EP1261238A2 - Elektrolumineszenslampe - Google Patents

Elektrolumineszenslampe Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1261238A2
EP1261238A2 EP02253660A EP02253660A EP1261238A2 EP 1261238 A2 EP1261238 A2 EP 1261238A2 EP 02253660 A EP02253660 A EP 02253660A EP 02253660 A EP02253660 A EP 02253660A EP 1261238 A2 EP1261238 A2 EP 1261238A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
electrode
conductive layer
lamp
electrically conductive
insulating material
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP02253660A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1261238A3 (de
Inventor
Peter Walker
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Elumin Ltd
Original Assignee
Elumin Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Elumin Ltd filed Critical Elumin Ltd
Publication of EP1261238A2 publication Critical patent/EP1261238A2/de
Publication of EP1261238A3 publication Critical patent/EP1261238A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B33/00—Electroluminescent light sources
    • H05B33/02—Details
    • H05B33/06—Electrode terminals

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to electroluminescent displays, and more particularly, but not exclusively to an improved method for making solder connections to electroluminescent lamps.
  • Electroluminescence light when acted upon by an electric field by an effect known as electroluminescence.
  • the electroluminescent light is emitted as a result of interaction between the phosphor and the electric field, and is not due to secondary effects such as chemical changes of ultraviolet light.
  • a device employing this phenomenon comprises a phosphor layer and a dielectric layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. When a sufficiently high alternating potential is applied across the electrodes, leaking current through the dielectric layer will cause the phosphor to emit light. Different phosphors may be selected to emit light of different colours.
  • Electroluminescence may be used in the production of low power, flat panel light sources. An advantage of such light sources is that they remain cool to the touch, even after many hours' operation.
  • One known type of electroluminescent light source is a strip, which may be useful for emergency lighting or in decorative applications. Such strips have the general form illustrated in Figures 1 to 3.
  • a pair of electrodes 2, 4 is spaced laterally from another by a gap 6. Both electrodes 2, 4 are in contact with the back side of a dielectric layer 8.
  • a dielectric layer 8 On the front side of the dielectric layer 8 is a phosphor layer 10 (containing ZnS).
  • a transparent front layer 12 In front of the phosphor layer 10 and in contact with it is a transparent front layer 12, which comprises a transparent, conductive front electrode.
  • a suitable voltage is applied between the pair of back electrodes, for example (as illustrated) with electrode 2 positive and electrode 4 negative
  • a small current flows in the direction shown generally by arrow 14 from the back electrode through the dielectric layer 8 and the phosphor layer 10 to the conductive front electrode 12.
  • a return current flows in the direction generally shown by arrow 16 from the conductive front electrode 12 through the phosphor layer 10 and the dielectric layer 8 to the back electrode 4.
  • the flow of current causes the phosphor layer to emit light through the phenomenon of electroluminescence and the light thus generated is visible through the transparent front layer as shown by arrows 18.
  • the back electrodes are sufficiently conductive and that a suitable power source is chosen to match the length of the strip when the power source is connected between a pair of terminals (not illustrated) on the respective back electrodes 2, 4 at one end of the strip, light will be emitted uniformly along the length of the strip from areas of the phosphor layer 10 corresponding to the width of the two back electrodes 2, 4.
  • the current flows in the opposite direction to that shown by arrows 14, 16 but again the phosphor emits light through electroluminescence.
  • a typical electroluminescent strip may operate at 110 volts and a frequency of 400 hertz, but a range of frequencies from mains frequency (50Hz) to 5kHz or more can be accommodated for different applications.
  • An alternative way to induce a current that will generate electroluminescence is by applying radio waves of a suitable frequency.
  • a single sheet of aluminium foil is used as a base and upon this is deposited a ceramic to form the dielectric layer 8.
  • the transparent, conductive front layer 12 is deposited on top of the ceramic layer 8 on top of the ceramic layer 8 on top of the ceramic layer 8 on top of the ceramic layer 8.
  • This may, for example, be a thin layer of transparent, conductive indium tin oxide supported on another suitable transparent material.
  • the assembly is cut into strips destined to become individual lighting strips.
  • the gap 6 between them must be created by etching or scoring away the metal foil layer in a continuous line along the exact centre of the strip.
  • Figure 4 shows an alternative arrangement of prior electroluminescent display.
  • Figure 4 shows a cross section view of a typical parallel plate electroluminescent lamp.
  • a wire 21 is soldered 22 to a tin plated copper strip 23 that has been applied to the top electrode 24 of the electroluminescent lamp.
  • the phosphor layer 25 is also shown.
  • the tin plated copper strip is normally used to provide a good surface to solder and to protect the lamp from the high temperatures of the soldering process.
  • An object of this invention is to provide an effective solder joint to the electroluminescent lamp without causing any damage to the delicate structure of the materials used in the construction of the lamp.
  • an electroluminescent lamp including a light emitting portion and electrode means for applying an electric field to the light emitting portion, an electrode of said electrode means having an electrically conductive layer formed thereover for attachment to power supply means, wherein a heat insulating material is provided between the conductive layer and the electrode.
  • a method of manufacturing an electroluminescent lamp including providing a light emitting portion; providing electrode means for applying an electric field to the light emitting portion; forming a heat insulating material over a portion of an electrode of the electrode means; and forming an electrically conductive layer, for attachment to power supply means, over the heat insulating material and a portion of the electrode.
  • a method of attaching an electroluminescent display to a power supply including providing a heat insulating material over an electrode of the electroluminescent display, forming an electrically conductive layer over the heat insulating material and a portion of the electrode, and attaching electrically conductive means for the power supply to the electrically conductive layer by application of heat.
  • the electrically conductive layer may be electrically connected to the electrode at at least one region where the insulating layer is not present.
  • the conductive layer conveniently attached to the power supply by a solder connection to the electrically conductive layer.
  • a sleeve is advantageously applied over the region of attachment of the conductive layer to the power supply. This may serve to electrically insulate the end of the lamp and to form a stronger physical bond between the wires and the electroluminescent lamp.
  • the sleeve is preferably formed by heat shrinking.
  • the electrically conductive layer still makes a good electrical connection with the electrode.
  • a wire is soldered to the electrically conductive layer, less heat is transferred into the electrode and therefore there is no (or less) damage to the layers below. Also as less heat is conducted away from the electrically conductive layer, the soldering process is quicker and more effective.
  • a small piece of thermal insulating material 30 is applied to the top electrode 4 before the tin plated copper strip 23 is applied.
  • the copper strip 23 still makes good electrical connection with the top electrode 24 at either side of the insulating material 30.
  • a protective polyester sheet 29 is applied over the entire surface of the lamp and must be cut back to expose the area where the soldering of the wire will take place.
  • the clear conductive layer 27 is typically Indium Tin Oxide ITO, which has been sputtered onto the polyester film 28.
  • Figure 5 represents the back of a parallel plate electroluminescent lamp.
  • Thermal insulating material 30 in the form of a thin tape is applied to the printed top electrode 24.
  • Two tin plated copper strips 23 are then applied over the insulating material 30 so that they make good electrical contact with the printed top electrode 24.
  • the outer ring of the printed top electrode 24 is making electrical contact with the clear conductive layer 27 as the phosphor layer 25 and insulating layer 26 are only printed beneath the inside rectangle of the printed top electrode 24.
  • Two wires 21 are soldered 22 in place onto the tin plated copper strips 23 in a position above the insulating material 30. As the wires 21 can be soldered over the active display area of the lamp, there is no need to produce connection tags or other special connection points when producing the electroluminescent lamp.
  • FIG. 7 A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 7. This represents one end of a long, thin split electrode electroluminescent lamp also known as an electroluminescent strip lamp.
  • Thermal insulating material 30 in the form of a thin tape is applied to the printed top electrodes 24.
  • Two tin plated copper strips 23 are than applied over the insulating material 30 so that they make good electrical contact with the printed top electrodes 24.
  • Both top and bottom surfaces of the lamp are covered with a polyester film 29 with must be peeled back to allow for the solder connections to be made.
  • Two wires 21 are soldered 22 in place onto the tin plated copper strips 23 in a position above the insulating material 30. This arrangement allows the wires 21 to be soldered over the active display area of the lamp.
  • a clear heat shrink sleeve 31 is applied to electrically insulate the end of the lamp and to form a stronger physical bond between the wires and the electroluminescent lamp.

Landscapes

  • Electroluminescent Light Sources (AREA)
EP02253660A 2001-05-24 2002-05-23 Elektrolumineszenslampe Withdrawn EP1261238A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0112677A GB0112677D0 (en) 2001-05-24 2001-05-24 Electroluminescent lamps
GB0112677 2001-05-24

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1261238A2 true EP1261238A2 (de) 2002-11-27
EP1261238A3 EP1261238A3 (de) 2005-04-20

Family

ID=9915227

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP02253660A Withdrawn EP1261238A3 (de) 2001-05-24 2002-05-23 Elektrolumineszenslampe

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1261238A3 (de)
GB (1) GB0112677D0 (de)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB992945A (en) * 1960-04-09 1965-05-26 Hitachi Ltd Solid light amplifying apparatus
DE3638858A1 (de) * 1985-11-15 1987-05-21 Alps Electric Co Ltd Elektrolumineszenzvorrichtung
US5416622A (en) * 1993-02-01 1995-05-16 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Electrical connector

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB992945A (en) * 1960-04-09 1965-05-26 Hitachi Ltd Solid light amplifying apparatus
DE3638858A1 (de) * 1985-11-15 1987-05-21 Alps Electric Co Ltd Elektrolumineszenzvorrichtung
US5416622A (en) * 1993-02-01 1995-05-16 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Electrical connector

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0112677D0 (en) 2001-07-18
EP1261238A3 (de) 2005-04-20

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