Illuminated panel and method for making same

Claim 1

AN ILLUMINATED INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PLASTIC LIGHT TRANSMITTING FRONT PLATE, TRANSLUCENT INDICIA ON THE FRONT PLATE FOR BACK LIGHTING, MEANS DEFINING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATE RECESSES IN THE REAR OF THE FRONT PLATE AND BEHIND TRANSLUCENT INDICIA, A PLURALITY OF ELONGATE ELECTROLUMINESCENT LAMPS PROPORTIONED TO NEST WITHIN THE RECESSES, ELECTRICAL LEADS EXTENDING FROM SAID LAMPS, A COATING OF RED PHOSPHOROUS BETWEEN SAID LAMPS AND THE INDICIA, CIRCUIT WIRES IN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION WITH THE LAMP LEADS, POTTING RESIN EMBEDDING THE CIRCUIT WIRES AND LAMPS IN THE RECESSES, AND A BACK PLATE INTERFACIALLY SECURED TO AND COEXTENSIVE WITH THE FRONT PLATE, THEREBY SEALINGLY EMBEDDING THE ELECTROLUMINESCENT LAMPS FOR BACKLIGHTING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICIA.