Electric lamp or space discharge component or device manufacturi – Process – With assembly or disassembly
Patent
1990-11-01
1993-02-09
Seidel, Richard K.
Electric lamp or space discharge component or device manufacturi
Process
With assembly or disassembly
313505, 313506, 445 25, 427 66, H01J 902
Patent
active
051849690
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to electroluminescent lamps and to methods for producing them. The electroluminescent lamps are comprised of a plurality of separate films having two major surfaces, each film including one or more layers, beginning with a flexible plastic substrate. Laminating the aforesaid films under heat and/or pressure yields effective electroluminescent lamps through the employment of greatly simplified and less critical production techniques.
Flexible electroluminescent (EL) devices are well known the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,353 discloses a flexible electroluminescent device including a flexible plastic dielectric substrate which is successively provided on one major surface thereof with an electroluminescent layer, a light-transmissive conductive layer, and a layer comprised of a bus electrode; in addition thereto, the opposite major surface of the plastic substrate is provided with a back electrode.
Each of these four layers is formed by successively passing the plastic substrate through appropriate coating equipment. In the production of a lamp having multiple coatings or layers, it is not uncommon to encounter registration problems which, if not resolved, lead to a considerable waste of time, money, material, and effort. This is especially so in the case of the electroluminescent and light-transmissive materials, which are the two most expensive materials employed in the laminated product.
In addition, the plastic substrate of the example given above undergoes a minimum of four coating operations which greatly increase the handling of the substrate as well as increasing the possibility of introducing production problems which will result in a defective and useless product.
Furthermore, the product produced according to the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,353 lacks good dimensional stability and, prior to being encapsulated, does not afford protection for the electroluminescent phosphor which is sensitive to moisture; nor does it afford protection of the electrodes from contamination or oxidation.
Thus, it is an objection of this invention to provide solutions to the aforesaid production problems, while also providing a new and improved electroluminescent lamp.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In solving the various deficiencies associated with the known electroluminescent devices and their manufacture, this invention presents electroluminescent lamp and process aspects.
As to the process aspect, the invention is characterized by a method for producing flexible EL devices wherein the number of handling and/or coating steps performed on any given plastic substrate is significantly reduced, and wherein registration problems are confined to those layers which are least expensive to produce.
As to the electroluminescent lamp aspect of the invention, the lamps produced in accordance with the method of the present invention have excellent dimensional stability, afford excellent protection of the busbar and back electrode from oxidation, and provide a highly flexible structure from which lamps can be cut, stamped, perforated, and printed upon without any additional surface treatment, while at the same time providing lamps having an extremely long operating life and a high illumination level.
In a preferred embodiment, one major surface of a first thin plastic dielectric substrate is coated with an electroluminescent phosphor. Although the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,353 discloses a preferred coating technique, any other suitable technique may be employed. A thin transparent, semi-transparent, or translucent (herein "light-transmissive") layer of electrically conductive material, which serves as a front electrode, is then applied over the exposed surface of the electroluminescent phosphor layer.
A second flexible, light-transmissive, thin gauge plastic substrate is then, optionally, coated in an independent operation on at least a part of one major surface thereof with a suitable light-transmissive adhesive layer, preferably of the heat
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McManus Eugene W.
Sharpless Edward N.
Electroluminscent Technologies Corporation
Knapp Jeffrey T.
Seidel Richard K.
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