Patent · US Expired

System and method for controlling a light actuator to achieve partial polymerization

US6103203A · kind A · utility

129Cited by
4References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 15, 1997
Grant dateAug 15, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 15, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB01J19/122
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A system and method for achieving partial polymerization of a photoreactive resin include: (i) light source means for providing light energy to the photoreactive resin, the light source means having an intensity; (ii) timing means for causing the light source means to provide light energy to the photoreactive resin for an illumination time, during which the light source means provides light energy to the photoreactive resin, the timing means selectively operable in a plurality of different time increments, thereby allowing fine tuning of the total amount of light energy provided to the photoreactive resin; and (iii) power supply means electrically coupled to the light source means and the timing means for supplying electrical power to the light source means and the timing means. In one embodiment, the system is programmed to automatically achieve a constant total light energy output despite variations in the intensity of the light source means. The system may also pulsate and is operable in a full cure and partial cure mode.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.