light-curable material 120 in the closure cap does not cure, for instance by means of ambient light. The closure cap 570 can moreover offer advantageous protection against general dirt and can serve as protection during transport, etc. The closure cap 570 is pushed on and/or removed in the illustrated direction 575.

[0150] The LED lamp 520 is located at the other end region or end of the housing 540, relative to the longitudinal axis 580 of the device. This LED lamp 520 is, for example, inserted in the housing 540. It is preferably fixed by means of an undercut in the housing 540, which may be made of or comprises an elastic plastic. In certain embodiments, therefore, the LED lamp 520 can be removed from the device. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the LED lamp 520 can be switched on and off by finger pressure by means of a switch 525. After being switched on, the LED lamp 520 may be lit permanently until it is switched off or may turn itself off again for example by means of a time control.

[0151] The LED lamp 520 can also be switched on in the housing 540 and can emit light outward, for example by means of a flap (not shown here). The LED lamp 520 can thus optionally be operated internally, that is to say while remaining in the housing 540, or externally, after being removed from the housing 540, in order to cure the applied light-curable material 120.

[0152] FIG. 6 shows the device of FIG. 5 in one possible use.

[0153] The pen 500 is held in the hand, the index finger and thumb of the hand are located on the finger rest 530. The index finger and thumb can exert pressure on the housing 540, which is more flexible at this location, and on the reservoir 510 located therebelow. As a result of this pressure being exerted, the light-curable material 120 is transported or applied outward from the reservoir 510 through the nozzle 560.

[0154] By rotating the pen 500 about the transverse axis 585 (see also FIG. 5), the pen can be held the opposite way round in the hand 600. A curing of the applied light-curable material 120 is then possible for example when the internal LED lamp 520 is switched on and LED light can exit for example through an opening at the rear end of the pen 500. At the same time, however, advantageously no additional light-curable material can drop out of the reservoir 510 counter to the force of gravity.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0155]

TABLE-US-00001 Reference skin Description 100 corner protector 105 flashlight device 110 retention means 120 light-curable material 200 structure; household furniture 300 hook 310 hook section 320 retention space 330 base retention plate 340 perforations 400 lamp/magnifying glass combination 410 base 420 flexible region 430 magnifying glass 440 first lamp 450 second lamp 500 pen 510 reservoir 515 reservoir opening 520 LED lamp 530 finger rest 540 housing 550 adapter 560 nozzle 565 movement direction of nozzle 570 closure cap 575 movement direction of closure cap 580 longitudinal axis 585 transverse axis 600 hand