E. L. Specialists, Inc.

Oryon Technologies, LLC

Mrm Acquisitions, LLC

3M Innovative Properties Company

Kenneth Burrows

Stuart J Ford

Rodney K Hehenberger

Thomas L Brown

M Richard Marcus

Klaus C Wiemer

A hybrid electroluminescent assembly is described wherein the assembly includes one or more electroluminescent structures and a plurality of discontinuous retroreflective segments. Discontinuous retroreflective segments are disposed at least partially in the light path of the one or more electroluminescent structures.

Hybrid electroluminescent assembly

An combined monolithic electroluminescent lamp and membrane switch is manufactured by continuous printing. Graphic indicia is imprinted on deformable substrate. An electroluminescent lamp is imprinted on the graphic indicia layer and a membrane switch is formed on the lamp. The monolithic switch has a layer for sensing switch actuation by means including resistance change, capacitance change, or magnetic field change.

Electroluminescent lamp membrane switch

An addressable receptor in laminate form, and advantageously in PTF laminate form, comprising a front conductive layer including a plurality of substantially parallel front electrode strips and a rear conductive layer also including a plurality of substantially parallel rear electrode strips. The conductive layers are orientated with respect to each other so that an array of electrode regions of intersection is formed corresponding to the regions at which the front electrode strips cross over the rear electrode strips. The first and second conductive layers are separated by a reactive layer comprising a plurality of defined reactive regions. The reactive regions are deployed in a reactive array substantially in register with the array of electrode regions of intersection, so that the reactive regions are electrically addressable by coordinate pairs of first and second electrode strips. The front electrode strips are partially transparent to radiation in a selected waveband. In operation, an irradiated image in the selected waveband is directed onto the receptor laminate. The irradiated pattern passes through the transparent front electrode strips and selectively energizes the addressable reactive regions in a corresponding pattern.

Addressable ptf receptor for iradiated images

A membranous electroluminescent structure including membranous envelope layers encapsulating electroluminescent layers. The envelope layers comprise a UV-curable ink, such as a urethane acrylate/acrylate monomer. When deployed in layer form and exposed to UV radiation, the ink cures in a few seconds without any appreciable layer height shrinkage. Manufacturing cycle time is significantly optimized over traditional heat curing processes. The resulting membranous UV-cured EL structure nonetheless has all the advantages of membranous EL structures.

Membranous EL system in UV-cured urethane envelope

A membranous electroluminescent structure with selected layers suspended, prior to deployment, in a carrier comprising (1) a vinyl resin in gel form and (2) a polymeric hexamethylene diisocyanate catalyst. During curing, the catalyst facilitates transformation of the vinyl resin carrier into a urethane. Once cured, the transformed urethane carrier compound enables electroluminescent layers to bond in a monolithic structure also comprising other contiguous urethane layers, such as envelope layers. As a result, membranous electroluminescent structures made in accordance with the present invention are even more rugged than their predecessors. A high degree of crosslinking also becomes available between neighboring urethane layers.

Membranous monolithic EL structure with urethane carrier

A polymer thick film (PTF) electroluminescent device generating images described by contact, in which the contact itself closes an open circuit to generate radiation in a pattern in register with the contact. The resulting irradiated image corresponds directly to the contact pattern energizing the radiation. In a preferred embodiment enabled by an electroluminescent system without a back electrode, a fingerprint is disposed to close the open circuit by making contact and thereby serving as a &ldquo;temporary&rdquo; back electrode. The electroluminescent then energizes in a pattern in register with the contact (i.e. the fingerprint) to emit a high-resolution image of visible light with high fidelity to the contact. This visible light image may then be directed on to a photosensitive array standard in the art suitable for pixelation and conversion into an electrical signal representative of the image. This signal is available for computerized storage, analysis, processing and comparison.

PTF touch-enabled image generator

An electroluminescent system in which neighboring layers are suspended, prior to application, in advantageously a unitary carrier compound, so that after curing, the layers form active strata within a monolithic mass. The carrier compound in a preferred embodiment is a vinyl resin in gel form. The invention enables several manufacturing advantages, including the ability to screen print the entire electroluminescent system on a variety of porous or fibrous substrates.

Deployment of EL structures on porous or fibrous substrates

Apparel is disclosed, including an elastomeric electroluminescent (EL) lamp in which an electroluminescent system, advantageously monolithic, is provided in an elastomeric structure. As a result, the lamp is thin, pliable and membrane-like. A first envelope layer is applied advantageously by screen printing to transfer release paper. An EL system is then applied, again advantageously by screen printing to the first envelope layer, and then a second envelope layer is applied to seal the EL system within the envelope. Appropriate windows are cut or left open to allow electrical contact with the EL system. An optional adhesive layer then may be applied if the lamp is to be used in transfer form for later affixation to the apparel.

Elastomeric EL lamp on apparel

An elastomeric electroluminescent (EL) lamp is provided wherein an electroluminescent system, advantageously monolithic, is provided in an elastomeric structure. As a result, the lamp is thin, pliable and membrane-like. A first envelope layer is applied advantageously by screen printing to transfer release paper. An EL system is then applied, again advantageously by screen printing to the first envelope layer, and then a second envelope layer is applied to seal the EL system within the envelope. Appropriate windows are cut or left open to allow electrical contact with the EL system. An optional adhesive layer then may be applied if the lamp is to be used in transfer form for later affixation to a substrate. Alternatively, the lamp may be used as a self-contained membraneous component installed in another product such as a telephone handset. When used on a telephone, several addressable lamp segments may be deployed on the case of the telephone and caused to emit a visual alert when, for example, the telephone rings. This visual alert may then, if desired, be synchronized with an audible alert.

Alerting system using elastomeric EL lamp structure

An elastomeric electroluminescent (EL) lamp is provided wherein an electroluminescent system, advantageously monolithic, is provided in an elastomeric structure. As a result, the lamp is thin, pliable and membrane-like. A first envelope layer is applied advantageously by screen printing to transfer release paper. An EL system is then applied, again advantageously by screen printing to the first envelope layer, and then a second envelope layer is applied to seal the EL system within the envelope. Appropriate windows are cut or left open to allow electrical contact with the EL system. An optional adhesive layer then may be applied if the lamp is to be used in transfer form for later affixation to a substrate. Alternatively, the lamp may be used as a self-contained elastomeric component installed in another product.

Method for construction of elastomeric EL lamp

An electroluminescent system in which neighboring layers are suspended, prior to application, in advantageously a unitary carrier compound, so that after curing, the layers form active strata within a monolithic mass. The carrier compound in a preferred embodiment is a vinyl resin in gel form. The invention enables several manufacturing advantages, including the ability to silk-screen print the entire electroluminescent system on a variety of substrates, including cloth, metals, plastics, wood or even stone.

Translucent layer including metal/metal oxide dopant suspended in gel resin

A device generating images described by contact, in which the contact itself closes an open circuit to generate radiation in a pattern in register with the contact. The resulting irradiated image corresponds directly to the contact pattern energizing the radiation. In a preferred embodiment enabled by an electroluminescent system without a back electrode, a fingerprint is disposed to close the open circuit by making contact and thereby serving as a 'temporary' back electrode. The electroluminescent then energizes in a pattern in register with the contact (i.e. the fingerprint) to emit a high-resolution image of visible light with high fidelity to the contact. This visible light image may then be directed on to a photosensitive array standard in the art suitable for pixelation and conversion into an electrical signal representative of the image. This signal is available for computerized storage, analysis, processing and comparison.

Irradiated images described by electrical contact

An electroluminescent system in which neighboring layers are suspended, prior to application, in advantageously a unitary carrier compound, so that after curing, the layers form active strata within a monolithic mass. The carrier compound in a preferred embodiment is a vinyl resin in gel form. The invention enables several manufacturing advantages, including the ability to silk-screen print the entire electrolumninescent system on a variety of substrates, including cloth, metals, plastics, wood or even stone.

Method for constructing el system in monolithic structure

An electroluminescent system in which neighboring layers are suspended, prior to application, in advantageously a unitary carrier compound, so that after curing, the layers form active strata within a monolithic mass. The carrier compound in a preferred embodiment is a vinyl resin in gel form, whose inherent thixotropic properties lend themselves to pre-suspending ingredients in the unitary carrier. The suspended ingredients may then be provided in kit form, ideally in the correct volumetric proportions. The invention enables several manufacturing advantages, including the ability to screen print the entire electroluminescent system on a variety of substrates, including cloth, metals, plastics, wood or even stone.

Growing community of inventors

Pilot Point, TX, United States of America

Kenneth Burrows