Character display discharge tube

Claim 2

A character display discharge tube comprising an insulating base board; a multiplicity of discharge elements each including a cathode and an anode in proximate relation and arranged in groups on said base board, each of the groups constituting a basic character form; a flat insulating plate stacked on said insulating base board, said plate being formed with a plurality of apertures for the passage of radiation from the cathode and anode of the respective discharge elements; a transparent viewing plate stacked on said insulating mask plate; and a phosphor film applied to the inside of said transparent viewing plate and spaced from the cathodes and anodes of said discharge elements through said apertures in said mask plate, said phosphor generating light when activated by radiation, said base board, said apertures and said transparent plate constituting an envelope containing a gas atmosphere.

Claim 3

The character display discharge tube according to claim 1, wherein the basic character formed by each group of discharge elements represents the numeral 8.

Claim 4

The character display discharge tube according to claim 1, wherein a control grid is interposed between said cathode and said anode.

Claim 5

A character display discharge device comprising a. an insulAting base board formed of first, second and third stacked insulating plates, b. a multiplicity of pairs of spaced first and second electrodes arranged on said first insulating plate, c. a first conductive bus bar interposed between two adjacent stacked insulating plates, said bus bar being connected to the first electrodes in said pairs of electrodes, d. a multiplicity of second conductive bus bars interposed between the other two adjacent stacked insulating plates, each of said second bus bars being connected to a corresponding second electrode in each of said pairs of electrodes, e. a flat insulating mask stacked on said insulating base board and having a multiplicity of apertures, each of said apertures exposing one of said pair of electrodes, f. a transparent viewing plate secured to said insulating base board overlying said flat insulating mask and spaced from said pairs of electrodes, g. a phosphor film secured to the surface of said viewing plate facing said insulating mask, and h. a gaseous discharge medium contained within the envelope formed by said transparent viewing plate and said insulating base board, each pair of electrodes generating electromagnetic waves when a voltage is impressed therebetween thereby exciting said phosphor film causing it to emit light in the vicinity of said pair of electrodes.

Claim 6

A character display discharge device comprising a. an insulAting base board formed of first, second and third stacked insulating plates, b. a multiplicity of pairs of spaced first and second electrodes arranged on said first insulating plate, c. a first conductive bus bar interposed between two adjacent stacked insulating plates, said bus bar being connected to the first electrodes in said pairs of electrodes, d. a multiplicity of second conductive bus bars interposed between the other two adjacent stacked insulating plates, each of said second bus bars being connected to a corresponding second electrode in each of said pairs of electrodes, e. a flat insulating mask stacked on said insulating base board and having a multiplicity of apertures, each of said apertures exposing one of said pair of electrodes, f. a transparent viewing plate secured to said insulating base board overlying said flat insulating mask and spaced from said pairs of electrodes, g. a phosphor film secured to the surface of said viewing plate facing said insulating mask, and h. a gaseous discharge medium contained within the envelope formed by said transparent viewing plate and said insulating base board, each pair of electrodes generating electromagnetic waves when a voltage is impressed therebetween thereby exciting said phosphor film causing it to emit light in the vicinity of said pair of electrodes.

Claim 7

A character display discharge device as defined by claim 4 wherein said multiplicity of second conductive bus bars are parallel to each other and perpendicular to said first conductive bus bar.

Claim 8

A character display discharge device as defined by claim 4 wherein said first electrodes connected to said first bus bar are anodes and said second electrodes each connected to one of said second bus bars are cathodes.

Claim 9

A character display discharge device as defined by claim 6 wherein a control grid is interposed between the first and second electrodes of each pair of electrodes.

Claim 10

A character display discharge device as defined by claim 4 wherein said gaseous discharge medium includes helium.