JP3363116B2 - Method of manufacturing gas discharge panel and sealing device for gas discharge panel - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel, and more particularly to a process of sealing a front panel and a back panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, while expectations for high-definition and large-screen televisions such as high-definition television are increasing,
In the field of each display such as a CRT, a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a plasma display panel (Plasma Display Panel, hereinafter referred to as PDP), a display suitable for this is being developed.

The CRT, which has been widely used as a display for television from the past, is excellent in resolution and image quality, but it has a large screen of 40 inches or more because the depth and weight increase with the size of the screen. Is not suitable for. Further, although the LCD has excellent performance of low power consumption and low driving voltage, it is technically difficult to manufacture a large screen.

On the other hand, the PDP can realize a large screen with a small depth, and 50-inch class products have already been developed. PDPs are roughly classified into a direct current type (DC type) and an alternating current type (AC type) according to a driving method. At present, the AC type, which is suitable for forming a panel having a fine cell structure, is mainly used. ing.

AC surface discharge type PDP, which is a typical AC type
In general, a front plate having discharge electrodes and a back plate having address electrodes are arranged parallel to each other with a gap so that both electrodes form a matrix, and the gap between the plates is striped. It is separated by a partition wall.
The red, green, and blue phosphor layers are formed in the groove between the barrier ribs and the discharge gas is sealed therein. By applying a voltage to each electrode in the drive circuit, When discharged, ultraviolet rays are emitted, and the phosphor particles (red, green, blue) in the phosphor layer receive the ultraviolet rays and are excited to emit light, whereby an image is displayed.

By the way, in such a PDP, usually, partition walls are arranged on the back plate side, a phosphor layer is formed in the groove between the partition walls, and a front plate is superposed on the phosphor layer, whereby an envelope (front surface) is formed. The plate and the back plate are superposed on each other and have an internal space.), And the outer peripheral portions of both plates in this envelope are sealed with a sealing material, and after evacuating from the inside of the envelope, It is manufactured by enclosing a discharge gas.

This sealing material is usually a low-melting glass which is softened by heat, and before the front plate and the back plate are arranged to face each other to form an envelope, one of the plates has an outer peripheral portion. The low-melting glass is mixed with a binder and applied with a dispenser or the like.In the sealing step, the low-melting glass is softened while fixing with a clip or the like from the position where the sealing material is applied to the outer peripheral edge. Sealing is performed by heating and baking to a temperature above the point.

[0008]

However, when the PDP is manufactured in this way, a gap is generated between the partition walls and the front panel in the completed PDP, and the gap is different for each partition wall or within each partition wall depending on the location. There are variations. This is because the height of the barrier rib material varies when the barrier rib material is stacked on the back plate to form the barrier rib, and in the manufacturing process of the gas discharge panel, the barrier rib is fired, the phosphor is fired, and the electrode is fired. Since a process involving heating, such as firing of the dielectric layer and calcination of the sealing glass layer, is performed before the sealing process, it is considered that the heating process causes distortion in the plate and partition walls.

In addition, in the PDP sealing step, usually, the front plate and the back plate are arranged facing each other while being aligned, and then the outer peripheral portions of both plates are tightened by fastening with a fastener such as a clip in order to prevent displacement. I'm wearing clothes. However, when the outer peripheral portion is pressed in this way, by the "leverage action" with the end portion of the partition wall as the fulcrum,
In the central portion, the top of the partition wall and the front panel are separated from each other, and a gap is likely to be formed, and the pressing force of the fastener often varies, so that the gap is likely to be formed unevenly.

If the sealing step is performed in the state where such a gap is formed, it may cause crosstalk when driving the manufactured PDP to display, or a panel due to discharge. Vibration causes noise between the partition wall and the panel substrate. By the way, Actual Kaihei 1-1
Japanese Patent No. 13948 discloses a technique in which a low-melting glass is applied to the tops of partition walls in advance before the front plate and the back plate are opposed to each other, and the tops of the partition walls and the front plate are joined together. . If this technique is used to bond the entire top of the partition wall to the front panel, the envelope will not swell even if the discharge gas is sealed at a high pressure.
Since the gap between the partition wall and the front panel can be filled with the bonding material, the problem of the vibration can be solved.

However, in practice, it is difficult to join the entire top of the partition wall to the front plate, and unbonded portions often remain partially. Therefore, this technique alone may not sufficiently solve the problem of withstand voltage, and especially when the height of the partition wall formed on the back plate is not uniform, many unbonded portions remain,
The pressure resistance tends to be insufficient.

On the other hand, there is also a method of stacking the front panel and the rear panel, placing a weight or the like in the center thereof and pressing the envelope to heat and seal the envelope. Since this requires heating to a large amount, it requires a large amount of heating energy, and the heating temperature of the envelope tends to be non-uniform, and it is difficult to apply this technique particularly when manufacturing a large PDP. .

Further, when performing vacuum evacuation or charging of discharge gas, usually, a vacuum pump or a discharge gas cylinder is connected to an exhaust pipe attached to an envelope, and thereafter, a burner or a heater is used for this exhaust pipe. However, a method for easily and surely tipping off the exhaust pipe is desired. In view of the above problems, the present invention is a method of manufacturing a gas discharge panel including a PDP, which can stably manufacture a gas discharge panel in which the tops of barrier ribs and a panel substrate are in close contact with each other. The main purpose is to provide.

[0014]

To achieve the above object, in the present invention, after forming the envelope of the gas discharge panel, a step of sealing the outer peripheral portions of both substrates with a sealing material is performed. At this time, the pressure is adjusted so that the internal pressure of the envelope becomes lower than the external pressure. As a result, both substrates forming the envelope are sealed while being pressed from the outside, so that the tops of the partition walls on one substrate and the other substrate are closely adhered as a whole. Will be done.

In order to sufficiently obtain such effects, it is preferable that the above pressure adjustment be started before the sealing material is cured. Examples of the method for adjusting the pressure include the following. A method is provided in which a communication passage that connects the inside and the outside of the envelope is provided, and the gas inside the envelope is exhausted from the communication passage to the outside.

A method of lowering the pressure of the internal space by using a low internal pressure container having an internal pressure lower than that of the internal space of the envelope. A method in which the gas flow between the inner space and the outer space of the envelope is blocked, and the pressure inside the envelope after blocking is lower than the pressure inside the envelope before blocking (specifically, As a result, it is cooled to a lower temperature or the gas adsorbing action of the gas adsorbing member is used).

A method of increasing the pressure of the outer space of the envelope by using a pressurizing device or the like after the pressure is applied to the outer space of the outer space of the envelope than before the sealing is performed. In the above sealing step, further, before forming the envelope, a bonding material is arranged on the top of the partition wall on one of the substrates, and the outer peripheral portions of both substrates are sealed by the sealing material and bonded together. If the top of the partition wall and the other substrate are bonded to each other by a material, the top of the partition wall and the other substrate are bonded to each other over the entire surface of the panel, and the gap between the two can be almost eliminated.

In addition, during the sealing step, or before and after the sealing step, the partition top and the other substrate are bonded by a method of irradiating the partition top with energy such as laser light or ultrasonic waves. Similarly, it is possible to eliminate the gap between the top of the partition wall and the other substrate over the entire panel. Further, in the above-mentioned sealing step, in order to surely perform this, it is preferable to perform the sealing while sandwiching the both substrates with a fastener so as to press the both substrates together. In this case, in order to prevent the substrate from being deformed due to the pressing by the fastener, it is preferable to dispose a deformation preventing member at the pressing position.

Further, the enclosure is provided with a displacement prevention means for preventing relative displacement of the two substrates, and sealing is performed, or a sealing material is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the substrate inside the enclosure. It is also preferable to provide an inflow prevention member for preventing inflow. Further, in order to easily and surely tip off the exhaust pipe, it is only necessary to hold the heating element while maintaining a distance from the exhaust tube using the holding means, and drive the heating element in this state.

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION [Overall Structure and Manufacturing Method of PDP] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an AC surface discharge type PDP according to an embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a display in which a circuit block is mounted on this PDP. It is a block diagram of an apparatus. This PDP has a discharge electrode 12 (scan electrode 12a,
The sustain electrode 12b), the dielectric layer 13, and the protective layer 14 are arranged on the front panel 10, and the rear electrode 20 and the dielectric layer 23 are arranged on the rear glass substrate 21.
And the electrodes 12a and 12b and the address electrode 22 face each other and are arranged in parallel with each other with a space therebetween.

The central portion of the PDP is a region for displaying an image. Here, the gap between the front panel 10 and the rear panel 20 is partitioned by a partition wall 24 having a stripe shape so that a discharge space 30 is formed. A discharge gas is enclosed in the space 30. Further, in the discharge space 30, a phosphor layer 25 is arranged on the rear panel 20 side. The phosphor layers 25 are repeatedly arranged in the order of red, green and blue.

The discharge electrode 12 and the address electrode 22 are both stripe-shaped, and the discharge electrode 12 is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the partition wall 24, and the address electrode 22 is arranged in parallel with the partition wall 24. Then, the discharge electrode 12 and the address electrode 22
In the panel structure, cells that emit red, green, and blue colors are formed at the intersections of the two.

The dielectric layer 13 is a layer made of a dielectric material, which is arranged so as to cover the entire surface of the front glass substrate 11 on which the discharge electrodes 12 are arranged, and is generally made of lead-based low melting glass. However, it may be formed of a bismuth-based low-melting glass or a laminate of lead-based low-melting glass and bismuth-based low-melting glass. The protective layer 14 is a thin layer made of magnesium oxide (MgO) and covers the entire surface of the dielectric layer 13. The dielectric layer 23 is mixed with TiO ₂ particles so that it also functions as a visible light reflecting layer. The partition wall 24 is made of a glass material and is provided so as to project on the surface of the dielectric layer 23 of the rear panel 20.

On the other hand, in the outer peripheral portion of the PDP, the front panel 1
0 and the back panel 20 are sealed by a sealing material. The top of the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 are in contact with each other almost entirely or are joined by a joining material. An example of a method of manufacturing such a PDP will be described below.

Preparation of front panel: A discharge electrode 12 is formed on a front glass substrate 11, a dielectric layer 13 is formed so as to cover the discharge electrode 12, and a vacuum deposition method, an electron It is manufactured by forming a protective layer 14 made of magnesium oxide (MgO) by a beam evaporation method or a CVD method.

The discharge electrode 12 can be formed by applying a silver electrode paste by screen printing and then firing it. In addition to this, after forming a transparent electrode with ITO (indium tin oxide) or SnO ₂ ,
A silver electrode may be formed thereon as described above, or a Cr-Cu-Cr electrode may be formed by photolithography.

The dielectric layer 13 is made of a lead-based glass material (composition thereof is, for example, 70% by weight of lead oxide [PbO], 15% by weight of boron oxide [B ₂ O ₃ ] and 15% by weight of silicon oxide [SiO ₂ ]. %) Is applied by a screen printing method and fired. Fabrication of back panel: The address electrodes 22 are formed on the back glass substrate 21 by the screen printing method similarly to the discharge electrodes 12.

Next, a glass material mixed with TiO ₂ particles is applied by a screen printing method and baked to form a dielectric layer 23. Next, the partition wall 24 is formed. The partition wall 24 can be formed by stacking glass partition wall paste by a screen printing method and then baking the paste. Alternatively, the partition walls 24 can be formed by applying a glass paste for partition walls to the entire surface of the rear glass substrate 21 and then shaving off the portions where the partition walls are not formed by sandblasting.

Then, the phosphor layer 25 is formed in the groove between the partition walls 24.
To form. This phosphor layer 25 is generally formed by applying a phosphor paste containing phosphor particles of each color by a screen printing method and baking the paste, but the phosphor ink is continuously ejected from a nozzle into the groove. It can also be formed by applying by a method of scanning along and baking after removing to remove the solvent and binder contained in the phosphor ink. In this phosphor ink, phosphor particles of each color are dispersed in a mixture of a binder, a solvent, a dispersant, etc. and adjusted to have an appropriate viscosity.

Specific examples of the phosphor particles include: blue phosphor: BaMgAl ₁₀ O ₁₇ : Eu ²⁺ green phosphor: BaAl ₁₂ O ₁₉ : Mn or Zn ₂ S
iO _4: Mn Red _{phosphor: (Y x Gd 1-x} ) BO 3: Eu 3+ or Y
BO ₃ : Eu ³⁺ may be mentioned.

In this embodiment, a VG of 40 inch class
The height of the partition wall is 0.
1 to 0.15 mm, the partition pitch is 0.15 to 0.36
mm. Sealing step / exhaust step / discharge gas encapsulating step: Next, the front panel and the rear panel thus manufactured are sealed.

In this sealing step, the front panel 10
The back panel 20 and the rear panel 20 are overlapped with each other with a sealing material interposed therebetween to form an envelope, and sealing is performed with the sealing material.
At this time, the bonding material is applied to the top of the partition wall 24 of the rear panel 20 as needed. As the sealing material, a material that is softened by externally applying energy such as heat, usually a low-melting point glass is used, and the sealing material is heated and softened, and then cured to perform sealing.

When the sealing step is performed, a pressure difference is formed between the inside and the outside of the envelope so that both panels 10 and 20 are uniformly pressed from the outside.
As a result, the top of the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 are entirely in contact or close to each other for sealing. After the sealing step is completed, the internal space is evacuated to a high vacuum (for example, 8 × 10 ⁻⁷ Torr) to expel the impurity gas adsorbed inside the envelope (vacuum exhaust step).

After that, a discharge gas (for example, a He--Xe system inert gas or a Ne--Xe system inert gas) is sealed at a predetermined pressure inside the envelope (discharge gas sealing step).
To make. In the present embodiment, the content of Xe in the discharge gas is about 5% by volume, and the filling pressure is 500-.
Set in the range of 800 Torr.

When driving and displaying the PDP, a circuit block is mounted as shown in FIG. 2 to drive the PDP. Hereinafter, the sealing step, the exhausting step, and the discharge gas charging step will be described in detail in the first to tenth embodiments. [Embodiment 1] In this embodiment, a sealing process is performed while exhausting a vacuum pump from the internal space of the envelope.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a cross section of the sealing device 50 used in the sealing process of the present embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view thereof. The sealing device 50 includes an envelope 40 in which a front panel 10 and a rear panel 20 are stacked.
And a vacuum pump 52 provided outside the heating furnace 51.

The heating furnace 51 can be heated by a heater 55, and the internal temperature can be controlled to a desired set temperature. Using this sealing device 50, the sealing process is performed as follows. As shown in FIGS.
The rear panel 20 is provided with ventilation holes 21a on the outer peripheral portion outside the display area.

A sealing material layer 41 is formed by applying a paste containing a sealing material to the outer peripheral portions of one or both of the facing surfaces of the front panel 10 and the back panel 20 and baking the paste. Here, low melting point glass having a lower softening temperature than the materials of the partition wall 24 and the dielectric layer 23 is used as the sealing material. Specific examples of the low-melting glass paste include a mixture of 80 parts of low-melting glass frit (softening point 370 ° C.), 5 parts of ethylcellulose-based binder, and 15 parts of isoamyl acetate. By applying this with a dispenser, The sealing material layer 41 can be formed.

Next, the front panel 10 and the rear panel 20 are overlapped while aligning each other to form the envelope 40. Then, the outer edge portion of the envelope 40 is clamped and fixed by the clip 42 so that the aligned front panel 10 and rear panel 20 are not displaced. The envelope 40 is set in the heating furnace 51. And the envelope 4
The piping member 26 that connects the zero ventilation hole 21a and the vacuum pump 52 is attached. The piping member 26 is preferably fixed to the back panel 20 with a fastener (not shown) such as a clip.

In the present embodiment, the front panel 10 is set on the lower side and the rear panel 20 is set on the upper side in order to facilitate the attachment of the piping member 26, but they may be set upside down. . Also, both panels 10 ・ 2
As long as 0 is fixed so as not to be displaced, the envelope 40 may be set upright in the heating furnace. The piping member 26 is formed of glass having heat resistance equal to or higher than the sealing temperature, has a bent shape in the middle, extends upward from the ventilation hole 21a of the envelope 40 set as described above, and further Through hole 51a provided on the wall surface of heating furnace 51
The tip projects through the heating furnace 51. Further, the end portion (connection end portion) of the piping member 26 on the side connected to the ventilation hole 21a widens and has a diameter larger than the diameter of the ventilation hole 21a.

In order to hermetically seal between the piping member 26 and the rear panel 20, an adhesive layer 26a is previously inserted between the connecting end of the piping member 26 and the rear panel 20. In this embodiment, the same material is used for the adhesive material layer 26a and the sealing material layer 41. The tip of the piping member 26 is connected to the vacuum pump 52.

Then, the inside of the heating furnace 51 is heated to a sealing temperature (for example, 450 ° C.) which is slightly higher than the softening temperature of the sealing material, and the sealing temperature is maintained for about 10 to 30 minutes and then again. By lowering the temperature below the softening point, both panels 10
Although the space between the 20 is sealed, the vacuum pump 52 exhausts the inside of the envelope 40 to perform the sealing. This exhaust gas is used in the heating furnace 51.
It is desirable to start after the inside reaches the softening temperature of the sealing material. Both panels 10 until the softening temperature of the sealing material is reached.
・ Because there is not much airtightness in the outer peripheral portion between 20, the envelope 4
Even if it is evacuated from the internal space of 0, the inside cannot be made to have a high degree of vacuum, but after the sealing material is softened, the outer peripheral portion between both panels 10 and 20 is hermetically sealed and the adhesive layer This is because the portion 26a is also softened and the connecting portion between the piping member 26 and the vent hole 21a is also hermetically sealed, so that when exhausted from the inside of the envelope 40, the pressure is reduced to a high degree of vacuum (about several Torr).

By exhausting air from the inner space of the envelope 40 in this way, both panels 10 and 20 are in a state of being uniformly pressed from the outside. Exhaust by the vacuum pump 52 is
The inside of the envelope 40 may be operated at a slow pressure reduction rate of about 5 Torr per minute. Both panels 10.2
When 0 is uniformly pressed from the outside, as shown in FIG.
The top of the partition wall on the rear panel 20 and the front panel 10 are in close contact with each other as a whole. Then, when the temperature is lowered in this state, the temperature of the sealing material becomes equal to or lower than the softening temperature, and the sealing material is hardened to seal the envelope 40. Therefore,
In the envelope 40 after being sealed, the top of the partition wall and the front panel 10 are kept in close contact with each other as a whole.

Further, the space between the piping member 26 and the rear panel 20 is also hermetically sealed by the cured adhesive layer 26a. After the sealing of the envelope 40 is completed in this way, the clip 42 is removed, and the process proceeds to the next vacuum exhaust step. In the vacuum evacuation process, the envelope 40 is put in a heating furnace for vacuum evacuation, a vacuum pump is connected to the piping member 26, and the inside of the heating furnace is at an exhaust temperature slightly lower than the softening temperature of the sealing material (for example, about 350 ° C.). ) For a certain time (eg 1 hour)
Do by maintaining.

Subsequently, in the discharge gas filling step, the cylinder containing the discharge gas is connected to the pipe member 26 to fill the interior space of the envelope 40 with the discharge gas at a predetermined filling pressure (for example, 4).
00 Torr). Then, the vent hole 21a is sealed by melting the root portion of the piping member 26 with a burner or a heater (see Embodiment 14) and sealing off (chip off).

As described above, in addition to the method of evacuating the envelope after the sealing step in another heating furnace for evacuating, the envelope 40 is installed in one heating device. It is also possible to adopt a method in which the sealing step, the vacuum evacuation step, and the discharge gas filling step are performed successively. For example, in the sealing device 50,
The cylinder for supplying the discharge gas is connectable to the pipe member 26 so that the envelope 40 is heated by the heating furnace 5 even after the sealing step is completed.
It is also possible to lower the temperature of the heating furnace 51 to the exhaust temperature while performing the evacuation process using the vacuum pump 52 while being set in 1, and further connect the cylinder to the pipe member 26 to supply the discharge gas. .

Further, by using a continuous heating device, the envelope 4
It is also possible to continuously perform the sealing step, the vacuum evacuation step, and the discharge gas filling step at 0. For example, it is possible to load a vacuum pump and a discharge gas cylinder together with the envelope 40 on a cart that moves in a continuous furnace, and perform evacuation by the vacuum pump and discharge gas filling while heating the envelope 40 in the continuous furnace. It is possible.

[Effects of Manufacturing Method of this Embodiment] When the outer edge portion is fastened with a clip or the like without providing a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the envelope 40 as in the conventional case, the envelope 4
Since the central part of 0 is not pressed, the partition tops on the rear panel 20 and the front panel 10 are likely to be sealed in a state where they are wholly or partially separated from each other.
Due to the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the envelope 40, the panels 40
Since the sealing material layer 41 is cured and sealed in a state where 0 is uniformly pressed from the outside, the sealing is performed in a state where there is almost no gap between the top of the partition wall and the front panel 10.

Therefore, according to the manufacturing method of the present embodiment,
It is possible to easily manufacture a PDP which is less likely to generate vibration during driving of the PDP and has good display quality. In order to obtain such an effect, at least at the time when the softened sealing material layer 41 is cured, it is necessary to drive the vacuum pump 52 to bring the inside and outside pressure difference of the envelope 40 into a state. However, it is not necessary to continuously drive the vacuum pump 52 from the beginning to the end of the sealing process. For example, even if the driving of the vacuum pump 52 is started after the sealing material layer 41 has been softened, it is possible to sufficiently obtain the effect of the difference between the internal and external pressures of the panels 10 and 20.

Further, since the sealing is performed in the state where the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the envelope 40 is provided, the both panels 10 and 20 are pressed against each other by the pressure difference between the inside and the outside, so that the pressing force of the clip 42 is conventionally. Even if the pressing force is smaller than that of the clip used in the sealing step, the positional displacement can be sufficiently prevented. It should be noted that although the clip 42 is not necessarily used, it is possible to prevent the displacement of the both panels 10 and 20 during sealing, but if the clip 42 is fixed as in the present embodiment, the both panels 10 and 20 can be prevented from being displaced. The positional deviation can be more reliably prevented, and since the outer peripheral portions of both panels 10 and 20 are pressed by the clips 42, the sealing material layer 41 interposed in the outer peripheral portions is pressed, so that the sealing material Layer 4
When 1 is softened, this pressing force causes the sealing material layer 41 to spread uniformly over the entire outer peripheral portion, so that the outer peripheral portion can be sealed more airtightly.

The adhesive layer 26a and the sealing material layer 41 may be made of different materials. However, if the same low melting point glass is used as in this embodiment, the sealing material layer 41 is As the envelope 40 is sealed by being softened and hardened, the adhesive material layer 26a is also softened and hardened, so that the pipe member 26
The effect that the connection with the ventilation hole 21a of the rear panel 20 and the airtight sealing are automatically performed.

[Modification of the Present Embodiment] In the present embodiment,
Although an example of using a low melting point glass as the adhesive layer 26a has been shown, in this case, the inside of the envelope 40 is depressurized when the adhesive layer 26a is softened. The layer 26 a flows out toward the ventilation hole 21 a, so that the piping member 26 and the ventilation hole 21 of the rear panel 20 are discharged.
The seal with a may be broken.

On the other hand, crystallized glass that crystallizes at a temperature lower than that of the sealing material layer 41 may be used as the adhesive material layer 26a. As crystallized glass, PbO-ZnO-B
₂ O ₃ type frit glass is typical. Since crystallized glass has the property of being crystallized and solidified after being heated to a fluid state and then not softened even when heated to the initial crystallization temperature, crystallized glass is used as the adhesive layer 26a. By slowly heating and raising the temperature of the envelope 40,
Since the crystallized glass is solidified at the time when the sealing material layer 41 is softened, it is possible to solve the problem of defective sealing due to the outflow of the adhesive material layer 26a.

Further, by using glass as the material of the adhesive layer 26a, which has a slightly higher softening temperature than the material of the sealing material layer 41, the effect of suppressing the outflow of the adhesive layer 26a can be expected. In addition, instead of using a low melting point glass as the adhesive layer 26a, a material that does not soften at the sealing temperature (a glass or ceramic adhesive having a significantly higher softening point than the material of the sealing material layer 41) is used, Piping member 2 in advance
This problem can be solved also by attaching 6 to the ventilation hole 21a of the rear panel 20.

[Embodiment 2] This embodiment is the same as Embodiment 1 described above, except that in the sealing step, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (a) and (b), both panels 10 and 20
After forming the envelope 40 by arranging them opposite to each other, the sealing material layer 41 inserted in the outer peripheral portions of both panels 10 and 20.
A sealing material layer 43 is further formed on the outer side of.

By thus forming the sealing material layer 43 separately from the sealing material layer 41, even if the sealing by the sealing material layer 41 is incomplete, both panels 10 and
Since the outer peripheral portion of 20 is sealed by the sealing material layer 43, sealing can be performed more reliably and the gap between the top of the partition wall and the front panel 10 can be further reduced.

In addition to this, by forming the sealing material layer 43, both the panels 10 and 20 are fixed to each other by the sealing material layer 43 before the sealing material layer 43 is softened. The displacement of 20 is prevented. Further, since the sealing material layer 43 ensures a certain degree of airtightness before the sealing material layer 41 and the sealing material layer 43 are softened, by driving the vacuum pump 52, a pressing force is applied to both the panels 10 and 20. Can be added.

In order to achieve such an effect,
As a material for forming the sealing material layer 43, the sealing material layer 41 is used.
It is desirable to use the same material as the above-mentioned material. For example, a paste containing the same sealing material (low melting point glass) as that used to form the sealing material layer 41 is used as the sealing material for the envelope 40. Layer 4
It can be formed by applying to the outside of 1.

In addition to this, the sealing material layer 41 can be formed by applying a ceramic adhesive. [Third Embodiment] This embodiment is the same as the above-described first embodiment, but before the sealing step, as shown in FIG. The difference is that the sealing material inflow prevention ribs 44 are formed along the inner side of the region where the sealing material layer 41 is formed on one or both outer peripheral surface.

By forming the sealing material inflow preventing ribs 44 as described above, the sealing material layer 4 is formed in the sealing step.
It is possible to prevent the sealing material layer 41 from flowing into the display area when the inner pressure of the envelope 40 becomes lower than the outer pressure in the softened state of 1. The height of the sealing material inflow prevention rib 44 is preferably formed so as to be approximately the same as the height of the partition wall 24 when the panels 10 and 20 are opposed to each other. When the sealing material inflow prevention rib 44 is higher than the partition wall 24, a gap is formed between the top of the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10, and the sealing material inflow prevention rib 44 is formed in the partition wall 2.
This is because if it is too low as compared with 4, the effect of preventing the inflow of the sealing material layer 41 cannot be expected so much.

Such a sealing material inflow prevention rib 44 is formed, for example, when the partition wall 24 is formed on the rear glass substrate 21 in the rear panel 20 as shown in FIG. 6B.
If they are made of the same material at the same time, they can be easily formed. [Embodiment 4] This embodiment is similar to Embodiment 1 described above, but in the sealing step, a pressure difference is provided so that the pressure inside the envelope 40 is lower than the pressure outside. In the first embodiment, a method of decompressing the inside of the envelope 40 by exhausting the inside of the envelope 40 is used, whereas in the present embodiment, conversely, a method of pressurizing the outside of the envelope 40 is used. The points are different.

Therefore, in the sealing device 50 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the vacuum pump 52 is not provided, and the heating furnace 51 is pressurized so that the inside of the heating furnace 51 can be pressurized.
Has a structure capable of being sealed, and a pressurizing pump 53 is attached to this. Then, in the sealing step of the present embodiment, the tip of the piping member 26 is opened to the atmosphere outside the heating furnace 51, and the pressure pump 53 pressurizes the inside of the heating furnace 51 to enclose it. The container 40 is heated for sealing.

According to such a sealing method, the envelope 40
Since the internal space of the enclosure is maintained at approximately atmospheric pressure, the external space of the envelope 40 has a high pressure, and thus the envelope 40 is sealed while being pressed from the outside. Therefore, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained. [Embodiment 5] In this embodiment, the envelope 40 is sealed by using the sealing device 50 similar to that in the above-mentioned Embodiment 4, but as shown in FIG. Reference numeral 26 is a straight line, and its tip is closed inside the heating furnace 51.

9A and 9B, in the process of sealing the envelope 40 with the sealing material layer 41, FIG. 9A shows a state before the sealing material layer 41 is softened, and FIG. 9B shows the sealing material layer 41. It is a figure which shows the state after softening. The sealing step of the present embodiment will be described with reference to this figure. In the sealing step of the present embodiment, first, the envelope 40 is heated while the pressure inside the heating furnace 51 is kept at atmospheric pressure without operating the pressure pump 53, and the sealing material layer 4 is heated.
1 is softened.

As shown in FIG. 9 (a), before the sealing material layer 41 is softened, the gas flow between the inner space and the outer space of the envelope 40 is not interrupted and the mutual space is not blocked. The gas distribution is possible. Therefore, the pressure in the internal space of the envelope 40 at the time when the sealing material layer 41 is softened becomes almost atmospheric pressure. Then, after the sealing material layer 41 and the adhesive material layer 26a are softened, the pressure pump 53 is operated to pressurize the inside of the heating furnace 51.

As shown in FIG. 9B, after the sealing material layer 41 and the adhesive material layer 26a are softened, the gas flow is cut off between the inner space and the outer space of the envelope 40, so that heating is performed. When the inside of the furnace 51 is pressurized, the internal space of the envelope 40 has a pressure close to the atmospheric pressure, whereas the external space of the envelope 40 has a higher pressure. And, in this way, the heating furnace 51
If the temperature in the heating furnace 51 is lowered and the sealing material layer 41 is cured while the inside is pressurized, the envelope 40 is sealed while being pressed from the outside.

Therefore, the sealing method of the present embodiment also has the same effect as that of the first embodiment. After such a sealing step, in the vacuum exhausting step, the tip end of the pipe member 26 is cut and opened, and then a vacuum pump is connected to the pipe member 26 to perform vacuum exhaust. [Sixth Embodiment] This embodiment is basically the same as the above-mentioned fifth embodiment, but in the sealing step, the fifth embodiment is performed.
In contrast, the inside of the envelope 40 has a pressure close to atmospheric pressure and the outside has a high pressure to provide a pressure difference between the inside and the outside, whereas in the present embodiment, the inside of the envelope 40 has a reduced pressure and the outside has an atmospheric pressure. The difference is that an internal and external pressure difference is provided.

The sealing device 50 used in this embodiment is shown in FIG.
In the sealing device 50 shown in (1), a vacuum pump is provided instead of the pressurizing pump 53. In the sealing step of the present embodiment, first, while the vacuum pump is operated and the inside of the heating furnace 51 is kept at a reduced pressure, the envelope 40 is heated to soften the sealing material layer 41. Before the sealing material layer 41 is softened,
Since gas can flow between the inner space and the outer space of the envelope 40, the envelope 40 at the time when the sealing material layer 41 is softened.
The internal space of is under reduced pressure.

Then, the sealing material layer 41 and the adhesive material layer 26a
After the softening occurs, the vacuum pump is stopped to bring the inside of the heating furnace 51 to atmospheric pressure. After the sealing material layer 41 and the adhesive material layer 26a are softened, gas flow is hermetically shut off between the inner space and the outer space of the envelope 40. While the internal space of 40 is in a reduced pressure state, the external space of the envelope 40 has a higher pressure.

Then, in this state, if the temperature in the heating furnace 51 is lowered and the sealing material layer 41 is cured, the envelope 40 is sealed while being pressed from the outside. Therefore, the sealing method of the present embodiment also has the same effect as that of the fifth embodiment. [Embodiment 7] In the present embodiment, in the sealing step,
An example will be shown in which a container having a low internal pressure is connected to an envelope and exhausted from the inside of the envelope to perform sealing while reducing the pressure inside the envelope.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the envelope 40 is sealed by the sealing method of this embodiment. In the first embodiment, the ventilation hole 21a is provided in advance in the outer peripheral portion outside the display area of the back panel 20, but in the present embodiment, the ventilation hole 21b is also provided in the outer peripheral portion in addition to the ventilation hole 21a.

Similar to the first embodiment, the sealing material layer 41 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of either or both of the facing surfaces of the front panel 10 and the rear panel 20, and the front panel 10 and the rear panel 20 are connected to each other. The envelope 40 is formed by overlapping while aligning, and the outer edge of the envelope 40 is clamped and fixed by a clip 42. Then, the low internal pressure container 70 is attached to the ventilation hole 21a of the envelope 40, and the piping member 2 having the same closed end as that used in the fifth embodiment is attached to the ventilation hole 21b.
Attach 6.

The low internal pressure container 70 is formed of glass having heat resistance equal to or higher than the sealing temperature, like the piping member 26,
It is composed of a container body 71 and a connecting pipe 72 protruding from the container body 71 so as to be connected to the ventilation hole 21a. The inside of the container body 71 is kept in a depressurized state by hermetically blocking the gas flow from the outside by the gas flow blocking layer 73 (see FIG. 13A) provided in the connecting pipe 72.

When the low internal pressure container 70 and the piping member 26 are attached to the ventilation holes 21a and 21b, the connection pipe 72 is provided so that the low internal pressure container 70 and the piping member 26 and the rear panel 20 can be hermetically sealed. An adhesive layer 74 is formed between the rear panel 20 and the rear panel 20, and the piping member 26 and the rear panel 20 are formed.
An adhesive material layer 26a is formed between and. In the present embodiment, the adhesive layer 26 a and the adhesive layer 74 are the sealing material layer 4
The same material as 1 is used.

The gas flow blocking layer 73 is softened after the sealing material layer 41 and the adhesive material layers 26a, 74a and 74 are softened or softened at the same time in the sealing step so that the gas flow blocking layer 73 softens at the same time. It is formed by using a low melting point glass having a slightly higher softening point than the material of the layer 41, or by using the same material as the material of the sealing material layer 41. Here, the low internal pressure container 70
An example of the manufacturing method of will be described with reference to FIGS.

The container body 71 and the connecting pipe 72 are manufactured by using the glass processing technique when manufacturing a flask or the like.
In addition to the connecting pipe 72, an exhaust pipe 72a for vacuum evacuation is formed in the container body 71. FIG. 11 (a)
As shown in FIG.
The gas flow blocking layer 7 is filled with a paste containing a low-melting point glass as a material of, and heated by using a heater such as a gas burner to once soften and harden again.
3 is formed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11 (b), a vacuum pump is connected to the exhaust pipe 72a to evacuate the inside of the container body 71 until the inside of the container body 71 reaches a predetermined vacuum degree. Next, as shown in FIG. 11 (c), with the vacuum pump connected, the inside of the container body 71 is kept at a predetermined vacuum level,
The exhaust pipe 72a is chipped off with a gas burner.

As described above, the low internal pressure container 70 in which the inside of the container body 71 is maintained at a predetermined vacuum degree is completed. FIG. 12 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a belt-type heating device used for sealing the envelope 40 in the present embodiment. The heating device 60 includes a heating furnace 61 that heats a substrate, a conveyor belt 62 that conveys the envelope 40 so as to pass through the heating furnace 61, and a plurality of heaters that are provided in the heating furnace 61 along the conveyance direction. It is composed of 63 and the like.

By setting the temperature of each portion from the inlet 64 to the outlet 65 of the heating furnace 61 with each heater 63, the envelope 40 can be heated and lowered with a desired temperature profile. ing. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a state change in the sealing process of the envelope 40. The enclosure 40 to which the low internal pressure container 70 and the piping member 26 are attached as described above is heated by the heating device 60 as follows.
To seal.

The envelope 40 is connected to the conveyor belt 6 of the heating device 60.
When placed on the upper surface 2, the envelope 40 is transported in the heating furnace 61 and heated to a sealing temperature which is set slightly higher than the softening temperature of the gas flow blocking layer 73. The rate of temperature increase is, for example, 10 ° C./minute. When the envelope 40 is lower than the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41, the envelope 4 is passed through the sealing material layer 41.
Gas can flow between the inside and outside of the zero. on the other hand,
As shown in FIG. 13 (a), the inside of the container body 71 cannot flow gas with the outside due to the gas flow blocking layer 73.
The degree of vacuum is maintained.

When the envelope 40 is heated to the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41, the sealing material layer 41 is softened and both panels 10 are heated.
The space between the outer peripheral portions of 20 is hermetically sealed by the sealing material layer 41. Further, since the adhesive layer 26a and the adhesive layer 74 are also softened, the low internal pressure container 70 and the piping member 26 and the rear panel 20 are also hermetically sealed. by this,
Gas flow is interrupted between the inner space and the outer space of the envelope 40. That is, in detail, the gas flow is blocked between the inside and the outside of the container complex in which the envelope 40 and the low internal pressure container 70 are combined.

The gas flow blocking layer 73 also softens at the same time as or slightly after the softening time of the sealing material layer 41. At this time, since the degree of vacuum is maintained inside the container body 71, as shown in FIG. 13B, the gas flow blocking layer 73 is broken by the pressure difference and the gas can flow therethrough. Gas is drawn into the container body 71.

Along with this, the inside of the envelope 40 is in a depressurized state, so that the panels 10 and 20 are pressed from the outside by the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the envelope 40. This pressing force reduces the gap between the top of the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 as shown in FIG. 13 (c). The envelope 40 is
After being kept at the sealing temperature for a while (for example, 30 minutes), it is cooled and discharged from the heating furnace 61.

When the envelope 40 is cooled to a temperature not higher than the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41, the sealing material layer 41 is hardened while the both panels 10 and 20 are pressed from the outside.
Sealing is performed in a state where there is a small gap between the top and the front panel 10. After the sealing process is completed by the heating device 60, the connecting pipe 72 is burned off by a burner to seal the vent hole 21b. Further, after cutting and opening the tip of the piping member 26, a vacuum pump is connected to the piping member 26 to perform vacuum evacuation.

[Effects of Sealing Method of this Embodiment] According to the sealing method of this embodiment, as in Embodiment 1, both panels 10 and 20 are pressed uniformly from the outside. Since they are sealed, the tops of the partition walls on the rear panel 20 and the front panel 10 are sealed in a state of being in close contact with each other as a whole. Further, in the sealing step of the present embodiment, it is necessary to connect the vacuum pump to the envelope 40 as in the first embodiment, or pressurize or depressurize the heating furnace as in the third to fifth embodiments. Therefore, it is easy to continuously perform the sealing step using a continuous heating device such as the heating device 60.

In manufacturing the low internal pressure container 70, the volume and the degree of vacuum of the container body 71 are such that the pressure inside the envelope 40 after the gas flow blocking layer 73 is broken is 10 to 600 Torr.
It is preferable to set it within the range of. This is because when the pressure in the envelope 40 becomes a low pressure of less than 10 Torr, the sealing material layer 41 may break the seal due to the pressure difference, while when it exceeds 600 Torr, the pressing force is weak and the effect cannot be expected so much. This is because.

[Regarding Modifications of this Embodiment] In this embodiment, an example in which the gas flow blocking layer 73 is formed of a low-melting glass so as to be softened by heat during the sealing process is shown. The gas flow blocking layer 73 may be formed using a material that melts or decomposes by applying energy such as ultrasonic waves, and energy such as light or ultrasonic waves may be applied to the gas flow blocking layer 73 during the sealing process.

For example, even if the gas flow blocking layer 73 is formed of a novolac resin and is decomposed by irradiating it with light during the sealing process, the same effect can be obtained. Play. [Embodiment 8] In the present embodiment, in the sealing step, after shutting off gas so as not to flow between the internal space of the envelope 40 heated to a high temperature and the external space, the temperature is lowered to reduce the internal space. An example of forming an internal / external pressure difference by lowering the pressure is shown.

FIG. 14 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a belt type heating device used for sealing the envelope 40 in the present embodiment, and FIG. 15 shows the belt type heating device with the envelope 40 inside. It is a figure which shows a mode that it is placed and a sealing process is performed. In the sealing step of the present embodiment, as in the case of the fifth embodiment, the straight pipe member 26 (however, the tip is open) is attached to the vent hole 21a to form the envelope 40 (see FIG. 15). ), The formed envelope 40 is sealed by using a belt type heating device 80 as shown in FIG.

The heating device 80 has the same structure as the heating device 60 described in the seventh embodiment, but a burner 81 for heating and sealing the tip of the pipe member 26 is provided inside the heating furnace 61. is set up. The mounting position of the burner 81 in the heating furnace 61 is set within a range in which the envelope 40 placed on the conveyor belt 62 and conveyed in the heating furnace 61 has the highest temperature (peak temperature).

Using this heating device 80, the piping member 26
The envelope 40 attached with is sealed as follows. When the envelope 40 is placed on the conveyor belt 62 of the heating device 80, the envelope 40 is conveyed in the heating furnace 61 and set higher than the softening temperature (for example, 380 ° C.) of the sealing material layer 41. The temperature is raised to the peak temperature (eg 500 ° C.). The heating rate at this time is, eg, 10 ° C./minute.

Then, at the peak temperature for a while (for example, 1
After being held for about 0 minutes, the tip of the piping member 26 is burner 8
It is heated and melted by 1 and sealed. At this time, the state of the envelope 40 is the same as the state shown in FIG. 9B of the fifth embodiment, because the sealing material layer 41 and the adhesive material layer 26a are softened, so the envelope is The inner space and the outer space of 40 are hermetically sealed spaces in which gas flow is blocked.

After passing through the burner 81, the temperature of the envelope 40 conveyed in the heating furnace 61 is lowered and the temperature is discharged from the heating furnace 61. Since the pressure in the closed space is proportional to the absolute temperature (Boyle-Charles' law), the pressure in the inner space of the envelope 40 decreases as the temperature of the envelope 40 decreases. Therefore, a pressure difference with the external space is generated, and both panels 10 and 20 are pressed from the outside. Then, in this state, the envelope 40
When the temperature is lowered to the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41, the sealing material layer 41 and the adhesive material layer 26a are cured, so that the sealing is performed in a state where there is a small gap between the top portion of the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10. It will be. In addition, the rear panel 20 of the piping member 26
It is also fixed to the top.

After the sealing process is completed, the tip of the pipe member 26 is cut and opened, and then a vacuum pump is connected to the pipe member 26 to evacuate it. [Effects of Sealing Method of Present Embodiment] According to the sealing method of the present embodiment, the top of the partition wall on the rear panel 20 and the front panel 10 are perfectly aligned as in the case of the seventh embodiment. It is easy to carry out the sealing step in the state of being in close contact with each other and to continuously perform the sealing step using a continuous heating device such as the heating device 80.

In the sealing step of this embodiment, in order to obtain a sufficient effect, it is necessary that the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the envelope 40 is sufficiently set when the sealing material layer 41 is cured. Is. Therefore, the temperature (peak temperature) at the time of sealing the tip of the piping member 26 should be set higher than the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41 by 10 ° C. or higher, and preferably set higher than several tens of degrees.

[Regarding Modification of this Embodiment] In this embodiment, as a method of interrupting gas flow between the inner space and the outer space of the envelope 40, the tip of the piping member 26 is attached to the burner 8
Although the example of sealing with 1 is shown, in addition to this, it is also possible to perform as follows. When forming the envelope 40, if the low melting point glass whose softening temperature is slightly lower than the above-mentioned peak temperature is filled in the tip portion of the piping member 26 in advance, the tip of the piping member 26 is sealed with the burner 81. Even if it does not, when the envelope 40 reaches the peak temperature, the low melting point glass is softened and the tip portion of the piping member 26 is sealed. And the envelope 4
As soon as 0 is lowered from the peak temperature, the piping member 26
The low-melting-point glass at the tip of is hardened. Further, the sealing material layer 4
When the temperature is lowered to the softening temperature of 1, an inner / outer pressure difference is generated in the envelope 40, and therefore the same effect as that of the present embodiment is achieved.

Alternatively, when the envelope 40 is formed, the ventilation holes 21 are previously formed in the rear glass substrate 21 as in the seventh embodiment.
A ventilation hole 21b different from a is provided, and the piping member 26 having a sealed tip is attached to the ventilation hole 21b. However, the vent hole 21a is opened without attaching anything.
Then, when the envelope 40 reaches the peak temperature, low-melting glass having a softening temperature slightly lower than the peak temperature is dropped into the ventilation hole 21a to seal the ventilation hole 21a. Also in this case, when the temperature of the envelope 40 is lowered from the peak temperature, the low melting point glass is hardened, and when the temperature is lowered to the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41, the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the envelope 40 is reduced. As a result, the same effect as that of the present embodiment is obtained.

[Embodiment 9] In the present embodiment, in the sealing step, a container is connected to an envelope to form a container complex, and the connected container is heated to a high temperature. An example will be shown in which the gas flow between the internal space and the external space is interrupted, and then the temperature is lowered to perform sealing while lowering the pressure inside the envelope.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing how the envelope 40 is sealed in the sealing step of this embodiment. FIG.
As shown in (a), in the sealing step of the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the front panel 1 is interposed via the sealing material layer 41.
0 and the back panel 20 are overlapped with each other to form the envelope 40 and the heating furnace 5
1, but the ventilation hole 21 of the rear glass substrate 21
Instead of the piping member 26, a container member 90 having an open tip is attached to a.

The container member 90 has a container body 91, a connecting pipe 92 projecting from the container body 91 so as to be connected to the vent hole 21a, and a container body 90 extending from the container body 91 to the side opposite to the connecting pipe 92 and having an open tip. And the extended pipe 93 that is formed. When the container member 90 is attached to the ventilation hole 21a, the container body 91 is attached to the heating furnace 51 in an exposed state. In addition, the connection pipe 92 and the rear panel 2 are provided so that the container member 90 and the rear panel 20 can be hermetically sealed.
An adhesive material layer 94 is formed between 0 and 0. In this embodiment, the adhesive layer 94 is made of the same material as the sealing material layer 41.

An electric heater 95 is attached to the container body 91 so that the container body 91 can be heated and heated. After setting in this way, the envelope 40 is heated and heated in the heating furnace 51 until it reaches a sealing temperature (for example, 480 ° C.) that is equal to or higher than the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41 (a heating rate is, for example, 10 ° C. /
Minutes). At the same time, the electric heater 95 heats and raises the temperature of the container body 91 to the set temperature (for example, 200 ° C.). Then, the tip of the extended pipe 93 is sealed with a burner.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 16 (b), since the distal end portion of the extended pipe 93 is closed and the sealing material layer 41 and the adhesive material layer 94 are softened, the inside of the envelope 40 is closed. Gas flow between the space and the container body 91 and the external space (the space in the heating furnace 51) is blocked. Next, as shown in FIG. 16C, the electric heater 95 is turned off and the container body 91 is allowed to cool while the envelope 40 is kept at a temperature equal to or higher than the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41 in the heating furnace 51. .

As the temperature of the container body 91 drops, the pressure in the container body 91 drops, and the pressure in the envelope 40 also drops accordingly. Therefore, as in the eighth embodiment, a pressure difference occurs between the inner space and the outer space of the envelope 40, and the both panels 10 and 20 are pressed from the outside. Then, in this state, the temperature of the heating furnace 51 is lowered to lower the temperature of the envelope 40 to the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41.
Since the adhesive layer 94 and the adhesive layer 94 are cured, sealing is performed with a small gap between the top of the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10. Further, the container member 90 is also fixed to the rear panel 20.

After the sealing step is completed, the tip end of the extension pipe 93 is cut and opened, and then a vacuum pump is connected to this to evacuate it. [Effects of Sealing Method of Present Embodiment] According to the sealing method of the present embodiment, the top of the partition wall on the rear panel 20 and the front panel 10 are perfectly aligned as in the case of the eighth embodiment. Sealed in close contact.

Further, in the present embodiment, the pressure is not lowered by the temperature drop of the envelope 40 itself as in the case of the eighth embodiment, but the temperature is adjusted separately from the container member 90.
Since the pressure in the inner space of the envelope 40 is lowered by lowering the temperature of the envelope 40, the temperature of the envelope 40 is considerably higher than the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41 as in the eighth embodiment. It is not necessary to raise the temperature up to, and it is sufficient to raise it to a temperature equal to or higher than the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41.

[Embodiment 10] In the present embodiment, a continuous heating device is used to connect the container member 90 to the envelope 40 in the same manner as in Embodiment 9 so that the internal space of the composite container is An example will be shown in which the pressure in the envelope is lowered and the sealing is performed by lowering the temperature after shutting off from the external space. FIG. 17
FIG. 18 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a belt-type heating device used for sealing the envelope 40 in the present embodiment, and FIG. 18 shows a case where the envelope 40 is placed inside the belt-type heating device for sealing. It is a figure which shows a mode that a process is performed.

In the sealing step of this embodiment, the eighth embodiment is adopted.
Similarly to the above, the envelope 40 is formed, and the container member 90 is attached to the ventilation hole 21a of the envelope 40 through the adhesive layer 94.
Attached to the heating device 10 as shown in FIG.
Seal by passing 0. This heating device 1
00 has the same configuration as that of the heating device 80 described in the eighth embodiment, and the burner 101 for heating and sealing the tip of the extension pipe 93 of the container member 90 is installed inside the heating furnace 61. Has been done. The burner 1 in the heating furnace 61
The mounting position of 01 is set within a range where the envelope 40 placed on the conveyor belt 62 and conveyed in the heating furnace 61 has a sealing temperature or higher (softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41 or higher).

Further, in the heating device 100, the height of the ceiling plate 61a of the heating furnace 61 is set to be low on the outlet side of the burner 101, and the ceiling plate 61a is connected to the connecting pipe of the container member 90 along the carrying direction. A groove 61b through which the container 92 penetrates and a passage window 61c through which the container body 91 passes are provided. When the envelope 40 having the container member 90 attached thereto is set on the conveyor belt 62 of the heating device 100 and circulated, the envelope 40 is heated to the sealing temperature and kept at the sealing temperature for a while. Kept together with the container member 90
The leading end of the extended pipe 93 is heated and melted by the burner 101 and sealed.

The envelope 40 at this time is the same as that in the state of FIG. 16B of the ninth embodiment, the tip of the extending pipe 93 is closed, and the sealing material layer 41 and the adhesive material are provided. Since the layer 94 is softened, the inner space of the envelope 40 and the container body 9 are
The gas flow between the inside of 1 and the outside space is cut off. The envelope 40 after passing through the burner 101 is kept at a temperature equal to or higher than the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41 by passing through the inside of the heating furnace 61 even on the outlet side of the burner 101, but the container body 91 After passing through the passage window 61c, is discharged outside the heating furnace 61 (above the ceiling plate 61a) and allowed to cool.

At this time, as in the state of FIG. 16C of the ninth embodiment, the envelope 40 at this time has a pressure inside the container body 91 and the envelope 40 as the temperature of the container body 91 decreases. Therefore, a pressure difference occurs between the inner space and the outer space of the envelope 40, and the panels 10 and 20 are pressed from the outside.
When the envelope 40 is cooled to the softening temperature of the sealing material layer 41 in this state, the sealing material layer 41 and the adhesive material layer 94 are hardened, so that the gap between the top of the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 is small. Sealing is done in the state. At the same time, the container member 90 is fixed to the rear panel 20, and the envelope 40 is discharged from the heating furnace 61.

After the sealing process is completed, the tip end of the extended pipe 93 is cut and opened, and then a vacuum pump is connected to this to evacuate it. Although not shown, the passage window 6
In order to keep the inside of the heating furnace 61 warm, it is preferable to provide an opening / closing shutter on 1c so that it is opened only when the container body 91 passes through.

(Modification of Method for Decompressing Internal Space of Envelope 40) In the above ninth and tenth embodiments,
First, the tip end of the extension pipe 93 is opened, the container main body 91 is heated, and then the tip end of the extension pipe 93 is sealed with a burner, whereby the inner space of the envelope 40 and the container main body are closed. Although the gas flow is cut off between the inside of 91 and the external space, the container body 91 is heated before the sealing material layer 41 is softened even if the tip of the extension pipe 93 is closed from the beginning. If the temperature is raised, if the temperature of the container body 91 is lowered after the sealing material layer 41 is softened, the inside pressure is also reduced.

Further, in the eighth to tenth embodiments described above, when decompressing the internal space of the envelope 40, the envelope 40 is
The temperature of the container, or the container member 90 connected to the envelope 40
However, in addition to this, a modified example in which the pressure is reduced by reducing the number of gas molecules sealed inside is conceivable. For example, oxygen gas is sealed in advance inside the envelope 40 or inside the container member 90 connected to the envelope 40, and the sealing material layer 4
When 1 is in a softened state, it is possible to reduce the pressure inside the envelope 40 by irradiating laser light to change oxygen into ozone and reducing the number of enclosed gas molecules. Is.

Further, a gas adsorbent (eg getter) which is activated by applying a stimulus such as heat or light to the inside of the envelope 40 or the inside of the container member 90 connected to the envelope 40 in advance. The gas adsorbed when the gas adsorbent is activated is enclosed, and the gas adsorbent is activated when the sealing material layer 41 is in the softened state. It is possible to reduce the number of existing gas molecules and reduce the pressure inside the envelope 40.

Therefore, the sealing material layer 4 is used as the gas adsorbent.
A material that is activated at a temperature equal to or higher than the softening temperature of 1 may be used, or when the sealing material layer 41 is in a softened state, the gas adsorbent is irradiated with laser light to activate it. Good. [Embodiment 11] This embodiment is the same as Embodiment 1, but as shown in FIG. 19, before forming the envelope 40, the entire top of the partition wall 24 of the rear panel 20 is previously formed. The difference is that a bonding material layer 45 for bonding the partition wall 24 and the front glass substrate 10 is formed.

As the bonding material for forming the bonding material layer 45, a material which has the ability to bond the partition wall 24 and the front glass substrate 10 and which does not adversely affect the operation of the PDP may be used. The same low melting point glass as the sealing material layer 41 is used. The bonding material layer 45 can be formed by applying a paste containing the bonding material (low melting point glass) to the top of the partition wall 24 using screen printing and firing.

After the bonding material layer is formed on the top of the partition wall 24 as described above, when the sealing material layer 41 and the bonding material layer 45 are softened in the sealing step, as in the first embodiment. If a pressure difference is provided so that the inside of the envelope 40 has a lower pressure than the outside, the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of both panels 10.
Since 0 is uniformly pressed from the outside, the bonding material layer 45 as a whole makes sure contact with the front glass substrate 10. Therefore, when the sealing material layer 41 and the bonding material layer are cured in this state, the top of the partition wall 24 and the front glass substrate 10 are reliably bonded to each other by the bonding material layer 45.

In the PDP manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, since the partition wall 24 and the front glass substrate 10 are bonded together, the discharge gas can be sealed at a high pressure and the PDP is driven. The effect of suppressing the vibration and the effect of improving the display quality in are more excellent than those in the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the technique of providing the bonding material layer 45 on the top of the partition wall 24 in advance in the manufacturing method of the first embodiment has been described, but it is applicable to any of the manufacturing methods shown in the second to tenth embodiments. it can. That is, in the examples shown in Embodiments 2 to 10 above, if the bonding material layer 45 is provided on the top of the partition wall 24 in advance, the manufactured PDP has the partition wall 24 and the front glass substrate 1.
Since 0 and 0 are joined together, the discharge gas can be filled at a high pressure, and the vibration suppressing effect and the display quality improving effect at the time of driving the PDP are the same as those of the second embodiment.
It is more excellent than 10 to 10.

[Embodiment 12] This embodiment is the same as Embodiment 1, but before the sealing step, as shown in FIGS. Substrate deformation restricting ribs 46 are formed in the vicinity of the region where the sealing material layer 41 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of one or both of 10 and the rear panel 20.

In the example of FIG. 20 (a), the substrate deformation regulating rib 46 is formed along the outer side of the sealing material layer 41.
In the example of (b), substrate deformation regulating ribs 46a and 46b are formed along the outside and inside of the sealing material layer 41. By forming the board deformation restricting ribs 46 in this way, the deformation of both panels 10 and 20 can be prevented even if the outer peripheral portions of both panels 10 and 20 are pressed by the clip 42.

That is, when the ribs for preventing the substrate deformation are not formed near the sealing material layer 41 as shown in FIG. 20D, when the sealing material layer 41 is softened in the sealing step. In addition, due to the pressing force of the clip 42, the envelope 40
At the outer peripheral part of the panel 10, both panels 10 and 20 tend to deform in the direction (arrow A) approaching each other, and the envelope 40
At the center of the panel, the ends of the partition wall 24 serve as fulcrums, and the levers try to deform the panels 10 and 20 in directions away from each other (arrow B). Such an operation is performed by the partition wall 24.
It is not preferable because the gap between the top of the and the front panel 10 is increased.

On the other hand, if the substrate deformation regulating ribs 46 are formed as described above, even if the sealing material layer 41 is softened in the sealing process, both panels 10 and The deformation effect of 20 does not occur. Therefore, by providing the substrate deformation regulating rib 46, the effect of suppressing the gap between the top portion of the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 can be enhanced.

In addition to the method of providing the substrate deformation regulating rib 46 different from the partition wall 24 as described above, FIG.
As shown in FIG.
Even if the clip 42 presses the image display area, the deformation of both panels 10 and 20 due to the pressing force of the clip 42 can be prevented. can do.

In the example of FIG. 10B, the sealing material layer 4
Since the substrate deformation regulating rib 46b is formed along the inner side of the envelope 1, the envelope 40 is softened in the sealing material layer 41.
It also has an effect of preventing the sealing material layer 41 from flowing into the display area when the internal pressure becomes lower than the external pressure. That is, the board deformation regulating rib 46b on the inner side of FIG.
Serves also as the sealing material inflow prevention rib 44 described in the third embodiment.

Regarding the height when the substrate deformation regulating rib 46 is formed, it is preferable that the height is approximately the same as the height of the partition wall 24 when the panels 10 and 20 are arranged opposite to each other. This means that when the height of the substrate deformation regulating rib 46 is higher than the height of the partition wall 24, a gap is formed between the top of the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10, while the substrate deformation regulating rib 46 functions as the partition wall. This is because if it is too low as compared with 24, the deformation preventing effect of both panels 10 and 20 cannot be expected so much.

Regarding the method of forming the substrate deformation regulating rib 46, as in the case of forming the sealing material inflow preventing rib 44 in the third embodiment, when the partition wall 24 is formed on the rear glass substrate 21, If the substrate deformation regulating rib 46 is simultaneously formed of the same material, it can be easily formed. 21A to 21F are partial top views showing specific examples of the shape of the substrate deformation regulating rib 46 provided on the rear panel 20. In the figure, a shaded region C is a region where the sealing material layer 41 is formed.

In (a), substrate deformation regulating ribs 46a and 46b are formed in a continuous line along the outside and inside of the region C where the sealing material layer 41 is formed. In (b), the substrate deformation regulating ribs 46 are dispersed at regular intervals across the region C where the sealing material layer 41 is formed. In (c), in the region C where the sealing material layer 41 is formed,
The short board deformation restriction ribs 46 are randomly distributed.

In (d), short substrate deformation regulating ribs 46 are inclined and dispersed at regular intervals in the region C where the sealing material layer 41 is formed. In (e), the substrate deformation regulating rib 46a is formed in a broken line shape along the outside of the region C where the sealing material layer 41 is formed,
Substrate deformation regulating ribs 46b are formed in a continuous line along the inner side.

In (f), the substrate deformation regulating ribs 46a are dispersed at a constant interval across the region C where the sealing material layer 41 is formed, and the substrate deformation regulating ribs 46b are continuously linearly formed along the inner side. Are formed. [Modification of this Embodiment] The technique of providing the substrate deformation regulating ribs 46 and the technique of pressing the image display area with the clip 42 as described above are such that the pressure inside the envelope 40 is lower than the pressure outside. The present invention can be applied not only to the case where the pressure difference is provided and the sealing step is performed, but also to the general sealing step of the PDP, and the same effect is obtained.

[Embodiment 13] In this embodiment, after the sealing step is performed as described in Embodiments 1 to 10, energy is intensively applied to the tops of the partition walls so that the tops of the partition walls are exposed. The following shows an example in which the front panel and the front panel are joined. FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a process of joining the partition top and the front panel by laser light irradiation.

First, similar to the first to tenth embodiments,
The front panel 10 and the rear panel 20 are overlapped with each other to form the envelope 40, and the sealing material layer 41 is softened and hardened to perform sealing (FIG. 22A). Next, FIG.
As shown in (b), a laser beam machine 200 is used to irradiate laser light to the top of the partition wall from the front panel 10 side of the sealed enclosure 40 to bond them.

This laser processing machine 200 will be described in detail later, but the laser head 203 is irradiated onto the work (envelope 40) while irradiating the laser light pulsated from the YAG laser oscillator 201 from the laser head 203. In contrast, scanning is performed in the vertical and horizontal directions (xy directions in the drawing) relatively, and a condenser lens 204 is provided in the laser head 203, and the laser light is collected on the surface of the work as an oval spot. It is designed to be illuminated with light.

When the top of the partition wall is irradiated with laser light, the top surface of the partition is intensively heated to a high temperature. Then, the partition wall material is heated to a temperature higher than the softening temperature (for example, 500 to 600 ° C.) to be softened (melted), and then cooled and hardened. At this time, since the top of the partition wall and the front panel 10 are in close contact with each other, the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 are in contact with each other.
And are joined.

Therefore, by irradiating the top of the partition wall with the laser beam as described above, the position is scanned in the direction of the arrow in the drawing along the longitudinal direction of the partition wall, whereby the top of the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 are spread over the entire panel. Will be joined (the hatched portion in the figure is the joined portion). FIG. 22 (c)
In the above, by scanning while intermittently irradiating the laser beam, the portion (hatched portion in the figure) on the top of the partition wall where the laser spot is irradiated is connected in a dotted pattern to the front panel 10.
However, it is also possible to perform linear joining by narrowing the laser light irradiation interval or continuously irradiating the laser light.

When performing the step of joining the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 by irradiating the laser beam in this way, the envelope 4 is
Although the bonding can be performed without providing a pressure difference between the inner space of 0 and the outer space, the inner space of the envelope 40 described in the sealing step of the first to fifth, seventh, and tenth embodiments can be connected to the outer space. It is desirable to carry out the process while keeping the depressurized state as it is because the top of the partition wall and the front panel 10 are joined together in a more intimate state.

FIG. 23 is a schematic perspective view showing a specific example of the laser processing machine 200. Laser processing machine 200 shown in this figure
Is a laser processing machine called a gantry type, in which the table 202 is supported so as to be movable in the x direction, and an arch 210 is provided so as to straddle the table 202. With this arch 210, the laser torch 211 is moved in the y direction. Is movably supported by. And laser torch 21
1 and the table 202 are precisely driven by a stepping motor (not shown).

The envelope 40 can be fixed on the table 202 by a vacuum chuck mechanism. The laser head 203 is fixed to the laser torch 211, and the laser light emitted from the laser oscillator 201 is guided to the laser head 203 through the optical fiber cable 212 made of quartz glass. As the laser oscillator 201, it is preferable to use a YAG laser oscillator or a carbon dioxide gas laser oscillator capable of oscillating strong light in a short time,
The output is 10 mW, for example.

Table 202 of this laser processing machine 200
First, the envelope 40 is set. At this time, the partition wall 24
Set so that the longitudinal direction of is along the x direction. And
By scanning in the x direction while irradiating the top of the partition wall 24 with the laser light, one partition wall 24 is joined. Next, the same operation is performed by shifting in the y direction by a distance corresponding to the partition pitch. By repeating such an operation, the entire panel is joined.

(Effect of this Embodiment) According to the method of this embodiment, since the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 are bonded over the entire surface of the envelope 40, the discharge gas can be sealed at a high pressure, and the PDP can be sealed. The vibration suppressing effect and the display quality improving effect during driving are as excellent as those of the eleventh embodiment.

PDP manufactured by using the method of this embodiment
Also in the result of the driving experiment, the resonance between the partition wall and the front panel does not occur unlike the conventional case, the noise level is reduced to 1/10 or less of the conventional case, and the crosstalk between the cells is observed at all. There wasn't. Further, according to the method of the present embodiment, it is possible to perform the bonding without applying the bonding material to the tops of the partition walls as in the above-mentioned Embodiment 11, so that the process is simple in that respect.

Further, in the PDP manufactured by the method of this embodiment, the top of the partition wall 24 of the rear panel 20 and the front panel 10 are not bonded by a bonding material different from the partition wall, but the partition wall 24. It is fused by the material. P
If there is a bonding material in the image display area of the DP, impurities may be mixed into the discharge gas from the bonding material, but the PDP manufactured by the method of the present embodiment can eliminate such a possibility. It is advantageous.

However, similar to the eleventh embodiment, the partition wall 2 is previously prepared.
4 has a bonding material layer 45 formed on the top thereof, and the envelope 40
It is also possible to adopt a method of irradiating the bonding material layer 45 with laser light to bond it to the front panel 10 as in the present embodiment after forming the above. In this case, the above merit is not obtained, but It is possible to perform reliable joining. In addition, when forming the bonding material layer 45, if a material that improves absorption of laser light, such as a black filler, is mixed in the bonding material,
Further, it is possible to surely bond them.

(Modification of this Embodiment) The laser beam machine 200 as described above is generally capable of performing precise two-dimensional laser beam machining on a workpiece in the order of micrometer. By providing 200 with a device for observing the surface of the work, more precise joining can be performed as described below.

The laser beam machine 200 shown in FIG. 24 is provided with an observation head 205 in addition to the laser head 203. The observation head 205 includes a probe light generator 206 for irradiating the work surface with probe light.
And a detector 207 for detecting the light reflected on the work surface.
As in the laser head 203, the workpiece (envelope 40) can be relatively scanned in the vertical and horizontal directions (the xy directions in the drawing).

First, before irradiating the laser beam, the controller 208 receives the signal from the detector 207 while scanning the observation head 205,
Monitor the shape of the partition wall 24 (x on the table 202)
Store the position of the top of the partition in the y coordinate). Next, the laser head 20 is irradiated with laser light.
3 is scanned in the X direction, at which time the controller 208
The laser head 203 is finely adjusted in the Y direction so that the spot of the laser beam is exactly applied to the center of the top of the partition wall 24 using the monitored positional information of the top portion of the partition wall.

As a result, even if the partition wall 24 is curved (meandering) or partially broken, the central portion of the partition wall is reliably irradiated with the laser, and high-accuracy bonding is achieved. In addition to this, the laser processing machine 2 shown in FIG.
It is also possible to monitor the width and the light reflectance of each part of the top of the partition wall using 00, and adjust the intensity of laser light irradiation accordingly.

For example, in the case where the top of the partition wall is irradiated with laser light to be softened, it is difficult for the width of the top part of the partition wall or the portion having a large light reflectance to rise in temperature even when irradiated with the laser light, so that the bonding area is also increased. It will be smaller. On the other hand, when the bonding material layer is formed on the tops of the partition walls, the amount of the bonding material is large where the width of the partition tops is large, so that the bonding area may be increased. Therefore, when the width or light reflectance of the top of the partition wall varies, if the irradiation intensity of the laser light is fixed, the bonding state (melting area of the top portion of the partition wall) of each portion tends to vary.

On the other hand, if the irradiation intensity and the irradiation angle of the laser beam are controlled according to the monitored width and light reflectance of each part of the partition wall top, the variation of the bonding state due to the variation of each partition wall top part will occur. Can be eliminated. In this embodiment, the step of joining the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 by laser light irradiation is performed after the sealing step is performed in a state where the internal space of the envelope 40 is at a lower pressure than the external space. Although an example is shown, this joining step can also be performed after the conventional sealing step. However, in this case, since the gap between the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 is larger than that of the present embodiment, the joining state is considered to be inferior.

Further, in the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the step of joining the partition wall 24 and the front panel 10 by laser light irradiation is performed after the sealing step, but this joining step should be performed prior to the sealing step. It is also possible to carry out the above, and it is also possible to carry out in parallel with the sealing process. When this joining step is performed prior to the sealing step, the outer peripheral portion of the envelope 40 is sealed with a sealing material layer, for example, as in the second embodiment, in order to ensure good joining over the entire panel. It is desirable to perform the joining process while reducing the pressure by exhausting the internal space of the container 40.

Further, in this embodiment, the laser light is applied to the partition wall 2.
Although the example of softening (melting) the top of the partition wall 24 or the bonding material by irradiating the top part of the partition wall 4 has been shown, it suffices if the top part of the partition wall can be intensively heated, and energy such as ultrasonic waves is applied to the top part of the partition wall 24. It is also possible to soften the top of the partition wall and the bonding material by heating the front panel 10 intensively with a heater.

When forming the envelope 40, the partition wall 2
By stacking the front panel 10 on the rear panel 20 while heating the front panel 10 to a temperature at which the material of FIG. 4 softens, it is considered possible to soften and join the tops of the partition walls 24 and the bonding material that are in close contact with the front panel 10. To be [Embodiment 14] In the present embodiment, when manufacturing a PDP, an exhaust pipe attached to an envelope (for example, the piping member 2 shown in the above-mentioned Embodiment 1) after the discharge gas filling step.
An exhaust pipe sealing device capable of easily tipping off 6) will be described.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view showing how the exhaust pipe sealing device 310 is attached to the exhaust pipe 300.
6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the exhaust pipe sealing device 310 attached to the exhaust pipe 300. 25 and 26, the envelope is not shown, but the lower end side of the exhaust pipe 300 in the drawing is the root, and this root is connected to the ventilation hole of the rear panel (see FIG. 5).

The exhaust pipe sealing device 310 comprises a heat generating unit 311 for heating the exhaust pipe 300, and a regulating member 315 for regulating the mounting position of the heat generating unit 311 on the exhaust pipe 300. Heating unit 31
Reference numeral 1 denotes a cylindrical support member 312 having a diameter considerably larger than the outer diameter of the exhaust pipe 300, and a coil-shaped electric heater 31 stretched over the entire inner peripheral surface of this support member.
3 and 3.

The regulating member 315 is a columnar member having a hole for inserting the exhaust pipe 300 formed along the central axis, and one end side (lower side in the figure) of the heat generating unit 311.
A fitting portion 316 having a small diameter is formed so that one end portion (upper end portion in the drawing) of the fitting portion is fitted. The restricting member 315 can be divided into two restricting member pieces 315a and 315b on a plane passing through the central axis.

As the material of the regulating member 315, ceramics or the like which has a high insulating property and which does not melt even at the temperature at which the exhaust pipe 300 melts is desirable. The hole of the restriction member 315 preferably has a diameter slightly larger than the outer shape of the exhaust pipe 300. This is because if the diameter of the hole is too large, the position of the restricting member 315 rattles and the position cannot be restricted.

Further, the filling portion 316 is the heat generating unit 31.
It is desirable to make the diameter slightly smaller than 1. This is because if it is too large, it comes into contact with the heater to hinder the temperature rise, while if it is too small, the position of the electrothermal heater 313 rattles and the position cannot be regulated. The exhaust pipe 300 is sealed as follows using the exhaust pipe sealing device 310 having the above configuration.

First, the heat generating unit 311 is arranged at the position where the tip of the exhaust pipe 300 should be turned off. Next, the exhaust pipe 3
00 and the heat generating unit 311 are inserted with the fitting portion 316 of the regulating member 315. Then, the electric heater 313 is energized to heat the exhaust pipe 300 and tip off. (Regarding Effect of Present Embodiment) If the exhaust pipe 300 is chipped off only by the heat generating unit 311 without using the regulating member 315, the electric heater 313 easily contacts the exhaust pipe 300 and the melted exhaust pipe 300 is heated by the electric heat. Heater 31
The exhaust pipe 300 may be destroyed by welding to No. 3,
If the chip-off is performed using the regulating member 315 as described above, this can be performed without the electric heater 313 and the exhaust pipe 300 coming into contact with each other.

Further, since the regulating member 315 is of a split type cut along a plane including the axis of the exhaust pipe 300, after the heat generating unit 311 is fitted into the exhaust pipe 300, the regulating member 3 is formed.
15 can be easily mounted between the exhaust pipe 300 and the electric heater 313. (Regarding Modified Example of Present Embodiment) In the present embodiment, the regulation member 315 is the regulation member piece 31.
Although it can be divided into 5a and 315b, the regulation member 315 does not necessarily have to be a dividable structure.

In the exhaust pipe sealing device 310 of FIG. 26, the heat generating unit 311 is provided outside the fitting portion 316 of the regulating member 315.
27 has been designed to fit in, but in the exhaust pipe sealing device 310 of FIG. 27, the fitting portion 316 of the regulating member 315 is fitted.
One end of the heat generating unit 311 is fitted into the inside of the. Also in this case, the same effect can be obtained.

In the exhaust pipe sealing device 310 of FIG. 26, one end of the heat generating unit 311 is fitted in the regulating member 315, but the exhaust pipe sealing device 310 shown in FIG. 28.
Then, both ends of the heat generating unit 311 are fitted into the restricting member 315. By controlling at two locations in this way, the positions of the electric heater 313 and the exhaust pipe 300 can be more reliably regulated, and mutual contact can be prevented.

Further, in the exhaust pipe sealing device 310, the restricting member 315 and the heat generating unit 311 are separate bodies,
As in the exhaust pipe sealing device 320 shown in FIG. 29, the supporting member 312 and the regulating member 315 may be integrated. That is, the exhaust pipe sealing device 320 of FIG. 29 has an integral structure in which the electric heater 322 is arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical regulation member 321 having the lid portion 321a formed on one side, and the lid portion 321a. Exhaust pipe 30 in the center of
There is a hole that fits into 0.

The exhaust pipe sealing device 330 of FIG. 30 is also one in which a support member for supporting the heater and a regulating member are integrated, and a cylindrical regulating member having lids 331a and 331b formed on both sides. An electric heater 332 is arranged on the inner peripheral surface of 331. The exhaust pipe sealing device 330 is cylindrical but can be divided by a plane including the central axis thereof. The exhaust pipe sealing device 330 can be divided into two parts, and in FIG. 30, only one of the two parts is shown.

Such an exhaust pipe sealing device 320, 330
Even if the above is used, the exhaust pipe 300 can be chipped off in the same manner as the exhaust pipe sealing device 310 by fitting the exhaust pipe 300 and operating the electric heater. [Modifications of First to Fourteenth Embodiments] In the above embodiments, the PDP in which the partition wall 24 is provided on the rear panel 20 side is illustrated, but the same applies to the case where the partition wall is provided on the front panel 10 side. It can be carried out.

In the above embodiment, the AC type PDP has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to the AC type PDP and another substrate is superposed and sealed on the substrate on which the partition wall is provided. It can be widely applied to the production of gas discharge panels.

[0165]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the envelope of the gas discharge panel is formed and then the outer peripheral portions of both substrates are sealed with the sealing material, the envelope is sealed. By adjusting the internal pressure of the container so that it is lower than the external pressure, it becomes possible to seal the top of the partition wall on one substrate and the other substrate in a completely tight contact. Thus, the generation of vibration and crosstalk during driving of the PDP is suppressed.

Here, further, before forming the envelope, a bonding material is provided on the top of the partition wall on one of the substrates, and the bonding material is sealed along with the outer peripheral portions of both substrates by the sealing material. If the top of the barrier ribs and the other substrate are bonded by means of the above, the top of the barrier ribs and the other substrate are bonded over the entire surface of the panel, so that the discharge gas can be sealed at a high pressure, and vibration and crosstalk are generated. The suppression effect of is more remarkable.

Also, during the sealing step, or before and after the sealing step, the partition top and the other substrate are joined by a method of irradiating the partition top with energy such as laser light or ultrasonic waves. Similarly, it is possible to eliminate the gap between the top of the partition wall and the other substrate over the entire panel. Further, when the exhaust pipe is chipped off, the holding means is used to hold the heating element while keeping a distance from the exhaust pipe, and the heating element is driven in this state, so that the exhaust pipe can be easily and securely held. You can tip off to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an AC surface discharge type PDP according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a display device in which a circuit block is mounted on the PDP of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a cross section of a sealing device used in the sealing process of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the sealing device shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a sealing step according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a sealing process according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a sealing step according to the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a sealing process according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a sealing process according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a sealing step according to the seventh embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a method of manufacturing a low internal pressure container used in the sealing step of the seventh embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a belt-type heating device used in a sealing process according to a seventh embodiment.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a state change in the sealing process of the seventh embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a belt-type heating device used in a sealing step in the eighth embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a state in which a sealing process is performed by the belt-type heating device of FIG.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a state of a sealing step according to the ninth embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a belt-type heating device used in the tenth embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a state in which a sealing process is performed by the belt type heating device.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the manner in which the sealing step according to the eleventh embodiment is performed.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a manner of performing a sealing step according to the twelfth embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a partial top view showing a specific example of the shape of the substrate deformation regulating rib according to the twelfth embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing the step of joining the partition top and the front panel by laser light irradiation in the thirteenth embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a schematic perspective view showing a specific example of the laser processing machine used in the thirteenth embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing an example of a laser processing machine used in the thirteenth embodiment.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view showing an exhaust pipe sealing device used in the fourteenth embodiment.

FIG. 26 is a schematic sectional view of the exhaust pipe sealing device.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a modification of the exhaust pipe sealing device according to the fourteenth embodiment.

FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a modification of the exhaust pipe sealing device according to the fourteenth embodiment.

FIG. 29 is a view showing a modified example of the exhaust pipe sealing device according to the fourteenth embodiment.

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing a modification of the exhaust pipe sealing device according to the fourteenth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Front panel 11 Front glass substrate 12 discharge electrodes 13 Dielectric layer 14 Protective layer 20 back panel 21 Rear glass substrate 21a, 21b ventilation holes 22 Address electrode 23 Dielectric layer 24 partitions 25 Phosphor layer 26 Piping members 26a Adhesive layer 30 discharge space 40 envelope 41 sealing material layer 42 clips 43 Seal material layer 44 Sealing material inflow prevention rib 45 Bonding material layer 46 Substrate deformation restriction rib 50 sealing device 70 Low internal pressure container 74 Adhesive layer 90 Container member 100 heating device 200 laser processing machine 202 table 203 laser head 205 Observation head 206 Probe light generator 207 detector 310 Exhaust pipe sealing device 311 Heating unit 312 Support member 313 electric heater 315 Control member

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (31) Priority claim number Japanese Patent Application No. 11-66407 (32) Priority date March 12, 1999 (March 12, 1999) (33) Priority claim country Japan (JP) (31) Priority claim number Japanese Patent Application No. 11-119446 (32) Priority date April 27, 1999 (April 27, 1999) (33) Country of priority claim Japan (JP) (31) Priority claim number Japanese Patent Application No. 11-122106 (32) Priority Date April 28, 1999 (April 28, 1999) (33) Country claiming priority Japan (JP) Preliminary Examination (72) Inventor Katsuyoshi Yamashita Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Daiji Kadoma 1006 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Yonehara Kadoma City, Osaka 1006 Kadoma Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kirihara Nobuyuki 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma, Osaka Matsushita Electric Device Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazuo Otani 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture In Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kinzo Nonomura 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP 10-208637 (JP, A) JP 8- 22767 (JP, A) JP 4-212240 (JP, A) JP 50-3570 (JP, A) JP 1-235125 (JP, A) JP 2000-82401 (JP, A) Kaihei 9-306362 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01J 9/26 H01J 11/02

Claims (25)

(57) [Claims] 1. An envelope forming step of forming an envelope by arranging a second substrate so as to face a partition-side surface of a first substrate having a main surface on which a partition for separating light emitting cells is formed, A method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel, comprising: a sealing step of sealing the outer peripheral portions of both substrates in the envelope with a sealing material; and a sealing step of sealing a discharge gas inside the envelope. The sealing step includes a pressure adjusting sub-step for adjusting the internal pressure of the envelope to be lower than the external pressure, and the sealing step includes between the internal space and the external space of the envelope. A gas-tight sealing sub-step for making the gas flow blocked, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, the pressure in the envelope after the air-tight sealing sub-step is made, the air-tight sealing sub-step is performed. Lowering the pressure in the previous envelope, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, lowering the pressure in the internal space by using a low internal pressure container having an internal pressure lower than the pressure in the internal space of the envelope. A method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel, characterized by: 2. The envelope formed in the envelope forming step is configured such that the low internal pressure container is connected, and gas flows between the internal space of the envelope and the internal space of the low internal pressure container by a shielding material. 2. The gas discharge according to claim 1, wherein the pressure adjustment sub-step reduces the pressure of the internal space of the envelope by releasing the interruption of the gas flow by the shielding material in the pressure adjustment sub-step. Panel manufacturing method. 3. The shielding material is a material that melts or decomposes by applying a stimulus, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, a gas flow is enabled by applying a stimulus to the shielding material to melt or decompose. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein
A method for manufacturing the gas discharge panel described. 4. An envelope forming step of forming an envelope by arranging a second substrate so as to face a partition-side surface of a first substrate having a main surface on which a partition separating the light emitting cells is formed, A method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel, comprising: a sealing step of sealing the outer peripheral portions of both substrates in the envelope with a sealing material; and a sealing step of sealing a discharge gas inside the envelope. The sealing step includes a pressure adjusting sub-step for adjusting the internal pressure of the envelope to be lower than the external pressure, and the sealing step includes between the internal space and the external space of the envelope. A gas-tight sealing sub-step for making the gas flow blocked, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, the pressure in the envelope after the air-tight sealing sub-step is made, the air-tight sealing sub-step is performed. Lower than the pressure in the previous envelope, the envelope formed in the envelope forming step, a container having an internal space that communicates with the internal space of the envelope is connected, In the pressure adjustment sub-step, by cooling the interior space of the container to a temperature lower than before the hermetic sealing sub-step,
A method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel, which comprises reducing the pressure. 5. An envelope forming step of forming an envelope by arranging a second substrate so as to face a partition-side surface of a first substrate having a main surface on which a partition separating the light emitting cells is formed, A method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel, comprising: a sealing step of sealing the outer peripheral portions of both substrates in the envelope with a sealing material; and a sealing step of sealing a discharge gas inside the envelope. The sealing step includes a pressure adjusting sub-step for adjusting the internal pressure of the envelope to be lower than the external pressure, and the sealing step includes between the internal space and the external space of the envelope. A gas-tight sealing sub-step for making the gas flow blocked, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, the pressure in the envelope after the air-tight sealing sub-step is made, the air-tight sealing sub-step is performed. The pressure is set lower than the pressure in the previous envelope, and in the airtight sealing substep, the internal space and the external space of the envelope are communicated with each other at a peak temperature higher than the softening point of the sealing material. The communication passage to be sealed is sealed by being heated and melted by the heating and melting means, and then, in the pressure adjusting substep, the temperature inside the inner space of the envelope is lower than that before the airtight sealing substep. A method of manufacturing a gas discharge panel, characterized in that the pressure is lowered by cooling to a low temperature. 6. An envelope forming step of forming an envelope by arranging a second substrate on a surface of the first substrate having a partition wall separating the light emitting cells formed on the main surface so as to face the partition wall, A method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel, comprising: a sealing step of sealing the outer peripheral portions of both substrates in the envelope with a sealing material; and a sealing step of sealing a discharge gas inside the envelope. The sealing step includes a pressure adjusting sub-step for adjusting the internal pressure of the envelope to be lower than the external pressure, and the sealing step includes between the internal space and the external space of the envelope. A gas-tight sealing sub-step for making the gas flow blocked, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, the pressure in the envelope after the air-tight sealing sub-step is made, the air-tight sealing sub-step is performed. The pressure is lower than the pressure in the previous envelope, and inside the envelope formed in the envelope forming step, or in a container having an internal space communicating with the internal space of the envelope, a gas is An adsorbing member is provided, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, the gas adsorbing action of the gas adsorbing member lowers the pressure of the internal space. 7. The gas adsorbing member, which exhibits a gas adsorbing action in response to a stimulus applied from the outside, is used, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, the gas adsorbing action of the gas adsorbing member is exerted. To
7. A stimulus is applied to the gas adsorbing member.
A method for manufacturing the gas discharge panel described. 8. The pressure adjusting sub-step applies a stimulus to the gas adsorbing member so that the gas adsorbing action of the gas adsorbing member is exerted after the airtight sealing sub-step is started. The method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel according to claim 7. 9. An envelope forming step of forming an envelope by arranging a second substrate so as to face a partition-side surface of a first substrate having a main surface on which a partition separating the light emitting cells is formed, A method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel, comprising: a sealing step of sealing the outer peripheral portions of both substrates in the envelope with a sealing material; and a sealing step of sealing a discharge gas inside the envelope. The sealing step includes a pressure adjusting sub-step for adjusting the internal pressure of the envelope to be lower than the external pressure, and the sealing step includes between the internal space and the external space of the envelope. A gas-tight sealing sub-step for making the gas flow blocked, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, the pressure in the envelope after the air-tight sealing sub-step is made, the air-tight sealing sub-step is performed. The pressure is lower than the pressure in the previous envelope, and inside the envelope formed in the envelope forming step, or in a container having an internal space communicating with the internal space of the envelope, the molecule is A method of manufacturing a gas discharge panel, wherein a gas capable of bonding is filled, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, the pressure of the internal space is lowered by molecular bonding of the gas in the envelope. 10. The gas capable of molecular bonding is one that is responsive to an externally applied stimulus to molecularly bond, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, the gas in the envelope is for molecular bonding. The method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel according to claim 9, wherein the pressure in the internal space is lowered by applying a stimulus to the interior of the gas discharge panel. 11. The method of manufacturing a gas discharge panel according to claim 10, wherein in the pressure adjusting sub-step, the gas is stimulated after the airtight sealing sub-step is started. 12. An envelope forming step of forming an envelope by arranging a second substrate so as to face a partition-side surface of a first substrate having a main surface on which a partition separating the light emitting cells is formed, A method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel, comprising: a sealing step of sealing the outer peripheral portions of both substrates in the envelope with a sealing material; and a sealing step of sealing a discharge gas inside the envelope. The sealing step includes a pressure adjusting sub-step for adjusting the internal pressure of the envelope to be lower than the external pressure, and the sealing step includes between the internal space and the external space of the envelope. In the pressure adjusting sub-step, the pressure in the outer space of the envelope is set higher after the air-tight sealing sub-step than before the gas-tight sealing sub-step is performed. To do A method of manufacturing a gas discharge panel, comprising: 13. The sealing material is made of a material that is softened by an external stimulus, and in the airtight sealing sub-step, the sealing material is softened so that an inner space and an outer space of the envelope are separated from each other. The pressure adjusting step is performed after the gas flow between them is blocked and the airtight sealing sub-step is started.
9. A method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel according to any one of 1. 14. The sealing step comprises the step of forming the sealing material between the outer peripheral portions of both substrates of the envelope formed in the envelope forming step before sealing with the sealing material. 13. The method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel according to claim 1, further comprising a pre-sealing sub-step of disposing a sealing material other than the above on the outside of the sealing material. 15. The gas discharge according to claim 1, wherein, in the sealing step, the both substrates are sandwiched by a fastener so as to be pressed while pressing the both substrates. Panel manufacturing method. 16. The method of manufacturing a gas discharge panel according to claim 15, wherein, in the sealing step, the fasteners sandwich a region where the partition walls are formed in the both substrates. 17. The first used in the envelope forming step.
A deformation preventing member for preventing deformation of the first substrate or the second substrate due to pressing by the fastener is disposed on at least one outer peripheral portion of the substrate and the second substrate. The method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel according to claim 15. 18. The method of manufacturing a gas discharge panel according to claim 17, wherein the deformation preventing member is made of the same material as the partition wall. 19. The method of manufacturing a gas discharge panel according to claim 17, wherein the deformation preventing member is provided so as to prevent the sealing material from flowing into the inside of the envelope. 20. The method of manufacturing a gas discharge panel according to claim 17, wherein the deformation preventing member is formed to have a height equivalent to that of the partition wall. 21. Prior to the envelope forming step, a bonding material disposing step of disposing a bonding material for bonding the partition top and the second substrate to the partition top of the first substrate, In the sealing step, the outer peripheral portions of both substrates are sealed by the sealing material, and the top of the partition wall and the second substrate are bonded by the bonding material. Of manufacturing gas discharge panel of. 22. In the sealing step, the pressure adjusting sub-step is started before the sealing material and the bonding material are hardened.
1. The method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel according to 1. 23. The manufacturing of a gas discharge panel according to claim 21, wherein in the sealing step, the sealing material and the bonding material are softened and then cured to perform the sealing and bonding. Method. 24. The gas according to claim 23, wherein the sealing material and the bonding material are low-melting glass, and the softening temperature of the bonding material is equal to or lower than the softening temperature of the sealing material. Discharge panel manufacturing method. 25. An envelope forming step of forming an envelope by arranging a second substrate so as to face a partition-side surface of a first substrate having a main surface on which a partition separating the light emitting cells is formed, A method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel, comprising: a sealing step of sealing the outer peripheral portions of both substrates in the envelope with a sealing material; and a sealing step of sealing a discharge gas inside the envelope. The sealing step includes a pressure adjusting sub-step for adjusting the internal pressure of the envelope to be lower than the external pressure, and the envelope formed in the envelope forming step includes the envelope. A communication passage that communicates the inside and the outside of the container is provided, and in the pressure adjusting sub-step, the gas inside the envelope is exhausted from the communication passage to the outside, and is formed in the envelope forming step. The package that is used is A through hole is provided to connect the inside and the outside of the envelope, and a pipe is connected via a crystallized glass that is crystallized at a temperature lower than that of the sealing material so as to be connected to the through hole. A method for manufacturing a gas discharge panel, which is characterized by being joined.