Variable pattern gaseous display panel having segmented cathode electrodes

Claim 2

A display panel comprising a hermetically sealed envelope including an insulating base plate, a plurality of elongated conductors supported on said base plate and each carrying a plurality of cathode segment electrodes spaced apart along its length, said segments being positioned on said conductors so that they are arrayed in groups, with segments of each conductor being included in different groups comprising display positions in said panel, an anode electrode positioned in operative relation with each said group of segment electrodes, a template positioned over the electrodes and having a pattern of light-transmitting areas in the form of indicia to be displayed for transmitting light from selective discharges about the cathode segments in different patterns, and an ionizable gas contained in the envelope and about the electrodes.

Claim 3

A display panel comprising a hermetically sealed envelope including an insulating base plate, a plurality of elongated conductors supported on said base plate and each carrying a plurality of cathode segment electrodes spaced apart along its length, said segments being positioned on said conductors so that they are arrayed in groups, with segments of each conductor being included in different groups comprising display positions in said panel, an anode electrode positioned in operative relation with each said group of segment electrodes, a template positioned over the electrodes and having a pattern of light-transmitting areas in the form of indicia to be displayed for transmitting light from selective discharges about the cathode segments in different patterns, and an ionizable gas contained in the envelope and about the electrodes.

Claim 4

A display panel comprising a hermetically sealed envelope including an insulating base plate, a plurality of elongated conductors supported on said base plate and each carrying a plurality of cathode segment electrodes spaced apart along its length, said segments being positioned on said conductors so that they are arrayed in groups, with segments of each conductor being included in different groups comprising display positions in said panel, an anode electrode positioned in operative relation with each said group of segment electrodes, a template positioned over the electrodes and having a pattern of light-transmitting areas in the form of indicia to be displayed for transmitting light from selective discharges about the cathode segments in different patterns, and an ionizable gas contained in the envelope and about the electrodes.

Claim 5

The display panel of claim 1 further comprising slotted insulating means for supporting the plurality of elongated conductors along at least a portion of their lengths.

Claim 6

The indicia display panel of claim 1 wherein light barriers are disposed between adjacent display positions and said template comprises opaque means having light transmitting regions in a predetermined array.

Claim 7

The display panel of claim 3 wherein certain ones of said cathode segment electrodes are positioned in operative relation with two or more anode electrodes beneath different light transmitting regions of said template.

Claim 8

The display panel of claim 1 further comprising planar cathode means disposed beneath light transmitting portions of said template and positioned in operative relation with an anode electrode.

Claim 9

The display panel of claim 5 wherein a plurality of planar cathode members are positioned in operative relation with the same anode electrode beneath different light-transmitting portions of the template.

Claim 10

The display panel of claim 6 wherein the planar cathode members are connected to selected ones of said elongated conductors and insulated from the remainder.

Claim 11

Variable pattern indicator apparatus having segmented display electrodes comprising a plurality of elongated conductors spaced substantially parallel in a row, each having a plurality of display electrode segments coupled to it along its length, insulating means supporting said conductors and maintaining the orientation of them, second electrode means for each indicator position situated proximate a corresponding group of display segments and isolating the discharges about them from each other, an insulating cover having top and bottom surfaces and being situated above the electrode means, shield means positioned over the display segments and having a pattern of light-transmitting areas in the form of different indicia to be displayed for transmitting light from glow discharge at selected ones or selected groups of the electrode segments in a pattern according to the chosen indicia, and a gaseous atmosphere sealed in the region between the insulating means and said insulating cover including an ionizable gas at a pressure capable of sustaining cathode glow discharge.

Claim 12

Variable pattern indicator apparatus having segmented display electrodes comprising a plurality of elongated conductors spaced substantially parallel in a row, each having a plurality of display electrode segments coupled to it along its length, insulating means supporting said conductors and maintaining the orientation of them, second electrode means for each indicator position situated proximate a corresponding group of display segments and isolating the discharges about them from each other, an insulating cover having top and bottom surfaces and being situated above the electrode means, shield means positioned over the display segments and having a pattern of light-transmitting areas in the form of different indicia to be displayed for transmitting light from glow discharge at selected ones or selected groups of the electrode segments in a pattern according to the chosen indicia, and a gaseous atmosphere sealed in the region between the insulating means and said insulating cover including an ionizable gas at a pressure capable of sustaining cathode glow discharge.

Claim 13

The indicator apparatus of claim 8 in which the display electrodes are comprised of strips of conductive material having display segments oriented at angles to them to form the indicator positions and the shield means comprises an opaque member having light-transmitting regions and being disposed adjacent said insulating cover.

Claim 14

The indicator apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second electrode means comprise an anode electrode for each group of display segments, capable of transmitting light from cathode glow developed in association with the corresponding display segments, and the shield means comprises an apertured member disposed proximate the anode electrodes.

Claim 15

The indicator apparatus of claim 8 wherein the second electrode means are multi-sided mesh screen members partially enclosing the associated groups of display segments and the shield means comprises an opaque layer having a pattern of light-transmitting regions.

Claim 16

The indicator apparatus of claim 8 in which conductive shield means is disposed between the display segments and the adjacent portions of the elongated conductors to isolate the discharges about the segments, themselves, from the conductors.

Claim 17

The indicator apparatus of claim 8 wherein insulating means are disposed between adjacent display cathode segments as spacers between different indicator positions.

Claim 18

Indicia display apparatus comprising an insulating base plate having top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of parallel grooves in the top surface thereof, a plurality of elongated conductors each disposed in one of said grooves and bearing a plurality of plate-like cathode elements along it above the top surface of the base plate, there being groups of said cathode elements disposed along the base plate including members of different ones of said conductors, an anode electrode positioned in operative relation with each of said groups of cathode elements for controlled ionizing discharges with them, a second insulating plate situated above the groups of electrodes, substantially flat shield means positioned over the cathode elements and having a pattern of light-transmitting areas in the form of the indicia to be displayed or portions thereof for receiving light emanating from selective glow discharges about the cathode elements, and a gaseous atmosphere sealed in the region between the insulating plates including ionizable gas at a pressure capable of sustaining cathode glow discharge.

Claim 19

Indicia display apparatus comprising an insulating base plate having top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of parallel grooves in the top surface thereof, a plurality of elongated conductors each disposed in one of said grooves and bearing a plurality of plate-like cathode elements along it above the top surface of the base plate, there being groups of said cathode elements disposed along the base plate including members of different ones of said conductors, an anode electrode positioned in operative relation with each of said groups of cathode elements for controlled ionizing discharges with them, a second insulating plate situated above the groups of electrodes, substantially flat shield means positioned over the cathode elements and having a pattern of light-transmitting areas in the form of the indicia to be displayed or portions thereof for receiving light emanating from selective glow discharges about the cathode elements, and a gaseous atmosphere sealed in the region between the insulating plates including ionizable gas at a pressure capable of sustaining cathode glow discharge.

Claim 20

The indicia display apparatus of claim 14 in which the elongated conductors include strips of metal supporting the cathode elements above the top surface of the base plate at different display positions while disposed in the grooves and the shield means comprises a member having a pattern of apertures corresponding to the indicia to be Displayed.

Claim 21

The indicia display apparatus of claim 14 wherein the anode electrode for each group of display segments is capable of transmitting light from glow discharge developed about the associated cathode elements and the shield means comprises an opaque layer having a pattern of light-transmitting areas corresponding to the indicia to be displayed.