Electric lamp or space discharge component or device manufacturi – Process – With assembly or disassembly
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-24
2002-12-17
Ramsey, Kenneth J. (Department: 2879)
Electric lamp or space discharge component or device manufacturi
Process
With assembly or disassembly
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494757
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a spacer used in an electron-beam apparatus such as an image-forming apparatus in which an electron beam is employed, and a manufacturing method of the electron-beam apparatus provided with the spacer.
2. Related Background Art
Heretofore, as an image-forming apparatus in which electron-emitting devices are utilized, an evacuated plane type electron-beam display panel is known in which an electron source substrate having a number of cold-cathode electron-emitting devices thereon and an anode substrate having a transparent electrode and a phosphor thereon are confronted in parallel. Such an image-forming apparatus, in which field emission type electron-emitting devices are used, is disclosed in, for example I. Brodie, “Advanced technology: flat cold-cathode CRTs”, Information Display, 1/89, 17 (1989). Further, such an image-forming apparatus, in which surface conduction electron-emitting devices are used, disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,066,883 and the like. A flat electron-beam display panel permits reduction in weight and the enlargement of a screen compared to a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display unit which is widely used at present, and can provide a higher luminance and a higher quality image than a flat display panel utilizing liquid crystals and other flat display panels such as a plasma display and an electroluminescent display.
FIG. 5
shows a perspective view of a conventional flat electron-beam display panel which is partially cut out, as one example of the image-forming apparatus utilizing the electron-emitting devices. The configuration of the electron-beam display panel shown in
FIG. 5
will be detailed here. In this drawing, reference numeral
1015
is a rear plate, numeral
1017
is a face plate and
1016
is a side wall, and these members constitute a vacuum envelope. Further, numeral
1011
is an electron source substrate and
1012
is an electron-emitting device. In this example, one phosphor is disposed to one electron-emitting device. Moreover, numeral
1013
(a scanning electrode) and
1014
(a signal electrode) are wiring electrodes, and they are each connected to the electron-emitting device
1012
. Furthermore, numeral
1019
is a metal back and
1018
is a phosphor. Moreover,
1020
is a spacer, which holds the electron source substrate
1011
and the face plate
1017
at predetermined intervals and which is arranged in a vacuum envelope as a supporting member against atmospheric pressure. Besides, each junction of the face plate
1017
, the side wall
1016
, the rear plate
1015
and the spacer
1020
is sealed with a low melting point glass frit.
In order to form an image on this electron-beam display panel, a predetermined voltage is successively applied to the scanning electrode
1013
and the signal electrode
1014
arranged in a matrix state, whereby the predetermined electron-emitting device
1012
positioned at the intersection of the matrix is selectively driven, and the phosphor
1018
is irradiated with emitted electrons to obtain luminescent points at predetermined positions. Besides, for the purpose of obtaining the luminescent points of a higher luminance by accelerating the emitted electrons, a high voltage is applied to the metal back
1019
so as to become a positive potential to the electron-emitting device
1012
. Here, the applied voltage is within about several hundred volts to about several ten kilo volts, depending on the performance of the phosphor
1018
. Accordingly, the distance d between the electron source substrate
1011
and the face plate
1017
is usually set to about several hundred &mgr;m to about several mm so that vacuum dielectric breakdown (i.e., discharge) may not occur by this applied voltage.
As the display area of this electron-beam display panel increases, the rear plate
1015
and the face plate
1017
need to be thickened to suppress the deformation of a plate substrate due to a difference between a vacuum in the vacuum envelope and an external atmospheric pressure. Thickening the plate substrate not only increases the weight of the display panel but also causes the distortion of the panel and the reduction of a viewable angle range when viewed from an oblique direction. Therefore, the spacer
1020
is disposed, whereby a required strength of both the plates
1015
and
1017
can be relieved, which permits reduction in weight, decrease in cost and the enlargement of the screen. In consequence, the advantage of the flat electron-beam display panel can sufficiently be exerted.
For a material which can be used for this spacer
1020
, there are required (1) having a sufficient strength to atmospheric pressure (compressive strength), (2) having a heat resistance which can withstand heating steps in a manufacturing process and a high vacuum formation process, (3) matching to the substrate, the side wall and the like of the display panel in thermal expansion coefficients, (4) being a highly resistant member having insulating characteristics which can withstand the application of a high voltage, (5) a gas emission rate being low in order to maintain a high vacuum, and (6) being workable in a good dimension accuracy and being excellent in productivity. As such a material, a glass material is usually used.
However, the display panel of the image-forming apparatus described above has the following problems.
First, a part of electrons emitted from the vicinity of the spacer hit against the spacer, or ions produced by the function of the emitted electrons adhere to the spacer, whereby spacer charging might be caused. Further, the electrons which reach the face plate are partially reflected and scattered, and its part hit against the spacer, whereby the spacer charging might be caused.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing by a simple process at a low cost a spacer having a surface structure which can suppress surface charging.
Further, another object of the present invention is to provide an electron-beam apparatus such as an image-forming apparatus which has a sufficient display luminance and which realizes a low cost by the use of the spacer manufactured by the above method or the spacer having such a function.
That is, an aspect of the present invention is directed to a manufacturing method of a spacer for an electron-beam apparatus provided with an airtight container, and an electron source and the spacer arranged in the airtight container, and the manufacturing method comprises the step of heating and drawing a base material of the spacer, a desired rough state being formed on the surface of the base material in the heating and drawing step.
Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a manufacturing method of a spacer of an electron-beam apparatus provided with an airtight container, and an electron source and the spacer arranged in the airtight container, and the manufacturing method comprises the step of heating and drawing a base material of the spacer, a desired rough state and an electroconductive film are formed on the surface of the base material in the heating and drawing step.
Still another aspect of the present invention is directed to a manufacturing method of a spacer of an electronic-beam apparatus provided with an airtight container, and an electron source and the spacer arranged in the airtight container, and the manufacturing method comprises the step of heating and drawing a base material of the spacer having a rough state on its surface.
A further aspect of the present invention is directed to a manufacturing method of a spacer of an electronic-beam apparatus provided with an airtight container, and an electron source and the spacer arranged in the airtight container, and the manufacturing method comprises a step of forming a rough state on the surface of the base material of the spacer, and a step of heating and drawing the base material on which the rough state is formed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5066883
Fushimi Masahiro
Ito Nobuhiro
Yamazaki Koji
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Ramsey Kenneth J.
LandOfFree
Manufacturing method of spacer for electron-beam apparatus... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Manufacturing method of spacer for electron-beam apparatus..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Manufacturing method of spacer for electron-beam apparatus... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2956323