Plasma display device with internal-external electrode structure

Claim 1

A gas discharge display apparatus having a plurality of discrete gas cells for displaying symbols in accordance with the selective ionization of gas in the respective cells in response to ionizing potentials applied thereacross, comprising a substantially planar rear wall insulator member and a substantially planar translucent front wall insulator member sealed together about their edges in spaced apart relation to form a hermetically sealed enclosure for an ionizable gas contained therein, an additional planar insulator member positioned between the front and rear wall insulator members in contacting relation with the rear wall interior surface and having a plurality of holes extending therethrough forming the individual gas cells, internal electrode means positioned between and in contacting relation with the interior surface of the front insulator member and adjacent surface of the additional insulator member, said internal electrode means having through holes spatially superposed with the gas cell forming holes in said additional insulator member to enable direct viewing of ionized gas in said cells through the front translucent insulator member, and external electrode means including a plurality of electrode elements each formed on the exterior surface of the rear insuLator member in spatially superposed relation with at least one of the gas cells, said electrode elements thereby being separated from the gas by said rear insulator member whereby sputter material emitted from said internal electrode means and deposited on the walls of the gas cells is precluded from establishing a shorting path between said internal and external electrodes.