Injection molded light pipe

Details Injection molded light pipe Injection molded light pipe

1999-12-20

2001-08-28

Palmer, Phan T. H. (Department: 2874)

Optical waveguides

Optical imaging tunnel

C385S147000, C385S901000, C382S100000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06282359

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is the field of imaging of teeth in a mouth.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The above identified U.S. patent application summarizes the background of the art of imaging of teeth in great detail. In brief, the prior art to the above identified application is deficient in that images of teeth taken with light transillumination were not reproducible. The above identified application teaches that the illumination source and imaging system must be held in a reproducible and repeatable position with respect to the tooth by anchoring the source and imaging system physically with respect to the tooth. The above identified application teaches that the light for illumination may be piped around in tight confines in a mouth using a light pipe material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a light pipe apparatus which has little loss even while incorporating sharp bends. The light pipe is injection molded using a suitable substance which is transparent when solidified. The injection mold point is at the inside of a curve of the light pipe. The invention has a light pipe apparatus with a light pipe with a sharp 180° bend for taking light from a handpiece, moving the light to a position to direct light from the end of the light pipe back towards and optical imaging system in the handpiece so that the light impinges on a tooth placed between the end of the lightpipe and the imaging system of the handpiece.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5960147 (1999-09-01), Muramatsu et al.
patent: 6201880 (2001-03-01), Elbaum et al.

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