US3582979A — Gaseous discharge display device with interconnec…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 518 words

A gaseous cold cathode display device comprising a gas-filled envelope, an insulating support plate disposed within said envelope and having top and bottom surfaces with a series of parallel first depressions formed in said top surface and a series of parallel second depressions formed in said bottom surface, there being a hole in said plate between each first depression and the corresponding second depression, a first metal plate carrying a plurality of first apertured metal tabs seated in sUccessive ones of said first depressions, a second metal plate positioned adjacent to but insulated from said first plate and carrying a plurality of second apertured metal tabs seated in successive ones of said first depressions in series with said first metal tabs, the first of said second metal tabs lying next to the last of said first metal tabs, a third metal plate positioned adjacent to but insulated from said first and second plates and carrying a plurality of third apertured metal tabs seated in successive ones of said first depressions and in series with said first and second metal tabs, the first of said third tabs lying next to the last of said second tabs, a fourth metal plate positioned adjacent to said bottom surface of said insulating support plate and having a plurality of spaced-apart fourth metal tabs seated in spaced-apart ones of said second depressions, each of said fourth metal tabs being aligned with and in operative relation, through ones of said holes, with the first tab in each of said series of first, second and third metal tabs, a fifth metal plate positioned adjacent to but insulated from said fourth metal plate and having a plurality of spaced-apart fifth metal tabs seated in spaced-apart ones of said second depressions, each of said second metal tabs being aligned with and in operative relation, through ones of said holes, with the second tab in each of said series of said first, second, and third metal tabs, and a sixth metal plate positioned adjacent to but insulated from said third and fourth metal tabs and having a plurality of spaced-apart sixth metal tabs seated in spaced-apart ones of said second depressions, each of said sixth metal tabs being aligned with and in operative relation, through ones of said holes, with the third tab in each of said series of first, second and third metal tabs, each of said first, second and third metal tabs being thus in operative relation with one of said fourth, fifth and sixth metal tabs to form electrode pairs which can cause glow discharge visible through said apertured tabs when operating potentials are applied therebetween, the relationship between said first, second and third metal tabs being such that operating potential can be applied to all of the tabs of a series at one time and each can be caused to exhibit cathode glow by the application of operating potential to each of said fourth, fifth and sixth metal tabs, in turn, each of said metal plates having a portion projecting through said envelope whereby operating potential can be applied thereto and to said tabs.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 518 words

A gaseous cold cathode display device comprising a gas-filled envelope, an insulating support plate disposed within said envelope and having top and bottom surfaces with a series of parallel first depressions formed in said top surface and a series of parallel second depressions formed in said bottom surface, there being a hole in said plate between each first depression and the corresponding second depression, a first metal plate carrying a plurality of first apertured metal tabs seated in sUccessive ones of said first depressions, a second metal plate positioned adjacent to but insulated from said first plate and carrying a plurality of second apertured metal tabs seated in successive ones of said first depressions in series with said first metal tabs, the first of said second metal tabs lying next to the last of said first metal tabs, a third metal plate positioned adjacent to but insulated from said first and second plates and carrying a plurality of third apertured metal tabs seated in successive ones of said first depressions and in series with said first and second metal tabs, the first of said third tabs lying next to the last of said second tabs, a fourth metal plate positioned adjacent to said bottom surface of said insulating support plate and having a plurality of spaced-apart fourth metal tabs seated in spaced-apart ones of said second depressions, each of said fourth metal tabs being aligned with and in operative relation, through ones of said holes, with the first tab in each of said series of first, second and third metal tabs, a fifth metal plate positioned adjacent to but insulated from said fourth metal plate and having a plurality of spaced-apart fifth metal tabs seated in spaced-apart ones of said second depressions, each of said second metal tabs being aligned with and in operative relation, through ones of said holes, with the second tab in each of said series of said first, second, and third metal tabs, and a sixth metal plate positioned adjacent to but insulated from said third and fourth metal tabs and having a plurality of spaced-apart sixth metal tabs seated in spaced-apart ones of said second depressions, each of said sixth metal tabs being aligned with and in operative relation, through ones of said holes, with the third tab in each of said series of first, second and third metal tabs, each of said first, second and third metal tabs being thus in operative relation with one of said fourth, fifth and sixth metal tabs to form electrode pairs which can cause glow discharge visible through said apertured tabs when operating potentials are applied therebetween, the relationship between said first, second and third metal tabs being such that operating potential can be applied to all of the tabs of a series at one time and each can be caused to exhibit cathode glow by the application of operating potential to each of said fourth, fifth and sixth metal tabs, in turn, each of said metal plates having a portion projecting through said envelope whereby operating potential can be applied thereto and to said tabs.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 33 words

The device defined in claim 1 wherein said metal plates overlay each other in a sandwich array, with a sheet of insulating material disposed between adjacent plates to insulate them from each other.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 381 words

A display device comprising a gas-filled envelope including: a first group of first apertured electrodes, arrayed in series, having a first common terminal outside said envelope, a second group of second apertured electrodes, arrayed in series with said first electrodes, and having a second common terminal outside said envelope, a third group of third apertured electrodes, arrayed in series with said first and second electrodes, and having a third common terminal outside said envelope, a fourth electrode in operative relation with the first electrode in each of said groups of electrodes and forming an electrode pair therewith, there being as many fourth electrodes as there are groups of electrodes, all of said fourth electrodes having a fourth common terminal outside said envelope, a fifth electrode in operative relation with the second electrode in each of said groups of electrodes and forming an electrode pair therewith, there being as many fifth electrodes as there are groups of electrodes, all of said fifth electrodes having a fifth common terminal outside said envelope, a sixth electrode in operative relation with the third electrode in each of said groups of electrodes and forming an electrode pair therewith, there being as many sixth electrodes as there are groups of electrodes, all of said sixth electrodes having a sixth common terminal outside said envelope, and insulating means associated with each of said electrode pairs and forming a separate and distinct gas cell therewith, there thus being a continuous series of gas cells formed by said groups of electrodes arrayed in series, each of said electrode pairs being able to cause glow discharge when operating potentials are applied therebetween, the relationship between all of said electrodes being such that operating potential can be applied to all of the electrodes of a group at one time and each can be caused to exhibit cathode glow by the application of operating potential to each of the associated fourth, fifth, and sixth electrodes, in turn, the application of operating potential to each group of electrodes, in turn, and to each of said fourth, fifth, and sixth electrodes as each of said groups is energized, causing glow to be generated in each of said gas cells, in turn, along the series of gas cells, said glow being visible through said apertured electrodes.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 381 words

A display device comprising a gas-filled envelope including: a first group of first apertured electrodes, arrayed in series, having a first common terminal outside said envelope, a second group of second apertured electrodes, arrayed in series with said first electrodes, and having a second common terminal outside said envelope, a third group of third apertured electrodes, arrayed in series with said first and second electrodes, and having a third common terminal outside said envelope, a fourth electrode in operative relation with the first electrode in each of said groups of electrodes and forming an electrode pair therewith, there being as many fourth electrodes as there are groups of electrodes, all of said fourth electrodes having a fourth common terminal outside said envelope, a fifth electrode in operative relation with the second electrode in each of said groups of electrodes and forming an electrode pair therewith, there being as many fifth electrodes as there are groups of electrodes, all of said fifth electrodes having a fifth common terminal outside said envelope, a sixth electrode in operative relation with the third electrode in each of said groups of electrodes and forming an electrode pair therewith, there being as many sixth electrodes as there are groups of electrodes, all of said sixth electrodes having a sixth common terminal outside said envelope, and insulating means associated with each of said electrode pairs and forming a separate and distinct gas cell therewith, there thus being a continuous series of gas cells formed by said groups of electrodes arrayed in series, each of said electrode pairs being able to cause glow discharge when operating potentials are applied therebetween, the relationship between all of said electrodes being such that operating potential can be applied to all of the electrodes of a group at one time and each can be caused to exhibit cathode glow by the application of operating potential to each of the associated fourth, fifth, and sixth electrodes, in turn, the application of operating potential to each group of electrodes, in turn, and to each of said fourth, fifth, and sixth electrodes as each of said groups is energized, causing glow to be generated in each of said gas cells, in turn, along the series of gas cells, said glow being visible through said apertured electrodes.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 60 words

The device defined in claim 3 wherein said insulating means comprises a plate of insulating material having top and bottom surfaces and having a series of depressions on one surface receiving said groups of first, second, and third electrodes in series, said insulating means having a series of depressions on the opposite surface receiving said fourth, fifth, and sixth electrodes.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 55 words

The device defined in claim 3 wherein said first, second, and third groups of electrodes extend from and are each coplanar with a large-area metal plate, the electrodes in each group being positioned side-by-side, said metal plates being arrayed in sandwich relation overlaying each other and insulated from each other by means of insulating sheets.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 16 words

The device defined in claim 5 wherein said large-area plates are secured together outside said envelope.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 104 words

The device defined in claim 3 wherein said first, second, and third electrodes each extends from and is coplanar with a large-area metal plate, the electrodes in each group being positioned side-by-side, said fourth, fifth, and sixth electrodes extend from and are coplanar with large-area metal plates, said fourth electrodes being spaced apart along their metal plate, said fifth electrodes being spaced apart along their metal plates and said sixth electrodes being spaced apart along their metal plates, all of said metal plates being secured together outside said envelope in sandwich fashion with insulating sheets disposed between them to insulate them from each other.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 35 words

The device defined in claim 3 wherein the apertures in said apertured electrodes are arrayed in series as are the electrodes, and selected, spaced-apart apertures are enlarged to provide a grouping effect to said apertures.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-05-31	1974-11-30	1975-06-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-05-31	1978-11-30	1979-06-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-05-31	1982-11-30	1983-06-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Gaseous discharge display device with interconnecting structure for the electrodes

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