Optical Fiber Panels feature white LEDs.
Press Release Summary:
Equipped with true white backlight, UniGlo® Optima® panels offers brightness as high as 75 ft-L, depending on panel size and configuration. They require no inverter and generate no heat or EMI. Power consumption is typically 3.6 V, 20-30 mA, with operating temperature of -40 to +85ºC. With thin profile of 0.013 in., panels can be placed between elastomeric keypad or overlay and non-tactile or tactile dome membrane switch.
Original Press Release:
New White LED Fiber Optic Backlights From Lumitex Offer 2-1/2 X More Brightness for Membrane Switch Backlighting
Strongsville, OH, October 2005 - Lumitex®, the leader in fiber optic backlighting for membrane switch applications, has incorporated advanced new white LEDs into its patented UniGlo® Optima(TM) optical fiber panels to provide a true white backlight that is 2-1/2 times brighter than previous generations of RGB UniGlo(TM) panels, at no increase in price.
The new white LED UniGlo® Optima(TM) panels offer brightness as high as 75 Ft-L, depending on panel size and configuration, with extreme thinness (0.013 inches /0.33mm), superior tactile response and excellent uniformity. They require no inverter, generate no heat or EMI, and provide the long lifetimes associated with LED based devices. Power consumption is typically only 3.6V, 20-30 mA, with an operating temperature range of -40º to +85º C.
"These new panels combine advances in LEDs with Lumitex's optical fiber technology to provide true white backlighting, not bluish white," said Frank Byers, Membrane Switch Product Manager for Lumitex. "They add only 0.2 to 0.8 ounces of tactile pressure to the switch assembly, depending on the type of dome being actuated."
The thin profile and flexibility of the panels allows placement between an elastomeric keypad or overlay and a non-tactile or tactile dome membrane switch. "When the elastomeric keypad or overlay is depressed, the UniGlo® panel flexes, enabling easy actuation of the switch," said Byers. "UniGlo® panels can be located over domes in switch and keypad applications, providing strong tactile feedback while eliminating shadowing."
The manufacturing versatility of Lumitex's UniGlo® Optima(TM) panels - die cutting, color changes, individual segment lighting, different shapes and sizes, quick and cost-effective prototyping - allows them to be easily customized for any membrane switch backlighting application. These include remote controls, medical instrumentation, industrial process controls, communications equipment, military navigation equipment and a host of others.
Pricing for Lumitex's new UniGlo® Optima(TM) optical fiber white LED backlights starts at approximately $0.25 - $0.70 per sq. inch in OEM quantities, depending on their overall size and configuration and the type and quantity of LEDs used with the backlights. Contact Lumitex for details.
For more information, contact Frank Byers at Lumitex, Inc., 8443 Dow Circle, Strongsville, OH 44136. Tel: 1-800-969-5483; 440-243-8401; Fax: 440-243-8402; E-Mail: info@lumitex.com. Web: www.lumitex.com.
