Patent ID: 6050010
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: G09F

Abstract:
An internally illuminatable card, comprising:(a) an electroluminescent panel;(b) an image overlay on a surface of the electroluminescent panel;(c) a plurality of power contacts in electrical communication with the electroluminescent panel and located on the card so that electrical energy sufficient to illuminate the electroluminescent panel and the image overlay can be selectively coupled to the card; and(d) a card switch terminal located on the card such that electrical energy sufficient to illuminate the electroluminescent panel and the image overlay can be selectively coupled to the electroluminescent panel through the power contacts when enabled by the card switch terminal,wherein the power contacts are accessible from at least one surface of the card and are located adjacent to an edge of the card, and the card switch terminal is located on at least one surface of the card proximal to the edge of the card such that the card switch terminal is farther from the edge than the power contacts, so that when the card is inserted into a card lighter, the power contacts touch corresponding lighter contacts in the card lighter before the card switch terminal touches corresponding lighter switch terminals in the card lighter, and so that when the card is removed from the card lighter, the power contacts separate from the corresponding lighter contacts in the card lighter after the lighter switch terminal has separated from the lighter switch terminals in the card lighter.