US4157486A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electroluminescent display and circuit protective device and method of making
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1978-05-03
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Granted: 1979-06-05
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Expires: 1998-05-03
Abstract
Abstract An electroluminescent display device includes at least two conductive leads spaced from each other with a light-emitting element electrically coupled between such leads. A transparent, insulating base is formed about and between the leads. The base encapsulates both the leads and the light-emitting element.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles R. Fegley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:47
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/85; H10H20/8506; H10H20/857; F; F21; F21K; F21K9/00; H01; H01H; H01H85/00; H01H85/02; H01H85/30; H01H85/32; H10W; H10W90/00; H10W90/701; H10W90/751; H10W90/756; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49107
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
63 words
An electroluminescent display device, comprising: at least two conductive leads spaced from each other with a light-emitting element electrically coupled between such leads; a transparent, insulating base formed about and between the leads and encapsulating the leads and the light-emitting element; and at least one lateral portion of each lead extending beyond the base and substantially conforming to the configuration of the base.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
63 words
An electroluminescent display device, comprising: at least two conductive leads spaced from each other with a light-emitting element electrically coupled between such leads; a transparent, insulating base formed about and between the leads and encapsulating the leads and the light-emitting element; and at least one lateral portion of each lead extending beyond the base and substantially conforming to the configuration of the base.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The device of claim 1, wherein each lateral portion is wrapped around and fixed to the base, and the base is a lens for the light-emitting element and permits light from such element to pass therethrough.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The device of claim 2, wherein: light from the light-emitting element is permitted to pass laterally out of the base; and at least one end of the base is free of the lateral portion to permit light from the light-emitting element to pass axially along the base and out of such end.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The device of claim 1, wherein: the base is circular in cross section, elongated and has opposed end portions; one lead extends to each end of the base; and each lead includes two lateral portions that extend beyond opposite sides of the base and that are formed about the base so that each end of the base has a substantially ring-type contact.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The device of claim 1, wherein a protective element is electrically coupled between the leads in parallel with the light-emitting element so that upon the occurrence of an overload condition in a circuit coupled to the lateral portions, the protective element is decoupled resulting in the energization of the light-emitting element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 5, wherein the protective element is a replaceable fuse.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The device of claim 5, wherein the base has a color formed on it which is associated with the current-carrying capacity of the protective element, and the same color is emitted by the energization of the light-emitting element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
The device of claim 6, further comprising: a cavity in the base exposing the leads and the replaceable fuse; and a removable, resilient cap for the cavity to permit access to the fuse to enable its replacement, the cap having a curvilinear cross section and a unitary internal portion for holding the replaceable fuse in engagement with the leads.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 1, wherein: the light-emitting element is a light-emitting diode chip; and a current-limiting chip is bonded between the diode chip and one of the leads.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The device of claim 1, wherein: each lead has a tab portion bent at a substantially 90°-angle to it; and the light-emitting element is bonded to one of the tab portions and a conductor is bonded between such element and the other tab portions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device of claim 10, wherein a protective element is coupled to the leads so that upon the occurrence of an overload condition in a circuit coupled to the leads, the protective element is decoupled, resulting in the energization of the light-emitting element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 1, wherein: an end portion of one lead is located within, and spaced from, a cut-out segment of the other lead; and a protective element is bonded to each lead.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
The device of claim 1, wherein: each lead has two tab portions bent at substantially 90° angles to such lead, and the tab portions of each lead are opposed to and aligned with the tab portions of the other lead; the light-emitting element is bonded between one set of aligned tab portions; and a protective element is bonded between the other set of tab portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 10, wherein a voltage dropping resistor chip is bonded between the light-emitting element and the tab portion of one of the leads.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1, wherein the leads are axially aligned and spaced from each other.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 1, wherein: the light-emitting element is located adjacent one end of the base; and the base at such end is formed into a lens cap.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
78 words
A protective device, comprising: at least two conductive leads spaced from each other with a protective element electrically coupled between such leads; an insulating base formed about and between the leads and encapsulating the leads; and at least one lateral portion of each lead extending beyond the base and substantially conforming to the configuration of the base, whereby upon the occurrence of an overload condition in a circuit coupled to such lateral portions, the protective element is decoupled.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
78 words
A protective device, comprising: at least two conductive leads spaced from each other with a protective element electrically coupled between such leads; an insulating base formed about and between the leads and encapsulating the leads; and at least one lateral portion of each lead extending beyond the base and substantially conforming to the configuration of the base, whereby upon the occurrence of an overload condition in a circuit coupled to such lateral portions, the protective element is decoupled.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 17, wherein a cavity surrounds the protective element.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 17, wherein the base is a foam plastic so that upon the occurrence of an overload condition the protective element partially melts the foam plastic to produce a cavity in the vicinity of the protective element.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The device of claim 17, wherein the protective element is coated with an oxidizing agent.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 17, wherein the protective element is a replaceable fuse.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
59 words
The device of claim 21, further comprising: a cavity in the base exposing the leads and the replaceable fuse; and a removable, resilient cap for the cavity to permit access to the fuse to enable its replacement, the cap having a curvilinear cross section and a unitary internal portion for holding the replaceable fuse in engagement with the leads.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of making an electroluminescent display device, comprising: forming from a sheet of conductive material at least two leads spaced from each other; electrically coupling a light-emitting element between such leads; forming at least one lateral portion from the sheet of conductive material for each lead integral with such lead; forming a transparent, insulating base about and between the leads and encapsulating the leads and the light-emitting element, the lateral portions extending beyond the sides of the base; and substantially conforming such lateral portions to the configuration of the base.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of making an electroluminescent display device, comprising: forming from a sheet of conductive material at least two leads spaced from each other; electrically coupling a light-emitting element between such leads; forming at least one lateral portion from the sheet of conductive material for each lead integral with such lead; forming a transparent, insulating base about and between the leads and encapsulating the leads and the light-emitting element, the lateral portions extending beyond the sides of the base; and substantially conforming such lateral portions to the configuration of the base.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 23, wherein the lateral portions are conformed to the configuration of the base by wrapping them around the base such that at least one end of the base is free of the lateral portion to permit light from the light-emitting element to pass out of such end, and further comprising fixing such lateral portions to the base.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 23 further comprising coupling a protective element between the leads so that upon the occurrence of an overload condition in a circuit coupled to the lateral portions, the protective element is decoupled, resulting in the energization of the light-emitting element.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 25, wherein the protective element is a replaceable fuse and the method further comprises forming a cavity in the base to expose the leads and the replaceable fuse and forming a removable, resilient cap for permitting access to the fuse to enable its replacement.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 23, wherein the light-emitting element is a light-emitting diode chip, the method further comprising bonding a voltage-dropping resistor chip between the diode chip and one of the leads.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of making a protective device, comprising: forming from a sheet of conductive material two leads spaced from each other; coupling a protective element between the two leads; forming at least one lateral portion from the sheet of conductive material for each lead integral with such lead; forming an insulating base about and between the leads and encapsulating the leads, the lateral portions extending beyond the sides of the base; and substantially forming the lateral portions to the configuration of the base.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of making a protective device, comprising: forming from a sheet of conductive material two leads spaced from each other; coupling a protective element between the two leads; forming at least one lateral portion from the sheet of conductive material for each lead integral with such lead; forming an insulating base about and between the leads and encapsulating the leads, the lateral portions extending beyond the sides of the base; and substantially forming the lateral portions to the configuration of the base.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 28, wherein the lateral portions are conformed to the configuration of the base by wrapping them around the base such that at least one end of the base is free of the lateral portion, and further comprising fixing such lateral portions to the base.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
44 words
The device of claim 1 or claim 17, further comprising: at least one end tab portion of at least one of the conductive leads extending axially beyond the end of the base and substantially conforming to the configuration of the end of the base.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
66 words
The device of claim 1 or claim 17, further comprising: at least one end tab portion of at least one of the conductive leads extending axially beyond and fixed to the end of the base and substantially conforming to the configuration of the end of the base, and having a cantilever portion further extending from the end tab portion laterally beyond the end of the base.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-06-04 | 1982-12-04 | 1983-06-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-06-04 | 1986-12-04 | 1987-06-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-06-04 | 1990-12-04 | 1991-06-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |