US3858073A - Plane multi-digit type electric discharge display devices - Google Patents

Plane multi-digit type electric discharge display devices Download PDF

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Publication number
US3858073A
US3858073A US00295550A US29555072A US3858073A US 3858073 A US3858073 A US 3858073A US 00295550 A US00295550 A US 00295550A US 29555072 A US29555072 A US 29555072A US 3858073 A US3858073 A US 3858073A
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United States
Prior art keywords
discharge
type electric
electric discharge
display units
sustaining electrode
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00295550A
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English (en)
Inventor
M Kohyama
A Miyamoto
S Kobayashi
M Kanazaki
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Hitachi Ltd
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Hitachi Ltd
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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

  • This invention relates to a plane multi-digit type electric discharge display device, and more particularly to such display device in which the delay of the initial discharge is minimized and the build-up of the discharge caused by a driving pulse is improved.
  • a plurality of display discharge tubes which are arranged side-byside relationship.
  • the display discharge tube has generally been used a so-called NIXIE (trade mark) tube wherein a plurality of cathode electrodes corresponding to a desired pattern are disposed along a line perpendicular to the tube axis and wherein a voltage is impressed across a selected cathode electrode and an anode electrode to cause the selected cathode electrode to establish a glow discharge whereby to display a pattern.
  • a color filter or the like has been placed in front of the display apparatus for the purpose of decreasing the internal reflection of external lights as well as the halation from adjacent NIXIE (trade mark) tubes.
  • the keep alive electrode when used the light emitted by the discharge of the keep alive electrode of one tube reflects at the envelopes of adjacent tubes thus obscuring the displayed pattern. Moreover such a keep alive electrode increases the power consumption of the multi-digit discharge display device because it always sustains discharge. Further, the physical size of the display apparatus is increased because the keep alive electrode is provided for each tube.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide an improved plane multi-digit type discharge display device capable of instantaneously displaying a desired pattern without any delay of discharge even when voltage is initially applied in the dark.
  • Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved plane multi-digit type discharge display device of extremely low power consumption.
  • a plane multi-digit type electric discharge device of the class comprising an insulator substrate, a plurality of pattern display units arranged side-by-side relationship on the insulator substrate, each display unit including a plurality of segment electrodes which are arranged in a predetermined pattern, a plurality of electrically isolated counter electrodes respectively confronting the pattern display units, an upper substrate, at least the portions thereof confronting the pattern display units being transparent, and a common envelope containing above described component elements, characterized in that there are provided a discharge sustaining electrode near the pattern display unit at the end from which scanning is to be commenced and a counter electrode confronting the discharge sustaining electrode thereby constantly sustaining an electric discharge between the discharge sustaining electrode and the last mentioned counter electrode.
  • a coating of a radioactive substance near the discharge sustaining electrode for preventing the delay of discharge.
  • FIG. 1 shows a front elevation of one embodiment of the novel plane multi-digit type electric discharge display device and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of various component elements of the display device shown in FIG. 1.
  • a plane multi-digit type electric discharge display device which comprises a plurality of juxtaposed display units, each including a plurality of segment electrodes which are disposed in the shape of a figure 8 or a criss-cross bounded by a square.
  • the plane multi-digit type discharge display device 1 comprises a flat rectangular insulator substrate 2 of ceramic, for example, a spacer 3 formed by a plate shaped insulator of ceramic, for example, electrically isolated discrete counter electrodes 4a through 4k of metal wire net, for example, and a transparent upper substrate 5 of glass or the like.
  • a plurality of pattern display units 7a through 7j each including a plurality of segment electrodes 6 which are arranged in the form of a figure 8 or a criss-cross bounded by a square.
  • Corresponding ones of the segment electrodes of respective display units are commonly connected to conductors 8a through 8i which are connected to external terminals 9a through 9i on one end of the substrate 2.
  • a discharge sustaining electrode 10 Near the first digit of the pattern display units 7a through 7 j on the insulator substrate 2, that is at the righthand end thereof is provided a discharge sustaining electrode 10 which is connected to an external terminal 9i via conductor 8i.
  • the segment electrodes 6 and the discharge sustaining electrode 10 are made of metal which is difficult to be sputtered such as molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum or their alloys, whereas conductors 8a through 8i and external terminals are made of highly conductive metal such as silver or the like.
  • the upper surface of the insulator substrate 2 except the segment electrodes 6, the discharge sustaining electrode l and external terminals 9a through 9i is covered by an insulator layer 11 for the purpose of preventing an abnormal discharge.
  • the spacer 3 takes the form of a flat rectangular plate like the insulator substrate 2 and spacer 3 is provided with a plurality of windows 12 corresponding to the pattern display units 7a through 7j and the discharge sustaining electrode 10, the windows being formed by any well known process such as photoetching or ultra-sonic machining process.
  • a coating 13 of a radioactive isomer is applied to the righthand end of the spacer 3 near the first digit or the discharge sustaining electrode 10.
  • the component elements described above are superposed one upon the other to form a lamination such that the pattern display units 7a through 7] and the discharge sustaining electrode align with respective windows 12 of the spacer and with the counter electrodes 4a through 4k.
  • the periphery of the lamination is hermetically sealed with frit glass, for example, to complete a sealed envelope which is then evacuated and filled with a luminous inert gas such as neon gas or argon gas.
  • a voltage is normally impressed across the discharge sustaining electrode 10 and the counter electrode 4k through the external terminal 9i thus constantly sustaining a discharge between these electrodes. Then, one of the external terminals 9a through 9k corresponding to the desired pattern is selected and a voltage is applied to the selected external terminal and to.
  • the novel display device Different from the well known multi-digit type discharge display device in which anum'ber of above described NlXlE tubes are arranged side-by-side relationship, that is respective digits are sealed in independent envelopes, in the novel display device all digits or display units are contained in a common envelope filled with a luminous inert gas so that whenever any one of the segment electrodes commences to discharge by the presence of initial electrons, this segment electrode sequentially supplied electrons to adjacent segment electrodes in a quantity sufficient to establish discharges, thereby assuring instantaneous discharge of all digits.
  • the multi-digit type discharge display device is generally operated on the time division basis wherein the display units are sequentially operated starting from the first digit (the righthand digit in this example).
  • the second digit or display unit commences to discharge substantially simultaneously with the application of voltage thereon.
  • the next and succeeding digits commence to discharge in the same manner.
  • the last digit the lefthand display unit 7 in this example
  • the operation is repeated starting from the first digit.
  • the distance between the last digit 7 j and the first digit 7a increases with the number of the digits, and the first digit will not be supplied with electrons of sufficient quantity.
  • the discharge of the first digit is delayed thereby obscuring its display.
  • the discharge sustaining electrode 10 that constantly sustains discharge is located near the first digit or display unit 7a, the first digit can operate concurrently with the application of voltage thereon by the constant supply of electrons-from the nearby discharge sustaining electrode 10 of a quantity sufficient to assure instantaneous discharge.
  • the counter electrodes are shown as metal wire nets these electrodes can take any other forms such as Nesa glass (trade mark) which is a transparent glass plate coated with transparent conductive substance.
  • this invention provides a 'new and improved plane multi-digit type discharge display device wherein all display units or digits are contained in a common flat envelope filled with a discharge medium, and a discharge sustaining electrode that constantly sustains discharge and a counter electrode cooperating therewith are provided near the pattern display unit at the end from which the scanning is to be commenced thereby eliminating the delay of the discharge and preventing the displayed pattern from becoming obscure. Further, in the novel display device, since a radioactive substance is disposed near the discharge sustaining electrode even when an operating voltage is impressed upon the display device in the dark, electrons of the quantity sufficient to commence to discharge are supplied to the discharge sustaining electrode and nearby display unit from the radioactive substance thereby eliminating any delay of the discharge thus assuring instantaneous and simultaneous display of all patterns.
  • a plane scanning multi-digit type electric discharge display device comprising an insulator substrate, a plurality of pattern display units arranged sideby-side relationship on said insulator substrate, each display unit including a plurality of segment electrodes which are arranged in a predetermined pattern, a plurality of electrically isolated counter electrodes respectively confronting said pattern display units, and an upper substrate, at least the portions of said counter electrodes and said upper substrate confronting said pattern display units being transparent, and a common envelope containing pattern display units, and a single discharge sustaining electrode adapted for constantly discharging and located near an end pattern display unit at the end from which scanning is to be commenced.

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  • Gas-Filled Discharge Tubes (AREA)
US00295550A 1971-10-06 1972-10-06 Plane multi-digit type electric discharge display devices Expired - Lifetime US3858073A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP46077873A JPS4843865A (enrdf_load_html_response) 1971-10-06 1971-10-06

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US3858073A true US3858073A (en) 1974-12-31

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US00295550A Expired - Lifetime US3858073A (en) 1971-10-06 1972-10-06 Plane multi-digit type electric discharge display devices

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US (1) US3858073A (enrdf_load_html_response)
JP (1) JPS4843865A (enrdf_load_html_response)
DE (1) DE2249018A1 (enrdf_load_html_response)
GB (1) GB1353710A (enrdf_load_html_response)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3402282A (en) * 1963-06-14 1968-09-17 Ernest A. Dahl Jr. Information storage card
US4122376A (en) * 1975-12-11 1978-10-24 Futaba Denshi Kogyo K.K. Multi-indicia fluorescent display tube
US4245274A (en) * 1979-01-15 1981-01-13 Bally Manufacturing Corporation Readout and circuit board with test access

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS579183B2 (enrdf_load_html_response) * 1974-03-05 1982-02-19

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3480820A (en) * 1967-09-08 1969-11-25 Burroughs Corp Indicator tube having auxiliary electrodes for maintaining cathode glow

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3480820A (en) * 1967-09-08 1969-11-25 Burroughs Corp Indicator tube having auxiliary electrodes for maintaining cathode glow

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3402282A (en) * 1963-06-14 1968-09-17 Ernest A. Dahl Jr. Information storage card
US4122376A (en) * 1975-12-11 1978-10-24 Futaba Denshi Kogyo K.K. Multi-indicia fluorescent display tube
US4245274A (en) * 1979-01-15 1981-01-13 Bally Manufacturing Corporation Readout and circuit board with test access

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Publication number Publication date
GB1353710A (en) 1974-05-22
DE2249018A1 (de) 1973-04-12
JPS4843865A (enrdf_load_html_response) 1973-06-25

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