US3900935A - Method of making the seal in a panel device having a seal enclosing an electrode array - Google Patents

Method of making the seal in a panel device having a seal enclosing an electrode array Download PDF

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US3900935A
US3900935A US506227A US50622774A US3900935A US 3900935 A US3900935 A US 3900935A US 506227 A US506227 A US 506227A US 50622774 A US50622774 A US 50622774A US 3900935 A US3900935 A US 3900935A
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electrodes
sealing material
plate
plates
seal
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Bernard Caras
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Unisys Corp
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Burroughs Corp
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Assigned to BURROUGHS CORPORATION reassignment BURROUGHS CORPORATION MERGER (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). DELAWARE EFFECTIVE MAY 30, 1982. Assignors: BURROUGHS CORPORATION A CORP OF MI (MERGED INTO), BURROUGHS DELAWARE INCORPORATED A DE CORP. (CHANGED TO)
Assigned to UNISYS CORPORATION reassignment UNISYS CORPORATION MERGER (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BURROUGHS CORPORATION
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J9/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture, installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps
    • H01J9/24—Manufacture or joining of vessels, leading-in conductors or bases
    • H01J9/26—Sealing together parts of vessels
    • H01J9/261—Sealing together parts of vessels the vessel being for a flat panel display

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  • ABSTRACT A panel device includes a plurality of plates which are sealed together hermetically with an array of electrodes disposed in the seal and seated on one of the plates as a support therefor.
  • An effective seal between the parts is made by providing a quantity of sealing material in the sea] area, moving the electrodes away from and back to the plate on which they are seated to suck the sealing material under the electrodes and to seat the sealing material on adjacent parts beneath and adjacent to the electrodes, and then passing a thin blade through the sealing material between the electrodes and the support plate in the seal area, in contact with both said parts, to cause the sealing material to wet such surface, whereby a tight leak-free hermetic seal can be formed.
  • SELF- SCAN panels which are manufactured by Burroughs Corporation. These panels include a base plate, an apextured center plate known as a cell sheet, and a face plate, and a plurality of electrode arrays disposed between the plates, including an array of strip cathode electrodes disposed between the base plate and the cell sheet and seated on the base plate.
  • a sealing material comprising a glass frit in a suitable binder is disposed along adjacent edges of the plates, enclosing the strip electrodes, and the assembly is processed so that the sealing material forms an hermetic seal between the various parts.
  • Panels of this type have been made in this way for many years, and, in general, they have been made successfully; however, at times, leaks appear in the seals of some such panels for unknown reasons, and elimination of such leaks is economically desirable.
  • the invention comprises assembling a plurality of plates and their associated electrode arrays, disposing a quantity of sealing material around the perimeter of the panel, mechanically agitating one or more electrode arrays to cause the sealing material to seat on the associated plate under the electrodes, and passing a thin blade between the electrodes and the plate thereunder to insure wetting thereof by the sealing material.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view of a display panel made according to the invention showing portions thereof;
  • FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a display panel embodying the invention
  • FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the panel of FIG.
  • FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of the panel of FIG. 1 at one stage in its manufacture
  • FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a portion of the panel of FIG. 1 at a second stage in its manufacture
  • FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a portion of the panel of FIG. 1 at a third stage in its manufacture
  • FIG. 7 is a front, elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6;
  • FIG. 8 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7.
  • a SELF-SCAN panel 10 includes a glass base plate having slots 30, in which are seated scanning anode wires 40.
  • An array of parallel strip electrodes 50 operated as cathode electrodes, are seated on the base plate and are oriented transverse to the scanning anodes.
  • the cathodes are provided with apertures 60.
  • a second plate 70 the center plate or cell sheet of the panel, which is somewhat narrower and shorter than the base plate 20 and which has an array of cells disposed in rows and columns (not shown) is seated on the base plate, and a face plate is seated thereon, with display anode wires disposed therebetween.
  • the display anodes are aligned with the scan ana glass frit sealing material, such Pyroceram, is formed around the periphery of the panel in the space between the face plate and the base plate. A portion of the sealing material is shown in FIG. 4.
  • the sealing material may be dispensed from a hypodermic-type device or in any other suitable manner.
  • the ends of the cathode assembly are raised and lowered rapidly to force the sealing material to flow between the cathodes and under the cathodes onto the surface 22 of the perimeter of the base plate by hydraulic action.
  • a knife blade 110 or the like having a rounded tip 114, (FIG. 8) is inserted between the cathodes 50 and surface 22 of the base plate, and it is passed along the seal area, through the sealing material and in contact with the cathodes and surface 22, in a tight fit therewith, to cause the sealing material to wet the surfaces of the electrodes and the base plate.
  • the operation of the knife blade alone achieves the desired distribution of the sealing material, and the step of raising and lowering the cathodes may be omitted.
  • the assembly is heated in an oven to cause the Pyroceram to form the desired hermetic seal in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.
  • the panel is then processed to completion in known manner.
  • the blade performs the following functions:
  • Pyroceram is a thixotropic material, when the blade passes through the sealing material, it shears the sealing material, reduces its viscosity, and thus allows it to flow readily under gravity whereby it wets the cathode surfaces and the glass surface 22 more intimately.
  • the solvent such as amyl acetate
  • the solvent such as amyl acetate
  • Method of hermetically sealing a flat panel comprising at least two plates having an array of electrodes between them comprising spreading a layer of sealing material covering said plates and the electrodes associated therewith in the area where the hermetic seal is to be formed, mechanically agitating said electrodes up and down to permit sealing material to flow under them, applying a shearing force to said sealing material to cause it to wet said electrodes and said plate, and heating said sealing material to form the desired hermetic seal.
  • step of applying a shearing force is achieved by passing a thin blade through said sealing material between said electrodes and at least one of said plates on which said electrodes are supported.
  • sealing material comprises a glass frit in a solvent binder.
  • sealing material comprises a glass frit in a solvent binder of amyl acetate.
  • Method of making a display panel and forming an hermetic seal therein comprising preparing at least two support plates,
  • Method of making a display panel and forming an hermetic seal therein comprising preparing a base plate and a top plate and placing them together in sandwich form, so that their perimeters form a seal area,
  • said base plate having an edge portion projecting beyond the adjacent edge of said top plate along said seal area

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)

Abstract

A panel device includes a plurality of plates which are sealed together hermetically with an array of electrodes disposed in the seal and seated on one of the plates as a support therefor. An effective seal between the parts is made by providing a quantity of sealing material in the seal area, moving the electrodes away from and back to the plate on which they are seated to suck the sealing material under the electrodes and to seat the sealing material on adjacent parts beneath and adjacent to the electrodes, and then passing a thin blade through the sealing material between the electrodes and the support plate in the seal area, in contact with both said parts, to cause the sealing material to wet such surface, whereby a tight leak-free hermetic seal can be formed.

Description

United States Patent [191 Caras METHOD OF MAKING THE SEAL IN A PANEL DEVICE HAVING A SEAL ENCLOSING AN ELECTRODE ARRAY [75] Inventor:
[73] Assignee: Burroughs Corporation, Detroit,
Mich.
{22] Filed: Sept. 16, I974 [21] Appl. No.: 506,227
Bernard Caras, Princeton, NJ.
[52] US. Cl. 29/25.13; 65/59; 156/736;
156/89 [51] Int. Cl. HOIJ 9/18 [58] Field of Search 29/25.l, 25.11, 25.13,
[ Aug. 26, 1975 11/1974 Kuchinsky et a1. 313/220 l/l975 Bcrkenblit 65/59 [57] ABSTRACT A panel device includes a plurality of plates which are sealed together hermetically with an array of electrodes disposed in the seal and seated on one of the plates as a support therefor. An effective seal between the parts is made by providing a quantity of sealing material in the sea] area, moving the electrodes away from and back to the plate on which they are seated to suck the sealing material under the electrodes and to seat the sealing material on adjacent parts beneath and adjacent to the electrodes, and then passing a thin blade through the sealing material between the electrodes and the support plate in the seal area, in contact with both said parts, to cause the sealing material to wet such surface, whereby a tight leak-free hermetic seal can be formed.
6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED AUBZB I975 3, 9 O0 9.3 5
S'ziZET 1 [IF 2 jllllllllllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIlllllllllll I Fig. 2
Fig.3
PATENTED AUBZ 6 I975 Fig.4 i; 100
Fig.5
52 F i g. 6 W
METHOD OF MAKING THE SEAL IN A PANEL DEVICE HAVING A SEAL ENCLOSING AN ELECTRODE ARRAY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The principles of the invention are applicable to many types of devices; however, it is particularly useful in the manufacture of display panels known as SELF- SCAN panels which are manufactured by Burroughs Corporation. These panels include a base plate, an apextured center plate known as a cell sheet, and a face plate, and a plurality of electrode arrays disposed between the plates, including an array of strip cathode electrodes disposed between the base plate and the cell sheet and seated on the base plate. A sealing material comprising a glass frit in a suitable binder is disposed along adjacent edges of the plates, enclosing the strip electrodes, and the assembly is processed so that the sealing material forms an hermetic seal between the various parts. Panels of this type have been made in this way for many years, and, in general, they have been made successfully; however, at times, leaks appear in the seals of some such panels for unknown reasons, and elimination of such leaks is economically desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the invention comprises assembling a plurality of plates and their associated electrode arrays, disposing a quantity of sealing material around the perimeter of the panel, mechanically agitating one or more electrode arrays to cause the sealing material to seat on the associated plate under the electrodes, and passing a thin blade between the electrodes and the plate thereunder to insure wetting thereof by the sealing material.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a display panel made according to the invention showing portions thereof;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a display panel embodying the invention;
FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the panel of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of the panel of FIG. 1 at one stage in its manufacture;
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a portion of the panel of FIG. 1 at a second stage in its manufacture;
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a portion of the panel of FIG. 1 at a third stage in its manufacture;
FIG. 7 is a front, elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6; and
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The principles of the invention are applicable to many types of devices, as will be clear to those skilled in the art. However, it will be described with reference to a SELF-SCAN panel of the type described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,586. Such a panel will be shown and described herein only in sufficient detail to illustrate the principles of the invention.
Referring to the drawings, a SELF-SCAN panel 10 includes a glass base plate having slots 30, in which are seated scanning anode wires 40. An array of parallel strip electrodes 50, operated as cathode electrodes, are seated on the base plate and are oriented transverse to the scanning anodes. The cathodes are provided with apertures 60. A second plate 70, the center plate or cell sheet of the panel, which is somewhat narrower and shorter than the base plate 20 and which has an array of cells disposed in rows and columns (not shown) is seated on the base plate, and a face plate is seated thereon, with display anode wires disposed therebetween. The display anodes are aligned with the scan ana glass frit sealing material, such Pyroceram, is formed around the periphery of the panel in the space between the face plate and the base plate. A portion of the sealing material is shown in FIG. 4. The sealing material may be dispensed from a hypodermic-type device or in any other suitable manner.
Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the ends of the cathode assembly are raised and lowered rapidly to force the sealing material to flow between the cathodes and under the cathodes onto the surface 22 of the perimeter of the base plate by hydraulic action. Next, as shown in FIG. 6, a knife blade 110 or the like, having a rounded tip 114, (FIG. 8), is inserted between the cathodes 50 and surface 22 of the base plate, and it is passed along the seal area, through the sealing material and in contact with the cathodes and surface 22, in a tight fit therewith, to cause the sealing material to wet the surfaces of the electrodes and the base plate. Under some circumstances, the operation of the knife blade alone achieves the desired distribution of the sealing material, and the step of raising and lowering the cathodes may be omitted.
Finally, the assembly is heated in an oven to cause the Pyroceram to form the desired hermetic seal in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The panel is then processed to completion in known manner.
The blade performs the following functions:
1. Since Pyroceram is a thixotropic material, when the blade passes through the sealing material, it shears the sealing material, reduces its viscosity, and thus allows it to flow readily under gravity whereby it wets the cathode surfaces and the glass surface 22 more intimately.
2. As the blade moves, the solvent, such as amyl acetate, which is in the sealing material is smeared across the metal and glass surfaces, simultaneously dissolving and removing dirt, oil, or other foreign matter on the surfaces.
3. It smears the sealing material onto the metal and glass surfaces and thus into more intimate contact therewith.
4. As the blade moves along the perimeter of the panel, its rounded tip 110 (FIG. 8) pushes sealing material inwardly toward the seal area where the plates and electrodes overlay each other to thereby form a seal of greater length than might otherwise be achieved.
5. After the sealing material is deposted, and the solvent begins to evaporate, bubbles of solvent form in the body of the sealing material, and these bubbles are removed by the moving blade.
What is claimed is:
1. Method of hermetically sealing a flat panel comprising at least two plates having an array of electrodes between them comprising spreading a layer of sealing material covering said plates and the electrodes associated therewith in the area where the hermetic seal is to be formed, mechanically agitating said electrodes up and down to permit sealing material to flow under them, applying a shearing force to said sealing material to cause it to wet said electrodes and said plate, and heating said sealing material to form the desired hermetic seal.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of applying a shearing force is achieved by passing a thin blade through said sealing material between said electrodes and at least one of said plates on which said electrodes are supported.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said sealing material comprises a glass frit in a solvent binder.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said sealing material comprises a glass frit in a solvent binder of amyl acetate. I
5. Method of making a display panel and forming an hermetic seal therein comprising preparing at least two support plates,
placing said two plates together in sandwich form,
disposing an array of parallel electrodes between said two plates and seated on one of said plates as a base plate, there being a seal area along the abutting perimeters of said plates through which said electrodes extend,
providing a quantity of a sealing material along said seal area and overlaying said one plate and said electrodes,
mecahnically agitating said electrodes to cause sealing material to flow between said electrodes and said one plate,
passing a thin blade through said sealing material between said electrodes and said one plate to provide intimate wetting of said sealing material with said electrodes and said plate, and
heating said seal area and said sealing material to form the desired hermetic seal.
6. Method of making a display panel and forming an hermetic seal therein comprising preparing a base plate and a top plate and placing them together in sandwich form, so that their perimeters form a seal area,
said base plate having an edge portion projecting beyond the adjacent edge of said top plate along said seal area,
disposing an array of parallel strip electrodes between said two plates and seated on said base plate and on the edge portion thereof,
providing a quantity of a sealing material along said sea] area,
mechanically agitating said electrodes to cause said sealing material to flow under said electrodes and fill the space between said electrodes and said base plate, and
passing a thin blade through said sealing material between said electrodes and said one plate to reduce the viscosity of said material and thus provide intimate wetting of said sealing material with said electrodes and said plate.

Claims (6)

1. METHOD OF HERMETICALLY SEALING A FLAT PANEL COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO PLATES HAVING AN ARRAY OF ELECTRODES BETWEEN THEM COMPRISING SPREADING A LAYER OF SEALING MATERIAL COVERING SAID PLATES AND THE ELECTRODES ASSOCIATED THEREWITH IN THE AREA WHERE THE HERMETIC SEAL IS TO BE FORMED, MECHANICALLY AGITATING SAID ELECTRODES UP AND DOWN TO PERMIT SEALING MATERIAL TO FLOW UNDER THEM, APPLYING A SHEARING FORCE TO SAID SEALING MATERIAL TO CAUSE IT TO WET SAID ELECTRODES AND SAID PLATE, AND HEATING SAID SEALING MATERIAL TO FORM THE DESIRED HERMETIC SEAL.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of applying a shearing force is achieved by passing a thin blade through said sealing material between said electrodes and at least one of said plates on which said electrodes are supported.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said sealing material comprises a glass frit in a solvent binder.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said sealing material comprises a glass frit in a solvent binder of amyl acetate.
5. Method of making a display panel and forming an hermetic seal therein comprising preparing at least two support plates, placing said two plates together in sandwich form, disposing an array of parallel electrodes between said two plates and seated on one of said plates as a base plate, there being a seal area along the abutting perimeters of said plates through which said electrodes extend, providing a quantity of a sealing material along said seal area and overlaying said one plate and said electrodes, mecahnically agitating said electrodes to cause sealing material to flow between said electrodes and said one plate, passing a thin blade through said sealing material between said electrodes and said one plate to provide intimate wetting of said sealing material with said electrodes and said plate, and heating said seal area and said sealing material to form the desired hermetic seal.
6. Method of making a display panel and forming an hermetic seal therein comprising preparing a base plate and a top plate and placing them together in sandwich form, so that their perimeters form a seal area, said base plate having an edge portion projecting beyond the adjacent edge of said top plate along said seal area, disposing an array of parallel strip electrodes between said two plates and seated on said base plate and on the edge portion thereof, providing a quantity of a sealing material along said seal area, mechanically agitating said electrodes to cause said sealing material to flow under said electrodes and fill the space between said electrodes and said base plate, and passing a thin blade through said sealing material between said electrodes and said one plate to reduce the viscosity of said material and thus provide intimate wetting of said sealing material with said electrodes and said plate.
US506227A 1974-09-16 1974-09-16 Method of making the seal in a panel device having a seal enclosing an electrode array Expired - Lifetime US3900935A (en)

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4402134A (en) * 1977-11-14 1983-09-06 Edison International, Inc. Method of making an integrated display device

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2867948A (en) * 1954-01-12 1959-01-13 Owens Illinois Glass Co Electric welding glass parts
US3683222A (en) * 1970-08-24 1972-08-08 Burroughs Corp Display panel having electrode registration support and connection means
US3749959A (en) * 1971-10-04 1973-07-31 Owens Illinois Inc Gas discharge panel containing flexible electrical connections
US3821586A (en) * 1971-12-15 1974-06-28 Burroughs Corp Display panel
US3849693A (en) * 1970-06-10 1974-11-19 Burroughs Corp Multiple position display panel having segmented electrodes
US3862831A (en) * 1973-04-20 1975-01-28 Ibm Glass fabrication process

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2867948A (en) * 1954-01-12 1959-01-13 Owens Illinois Glass Co Electric welding glass parts
US3849693A (en) * 1970-06-10 1974-11-19 Burroughs Corp Multiple position display panel having segmented electrodes
US3683222A (en) * 1970-08-24 1972-08-08 Burroughs Corp Display panel having electrode registration support and connection means
US3749959A (en) * 1971-10-04 1973-07-31 Owens Illinois Inc Gas discharge panel containing flexible electrical connections
US3821586A (en) * 1971-12-15 1974-06-28 Burroughs Corp Display panel
US3862831A (en) * 1973-04-20 1975-01-28 Ibm Glass fabrication process

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4402134A (en) * 1977-11-14 1983-09-06 Edison International, Inc. Method of making an integrated display device

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Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNORS:BURROUGHS CORPORATION A CORP OF MI (MERGED INTO);BURROUGHS DELAWARE INCORPORATEDA DE CORP. (CHANGED TO);REEL/FRAME:004312/0324

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