Abstract: The weight of an electroluminescent instrument panel is substantially reduced by manufacturing it from a pair of complementary plastic shells, which are molded together by a potting compound. The front shell of the panel is made by vacuum drawing a sheet of plastic over a first die plate, which forms in the back of the sheet a central recess, which has therein a plurality of rearwardly projecting, hollow bosses, and which is surrounded by a shallow overflow trough. One or more EL lamp elements are placed in the central recess with registering openings therein positioned over and surrounding the rearwardly projecting bosses, after which a potting compound is poured into the central recess to cover the EL elements. The complementary rear or back shell, which is also vacuum formed over a second die plate, is then forced into the back of the front shell, thereby causing excess potting material to flow out of the central recess in the front shell and into the surrounding overflow trough.

Abstract: The weight of an electroluminescent instrument panel is substantially reduced by manufacturing it from a pair of complementary plastic shells, which are molded together by a potting compound. The front shell of the panel is made by vacuum drawing a sheet of plastic over a first die plate, which forms in the back of the sheet a central recess, which has therein a plurality of rearwardly projecting, hollow bosses, and which is surrounded by a shallow overflow trough. One or more EL lamp elements are placed in the central recess with registering openings therein positioned over and surrounding the rearwardly projecting bosses, after which a potting compound is poured into the central recess to cover the EL elements. The complementary rear or back shell, which is also vacuum formed over a second die plate, is then forced into the back of the front shell, thereby causing excess potting material to flow out of the central recess in the front shell and into the surrounding overflow trough.