US3842313A - Multiple character gas discharge display device - Google Patents

Multiple character gas discharge display device Download PDF

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Publication number
US3842313A
US3842313A US00317216A US31721672A US3842313A US 3842313 A US3842313 A US 3842313A US 00317216 A US00317216 A US 00317216A US 31721672 A US31721672 A US 31721672A US 3842313 A US3842313 A US 3842313A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
anode
strips
cathode
auxiliary
discharge
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00317216A
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English (en)
Inventor
W Koteris
Daelen H Van
A Hendriks
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US Philips Corp
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US Philips Corp
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Application filed by US Philips Corp filed Critical US Philips Corp
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J17/00—Gas-filled discharge tubes with solid cathode
    • H01J17/38—Cold-cathode tubes
    • H01J17/48—Cold-cathode tubes with more than one cathode or anode, e.g. sequence-discharge tube, counting tube, dekatron
    • H01J17/49—Display panels, e.g. with crossed electrodes, e.g. making use of direct current
    • H01J17/491—Display panels, e.g. with crossed electrodes, e.g. making use of direct current with electrodes arranged side by side and substantially in the same plane, e.g. for displaying alphanumeric characters

Definitions

  • auxiliary anodes are 211 Appl. No.: 317,216
  • the tube is controlled with negative pulses on the cathode segments and positive capacitively supplied pulses on the auxiliary anodes.
  • the invention furthermore relates to a device having such a discharge tube.
  • a tube of the construction described is known from the published German Pat. application No. 1,948,321.
  • apertures are recessed in the strips of insulating material through which apertures all the cathode strips are visible.
  • anode in the form of a grid separated from the cathode strips by a strip of insulation material having the same recesses as the strips between the cathodes.
  • the drawback that the cathode strips in one character lie in different planes is only small.
  • the advantage is that the strips in one character can overlap each other near the connections so that characters can be observed without interruptions from a wide angle of vision.
  • An advantage of characters constructed from segments is that the voltage difference between cathodes taking part in the discharge and cathodes not taking part in the discharge in the same matrix group can generally be comparatively small, namely approximately 25 volt, as a result of the fact that the cathode segments are not or hardly present in one anothers discharge path. In tubes having characters stacked one on the other, the required voltage difference is higher, namely .50 to 60 volts.
  • a drawback of the known tube is that the control circuits which have to switch on the anodes have to convey the full discharge current.
  • the same drawback also occurs in multiple tubes having characters stacked one on the other and in single tubes having stacked characters in the case of dynamic control.
  • a gas discharge tube for displaying a number of characters in juxtaposed identical matrix groups by means of cathode glow discharge light in which corresponding cathodes of all the groups, each in the form of a narrow strip, are connected to a continuous connection strip, which stripsare stackedon each other with the interposition of strips of insulation material, said stack with the interposition of an insulation strip is provided on a continuous conductive strip as an anode and a grid-like auxiliary anode is provided between each matrix groupand said common anode with the interposition of insulation stri s.
  • the anode voltage in such a tube is applied intermittently with a recurrence frequency equal to that with which the characters are successively switched on in dynamic control, and with a voltage only slightly higher than the operating voltage of the tube, relative to the operating cathode, it will be sufficient, with a suitably chosen bias voltage of the auxiliary anode and I 2 of the cathode, to use voltage pulses, positive on the auxiliary anode and negative on the cathodes, of 20 to 25 volt each, to cause the desired cathodes to take part in the discharge.
  • the voltage pulses can be supplied capacitively to the auxiliary anode.
  • the relevant auxiliary anode obtains a negative voltage pulse as a result of which the extinction of the discharge to the character is promoted.
  • undesired re-ignition is prevented. ln connection with the above it is thus possible to cause the control of auxiliary anodes and cathodes to take place from one single voltage level.
  • the control circuit for the cathode and for the auxiliary anode may consist of one single integrated MOST circuit.
  • the matrix groups are preferably covered, on the side remote from. the anode and auxiliary anode and facing the viewer, by means of single or double gauze so as to prevent penetration of the discharge to a wrong matrix group.
  • Such a measure is known per se for multiple digit tubes-
  • the screen of gauze is set up at a fixed voltage-or is connected to the negative terminal of the anode voltage source via a parallel arrangementof, a resistor and a capacitor.
  • F 1G. 1 shows diagrammatically the location of the cathode strips in a matrix group as it is observed by the viewer.
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an eight-
  • FIG. 3 is a circuit arrangement for controlling such a tube and FIGS. 4 and 5 show variations of the control elements shownin FIG. 3.
  • sevensegments constitute.a stylised 8, while in addition a central 1 and to the bottom right a decimal point is arranged.
  • the upper and lower segments are denoted by a and d, respectively, and the central horizontal segment by a g.
  • d segments are denoted by b and c, the left-hand segments by e and f.
  • the decimal point is denoted by h, the central l by j.
  • the two flat halves of the dischargetube are denoted by l and 2, respectively. These halves are enamelled together with exhaust tubes in the short sides of which tubes only the left-hand one is shown and denoted by 3.
  • the electrode system consists first of all of a tray 4 having flat long flanges 5 and backwards the electrode system Y top of it strips a connected to strip 18, strips d connected to strip 19 and strips g which themselves constitute a part of strip 20. Insulation strip 21 and strip 22 with strips f, strip 23 with strips e are then provided. On top of these are provided an insulation strip 24 on which strip 25 with strips j and strips 26 with'strips h.
  • the subsequent insulation strip 27 bears the raster and the face plate 8.
  • All the electrodes and the screen are provided with flat electrode supplies 30 which are enamelled in the seam between'the tube halves l and 2.
  • the tube has a gas filling of neon with 1 percent argon of 60 Torr, while mercury is also present in the tube.
  • the cathode strips, the gauze 9 and the auxiliary anode have a thickness of 0. I mm, the anode, the tray 4 and the screen 8 are slightly thicker.
  • the insulation strips are 0.3 mm thick.
  • the segments .a j are 0. l 8 mm wide.
  • the material of the electrodes is chromiumnickel-steel.
  • FIG. 3 shows the tube diagrammatically with an anode A.
  • auxiliary anodes T1 to T8 cathodes Kalto Ka8 to Kjl to K18 and the screen S. g
  • the anode A is connected to the connection terminal 52 of the anode voltage source via'a transistor switch;
  • the auxiliary anodes are furthermore connected to a terminal of each time a capacitor C1 to C8 the other terminals of which are connected to the terminal 51 via resistors Rl to R8. These terminals of the capacitors are also connected to the'switches P1 to P8 which can make connections to the voltage source 54.
  • the transistor switch between the voltage source 52 and the anode A is alternately opened and closed with times of ().l msec and l msec.
  • a ring counter is operated which closes the switches P1 to P8 successively for supplying voltage pulses via the capacitors C1 to C8 to the auxiliary anodes T1 to T8. Closing of the switches P] to P8 is synchronized with a coding device which with each of the matrix groups opens the switches Pa to Pj required for switching on the cathode strips a to j.
  • the auxiliary anodes In the discharge between the main anode and the cathode strips, the auxiliary anodes assume the plasma potential.
  • the switch P1 to P8 When at the end of the closure time of the transistor switch for the anode, in which the discharge extinguishes, the switch P1 to P8 is also opened with the operating character, the auxiliary anode will obtain a negative voltage pulse which promotes the deionisation and hence prevents undesired re-ignition.
  • the switches P1 to P8 and Pa to Pj can all be integrated in a single most circuit of the P- channel type.
  • the coding device may also be incorporated in said circuit.
  • the value of the passive components in the circuit of FIG.- 3 is: Rato Rj 5 k0 each, R1 to R8 100 k!) each,
  • a resistor of 10 MD with a parallel capacitor of l0 nF to terminal 51 may be used instead of the resistor Rs of 10 k0 to terminal 56.
  • FIG. 4 It is shown in FIG. 4 how the system of switches for the auxiliary anodes and the cathode strips is constructed in the case in which a MOST circuit is used of the n-channel type.
  • one of the switches N1 to N8 must be opened for the selection of an auxiliary anode and one or more of the channels Na to Nj be closed for the selection of the cathode strips.
  • FIG. 5 shows the system for the case in which a MOST circuit of the complementary type is used.
  • the channels M1 to M8 are used for inverting the polarity
  • the channels Ma to M] for inverting the polarity between the terminals 51 and 54 and between the terminals 55 and 51, respectively.
  • a multiple-character gas discharge display'device comprising an envelope filled with an ionizable gas, a plurality of narrow strip-shaped cathode elements arranged in a plurality of juxtaposed matrix groups for displaying characters by a cathode glow discharge, a' plurality of stacked connection strips connecting corre sponding cathode elements in each matrix group, strips of insulating material between and separating said cathode connection strips, said strips having apertures therein through which said cathode matrix groups are visible, a continuous conductive strip constituting an .1, including a gauze covering each of the matrix groups on the side remote from the anode and the auxiliary anodes.
  • a device having a gas discharge tube as claimed in claim 1 including means for supplying voltage pulses of 5.
  • a device as claimed in claim 3 including means to supply a negative discharge pulse to the auxiliary anode at the end of the discharge to a matrix group.

Landscapes

  • Control Of Indicators Other Than Cathode Ray Tubes (AREA)
  • Gas-Filled Discharge Tubes (AREA)
US00317216A 1971-12-28 1972-12-21 Multiple character gas discharge display device Expired - Lifetime US3842313A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL7118003A NL7118003A (en, 2012) 1971-12-28 1971-12-28

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3842313A true US3842313A (en) 1974-10-15

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ID=19814806

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00317216A Expired - Lifetime US3842313A (en) 1971-12-28 1972-12-21 Multiple character gas discharge display device

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3842313A (en, 2012)
JP (1) JPS5330474B2 (en, 2012)
CA (1) CA962316A (en, 2012)
DE (1) DE2260038C3 (en, 2012)
FR (1) FR2166056B3 (en, 2012)
GB (1) GB1392950A (en, 2012)
NL (1) NL7118003A (en, 2012)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4034253A (en) * 1975-03-26 1977-07-05 Yamato Denshi Co., Ltd. Glass cover plate for a flat display panel having marginal projections
US4048538A (en) * 1976-06-15 1977-09-13 Hendriks Adrianus A M Gas discharge character display tube with apertured mica plate
US4101802A (en) * 1977-03-07 1978-07-18 Rca Corporation Flat display device with beam guide
US4103208A (en) * 1975-10-31 1978-07-25 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Fluorescent tube display calculators
US4223244A (en) * 1977-10-18 1980-09-16 Futaba Denshi Kogyo K.K. Fluorescent display device with position selecting and column/row selecting grids

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3641383A (en) * 1968-09-25 1972-02-08 Matsushita Electronics Corp Glow discharge tube for code display
US3742279A (en) * 1971-02-10 1973-06-26 Burroughs Corp Segmented electrode display panel having closed structure

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3641383A (en) * 1968-09-25 1972-02-08 Matsushita Electronics Corp Glow discharge tube for code display
US3742279A (en) * 1971-02-10 1973-06-26 Burroughs Corp Segmented electrode display panel having closed structure

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4034253A (en) * 1975-03-26 1977-07-05 Yamato Denshi Co., Ltd. Glass cover plate for a flat display panel having marginal projections
US4103208A (en) * 1975-10-31 1978-07-25 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Fluorescent tube display calculators
US4048538A (en) * 1976-06-15 1977-09-13 Hendriks Adrianus A M Gas discharge character display tube with apertured mica plate
US4101802A (en) * 1977-03-07 1978-07-18 Rca Corporation Flat display device with beam guide
US4223244A (en) * 1977-10-18 1980-09-16 Futaba Denshi Kogyo K.K. Fluorescent display device with position selecting and column/row selecting grids

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5330474B2 (en, 2012) 1978-08-26
DE2260038C3 (de) 1978-10-12
DE2260038B2 (de) 1978-02-09
CA962316A (en) 1975-02-04
FR2166056B3 (en, 2012) 1976-01-30
JPS4877759A (en, 2012) 1973-10-19
DE2260038A1 (de) 1973-07-05
GB1392950A (en) 1975-05-07
FR2166056A1 (en, 2012) 1973-08-10
NL7118003A (en, 2012) 1973-07-02

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