Patent · US Expired

Transparent thin-film EL display apparatus

US5965981A · kind A · utility

40Cited by
14References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 28, 1998
Grant dateOct 12, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 28, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB60K2360/331
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A transparent thin-film EL display apparatus has a transparent thin-film EL element formed on a glass substrate. A rear substrate consisting of photochromic glass and the glass substrate on which the EL element is formed are disposed facing each other with the EL element located in between. A light-transmitting insulation material is inserted in a space between the two substrates and hermetically sealed. When the display on the EL element becomes hard to see due to light entering from the rear of the display apparatus, the photochromic glass reacts in response to the light and darkens the rear of the EL element, thereby blocking the light. Accordingly, normally the display apparatus displays various items of information through the front substrate and ensures visibility of the background through the display apparatus, and when high-intensity external light enters through the rear, the display apparatus reacts and blocks this light by means of a light shutter function, thereby enabling reliable display of the information without impairment of display contrast, thus guaranteeing a stable and highly reliable display.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.