A method of making an electroluminescent (EL) light which includes at least one design. A flexible EL lamp is used which has a front electrode, a phosphor layer, a dielectric layer and a rear electrode layer. A pattern is cut out from the flexible EL lamp and at least one line is determined on the c
A method of making an electroluminescent (EL) light which includes at least one design. A flexible EL lamp is used which has a front electrode, a phosphor layer, a dielectric layer and a rear electrode layer. A pattern is cut out from the flexible EL lamp and at least one line is determined on the cut out to divide the design into at least two geometric areas, which are preferably of approximately equal size. A scribe line is cut into the rear electrode along such line, which forms split electrode areas in the rear electrode. Connecting devices are attached to each split electrode area, which are adapted to be connected to a power source. A method of making an EL light that is adaptable to be inserted into a channel, with the light having at least one indicia such as a letter, number, symbol or the like. A first form of the desired indicia is cut out from a plastic backing sheet. A second form of the desired indicia is cut out from flexible EL lamp of the form mentioned above. A scribe line is cut into the rear electrode of the EL lamp along one or more predetermined lines. The EL lamp is laminated between at least two barrier films, and a connecting device is attached to each split electrode area of the rear electrode. Optionally, a third form of the desired indicia is cut from an outer overlay sheet. The three cut out forms are stacked on top of each other, with the EL lamp structure in the middle, and the periphery of the structure is sealed.
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What is claimed is: 1. A method of making an electroluminescent light comprising at least one design, said method comprising: a) providing a flexible electroluminescent lamp, said lamp comprising a front electrode layer, a phosphor layer, a dielectric layer and a rear electrode layer; b) cutting ou
What is claimed is: 1. A method of making an electroluminescent light comprising at least one design, said method comprising: a) providing a flexible electroluminescent lamp, said lamp comprising a front electrode layer, a phosphor layer, a dielectric layer and a rear electrode layer; b) cutting out a pattern forming said design from said flexible electroluminescent lamp; c) determining on said rear electrode at least one line which divides said design into at least two desired geometric areas based on the desired performance of said light; d) scribing said rear electrode layer along said line through the thickness of said rear electrode, but not substantially into said dielectric layer, to thereby form split electrode areas in said rear electrode layer; and e) attaching a connecting device to each split electrode area of said rear electrode. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said line on said rear electrode is located such that it divides said design into two approximately geometrically equal areas. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said design is in the form of a desired symmetrical or asymmetrical shape. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said design is in the form of individual letters, numbers and/or symbols. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said design is in the form of a plurality of letters, numbers and/or symbols that are interconnected with each other. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein step b) is carried out using a non-metal laser cutting machine. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said rear electrode comprises silver. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said front electrode layer of said lamp comprises an indium tin oxide layer in a first fluoropolymer binder, said phosphor layer of said lamp is bound in a second fluoropolymer binder, said dielectric layer of said lamp is bound in a third fluoropolymer binder, and said rear electrode of said lamp is bound in a fourth binder. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein said first, second and third fluoropolymer binders are substantially the same. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said fourth binder of said rear electrode comprises a fluoropolymer binder. 11. The method of claim 8 wherein front electrode layer comprises said indium tin oxide layer on a polyester film. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said indium tin oxide layer comprises from about 50 to about 85 weight percent of indium tin oxide based on the weight of said indium tin oxide layer. 13. The method of claim 12 wherein said first fluoropolymer binder comprises from about 2 to about 30 weight percent based on the weight of said indium tin oxide layer. 14. The method of claim 8 wherein said phosphor layer comprises individually coated phosphor particles. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said second fluoropolymer binder comprises from about 2 to about 30 weight percent based on the weight of said phosphor layer. 16. The method of claim 8 wherein said rear electrode is formed from a conductive ink in said fourth binder. 17. The method of claim 1 wherein said front electrode comprises an indium tin oxide sputtered polyester film. 18. A method of making an electroluminescent light for insertion into a channel, said light comprising a least one indicia in the form of a letter, number, symbol, and/or design, said method comprising: a) providing a plastic backing sheet; b) cutting out a first form in the shape of the desired indicia from said backing sheet; c) providing a flexible electroluminescent lamp, said lamp comprising a front electrode layer, a phosphor layer, a dielectric layer and a rear electrode layer; d) cutting out a second form in the shape of said desired indicia from said flexible electroluminescent lamp; e) determining on said rear electrode of said electroluminescent lamp at least one line which divides said second form into at least desired two geometric areas based on the desired performance of said light; f) scribing said rear electrode layer of said second form along said line through the thickness of said rear electrode, but not substantially into said dielectric layer, to thereby form split electrode areas in said rear electrode layer; g) sealing said scribed second form between at least two barrier films, said baffler films protecting said electroluminescent lamp against water and ultraviolet light penetration; h) attaching a connecting device to each split electrode area of said rear electrode, said connecting devices being adapted to be connected to a power source; i) stacking said first and second forms to form a multilayer light structure; and j) sealing the periphery of said multilayer sign structure with a sealing material to form a protective seal around said periphery. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein said line on said rear electrode is located such that it divides said design into two approximately geometrically equal areas. 20. The method of claim 18 wherein step d) is carried out using a non-metal laser cutting machine. 21. The method of claim 18 wherein said rear electrode comprises silver. 22. The method of claim 18 wherein said front electrode layer of said lamp comprises an indium tin oxide layer in a first fluoropolymer binder, said phosphor layer of said lamp is bound in a second fluoropolymer binder, said dielectric layer of said lamp is bound in a third fluoropolymer binder, and said rear electrode of said lamp is bound in a fourth binder. 23. The method of claim 22 wherein said first, second and third fluoropolymer binders are substantially the same. 24. The method of claim 23 wherein said fourth binder of said rear electrode comprises a fluoropolymer binder. 25. The method of claim 22 wherein said front electrode layer comprises said indium tin oxide layer on a polyester film. 26. The method of claim 25 wherein said indium tin oxide layer comprises from about 50 to about 85 weight percent of indium tin oxide based on the weight of said indium tin oxide layer. 27. The method of claim 26 wherein said first fluoropolymer binder comprises from about 2 to about 30 weight percent based on the weight of said indium tin oxide layer. 28. The method of claim 22 wherein said phosphor layer comprises individually coated phosphor particles. 29. The method of claim 28 wherein said second fluoropolymer binder comprises from about 2 to about 30 weight percent based on the weight of said phosphor layer. 30. The method of claim 22 wherein said rear electrode is formed from a conductive ink in said fourth binder. 31. The method of claim 18 wherein said front electrode comprises an indium tin oxide sputtered polyester film. 32. The method of claim 18 wherein said step g) comprises scaling said scribed second shape between said at least two barrier films such that the scribed second shape is encapsulated by said barrier films and said barrier films have peripheral edge sealed portions that extend laterally from the edges of said scribed second shape. 33. The method of claim 32 wherein said barrier films comprise polychlorotrifluoroethylene. 34. The method of claim 18 wherein said desired indicia is in the form of a plurality of letters, numbers, symbols and/or designs that are interconnected with each other. 35. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of: m) connecting a power source to said multilayer sign structure via said connecting devices attached to said split electrode areas. 36. A light formed by the method of claim 1. 37. A light formed by the method of claim 18. 38. A method of forming a large surface area electroluminescent lamp, said method comprising: a) providing a relatively large flexible electroluminescent lamp panel, said lamp panel comprising a front electrode layer, a phosphor layer, a dielectric layer and a rear electrode layer; b) determining on said rear electrode layer of said lamp panel a plurality of lines that divide said panel into a plurality of smaller panel areas; c) scribing said rear electrode layer along said plurality of lines through the thickness of said rear electrode but not substantially into said dielectric layer to thereby form a plurality of smaller split electrode areas in said rear electrode layer; and d) attaching a connecting device to each split electrode area of said rear electrode; whereby said large surface area electroluminescent lamp is provided that can be illuminated as one large area. 39. The method of claim 38 wherein said smaller panels each have approximately the same area. 40. A method of splicing electroluminescent lamp structures to provide a seamless structure, said method comprising: a) providing first and second flexible electroluminescent lamp structures, each of said lamp structures comprising a front electrode layer, a phosphor layer, a dielectric layer and a rear electrode layer; each of said lamp structures having a terminal end; and each of said lamp structures having at least one scribe line which penetrates through the thickness of the rear electrode of each of said lamp structures so as to form split electrode areas in said rear electrode layer of each of said lamp structures; b) abutting said terminal end of said first lamp structure with said terminal end of said second lamp structure, with said scribe line in said first lamp structure being aligned with said scribe line in said second lamp structure; c) attaching a first conductive tape to said rear electrode layer of said first lamp structure and to said rear electrode layer of said second lamp structure, such that said first conductive tape is superimposed over said terminal ends of said first and second lamp structures to thereby attach said first and second lamp structures together, said first conductive tape being located on a first side of said aligned scribe lines of said first and second lamp structures; and d) attaching a second conductive tape to said rear electrode layer of said first lamp structure and to said rear electrode layer of said second lamp structure, such that said second conductive tape is superimposed over said terminal ends of said first and second lamp structures to thereby attach said first and second lamp structures together, said second conductive tape being located on a second side of said aligned scribe lines of said first and second lamp structures, which second side is on the opposite side of said aligned scribe lines from said first conductive tape; whereby said first and second lamp structures are mechanically and electrically connected to each other.
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