Patents by Inventor Wolfgang Plank

Wolfgang Plank has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9763760
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for irradiating an object, in particular for light-curing a dental object by means of a first radiation, the apparatus comprising at least one radiation source for emitting the first radiation, the apparatus further comprising at least one radiation sensor for measuring at least a second radiation, and the apparatus further comprising a housing. The second radiation is the first radiation reelected by the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Bruno Senn, Wolfgang Plank, Gottfried Rohner
  • Publication number: 20160008115
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for irradiating an object, in particular for light-curing a dental object by means of a first radiation, the apparatus comprising at least one radiation source for emitting the first radiation, the apparatus further comprising at least one radiation sensor for measuring at least a second radiation, and the apparatus further comprising a housing. The second radiation is the first radiation reelected by the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Bruno Senn, Wolfgang Plank, Gottfried Rohner
  • Patent number: 9161828
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for irradiating an object, in particular for light-curing a dental object by means of a first radiation, the apparatus comprising at least one radiation source for emitting the first radiation, the apparatus further comprising at least one radiation sensor for measuring at least a second radiation, and the apparatus further comprising a housing. The second radiation is the first radiation reelected by the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Bruno Senn, Wolfgang Plank, Gottfried Rohner
  • Patent number: 8382472
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light curing device, comprising a light source which is accommodated in a housing which has a light exit, through which light leaves the housing. It is provided that the light exiting direction of the light beam is variable, in particular infinitely variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Bruno Senn
  • Patent number: 8215800
    Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor radiation source comprising a base body which is connected to at least one LED chip thermally connected to an end side of the base body and a pliable flexible printed circuit board fitted on the same end side of the base body. The flexible printed circuit board at least partly surrounds the LED chip, has at least one printed-on conductor track (20) electrically connected to the LED chip and, in the peripheral region of the base body, has an angled-away section (27) extending at least partly along a side wall of the base body. At least one part of the section of the flexible printed circuit board (14) extends at least partly in an in particular lateral cutout (34) into the base body (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Plank
  • Patent number: 8142188
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light curing device/base station combination, comprising a heat absorbing element, which is in particular metallic, and which is in thermally conducting connection with a heat source, in particular a light source, and in particular comprising a handle. The base station (12) has for the light curing device (14) a heat dissipating device(27), which lies against the heat absorbing element (24) when the light curing device (14) is accommodated in or on the base station (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent A.G.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Bruno Senn
  • Patent number: 8113831
    Abstract: The present Invention relates to a hand-held light curing device (10), in particular for the dental sector, with a base station (30) or a rest, on which the light curing device (10) having a light source (10) is supported. A sensor (40) is fitted on the base station (30) or the rest or on the light curing device (10), and the sensor (40) initializes the light curing device (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Bruno Senn
  • Patent number: 8072588
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light measuring device 34, in particular for dental light curing devices, for detecting the illumination intensity of a light source 19, which is arranged, in particular, in the light curing device, to which a light guiding device, in particular, having a light exit surface 21 at its outlet, is connected, the light measuring device 34 having at least four measurement fields 38 distributed in two dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Bruno Senn
  • Patent number: 7976307
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light curing device (10) having a light source (14), which is mounted such that it is thermally conductively connected to a heat sink (12), with electrical components which are fitted to a printed circuit board. The components are at least partially arranged in the cooling air stream of the heat sink (12) and the cooling air stream is at least partially guided by the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent A.G.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Bruno Senn
  • Patent number: 7935972
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light emission device, comprising at least two light-emitting semiconductor chips and a substrate. At least one first semiconductor chip (12) is fitted on the substrate and a second semiconductor chip (14) is fitted on the first semiconductor chip (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Plank
  • Patent number: 7766654
    Abstract: A device (10) and method for determining and controlling the degree of polymerization of polymerizable dental material (14), which device includes a light and/or heat source (18 or 20), with which the dental material (14) is impinged. The device further includes a control device (26) and a sensor (24) connected to the control device (26), whereby the sensor (24) detects radiation (natural radiation) emitted from the dental material (14) of a predetermined wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Reinhard Goerge
  • Publication number: 20100135018
    Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor radiation source comprising a base body which is connected to at least one LED chip thermally connected to an end side of the base body and a pliable flexible printed circuit board fitted on the same end side of the base body. The flexible printed circuit board at least partly surrounds the LED chip, has at least one printed-on conductor track (20) electrically connected to the LED chip and, in the peripheral region of the base body, has an angled-away section (27) extending at least partly along a side wall of the base body. At least one part of the section of the flexible printed circuit board (14) extends at least partly in an in particular lateral cutout (34) into the base body (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventor: Wolfgang Plank
  • Publication number: 20100003633
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for irradiating an object, in particular for light-curing a dental object by means of a first radiation, the apparatus comprising at least one radiation source for emitting the first radiation, the apparatus further comprising at least one radiation sensor for measuring at least a second radiation, and the apparatus further comprising a housing. The second radiation is the first radiation reelected by the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Bruno Senn, Wolfgang Plank, Gottfried Rohner
  • Patent number: 7629571
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light measurement apparatus (34), having a light source to which a light guide apparatus (24) is connected, with the light guide apparatus (24) having a light outlet area (30) on the light output side and the light measurement apparatus (34) having a light sensor arrangement (36), and having a stop for the light guide apparatus (24) to make contact with. The light sensor arrangement (36) has at least two sensors (40a, 40b, 40c, . . . ), to which light from the light outlet area (30) can be applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Bruno Senn
  • Patent number: 7595513
    Abstract: Provision is made of a semiconductor radiation source having a base body on which at least two LED chips are mounted, at least one chip of which is connected to a series resistor which can be adjusted. The LED chips (12, 14) are fitted to the base body (24) using a thermally conductive connection and at least one printed circuit board (30) which bears the series resistor (40, 42) is also mounted on the base body (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Ivoctar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Bruno Senn
  • Patent number: 7530707
    Abstract: A semiconductor radiation source, having at least two light sources which are fixed on a common base body and so light can be emitted gently over a total emission spectrum, the first light source having a short-wave, in particular from 400 to 430 nm emission spectrum, and the second light source having a longer-wave, in particular from approximately 450 to 480 nm emission spectrum. The first light source (16) is arranged in an optical axis (22) and the second light source (18) has at least two chips (24, 26, 28, 30) which are arranged in particular symmetrically with respect to one another and with respect to the optical axis (22) and in a manner surrounding the optical axis (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Bruno Senn
  • Publication number: 20090114844
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light measuring device 34, in particular for dental light curing devices, for detecting the illumination intensity of a light source 19, which is arranged, in particular, in the light curing device, to which a light guiding device, in particular, having a light exit surface 21 at its outlet, is connected, the light measuring device 34 having at least four measurement fields 38 distributed in two dimensions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Bruno Senn
  • Patent number: D599018
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent A.G
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Bruno Senn, Reinhard Goerge
  • Patent number: D618799
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Plank, Bruno Senn, Reinhard Goerge
  • Patent number: RE44046
    Abstract: A light hardening device is provided for hardening a light hardenable mass applied for dental purposes that has a first light emitting diode for emitting light at a range of intensities corresponding to a set of wavelengths which at most only partially overlap a range of light sensitivities of a photo initiator comprised in the mass. The light hardening device also includes a second light emitting diode for emitting light at a range of intensities corresponding to a set of wavelengths which overlap the set of photo initiator light sensitivities to a relatively greater extent than the partial overlap of the range of first light emitting diode intensities with the range of photo initiator light sensitivities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Peter Burtscher, Wolfgang Plank, Gottfried Rohner