Patent ID: 8882819

Claim:
A handheld device for treating an oral ulcer or sore, the device comprising: a light emitting diode (LED) for emitting a white beam of light; a first pushbutton switch; a laser diode for emitting a collimated coherent beam of laser energy of a wavelength of between 600-700 nm; a regulated power supply for powering the laser diode at between 4 and 5 mw for treating the oral ulcer or sore at a power of as close to 5 mw as possible without exceeding 5 mw; a second pushbutton switch operable to selectively deliver power from the regulated power supply to the laser diode when the second pushbutton switch is operated by a user to treat the ulcer or sore; a control device configured to operate the laser diode for a pre-programmed duration of 5, 10, or 30 seconds each time the second pushbutton switch is operated and to subsequently turn the laser diode off until the second pushbutton switch is operated again, the first pushbutton switch being operable to selectively deliver power from the regulated power supply to the LED to locate and illuminate the oral ulcer or sore while the laser energy is directed at the oral ulcer or sore and to continue to illuminate the oral ulcer or sore for a pre-programmed amount of time after the laser diode is turned off; and a portable, handheld housing comprising a hollow tubular body between 10-18 cm long and between 1-3 cm in diameter for housing the laser diode, the regulated power supply, the first and the second pushbutton switches, the light emitting diode, and the control device, the second pushbutton switch being located near the first pushbutton switch on a sidewall of the housing so that the user can quickly operate the pushbutton switches with the same finger without re-gripping the handheld device.