UV light curing systems, and methods of designing and operating the same
AssigneeHeraeus Noblelight America LLC
InventorsDarrin Leonhardt, William Curtis Harper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A UV light curing system is provided. The UV light curing system includes: a UV light source; a primary reflector for reflecting light emitted by the UV light source in a direction of an enclosure, the enclosure at least partially surrounding an object of interest; and a secondary reflector on an opposite side of the enclosure with respect to the primary reflector, the secondary reflector being positioned along a portion of a length of the enclosure, the secondary reflector surrounding at least 40% of the enclosure at the portion of the length of the enclosure.
Claims16
A UV light curing system comprising:
- a UV light source including a plurality of UV LEDs for providing curing with respect to an object of interest;
- a primary reflector for reflecting light emitted by the UV light source in a direction of an enclosure, the enclosure at least partially surrounding the object of interest, the primary reflector being coupled to the UV light source;
- a secondary reflector on an opposite side of the enclosure with respect to the primary reflector, the secondary reflector being distinct from the enclosure, the secondary reflector being positioned along a portion of a length of the enclosure, the secondary reflector surrounding at least 40% of the enclosure at the portion of the length of the enclosure;
- and
- at least one tertiary reflector positioned between the primary reflector and the enclosure, the at least one tertiary reflector reflecting light from the secondary reflector back toward the enclosure.
A UV light curing system comprising:
- a UV light source including a plurality of UV LEDs for providing curing with respect to a target;
- a primary reflector for reflecting light emitted by the UV light source in a direction of the target, the primary reflector being coupled to the UV light source;
- a secondary reflector on an opposite side of the target with respect to the primary reflector, the secondary reflector being distinct from the target;
- and
- at least one tertiary reflector positioned between the primary reflector and the target, the tertiary reflector reflecting light from the secondary reflector back toward the target,
- wherein the target includes an optical fiber housed within a transparent tube.
A method of providing a UV light curing system, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) designing a primary reflector to provide a desired irradiance of light at a predetermined target location for a UV light source including a plurality of UV LEDs, the primary reflector being configured to be coupled to the UV light source, the plurality of UV LEDs for providing curing with respect to a target at the predetermined target location;
- (b) designing a secondary reflector, configured to reflect light from the primary reflector, to provide an increase in the total irradiation at the predetermined target location, the secondary reflector being configured to be positioned on an opposite side of the target with respect to the primary reflector, the secondary reflector being distinct from the target, the secondary reflector being configured to be positioned along a portion of a length of the target;
- (c) designing at least one tertiary reflector configured to be positioned between the primary reflector and the predetermined target location, the at least one tertiary reflector being configured to reflect light from the secondary reflector back toward the predetermined target location:
- and
- (d) providing the UV light curing system including (i) the UV light source, (ii) the primary reflector, (iii) the secondary reflector, and (iv) the at least one tertiary reflector in their designed configurations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.