Patent EA-000441-B1 (EA)
Title: Electroluminescent filament
Inventor: FELDMAN MICHAEL C
IPC: H05B33/00
Filed: 1996-12-20
Abstract: 1. An electroluminescent filament comprising: (a) a multi-strand core conductor; (b) a first insulating layer surrounding the multi-strand core conductor; (c) a luminescing layer surrounding the first insulating layer; (d) a second insulating layer surrounding the luminescing layer; and (e) a braided outer electrode embedded in the second insulating layer; wherein the electroluminescent filament has an outside diameter of no more than about 0.02 inches (about 0.51mm). 2. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 1, wherein the outer electrode covers about 50% of the surface of the luminescing layer. 3. An electroluminescent filament comprising: a multi-strand core conductor; a luminescing layer surrounding the multi-strand core conductor; and a braided outer electrode surrounding the multi-strand core conductor. 4. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 3, wherein the braided outer electrode is embedded in the luminescing layer. 5. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 4, further comprising an outer insulation layer surrounding the luminescing layer. 6. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 3, wherein the braided outer electrode surrounds the luminescing layer. 7. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 6, further comprising an outer insulation layer surrounding the luminescing layer, and wherein the braided outer electrode is embedded in the outer insulation layer. 8. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 3, further comprising an insulation layer disposed between the multi-strand core conductor and the luminescing layer. 9. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 3, further comprising an adhesion interlayer between any two of the layers. 10. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 3, wherein the luminescing layer comprises a phosphor. 11. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 10, wherein the phosphor comprises a zincsulfide encapsulated phosphor and an activator selected from the group consisting of copper, manganese and mixtures thereof. 12. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 3, further comprising a first dielectric braid embedded in the luminescing layer. 13. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 5, further comprising a second dielectric braid embedded in the outer insulation layer. 14. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 7, further comprising a second dielectric braid embedded in the outer insulation layer. 15. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 3, wherein the outer electrode comprises an elongated oriented polymer material. 16. An electroluminescent filament comprising: a core conductor; a luminescing layer surrounding the core conductor; and a foraminous outer electrode surrounding the core conductor. 17. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 16, wherein the foraminous outer electrode is a braided outer electrode. 18. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 16, wherein the foraminous outer electrode is embedded in the luminescing layer. 19. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 16, wherein the foraminous outer electrode surrounds the luminescing layer. 20. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 16, wherein the core conductor is a multi-strand core conductor. 21. An electroluminescent filament made by the process comprising the steps of: (a) providing a core conductor; (b) coating the core conductor with a luminescing layer; and (c) braiding an outer electrode over the luminescing layer. 22. The electrolumihescent filament of Claim 21, wherein the process further comprises the step of coating the electroluminescent filament with an outer insulating layer after the outer electrode has been braided over the luminescing layer. 23. The electroluminescent filament of Claim 21, wherein the core conductor comprises a multi-strand conductor surrounded by a inner insulating layer. 24. An electroluminescent filament, comprising: (a) a core conductor; (b) a luminescing layer at least partially surrounding the core conductor; and (c) two or more individually addressable electrodes disposed around the core conductor. 25. The electroluminescent filament according to Claim 24, wherein the individually addressable electrodes are insulated from one another. 26. The electroluminescent filament according to Claim 25, wherein the individually addressable electrodes are braided together to form an outer electrode. 27. The electroluminescent filament according to Claim 24, further comprising means for connecting the individually addressable electrodes to two or more power inputs. 28. The electroluminescent filament according to Claim 24, wherein the core conductor is a multi-strand conductor. 29. The electroluminescent filament according to Claim 24, wherein the individually addressable electrodes are embedded in the luminescing layer. 30. The electroluminescent filament to Claim 24, wherein the individually addressable electrodes are disposed surrounding the luminescing layer. 31. The electroluminescent filament according to Claim 24, further comprising an insulating layer surrounding the luminescing layer. 32. The electroluminescent filament according to Claim 31, wherein the individually addressable electrodes are embedded in the insulating layer. 33. The electroluminescent filament according to Claim 24, further comprising an inner insulating layer disposed between the core conductor and the luminescing layer. 34. An electroluminescent filament, comprising: (a) a multi-strand core conductor; (b) an inner insulating layer at least partially surrounding the core conductor; (c) a luminescing layer at least partially surrounding the inner insulating layer; (d) an outer insulating layer at least partially surrounding the luminescing layer; and (e) two or more individually addressable electrodes braided together and embedded in the outer insulating layer. 35. The electroluminescent filament according to Claim 34, further comprising means for applying a voltage difference between the core conductor and a first subset of the individually addressable electrodes, and for applying a voltage difference between the core conductor and a second subset of the individually addressable electrodes.