Abstract:
A pair of glass plates of a gaseous discharge display or memory device are held precisely spaced by two sets of identically sized overlapping spacer rods. The rods crisscross orthogonally within a sealed gas-containing chamber to create gaps through which the gas can flow without significant restriction between areas of the chamber separated by said rods. Sealing rods of glass having a softening temperature lower than that of the spacer rods are disposed like a border around the spacer rods and are of significantly greater diameter or height than the combined height of the two superposed sets of spacer rods. Initially the upper plate is supported solely by sealing rods; but upon heating of the assemblage, the sealing rod glass reflows, and the upper plate settles until it contacts the upper set of spacer rods; whereupon the assembly is cooled and the sealing rods fuse with the plates to create an impermeable chamber between the now precisely spaced plates.
Abstract:
A gas panel display apparatus is operative to write, sustain and erase information selectively. Each line of the gas panel is associated with a plurality of segments and, during a sustain sequence, the line drivers are cycled so that only one segment at a time is in a sustain sense while any other segments associated with the line are neutral. The line driver peak current specification is thus reduced below the maximum number of lines that a given line crosses. Additionally, the lines are driven during a sustain sequence so that only every other cell along the line is undergoing a sustain sense while the remaining cells are neutral. Thus, each cell in the panel in a sustain state is electrostatically shielded by the orthogonally adjacent neutral cells.
Abstract:
A sealed assembly including a cathode ray tube and high voltage power supply source and terminal elements. The high voltage portions of the power supply and the anode cable and terminal are all enclosed by an implosion safety shroud over the funnel of the tube. The unitary assembly can be replaced as a whole without exposing service personnel to the possibility of high voltage shock.