Abstract: An EL lamp includes a strip of EL material within a translucent cylinder, preferably a glass tube. The tube can be frosted or coated to further enhance the appearance of the lamp. The strip can be flat or curved and, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, the lamp includes a glass fiber between the light emitting surface of the strip and the tube for gathering light from the strip and emitting the light in a preferred direction. The tube is an optical element combined with the strip to produce the unexpected result of having the tube appear luminous, even without coatings to enhance this effect.

Abstract: An analog display includes a dial and a movable EL pointer positioned adjacent the dial for indicating a measured value. The pointer is an elongated EL lamp having a conductive pin extending through one end of the lamp and about which the lamp pivots. The pin is mechanically secured to the lamp and is electrically connected to the front electrode of the lamp. A hole larger than cross-sectional diameter of the pin is formed in the rear electrode and in the phosphor layer to prevent the pin from shorting the front electrode to the rear electrode. A conductive spring rests on the pin to provide electrical power to the front electrode. Power is supplied to the rear electrode either through a conductive ferrule attached to the rear electrode or through a resilient wiper. The wiper can be attached to the pointer or to the face of the dial. For plural pointers, concentric conductive pins are used with a sliding contact for the rear electrodes.