1. Process for curing a UV curing printing ink (14) on a printed material (9), wherein the printing ink (14) is irradiated with UV light from a UV radiation source (8),
characterized in that,
a low pressure gas discharge lamp (7) is utilized as the UV radiation source (8) which has a spectral radiation flux integrated over the UV-B and UB-C region of more that 50% of the UV radiation flux, preferentially more than 75% of the UV radiation flux.
2. The process of claim 1, characterized in that the maximum of the spectral radiation distribution of the low pressure gas discharge lamp (7) lies in the V-B or UV-C region.
3. The process of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the integrated spectral UV radiation flux, in particular the UV-C radiation flux, of the low pressure gas discharge lamp (7) above a wavelength of 190 nm, in particular above 240 nm, is in excess of 50%, preferentially more that 75%, of its UV radiation flux, in particular of its UV-C radiation flux.
4. The process of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the integrated UV radiation intensity, in particular the integrated UV-B and UV-C radiation intensity or, in particular, the UV-C radiation intensity, is between 1 and 100 mWcm2, preferentially between 10 and 50 mWcm2.
5. The process of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing ink (14) is not heated above 40 C. during the UV curing.
6. The process of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the printing ink (14) has high reactivity at room temperature.
7. The process of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the time duration of irradiation for curing the printing ink (14) is less than two seconds, preferentially less than one second.
8. The process of one of the claims 1 through 7, characterized in that the printing ink (14) comprises the following components:
a) one or more cycloaliphatic epoxy resins as curable fixing agent, and
b) one or more arylsulfonium salts as photo-initiator.
9. The process of claim 8, characterized in that component b) contains a mixture of differing arylsulfonium salts.
10. Device for curing a UV curing printing ink (14) on a printed material (9), by means of which the printing ink (14) is irradiated with UV light from a UV radiation source (8), in particular for carrying out the process according to one of the claims 1 through 9, characterized in that the UV radiation source (8) comprises a low pressure gas discharge lamp (7) having a spectral radiation flux integrated over the UV-B and UB-C region of more that 50% of the UV radiation flux, preferentially more than 75% of the UV radiation flux.
11. The device of claim 10, characterized in that the maximum of the spectral radiation distribution of the low pressure gas discharge lamp (7) lies in the UV-B or UV-C region.
12. The device of claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the integrated UV radiation flux, in particular the Uv-C radiation flux, of the low pressure gas discharge lamp (7) above a wavelength of 190 nm, in particular above 240 nm, is in excess of 50%, preferentially more that 75%, of its UV radiation flux, in particular of its UV-C radiation flux.
13. The device of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality, in particular more than four and preferentially more than eight, of low pressure gas discharge lamps (7).
14. The device of claim 13, characterized in that it comprises low pressure gas discharge lamps (7) having mutually differing emission spectra.
15. The device of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrical power consumption of the low pressure gas discharge lamps (7) is between 0.2 and 2.5, preferentially between 0.5 and 1.0 watts per centimeter of wavelength.
16. The device of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the homogeneity of the UV radiation intensity on the printed material (9), in particular the UV-B andor the UV-C intensity, in the region effective for curing the printing ink (14) is sufficiently high that the irradiation intensity deviates from an average value by less than 30%, preferentially by less that 20%.
17. The device of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of mutually adjacent low pressure gas discharge lamps (7), wherein the separation between the low pressure gas discharge lamps (7) is not more then 30%, preferentially is not more than 20%, of the diameter of the low pressure gas discharge lamp (7) bulbs (16).
18. The device of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of U-shaped low pressure gas discharge lamps (7) disposed in mutual adjacency at the parallel lengthwise sides of the U-shape, wherein the low pressure gas discharge lamps (7) are disposed in alternating opposite directions.
19. The device of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separation between the low pressure gas discharge lamps (7) and the printed material (9) is less than 5 cm andor more than 1 cm.
20. The device of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the low pressure gas discharge lamp (7) is a mercury vapor lamp or an amalgam lamp.
21. The device of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a reflector (5) to reflect the UV light emitted from the low pressure gas discharge lamps (7) onto the curing printing ink (14).
22. The device of claim 21, characterized in that the reflector (5) is stationary.
23. The device of claim 21 or 22, characterized in that the reflector (5) comprises a dielectric mirrored layer andor a reflecting layer made from an optically diffuse reflecting material (1).
24. The device of claim 23, characterized in that the optically diffuse reflecting material (1) comprises a matrix of transparent matrix material consisting essentially of a curable silicone rubber in which diffuse reflecting particles are imbedded.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of transplanting donor tissue from a donor cornea to a recipient cornea, the method comprising:
making a sidecut incision in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea;
making a crosscut incision across the sidecut incision in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea;
resecting corneal tissue from the recipient cornea, the corneal tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the recipient cornea, wherein a first part of the crosscut incision made in the recipient cornea extends beyond the resected corneal tissue;
resecting donor tissue from the donor cornea, the donor tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the donor cornea, wherein a second part of the crosscut incision made in the donor cornea is in the resected donor tissue; and
grafting the donor tissue into the recipient cornea.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein grafting the donor tissue into the recipient cornea includes aligning the first part of the crosscut incision with the second part of the crosscut incision.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the crosscut incision made in each cornea does not extend through either cornea.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein making the crosscut incision includes making the crosscut incision at an anterior corneal surface in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the incisions made in the recipient cornea form a first incision pattern, the incisions formed in the donor cornea form a second incision pattern, and the first incision pattern matches the second incision pattern.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing a suture along the aligned parts of the crosscut incisions.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the incisions are made using a surgical laser.
8. A method of transplanting donor tissue from a donor cornea to a recipient cornea, the method comprising:
making a sidecut incision in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea;
making a crosscut incision across the sidecut incision and at an anterior corneal surface in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea;
resecting corneal tissue from the recipient cornea, the corneal tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the recipient cornea, wherein a first part of the crosscut incision made in the recipient cornea extends beyond the resected corneal tissue;
resecting donor tissue from the donor cornea, the donor tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the donor cornea, wherein a second part of the crosscut incision made in the donor cornea is in the resected donor tissue; and
grafting the donor tissue into the recipient cornea by aligning the first part of the crosscut incision with the second part of the crosscut incision.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the crosscut incision made in each cornea does not extend through either cornea.
10. The method of claim 8 further comprising placing a suture along the aligned parts of the crosscut incisions.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the incisions are made using a surgical laser.
12. A method of transplanting donor tissue from a donor cornea to a recipient cornea, the method comprising:
making a sidecut incision in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea;
making a plurality of crosscut incisions across the sidecut incision in each of the donor cornea and the recipient cornea, wherein the incisions made in the recipient cornea form a first incision pattern, the incisions formed in the donor cornea form a second incision pattern, and the first incision pattern matches the second incision pattern;
resecting corneal tissue from the recipient cornea, the corneal tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the recipient cornea, wherein a first part of each crosscut incision made in the recipient cornea extends beyond the resected corneal tissue;
resecting donor tissue from the donor cornea, the donor tissue being at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision in the donor cornea, wherein a second part of each crosscut incision made in the donor cornea is in the resected donor tissue; and
grafting the donor tissue into the recipient cornea by aligning the first part of each crosscut incision in the recipient cornea with a matching second part of each crosscut incision in the donor tissue.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the crosscut incisions are made at an anterior corneal surface of each cornea.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the crosscut incisions made in each cornea do not extend through either cornea.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the crosscut incisions made in each cornea are equally spaced about the sidecut incision.
16. The method of claim 12 further comprising placing a plurality of sutures, each suture being placed along the aligned parts of one of the crosscut incisions.
17. The method of claim 12, wherein the incisions are made using a surgical laser.
18. A system for resecting corneal tissue, the system comprising:
a surgical laser adapted to emit a pulsed laser beam;
a focusing assembly adapted to focus the pulsed laser beam into a cornea;
an interface adapted to provide a plurality of incision patterns for selection of a sidecut pattern and provide options for selection of a crosscut incision quantity; and
a controller in communication with the interface to receive the sidecut pattern and the number of crosscut incisions from the interface, the controller being adapted to
move a focal point of the pulsed laser beam within the cornea using the focusing assembly,
direct the focal point of the pulsed laser beam to make a sidecut incision in the cornea according to the sidecut pattern, wherein the corneal tissue being resected is at least partially bounded by the sidecut incision, and
make a plurality of crosscut incisions according to the crosscut incision quantity, the crosscut incisions being incised across the sidecut incision.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the crosscut incisions are equally spaced about the sidecut incision.
20. The system of claim 18, wherein the crosscut incisions do not extend through the cornea.
21. The system of claim 18, wherein the crosscut incisions are made at an anterior corneal surface.
22. A system for resecting corneal tissue, the system comprising:
a surgical laser adapted to emit a pulsed laser beam;
a focusing assembly adapted to focus the pulsed laser beam into a cornea;
an interface adapted to provide a plurality of incision patterns for selection of a resection pattern which includes a sidecut and a plurality of crosscuts which cross the sidecut; and
a controller in communication with the interface to receive the resection pattern, the controller being adapted to
move a focal point of the pulsed laser beam within the cornea using the focusing assembly, and
direct the focal point of the pulsed laser beam to make a resection incision in the cornea according to the resection pattern.
23. The system of claim 22, wherein the crosscuts are equally spaced about the sidecut.
24. The system of claim 22, wherein portions of the resection incision which correspond to the crosscuts do not extend through the cornea.
25. The system of claim 22, wherein of the resection incision which correspond to the crosscuts are made at an anterior corneal surface.