JP4130371B2 - LED light irradiator for oral cavity - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dental light irradiator used for dental treatment or the like.
In particular, the present invention relates to a dental light irradiator used for curing a photopolymerizable resin material in the oral cavity. The present invention also relates to a dental light irradiator used for curing an orthodontic or bracket adhesive material.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in the field of dental treatment, a dental light irradiator for photopolymerization using a halogen lamp or a xenon lamp has been generally used, but features such as longer life and lower power consumption than conventional lamps. It has also been proposed to use LEDs (light emitting diodes) or semiconductor lasers having the following:
[0003]
For example, Japanese Patent No. 2997522 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-271155 disclose photopolymerizers that collect and irradiate light from a plurality of LEDs.
However, the above invention does not describe a specific configuration related to LED driving.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-200100 discloses a cylindrical heat dissipation means for cooling the heat generation of the LED. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2001-327517 and 2002-306512 disclose a light irradiator in which a Peltier element and a cooling fan are arranged.
However, the above-described invention has a problem that the structure is complicated and the number of parts is large and heavy.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-45375 discloses a method of arranging several LEDs having different emission wavelengths or exchanging modularized LED light sources having different emission wavelengths.
However, the above-described invention has a problem in that it requires a larger arrangement space and increases in size, or requires a complicated work to be replaced every time, resulting in a problem of losing the module.
[0004]
Further, the conventional light irradiator emits light from a single light guide made of glass fiber or irradiates the photopolymerization material directly by installing a light source at the tip of the main body.
However, since the conventional configuration has only one irradiation end, irradiation can be performed only one side at a time, so that there is a problem that the irradiation is repeated many times and an excessive burden is imposed on the patient.
[0005]
Furthermore, in the dental light irradiators described in the aforementioned JP-A-2002-45375, JP-A-2002-200100, JP-A-2002-306512, and JP-A-2000-271155, a battery (rechargeable battery) is used. A photopolymerizer that uses a cord as an internal power source and is cordless and easy to handle is disclosed. However, the specific configuration of the battery (rechargeable battery) is not described, and it cannot be said that the problem has been solved in the actual use situation.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent No. 2997522 [Patent Document 2]
JP 2000-271155 A [Patent Document 3]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-200100 [Patent Document 4]
JP 2001-327517 A [Patent Document 5]
JP 2002-306512 A [Patent Document 6]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-45375
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The dental light irradiator is required to be small, light, and compact in order to reliably irradiate the photopolymerizable resin material filled in the oral cavity. Moreover, in order not to give an excessive burden to a patient, a high output and a reduction in the number of irradiations are required.
[0008]
In order to meet these requirements, it has been proposed to use a light irradiator using an LED as a light source.
In a light irradiator using an LED as a light source, the LED must be cooled using a cooling means such as a radiator for stable operation of the LED. However, since the light source and heatsink are built in the resin light irradiator body, the heat dissipation is poor, and if the amount of heat generated is increased by increasing the number of LEDs or passing an overcurrent to increase the light output, There was a problem to damage.
In order to solve this problem, a technique using a special cooling means such as a cooling fan or a Peltier element is provided, but there is a problem that the structure is complicated and the number of parts is large and heavy.
[0009]
In addition, a polymerization initiator of camphorquinone is widely used for dental resins, and LEDs having a peak wavelength near 470 nm are suitable. However, since a resin material using a polymerization initiator other than camphorquinone also exists, it is not suitable for a photopolymerization material in which light in other wavelength regions is effective for curing.
In order to adapt the LED suitable for each resin material, it was necessary to prepare a plurality of dental light irradiators.
In order to solve this problem, there is provided a method of arranging some of the LEDs having different emission wavelengths among a plurality of LEDs. However, in this method, more LEDs are arranged than those necessary for the resin material to be actually cured, which requires a larger arrangement space and increases the size.
In general, when the arrangement space is widened, the light collection efficiency tends to be low, and the amount of light is reduced. Therefore, there is a problem that the number of LEDs has to be increased and the size is further increased.
There is also provided a method for exchanging modularized LED light sources having different emission wavelengths. However, in the method of exchanging modularized LED light sources having different emission wavelengths, the operation of exchanging them is necessary every time, and there is a problem that they are lost.
[0010]
Further, the conventional light irradiator emits light from a single light guide made of glass or plastic fiber, or a light source is installed at the front end of the main body to directly irradiate the photopolymerization material. For example, both sides of the bracket are fixed with a photopolymerizable adhesive as in bracket adhesion used for orthodontics.
However, since the conventional configuration has only one irradiation end, irradiation can be performed only one side at a time, so that there is a problem that the irradiation is repeated many times and an excessive burden is given to the patient.
[0011]
Furthermore, in order to facilitate handling, a photopolymerizer using a battery as an internal power source and cordless is provided.
The battery is usually classified into a primary battery and a secondary battery.
Primary batteries include manganese batteries and alkaline batteries, but they cannot be used repeatedly by charging, so they must be replaced each time, so the work is cumbersome, and it is always necessary to prepare a replacement battery. was there.
Secondary batteries include rechargeable batteries such as nickel-cadmium batteries and lithium batteries. However, these rechargeable batteries usually require 1 to 2 hours to charge, so if the rechargeable battery has been used up or forgot to recharge In some cases, there was a problem that could not be used immediately.
[0012]
Furthermore, since the rechargeable battery takes a long time to charge, the capacity of the rechargeable battery needs to assume at least the capacity of the rechargeable battery that the surgeon uses for one day, and the rechargeable battery capacity is excessive. There was also a problem that had to be designed to be.
Further, the life of the rechargeable battery is as short as 2 to 3 years, and there is a problem that an expensive rechargeable battery must be frequently replaced.
In addition, the batteries are very heavy, and there is also a problem that a surgeon is burdened when incorporated.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides a dental light irradiator having the following configuration.
[0014]
The present invention relates to a dental light irradiator that photopolymerizes a dental photopolymerization resin by irradiation light from a light guide, wherein an LED is used as an irradiation light source, and at least an LED radiator is exposed outside the irradiator body. A dental light irradiator is provided.
[0015]
The present invention relates to a dental light irradiator that photopolymerizes a dental photopolymerization resin by irradiation light from a light guide, and a plurality of LEDs having different peak emission wavelengths are incorporated in an irradiation light source, and the light irradiation LED is selectively switched. Provided is a dental light irradiator characterized by having a mechanism.
[0016]
The present invention provides a dental light irradiator that photopolymerizes a dental photopolymerization resin by irradiation light from a light guide, wherein a light guide end of the light guide branches into a plurality of branches, and the branched light guide has a direction adjusting mechanism, Provided is a dental light irradiator characterized by being capable of irradiating a plurality of places.
[0017]
The present invention relates to a dental light irradiator that photopolymerizes a dental photopolymerization resin with light irradiated from a light guide, wherein a dental rechargeable battery is used as an internal power supply and an external power supply circuit is provided. A light irradiator is provided.
[0018]
The present invention provides a dental light irradiator that uses a large-capacity capacitor as an internal power source in a dental light irradiator that photopolymerizes a dental photopolymerization resin by irradiation light from a light guide.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The radiator is preferably made of a material having a high thermal conductivity effect, and may be made of a material such as copper or a high thermal conductive resin, but more preferably an aluminum alloy material.
[0020]
In the above structure, the exposure of the radiator is a state where the outer surface of the radiator is not hindered from heat exchange with the outside air by the cover of the light irradiator body or the like. For example, even if the radiator is installed inside the light irradiator main body, it is included in the above configuration as long as heat exchange with the outside air is possible by a slit having a sufficient opening area.
Preferably, a heat radiator is comprised in a part of light irradiator main body around LED.
[0021]
More preferably, the exposed portion of the radiator has fin-like concavo-convex processing.
[0022]
The mechanism for selectively switching is a means for, for example, installing a cartridge in which a plurality of LEDs are arranged in front of the light guide and guiding a desired LED to a light incident portion of the light guide manually or electrically.
[0023]
The switching mechanism may be a vertical or horizontal slide mechanism for the cartridge, but is preferably a revolver type rotation mechanism for the cartridge.
The mechanism for selectively switching is, for example, installing a cartridge having a plurality of LEDs in front of the light guide, moving the position of the cartridge manually or electrically, and supplying desired LED light to the light guide incident portion of the light guide. It is a means to guide.
The plurality of LEDs have different peak emission wavelengths, and only selected LEDs emit light.
The preferable peak emission wavelength is 400 to 500 nm, more preferably 420 to 480 nm, and still more preferably 425 to 435 and 465 to 475 nm. More preferably, 370 to 390 nm is added.
[0024]
The light guide is branched into a plurality of bundles at the branching portion from the light entering portion where the optical fibers are bundled to form a light emitting portion. The number of branches may be any number, but as the number of branches increases, the light output decreases, so the polymerization ability decreases. The preferred number of branches is 2-4.
The optical fiber may be glass or plastic, but is preferably quartz glass.
It is preferable that the light incident part and the branch part are covered with a stainless steel rod, the light outgoing part is covered with a stainless steel semi-rigid tube, and the light outgoing end is covered with a stainless steel rod. By having such a branched light guide direction adjusting mechanism, it is suitable for photocuring both sides of the bracket having different irradiation positions and angles at the same time as mounting a bracket used for orthodontics.
The light exit end of the light guide is the end of the light guide that emits light.
The branched light guide has a direction adjusting mechanism means that the branched light emitting portion is covered with a semi-rigid tube made of stainless steel, can be bent into an arbitrary shape, and can maintain its state, and the irradiation direction can be adjusted.
“Able to irradiate a plurality of places” is a concept including a case where the same place is irradiated from a plurality of directions and a case where a plurality of places are irradiated simultaneously.
[0025]
According to the above structure, power is normally supplied to the light irradiator by the rechargeable battery of the internal power supply, but when the rechargeable battery is uncharged, an external power supply is attached to the external power supply attachment unit, The power supply circuit switches the power supply path from the rechargeable battery to an external power supply, and supplies power to the light irradiator.
The external power supply circuit has a voltage adjustment function for adjusting the voltage of the external power supply to a voltage suitable for light irradiation, as well as a function of switching the power supply path between the rechargeable battery and the external power supply. The external power source is preferably a general household power source (in Japan, AC 100V).
[0026]
The large-capacity capacitor is preferably an electric double layer capacitor.
The capacity of the large capacity capacitor is preferably 200 to 1200 J (joule), more preferably 500 to 900 J.
[0027]
Specific contents of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional front view of a handpiece 1 of a dental light irradiator according to the present invention. The handpiece 1 includes a case 2, a heat dissipation case 3, a chuck 4, and a light guide 5. The case 2 and the heat radiating case 3 are separate pieces, but the case 2 and the heat radiating case 3 may be integrated.
[0028]
The case 2 is formed of a resin material, and is provided with a setting / display unit 6 for setting and displaying an irradiation time and an irradiation switch 7 for executing irradiation. In the case 2, a control board 8 for controlling irradiation, An internal power supply 9 serving as a power source for the light source is accommodated. The internal power supply 9 is a large capacity capacitor, but may be a dry battery, a nickel cadmium battery, or a lithium battery. The internal power supply 9 may be a power circuit and an external power supply may be input.
[0029]
The heat radiating case 3 is made of an aluminum alloy having a high heat conduction effect, but may be copper or a high heat conductive resin. In the heat radiating case 3, the LED 10 is provided via a fluid having excellent thermal conductivity, for example, heat transfer silicone, and a condensing lens may be disposed in front of the LED 10 in order to increase the light condensing rate.
[0030]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a light irradiator using a plurality of LED switching means according to the present invention.
The handpiece 1 includes a case 2, a chuck 4, and a light guide 5. In the case 2, a cylindrical cartridge 3a in which a plurality of LEDs 10 having different emission wavelengths are installed in a circle is provided. The center of the cartridge 3a is supported by the case 2 and rotates in a revolver manner so that a desired LED 10 can be installed in front of the light guide 5.
The cartridge 3a is made of an aluminum alloy and also has the heat dissipation function of the LED 10.
[0031]
FIG. 3 is an external view of the branch light guide according to the present invention. The light guide 5 includes a light incident portion 5a, a branch portion 5b, and a light exit portion 5c.
The light guide 5 includes hundreds to thousands of optical fibers having a strand diameter of 10 μm to 2000 μm with a fiber bundle diameter of the light incident portion 5 a of 6 to 12 mm.
The optical fiber is divided into a plurality of bundles at the branching portion 5b to form a light emitting portion 5c. The optical fiber is made of quartz glass, but may be glass or plastic.
The light entrance part 5a and the branch part 5b are covered with a stainless steel rod. The light exit part 5c is covered with a semi-rigid tube made of stainless steel, and the exit end is covered with a stainless steel rod. The semi-rigid tube can be bent into an arbitrary shape and maintained in that state.
[0032]
FIG. 4 is a circuit configuration diagram of a dental light irradiator characterized in that a rechargeable battery is used as an internal power source according to the present invention and an external power supply circuit is provided. The main body includes a light source 11 and a rechargeable battery 13 that is a power source, a charging unit 16, a power supply switching circuit 12, and an external power source mounting unit 14 that is a connection unit of an external power source 15.
At the start of irradiation, the power supply switching circuit 12 determines the presence or absence of the external power supply 15 based on the voltage value of the external power supply mounting unit 14, and selects the external power supply 15 when the external power supply 15 is connected to a path for supplying power to the light source 11. If the battery is not connected, the rechargeable battery 13 is selected.
When the external power supply 15 is connected to the external power supply mounting unit 14 and irradiation is not performed, the power supply switching circuit 12 supplies power to the charging unit 16 and charges the rechargeable battery 13.
[0033]
FIG. 5 is a circuit configuration diagram of a dental light irradiator characterized in that a large-capacitance capacitor is used for the internal power supply according to the present invention. A light source 17, a large-capacity capacitor 18 that is a power source, and a contact portion 19 are provided in the body.
Prior to the start of irradiation, the contact portion 19 of the main body and the charger 20 are connected and stored in the large-capacity capacitor 18 in the main body.
At the time of irradiation, the main body is removed from the charger 20, and the power of the large-capacity capacitor 18 is supplied to the light source 17 for irradiation.
The large-capacity capacitor of the present invention is preferably an electric double layer capacitor.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, the dental light irradiator of the present invention can stably operate the LED without using a special cooling mechanism such as a cooling fan.
According to the above configuration, the surgeon can easily use irradiation light suitable for the material without preparing a light irradiator or the like for each photopolymerizable material in a different polymerization wavelength range.
According to the said structure, a multiple location can be irradiated simultaneously by branching the light emission part of a light guide into plurality. Furthermore, since the branch light guide has flexibility and appropriate holding force, each branch light guide can be set at any angle.
By setting it as the said structure, even when a rechargeable battery is uncharged, light irradiation can be performed, without waiting for charging time.
[0035]
According to the above configuration, by using a large-capacity capacitor for the power supply, charging can be performed in a short time of several seconds to several tens of seconds, so there is no need to worry about charging time, and it is necessary to secure an extra capacity Nor. In addition, since the large-capacity capacitor is very light compared to the batteries, the light irradiator can be significantly reduced in weight, and the life of the power supply unit is semi-permanent.
With the above structure, the radiator can efficiently dissipate heat, and the LED can be stably operated without using a special cooling mechanism such as a cooling fan.
Moreover, the dental light irradiator of the present invention can easily use irradiation light suitable for photopolymerization materials in different polymerization wavelength regions without preparing another light irradiator or another piece.
[0036]
Moreover, the dental light irradiator of the present invention can irradiate a plurality of locations simultaneously, and can further set the branch light guide at an arbitrary angle.
In the dental light irradiator of the present invention, the power supply switching circuit can switch the power supply path from the rechargeable battery to the external power source, and light can be irradiated instantaneously.
In addition, the dental light irradiator of the present invention can be charged for a short time from several seconds to several tens of seconds, is lightweight, and has a life span of the power supply unit that is semi-permanent.
[0037]
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a dental light irradiator according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a dental light irradiator using a plurality of LED switching means according to the present invention. External view [FIG. 4] A circuit configuration diagram of a dental light irradiator characterized in that a rechargeable battery is used for the internal power supply of the present invention and an external power supply circuit is provided. [FIG. The circuit block diagram of the dental light irradiation device characterized by using a high capacity | capacitance capacitor | condenser for an internal power supply.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Handpiece 2 Case 3 Heat dissipation case 3a Cartridge 4 Chuck 5 Light guide 5a Light incident part 5b Branch part 5c Light emission part 6 Operation / display part 7 Irradiation switch 8 Control board 9 Internal power supply 10 LED
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Light source 12 Power supply switching circuit 13 Rechargeable battery 14 External power supply mounting part 15 External power source 16 Charging part 17 Light source 18 Large capacity capacitor 19 Contact part 20 Charger

Claims (1)

In a dental light irradiator that photopolymerizes dental photopolymerization resin with light emitted from the light guide, the light guide end of the light guide branches into multiple parts. The light guide's light emitting part is covered with a stainless steel semi-rigid tube and can be bent into any shape to maintain its state, and the irradiation direction can be adjusted. Irradiator.

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