The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 27, 2006
Filed:
Sep. 05, 2003
Joseph N. Logan, Trumbull, CT (US);
Raymond L. Knox, Bethel, CT (US);
Joseph N. Logan, Trumbull, CT (US);
Raymond L. Knox, Bethel, CT (US);
Kerr Corporation, Orange, CA (US);
Abstract
An instrument and method for curing light-curable compounds in the mouth of a patient, the instrument comprising a housing and a plurality of solid state, light-emitting elements on a substrate supported by the housing. The elements form a collective array on the substrate operable for collectively emitting light having wavelengths within a narrow band of wavelengths. An optical focusing device is positioned to intercept the light emitted by the array of elements and includes a non-imaging optical device which is operable for collimating the light from the array into a beam to be directed onto a compound for curing the compound. A disposable sleeve covers the housing and array and may incorporate the optical focusing device. The sleeve is removed and discarded after use to eliminate the need to autoclave the instrument.