Display panel having particle source

Claim 2

A display panel comprising an insulating gas-filled envelope including a plurality of gas-filled cells, an anode electrode and a cathode electrode associated with each cell, and a source of excited particles embedded in a chamber in said envelope remote from said cells and communicating from said chamber through a gas communication path with said cells, said source comprising an electrode which is adversely affected by high temperatures such as those at which said envelope is formed, said source being sealed in said chamber by means of a sealing material which forms a hermetic seal with said envelope at about room temperature.

Claim 3

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said sealing material is an amalgam of gallium and selected metals.

Claim 4

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said sealing material is an amalgam of gallium and one or more metals selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, silver, and tin.

Claim 5

A display panel comprising an insulating gas-filled envelope including a dielectric bottom plate and top plate and a plurality of gas-filled cells therebetween, an anode electrode and a cathode electrode within said envelope associated with each cell, and an electrode source of excited particles, for facilitating firing of said cells, embedded in a chamber in said bottom plate of said envelope remote from said cells and communicating with said cells from said chamber through a hole in said bottom plate, said source being sealed in said chamber by means of an amalgam which forms a hermetic seal with said bottom plate at a relatively low temperature below the temperatures at which said panel is assembled and processed.

Claim 6

A display panel comprising an insulating gas-filled envelope including a dielectric bottom plate and top plate and a plurality of gas-filled cells therebetween, an anode electrode and a cathode electrode within said envelope associated with each cell, and an electrode source of excited particles, for facilitating firing of said cells, embedded in a chamber in said bottom plate of said envelope remote from said cells and communicating with said cells from said chamber through a hole in said bottom plate, said source being sealed in said chamber by means of an amalgam which forms a hermetic seal with said bottom plate at a relatively low temperature below the temperatures at which said panel is assembled and processed.

Claim 7

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said source comprises a radioactive electron-emitting electrode.

Claim 8

A display panel comprising a sandwich of dielectric plates including a bottom plate, a center plate, and a top plate, a plurality of gas-filled glow cells disposed between said bottom plate and said center plate with an anode electrode and a cathode electrode associated with each cell, said cells being arrayed in rows and columns, and an electrode source of excited particles disposed in operative relation with selected ones of said cells for facilitating the firing of said selected cells at a predetermined time in the operation of said panel, said source being disposed within said bottom plate out of sight of a viewer but communicating through a gas communication path with at least one of said selected cells, said source being hermetically sealed within said bottom plate by a sealing material which forms a hermetic seal with said bottom plate at a relatively low temperature which is below the temperatures at which said panel is assembled and processed.

Claim 9

A display panel comprising a sandwich of dielectric plates including a bottom plate, a center plate, and a top plate, a plurality of gas-filled glow cells disposed between said bottom plate and said center plate with an anode electrode and a cathode electrode associated with each cell, said cells being arrayed in rows and columns, and an electrode source of excited particles disposed in operative relation with selected ones of said cells for facilitating the firing of said selected cells at a predetermined time in the operation of said panel, said source being disposed within said bottom plate out of sight of a viewer but communicating through a gas communication path with at least one of said selected cells, said source being hermetically sealed within said bottom plate by a sealing material which forms a hermetic seal with said bottom plate at a relatively low temperature which is below the temperatures at which said panel is assembled and processed.

Claim 10

The panel defined in claim 6 wherein said sealing material is an amalgam of gallium and selected metals.

Claim 11

The panel defined in claim 6 wherein said sealing material is an amalgam of gallium and one or more metals selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, silver and tin.

Claim 12

A display panel comprising a sandwich of dielectric plates including a bottom plate, a center plate, and a top plate, a plurality of gas-filled glow cells disposed between said bottom plate and said center plate with an anode electrode and a cathode electrode associated with each cell, said cells being arrayed in rows and columns, said bottom plate having slots formed therein and comprising gas communication paths interconnecting said glow cells in a predetermined pattern, and an electrode source of excited particles disposed in operative relation with selected ones of said cells for facilitating the firing of said selected cells at a predetermined time in the operation of said panel, said source being disposed within said bottOm plate out of sight of a viewer but communicating through a gas communication path with at least one of said selected cells, said source being hermetically sealed within said bottom plate by a sealing material which forms a hermetic seal with said bottom plate at a relatively low temperature which is below the temperatures at which said panel is assembled and processed.

Claim 13

A display panel comprising a sandwich of dielectric plates including a bottom plate, a center plate, and a top plate, a plurality of gas-filled glow cells disposed between said bottom plate and said center plate with an anode electrode and a cathode electrode associated with each cell, said cells being arrayed in rows and columns, said bottom plate having slots formed therein and comprising gas communication paths interconnecting said glow cells in a predetermined pattern, and an electrode source of excited particles disposed in operative relation with selected ones of said cells for facilitating the firing of said selected cells at a predetermined time in the operation of said panel, said source being disposed within said bottOm plate out of sight of a viewer but communicating through a gas communication path with at least one of said selected cells, said source being hermetically sealed within said bottom plate by a sealing material which forms a hermetic seal with said bottom plate at a relatively low temperature which is below the temperatures at which said panel is assembled and processed.

Claim 14

The panel defined in claim 9 wherein said sealing material is an amalgam of gallium and selected metals.

Claim 15

The panel defined in claim 9 wherein said sealing material is an amalgam of gallium and one or more metals selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, silver, and tin.

Claim 16

A display panel comprising a sandwich of dielectric plates including a bottom plate, a center plate, and a top plate, a plurality of gas-filled glow cells disposed between said bottom plate and said center plate with an anode electrode and a cathode electrode associated with each cell, said cells being arrayed in rows and columns, there being a first column and a last column, a column of auxiliary cells adjacent to said first column of glow cells, said bottom plate having slots formed therein extending along rows of cells an comprising gas communication paths interconnecting said column of auxiliary cells with said first column of glow cells and each column of glow cells with the adjacent column of glow cells, and an electrode source of excited particles disposed in operative relation with said column of auxiliary cells for facilitating the firing of said auxiliary cells, said source being disposed within said bottom plate out of sight of a viewer but communicating through a hole in said bottom plate into a gas communication path coupled to said column of auxiliary cells, said source being disposed in a chamber in said bottom plate, said chamber communicating with said hole and being hermetically sealed by an amalgam which forms a hermetic seal with said bottom plate at a relatively low temperature below the temperatures at which said panel is assembled and processed.

Claim 17

A display panel comprising a sandwich of dielectric plates including a bottom plate, a center plate, and a top plate, a plurality of gas-filled glow cells disposed between said bottom plate and said center plate with an anode electrode and a cathode electrode associated with each cell, said cells being arrayed in rows and columns, there being a first column and a last column, a column of auxiliary cells adjacent to said first column of glow cells, said bottom plate having slots formed therein extending along rows of cells an comprising gas communication paths interconnecting said column of auxiliary cells with said first column of glow cells and each column of glow cells with the adjacent column of glow cells, and an electrode source of excited particles disposed in operative relation with said column of auxiliary cells for facilitating the firing of said auxiliary cells, said source being disposed within said bottom plate out of sight of a viewer but communicating through a hole in said bottom plate into a gas communication path coupled to said column of auxiliary cells, said source being disposed in a chamber in said bottom plate, said chamber communicating with said hole and being hermetically sealed by an amalgam which forms a hermetic seal with said bottom plate at a relatively low temperature below the temperatures at which said panel is assembled and processed.

Claim 18

The panel defined in claim 12 wherein said hole associated with said source extends to the top surface of said bottom plate between selected ones of said slots therein and in alignment with the rib present between said selected ones of said slots.

Claim 19

The panel defined in claim 12 wherein said source comprises a radioactive electron-emitting electrode.

Claim 20

The panel defined in claim 12 wherein said amalgam consists of gallium and selected metals.

Claim 21

The panel defined in claim 12 wherein said amalgam consists of gallium and one or more metals selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, silver, and tin.

Claim 22

The panel defined in claim 12 wherein said source comprises a radioactive electron-emitting electrode and said amalgam consists of gallium and one or more selected metal additives.