Monolythic staggered mesh deflection systems for use in flat matrix CRT's

• US 3,935,499 A
• Filed: 01/03/1975
• Issued: 01/27/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Oess, Frederick G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Segal, Robert
• Application Number:
  US05/538,489
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 313/422, 313/411, 313/409, 313/413
• US Class Current: 313/413
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 29/467 Control electrodes for flat display tubes, e.g. of the type covered by group H01J31/123
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 31/127 using large area or array sources, i.e. essentially a source for each pixel group

Abstract

A flat cathode ray tube device is provided with a monolythic structure for x-y control of a matrix of electron beams. A sandwiched deflection control structure has holes through which the beams may pass and forms a set of x-y control of the trajectory of the beams. A plurality of like mesh plates make up the control structure with offset shield provisions therein in the region of the path of each of said beams.

Claims

1. In a flat cathode ray tube device for display of information by response to an electron beam of a phosphor coating on a face plate, the combination which comprises:

a monolythic system structure including

a. an x-y matrix of electron source cathodes,

b. a pair of grid arrays successively spaced from said matrix with holes therethrough adjacent to and aligned with said cathodes selectively to form and individually control the intensity of an electron beam from each of said cathodes, and

c. deflection control structure consisting of a plurality of sheets electrically isolated from each other having rectangular holes therein through which said beams may pass, with alternative ones of said sheets connected for x-y deflection control of the trajectory of each of said beams.

2. The flat cathode ray tube device claimed in claim 1 wherein each sheet has a flange on one side of each hole.

3. The flat tube cathode ray tube claimed in claim 1 wherein the holes in said sheets are staggered to provide preselected sides of said holes tangent to the trajectory of each of said beams.

4. The flat tube display claimed in claim 2 wherein the flange in the side of said holes is adjacent to the trajectory of each of said beams.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which a support plate provides the base for said monolythic structure with said cathodes mounted thereon.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which a face plate structure is marginally sealed to said support plate to provide a vacuum tight envelope housing said monolythic structure.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which means is provided by said monolythic structure to support said face plate at at least one point inside the margin thereof.

8. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which means are provided by a plurality of elements based on said deflection control structure to support said face plate.

9. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which leads from said cathode, said grid arrays and said deflection electrodes pass from said envelope at the joint between said support plate and said face plate.

10. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which insulating spacer plates are positioned between said cathodes and said grid arrays and said deflection control structure with holes therethrough aligned with said cathodes.

11. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said matrix of electron source cathodes comprises a plurality of conductors in a common plane parallel to one another with electron emitting risers spaced apart along each of said conductors the same distance as the spacing between said conductors to provide an x-y array of regularly spaced cathodes.

12. The combination set forth in claim 11 in which segmented structures support said cathodes between each pair of said risers and share with said conductors the flow of current through said risers.

13. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which segmented structures comprising conductive frits on said base interconnect portions of said conductors intermediate each pair of said risers to like intermediate portions of the conductors spaced laterally therefrom for voltage control of operation of said cathodes.

14. The combination set forth in claim 11 in which a support plate with segmented conductive structure thereon provides a mounting base for said cathodes, said conductive structure comprising pads or strips mounted on said support plate and spanning the length of said conductors between each pair of said risers for sharing current flowing to said risers.

15. A monolythic structure for forming and controlling multiple electron beams for producing an information display which comprises:

a. an x-y matrix of electron sources located in a common plane and supported on a base plate,

b. a first array of control electrodes wherein each electrode spans a row of said sources in said first matrix with holes therein registering with the said sources and located adjacent to the plane of said sources,

c. a second array of accelerator electrodes wherein each accelerator electrode spans a column of said sources in said matrix with holes registering with said sources and located adjacent to said first array,

d. a uni-potential conductive drift space layer having holes registering with holes in said second array and located adjacent to the plane of said second array,

e. a beam deflection structure consisting of a plurality of sheets electrically isolated from each other adjacent said drift space layer having rectangular holes registering with holes in said drift space layer with alternative ones of said sheets connected for x-y deflection control of the trajectory of the beams passing through the holes, each of the holes having a flange on the side of the hole adjacent to the trajectory of the beams, and

f. a face plate spaced from said insulating member constructed for response to electron bombardment to produce visible reaction to said electron beams.

16. The combination set forth in claim 15 in which said base plate, control grid electrodes, accelerator grid electrodes, drift space layer and beam deflection structure are formed as a monolythic structure.

17. The combination set forth in claim 16 in which a phosphor coated cover plate is marginally sealed to the margins of said base plate to form a vacuum tight enclosure.

18. The combination set forth in claim 17 in which terminals for excitation and control of elements within said enclosures pass therefrom in the region of the seal between said base plate and said face plate.