Display panel

Claim 2

A display panel comprising a first insulating plate having a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of parallel grooves extending from said top surface toward said bottom surface, a first electrode seated near the base of each said groove, a plurality of second parallel electrodes spaced from said first electrodes by said first plate and oriented at an angle to said first electrodes so that each second electrode crosses a plurality of first electrodes, each crossing of a first electrode and a second electrode spaced therefrom defining a gas volume which comprises a gas cell, a second plate having top and bottom surfaces and positioned above and in sandwich relation with said first plate and having a plurality of apertures arrayed in rows and columns, each aperture being aligned with a crossing of a second electrode and a first electrode, third electrodes positioned on the top surface of said second plate, each aligned with a group of said apertures whereby a portion of each third electrode is aligned with a portion of a second electrode and a portion of a first electrode at each said aperture, and a top glass viewing plate covering said third electrodes, said first plate, second plate, and viewing plate being sealed together with an ionizable gas included inside said panel and in said cells.

Claim 3

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said first electrodes and said third electrodes are elongated and are oriented generally in the same directions, said second electrodes being elongated and oriented perpendicular to said first and third electrodes.

Claim 4

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said first and third electrodes are elongated wires and said second electrodes are elongated flat strips.

Claim 5

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said first and third electrodes are elongated wires and said second electrodes are elongated flat strips which have apertures at each region where a second electrode crosses a first electrode.

Claim 6

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said first electrodes are seated in said grooves and said second electrodes are seated on the top surface of said first plate.

Claim 7

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said grooves have a generally V-shaped cross-section.

Claim 8

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said grooves have a generally rectangular cross-section.

Claim 9

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein said grooves have a generally inverted V-shaped cross-section.

Claim 10

A display panel comprising a first insulating plate having a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of first relatively deep parallel grooves, a first electrode seated near the base of each said groove, a plurality of second parallel electrodes seated near the top of each said groove and oriented at an angle to said first electrodes so that each second electrode crosses a plurality of first electrodes, each crossing of a first electrode and a second electrode spaced therefrom defining a gas volume which comprises a first gas cell, a top plate having top and bottom surfaces and positioned above in sandwich relation with said first plate and having a plurality of second relatively deep parallel groooves extending from the bottom toward the top surface thereof, said second grooves being vertically aligned and parallel with said first grooves, and third electrodes positioned in said second grooves in said top plate and oriented at an angle to said second electrodes, each crossing of a third electrode and a second electrode including a volume of gas between them defining a second gas cell, each second gas cell being vertically aligned with a first gas cell.

Claim 11

A display panel comprising a first insulating plate having a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of first relatively deep parallel grooves, a first electrode seated near the base of each said groove, a plurality of second parallel electrodes seated near the top of each said groove and oriented at an angle to said first electrodes so that each second electrode crosses a plurality of first electrodes, each crossing of a first electrode and a second electrode spaced therefrom defining a gas volume which comprises a first gas cell, a top plate having top and bottom surfaces and positioned above in sandwich relation with said first plate and having a plurality of second relatively deep parallel groooves extending from the bottom toward the top surface thereof, said second grooves being vertically aligned and parallel with said first grooves, and third electrodes positioned in said second grooves in said top plate and oriented at an angle to said second electrodes, each crossing of a third electrode and a second electrode including a volume of gas between them defining a second gas cell, each second gas cell being vertically aligned with a first gas cell.

Claim 12

The panel defined in claim 1 wherein each second electrode includes an aperture which is positioned between each said gas cell and the associated aperture in said second plate.

Claim 13

A display panel comprising a first insulating plate having top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of parallel grooves extending downwardly from the top surface, a plurality of elongated first electrodes each seated in one of said grooves, a second insulating plate having top and bottom surfaces and having a plurality of parallel grooves extending upwardly from said bottom surface and facing the grooves in the first insulating plate, the grooves in the second insulating plate being substantially parallel and aligned with the grooves in the first insulating plate, a plurality of second elongated electrodes each seated in one of the grooves of said second insulating plate, a gaseous atmosphere in the region between said first and second electrodes at a pressure capable of sustaining a cathode glow discharge, a plurality of third elongated electrodes located intermediate said first and second electrodes and spaced from and crossing each of said first and second electrodes at an angle so that the space between each third electrode and each first electrode defines a first gaseous discharge cell and the space between each third electrode and each second electrode defines a second gaseous discharge cell, said third electrodes being shaped to provide communication between each first gaseous discharge cell and a second gaseous discharge cell, and means for isolating said first and second plurality of electrodes except in the regions where such electrodes cross the third plurality oF electrodes.

Claim 14

A display panel comprising a first insulating plate having top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of parallel grooves extending downwardly from the top surface, a plurality of elongated first electrodes each seated in one of said grooves, a second insulating plate having top and bottom surfaces and having a plurality of parallel grooves extending upwardly from said bottom surface and facing the grooves in the first insulating plate, the grooves in the second insulating plate being substantially parallel and aligned with the grooves in the first insulating plate, a plurality of second elongated electrodes each seated in one of the grooves of said second insulating plate, a gaseous atmosphere in the region between said first and second electrodes at a pressure capable of sustaining a cathode glow discharge, a plurality of third elongated electrodes located intermediate said first and second electrodes and spaced from and crossing each of said first and second electrodes at an angle so that the space between each third electrode and each first electrode defines a first gaseous discharge cell and the space between each third electrode and each second electrode defines a second gaseous discharge cell, said third electrodes being shaped to provide communication between each first gaseous discharge cell and a second gaseous discharge cell, and means for isolating said first and second plurality of electrodes except in the regions where such electrodes cross the third plurality oF electrodes.

Claim 15

A display panel as in claim 11 wherein the means for isolating the first and second plurality of electrodes constitutes a sheet which is apertured in the region where such electrodes cross the third plurality of electrodes.

Claim 16

A display panel as in claim 12 wherein said apertured sheet supports said plurality of third electrodes.

Claim 17

A display panel as in claim 12 wherein said apertured sheet is a composite of said third plurality of electrodes and insulating material spaced intermediate successive ones of such electrodes, and wherein each of said third plurality of electrodes is apertured in the regions where it crosses said first and second plurality of electrodes.

Claim 18

A display panel as in claim 12 wherein said apertured sheet is a composite of an apertured insulating sheet with said third plurality of electrodes formed as printed conductive strips on at least one of its surfaces.

Claim 19

The display panel defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of each groove in said insulating plate, in which a first electrode is seated, has a generally V-shaped cross-section.

Claim 20

A display panel comprising a first insulating plate having a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of parallel grooves extending from said top surface toward said bottom surface, a first electrode seated near the base of each said groove, a plurality of second parallel electrodes spaced from said first electrodes by said first plate and oriented at an angle to said first electrodes so that each second electrode crosses a plurality of first electrodes, each crossing of a first electrode and a second electrode spaced therefrom defining a gas volume which comprises a gas cell, a second plate having top and bottom surfaces and positioned above and in sandwich relation with said first plate and having a plurality of apertures arrayed in rows and columns, each aperture being aligned with a crossing of a second electrode and a first electrode, third electrodes positioned adjacent to the top surface of said second plate, each aligned with a group of said apertures whereby a portion of each third electrode is aligned with a portion of a second electrode and a portion of a first electrode at each said aperture, and a top glass viewing plate covering said third electrodes, said first plate, second plate, and viewing plate being sealed together with an ionizable gas included inside said panel and in said cells.

Claim 21

A display panel comprising a first insulating plate having a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of parallel grooves extending from said top surface toward said bottom surface, a first electrode seated near the base of each said groove, a plurality of second parallel electrodes spaced from said first electrodes by said first plate and oriented at an angle to said first electrodes so that each second electrode crosses a plurality of first electrodes, each crossing of a first electrode and a second electrode spaced therefrom defining a gas volume which comprises a gas cell, a second plate having top and bottom surfaces and positioned above and in sandwich relation with said first plate and having a plurality of apertures arrayed in rows and columns, each aperture being aligned with a crossing of a second electrode and a first electrode, third electrodes positioned adjacent to the top surface of said second plate, each aligned with a group of said apertures whereby a portion of each third electrode is aligned with a portion of a second electrode and a portion of a first electrode at each said aperture, and a top glass viewing plate covering said third electrodes, said first plate, second plate, and viewing plate being sealed together with an ionizable gas included inside said panel and in said cells.

Claim 22

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope including a first insulating plate having a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of parallel grooves extending from said top surface toward said bottom surface, a first electrode seated near the base of each said groove, a plurality of second parallel electrodes spaced from said first electrodes by said first plate and oriented at an angle to said first electrodes so that each second electrode crosses a plurality of first electrodes, each crossing of a first electrode and a second electrode spaced therefrom defining a gas volume which comprises a first gas cell, and an array of second gas cells disposed adjacent to said second electrodes with each second gas cell aligned with and communicating with a first gas cell.

Claim 23

A display panel comprising a gas-filled envelope including a first insulating plate having a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of parallel grooves extending from said top surface toward said bottom surface, a first electrode seated near the base of each said groove, a plurality of second parallel electrodes spaced from said first electrodes by said first plate and oriented at an angle to said first electrodes so that each second electrode crosses a plurality of first electrodes, each crossing of a first electrode and a second electrode spaced therefrom defining a gas volume which comprises a first gas cell, and an array of second gas cells disposed adjacent to said second electrodes with each second gas cell aligned with and communicating with a first gas cell.

Claim 24

The panel defined in claim 18 and including a third electrode in operative relation with each said second cell.

Claim 25

The panel defined in claim 18 wherein said first gas cells are arrayed in rows and columns, and said second gas cells are arrayed in rows and columns, and including a plurality of third electrodes, each disposed parallel to a first electrode and aligned with a row of said second cells.