US5811930A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electroluminescent lamp devices and their manufacture
Assignee: Durel Corp
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Filing: 1996-10-15
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Granted: 1998-09-22
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Expires: 2016-10-15
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 Lynn Johnson
- 👤 Harold T. Munson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:24
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: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
An electroluminescent lamp assembly comprising: a substrate having a relatively large lamp receiving surface, having an array of conductive traces disposed on said surface of said substrate, and a plurality of relatively smaller lamps distributed in spaced-apart relationship according to a preselected illumination pattern over, and secured to, said lamp receiving surface, at least one of said lamps comprising: a mechanically flexible multi-layer sheet-form electroluminescent lamp including a sheet-form layer containing electroluminescent particles, said layer disposed between a pair of sheet-form conductive layers, at least one of which is transparent for transmitting light emitted from said particles, and at least one of which is mechanically flexible, said electroluminescent lamp having conductors exposed for engagement with said conductive traces on said substrate, said electroluminescent lamp being surface mounted face-to-face to said substrate in the manner that its conductors engage selected conductive traces on said lamp receiving surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
An electroluminescent lamp assembly comprising: a substrate having a relatively large lamp receiving surface, having an array of conductive traces disposed on said surface of said substrate, and a plurality of relatively smaller lamps distributed in spaced-apart relationship according to a preselected illumination pattern over, and secured to, said lamp receiving surface, at least one of said lamps comprising: a mechanically flexible multi-layer sheet-form electroluminescent lamp including a sheet-form layer containing electroluminescent particles, said layer disposed between a pair of sheet-form conductive layers, at least one of which is transparent for transmitting light emitted from said particles, and at least one of which is mechanically flexible, said electroluminescent lamp having conductors exposed for engagement with said conductive traces on said substrate, said electroluminescent lamp being surface mounted face-to-face to said substrate in the manner that its conductors engage selected conductive traces on said lamp receiving surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said multi-layer sheet-form electroluminescent lamp has a first light emitting characteristic different than a second light emitting characteristic of another of said plurality of relatively smaller lamps.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 2 wherein said first light emitting characteristic has a different color from that of said second light emitting characteristic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 2 wherein said first light emitting characteristic has a different intensity from that of said second light emitting characteristic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said substrate is a flexible substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said substrate has an initial shape and is deformed with said surface mounted electroluminescent lamp into a deformed shape.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 6 wherein said substrate is mechanically deformable.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 6 wherein said substrate is a flexible substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 6 wherein said substrate includes a strain relief incision and a desired final configuration of complex shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said plurality of relatively smaller lamps further comprises a rigid lamp.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 10 wherein said rigid lamp is of smaller area than said multi-layer sheet-form electroluminescent lamp.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 10 wherein said rigid lamp is surface mounted face-to-face to said substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 1 further comprising securing means for attaching the multi-layer sheet-form electroluminescent lamp to said lamp receiving surface of said substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 13 wherein said securing means comprises a thermal bond between a substance of said lamp and a substance of said substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 14 wherein said thermal bond comprises an ultrasonic weld.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 13 wherein said securing means comprises a mechanical fastener.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 13 wherein said securing means comprises a localized deposit of adhesive at a region of engagement between said conductors of said electroluminescent lamp and said selected conductive traces on said lamp receiving surface of said substrate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electroluminescent lamp assembly of claim 13 wherein said securing means only contacts the flexible multi-layer sheet-form electroluminescent lamp at the same lamp surface that the substrate's conductors contact the lamp surface.
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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) | 2001-09-21 | 2002-03-23 | 2002-09-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-09-21 | 2006-03-23 | 2006-09-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-09-21 | 2010-03-23 | 2010-09-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |