Touch light panel

• US 7,258,469 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2004
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global OLED Technology LLC (LG Display Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Manico, Joseph A., Cok, Ronald S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar; Stephen F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunwiddie; Meghan K.
• Application Number:
  US10/974,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20060087829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362/394, 362/395, 362/173, 362/174, 345/173, 345/174, 200/314, 200/317
• US Class Current: 362/394
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/186 using an electroluminiscent panel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/141 Cushion or mat switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches

Abstract

A flat-panel lamp having a light-emitting surface with an integral contact sensitive layer located over the light-emitting surface that controls the activation and deactivation of the lamp and a controller for supplying power to the lamp and responsive to a signal provided by the integral contact sensitive layer for controlling the supply of the power to the flat panel lamp.

Claims

1. A flat-panel lamp having a light-emitting surface with an integral contact sensitive layer located over said light emitting surface that controls the activation and deactivation of the flat-panel lamp, said integral contact sensitive layer comprises a first electrode and a second electrode that are normally spaced apart by a plurality of spacers formed from a polymer or glass but can deform upon contact so as to permit contact there between so as to produce said signal, said spacer comprising spheres or cylinders;

and

a controller for supplying power to said lamp and responsive to a signal provided by said integral contact sensitive layer for controlling the supply of said power to said flat-panel lamp.

2. The flat panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein said first and second electrode are spaced apart a distance of less than 100 microns.

3. The flat panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein said electrodes includes one of the following:

metal

metaloxide

metal alloy.

4. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein said electrodes includes one the following:

aluminum

silver

indium tin oxide.

5. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein said spacers are integral with a supporting structure secured to one of said electrodes.

6. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein the controller controls the brightness of the lamp by responding to sequential contacts.

7. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein the controller controls the brightness of the lighting lamp by responding to the duration of a contact.

8. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 further comprising a layer that enables attachment of the lighting system.

9. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 8 wherein the attachment layer is an adhesive layer.

10. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 9 wherein the adhesive layer is a static electric attraction.

11. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein the flat-panel lamp comprises a sheet that is manufactured in cut shapes to be formed into objects.

12. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 11 wherein the cut shapes are cones, cylinders, or cubes.

13. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein the flat-panel lighting sheet is vacuum formed.

14. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein the flat-panel lighting sheet is flexible.

15. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 14 wherein said lamp is provided in a curved shape.

16. A flat-panel lamp having a light-emitting surface with an integral contact sensitive layer located over said light emitting surface that controls the activation and deactivation of the flat-panel lamp, said integral contact sensitive layer comprises a first electrode and a second electrode that are normally spaced apart by a plurality of spacers formed from a polymer or glass but can deform upon contact so as to permit contact there between so as to produce said signal;

and

a controller for supplying power to said lamp and responsive to a signal provided by said integral contact sensitive layer for controlling the supply of said power to said flat-panel lamp wherein the controller controls the brightness of the lighting lamp by responding to the duration of a contact.

17. A flat-panel lamp having a light-emitting surface with an integral contact sensitive layer located over said light emitting surface that controls the activation and deactivation of the flat-panel lamp, said integral contact sensitive layer comprises a first electrode and a second electrode that are normally spaced apart by a plurality of spacers formed from a polymer or glass but can deform upon contact so as to permit contact there between so as to produce said signal said flat-panel lamp comprising a sheet that is manufactured in cut shapes to be formed into objects, said shapes are cones, cylinders, or cubes;

and

a controller for supplying power to said lamp and responsive to a signal provided by said integral contact sensitive layer for controlling the supply of said power to said flat-panel lamp.

18. A flat-panel lamp having a light-emitting surface with an integral contact sensitive layer located over said light emitting surface that controls the activation and deactivation of the flat-panel lamp, said integral contact sensitive layer comprises a first electrode and a second electrode that are normally spaced apart by a plurality of spacers formed from a polymer or glass but can deform upon contact so as to permit contact there between so as to produce said signal;

an adhesive layer that enables attachment of the lighting system, said adhesive layer being a static electric attraction; and

a controller for supplying power to said lamp and responsive to a signal provided by said integral contact sensitive layer for controlling the supply of said power to said flat-panel lamp.