DE29808377U1 - Device with electroluminescent picture element - Google Patents

Description

Boehmert & Boehmert · P.O.B. 10 71 27 · D-28071 Bremen

To the

German Patent Office Zweibrückenstr. 12

80297 Munich

Your sign Your letter

Yourref. Your Letter of

New application (utility model)

DR.-ING. KARL BOEHMERT, PA (isu-im) D1PL.-ING. ALBERT BOEHMERT, PA (19H-Im) WILHELM JH STAHLBERO, RA, BREMEN DR-[NG. WALTER HOORMANN, PA ^- , BREMEN DIPL.-PHYS. DR. HEINZ OODDAR, PA ^- , MÖNCHEN DR.-ING. ROLAND LIESEOANG, PA', Munich WOLF-DIETER KUNTZE, RA, BREMEN, AUCANTE DIPL.-PHYS. ROBERT MONZHUBER, PA (ik5.i»i) DR. LUDWIG KOUKER, RA, BREMEN DR. (CHEM.) ANDREAS WINKLER, PA ^- , Bremen MICHAELA HUTH-DIERIG, RA, monchen DIPL.-PHYS. DR MARION TÖNHARDT, PA ^- , Düsseldorf DR. ANDREAS EBERT-WEIDENFELLER, RA, Bremen DIPL.-ING. EVA LIESEOANG, PA ^- , Berlin

PA - Patent Attorney RA - Attorney at Law * - European Patent Attorney

AUe admitted to represent before the EU Trademark Office, Alicante Professional Representation at the EU-Trademark Office, Alicante

PROF. DR. WILHELM NORDEMANN, RA, Brandenburg DR. AXEL NORDEMANN, RA, Potsdam DR. JAN BERND NORDEMANN, LLM, RA, BEHLlN DIPL.-PHYS. EDUARD BAUMANN, PA ^- , Hohenkirchen DR-ING. GERALD KLÖPSCH, PA ^- , Düsseldorf DR. (CHEM.) HELGA KUTZENBERGER, PA', Düsseldorf DIPL.-INO. HANS W. GROENING, PA ^- , Munich DR. ANKE SCHIERHOLZ, RA, Potsdam DIPL.-ING. DR. JAN TÖNNIES, PA, RA, Kiel DIPL.-PHYS. CHRISTIAN BIEHL, PA ^- , KIEL DIPL.-PHYS. DR. DOROTHEE WEBER-BRULS, PA ^- , FRANKFURT DR.-ING. MATTHIAS PHILIPP, PA', BREMEN DIPL-PHYS. DR. STEFAN SCHOHE, PA ^- , Leipzig MARTIN WtRTZ, RA, Bremen DR. DETMAR SCHÄFER, RA, Bremen DIPL.-CHEM. DR. ROLAND WEIß, PA, Düsseldorf DIPL.-PHYS. DR.-ING. UWE MANASSE, PA, Bremen DR. CHRISTIAN CZYCHOWSKI, RA, Berlin

Bremen

7 May 1998

Stephen S.H. Chen

9/F, Flat B

7-11 Kinberry Road

Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

HongKong

Device with electroluminescent image element

The present invention relates to an electroluminescent picture element device with which a picture element can be made luminous by means of an electroluminescent element, and articles using such a device. The electroluminescent element is powered by a dry battery, and the electroluminescent element emits light by means of a transformer and a circuit which are specially designed. The electroluminescent element can illuminate various images or letters on a picture element evenly and clearly, and the illumination is so mild that it can be easily perceived. The device can be used in many products or advertising elements.

2308/65

Hollerallee 32 · D-28209 Bremen · POB 10 71 27 · D-28071 Bremen · Telephone (04 21) 3 40 90 · Fax (04 21) 3 49 17 68

MUNICH - BREMEN - BERLIN - FRANKFURT - DÜSSELDORF - POTSDAM - BRANDENBURG - HÖHENKIRCHEN - KIEL - LEIPZIG - ALICANTE

e-mail: Postraaster@BoehmertBoehmertde

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

At present, an existing picture element available on the market is generally illuminated with incandescent lamps; and in everyday articles, an electroluminescent element is only used on the surface of a watch, but it is not used in combination with an illuminated picture element or in an everyday article to increase the attraction. In addition, it is not used in promotional articles. In addition, an electroluminescent circuit currently contains a UM4 battery as a power supply, so that the battery life is less than one hour, and no circuit design is known that uses the UM4 battery to make the electroluminescent element sufficiently bright when operated with low electricity. The illumination of an existing picture element with incandescent lamps is only concentrated at one point, which cannot make the picture element emit uniform and harmonious light via electroluminescence.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device with an electroluminescent picture element which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

Furthermore, a badge (tag, pin, badge and the like) and a hat using the device according to the invention are to be supplied.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a device with an electroluminescent element installed on the back of a transparent picture element, a transformer, a transistor, capacitors, resistors, a switch and a battery, wherein the emitter of the transistor is connected to a node between two primary coils of the transformer, another end of a first primary coil is connected to one end of a first capacitor, the other end of the first capacitor is connected to one end of a first resistor, a node between the first resistor and a second capacitor is connected to the base of the transistor, an-

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the junction between a second resistor and the first capacitor connected in parallel thereto is connected to the positive terminal of the battery to connect the collector of the transistor, the negative terminal of the battery is connected to one end of the switch, the other end of the switch is connected to one end of the electroluminescent element, the secondary coil of the transformer connected in parallel thereto and another end of the second primary coil of the transformer.

In order to make the electroluminescent image element flash in a controllable manner, the invention also provides as a further development that a third capacitor, in series with the second resistor, is connected on the one hand to the node between the first primary coil and the first capacitor and on the other hand to the collector of the transistor, and a third resistor is connected between the node between the third capacitor and the second resistor and the node between the first capacitor and the first resistor.

The invention further provides a badge with a device according to the invention, which is characterized in that it comprises a front housing, a front lens, a rear housing, battery contact terminals, a circuit, a battery cover, a transformer cover, a support foot, a safety pin and a pocket clip.

Finally, the invention further provides a hat with a device according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises an upper housing, a lower housing, battery contact terminals, a circuit, a switch, a power cable, a battery and a transformer.

The invention is therefore based on the surprising finding that a device can use an electroluminescent element that is located on the back of a transparent image element, any

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

of any shape, and the electroluminescent element can be used as a light source for illuminating the picture element, wherein the electroluminescent picture element is connected to a circuit, a transformer and a battery housing accommodating a battery, which have a special configuration. Such a device according to the invention can be used in a badge, a hat, such as a sports hat, clothing and the like.

Thus, the present invention uses electroluminescence to make a picture element emit a uniform and mild light that is easily perceived, so that various kinds of pictures, letters and the like on the picture element are shown clearly and distinctly enough to attract people's attention, which is greatly improved over the prior art of illuminating a point via a light bulb. Furthermore, by using the UM4 battery and the specially designed battery circuit and transformer, the life of the battery can be extended to at least six hours to also increase the electroluminescence luminosity, while reducing the volume of the entire device for ease of handling and transportation.

Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the following description, in which embodiments of the invention are explained in detail using schematic drawings. Shown here:

Fig. la is a circuit diagram of a device according to the invention,

Fig. 1b is a circuit diagram of another device according to the invention;

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

Fig. 2a a longitudinal section through a

Badge with a device according to the invention;

Fig. 2b is a cross-section along I-I of Fig. 2b;

Fig. 3a a longitudinal section through a

Sports cap badge with a device according to the invention; and

Fig. 3b is a cross section along II-II of Fig. 3a.

Fig. la shows an electrical circuit in which, in the case of a
closed circuit current a capacitor El via a
Resistor R3 is charged. After the capacitor El is fully charged
it will discharge through the resistors R2 and Rl,
to apply a bias voltage and a bias current to the base of a transistor TR. When current is applied to the base of the transistor TR
flows, thereby facilitating the passage from the collector to the emitter of the
Transistor TR becomes electrically conductive, a large current flows
from the collector to a coil P of a magnet-core transformer
via the emitter. The magnetic flux of the coil P is due to
of the current flow, and another coil F of the transformer induces a voltage due to the change in the magnetic flux.
Such a voltage is fed back to the base of the transistor TR through a capacitor E2, whose main function is to block a direct current, and the resistor Rl to form an oscillator with a fixed frequency. The inductance of the secondary coil S of the magnetic-core transformer
is much larger than that of the primary coil P and the coil F, whereby a small change in the magnetic flux causes the secondary coil
S generates a higher voltage so that an electroluminescent element
EL flashes.

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT ^# "

After the capacitor El has completely discharged, the transistor TR is disconnected, the oscillation stops, the magnetic core transformer has no voltage output and the electroluminescent element EL is switched off so that it does not light up. The circuit works cyclically, with a new cycle being started by recharging the capacitor El.

If the value of the resistor R3 is changed to change the charging time of the capacitor El, the lighting and non-lighting time of the electroluminescent element EL can be controlled. If it is desired to make the lighting time of the electroluminescent element EL longer than the non-lighting time, the value of the resistor R2 should be changed, thereby changing the discharge time of the capacitor El. The longer the discharge time, the longer the lighting time relative to the non-lighting time.

Another circuit according to the invention will now be described with reference to Fig. 1b. When the circuit shown in Fig. 1b is closed, current flows into the base of a transistor TR via a resistor R3, thereby making the transistor electrically conductive, that is, a large amount of current flows through the collector of the transistor TR from the battery V _DC . Since the emitter of the transistor TR is connected to a primary coil P of a transformer, a large amount of current also flows through the primary coil P and changes the magnetic flux of the primary coil P due to the change in current.

A coil F then induces a voltage due to the magnetic change in the flux. Such a voltage is fed back to the base of the transistor TR through a capacitor E2, which prevents direct current flow, and a resistor Rl, to form an oscillator with a fixed frequency. Since the inductance of the secondary coil F of the transformer is much larger than that of the primary coil P and the coil F, even a small change in the magnetic flux can oscillate the coil

BOEHMERT &*BOE"HMERT

- 7 -

j Cause F to generate a higher voltage that drives an electroluminescent element EL to light up.

The difference between the transformer of the device with electroluminescent element according to the invention and a conventional amplification transformer is as follows:

A conventional transformer El-16 used in conventional products is mainly made of silicon steel plates, and the silicon steel plates are only suitable for working under low frequency conditions of about 100 Hz, because at high frequency, the working efficiency of the conventional transformer is low, resulting in a large power loss, the battery life is short, and the required volume is large, namely 1.65 × 15 × 15 mm ³ .

^: The transformer used in the present invention uses ferrite as a magnetic core. Its performance is better than that of a conventional transformer made of silicon steel plates and operates at high frequency conditions of 1 KHz to 20 KHz because the current loss is small, the battery life is significantly longer, its volume and weight are relatively small, namely only 1.35 x 12.7 x 8.1 mm ³ is required. Furthermore, its inner coils are filled with micro particles of wax to improve the insulation between the coils, thus improving the

! To extend the durability of the entire device according to the invention.

Next, with reference to Figs. 2a and 2b, a badge is described which uses a device according to the invention with an electroluminescent element of the present invention and comprises a front housing 1, an electroluminescent element 2, a front lens 3, a rear housing 5, a battery contact terminal (+/-) 5, a UM4 battery 6, another battery contact terminal 7, a battery cover 8, a switch 9, a circuit 10, a top cover 11 for a transformer,

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a support foot 12, a safety pin 13 and a pocket clip 14. The cavity defined by the front housing 1 and the rear housing 4 is used to house the battery 6, the switch 9, the transformer and the circuit 10, etc. In this embodiment, the electroluminescent element 2 will flash when the circuit shown in Fig. 1a is used as the circuit 10 and a power source is connected. When the circuit shown in Fig. 1b is used as the circuit 10 and a power source is connected, the electroluminescent element 2 will only emit light but will not flash.

Figures 3a and 3b show a sports cap badge using the device of the invention with an electroluminescent image element and comprising an upper housing 21 for a device of the invention, a lower housing 22, battery contact terminals 23, 24 and 25, a switching circuit 26, a switch 27, a power supply line 28, an electroluminescent element 29, a UM4 battery 30 and a transformer 31. The cavity defined by the upper housing 21 and the lower housing 22 is used to install the switching circuit 26, the switch 27, the battery 30, the transformer 31, etc. When the switching circuit 26 is equipped with a circuit according to Figures 1a or 1b and is connected to the battery 31, the electroluminescent element 29 will flash or light up without flashing.

The above two embodiments of the present invention are merely typical examples chosen for illustrative purposes, but are not to be seen as a limitation of the present invention. In fact, the device according to the invention can also be used in other products, such as belts, clothing, ornaments and the like.

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, in the drawings and in the claims can be used both individually and in any combination for the

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realization of the invention in its various embodiments be essential.

CM4501 Reference symbol list

Cl capacitor El capacitor E2 capacitor Rl Resistance R2 Resistance R3 Resistance TR transistor P Kitchen sink F Kitchen sink S Kitchen sink ss Switch v _DC Voltage source EL Electroluminescent element 1 front housing 2 Electroluminescent element 3 front lens 4 rear housing 5 Battery contact connection 6 battery 7 Battery contact connection 8th Battery cover 9 Switch 10 Circuit 11 Cover for a transformer 12 Support foot 13 Safety pin 14 Pocket clip 21 upper housing 22 lower housing 23 Battery contact connection 24 Battery contact connection 25 Battery contact connection 26 Circuit 27 Switch

28 Power cables

2 9 Electroluminescent element

30 Battery

31 Transformer

Claims (4)

Boehmeit & Bodimert · POB 10 71 27 · D-28071 Bremen To the German Patent Office Zweibrückenstr. 12 80297 Munich DR-ING. KARL BOEHMERT, PA (Isjj.utj)
DIPL.-ING. ALBERT BOEHMERT, PA (usnssj)
WILHELM JH STAHLBERG, Attorney, Bremen
DR-ING. WALTER HOORMANN, PA", Bremen
DIPL.-PHYS. DR. HEINZ GODDAR, PA ^- , mOnchen
DR-ING. ROLAND LIESEGANG, PA", MÖNCHEN
WOLF-DiETER KUNTZE, LAWYER, BREMEN, AUCANTE
DIPL.-PHYS. ROBERT MÜNZHUBER, PA (iüss.uk)
DR. LUDWIO KOUKER, LAWYER, DREMEK
DR. (CHEM.) ANDREAS WINKLER, PA", Bremen
MICHAELA HUTH-DIERIG, LAWYER, Munich
DIPL.-PHYS. DR. MARION TÖNHARDT, PA", Düsseldorf
DR ANDREAS EBERT-WEIDENFELLER. LAWYER, BREMEN
DIPL-ING. EVA LIESEGANG, PA", BERLIN PA - Patent Attorney
RA - Attorney at Law
' - European Patent Attorney All admitted to represent before the EU Marlce Office, Alicante
Professional Representation of the EU Trademark Office, Alicante PROF. DR. WILHELM NORDEMANN, RA, Brandenburg DR. AXEL NORDEMANN, RA, Potsdam DR. JAN BERND NORDEMANN, LLM, RA, Berlin DIPL.-PHYS. EDUARD BAUMANN, PA", Hokenwrchen DR.-ING. GERALD KLÖPSCH, PA", Düsseldorf DR. (CHEM.) HELGA KUTZENBERGER, PA", Düsseldorf DIPL.-ING. HANS W. GROENING, PA", Munich DR. ANKE SCHIERHOLZ, RA, POTSDAM DIPL.-ING. DR. JAN TUNNIES, PA, RA, KIEL DIPL.-PHYS. CHRISTIAN BIEHL, PA", Kiel DIPL-PHYS. DR. DOROTHEE WEBER-BRULS, PA", Eramcfuht DR.-ING. MATTHIAS PHILIPP, PA", BREMEN DIPL.-PHYS. DR. STEFAN SCHOHE, PA", LSPZIG MARTIN WIRTZ, RA, BREMEN DR DETMAR SCHÄFER, RA, BREMEN DIPL.-CHEM. DR. ROLAND WEIU, PA, Düsseldorf DIPL.-PHYS. DR-LNG. UWE MANASSE, PA, BREMEN DR. CHRISTIAN CZYCHOWSKI, RA, Berlin Your sign your writing Your ref. Your Letter of New application (utility model) Bremen 7 May 1998 S t ephen S.H. Chen 9/F, Flat B 7-11 Kinberry Road Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon HongKong Device with electroluminescent image element 1. Device comprising an electroluminescent element (EL, 2, 29) installed on the back of a transparent picture element, a transformer (S, F, P, 31), a transistor (TR), capacitors (E2, Cl), resistors (Rl, R3), a switch (SK, 9, 27) and a battery (V _Dc , 6, 30), wherein the emitter of the transistor (TR) is connected to a node between two primary coils (F, P) of the transformer (S, F, P, 31), another end of a first primary coil (F) is connected to one end of a first capacitor (E2), the other end of the first capacitor (E2) is connected to one end of a first resistor (Rl), a node between the first resistor (Rl) and a second capacitor (Cl) is connected to the base of the transistor (TR), another node between a second 2308/65 Hollerallee 32 · D-28209 Bremen · POB 10 71 27 · D-28071 Bremen · Telephone (04 21) 3 40 90 · Fax (04 21) 3 49 17 68 MUNICH - BREMEN - BERLIN - FRANKFURT - DÜSSELDORF - POTSDAM - BRANDENBURG - HÖHENKIRCHEN - KIEL - LEIPZIG - ALICANTE e-mail: Postmaster@BoehmertBoehmert.de BOEHMERT '&. ßOfiHTvGBRi' ··**··" Resistor (R3) and the first capacitor (Cl) connected in parallel to it is connected to the positive terminal of the battery (V _DC , 6, 30) to connect the collector of the transistor (TR), the negative terminal of the battery (V _DC , 6, 30) is connected to one end of the switch (SK, 9, 27), the other end of the switch (SK, 9, 27) is connected to one end of the electroluminescent element (EL, 2, 29), the secondary coil (S) of the transformer (TR) connected in parallel to it and another end of the second primary coil (P) of the transformer (TR). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a third capacitor (El) in series with the second resistor (R3) is connected on the one hand to the node between the first primary coil (F) and the first capacitor (E2) and on the other hand to the collector of the transistor (TR), and a third resistor (R2) is connected between the node between the third capacitor (El) and the second resistor (R3) and the node between the first capacitor (E2) and the first resistor (Rl). 3. Badge with a device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a front housing (1), a front lens (3), a rear housing (4), battery contact terminals (5, I) ₁ a circuit (10), a battery cover (8), a transformer cover (11), a support foot (12), a safety pin (13) and a pocket clip (14). 4. Sports cap with a device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by an upper housing (21), a lower housing (22), battery contact terminals (23, 24, 25), a circuit (26), a switch (27), a power cable (28), a battery (30) and a transformer (31).