U.S. patent number 3,686,727 [Application Number 05/126,610] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-29 for method of fabricating a multibeam electron gun structure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Sylvania Electric Products, Inc.. Invention is credited to Donald L. Say, Harry E. Smithgall.
United States Patent |
3,686,727 |
Say , et al. |
August 29, 1972 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
METHOD OF FABRICATING A MULTIBEAM ELECTRON GUN STRUCTURE
Abstract
A method of fabricating a multibeam single electron gun
structure for an electron discharge device, such as a high
resolution cathode ray tube, wherein a plurality of beams emanating
from a common emission plane are separately modulated by a planar
arrangement of separate control electrode members each having a
beam aperture therein forming an aperture array. At least one
accelerating-collimating electrode plane having a similar array of
apertures is oriented in spaced and substantially parallel
relationship with the control grid plane to provide a collimated
array of beams directed to impinge the cathodoluminescent screen in
a defined pattern array.
Inventors: |
Say; Donald L. (Seneca Falls,
NY), Smithgall; Harry E. (Seneca Falls, NY) |
Assignee: |
Sylvania Electric Products,
Inc. (N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
22425780 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/126,610 |
Filed: |
March 22, 1971 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
860626 |
Sep 24, 1969 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
445/34;
313/411 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01J
29/485 (20130101); H01J 29/50 (20130101); B82Y
10/00 (20130101); H01J 2229/505 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01J
29/50 (20060101); H01J 29/48 (20060101); H01j
009/18 (); H01j 009/36 () |
Field of
Search: |
;29/25.11,25.19,25.16
;316/24,17 ;313/69 ;315/40 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Campbell; John F.
Assistant Examiner: Heist; D. M.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.
860,626 filed Sept. 24, 1969 and contains matter disclosed but not
claimed in a related continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.
860,621 filed concurrently herewith and assigned to the assignees
of the present invention. This related continuation-in-part
application is Ser. No. 126,609, "Multibeam Single Gun Electron
Discharge Device." A previously filed application, Ser. No. 860,625
"Electrode Alignment and Assembling Device," contains matter
disclosed but not claimed in the above-identified applications,
Ser. No. 860,621 and Ser. No. 860,626.
Claims
We claim:
1. Method of fabricating a multibeam electron gun structure formed
for positioning in a cathode ray tube, said gun structure having an
electron emission plane, a substantially planar control electrode
mat formed of an array substantially longitudinal individual
electrode members each having a beam aperture therein and separate
leads therefrom, at least one substantially planar
accelerating-collimating electrode mat with a plurality of beam
apertures corresponding in array and number to the beam apertures
in the control electrode array, each of said electrode mats having
therein a plurality of affixal perforations and a plurality of
alignment perforations, and insulative electrode spacer means
having a center opening therein, said fabricating method utilizing
an electrode alignment device having a plurality of vertical pins
for holding said respective electrode mats and comprising the steps
of:
positioning at least one accelerating-collimating electrode mat on
said alignment device with said alignment perforations mating with
said pins on said device;
positioning an insulative electrode spacer means upon said
accelerating-collimating electrode mat;
positioning said control electrode mat atop said electrode spacer
means in said alignment device with said alignment perforations
mating with said pins thereon; said longitudinal individual
electrode members being bridged across said central opening in said
spacer means;
aligning said beam apertures in said planar control electrode mat
and said accelerating-collimating planar electrode mat; and
affixing said electrode mats to said insulative spacer means
therebetween.
2. Method of fabricating multibeam electron gun structure having an
axis therethrough and formed for positioning on a multi-lead stem
portion of a cathode ray tube, said gun structure having a
thermionic cathode with an emission plane, cathode shielding means,
a substantially planar control electrode mat formed of an array of
individual electrode members each having a beam aperture therein
and separate leads therefrom, at least one substantially planar
accelerating-collimating electrode mat with a plurality of beam
apertures corresponding in array and number to the beam apertures
in the control electrode array, each of said electrode mats having
spaced on either side of said aperture array a set of similarly
oriented affixal perforations and a set of alignment perforations
located in two opposed vertical extremital portions of said mats,
insulative electrode spacer means formed of a thickness to separate
said electrode mats and having two sets of affixal perforations
therein, and a pair of cathode spacer means, said fabricating
method utilizing an electrode alignment device for holding said
respective electrode mats and comprising the steps of:
positioning at least one accelerating-collimating electrode mat on
said alignment device with said sets of alignment perforations
mating with corresponding sets of protruding pins on said
device;
positioning an insulative electrode spacer means upon said
accelerating-collimating electrode mat;
positioning said control electrode mat atop said electrode spacer
means in said alignment device with said alignment perforations
mating with said pins thereon;
aligning said beam apertures in said planar control electrode mat
and said accelerating-collimating planar electrode mat;
affixing said planar control electrode mat and said
accelerating-collimating planar electrode mat to said insulative
spacer means therebetween to form an electrode assembly; and
removing said vertical extremital portions of said electrode mats
adjacent to said electrode spacer means, said removal providing
separate lead connections for the individual electrode members of
said control electrode plane.
3. The method of fabricating a multibeam electron gun structure
according to claim 2 wherein said affixation of said planar control
electrode and said accelerating-collimating planar electrode mats,
and the respective insulative spacer means therebetween is
accomplished by inserting rod-like clamping means through said
similarly oriented affixal perforations.
4. The method of fabricating a multibeam electron gun structure
according to claim 2 wherein the affixation of said planar control
electrode and said accelerating-collimating planar electrode mats,
and the respective insulative spacer means therebetween is
accomplished by cement bonding means between and through said
similarly oriented affixal perforations.
5. The method of fabricating a multibeam electron gun structure
according to claim 2 wherein the positioning of said cathode
shielding means in spaced relationship with said cathode is
accomplished simultaneously with the affixation of said respective
electrode mats.
6. The method of fabricating a multibeam electron gun structure
according to claim 2 wherein said cathode spacer means are in the
form of a pair of multiple apertured wafer-like insulative members
one of which is positioned on either side of said assembly after
the vertical extremital portions of said electrode mats have been
removed, the planes of said wafer-like members being substantially
parallel with said axis; said wafer-like member positioning being
followed by the positioning of said thermionic cathode in related
apertures in said wafer-like member in a manner that said emission
plane is facing said adjacent electrode mat; and said apertured
wafer members being secured to said gun structure to maintain the
desired positioning of said cathode in said gun structure.
7. The method of fabricating a multibeam electron gun structure
according to claim 2 wherein said cathode shielding means and said
adjacent electrode mat have a plurality of protruding tabs
extending laterally therefrom; and wherein said apertured wafer
members, having tab related apertures therein, are positionally
secured on said tabs.
8. The method of fabricating a multibeam electron gun structure
according to claim 2 wherein said cathode spacer means are in the
form of a pair of spaced-apart angular-shaped stand-off positioners
attached to said cathode and affixed to isolated elements in the
electrode mat adjacent to said emission plane before said electrode
mat is positioned on said electrode alignment device.
9. The method of fabricating a multibeam electron gun structure
according to claim 4 wherein said cemented assembly is outgassed by
heating prior to the removal of said vertical extremital portions.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a multibeam cathode ray tube and more
particularly to a method of fabricating a single multibeam electron
gun structure for a cathode ray tube.
In certain types of high resolution cathode ray tube displays such
as may be used in alpha-numeric graphing, or mapping presentations,
it has been found advantageous from the standpoint of achieving
improved brightness, enhanced resolution and increased writing
speed, to utilize a multibeam tube having a plurality of
substantially parallel and separately modulated electron beams
therein. The disadvantages of a single beam system is that display
brightness is low due to sweep speeds and time sharing of the beam.
It has been found that the use of a plurality of individual
electron guns within a common envelope is limited by the size of
the respective guns and the internal dimension of the tube neck
portion wherein the guns are positioned.
Some known single gun multibeam tubes comprises intricate electron
gun assemblies including electrodes having ceramic substrates and
wire formed structures.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to reduce the aforementioned
disadvantages and to provide an improved high resolution single gun
multibeam cathode ray tube. Another object is to provide a method
of fabricating an improved multibeam electron gun structure wherein
the electro beams are substantially parallel and individually
modulated. A further object is to provide a method of fabricating
an improved multibeam gun structure that can be expeditiously
accomplished.
The foregoing objects are achieved in one aspect of the invention
by providing a method of fabricating an improved multibeam single
gun electron discharge device such as a high resolution cathode ray
tube. The multibeam gun structure is assembled by positioning, on
an alignment device, at least one plural-apertured metallic planar
electrode member having an array of beam apertures therein.
Positioned thereon is spaced and parallel relationship therewith is
a planar arrangement of separate control electrode members each
having a beam aperture therein to form a similar aperture array.
The beam apertures in the several electrode members are aligned
whereupon the electrode members are affixed to spacing means
therebetween. A common emission plane is oriented to provide
electron beams to the control electrode plane. The gun structure so
fabricated provides collimated beams which are directed to impinge
the cathodoluminescent screen of the tube in an array pattern as
determined by the array of beam apertures in the multibeam electron
gun structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away perspective illustrating a cathode
ray tube incorporating the invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the control electrode plane
showing the plurality of control electrode members;
FIGS. 3a and 3b enlarged plan views of two embodiments of a
plural-apertured planar electrode member;
FIGS. 4a and 4b are exploded views illustrating two embodiments of
the multibeam electron gun structure;
FIGS. 5a and 5b are perspective views showing pertinent aspects of
multibeam gun structure assemblies;
FIGS. 6 and 7 are side views showing two embodiments of multibeam
gun structures during assembly;
FIGS. 8a and 8b are perspective views illustrating additional
details of two multibeam gun assemblies;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial cut-away illustration detailing
electron beam formation in one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 10 is a partial cut-away view showing another embodiment of
the invention; and
FIG. 11 is a plan view of a cathode stand-off positioner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with
other and further objects, advantages and capabilities thereof,
reference is made to the following specification and appended
claims in connection with the aforedescribed drawings.
With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown one embodiment of a
cathode ray tube 11 having an axis 12 therethrough and an envelope
13 including a face panel or viewing portion 15, a funnel portion
17, and a neck portion 19. Suitably disposed on the inner surface
of the face panel 15 is a cathodoluminescent screen 21 comprising
at least one electron excitable phosphor material 23. Oriented
within the tube neck portion 19 is multibeam single electron gun
structure 25, the componental parts of which are not detailed in
FIG. 1. This single gun structure 25 is fabricated to produce a
beam pattern array 26 of a defined plurality of similar
substantially collimated electron beams 27 which are directed to
impinge the screen 21. By way of example, a discrete pattern array
26 comprised of six beams 27 is shown, but such number of beams is
not intended to be limiting as the single multibeam gun 25 can be
constructed to produce few or many substantially collimated beams
27. In the beam pattern array 26 thus formed, each beam 27 can be
separately modulated without need for convergence correction as the
pattern array is scanned over the screen 21. Thus, the pattern of
plural beams, as shown, potentially increases by six times, the
brightness potential of the particular display tube 11. Also, since
the beam array 26 is handled as a bundle, there is a reduction of
writing rate for each beam 27 by a factor equal to the number of
beams.
Electrical conductive means are applied to the interior surface of
the neck 19 and funnel 17 portions of the tube envelope 13 to
effect an electrical connection between the electron gun structure
25 and the screen 21.
In this first embodiment, the electrical conductive means is in the
form of a spiral accelerator or resistive helix 29 applied to the
inner surface of the neck portion 19 in a manner to extend from the
low potential of the final electrode of the gun 25 to the internal
conductive coating 31 disposed on the interior surface of the
funnel portion 17, thus making connection with the high potential
of the screen 21. In this way the resistive helix 29 serves to
build a long gradual accelerating field which in conjunction with
magnetic lensing effects faithfully images the beam pattern array
26 on the screen 21.
The plural beam pattern array 26 has an object height (h') and
width (w'), not shown, as it leaves the electron gun 25 and an
image height (h") and width (w") when it impinges the screen 21. In
certain display applications it is desired to effect magnification,
demagnification or substantially maintain the image height (h") and
width (w") relative to the object height (h')and width (w'). Such
is effected by gun structure and magnetic lensing as will be
described later in this specification.
To ensure that the beam pattern array 26 impinges the screen 21 in
desired rotational alignment, a pattern rotation coil 33 is usually
exteriorly positioned on the neck portion 19 of the tube 11 near
the low voltage end of the helix 29. Thus, by adjustment of the
pattern rotation coil 33 rotational shifting of the beam pattern
array 26 is provided as, for example, in writing italics in a
character generating application. In utilizing magnetic focusing
and deflection, a focusing coil 35 is mounted on the exterior of
the tube neck portion 19 at the high voltage end of the helix 29,
and a deflection coil 37 is formed to encompass the envelope
transition region 18 where the funnel portion 17 joins the neck
portion 19.
The single electron gun structure 25 has a number of electrical
connections, not shown, which are brought out through the tube base
39 to external connective means 41, several of which are shown.
In detailing one embodiment of a multibeam single gun structure 45,
particular reference is made to FIGS. 1, 2, 3a, and 4a wherein the
defined gun structure comprises a common electron emission plane
and an assembly of related parallel conductive electrode planes
each having an array of beam apertures therein corresponding to the
number and patterned configuration 26 of the desired array of beams
27 impinged upon screen 21.
To provide greater detail and clarity, an exploded view of the gun
structure 45, during construction, is shown in FIG. 4a. A source of
electrons such as thermionic electron emission means 47 as, for
example, a tubular cathode having electron emissive material
disposed on at least part of one surface thereof forms a common
emission plane 49. Spaced from and parallel with the emission plane
49, and substantially normal to the axis 12, is a metallic
substantially planar control electrode mat 51 which is further
detailed in FIG. 2. This control electrode mat 51 is discretely
formed as for example, by chemical milling, to provide a framing
member 52 encompassing a plurality of substantially strip-like
self-supporting control electrode members 53 each having a beam
aperture 57 therein and a separate electrical connection 59. The
framing member 52 therearound comprises two opposed horizontal
extremital portions 66, 67 and two related vertical extremital
portions 68 and 69. The several electrode members 53 are positioned
in laterally spaced relationship with one another to form a
substantially centrally oriented planar control electrode aperture
array 61. As shown, the aperture array 61 comprises two
substantially parallel rows of beam apertures 57. To achieve array
compactness, the electrode members 53 present a staggered aperture
array 61 having a height (h) and a width (w). These dimensions are
substantially the same as object height (h') and width (w') of the
aforementioned beam pattern array 26 as it leaves the electron gun.
Spaced from either side of the aperture array 61 is set of
similarly oriented control electrode affixal perforations 63 and 65
oriented in each of the horizontal extremital portions 66, 67; and
further spaced therefrom, in each of the two opposed vertical
extremital portions 68 and 69 of the control electrode mat 51, is a
set of similarly located control electrode alignment perforations
71 and 73. Protruding laterally from the control electrode framing
member 52 are two sets of control electrode tabs 75 and 77 which in
this embodiment are utilized in gun structure assembly 45.
Spaced form and substantially parallel with said plurality of
control electrode members 53 is at least one plural-apertured
metallic planar electrode mat 78, forming an
accelerating-collimating electrode plane, which is further detailed
in FIG. 3a. The spacing between the plurality of control electrode
members 53 and the accelerating-collimating electrode plane 78 is
an insulative electrode spacer means 81 in the form of a
substantially rectangular-shaped member having a peripheral spacing
framing member 83 defining a central cut-out portion 85. Affixal
perforations 87 are suitably oriented in the peripheral framing
member 83 to provide definite placement in the gun structure
assembly 45. In addition to serving as an electrode spacing means,
the peripheral framing member 83 serves as a support means across
which the plurality of laterally spaced control electrode members
53 are bridged.
With reference to FIG. 3a, the plural-apertured metallic planar
electrode mat 78 has a plurality of beam apertures 89 formed
therein, as for example, by discrete chemical milling to provide a
planar electrode aperture array 91 which corresponds in array
configuration and number with the respective beam apertures 57 in
the control electrode array 61, having substantially similar height
(h) and width (w) dimensions. Spaced on either side of the planar
electrode aperture array 91 is a set of similarly oriented planar
electrode affixal perforations 93 and 95. In each of the two
opposed vertical extremital portions 97 and 98 of the planar
electrode mat 78 is a set of similarly located planar electrode
alignment perforations 101 and 103. Protruding laterally from the
accelerating-collimating planar electrode mat 78 are two sets of
planar electrode tabs 105 and 107 which are utilized in gun
structure assembly 45.
It has been found that in small size plural beam arrays enhanced
focusing and collimation can be achieved by incorporating
additional plural-apertured electrode planes to the gun structure.
For example, in referring to FIG. 4a, additional
accelerating-collimating electrode planar mats G-3 and G-4, forming
additional lens planes, are designated as 79 and 80 respectively,
and are not specifically detailed as they are substantially the
same as aforedescribed planar electrode mat 78. The insulative
electrode spacer means 82 and 84 are rectangular framing means
having greater thickness than insulative electrode spacer means 81,
otherwise they are substantially similar to what has been
described.
Cathode shielding means 109 having corner oriented affixal
perforations 111 and protruding tabs 113 is positioned in spaced
relationship with and substantially parallel to the control
electrode mat 51, being discretely spaced therefrom by insulative
spacing means 115 which has a plurality of affixal perforations 117
therein. The resultant spacing between the shielding means 109 and
the control electrode mat 51 accommodates the spaced positioning of
the electron emission means such as cathode 47 therebetween. The
several related planar electrode mats and respective spacers are
joined together in a compact gun structure assembly 45 by affixal
means such as cement, rod-like clamping means or bolts. For
example, a plurality of threaded bolts 119, extending through the
numerous affixal perforations and insulative washers 121, are
suitably secured by nuts 123. By this arrangement the related
plurality of apertures in the several respective electrode mats are
predeterminately aligned in a manner substantially related to the
axis 12.
In this embodiment, cathode spacer means in the form of a pair of
apertured wafer-like insulative members 125 are individually
positioned on either side of the gun structure assembly. Each has a
cathode aperture 127 therein to accomodate and orient the cathode
47 relative to the control electrode mat 51; the planes of said
wafer-like members 125 being substantially parallel with the axis
12. Sets of apertures or perforations 129 and 131 are also
contained in the wafer-like members 125 to accommodate the
shielding means protruding tabs 113 and the several tabs 75, 77,
105, and 107 protruding from electrode mats 51 and 78,
respectively.
Expeditious assembling of the aforedescribed multibeam electron gun
structure 45 is accomplished by utilizing an electrode alignment
device 133 as illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. The alignment device
is comprised of several parts, one of which is a movable base
portion 135. A cap portion 137 is shaped for fixed attachment to
the base portion 135, as for example by bolt means 136 which seat
in the base 135 to form a cap-base assembly 138 wherein there is
provided spaced apart longitudinal guide channel means 139. The cap
portion has an upper surface 141 whereof the leading edge portion
143 has a plurality of vertical pins 145 oriented adjacent thereto.
The pins 145 are spaced in a manner to match one set of the
respective electrode mat alignment perforations, for example 73 and
103. A slide portion 147 has a pair of longitudinal member means
149 formed to slide in the guide channel means 139 in the cap-base
assembly 138. The slide portion 147 has a bridge member 151 formed
substantially normal to the longitudinal member means 149. The
bridge member 151 has an upper surface 153 with a forward edge
portion 155 oriented in adjustably spaced relationship to the cap
portion leading edge portion 143. Adjacent to the forward edge
portion 155 are a plurality of vertical pins 157 oriented in a
manner to match an opposed set of electrode mat alignment
perforations, for example 71 and 101. The respective sets of pins
145 and 157, which are oriented in a common lateral plane, have
sufficient vertical length to accommodate a plurality of planar
electrode mats in spaced apart stacked arrangement. Lateral
movement means 159 is incorporated in the cap-base assembly 138 to
provide lateral uniform adjustable movement to each of the
longitudinal member means 149 to effect controlled movement of the
two respective pluralities of pins 145 and 157 and provide lateral
tautness and alignment to the electrode mats accommodated
thereon.
In assembling a multibeam single gun electron gun structure of the
type described, an electrode assembly is first fabricated. With
reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown one embodiment of an
electrode assembly 161 comprising a control electrode mat 51 and a
planar electrode mat 78. Such is facilely assembled by positioning
an accelerating-collimating electrode mat 78 on the alignment
device 133 with the sets of alignment perforations 101 and 103
mating with the corresponding sets of vertical pins 157 and 145 on
the device. An insulative electrode spacer means 81 is positioned
upon the accelerating-collimating electrode mat 78 with the
respective affixal perforations substantially aligned. A control
electrode mat 51 is positioned atop the spacer means 81 on the
device 133 with the alignment perforations 71 and 73 mating with
the sets of pins 157 and 145 thereon. Alignment of the respective
beam apertures in the two electrode mats 79 and 51, is accomplished
by discretely activating the lateral movement means 159 in the
device 133 to carefully move the sets of pins 157 and 145 and
provide lateral tautness to the mats. Care is exercised to avoid
deformation of the respective alignment perforations. Insulative
spacing means 115 are placed atop the control electrode mat 51 with
the respective affixal perforations in alignment; whereupon the
cathode shielding means 109 is suitably positioned. With the
componental elements thus arranged, affixation is effected to form
a unified electrode assembly 161. As previously mentioned,
affixation is accomplished in several ways, as for example, by
applying a suitable ceramic bonding material to the region of the
affixal perforations, or by inserting rod-like clamping mean, such
as bolts, through the aligned affixal perforations. As shown, bolts
119 are utilized, being inserted up through the assembly with the
insulative washers 121 and mating nuts 123 applied adjacent to the
cathode shielding means 109 to provide affixation. If ceramic
bonding material is utilized for affixation, the electrode assembly
161 is retained in the device 133 until the bonding is set. When
employing ceramic bonding for affixation, the cemented electrode
assembly 161 is removed from the alignment device 133 and placed in
a sealed enclosure, not shown, for outgassing which is accomplished
by a conventional heating and exhaust procedure.
The fabrication of another embodiment of electrode assembly 163 is
shown in FIG. 7 wherein additional plural-apertured metallic planar
electrode mats 79 and 80 are also included along with the necessary
insulative spacer means 82 and 82'. The aforementioned assembling
and affixation procedures utilized for the first embodiment 161
also apply equally as well to this second embodiment 163. To
simplify description, further consideration is substantially
confined to the second embodiment 163.
After affixation, the extremital portions of the several electrode
mats, such as 67, 69, and the pluralities of 97, 99 are removed
adjacent to the several electrode spacer means 77, 82 and 82'. Such
removal provides separate lead connections 59 for the individual
electrode members 53 of the control electrode plane 51 as
illustrated in FIG. 8a. A multiple apertured wafer-like insulative
member 125, such as a mica or ceramic, is positioned on either side
of the electrode assembly 163 with the planes of the spacer members
125 being substantially parallel with the axis 12. Electron
emission means, such as a thermionic cathode 47, is positioned in
cathode apertures 127 of the members 125 in a manner that the
emission plane 49 is adjacent the array of control electrode
apertures 57; whereupon, the members 125 are secured to the
respective tabs, for example 75, 77 and 113 as shown in FIG. 8. In
this manner, the gun structure 45 is unitized. Separate electrical
connections 165, 167, and 169 are provided for planar electrode
planes 78, 79 and 80, respectively. A formed heater 171 is
positioned within the cathode 47. The gun structure 45 is
positioned relative to a multi-lead stem means, not shown, and
secured to support leads 173 extending therefrom and attached, for
example, to bolt means 119. Electrical connections from the
componental parts of the gun structure 45 are made to appropriate
stem connective leads in a conventional manner.
In another embodiment of the multibeam gun structure 45', as
illustrated in FIGS. 4b, 8b, and 11, the cathode spacer means
employed is in the form of a pair of spaced-apart angular-shaped
stand-off positioners 126, of, for example, tungsten, wire or
strip, shaped to substantially cradle the cathode 47' in a manner
to expedite attachment thereto. Seating portions 128 are formed for
affixation, such as by welding, to portions of the adjacent
electrode mat which subsequently become isolated elements in the
electrode plane adjacent to the cathode. For example, the several
seating portions 128 are welded to the respective horizontal
extremital portions 66 and 67 of control electrode mat 51, such as
at areas A and B. When the vertical extremital portions 68 and 69
are subsequently removed, the horizontal extremital portions 66 and
67 become separate elements in the gun structure electrically
isolated from the center portion of the mat.
Since the laterally protruding tabs 75, 77, 105, 107 and 113, 114
on the respective electrode planes and cathode shielding means are
not required when the pair of cathode stand-off positioners 126 are
employed, they are eliminated in the gun structure embodiment 45'
shown in FIGS. 4b and 8b, thereby reducing the size of the
resultant gun structure. The tab-less electrode planes 51' and 78'
and shield means 109' have elemental structural features that are
similar to those noted in FIGS. 4a and 8a and therefore are
numerically designated in like manner.
When the stand-off cathode positioners 126 are utilized, the
cathode 47' is attached to the adjacent electrode plane prior to
the gun structure assembling operation. This is shown in FIG. 5b
wherein electrode assembly 161' replaces electrode assembly 161 in
FIG. 5a, the respective electrode mats and spacers being
sequentially oriented in stacked order.
To achieve high resolution images with multibeam array, it has been
found advantageous in some instances to position an image array
size control electrode means 174 forward of the final electrode
plane to provide an additional control feature in the neck region
where the beams enter the accelerating helix, if such is used. One
electrode embodiment is in the form of a field forming mesh lens so
positioned to effect the advantage of being either convergent or
divergent depending on whether it is operated above or below its
surroundings. With reference to FIG. 8a, the mesh lens 175, if
desired, is positioned in a substantially parallel manner forward
of and spaced from the final accelerating-collimating electrode
plane 80 and has a separate electrical connection 177. A
cylindrical metallic shield 179 operating at the potential of the
final electrode plane 80 encompasses the space between the final
electrode plane and the mesh. In referring to FIGS. 1 and 8, the
electron gun structure, in this instance the cylindrical shield
179, has resilient electrical connective means 181 formed to
contact a conductive band 183 disposed on the inner surface of the
neck portion 19 and connected to the helix 29.
Another embodiment of an image array size control electrode 182 is
partially shown in FIG. 8b wherein spaced apart first and second
cylindrical electrode members 183, and 185, forming a bi-potential
lens having substantially like diametrical dimensions, are
positionally aligned relative to the final of the
accelerating-collimating electrode planes in the electron gun
structure 45' . Suitable orientation is provided by at least three
longitudinal insulative supports, two of which are shown 187, 189.
The first electrode member 183 is of the same potential as the
final electrode plane 80' . The second or forward positioned
electrode member 185, which has a separate electrical connection
191, is operable at a potential usually above that of the first
member 183 to provide control of the array image as may be
desired.
While the two embodiments of the image array size control electrode
means 174 and 182 are shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b as being associated
with the respective multibeam gun structures 45 and 45' , they are
equally adaptable to any of the gun structures described
herein.
Another gun structure embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 9 wherein
another plural-apertured metallic planar electrode mat 78*, which
is dimensionally similar to planar electrode mat 78, is positioned
between the common electron emissive plane 49 and the control
electrode plane 51 to provide shielding effects and a pre-formed
beam pattern array which is discretely beamed to the respective
control electrode apertures 57. Spacings between the electron
emission means 47, the planar electrode plane 78* and the control
electrode plane 51 are effected by either embodiment of spacer
means 125 or 126, which for purposes of clarity are not shown.
When employing the cathode stand-off positioning means 126, a
modified plural-apertured planar electrode mat 195 is utilized,
such being shown in FIG. 3b. The modified mat 195, which may be
tab-less, comprises two vertical extremital portions 97' and 98'
and two spaced-apart horizontal slots 197 and 199 that define the
two horizontal extremital portions 201 and 203 which are removed
from the array of beam apertures 89' . The two cathode stand-off
positioners 126, with the cathode 47' cradled in and attached
thereto, have their respective seating provisions 128 welded to the
respective horizontal extremital portions 201 and 203. When the
vertical extremital portions 97' and 98' are subsequently removed
during the gun structure assembling procedure, the remaining
horizontal extremital portions 201 and 203, with the cathode
positioners 126 affixed thereto, are electrically isolated from the
beam aperture portion 90 of the electrode mat 195. This is further
illustrated in the partial gun assembly 205 shown in FIG. 10. A
cathode connection 207 is made to either of the isolated horizontal
extremital portions 201 and 203. If desired, an electrical
connection 209 can be made to the common aperture portion 90.
A modified cathode orientation is also illustrated in FIG. 10,
wherein a shorter cathode 47" , mounted by positioner means 126 as
aforedescribed, is located in a manner to be encompassed by a pair
of insulative frame-like spacer means 211 and 213, partially
detailed. These are superjacently integrated as elements in the gun
structure 205 replacing insulative spacing means 115. The legs of
cathode heater 171' are positionally oriented sandwich-like in
appropriate grooves or channels 215 in the spacer means 211 and
213. This construction, which substantially encloses the cathode
47" within the gun structure, has been found to be advantageous in
reducing warm-up time and effecting enhanced control of spurious
electron emission.
Thus there is provided a method and embodiments thereof for
fabricating an improved high resolution single gun multibeam
cathode ray tube which incorporates one of several related
embodiments of an improved multibeam gun structure that can be
expeditiously assembled.
While there have been shown and described what are at present
considered the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be
obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and
modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope
of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *