US 10,646,315 B2 · Dental curing light having unibody design that acts as a heat sink

Abstract

A dental curing light includes a device body that efficiently conducts heat away from the light emitting diode portion of the curing light. The device body includes a proximal gripping end and a distal head end. The device body is formed from a thermally conductive body material. Excellent heat conduction away from the LED dies is achieved using a thermally conductive layer disposed over the device body. The thermally conductive layer serves as a conduit to quickly conduct heat away from the LED dies for dissipation within the material of the device body In this manner, the material of the device body serves as a highly efficient heat dissipater. The surface area coupling the thermally conductive layer to the device body is sufficiently large that a majority (e g, substantially all) of heat being conducted by the thermally conductive layer is transferred to the device body during operation of the device.

Claims54

Dependent claims

A dental curing light device, comprising:

an elongated unitary, one-piece body formed from a continuous seamless piece of thermally conductive material extending between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis, the continuous seamless piece comprising:
a head portion extending to the distal end and having a recess in a first side of the continuous seamless piece;
a neck tapering outward from the head portion;
and
a handle portion extending to the proximal end of the continuous seamless piece, the handle portion having a cavity formed along the longitudinal axis and an opening through a second side of the continuous seamless piece opposite the first side;
an LED assembly disposed at least partially in the recess and thermally coupled to the head portion, the LED assembly including one or more LED dies and a thermally conductive LED assembly substrate;
a thermally conductive layer that thermally couples the LED assembly to the head portion;
an electronics assembly disposed at least partially within the cavity in the handle portion of the continuous seamless piece;
and
a power cord extending from, or an electrical plug or connection disposed at, the proximal end of the continuous seamless piece.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dental curing light having unibody design that acts as a heat sink

Life of this patent

Dental curing light having unibody design that acts as a heat sink

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims54