Cathode ray tube antenna getter structure comprising permanent phase transformation bimetallic material

Claim 1

In a cathode ray tube having a longitudinal axis therethrough and an encompassing envelope strucutre integrally formed of a neck portion with an electron generating means spatially positioned therein, and infundibular portion, and a viewing panel having a cathodoluminescent screen disposed on the interior surface thereof, a heat deformable antenna getter structure formed to achieve predetermined positioning of the getter container relative to the interior surface of the envelope, said structure comprising: a longitudinal positioning member formed of a strip of alpha bilaminate metallic material of predetermined flexure performance having aft and fore attachment areas, said aft attachment area being substantially terminally affixed to said electron generating means and said fore attachment areas being positioned between said longitudinal axis and said infundibular portion, said alpha bilaminate material being formed of a first lamina of an alpha active alloy material metallurgically bonded along a common interface to a second lamina of an alpha passive alloy material, said alpha active alloy material upon being subjected to an alpha predetermined temperature undergoes a metallurgical phase transformation effecting a set volume change thereof, said alpha passive material remaining in a substantially stable single metallurgical phase state throughout a temperature range wherein said alpha predetermined temperature is included, said positioning member having a formed primary shape effected prior to tube assembly, the alpha active lamina portion of said primary shaped positioning member upon reaching an alpha predetermined temperature during tube processing transforms to said metallurgical phase thereby imparting an arcuate movement to the positioning member in a direction radially outward from said axis producing a resultant flexure therein to effect a set secondary structural shape and movement of the positioning member toward the infundibular portion of said envelope; a terminal getter orientation means affixed to the fore attachment area of said bilaminate positioning member, said orientation means being formed of a strip of beta bilaminate metallic material of predetermined flexure performance having proximal and distal ends of which said proximal end is affixed to the fore attachment area of said positioning member, said beta bilaminate material being comprised of first and second laminae of beta active and beta passive alloy materials respectively, said beta active maTerial having a beta metallurgical phase transformation temperature higher than that of the alpha active lamina in said alpha bilaminate material, said terminal orientation means being discretely shaped to effect a configurative change from a primary to a secondary shaping thereby providing a related arcuate movement of said orientation means relative to said positioning member during getter vaporization processing; a getter container associated with said terminal positioning means in a manner oriented to direct vaporized material substantially toward the interior of said tube; and contact means associated with said terminal positioning means relative to the distal end thereof oriented toward the wall of said envelope to effect contact therewith during tube processing.