Abstract:
A gas discharge display panel (10) may be used for display purposes despite the presence of open conductors (15a and 15b) in the panel. Four termination areas (26, 27, 28, and 29), each including a plurality of repair pads (21, 22, 23 and 24) are provided, one at each end of each of the two conductor arrays (14 and 15) in the panel. One end of each conductor in each array is connected to a respective repair pad in the adjacent termination area. A repair cable (30) having a plurality of conductors (43) runs from the termination area at one end of a conductor array to the termination area at the other end of the array. To repair an open, opposite ends (32a, 32b, 46 and 48) of a respective repair cable conductor are connected to the open conductor's repair pads (21a and 22a). By virtue of the connection of the opposite ends of a repair cable conductor (43a) to the open conductor's repair pads (21a and 22a), both ends of the open conductor (15a) are electrically connected. When an open conductor is energized (19) at one end (17a), the entire body of the open conductor is at the same electrical potential despite the presence of the open. In a preferred embodiment, the repair cable comprises a plurality of conductors (43) partially embedded in a thermosetting adhesive (42).