Abstract A non-flammable control panel overlay with legible indicia openings, integral illumination and integral supporting means comprises a metallic member with indicia openings on the front thereof backed by a non-flammable, transparent backing member mounted in a recessed area on the back of the member behind the indicia openings, an electroluminescent lamp mounted in a second recessed area behind the transparent backing member and ribs on the back side of the member comprising the unetched areas left when the various mounting recesses are formed. Such a metallic overlay is made by mechanically engraving the indicia, on the front of a metal blank and then chemically etching the rear of the blank, in a stepwise fashion to form the various recesses and remove unnecessary material, until breakthrough to the indicia occurs.
A control panel overlay comprising a thin, sheet-like metallic member having a first recessed area on the back thereof, a second recessed area within and smaller than said first recessed area, indicia openings through said overlay in said second recessed area, a flat, transparent backing member for support of said indicia openings and the free centers surrounded by said openings, said backing member conforming to the shape of and seated in said second recessed area, and an electroluminescent lamp conforming to the shape of and seated in said first recessed area.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
91 words
A control panel overlay comprising a thin, sheet-like metallic member having a first recessed area on the back thereof, a second recessed area within and smaller than said first recessed area, indicia openings through said overlay in said second recessed area, a flat, transparent backing member for support of said indicia openings and the free centers surrounded by said openings, said backing member conforming to the shape of and seated in said second recessed area, and an electroluminescent lamp conforming to the shape of and seated in said first recessed area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A control panel overlay, as recited in claim 1, further including additional recessed areas of predetermined shape and depth, the unrecessed areas surrounding all of said recessed areas being adapted to provide integral structural support to the overlay.