Apparatus and process for laser-assisted driling
OwnerQuentin M. Murphyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and process of laser assisted drilling includes structure and method for receiving laser energy and projecting it onto an object to produce structural changes within the object. Structure and method are also provided for mechanically abrading the structurally perturbed portions of the object. By combining laser and mechanical energy, drilling is quickly and accurately performed.
Claims40
A laser-assisted drill comprising:
- means for receiving laser light;
- head means, coupled to said means for receiving laser light, for directing said laser light onto an object to be drilled, said head means including drill means for abrading the object onto which the laser light has been directed,
- a laser source for generating the laser light;
- and
- modulation means for modulating the laser light.
A laser drill comprising:
- directing means for receiving laser light and directing it to an object to cause a structural perturbation therein;
- drill means, disposed adjacent said directing means, for mechanically removing the perturbed structure from the object,
- a hand-piece for holding said directing means and said drill means;
- and
- driving means, disposed inside said hand-piece for causing said drill means to rotate.
A laser-assisted dental drill comprising:
- a hand-piece;
- a waveguide, disposed within said hand-piece, for receiving light energy and transmitting it along a transmission path;
- directing means, coupled to said waveguide means, for receiving the transmitted light energy and directing it to a tooth to disturb a structural arrangement thereof;
- and
- a drill, disposed adjacent said directing means, for contacting said tooth and removing structurally disturbed portions thereof.
A laser drill bit, comprising:
- directing means for receiving light energy and directing it to an object to perturb a structural arrangement thereof;
- and
- drill means, disposed adjacent said directing means, for removing structurally disturbed portions of the objects,
- wherein said directing means is disposed inside said drill means, said drill means having at least one hole therein through which the light energy passes to the object,
- wherein said directing means comprises a plurality of reflecting surfaces for directing the light energy in a plurality of overlapping fields, and
- wherein said drill means comprises a cylindrical drill bur having a plurality of cutting portions, said drill bur being rotatable about a cylindrical axis thereof.
A dental laser drill bit comprising:
- a laser energy transmission path for directing laser energy onto an object to be drilled;
- and
- a drill bur, surrounding said transmission path, for drilling the area of the object onto which the laser energy is directed by said transmission path, said transmission path including reflecting means, disposed on an inside of said drill bur, for reflecting the laser energy onto the object to be drilled.
A method of laser-assisted drilling comprising the steps of:
- projecting laser energy onto an object to perturb a structural arrangement thereof, said projecting step including the step of projecting the laser energy from an inside of the drill bit to an outside thereof in a radial direction;
- and
- drilling the object to mechanically remove the structurally disturbed portions thereof, said drilling step comprising the step of contacting the object with a drill bit and mechanically abrading the disturbed portions of the object.
A method of performing laser-assisted dental drilling comprising the steps of:
- receiving laser energy in a dental hand-piece;
- reflecting the laser energy toward a tooth to cause structural changes in the tooth;
- physically removing the structurally changed portion of the tooth with a drill bit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.