GB1405565A - Gas discharge display device - Google Patents

Abstract

1405565 Gas discharge display panels NCR COKP 10 Dec 1973 [26 Dec 1972] 57126/73 Heading H1D A gas discharge display device for displaying a selected one of a plurality of fixed displays includes first and second wall members 12 and 14 incorporating respective first and second electrode means 16, 18 and 20, 22 at least one of said wall members being transparent, said second electrode means including a plurality of parallel column conductors 20 and 22, electrically insulating means 24 positioned between said first and second wall members and provided with a plurality of patterns of cavities 26 which contain an ionizable gas, said plurality of patterns corresponding respectively to said plurality of fixed displays, the cavities of each pattern being arranged in a plurality of columns aligned with respective column conductors associated with that pattern, the columns of cavities of the various patterns being interspersed with one another, and the configuration of said first electrode means being such that by appropriate energization of said first and second electrode means the gas in a selected pattern of cavities may be ionized to render visible the corresponding display. With alternate row and column electrodes commoned as shown in Fig. 3 and connected to terminals 1, 2, A and B four patterns can be displayed by energizing the appropriate pair of terminals. Possible locations for the elements of the four patterns are indicated by numerals 1 to 4 on the left half of the Fig. Cavities are provided by etching the glass layer 24 at the required locations, e.g. to display the letter E cavities are etched at the positions 2 shown on the right-half of the Fig. and are energized by selecting terminals 2 and A. Nine patterns can be displayed by commoning every third electrode (Fig. 5, not shown). In an alternative embodiment (Fig. 4, not shown) each cavity is etched in the shape of a complete letter. The gas filling may be a mixture of 99À7% Ne, 0À2% N and 0À1% A at a pressure of 100 torr.