Multicell display device having communication paths between adjacent cells

Claim 2

A multicell gas-filled display device comprising a flat panel-type envelope containing an ionizable gas and including a top viewing plate, a bottom insulating plate, and a cell assembly between them all sealed together around their edges, said cell assembly including first and second insulating plates having identical arrays of slots and held together in a sandwich but offset so that a continuous free communication path is formed from a slot in the first plate through a slot in the second plate, through a slot in the first plate etc. portions of said slots in said plates being vertically aligned to form vertical cells, a third insulating plate having rows and columns of first apertures and positioned adjacent to said first insulating plate with each of its apertures aligned with one of said vertical cells, a fourth insulating plate having rows and columns of second apertures and positioned adjacent to said second insulating plate with each of its apertures aligned with one of said vertical cells, each combination of a first and second aperture and a vertical cell comprising a display cell, and a first electrode array between said top plate and said third plate and a second electrode array between said bottom plate and said fourth plate, each first electrode being aligned with a row of display cells and each second electrode being aligned with a column of display cells.

Claim 3

A multicell gas-filled display device comprising a flat panel-type envelope containing an ionizable gas and including a top viewing plate, a bottom insulating plate and a cell assembly between them all sealed together around their aligned edges, said cell assembly including a first insulating plate having a plurality of first elongated openings therein, each opening having a right end, a left end, and an intermediate portion, a second identical insulating plate having a plurality of second identical elongated openings therein, each having a left end, a right end, and an intermediate portion, said second plate being seated on said first plate with the openings in one offset from the openings in the other and aligned in part, said alignment comprising having the left end and right end oF each opening in said second plate vertically aligned with the right end and left end, respectively, of the openings in said first plate with the intermediate portion of each second opening being seated on the solid portions of said first plate between its first openings, the intermediate portions of said openings in said first plate being positioned beneath solid portions of said second plate between its second openings, whereby said aligned ends of said openings form vertical cells and the intermediate portions constitute lateral gas communication paths between said vertical cells, said path extending from the right end of one opening in said first plate to a left end of an opening in said second plate and through the intermediate portion and right end of said last-named opening to the left end of the next adjacent first opening in said first plate and through the intermediate portion and right end of said adjacent opening to the left end of the next adjacent opening in said second plate, etc., a third insulating plate having rows and columns of first apertures and positioned adjacent to said first insulating plate with each of its apertures aligned with one of said vertical cells, a fourth insulating plate having rows and columns of second apertures and positioned adjacent to said second insulating plate with each of its apertures aligned with one of said vertical cells, each combination of a first and second aperture and a vertical cell comprising a display cell, and a first electrode array between said top plate and said third plate and a second electrode array between said bottom plate and said fourth plate, each first electrode being aligned with a row of display cells and each second electrode being aligned with a column of display cells.

Claim 4

A multicell gas-filled display device comprising a flat panel-type envelope containing an ionizable gas and including a top viewing plate, a bottom insulating plate and a cell assembly between them all sealed together around their aligned edges, said cell assembly including a first insulating plate having a plurality of first elongated openings therein, each opening having a right end, a left end, and an intermediate portion, a second identical insulating plate having a plurality of second identical elongated openings therein, each having a left end, a right end, and an intermediate portion, said second plate being seated on said first plate with the openings in one offset from the openings in the other and aligned in part, said alignment comprising having the left end and right end oF each opening in said second plate vertically aligned with the right end and left end, respectively, of the openings in said first plate with the intermediate portion of each second opening being seated on the solid portions of said first plate between its first openings, the intermediate portions of said openings in said first plate being positioned beneath solid portions of said second plate between its second openings, whereby said aligned ends of said openings form vertical cells and the intermediate portions constitute lateral gas communication paths between said vertical cells, said path extending from the right end of one opening in said first plate to a left end of an opening in said second plate and through the intermediate portion and right end of said last-named opening to the left end of the next adjacent first opening in said first plate and through the intermediate portion and right end of said adjacent opening to the left end of the next adjacent opening in said second plate, etc., a third insulating plate having rows and columns of first apertures and positioned adjacent to said first insulating plate with each of its apertures aligned with one of said vertical cells, a fourth insulating plate having rows and columns of second apertures and positioned adjacent to said second insulating plate with each of its apertures aligned with one of said vertical cells, each combination of a first and second aperture and a vertical cell comprising a display cell, and a first electrode array between said top plate and said third plate and a second electrode array between said bottom plate and said fourth plate, each first electrode being aligned with a row of display cells and each second electrode being aligned with a column of display cells.