ELECTROLUMINESCENT VEHICLE LAMP
First Claim
1. An electroluminescent exterior vehicle lamp comprising:
- a) a light transmissive housing defining an enclosed, thin sheet like cavity therein;
the housing having an exterior surface forming a portion of a exterior vehicle surface;
c) an electroluminescent sheet enclosed in the defined cavity;
d) a first electrical connector electrically coupled to the luminescent sheet, and sealed through the housing for electrical connection on the exterior of the housing, and e) a second electrical connector electrically coupled to the luminescent sheet, and sealed through the housing for electrical connection on the exterior of the housing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electroluminescent vehicle lamp made with a lens plate, a back plate, electroluminescent sheet, first electrical connector, second electrical connector is disclosed. The lamp has decreased volume and weight due to its small thickness. The electroluminescent vehicle lamp provides a vehicle signal lamp with a small thickness that is otherwise conformal with the surface of a vehicle. A particular advantage of the lamp structure is that the vehicle body needs only minimal forming to accommodate the positioning of the lamp, and little interior space in the vehicle is required. Two or more color regions can be formed in one housing. Two different states of appearance such that the device can exhibit a bright operating color (red, yellow, etc.) and yet blend in with the rest of the vehicle exterior in the non-operating mode. The EL lamp is expected to be easy to manufacture, for example by painting on (or spin or dipcoating) the luminescent layer, offer large light emitting areas, and be capable of being flexible, patternable and consume relatively low power. A variety of color choices are possible including the dynamic changing of color. The lamp can be applied to other areas, such as those applications where thick and thin film inorganic electroluminescent devices are used.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. An electroluminescent exterior vehicle lamp comprising:
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a) a light transmissive housing defining an enclosed, thin sheet like cavity therein;
the housing having an exterior surface forming a portion of a exterior vehicle surface;
c) an electroluminescent sheet enclosed in the defined cavity;
d) a first electrical connector electrically coupled to the luminescent sheet, and sealed through the housing for electrical connection on the exterior of the housing, and e) a second electrical connector electrically coupled to the luminescent sheet, and sealed through the housing for electrical connection on the exterior of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (15, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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2. An electroluminescent vehicle lamp comprising:
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a) a lens plate;
b) a back plate sealed to the lens plate forming a housing defining an enclosed, thin cavity therein;
c) an electroluminescent sheet enclosed in the defined cavity between the lens plate and the back plate;
d) a first electrical connector electrically coupled to the luminescent sheet, and sealed through the housing for electrical connection on the exterior of the housing, and e) a second electrical connector electrically coupled to the luminescent sheet, and sealed through the housing for electrical connection on the exterior of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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3. An electroluminescent vehicle lamp comprising:
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a) a lens plate having a front side, a interior side, and a side wall;
b) a back plate, having a sealing face sealed to the lens plate forming an a housing therewith and defining an enclosed cavity therebetween;
c) an electroluminescent sheet located in the defined cavity between the lens plate and the back plate, the electroluminescent sheet having a first conductive layer, an intermediate electroluminescent layer including a material that emits light on electrical stimulation, and a light transmissive second conductive layer;
d) a first electrical connector electrically coupled to the first conductive layer; and
e) a second electrical connector electrically coupled to the second conductive layer. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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52. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle having an exterior hull with an indentation therein not exceeding one inch in depth, the indentation supporting an electroluminescent exterior vehicle lamp including a) a housing having at least a light transmissive window, the housing defining an enclosed, thin sheet like cavity therein;
the housing having an exterior surface forming with the adjacent exterior hull a portion of the exterior vehicle surface;
c) an electroluminescent sheet enclosed in the defined cavity;
d) a first electrical connector electrically coupled to the luminescent sheet, and sealed through the housing for electrical connection on the exterior of the housing, and e) a second electrical connector electrically coupled to the luminescent sheet, and sealed through the housing for electrical connection on the exterior of the housing.
Specification
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Current AssigneeOSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
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Original AssigneeOSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
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InventorsMEYER, WILLIAM E., CHIPALKATTI, MAKARAND H., LASKI, JOSEPH J., TRICKETT, ELIZABETH A.
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Application NumberUS09/470,305Publication NumberTime in Patent OfficeDaysField of SearchUS Class Current362/496CPC Class CodesB60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily...B60Q 1/32 for indicating vehicle side...F21S 43/145 Surface emitters, e.g. orga...F21S 43/19 Attachment of light sources...H05B 33/12 Light sources with substant...
