US5043715A — Thin film electroluminescent edge emitter structu…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 110 words

In an edge emitter structure which includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel having light-energy generating material and a light-emitting edge face, said light-energy generating material upon electrical excitation being operable for radiating light energy through said light-emitting edge faces of said pixels, an optical lens system comprising: a preselected contour shaped on said light-emitting edge face of each pixel to define an optical lens integral with said pixel face for refracting said light energy passing therefrom so as to project said light energy in a preselected direction and thereby form said light energy into a beam having a preselected beam pattern; said light-energy generating material being a phosphor material.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 110 words

In an edge emitter structure which includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel having light-energy generating material and a light-emitting edge face, said light-energy generating material upon electrical excitation being operable for radiating light energy through said light-emitting edge faces of said pixels, an optical lens system comprising: a preselected contour shaped on said light-emitting edge face of each pixel to define an optical lens integral with said pixel face for refracting said light energy passing therefrom so as to project said light energy in a preselected direction and thereby form said light energy into a beam having a preselected beam pattern; said light-energy generating material being a phosphor material.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 41 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said preselected contour of said light-emitting face of each pixel has a predetermined curvature for refracting said light energy to form a beam of light energy having a converging beam pattern.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 41 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said preselected contour of said light-emitting face of each pixel has a predetermined curvature for refracting said light energy to form a beam of light energy having a collimated beam pattern.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said preselected contour of said light-emitting face of each pixel has a predetermined curvature for refracting said light energy to form a beam of light energy having a diverging beam pattern.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 158 words

In a thin film electroluminescent edge emitter structure which includes a common electrode layer, a plurality of control electrodes spaced therefrom, at least one dielectric layer interposed between said common electrode layer and said control electrodes, and a phosphor layer interposed between said one dielectric layer and said control electrodes said common electrode layer, phosphor layer, one dielectric layer and control electrodes having respective edge faces aligned with one another and defining a plurality of pixels each having a light-emitting edge face, said phosphor layer upon electrical excitation being operable for radiating light energy through said light-emitting edge faces of said pixels, an optical lens system comprising: a preselected contour shaped on said light-emitting edge face of each pixel to define an optical lens integral with said pixel face for refracting said light energy passing therefrom so as to project said light energy in a preselected direction said light energy into a beam having a preselected beam pattern.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 158 words

In a thin film electroluminescent edge emitter structure which includes a common electrode layer, a plurality of control electrodes spaced therefrom, at least one dielectric layer interposed between said common electrode layer and said control electrodes, and a phosphor layer interposed between said one dielectric layer and said control electrodes said common electrode layer, phosphor layer, one dielectric layer and control electrodes having respective edge faces aligned with one another and defining a plurality of pixels each having a light-emitting edge face, said phosphor layer upon electrical excitation being operable for radiating light energy through said light-emitting edge faces of said pixels, an optical lens system comprising: a preselected contour shaped on said light-emitting edge face of each pixel to define an optical lens integral with said pixel face for refracting said light energy passing therefrom so as to project said light energy in a preselected direction said light energy into a beam having a preselected beam pattern.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 45 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 5, wherein: said common electrode layer and said control electrode of each pixel extend in substantially parallel planes; and said light-emitting face of each pixel is substantially perpendicular to said planes of said common and control electrodes.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 47 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 6, wherein said light-emitting face of each pixel is positioned relative to said planes of said common and control electrodes such that said beam of light energy projected from said face is oriented in a plane substantially parallel therewith.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 40 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 5, said preselected contour of said light-emitting face of each pixel has a predetermined curvature for refracting said light energy to form a beam of light energy having a converging beam pattern.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 29 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 8, wherein said predetermined curvature of said light-emitting face contour is convex as viewed from the front of said pixel face.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 41 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 5, wherein said preselected contour of said light-emitting face of each pixel has a predetermined curvature for refracting said light energy to form a beam of light energy having a collimated beam pattern.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 29 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 10, wherein said predetermined curvature of said light-emitting face contour is convex as viewed from the front of said pixel face.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 41 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 5, wherein said preselected contour of said light-emitting face of each pixel has a predetermined curvature for refracting said light energy to form a beam of light energy having a diverging beam pattern.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 29 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 12, wherein said predetermined curvature of said light-emitting face contour is concave as viewed from the front of said pixel face.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 40 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 5, wherein said preselected contour of said light-emitting face of each pixel is generally serrated for refracting said light energy to form a beam of light energy having a diverging beam pattern.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 22 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 5, wherein one of said electrodes is disposed on a layer of substrate material.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 24 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 5, wherein another dielectric layer is interposed between said common electrode layer and said phosphor layer.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 197 words

In a thin film electroluminescent edge emitter structure which includes a common electrode layer, a plurality of control electrodes spaced therefrom, at least one dielectric layer interposed between said common electrode layer and said control electrodes, and a phosphor layer interposed between said one dielectric layer and said control electrodes, said common electrode layer, phosphor layer, one dielectric layer and control electrodes having respective edge faces aligned with one another and defining a plurality of pixels each having a light-emitting edge face, said phosphor layer upon electrical excitation being operable for radiating light energy through said light-emitting edge faces of said pixels, a multi-color light emission system comprising: a plurality of phosphor zones composing said phosphor layer, said zones being formed from different preselected compositions of light-radiating materials for passing light of different colors through said light-emitting edge faces of said pixels; said light-emitting face of each pixel being shaped to a preselected contour to define an optical lens integral with said pixel face for refracting said color light energy passing therefrom so as to project said colored light energy into an overlapping relationship with the colored light energy refracted and projected by other of said pixels.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 197 words

In a thin film electroluminescent edge emitter structure which includes a common electrode layer, a plurality of control electrodes spaced therefrom, at least one dielectric layer interposed between said common electrode layer and said control electrodes, and a phosphor layer interposed between said one dielectric layer and said control electrodes, said common electrode layer, phosphor layer, one dielectric layer and control electrodes having respective edge faces aligned with one another and defining a plurality of pixels each having a light-emitting edge face, said phosphor layer upon electrical excitation being operable for radiating light energy through said light-emitting edge faces of said pixels, a multi-color light emission system comprising: a plurality of phosphor zones composing said phosphor layer, said zones being formed from different preselected compositions of light-radiating materials for passing light of different colors through said light-emitting edge faces of said pixels; said light-emitting face of each pixel being shaped to a preselected contour to define an optical lens integral with said pixel face for refracting said color light energy passing therefrom so as to project said colored light energy into an overlapping relationship with the colored light energy refracted and projected by other of said pixels.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 30 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 17, wherein each of said control electrodes disposed on said one dielectric layer is in alignment with one of said phosphor zones.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 53 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 17, wherein said colored light energy projected by said pixels into said overlapping relationship is blended at the area of said overlap to form a resultant light image having a color dependent upon the color of said light energy projected by each of said pixels.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 129 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 17, wherein: said phosphor zones includes a first zone formed from a first preselected composition of light-radiating materials, a second zone formed from a second preselected composition of light-radiating materials and a third zone formed from a third preselected composition of light-radiating materials; said first, second and third phosphor zones are associated with first, second and third pixels, respectively; and said light-emitting face of each of said first, second and third pixels is shaped to a preselected contour to project light energy at a first, second and third preselected color into an overlapping relationship for blending at the area of said overlap to form a linear light image having a resultant color determined by said first, second and third preselected colors.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 30 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 20, in which: said first, second and third colors are selected from a group consisting of the colors, red, blue and green.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 45 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 17, further comprising: means for varying the frequency of electrical excitation applied to selected ones of said plurality of pixels for varying the intensity of said colored light energy radiated by said selected ones of said pixels.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 17, wherein another dielectric layer is interposed between said common electrode layer and said phosphor layer.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 38 words

The edge emitter structure as recited in claim 17, wherein said light-emitting edge face each of said pixels has a convex contour as viewed from the front of said pixel face to define an integral, convex optical lens.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-08-26	1995-02-25	1995-08-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-08-26	1999-02-25	1999-08-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-08-26	2003-02-25	2003-08-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Thin film electroluminescent edge emitter structure with optical lens and multi-color light emission systems

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