Segment type display tube for selectively displaying one or more of a plurality of alpha-numerical characters

Claim 1

In a display tube for selectively displaying one or more of a plurality of characters comprising a container transparent at at lEast a portion thereof, an electrode assembly sealed in said container, said electrode assembly having a first electrode and at least one set of segment electrodes, a first stem lead connected to said first electrode through a lead wire, and a set of second stem leads respectively connected to said set of segment electrodes, said set of segment electrodes being arranged in a common plane to display a desired one of said characters by electric discharge produced therebetween by a voltage applied between said first stem lead and at least a selected one of said second stem leads, said container containing a gas for sustaining said discharge, the improvement which comprises: first and second insulator plates each having a similar opening for permitting the viewing of said set of segment electrodes and being stacked one upon the other to define a discharge space, said insulator plates retaining said second stem leads therebetween so that said segment electrodes are arranged in said common plane in said discharge space together with said second lead wires, said first electrode being formed of one sheet of metal plate and having a mesh region and holding said insulator plates in the stacked position with said mesh region in substantial registration with said space, each of said segment electrodes and a corresponding one of said second stem leads being integrally formed.