# US 10,502,939 B2 · Homogenizer comprising a light source > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,939 B2 - Document ID: US10502939B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/061,173 - Filed: 2016-12-15 - Published: 2018-12-20 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-16 - Assignees: Ivoclar Vivadent AG - Applicants: Ivoclar Vivadent AG - Inventors: Bruno Senn; Markus Pauler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502939B2 ## CPC - G02B 19/0028: {refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems} - A61B 1/06: with illuminating arrangements - A61C 19/003: {Apparatus for curing resins by radiation} - G02B 6/0008: {the light being emitted at the end of the fibre} - G02B 19/0019: {having reflective surfaces only (e.g. louvre systems, systems with multiple planar reflectors)} - G02B 19/0061: {the light source comprising a LED} - G02B 27/0977: {Reflective elements} - G02B 27/0994: {Fibers, light pipes (optical fibers per se G02B6/02)} - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - G02B 6/0096: {the lights guides being of the hollow type} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00) - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract The invention relates to a homogenizer having an input surface and an output surface which are incongruent to one another, at least one inclined surface extending between the input surface and the output surface. The inclined surface is corrugated. According to the invention, the homogenizer is designed as a hollow element which surrounds the LED chips (14) reflectively. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A homogenizer comprising an input surface and an output surface, wherein the input surface and the output surface are incongruent to each other, wherein between the input surface (12) and the output surface (22) at least an inclined surface extends, comprising a corrugation (18), wherein the homogenizer (10) is formed as an internally reflecting hollow element, wherein LED chips (14) are accommodated in the homogenizer (10), and wherein the homogenizer (10) has sensor light channels (38, 40), extending between the interior space of the hollow element and a region outside the hollow element, extending in the plane of the LED chips (14). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein the input surface (12) is formed polygonally, and/or wherein the output surface (22) is round. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The homogenizer according to claim 2, wherein formed polygonally comprises squared or rectangularly and wherein round comprises formed circularly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of LED chips (14) is arranged adjacent to the input surface (12), the LED chips each being cast with collecting lenses, wherein the LED chips (14) are completely accommodated in the reflector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein the homogenizer (10), as a hollow element, extends to a base plate (36), to which the LED chips are attached. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The homogenizer claim 1, wherein the output surface (22) is closed with a transparent cover plate, wherein the transparent cover plate is inserted into the homogenizer (10) and, at a wall (24) of the homogenizer facing the output surface (22), the transparent cover plate is circumferentially bonded to the homogenizer (10) with a transparent adhesive, wherein the transparent cover plate is bluntly positioned onto the output surface (22) of the homogenizer (10) and is fixed thereto. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein on the outside of the homogenizer (10), a solid, cylindrical body is formed having a wall thickness, which, at the output side, is at least a quarter of a radius of the homogenizer, and on the input side is at least one third of the radius of the homogenizer (10) on the outside. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein the sensor light channels (38, 40) extend to the sensors (30), and therefrom extend obliquely radially inwardly to the output surface (22) of the homogenizer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein the corrugation (18) comprises a multitude of ribs (20), which extend across the inner circumference of the homogenizer (10). ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The homogenizer according to claim 9, wherein the multitude of ribs (20) comprise a number from 10 to 100. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The homogenizer according to claim 10, wherein the multitude of ribs (20) comprise 20. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein ribs (20) of the corrugation (18) extend with a constant shape between the input surface (12) and the output surface (22) and/or wherein the ribs (20) of the corrugation (18) are arranged in a regular pattern, in the same distance to one another. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein ribs (20) of the corrugation (18) extend parallel to each other, but with different shapes and/or wherein the shape of the corrugation (18), is adapted to the light wavelength or the wavelength regions transmitted by the homogenizer (10). ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The homogenizer according to claim 13, wherein the shape of the ribs (20) is adapted to the light wavelength or the wavelength regions transmitted by the homogenizer (10). ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein the corrugation (18) of the homogenizer (10) comprises a reflective layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The homogenizer according to claim 15, wherein the reflective layer comprises a vapor-deposited reflective layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein the output surface (22) of the homogenizer (10) is adjacent to an input terminal of an optical fiber and wherein output and input terminal surfaces are aligned with each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The homogenizer according to claim 1, wherein the homogenizer is formed in multiple parts, and wherein the parts of the homogenizer (10) are especially maintained to one another by snap-in connections. ### Claim 19 A light curing apparatus having an homogenizer comprising, an input surface and an output surface, wherein the input surface and the output surface are incongruent to each other, wherein between the input surface (12) and the output surface (22) at least an inclined surface extends, comprising a corrugation (18), wherein the homogenizer (10) is formed as an internally reflecting hollow element, wherein LED chips (14) are accommodated in the homogenizer (10), wherein the homogenizer (10) is formed as a main reflector of the light curing apparatus and is located downstream of an optical path of a light source, and is located upstream of a light guide rod.