Mountable electroluminescent welt

• US 7,425,079 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kevin Bruce, Luis Lorca-Merono
• Original Assignee: Kevin Bruce, Luis Lorca-Merono
• Inventors: Bruce, Kevin, Lorca-Merono, Luis
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thuy Vinh
• Application Number:
  US10/152,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20020142190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,311 Days
• Field of Search: 313/498, 313/483, 313/506, 313/511, 313/512, 313/346.R, 362/581, 362/34, 362/84, 362/103, 362/223, 362/311, 428/917
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 33/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 Complete cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24008 including fastener for attaching to external surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2973 Particular cross section

Abstract

A mountable electroluminescent welt that is easier to attach to a desired surface or joint. The welt includes an electroluminescent light which includes a center conductor and at least one outer conductor with an electroluminescent chemical dispersed therein that undergo electroluminescence when excited with by a suitable AC current. The welt includes a transparent or semi-transparent sheath casing circular or oval in cross-section with at least one integrally formed, laterally extending wing member. The wing member is a relatively thin structure that extends longitudinally over a portion or the entire length of the outer casing. In the preferred embodiment, the outer edges of the wing member are converged towards their outer edges thereby enabling the wing to be placed into a joint space. A suitable attachment means, such as sewing, an adhesive, or a closed joint, may be used to attach the wing to the desired surface or joint while allowing the outer casing to be exposed.

Claims

1. A continuously mountable electroluminescent light source comprising:

a. a transparent, continuous outer sheath casing with a center conductor formed therein that extends along the entire length of said outer sheath casing, said center conductor being covered with an alternating current activating electroluminescent chemical and an inner insulation layer;

b. a wing member integrally formed on said outer sheath casing, said wing member extends laterally on said outer sheath casing and the entire length of said outer sheath casing thereby enabling said light source to be continuously attached along its entire length to a support surface or object.

2. The continuously mountable electroluminescent light source, as recited in claim 1, wherein said outer sheath casing and wing member are made of polyvinyl chloride.

3. The continuously mountable electroluminescent light source, as recited in claim 1, wherein said wing member has converging surfaces.

4. The continuously mountable electroluminescent welt, as recited in claim 1, wherein said wing member is made of polyvinyl chloride.

5. The continuously mountable electroluminescent welt, as recited in claim 1, wherein said wing member has converging surfaces.

6. The continuously mountable electroluminescent light source, as recited in claim 1, further including a second wing member extending laterally from said outer sheath casing.

7. The continuously mountable electroluminescent, as recited in claim 6, wherein said second wing member extends from said outer sheath casing on an opposite side of said first wing member.

8. The continuously mountable electroluminescent light source, as recited in claim 7, wherein said second wing member is made of polyvinyl chloride.

9. The continuously mountable electroluminescent light source, as recited in claim 7, wherein said second wing member has converging surfaces.