Light device with EL elements

• US 7,677,745 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tseng-Lu Chien
• Original Assignee: Tseng-Lu Chien
• Inventors: Chien, Tseng-Lu
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, ANABEL
• Application Number:
  US11/184,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20060018110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 313/318.04, 313/506, 313/512, 313/511, 362/84, 362/226
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 1/244 Means for mounting lamps
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0036 with fluorescent or phosphorescent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/36 with light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 9/02 provided with tags, buttons, or decorative tufts
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 15/06 with illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/109 of gardens
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00

Abstract

A light device with EL element(s) includes non-illuminated conductive-piece(s) and connectors in addition to illuminated element to provide an economical, attractive, and neat illumination arrangement. The EL elements may be combined with a bend-and-shape member to enable the EL element(s) to be bent into any geometric configuration and maintain the shape into which it has been bent. The thus formed EL element(s) can be applied to an EL light device with a lamp base, a night light with bend-n-shape properties, and/or outdoor lighting at a most reasonable cost and utilizing any desired power source such as a wall outlet, battery, solar, or any other energy sources for people to use anywhere with lowest power consumption and incredible light effects. The said EL element(s) may also include electric signal delivery parts, reinforced mesh tube, and coil spring kits to deliver digital signals, current, data, images, or sound from end(s) to end(s).

Claims

1. An electro-luminescent element arranged to emit light in a variety of directions, wherein said electro-luminescent element has bend-and-shape properties to permit the element to be bent by a user into a desired shape and to maintain the desired shape for a desired time period until a next bend-and-shape action is applied by the user to the element,

wherein sealed within said electro-luminescent element are (a) electric signal carrier means for supplying an electric signal that causes said electro-luminescent element to emit said light, and (b) bend-and-shape means separate from said electric signal carrier means for causing the electro-luminescent element to maintain the desired shape.

2. An electro-luminescent element arranged to emit light in a variety of directions, wherein said electro-luminescent element includes a coil forming a means that can be extended from a first length to a second length when pulled and that will return to the first length when no longer being pulled, said coil being arranged to supply an electric signal to an electric device other than the electro-luminescent element.

3. An electro-luminescent element arranged to emit light in a variety of directions, wherein the electro-luminescent element includes at least one reinforcing strain relief tube within a cross-section of the element to provide a means for preventing damage to the electro-luminescent element when the strain relief is pulled, wherein said strain relief includes conductive means for supplying electric signals to devices other than the electro-luminescent element.

4. An electro-luminescent element arranged to emit light in a variety of directions, wherein said electro-luminescent element is arranged to be connected by a quick-disconnect connector to at least one conductive piece arranged to be inserted into a receptacle of the lamp holder in place of a conventional lamp for delivering electric signals from a power source selected from the group consisting of a transformer, wall outlet, battery, lamp holder, cigarette lighter adaptor, extension cords, solar cell and chemical cell to the electro-luminescent element via the receptacle, the conductive piece, and the quick-disconnect connector, said conductive piece being non-illuminated to enable the electro-luminescent element to be positioned away from said receptacle without wasting expensive electro-luminescent materials.

5. An electro-luminescent element as claimed in claim 4, wherein the power source is a wall outlet.