Patent US5409376A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5409376A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and process for laser-assisted driling
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1993-03-10
•
Granted: 1995-04-25
•
Expires: 2013-03-10
Abstract
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.
Inventors
- 👤 Quentin M. Murphy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:18
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61C; A61C1/00; A61C1/0046; A61C17/00; A61C17/16; A61C17/20; B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/02; B23K26/06; B23K26/062; B23K26/0622; B23K26/0624; A61B18/201; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00137; A61B2017/00141; A61B2017/00146; A61B2017/00154; A61B2017/00194; A61B2017/00973; A61B2018/00005; A61B2018/00011; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S408/00; Y10S408/701
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
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.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
64 words
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.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A drill according to claim 1, wherein said means for receiving laser light comprises a waveguide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A drill according to claim 2, wherein said waveguide includes a flexible waveguide portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A drill according to claim 1, wherein said head means includes laser energy distribution means, disposed adjacent said drill means, for distributing energy from said laser light onto the object.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drill according to claim 4, wherein said laser energy distribution means includes at least one light reflector disposed inside said drill means, said drill means having at least one opening therein to allow the laser light to be transmitted to the object.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A drill according to claim 1, wherein said drill means comprises a rotating drill bit having a helical array of interposed cutting surfaces and openings therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A drill according to claim 1, wherein said drill means includes a reciprocating drill bit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A drill according to claim 1, wherein said drill means includes ultrasound means for abrading the object with ultrasound energy.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A drill according to claim 1, wherein said head means comprises: reflecting means for reflecting the laser light onto the object; a rotating drill, as said drill means, for abrading the object with a rotary motion; and turbine means for rotating said rotating drill.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A drill according to claim 9, wherein said reflecting means comprises a plurality of light reflecting surfaces which reflect the laser light in a plurality of directions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A drill according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of reflecting surfaces are disposed inside of said rotating drill, said rotating drill having at least one opening therein through which the reflected light propagates.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
A drill according to claim 1, further comprising driving means for driving said drill means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A drill according to claim 1, wherein said head means comprises a drill bit enclosing at least one optical fiber for transmitting the laser light.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
63 words
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.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
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.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A laser drill according to claim 14, wherein said drill means comprises a rotating drill bur, and wherein said directing means is disposed inside said rotating bur.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A laser drill according to claim 14, wherein said drill means comprises a plurality of interchangeable rotating drill burs.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A laser drill according to claim 14, wherein said directing means comprises a plurality of reflecting surfaces for reflecting the laser light in a plurality of overlapping directions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
A laser drill according to claim 14, wherein said directing means includes means for intensifying laser energy directed to at least one portion of the object.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
A laser drill according to claim 18, wherein the intensifying means comprises biconvex optical means for directing the laser light in a plurality of overlapping fields, the overlapped portions of the fields including the intensified laser energy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
67 words
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.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
67 words
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.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
A dental drill according to claim 20, wherein said directing means is disposed within said drill, said drill having at least one hole therein through which the light energy passes to the tooth.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
A dental drill according to claim 20, wherein said directing means comprises a plurality of reflecting surfaces for reflecting the light energy in a plurality of overlapping fields.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
A dental drill according to claim 20, further comprising a laser source, coupled to said waveguides, for generating the light energy.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
A dental drill according to claim 20, wherein said directing means and said drill are coupled together in a unitary, replaceable cartridge.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
A dental drill according to claim 20, further comprising driving means for causing said drill to rotate, and wherein said directing means comprises a plurality of reflecting surfaces disposed within said drill.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
38 words
A dental drill according to claim 20, wherein said drill is hollow, and further comprising means for producing a positive air flow through the hollow drill to prevent tooth debris build-up on an internal surface of said drill.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
114 words
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.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
114 words
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.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
A drill bit according to claim 27, further comprising means for rotating said cylindrical drill bur.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
A drill bit according to claim 27, wherein said cylindrical drill bur comprises an array of interposed cutting portions and openings through which the light energy passes to the object.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
72 words
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.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
72 words
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.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
82 words
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.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
82 words
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.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein said projecting step comprises the steps of: receiving the laser energy; reflecting the received laser energy from a plurality of reflecting surfaces to produce a plurality of overlapping laser energy fields; and transmitting the reflected laser energy from an inside of a drill bit to an outside thereof.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 32, wherein said drilling step comprises the steps of rotating a drill bit about the plurality of reflecting surfaces, and passing the reflected laser energy through a plurality of holes in the drill bit.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein said projecting step includes the step of projecting a spherical field of laser energy surrounding a drill bit.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein said projecting step includes the step of projecting a conical field of laser energy from a drill bit.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
45 words
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.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
45 words
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.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 36, wherein said reflecting step includes the step of reflecting said laser energy through an interior of the drill bit.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 36, further comprising the step of cooling the tooth.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 36, further comprising the step of cooling the drill bit.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 36, wherein said step of physically removing includes the step of modulating the laser light with a rotation of the drill bit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3696504A
Cited
US4126136A
Cited
JPS55125954A
Cited
US4356376A
Cited
US4506745A
Cited
EP0375578A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-04-24 | 1998-10-24 | 1999-04-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-04-24 | 2002-10-24 | 2003-04-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-04-24 | 2006-10-24 | 2007-04-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |