Non-powered luminous panels and devices and method of manufacture

Abstract

A non-powered luminous device comprises an elongate member that is at least one of transparent and/or translucent and that defines a cavity. A luminous material is located in the cavity and in contact with inner walls of the cavity and includes a light transmissive resinous material containing a suspension of luminescent particles.

1 . A non-powered luminous device, comprising: 
 an elongate member that is at least one of transparent and/or translucent and that defines a cavity; and    a luminous material that is located in said cavity and in contact with inner walls of said cavity and that includes a light transmissive resinous material containing a suspension of luminescent particles.    
   
   
       2 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein the luminous material contains about 4 to 40 grams of the luminescent particles per 100 cc of the light transmissive resinous material.  
   
   
       3 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein the luminous material contains about 11 to 20 grams of the luminescent particles per 100 cc of the light transmissive resinous material.  
   
   
       4 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein the luminous material contains tackiness promoter.  
   
   
       5 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein said elongate member is flexible.  
   
   
       6 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein the luminous material contains a catalyst.  
   
   
       7 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein said light transmissive resinous material remains flexible after curing.  
   
   
       8 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein the resinous material comprises a clear polyester or styrene resin.  
   
   
       9 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein said elongate member has one of circular, elliptical, polygonal, square, or rectangular cross section.  
   
   
       10 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein the luminous particles comprise MO.a(Al 1-b B b ) 2 O 3 :cR wherein: 0.5≦a≦10.0, 0.0001≦b≦0.5 and 0.01≦c≦0.2, MO represents at least one divalent metal oxide selected from the group consisting of MgO, CaO, SrO and ZnO and R represents Eu and at least one additional rare earth element selected from the group consisting of Pt, Nd, Dy and Tm.  
   
   
       11 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein the luminescent particles are comprised of a sinter expressed by a general formula MO.(n-x){aAl 2 O 3   α ÷(1−a)Al 2 O 3   γ }B 2 O 3 :R wherein M represents an alkaline earth metal, R represents a rare earth element, 0.5<a≦0.99, 0.001≦x≦0.35, and 1≦n≦8.  
   
   
       12 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein the luminous particles comprise a luminescent material which absorbs light from a light source and reemits the light energy in a first wavelength spectrum when the light source is removed mixed with a material selected from the group consisting of fluorescent colorants and optical brighteners which are excited by absorbing light at a first wavelength spectrum and reemitting the absorbed light at a second wavelength spectrum.  
   
   
       13 . A system comprising the non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 an object;    a first fastener attached to said object; and    a second fastener attached to said flexible member, wherein said first and second fasteners are mating fasteners.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said first and second fasteners comprise Velcro.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said first and second fasteners are male and female connectors.  
   
   
       16 . A system comprising the non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  and further comprising a handrail including a slot for removably receiving said elongate member.  
   
   
       17 . A system comprising the non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  and further comprising: 
 a handrail having a surface; and    an attachment device for attaching said elongate member to said surface.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said attachment device includes double-sided tape.  
   
   
       19 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein said luminescent particles include low light green (LLG) luminescent particles.  
   
   
       20 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein said luminescent particles include high light (HL) luminescent particles.  
   
   
       21 . A method for making a non-powered luminous device, comprising: 
 providing an elongate member having a cavity;    mixing luminescent particles with a light transmissive resinous material to create a resin-based solution;    filling the cavity of the elongate member with the resin-based solution; and    rotating the flexible member until the resin-based solution cures.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the resin-based solution is drawn into the cavity using vacuum.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising injecting the resin-based solution into the cavity under pressure.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising gravity feeding the resin-based solution into the cavity.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising adding a hardener to the resin-based solution before curing.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising adding a tackiness promoter to the resin-based solution before curing.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising applying heat to the flexible member during curing.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising adding about 4 to 40 grams of the luminescent particles per 100 cc of the light transmissive resinous material.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising adding about 11 to 20 grams of the luminescent particles per 100 cc of the light transmissive resinous material.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said luminescent particles are low light luminescent particles.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said luminescent particles are high light luminescent particles.  
   
   
       31 . The non-powered luminous device of  claim 1  wherein said elongate member is cut into 3′ to 6″ lengths and wherein said non-powered luminous devices are used to mark a path.