US5565733A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electroluminescent modular lamp unit
Assignee: World Properties Inc
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Filing: 1995-03-20
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Granted: 1996-10-15
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Expires: 2015-03-20
Abstract
Abstract An electroluminescent lamp unit includes a flat deformable substrate of preselected size having smaller sheet-form flexible electroluminescent lamps secured face-to-face at preselected positions on a surface of the substrate, the lamps connected with conductive traces on the substrate. The flat substrate with secured lamps can be deformed into a desired shape to provide a relatively inexpensive and reliable electroluminescent lamp unit applicable for a wide variety of applications. The flexible electroluminescent lamps of the unit can be individually addressable and may have different colors or intensities. A method of manufacture of such units employs surface mount technology in an automated version, pick and place robots select and place the lamps as instructed, followed by ultrasonic welding or mechanical or adhesive fastening.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Krafcik
- 👤 Douglas T. Wheeler
- 👤 Walter J. Paciorek
- 👤 Ralph McGuigan
- 👤 Rodney T. Eckersley
- 👤 Dee L. Johnson
- 👤 Harold T. Munson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 15:23
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B33/00; H05B33/12; B; B29; B29C; B29C43/00; B29C43/02; B29C43/10; B29C43/20; B29C43/203; B29C51/00; B29C51/12; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/08; B29C65/74; B29C65/743; B29C65/7437; B29C65/7443; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/20; B29C66/21; B29C66/304; B29C66/40; B29C66/47; B29C66/472; B29C66/70; B29C66/72; B29C66/723; B29C66/7232; B29C66/72324; B29C66/72325; B29C66/73; B29C66/737; B29C66/7371; B29C66/73711; B29C66/73713; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/80; B29C66/81; B29C66/814; B29C66/8141; B29C66/81433; B29C66/818; B29C66/8187; B29C66/81871; B29C66/83; B29C66/832; B29C66/8322; G; G09; G09F; G09F13/00; G09F13/04; G09F13/12; G09F13/20; G09F13/22; H01; H01H; H01H9/00; H01H9/02; H01H9/0214; H01H9/0235; H05B33/02; H05B33/10; B29C43/32; B29C43/36; B29C43/3642; B29C2043/3647; B29C43/18; B29C66/71; B29C66/72321; B29C66/7234; B29C66/72343; B29K; B29K2067/00; B29K2995/00; B29K2995/0003; B29K2995/0006; B29K2995/0018; B29K2995/0026; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/30; B29L2031/3005; B29L2031/3041; B29L2031/34; B29L2031/3481; G09F2013/227; H01H9/18; H01H2009/186; H01H2219/00; H01H2219/002; H01H2219/018; H01H2219/054; H01H2219/066; H01H2229/00; H01H2229/036; H01H2231/00; H01H2231/022; H01H2231/032; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/02; H04M1/22; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/328
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
An electroluminescent lamp module comprising; a substrate having a relatively large lamp receiving surface, having an array of conductive traces disposed on said surface and a plurality of multi-layer sheet-form electroluminescent lamps, each comprising a sheet-form layer containing electroluminescent particles, said layer disposed between a pair of sheet-form conductive layers, one of which is transparent for transmitting light emitted from said particles, each of said lamps having conductors exposed for engagement with said conductive traces on said substrate, each of said lamps being of area smaller than said substrate and placed thereupon, said lamps being permanently secured face-to-face to said substrate by securing structures, each of which penetrates respective mating surfaces of each of said lamps and said substrate, said securing structures at least partially extending through the respective lamps and said substrate and being permanently joined thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
An electroluminescent lamp module comprising; a substrate having a relatively large lamp receiving surface, having an array of conductive traces disposed on said surface and a plurality of multi-layer sheet-form electroluminescent lamps, each comprising a sheet-form layer containing electroluminescent particles, said layer disposed between a pair of sheet-form conductive layers, one of which is transparent for transmitting light emitted from said particles, each of said lamps having conductors exposed for engagement with said conductive traces on said substrate, each of said lamps being of area smaller than said substrate and placed thereupon, said lamps being permanently secured face-to-face to said substrate by securing structures, each of which penetrates respective mating surfaces of each of said lamps and said substrate, said securing structures at least partially extending through the respective lamps and said substrate and being permanently joined thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The electroluminescent lamp module of claim 1 wherein a first one of said plurality of electroluminescent lamps has a first light emitting characteristic that is different from a light emitting characteristic of a second one of said plurality of electroluminescent lamps.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The electroluminescent module of claim 1 wherein said light emitting characteristics of said first and second lamps comprise colors, whereby the color of said first lamp is different from the color of said second lamp.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The electroluminescent module of claim 1 wherein said light emitting characteristics of said first and second lamps comprise lamp intensities, whereby the intensity of said first lamp is different from the intensity of said second lamp.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The electroluminescent module of claim 1 wherein said substrate is a flexible substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electroluminescent lamp module of claim 1 wherein said plurality of electroluminescent lamps are flexible.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
The electroluminescent lamp module of claim 1 wherein said transparent sheet-form conductive layer of at least one of said electroluminescent lamps is disposed adjacent said lamp receiving surface of said substrate, said substrate including transparent portions to permit light emitted from said at least one electroluminescent lamp to pass through said substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The electroluminescent lamp module of claim 7 further comprising flexible conductive connectors electrically connecting exposed conductors disposed on the other of said pair of sheet-form conductive layers of said at least one electroluminescent lamp to said conductive traces on said substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electroluminescent lamp module of claim 1 wherein said securing structures comprise portions of said substrate that have been mechanically deformed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electroluminescent lamp module of claim 1 or 9 including a thermal bond between a substance of said lamp and a substance of said substrate in the region of said securing structures.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electroluminescent lamp module of claim 10 wherein said thermal bond comprises an ultrasonic weld.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electroluminescent lamp module of claim 1 wherein each of said securing structures extends through the entire thickness of corresponding portions of said sheet-form lamp and substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
142 words
An electroluminescent lamp module comprising: a flexible substrate having a relatively large lamp receiving surface, having an array of conductive traces disposed on said surface; and a plurality of flexible, multi-layer sheet-form electroluminescent lamps, each comprising a sheet-form layer containing electroluminescent particles, said layer disposed between a pair of sheet-form conductive layers, one of which is transparent for transmitting light emitted from said particles, each of said lamps having conductors exposed for engagement with said conductive traces on said substrate, each of said lamps being of area smaller than said substrate, said lamps each being placed on said substrate and permanently secured face-to-face thereto by localized ultrasonic weld regions between said mating surfaces of said sheet-form lamp and substrate with said lamp and substrate being mutually deformed at said weld regions, said lamps having conductors engaging corresponding conductive traces of said array.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
142 words
An electroluminescent lamp module comprising: a flexible substrate having a relatively large lamp receiving surface, having an array of conductive traces disposed on said surface; and a plurality of flexible, multi-layer sheet-form electroluminescent lamps, each comprising a sheet-form layer containing electroluminescent particles, said layer disposed between a pair of sheet-form conductive layers, one of which is transparent for transmitting light emitted from said particles, each of said lamps having conductors exposed for engagement with said conductive traces on said substrate, each of said lamps being of area smaller than said substrate, said lamps each being placed on said substrate and permanently secured face-to-face thereto by localized ultrasonic weld regions between said mating surfaces of said sheet-form lamp and substrate with said lamp and substrate being mutually deformed at said weld regions, said lamps having conductors engaging corresponding conductive traces of said array.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
The electroluminescent lamp module of claim 1 or 13 wherein said transparent sheet-form conductive layer of at least one of said electroluminescent lamps is disposed adjacent said lamp receiving surface of said substrate, said substrate including transparent portions to permit light emitted from said at least one electroluminescent lamp to pass through said substrate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The electroluminescent lamp module of claim 14 further comprising flexible conductive connectors electrically connecting exposed conductors disposed on the other of said pair of sheet-form conductive layers of said at least one electroluminescent lamp to said conductive traces on said substrate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-10-15 | 2000-04-15 | 2000-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-10-15 | 2004-04-15 | 2004-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-10-15 | 2008-04-15 | 2008-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |