Discharge luminescence element array having a gas flow path

Claim 2

In a discharge luminescence element array comprising a pair of parallel insulator plates, electrodes provided on the outer faces of said pair of insulator plates, and a separator interposed between said pair of insulator plates, said separator having a plurality of apertures formed therein defining the same plurality of discharge spaces with said pair of insulator plates, the improvement comprising a groove-like gas flow path provided at the interface between one of said pair of insulator plates and said separator for evacuating gas from and providing a discharge gas to said discharge spaces, said separator being sealed at its entire main faces to said pair of insulator plates.

Claim 3

A discharge luminescence element array according to claim 1, in which said gas flow path between adjacent discharge spaces is a zigzag segmental line.

Claim 4

A discharge luminescence element array according to claim 1, in which each of said insulator plates is a filter glass plate.

Claim 5

In a discharge luminescence element array comprising: a pair of spaced apart insulator plates; electrodes provided on the outer faces of said pair of insulator plates; a separator interposed between the inner faces of said pair of insulator plates, said separator having a plurality of apertures formed therein defining a plurality of discharge spaces confined between said insulator plates, which discharge spaces terminate at said inner faces of said insulator plates; and a gas flow path provided through said separator so as to provide a fluid connection between said discharge spaces; the improvement comprising means for sealing said separator at the respective interfaces thereof with said inner faces of said pair of insulator plates comprising a light absorbent cement.

Claim 6

In a discharge luminescence element array comprising: a pair of spaced apart insulator plates; electrodes provided on the outer faces of said pair of insulator plates; a separator interposed between the inner faces of said pair of insulator plates, said separator having a plurality of apertures formed therein defining a plurality of discharge spaces confined between said insulator plates, which discharge spaces terminate at said inner faces of said insulator plates; and a gas flow path provided through said separator so as to provide a fluid connection between said discharge spaces; the improvement comprising means for sealing said separator at the respective interfaces thereof with said inner faces of said pair of insulator plates comprising a light absorbent cement.

Claim 7

The improvement according to claim 4, wherein said gas flow path comprises an aperture interconnecting respective individual ones of said discharge spaces with each other, the cross-section of said aperture being considerably less than the cross-section of said discharge spaces.

Claim 8

The improvement according to claim 4, wherein each of said insulator plates contains a filter glass material, said separator is made of a glass filter material having a high photoabsorptive power, and said cement is substantially opaque.

Claim 9

The improvement according to claim 6, wherein said gas flow path comprises an aperture interconnecting respective individual ones of said discharge spaces with each other, the cross-section of said aperture being considerably less than the cross section of said discharge spaces.

Claim 10

The improvement according to claim 6, wherein said gas flow path has a configuration which prevents direct linear optical communication between adjacent discharge spaces.

Claim 11

The improvement according to claim 8, in which said gas flow path between adjacent discharging spaces is a zigzag segmental line.

Claim 12

In a discharge luminescence element array comprising: a pair of spaced apart insulator plates; electrodes provided on the outer faces of said pair of insulator plates; a separator interposed at and sealed between the inner faces of said pair of insulator plates, said separator having a plurality of apertures formed therein defining a plurality of discharge spaces confined between said insulator plates; and a gas flow path proVided through said separator so as to provide a fluid connection between said discharge spaces; the improvement wherein said gas flow path between adjacent pairs of discharge spaces follows a path which prevents direct optical communication between the adjacent discharge spaces connected thereby.

Claim 13

In a discharge luminescence element array comprising: a pair of spaced apart insulator plates; electrodes provided on the outer faces of said pair of insulator plates; a separator interposed at and sealed between the inner faces of said pair of insulator plates, said separator having a plurality of apertures formed therein defining a plurality of discharge spaces confined between said insulator plates; and a gas flow path proVided through said separator so as to provide a fluid connection between said discharge spaces; the improvement wherein said gas flow path between adjacent pairs of discharge spaces follows a path which prevents direct optical communication between the adjacent discharge spaces connected thereby.

Claim 14

The improvement according to claim 10, wherein the gas flow path between an adjacent pair of discharge spaces follows a zig-zag path.

Claim 15

The improvement according to claim 10, wherein said separator is sealed at the respective interfaces thereof with the inner faces of said pair of insulator plates by a light absorbent cement.