Matrix-type fluorescent display device

Claim 1

A matrix-type fluorescent dot display device which comprises: a quadrilateral vacuum discharge space defined by a wall and an insulated substrate opposed to said wall, at least one of said wall and substrate being light-passable, the periphery of said wall being fixed by air-tight sealing means to the periphery of said substrate, an anode wire array within said discharge space comprising a multitude of thin wires stretched in a plane parallel to and spaced apart from one another, said array being devoid of transverse wires, a plurality of wire support members holding said wires of said array in said parallel, spaced apart position above and out of contact with said substrate, terminal means that extends outside said discharge space to connect the wires of said array to an electric voltage source, the wires of said array being at least partially coated with fluorescent material that will fluoresce when bombarded by thermoelectrons, cathode filaments positioned adjacent said wall within said discharge space provided with terminal means so said filaments may be electrically energized to emit thermoelectrons, an electrically conductive grid comprising a multitude of thin wires positioned between said array and said cathode filaments within said discharge space, said grid wires being stretched in a plane parallel to and spaced apart from one another and perpendicular to said wires of said array, said plane of said grid being spaced apart and parallel to said plane of said array, said grid being devoid of transverse wires, terminal means that extends outside said discharge space to connect the wires of said grid to an electric voltage source, said grid serving to create luminous dots on the wires of said array when the wires of said array are energized by a predetermined positive voltage and the wires of said grid are also energized by a predetermined positive voltage.