Patent ID: 6527400
Filing Date: 2003-03-04
Classification: H05B

Abstract:
An electroluminescent supplementary lighting device having three-dimensional configuration, comprising:an electroluminescent panel whose construction includes front and back electrically conductive layers with an electroluminescent phosphor layer and a dielectric layer disposed therebetween; a housing having a substantially planar rear wall through which a pair of electrical prongs protrude for placement into mating slots of an AC power receptacle; and a translucent front face which protrudes forwardly away from said substantially planar rear wall so as to define an enclosed volume between said substantially planar rear wall and said front face; wherein said electrical prongs extend through said substantially planar rear wall and into said enclosed volume; wherein said electroluminescent panel has a predetermined shape, and wherein at least one electrical connection to each of said front and back electrically conductive layers is made; wherein electrically conductive leads extend away from said electrical connection for each of said front and back electrically conductive layers, and said electrically conductive leads have sufficient length and flexibility so that they extend into said enclosed volume for electrical connection to said electrical prongs within said enclosed volume; wherein said translucent front face has edges thereof which terminate at the edges of said substantially planar rear wall, and wherein adjacent edges of said translucent front face and of said substantially planar rear wall are attached one to the other; wherein said electroluminescent panel is configured so that at least said one side edge is placed in the region where an edge of said translucent front face is attached to an edge of said substantially planar rear wall; and wherein said electroluminescent panel protrudes forwardly away from said at least one side edge so as to be contiguous to at least a major portion of said translucent front face.