JP2000047638A - Electro-luminescence device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an electro-luminescence(EL) device in which the number of connecting lines is reduced as much as possible, the wiring is made free, and the cost is reduced. SOLUTION: Independent light emitting sections A1, A2...An of an EL device and the inverters, which are the driving sections for the emitting sections, are linked by connecting lines and the EL device emits light by applying AC voltages thereto from the inverters. Upper section electrodes U1, U2...Un and lower section electrodes L1,L2...Ln are independently provided for the sections A1, A2...An of the EL. Then, electrical connections are respectively made for the electrode U1 of the section A1 and the electrode Ln of the section An, the electrode U2 of the section A2 and the electrode L1 of the section A1 and finally the electrode Un of the section An and a lower section electrode Ln-1 of a light emitting section An-1. Then, power supply input sections a1, a2...'an' are respectively provided for the connected electrodes. Thus, one connecting line is eliminated and the wiring of the bundled up connecting lines is made free. Moreover, the cost is reduced by the reduction in the number of connecting lines.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plurality of independent light emitting units which are connected by connecting an electroluminescence (hereinafter abbreviated as EL) which is a light emitting unit and an inverter which is a driving unit thereof by connecting lines such as lead wires. The present invention relates to an EL device that emits light.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in a device using many ELs, an EL which is a light emitting unit and an inverter which is a driving unit thereof are arranged at different places, and the EL and the inverter are connected by connecting lines such as lead wires. Used. The connection wire is required to be flexible depending on the application and to be able to freely change the layout of the connection wire. For example, when an EL is attached to a Christmas tree, stage costume, etc., and the light emission part of the EL is sequentially changed to make the movement appear, or when the emission color is changed to show some kind of display, the inverter is placed in another specific place. It is desirable to have a connection line that can be arranged freely and routed freely. If there are a plurality of light emitting parts, many connection lines are required accordingly. These connection lines are bundled and connected to the inverter. However, as the number of the bundled connection lines increases, the rigidity appears and the freedom of routing is limited.

[0003] A conventional EL has three or more light-emitting portions, and this light-emitting portion is a general EL in which light emission sequentially changes.
FIG. 6 shows the structure of the L device. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an EL device having three light emitting units.

In FIG. 6, an EL device 10 has three light emitting units A1, A2, A3.
Each of A3 has an upper electrode 2 (solid line in the figure),
From the upper electrode 2, input terminals a1, a2, a3 for respective power inputs are formed.

A lower electrode 5 (shown by a dotted line in the figure) is provided on the lower surface side of the light emitting portions A1, A2, A3, and the lower electrode 5 extends over the entire light emitting portions A1, A2, A3. The input terminal a4 is formed from a part of the input terminal a4.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of each light emitting section. In FIG. 7, the light emitting unit A1 (A2, A3) has a structure in which an upper electrode 2, a light emitting body 3, a dielectric 4, and a lower electrode 5 are laminated on the lower surface side of a transparent film 1 and covered with an insulating moisture-proof film 6. is there. The upper electrode 2 has a structure in which one end is drawn out to form input terminals a1, a2, and a3. Here, the upper electrodes 2 are light emitting units A1, A2, A
The transparent film 1, the luminous body 3, the dielectric 4, the lower electrode 5, and the insulating and moisture-proof film 6 are provided on the entire surface across the light-emitting portions A1, A2, and A3. Have been.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a connection circuit between the EL light emitting unit side and the drive circuit side. In FIG. 8, the lower electrode 5
Is connected to an AC power supply, and the light emitting unit A
1, A2, and A3 upper electrodes 2 (U1, U2, U
In the input terminals a1, a2, a3 of 3), three switch circuits (S1, S2, S3) for grounding are provided on the drive circuit side.

In the above EL device, the light emitting units A1, A2,
The structure in which the light emission of A3 changes sequentially is performed by repeatedly turning on and off the three switch circuits S1, S2, and S3.

When the ground is connected to the power input unit a1 in the switch circuit S1 of the light emitting unit A1, a current flows through the upper electrode 2 (U1) and the lower electrode 5 (L) of the light emitting unit A1, so that the light emitting unit A1 is connected. Emits very bright light. On the other hand, the light emitting unit A
The switch circuits S2 and S3 of A3 and A3 are in the OFF state, and the power input portions a2 and a3 are not connected to the ground. The upper electrodes 2 (U2, U3) of the light emitting units A2, A3 are
Although a current from the ground does not flow, a current flowing in the lower electrode 5 (L) is inductive and a minute current flows. For this reason, the light emitting portions A2 and A3 cause a slight light emission phenomenon in which the light emission luminance is extremely low. However, since the light emitting unit A1 emits light very brightly, the light emitting units A2 and A3 appear to be inconspicuous. Similarly, when the switch circuit S2 of the light emitting unit A2 connects the ground to the power input unit a2 and turns off the switch circuits S1 and S3 of the light emitting units A1 and A3, the light emitting unit A2 is turned off.
Only 2 appears to be emitting light. As described above, by sequentially switching the switches of the switch circuit, the light emitting unit is sequentially changed to emit light.

In the conventional structure described above, since four input terminals are provided, four connection lines to the inverter are required. Recently, Christmas trees and stage costumes
L is used to display a movement in which the light-emitting portion is sequentially changed, such as at night, or to change the light-emitting color sequentially to make the decoration look rich. In such a case, the EL is provided at a required place visible from the surface, and the driving inverter is set and used at an invisible place. Then, the EL and the inverter are connected by a connection line, and the connection line is disposed as far as possible through a place that cannot be seen on the surface. At this time, the connection line is desirable because it is soft and as thin as possible.

[0011]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems.
That is, a conventional EL device having three light emitting units requires four connection lines, and a conventional EL device having six light emitting units has exactly the same structure and requires seven connection lines. That is, the number of connection lines is required to be one more than the number of light emitting units. When the number of connection lines increases as described above, a problem arises in that, when the connection lines are bundled and routed, the overall thickness becomes thicker, which also restricts the free routing. In addition, the cost increases because the number of connection lines increases. In the above-described conventional technique, a four-core connecting wire is used, and there is a problem that the wire becomes thicker and harder at the same time, and there is a restriction in the free routing.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an EL device which can reduce the number of connecting wires as much as possible, enable free routing, and reduce costs.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, an electroluminescent device according to the present invention comprises:
An electroluminescence device having independent light-emitting portions A1, A2, A3,... An, each light-emitting portion being sandwiched between an upper electrode and a lower electrode, and applying a voltage from a drive circuit to cause the light-emitting portions to emit light. , An upper electrode U1, U2, U3... Un and a lower electrode L1, L2, L3... Ln are provided independently for each of the electroluminescent light emitting portions A1, A2, A3. Light emitting unit A
1, the upper electrode U2 of the light emitting unit A2, the lower electrode L1 of the light emitting unit A2, the upper electrode U2 of the light emitting unit A2, and the lower electrode L2 of the light emitting unit A2. , ... the upper electrode Un of the light emitting unit An and the light emitting unit A
n-1 lower electrodes Ln-1 are electrically connected to each other, and power supply input sections a1, a2,
a3... an are provided respectively.

A power supply or a ground may be connected to the power supply input section a1 or a2 on the side of the electroluminescence drive circuit.
Or a3 or... Or an and a switch circuit for connecting a ground or a power supply to the power input section a1, a2 or a3 or. It is.

The power supply input sections a1, a2, a3,.
And a switch circuit for connecting the power supply to the power supply, the ground, or free (conducts nowhere).

Further, the independent light emitting units A1, A2, A
3. An is characterized in that light emission sequentially changes in a desired order.

Further, the independent light emitting units A1, A2, A
3... An is characterized in that one or a plurality of desired lights are emitted simultaneously.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An EL device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1, 2 and 3 are:
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an EL device having three or more light emitting units according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a connection circuit between an L light emitting unit side and a drive circuit side. FIG. 3 is a graph showing EL based on a signal from a counter circuit.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating ON / OFF states of a lighting power supply.

FIG. 1 shows the pattern formation of the upper electrode 2 (transparent electrode) and the lower electrode 5 (back electrode) of the EL. Independent light emitting units A1, A2, A
The upper electrodes 2 of 3... An are independently provided, and form U1, U2, U3. Each of the upper electrodes U1, U2, U3,... Un forms a power input portion a1, a2, a3,. The lower electrodes 5 of the light emitting units A1, A2, A3,... An correspond to the upper electrodes U1, U2, U3,.
L provided independently of each other at a position facing Un
1, L2, L3,... Ln are formed. Then, the conduction pattern is routed from a part of the end of each of the lower electrodes L1, L2, L3,.
The lower electrode L at the locations of 1, a2, a3,.
1 is an upper electrode U2, a lower electrode L2 is an upper electrode U3,
The lower electrode L3 is electrically connected to the upper electrode L4.
The last lower electrode Ln is connected to and electrically connected to the upper electrode U1. Although the luminous body and the dielectric are omitted in the figure, the luminous parts A1, A2,
A3... An are provided over the entire surface.

Next, in FIG. 2, a switch circuit 7 in which an AC power supply is connected to the power input unit a1, a2, a3,... Or an, and a ground is the power input unit a1, a2, a3,. Or switch circuit 8 connected to an
Is provided. Further, as described with reference to FIG. 3, an AC power supply and a ground are not simultaneously connected to the power input sections a1, a2,.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific configuration of FIG. In FIG. 3, when a rectangular wave signal having a constant frequency is output by the transmission circuit 9, an EL emission signal is output by the counter circuit 10 at every constant multiple of the transmission signal. Each EL1, EL
2, EL3... Two transistors (Ta1, Tb1 or Ta2, Tb2 or Tb) based on a signal from a counter circuit 10 that outputs a constant multiple signal determined for each ELn.
a3, Tb3... Tan, Tbn) circuit is turned on, a current flows, and the EL is turned on. Therefore, the desired light emitting portions can be sequentially shifted to emit light, and the AC power source and the ground are not connected to the power input portions a1, a2,... An at the same time.

In the above structure, if an AC power supply is connected to the power input section a1 provided in the light emitting section A1 and a ground is connected to the power input section a2 provided in the light emitting section A2, The power supply is connected to the upper electrode U1 of the light emitting unit A1 and the lower electrode Ln of the light emitting unit An. On the other hand, the ground is connected to the upper electrode U2 of the light emitting unit A2 and the lower electrode L1 of the light emitting unit A1. Then, the light emitting section A1 in which the current has flowed to both the upper electrode U1 and the lower electrode L1 emits light with high luminance, and the lower electrode Ln or the lower electrode Ln connected to the upper electrode U1.
The light-emitting portions A2, A3,... An in which a current flows only to any one of the upper electrodes U2 connected to the light-emitting portion A1 emit light at a very low luminance. Appears to be emitting light.

Similarly, when an AC power source is connected to the power input unit a2 provided in the light emitting unit A2 and the ground is connected to the power input unit a3 provided in the light emitting unit A3, the light emitting unit A2
Only it appears to be emitting light.

Similarly, when an AC power source is connected to the power input portion an provided in the light emitting portion A1 and the ground is connected to the power input portion a1 provided in the light emitting portion An, only the light emitting portion An emits light. Looks like you're doing it.

As described above, by sequentially switching the ground to the switch circuit 7 and the switch circuit 8, the light emitting section is sequentially switched to emit light. In the present embodiment, the AC power supply is supplied to the switch circuit 7 and the ground is supplied to the switch circuit 8. On the contrary, the switch circuit 7 is supplied with the ground and the switch circuit 8 is supplied with the AC power. Even so, the same result can be obtained. The order of light emission of the light emitting units can be freely set by the design of the switch circuit.

With the above structure, the number of connection lines between the EL light emitting side and the drive circuit side is only required to be equal to the number of power supply input sections. Connection line. In the conventional technique, n + 1 lines are required, and an effect of reducing one line is achieved.

For this reason, in a state in which the connection lines are bundled and arranged around the EL light emitting side and the drive circuit side and separated from each other, the number of connection lines is one less than that of the conventional technology, and therefore, the conventional technology is not used. Softer than the one, and the freedom of routing appears. In addition, as a matter of course, the number of connection lines is one less, so that the cost is reduced.

In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the tn terminal for connecting the power input unit an to the AC power supply and the ta terminal for connecting the power input unit a1 to the ground are not provided. It is also possible to make all the light emitting units emit light. In this case, when the light emitting units A1 to An-1 emit light, the light emitting units A1 to An-1 emit light, and the light emitting units An-1 are turned on.
In order to emit light, an AC power source may be connected to the power input unit a1, and a ground may be connected to the power input unit an. Also,
In this case, the power input units a2, a3, a4,.
A short circuit between the AC power supply and the ground can be prevented by adopting a circuit configuration in which the AC power supply and the ground are not connected at the same time.

FIGS. 4 and 5 relate to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing a connection circuit between the EL light emitting portion side and the drive circuit side. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a connection state of each switch circuit when each light emitting unit emits light.

In FIG. 4, the structure on the EL light emitting side is exactly the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted. As shown in FIG. 3 for the structure of the switch circuit on the drive circuit side, each of the power input sections a1, a2, a3,.
Are connected to the switch circuits S1, S2, S3,... Sn. Each switch circuit is designed to be a circuit in which the AC power supply and the ground are not connected at the same time.

FIG. 5 shows the light emitting units A1, A2, A3,.
The connection state of each switch circuit when An emits light is shown. Here, the light emission of the light emitting section A1 is performed by connecting the power input section a1 to the AC power supply (+), connecting the power input section a2 to the ground (-), and connecting the other power input sections a3.
Emits light with high brightness when is free. Since the lower electrode Ln of the light emitting unit An is integrated with the upper electrode U1 of the light emitting unit A1, it is connected to an AC power supply. or,
The upper electrode U2 of the light emitting unit A2 is connected to the lower electrode L1 of the light emitting unit A1.
It is connected to earth because it is integrated with

The light emitting portion A1 emits light with high brightness because a voltage is applied to the upper and lower electrodes, while the light emitting portion An
The light emitting portion A2 is affected by the current flowing to one of the electrodes, and a small light emission phenomenon with low luminance occurs. However, since the difference in luminance is remarkable, it seems that only the light emitting portion A1 emits light.

It should be noted that even when the ground is connected to the power supply input section a1 and the AC power supply is connected to the power supply input section a2, the light emitting section A1 is connected.
Emits light with high luminance. In addition, the light emission of the light emitting unit A2 is performed when the power input unit a2 is connected to an AC power supply (or ground).
When the power input unit a3 is connected to the ground (or an AC power source) and the other power input units a1, a4,. Hereinafter, the same applies to the light emitting units A3, A4,. Therefore, the setting of the light emission order of the light emitting units and the number of the light emitting units can be achieved by simultaneously connecting one or more desired light emitting units by connecting the switch circuit.

For example, when the light emitting unit A1 and the light emitting unit A2 are simultaneously turned on, the power input units a1 and a3 are connected to an AC power source, the power input unit a2 is connected to the ground, and the other power input units are set free. Just connect. When the light emitting unit A1 and the light emitting unit A3 are simultaneously turned on, the power input unit a1
And a4 are connected to an AC power source, and power input units a2 and a3
Should be connected to ground, and the other power input section should be connected free. Further, when the light emitting units A1 to A3 are simultaneously turned on, the power input units a1 and a3 are connected to an AC power supply,
The power input sections a2 and a4 may be connected to the ground, and the other power input sections may be connected freely.

Also in the second embodiment, the number of connection lines to the inverter is reduced by one compared with the prior art, and the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0036]

As described above, the number of connection wires is one less than that of the prior art, and the number of connection wires is reduced, and the hardness of the bundled connection wires is reduced, so that the connection wires can be used for routing. The degree of freedom comes out. Also, the cost is reduced by the reduced number of connection lines.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an EL device having three or more light emitting units according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a connection circuit between an EL light emitting unit side and a drive circuit side in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows ON / O of an EL power supply based on a signal from a counter circuit by a transistor corresponding to each EL.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating an FF.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing a connection circuit between an EL light emitting unit side and a drive circuit side according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a connection state of each switch circuit when each light emitting unit emits light.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional EL device having three light emitting units.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional light emitting unit.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a conventional connection circuit between an EL light emitting unit side and a drive circuit side.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2, U1, U2, U3... Un Upper electrode 3, A1, A2, A3... An Light emitting unit 5, L1, L2, L3. Switch circuit a1, a2, a3... An Power input section 9 Oscillator circuit 10 Counter circuit

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Muneo Kitamura 2666-6, Funatsu, Kawaguchiko-machi, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi F-term (reference) in Kawaguchiko Precision Co., Ltd. 3K007 AB00 AB05 AB18 CB01 GA00 GA01 5C080 AA06 BB09 CC01 DD23 EE25 FF02 FF09 JJ02 JJ03 JJ06

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. Independent light emitting units A1, A2, A3,.
An electroluminescence device that includes An and emits light when the light emitting unit emits light by applying a voltage from a driving circuit while sandwiching each light emitting unit between an upper electrode and a lower electrode, wherein each of the light emitting units A1 and A2 of the electroluminescence is provided. , A
3... For each An, upper electrodes U1, U2, U3.
n and the lower electrodes L1, L2, L3... Ln are provided independently, and the upper electrode U1 of the light emitting unit A1 and the lower electrode Ln of the light emitting unit An are connected to the upper electrode U2 of the light emitting unit A2 and the lower part of the light emitting unit A1. The electrode L1 is electrically connected to the upper electrode U3 of the light emitting unit A3 and the lower electrode L2 of the light emitting unit A2,..., The upper electrode Un of the light emitting unit An and the lower electrode Ln-1 of the light emitting unit An-1 are electrically connected to each other. , And the power supply input sections a1, a2, a3,... An are respectively provided to the connected electrodes. 2. A switch circuit for connecting a power supply or a ground to a power input unit a1, a2, a3,... Or an, and a ground or a power supply connected to the power input units a1, a2 on the electroluminescence driving circuit side. 2. The electroluminescent device according to claim 1, further comprising a switch circuit connected to a3, a3,... Or an. 3. A switch circuit for connecting each of the power supply input sections a1, a2, a3... An to a power supply or a ground or to a free state (no conduction to any part) is provided on the electroluminescence drive circuit side. The electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein 4. The independent light emitting units A1, A2, A3.
The electroluminescent device according to claim 1, wherein An emits light sequentially in a desired order. 5. The independent light emitting units A1, A2, A3.
The electroluminescent device according to claim 1 or 3, wherein one or a plurality of desired An emits light simultaneously.