Patent Application
20080084686
The present invention relates to an electroluminescent unit comprising an energy source, an electronic drive, and at least one electroluminescent film in a transparent sheath.
For the purposes of the present invention, an “electroluminescent unit” should be understood as meaning an arrangement which has the components required for operation of an electroluminescent film or films, has the electroluminescent film or films, and has a transparent sheath which sheathes all of the components as well as the electroluminescent films jointly.
The components which are required for operation of the electroluminescent film or films, such as
An illuminated article may comprise the electroluminescent unit according to the invention.
The electroluminescent unit according to the invention may be weather-resistant and watertight, and can be fitted to, or integrated in, objects of all types in a simple manner.
In one embodiment, there is no need for discrete and/or additional laying, attachment and/or integration of the connecting cables between the components of the electroluminescent unit according to the invention on or in the material of the illuminated article according to the invention, which saves costs. The illuminated article according to the invention may consist entirely of the electroluminescent unit according to the invention, which gives an illuminated article such as this particular visual appeal during use.
The subject matter of the present invention will be described by way of example in the following text without being intended to be restricted to this.
The electroluminescent unit according to the invention may have one or more electroluminescent films. If the electroluminescent unit has a plurality of films, then the shapes of the electroluminescent films may be the same or different. The electroluminescent films may be arranged one above the other or alongside one another. This makes it possible to represent different symbols, shapes or images. The shape of the film of the electroluminescent unit according to the invention may, for example, be chosen from the group of symbols, geometric shapes, images, written characters or a combination of these shapes. The symbols may be chosen from the group of icons, company logos, information signs, stylized images, direction signs, in which case the direction signs may be chosen from arrows, or a combination of these symbols.
It is preferable for the shapes to be provided from cut-out electroluminescent films or electroluminescent films printed with a translucent or opaque ink, or translucent or opaque inks.
The electroluminescent films for the electroluminescent unit may preferably have illuminated colored layers with colors chosen from red, yellow, green, blue or a combination of these colors or shades in between these colors or shades obtained by mixing of these colors, with the colors being the same or different. It is particularly preferable for the electroluminescent films of the electroluminescent unit to have illuminated colored layers of any color, in which case the color may be obtained by additive mixing of the primary colors red, green and blue. Furthermore, the colors of the electroluminescent films can particularly preferably be chosen to be different, with these films being arranged one above the other. This allows symbols of different colors to be presented.
The distances between electroluminescent films which are arranged alongside one another may be the same or different. The distances between electroluminescent films which are arranged above one another may be the same or different. Such distance may be obtained by the use of one or more spacers.
Any suitable energy source may be used as the energy source. Batteries, photovoltaic cells or combinations of them can preferably be used. The energy source of the electroluminescent unit according to the invention can preferably be chosen from non-rechargeable batteries or rechargeable batteries, chosen from the group of NiCd batteries, NiMH batteries, lithium-ion batteries, photovoltaic cells, or a combination of these energy sources. It is particularly advantageous for the energy source to be a rechargeable battery, for example a lithium-ion battery. It is very particularly advantageous for the energy source to be a rechargeable battery, preferably a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, in conjunction with a photovoltaic cell via which the battery can be charged again from incident daylight or artificial light. Furthermore, it may be very particularly advantageous for the battery or the rechargeable battery to have a flat shape, in which case the thickness of the battery or of the rechargeable battery can be chosen to be from 0.5 to 10 mm, preferably from 1 to 8 mm, and particularly preferably from 3 to 6 mm.
The electronic drive for the electroluminescent unit may have an inverter and induction charging unit. The advantage of this electronic drive is that the electroluminescent unit can be recharged by means of induction charging, while at the same time ensuring the portability of this electroluminescent unit and improving the availability of the electroluminescent unit in comparison to a conventional electroluminescent unit. It is particularly advantageous for the electronic drive for the electroluminescent unit according to the invention to have a rechargeable battery, preferably lithium-ion battery, in conjunction with a photovoltaic cell and induction charging. Furthermore, it is particularly advantageous for the type of electronic drive for the electroluminescent unit according to the invention to be chosen from a miniaturized shape, preferably a flat miniaturized shape, in which case the thickness of this electronic drive may be chosen to be from 0.5 to 10 mm, preferably from 1 to 8 mm, and particularly preferably from 3 to 6 mm.
It may also be advantageous for the electronic ON/OFF switch for the electronic drive for the electroluminescent unit according to the invention to have a sensor, preferably a heat-sensitive, light-sensitive, pressure-sensitive or acceleration-sensitive sensor, by means of which the electroluminescent unit according to the invention can be activated and deactivated.
It may also be advantageous for the electronic drive for the electroluminescent unit according to the invention to have a circuit by means of which the electroluminescent unit according to the invention can be activated and deactivated in an automatically changing form, in which case the electroluminescent film or the electroluminescent films for the electroluminescent unit according to the invention may emit light on a flashing cycle. If the electroluminescent unit according to the invention has a plurality of electroluminescent films, it may also be advantageous to have the capability of the flashing cycles of the electroluminescent films to be the same or different.
The sheath for the electroluminescent unit according to the invention is a transparent plastic layer. This transparent plastic layer can optionally be chosen from the group of transparent polymers. The sheath for the electroluminescent unit may preferably have or comprise polypropylene, polyethylene, polymethyl methacrylate or a combination of these polymers.
The sheath may be provided by heat sealing, adhesively bonding, winding or encapsulating the electroluminescent unit in a transparent plastic layer. The transparent plastic layer may have a thickness over the electroluminescent film or over each electroluminescent film of from 0.01 to 5 mm, preferably from 0.02 to 4 mm, furthermore preferably from 0.03 to 3 mm, particularly preferably from 0.05 to 1 mm, and very particularly preferably from 0.1 to 0.75 mm. The thickness of the transparent plastic layer includes all values and subvalues therebetween, especially including 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4 and 4.5 mm.
It may be advantageous for the transparent plastic film for the electroluminescent unit according to the invention to be chosen from a laminate film, in which case the electroluminescent unit may be heat sealed in between two or more laminate films.
It may also be advantageous for the sheath for the electroluminescent unit to be closed on all sides. At this point and in the following text, the expression a sheath which is “closed on all sides” should be understood as meaning a sheath which sheathes the energy source, the electronic drive, and the electroluminescent film or, if the electroluminescent unit has a plurality of electroluminescent films, the electroluminescent films, in a closed surface.
The electronic components of this electroluminescent unit do not make direct physical contact with the environment. However, other embodiments are possible, which include contact of the electronic units with the environment. The electroluminescent unit is weather-resistant and watertight, particularly if the sheath is closed on all sides. The sheath for the electrical components of this electroluminescent unit is proof against direct contact. In another embodiment, the electroluminescent unit likewise has the further advantage of better mechanical protection than in the conventional units, and the further advantage of longer life and greater operational reliability. In one embodiment, the electroluminescent unit likewise has the advantage of better protection than the conventional units against direct contact with electrically live components.
It may also be advantageous for the sheath of the electroluminescent unit to have a rim. The expression “width of the rim” at this point and in the following text should be understood as meaning the dimension measured on a plane at right angles to the thickness of the transparent plastic layer, above the electroluminescent film. The width of the rim can advantageously be chosen to be from 0.5 mm to 3 cm, preferably from 1 mm to 2 cm, and particularly preferably from 2 mm to 1 cm. The width of the rim includes all values and subvalues therebetween, especially including 1 mm, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1 cm, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 cm.
The subject matter of the present invention also covers an illuminated article, which is characterized in that the illuminated article has or comprises the electroluminescent unit according to the invention.
The illuminated article according to the invention may, for example, be a transport container or an item for everyday use. The illuminated article is not particularly limited.
The illuminated article according to the invention may be chosen from the group comprising bags, satchels, sacks, rucksacks, cases, covers, clothing, sports equipment, underwater boards, books, menu cards, programs, umbrellas, furniture, safety clothing, worktops, machine housings, bodywork, railway partition walls, goods-vehicle casings, tanker wagons, ship hulls, aircraft fuselages, wings, doors and children's toys. The children's toy can advantageously be chosen from the group comprising model aircraft, model cars, items for model kits, doll's houses, model railways and yoyos.
Sporting equipment may, for example, be items of clothing or objects which are worn by skiers, divers, mountain climbers, walkers, for trekking or for jogging, or by cyclists, or be worn as clothing or equipment. Clothing may, for example, be items of clothing for everyday use, as well as fancy dress, theatre costumes, costumes for the visual arts, or recreational clothing.
The illuminated article may also be chosen from schoolbags, cyclists' bags, walking bags, golf bags, shopping bags, or cases, and may also be chosen from the group comprising CD sleeves, HDCD sleeves, DVD sleeves, DVD audio sleeves, record sleeves, compact-disc holders, compact-disc carousels, plastic bags, bottles, shampoo bottles, drinks bottles, bottles for hazardous substances, compressed-gas containers, boilers, suitcases, trunks, cabinets, business cases, bags and handbags.
It may also be advantageous for the material of the illuminated article according to the invention to be sewn, screwed, adhesively bonded, connected by means of Velcro strip, pushed into a tongue and groove connection, plugged in, clamped or welded to the rim of the sheath of the electroluminescent unit. The material for the illuminated article according to the invention may be chosen from the group comprising wood, leather, glass, metal, metal alloy, plastic, rubber, artificial rubber, textile fabric, and/or further electroluminescent units, preferably 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 further electroluminescent units, or a combination of these materials. If the material for the illuminated article is chosen to be a textile fabric, it may be advantageous for this textile fabric to be chosen from fabric, non-woven, knitted fabrics or a combination of these fabrics.
The following illustrations are intended to explain the illuminated article according to the invention in more detail without the intention of restricting the invention to these embodiments.
German patent application 20 2006 015 495.7 filed Oct. 9, 2006, is incorporated herein by reference.
Numerous modifications and variations on the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202006015495.7 | Oct 2006 | DE | national |
