KR100883707B1 - Plasma tube array - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present invention, a plurality of light emitting tubes 10 having phosphor layers 14 are arranged inside, discharge is generated in the plurality of light emitting tubes 10, and the phosphor layer inside the light emitting tube 10 ( The present invention relates to a plasma tube array for displaying an image by emitting light. The object of the present invention is to provide a plasma tube array having a structure in which a phosphor layer is easily aligned and aligned in a predetermined direction. 10) Each end was provided with the positioning member 50 which regulates the attitude | position of the rotation direction of the light emitting tube.

Phosphor Layer, Boat, Light Emitting Tube, Light Emitting Yarn, Plasma Tube Array

Description

Plasma Tube Array {PLASMA TUBE ARRAY}

The present invention relates to a plasma tube array in which an image is displayed by arranging a plurality of light emitting tubes having phosphor layers therein, generating discharge in the plurality of light emitting tubes, and emitting phosphor layers inside the light emitting tubes. .

A large-scale image display device that emits self-luminous light, by applying the principle of plasma display, and aligning a plurality of light emitting yarns made of glass tubes (glass tubes) having phosphor layers or the like therein, each part of each light emitting yarn The technique which displays an image by controlling light emission every time is proposed (refer patent document 1).

Each light-emitting yarn forms an MgO layer and a phosphor layer inside a glass tube, and for example, encapsulates a discharge gas consisting of Ne and Xe. The phosphor layer is formed on a supporting member which is a mounting component having a cross-sectional shape close to a semicircle called a boat, and the supporting member (boat) is inserted into the glass tube. Thereafter, the glass tube is evacuated while heating in the vacuum chamber, and both ends are hermetically sealed after filling the discharge gas. The light emitting yarns thus produced are aligned and fixed in parallel in a direction in which the opening area of the boat is maximized, and electrodes are installed above and below the light emitting yarns, and a voltage is applied to the electrodes to form the inside of the light emitting yarns. The discharge is generated to emit the phosphor.

1 is a perspective view showing the basic structure of the plasma tube array.

In the plasma tube array (PTA) 100 shown here, phosphor layers for emitting red (R), green (G), and blue (B) fluoresces are disposed, respectively, and light emitting yarns in which discharge gas is encapsulated ( 10R, 10G, 10B, 10R, 10G, 10B, ...) are arranged in parallel with each other and in a planar shape as a whole, and a plurality of light emitting yarns (10R, 10G, 10B, 10R, 10G, 10B, ...) in which they are arranged The front and back support substrate 20 and the back support substrate 30 which are transparent are arrange | positioned at the front surface and the back, respectively, and the several light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, 10B, 10R, 10G, 10B, which are arrange | positioned are their It has a structure sandwiched between the front support substrate 20 and the back support substrate 30.

In addition, on the front support substrate 20, an arrangement direction of a plurality of light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, 10B, 10R, 10G, 10B, ..., that is, a plurality of light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, 10B, 10R, 10G. , 10B,..., Display electrode pairs 21 formed of two display electrodes 211, 212 extending in parallel to each other are formed. The display electrode pairs 21 are arranged in plural in the longitudinal direction of the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, 10B, 10R, 10G, 10B,... In addition, the two display electrodes 211 and 212 constituting one display electrode pair 21 are bus electrodes 211a and 212a each made of metal (for example, Cr / Cu / Cr) formed on the side spaced from each other. ) And transparent electrodes 211b and 212b each formed of an ITO thin film formed on adjacent sides. The bus electrodes 211a and 212a are for lowering the electrical resistance of the display electrodes 211 and 212, and the transparent electrodes 211b and 212b are light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, 10B, 10R, 10G, 10B,... The present invention is designed to perform bright display by passing the light on the front support member 20 side without blocking the emitted light. Here, the display electrode pair 21 may be configured not only of the transparent electrode but also of an electrode having a high aperture ratio such as a mesh electrode.

Further, on the back support substrate 30, a plurality of signals made of metals corresponding to each of the plurality of light-emitting yarns 10R, 10G, 10B, 10R, 10G, 10B, ... are extended in parallel with each other along the light-emitting yarns. The electrode 31 is formed.

In the plan view of the PTA 100 configured as described above, the intersection of the signal electrode 31 and the display electrode pair 21 becomes a unit light emitting region (unit discharge region). The display uses any one of the display electrodes 211 and 212 as a scan electrode, generates a selective discharge at an intersection of the scan electrode and the signal electrode 31 to select a light emitting region, and is accompanied by the discharge. This is performed by generating display discharge between the display electrodes 211 and 212 using wall charges formed on the inner surface of the light emitting yarns in the region. The selective discharge is a counter discharge generated in the light emitting yarn between the scan electrode and the signal electrode 31 facing in the up and down direction, and the display discharge is the light emitting yarn between the display electrodes 211 and 212 disposed in parallel on the plane. It is a surface discharge generated within. With this electrode arrangement, a plurality of light emitting regions are formed in the longitudinal direction inside the light emitting yarn.

Here, in the electrode structure shown in the drawing, three electrodes are arranged in one light emitting region, and display discharge is generated by the display electrodes 211 and 212, but not only the display electrodes 211 and 212. The display discharge may be generated between the signal electrode 31 and the signal electrode 31. That is, an electrode structure in which a selective discharge and a display discharge (counter discharge) are generated between the data electrodes 3 by using one display electrode 211 and 212 and using this one display electrode as a scan electrode. It may be.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the light emitting yarn constituting the PTA 100 shown in FIG.

Here, three light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B are shown. Each of the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B has a protective film 12 such as MgO formed on the inner surface of the glass tube 11, and the fluorescence of each color (R, G, B) is emitted in the glass tube 11. It has the structure which the boat 13 which is the support member in which each phosphor layer 14R, 14G, 14B was formed was inserted (refer patent document 2).

3 is a view showing a boat on which a phosphor layer is formed.

The boat 13 has a semicircular shape, a U-shape, or a shape approximating them, and has a shape that is elongated similarly to the glass tube 11 (see Fig. 2), and the inside thereof is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Three kinds of phosphor layers 14R, 14G, and 14B (refer to FIG. 2: represented by the phosphor layer 14 here) corresponding to three kinds of light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B are formed.

Returning to Fig. 2, the explanation is continued.

Each of the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B shown in FIG. 2 is configured by inserting a boat 13 of the shape shown in FIG. 3 into the glass tube 11. In FIG. 2, the display electrode pair 21 which consists of two display electrodes 211 and 212 is arrange | positioned on those light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B. These two display electrodes 211 and 212 are comprised of the metal bus electrodes 211a and 212a and the transparent electrodes 211b and 212b.

Here, in the structure shown in Fig. 2, three light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B each provided with three kinds of phosphor layers 14R, 14G, and 14B become one set, and two display electrodes ( The area D1 defined by the set of display electrode pairs 21 composed of 211 and 212 becomes one pixel (one pixel) which is a unit of color image display. The diameter of each of the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B is typically about 1 mm, so in the case of the structure shown in Fig. 2, the size of the area D1 of one pixel is 3 mm x 3 mm. .

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-103187

Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-86141

4 is an explanatory diagram of a problem. Here, two light emitting yarns 10 are shown.

The boat 13 mounted with the phosphor layer inserted into the light emitting yarn 10 has a cross section of a semicircular shape, a U shape or a shape approximating them. In addition, the glass tube 11 which comprises the light emitting yarn 10 is a cross section, round shape, ellipse, or the shape which approximates them. For this reason, ideally, the boat 13 which becomes the largest projection area toward an image display surface (front-side support member 20 side) like FIG. 4 will be arrange | positioned left and right like FIG. 4 (B). There is a possibility. There is a possibility of being reversed up and down extremely.

For this reason, even when the light-emitting yarns having uniform light emission characteristics are aligned, if the alignment is incorrect, the apparent luminance of each light-emitting yarn becomes uneven, resulting in unevenness in the display of the array.

In addition, as another problem, since the phosphor layer 14 in the non-luminous state is white regardless of the light emission color, it is difficult to determine the type of the phosphor layer when arraying, and it becomes a problem for correction especially when there is a trouble.

In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plasma tube array having a structure in which the phosphor layers are easily aligned and aligned in a predetermined direction.

The plasma tube array of the present invention, which achieves the above object, includes a plurality of light emitting tubes having phosphor layers therein and arranged in a plane shape in parallel with each other, a front support substrate and a rear surface which are expanded with the plurality of light emitting tubes therebetween A plurality of display electrode pairs in which a plurality of display electrode pairs formed of a support substrate and two display electrodes extending in parallel with each other in a direction spanning the plurality of light emitting tubes on the front support substrate are arranged in parallel with each other; A plurality of signal electrodes corresponding to each of the plurality of light emitting tubes on the rear support substrate and extending in parallel to each other along the light emitting tube, and discharged in the light emitting tube by applying a voltage to the signal electrode and the display electrode pair; A plasma tube array for emitting phosphors in a light source,

One end of each of the plurality of light emitting tubes is provided with a positioning member for regulating the posture in the rotational direction of the light emitting tube.

Since the plasma tube array of the present invention includes the above-described positioning member, the posture of the rotation direction of the light emitting tube is regulated by the positioning member, and the light emitting tube can be aligned by matching the phosphor layer in a predetermined direction. .

Here, in the plasma tube array of the present invention, it is preferable that a phosphor layer is formed to include a supporting member inserted into the light emitting tube, and the positioning member is integrated with the supporting member.

Or in the plasma tube array of this invention, it is also a preferable aspect to provide the sealing member which seals the one end part of the said light emitting tube, and the positioning member is integral with the sealing member.

Further, in the plasma tube array of the present invention, the positioning member has a shape that differs depending on the type of the light emitting tube and is fitted only to the positioning member provided at one end of the light emitting tube of the kind allowed to adjoin. It is also a preferable aspect, and it is also a preferable aspect to provide the alignment member which fits with the said positioning member, and arrange | positions the said several light emitting tube.

According to the present invention described above, a structure in which the phosphor layers are easily aligned and aligned in a predetermined direction is realized.

1 is a perspective view showing the basic structure of a plasma tube array.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a light emitting yarn constituting the PTA shown in FIG.

3 is a view showing a boat on which a phosphor layer is formed.

4 is an explanatory diagram of a problem.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a light emitting yarn alignment structure of the plasma tube array of the first embodiment, which is a basic embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a side view seen from the end face side of the light emitting yarn showing the light emitting yarn alignment structure of the plasma actuator of the first embodiment which is the basic embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a light emitting yarn alignment structure of the plasma tube array according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the light-emitting yarn alignment structure of the plasma tube array of the third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a side view showing the light-emitting yarn alignment structure of the plasma tube array of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an alignment method of light emitting yarns in a plasma tube array according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

12 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the positioning member.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, various embodiment of this invention is described.

The various embodiments described below add a structure for aligning the light-emitting yarns to the predetermined direction in the phosphor layer on the boat to the prior art (Figs. 1 to 3) described so far, which will be described below. Also in each embodiment, the whole structure shall refer to FIG. 1 thru | or FIG. 3, and it demonstrates centering on the characteristic part of each embodiment here.

Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are perspective views and side views respectively seen from the end face side of the light emitting yarn showing the light emitting yarn alignment structure of the plasma tube array of the first embodiment which is the basic embodiment of the present invention.

At one end of each of the light emitting yarns 10, the alignment member 50 is fixed, and at the time of alignment of the light emitting yarns 10, a boat in which the phosphor layer 14 disposed in each of the light emitting yarns 10 is formed ( 13 may be aligned in a predetermined direction. The positioning member 50 can be fixed at the same time as the boat 13 is inserted into the light-emitting yarn 10, and the alignment member 50 is fixed in a highly precise manner in the direction of the boat 13. can do.

As shown in Fig. 6, the alignment member 50 has a plane 51 on its lower surface, and in aligning the light emitting yarns 10, the alignment members fixed to the respective light emitting yarns 10 By placing 50 on the flat plate 60 having the plane 61, the alignment of the boat 13 of each light-emitting yarn 10 in the optimal direction becomes possible. In addition, in this embodiment, the positioning member 50 is fixed to the position which shifted to the lower side of the light emitting yarn 10, and also preventing the light emitting yarn 10 from being inverted up and down.

In addition, in the 1st Embodiment shown to FIG. 5, FIG. 6, although the light emitting yarn 10 was arrange | positioned on the flat plate 60, the flat plate 60 may be a curved board which has a curved surface, In this case, the flat surface ( 51 consists of a curved surface along the curved surface of the curved plate.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a light emitting yarn alignment structure of the plasma tube array according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The differences from the first embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 will be described.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the positioning member 50 is fixed to the boat 13 in advance, and the boat 13 to which the positioning member 50 is fixed is inserted into the glass tube 11. do. By doing so, the positioning of the positioning member 50 at the time of insertion of the boat 13 into the glass tube 11 becomes unnecessary, and the positioning of the boat 13 becomes easier and more accurate.

In the manufacture of the light emitting yarn 10 shown in FIG. 7, the glass boat 13 and the glass positioning member 50 are mounted on the positioning jig and fixed by laser welding. The boat mounts the opening of the U to the groove portion of the jig toward the upper side and fixes it against the alignment part mounted in the rectangular hole of the distal end. The phosphor layer is formed after the alignment part is fixed. This boat 13 is inserted into the glass tube 11 in which the MgO film | membrane of 1 mm (thickness 0.1mm) and 100 cm in total length was formed, and the edge part at the side with the positioning member 50 is welded and fixed. This is put into an exhaust chamber, depressurized by vacuum, and sealed with the discharge gas to seal the opposite end.

In this way, the completed light-emitting yarn 10 is aligned on a flat plate (see Fig. 6). The positioning member 50 has a width that does not interfere with the left and right positioning members 50, and the glass tube 11 is mounted by loading the flat portion 51 of the positioning member 50 on a flat plate. Automatic positioning of the rotation direction is possible. The light-emitting yarn 10 aligned in this manner is disposed from above and below between the front support member 20 on which the display electrode pairs 21 are formed and the back support member 30 on which the signal electrode 31 is formed (see FIG. 1). By fitting it constitutes a plasma tube array.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

Although the positioning member 50 shown in FIG. 7 has a width which does not protrude from the diameter of the light emitting yarn 10, the positioning member 50 'shown in FIG. 8 is larger than the diameter of the light emitting yarn 10. As shown in FIG. It is widely formed. In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the alignment member 50 'is formed wide, and the alignment member 50' is alternately arranged at opposite ends, i.e., alternately arranged in the opposite direction. The wider the alignment member 50 ', the more stable the direction of the light emitting yarn 10 can be.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the light-emitting yarn alignment structure of the plasma tube array of the third embodiment of the present invention. Here, differences from the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 will be described.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the alignment member 50 is integral with the sealing member 52 that seals the glass tube 11. In order to complete it as the light emitting sand 10, it is necessary to seal gas in the glass tube 11, and to close the tube end part. Generally, it is by fusion sealing of the tube edge part by heat, or cover sealing by pellets. By giving the positioning member 50 a function as the sealing member 52 corresponding to the pellets, the work can be improved in efficiency.

This aligning member 50 has a larger cross section of the sealing member 52 in contact with the tube end of the glass tube 11 than the cross section of the glass tube 11 so that it can completely cover the tube end of the glass tube 11. Do. Here, after inserting the boat 13, the glass paste is apply | coated and crimped | bonded to the contact surface of the sealing member 52 and the glass tube 11 which comprise the positioning member 50. FIG. After pressing, only the tube end portion is heated with a heater to be airtight.

In addition, the glass tube 11 side end surface of the alignment member 50 does not need to be flat, and it can also increase the airtightness at the time of sealing by making it shape that one part is inserted in a glass tube.

In addition, the alignment member 50 may be integrated with the boat 13 as shown in FIG. 7, and a sealing function may be provided as shown in FIG. 8. By doing in this way, the precision of positioning and the simplicity can be realized simultaneously. In addition, the shape of the alignment member 50 may be changed depending on the light emission color of the encapsulated phosphor to facilitate discrimination.

Fig. 10 is a side view showing the light-emitting yarn alignment structure of the plasma tube array of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Here, the tube ends of each of the light-emitting yarns 10R, 10G, 10B, ... which are filled with phosphor layers 14R, 14G, 14G, ... of respective emission colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B). The positioning members 50R, 50G, and 50B having different shapes are fixed to the types of the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B. These alignment members 50R, 50G, and 50G are adjacent to left and right light emitting yarns in which phosphors of a kind that are allowed to be adjacent to left and right when the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B are aligned on the flat plate 60 are adjacent. They are shaped to fit only when they are arranged. By doing so, in the alignment of the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B, the positioning of the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B in the rotational direction is simultaneously carried out without paying particular attention to the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B. It is possible to arrange the in the correct order.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an alignment method of light emitting yarns in a plasma tube array according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

The manufacturing method of the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, 10B, ... itself shown in FIG. 11 is the same as that described above, but here, the alignment member (fixed to each light emitting yarn 10R, 10G, 10B, ...) Positioning of the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, 10B, ... is performed by inserting the positioning member 50 into the alignment groove 71 of the alignment member 70 corresponding to the shape of 50. Here, a total of three pieces of each of the three types of light-emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B are temporarily fixed on the flat plate jig as one unit. At this time, the alignment member 50 is used so that the misalignment of the phosphor does not occur in the three light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B. When the lengths of the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B are long and problems arise in strength, a temporary fixing place may be provided on the opposite end or the back side. After the temporary fixing, the back support member 30 (see Fig. 1) on which the signal electrode 31 is disposed is fixed.

The set of three light emitting yarns thus produced is inserted into the alignment alignment grooves 71 provided on the curved alignment member 70.

The long side of the alignment groove 71 is parallel to the tangent of the alignment member 70 at the portion corresponding to the midpoint of the alignment groove 71.

After fixing the light-emitting yarn to the alignment groove 71, the reinforcing butt plate is fixed from the rear, and the front support member 20 (see Fig. 1) in which the pair of display electrode plates is arranged on the front face is fixed.

12 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the positioning member.

The alignment member 54 inserted into the alignment groove 71 does not necessarily need to be the alignment member 50 itself of the three light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B, and as shown in FIG. The small one provided with the yarns 10, 10G, and 10B may be sufficient.

As a matter of course, the light emitting yarns 10R, 10G, and 10B may be inserted into the alignment grooves 71 independently of each other.

As described above, according to the above-described various embodiments of the present invention, the luminance variation of the entire plasma tube array caused by the deviation of the rotational direction of the light emitting yarn can be greatly reduced. Therefore, it becomes possible to remove the stripe contrast on the plasma tube array which has been a problem from the conventional brightness fluctuation. Since this structure is very simple, there is little increase in material cost. In addition, since the fixing of the boat and the alignment parts is easy to automate, the increase in the number of processes is slight. On the contrary, since the angle determination conventionally performed based on the operator's time becomes unnecessary, the assembling step of the plasma tube array is greatly reduced, and the overall number of steps is greatly reduced.

As described above, by applying the present invention, it is possible to improve the alignment accuracy of the light-emitting yarns while reducing the overall cost during assembly of the plasma tube array.

Claims (5)

A plurality of light emitting tubes having phosphor layers therein and arranged in parallel with each other, a front support substrate and a rear support substrate sandwiching the plurality of light emitting tubes therebetween, and a plurality of light emitting tube opposing surfaces of the front support substrate. A plurality of display electrodes formed in a direction spanning the plurality of light emitting tubes, and a plurality of light emitting tubes facing surfaces of the back support substrate corresponding to each of the plurality of light emitting tubes, respectively; A plurality of signal electrodes, And a positioning member disposed at one end of each of the plurality of light emitting tubes and configured to regulate a posture in a rotational direction of the light emitting tube. The plasma tube array of claim 1, further comprising a support member formed with a phosphor layer such that a phosphor surface faces the display electrode, and the alignment member is integral with the support member. . The plasma tube array according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing member for sealing one end of the light emitting tube, wherein the positioning member is integral with the sealing member. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning member, It has a different shape according to the type of the corresponding light emitting tube, And a shape that can be fitted only to the alignment member of the light emitting tube of another kind adjacent to the corresponding light emitting tube. The plasma tube array according to claim 1, further comprising an alignment member fitted with the positioning member to align the plurality of light emitting tubes.

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