JPH0323218Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a laser handpiece mainly used for dental treatment, and more specifically to a cooling method for improving the efficiency of a semiconductor laser generator as a laser emission source. This invention relates to a new laser handpiece equipped with a mechanism.

(Prior Art) It is well known that laser handpieces have recently come into use in the field of dental treatment. This laser handpiece includes one in which laser light from a laser light source installed at a remote location is guided to the handpiece via a fiber and irradiated from the tip, and one in which a semiconductor laser is generated within the handpiece body. Handpieces are equipped with a device that guides and irradiates laser light to the tip via a fiber built into the handpiece body. In the latter case, since the light guide path is short, there is less energy loss than in the former case, and therefore, recently, devices using this semiconductor laser generator have become mainstream.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Incidentally, in order to improve treatment efficiency in the semiconductor laser type handpiece, the output of the laser generator has been increased. However, when such a high-output generator is housed in a narrow area within a dental handpiece, the generator generates heat, and as heat is conducted to the handpiece, energy loss increases and the output decreases. As a result, the above-mentioned objective of increasing efficiency cannot be fully achieved. This tendency becomes more pronounced as the output of the laser generator increases, and has been a bottleneck in achieving the above-mentioned efficiency.

The present invention was developed in view of the above, and by providing a cooling mechanism for the semiconductor laser generator within the handpiece body, it reduces the heat generation and output loss caused by the laser generator, thereby increasing the efficiency of the handpiece. The aim is to

(Means for Solving the Problems) The configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object will be explained based on the attached embodiment drawings. Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing an example of the handpiece of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the portion lined in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the portion lined in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the portion lined in Fig. 2. FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view along the line in FIG. 1; That is, the laser handpiece of the present invention is a laser handpiece in which a semiconductor laser generator 2 is built into a handpiece body 1, and the laser generator 2 is connected to the body 1 by a cooling fin 31.
It is characterized in that it is fixed by a pressing member 3 and its surroundings are cooled by air.

The holding member 3 is for fixing the semiconductor laser generator 2 inside the handpiece body 1, and is made of a material with good thermal conductivity such as copper and aluminum, and behind it is a large number of cooling fins 31... It is installed protrudingly.

In addition, a gap 41 is formed around the laser generator 2 as shown in an embodiment described later, and cooling air is introduced into the gap 41.

(Function) In the laser handpiece having the above configuration, the area around the semiconductor laser generator 2 is air-cooled, and the area behind it is cooled by the cooling fins 31 of the holding member 3, so that the generator 2 generates heat. is prevented. Therefore, the generator 2 outputs a high-power laser beam, which is irradiated from the tip of the handpiece body 1 and used for dental treatment and the like.

(Example) Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples.
The figure shows a treatment device called a four-way syringe, which is a four-way syringe that ejects water, air, and a mist of water and air from its tip, and which has a new laser beam added as an active medium. The handpiece body 1 includes a grip portion 11
and a distal tip portion 13 detachably connected to the grip portion 11 via a snap-type attachment/detachment operation sleeve 12. An air supply passage 4 and a supply passage 5 are formed from the grip part 11 to the tip part 13, and a control circuit 20 for the semiconductor laser generator 2 is installed in the grip part 11, and this control circuit 20 is also connected to the grip part 11. It is electrically connected to a laser generator 2 built in 11.

A female cylindrical inner case 14 is coaxially housed in the connection portion of the grip portion 11 with the tip portion 13.
The semiconductor laser generator 2 is fixed to the base end of the inner case 14 by a screw-type holding member 3 via a washer 32. The air supply passage 4 and the water supply passage 5 are introduced into the inner case 14, and a small diameter ventilation passage 40 for cooling the laser generator 2 is branched from the air supply passage 4. Further, on the inner surface of the inner case 14 where the laser generator 2 is attached, grooves 411 as shown in FIG.
2... are formed, and these grooves 411... and notches 41
Cooling air supplied from the ventilation path 40 through the vent passages 40 flows around to the back side of the semiconductor laser generator 2 through the grooves 411 and the notches 412. A void 41 is formed. The small holes 321 formed in the washer 32 are for inserting the conductive wire led out from the semiconductor laser generator 2.

In addition, the base end of the inner case 14 has a tapered laser receiving portion 141 with a progressively decreasing diameter, and the tapered surface is a gold-plated or mirror-finished total reflection surface, and the laser beam from the semiconductor laser generator 2 is formed at the base end of the inner case 14 . Light is transmitted without leakage. An optical lens 6 is installed adjacent to this light receiving section 141. Reference numerals 61 and 62 indicate this optical lens 6.
This is a tightening and holding member for fixing it in a predetermined position.

On the other hand, the distal tip portion 13 includes a mantle 131 and a laser fiber 7 fitted along the center of the mantle 131.
and a flexible protective tube 71 for the fiber 7, the base end 130 of which is attached to the inner case 14 of the grip section 11 and the operation sleeve 12.
It is a male cylinder that is removably fitted into the body via the . At the base end portion 130, the protective tube 71
a joint 72 for use with the laser fiber 7;
Tightening holding members 73, 74 for integrating the
Further, a tightening member 132 and the like for integrating the joint 72 and the mantle 131 are mounted at predetermined positions.
The tightening and holding member 73 also serves as a light receiving section for transmitting the laser light emitted from the optical lens 6 to the laser fiber 7, and its light receiving surface has a gold-plated or mirror-finished pre-gradually decreasing diameter. It is considered to be a tapered surface. The water supplied from the water supply channel 5 is
The gap 54 between the laser fiber 7 and the protective tube 71 is formed through the circumferential groove 51 formed at the joint between the grip portion 11 and the distal tip portion 13, the tightening member 432, and the through holes 52 and 53 formed in the joint 72. Guided by
The laser fiber 7 is ejected from its tip while cooling the periphery thereof. On the other hand, air supply path 4
The air is guided to the gap 44 between the protective tube 71 and the jacket 131 through the circumferential groove 42 and the through hole 43 formed in the tightening member 132, and is ejected from the tip while cooling the area around the protective tube 71. It is made to be done. The above laser fiber 7 and protection tube 71
are coaxially spaced and protected across their tips with gaps 54 and 44 within the mantle 131,
A joint 75 having a plurality of protrusions 751 in the inner circumferential direction is fitted at the distal end and connected to the protection tube 71 . The protrusions 751... are the laser fiber 7
This is to ensure a gap 54 between the laser fiber 7 and the protection tube 71, and to make cooling water jet out from the gap between the protrusions 751. Further, the end cap 13 is connected to the peripheral body of the joint 75 via an opening ring 752.
3 is screwed onto the mantle 131. Furthermore, a spacer member 76 is interposed between the tip cap 133 and the joint 75 to ensure an air discharge passage. That is, projections 761 are spaced apart in the circumferential direction on the inner periphery of the tip of the spacer member 76 and abut against the outer periphery of the tip of the joint 75, while a milled cut portion 753 is formed on the outer periphery of the joint 75, The gap between this milling cut portion 753 and the projection 761 of the spacer member 76 is the gap 4.
4.

The air and water supplied from the air supply path 4 and the water supply channel 5 cool the semiconductor laser generator 2, laser fiber 7, and protection tube 71 on the way, and are ejected from the tip of the distal tip portion 13 to treat the area affected by dental treatment. It performs cooling and other functions depending on the treatment mode. Although not shown in the figure, control valves for air and water as working media are installed in the handpiece body 1 itself or in other remote parts, and the user can operate them as appropriate to control air, water alone, or Similar to conventional Suriway syringes, these can be mixed at the tip and used as a mist. Reference numerals 8 indicate O-rings, which maintain the airtightness and watertightness of the joint portions and the like.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and the shape of the gap 41 is not limited to that shown in the illustrated example, and the present invention may also be applied to hand pieces of other shapes. It goes without saying that other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

(Effects of the invention) As mentioned above, the laser handpiece of the invention has the following advantages:
The area around the semiconductor laser generator, which is the source of the laser light, is cooled with air, and cooling fins are provided on the holding member for fixing the laser generator, making it possible to generate laser light in a narrow space such as a dental handpiece. Even when the device is stored, heat generation is prevented, its output loss is suppressed, and the output of the laser handpiece is effectively increased, greatly increasing the utility value of this type of laser handpiece. This will improve the performance.

As described above, the practical value of the present invention is extremely large.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing an example of the handpiece of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of the portion lined in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the portion lined in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the portion lined in Fig. 2. FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view along the line in FIG. 1; Explanation of the symbols: 1...Handpiece body, 2...Semiconductor laser generator, 3...Press member, 31...Cooling fin, 4...Air supply pipe, 41...Gap.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] 1. Semiconductor laser generator 2 in handpiece body 1
It is a laser hand piece with a built-in
A laser handpiece characterized in that it is fixed by a presser member 3 and its surroundings are air-cooled. 2. An air supply pipe 4 is introduced into the handpiece main body 1, and a gap 41 communicating with the air supply pipe 4 is formed between the main body 1 and the laser generator 2. The handpiece described in item 1. 3. The handpiece according to claim 1, wherein the holding member 3 is made of a material with good thermal conductivity.