U.S. patent number 3,855,499 [Application Number 05/335,755] was granted by the patent office on 1974-12-17 for color display device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hitachi, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Hiroshi Okano, Yahiko Yamada, Mikiya Yamane.
United States Patent |
3,855,499 |
Yamada , et al. |
December 17, 1974 |
COLOR DISPLAY DEVICE
Abstract
A color display device includes a substrate which forms a
partition wall for defining a vacuum space, a plurality of cathode
protrusions effecting field emission are formed on the substrate,
and a transparent insulator which forms the vacuum space along with
the substrate. A plurality of phosphor dots are formed on the
surface of the transparent insulator on the side of the vacuum
space, are arranged in opposition to the electron sources and have
mutually different colors of light emission. Anodes are arranged
between the electron sources and the phosphor dots which cause
electrons to be generated from the electron sources by field
emission, and a transparent electrode is disposed between the
phosphor dots and the transparent insulator. Apertures are provided
in the anodes through which the electrons pass, whereby the
electrons are released from the cathode projections by selectively
applying voltages to the anodes, so as to impinge on the phosphor
dots of desired color.
Inventors: |
Yamada; Yahiko (Kodaira,
JA), Okano; Hiroshi (Kokubunji, JA),
Yamane; Mikiya (Kunitachi, JA) |
Assignee: |
Hitachi, Ltd. (Tokyo,
JA)
|
Family
ID: |
11985913 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/335,755 |
Filed: |
February 26, 1973 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
|
|
|
Feb 25, 1972 [JA] |
|
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47-18950 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
345/75.2;
313/351; 313/497; 313/336; 313/494 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01J
31/125 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01J
31/12 (20060101); H05b 037/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;315/169TV,169R
;313/92PH,18A,109.5,18B,217,109,336,357 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Mullins; James B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Craig & Antonelli
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A color display device comprising an insulating substrate, a
transparent insulator defining a vacuum space along with said
substrate, a plurality of groups of field emission type electron
sources formed in respective patterns on said substrate and serving
as cathodes, a plurality of groups of phosphor dots applied on the
surface of said transparent insulator on the inside of said vacuum
space in positions to oppose said electron sources and having
predetermined colors of light emission, means to commonly connect
said electron sources of each group into a number of constituent
elements forming patterns of identical configuration equal to the
number of colors of phosphor dots so that those of said phosphor
dots opposing each group of electron sources and which have the
same color of light emission oppose one constituent element of said
group of electron sources forming a respective pattern, anodes
arranged respectively between each opposing group of phosphor dots
and electron sources in order to draw out electrons from the
commonly connected cathodes by field emission, apertures provided
in said anodes in a manner to oppose said electron sources, a
transparent electrode provided between said transparent insulator
and said phosphor dots, first selector means to selectively connect
said commonly connected cathodes to energizing potential, and
second selector means to selectively connect said anodes to
energizing potential, whereby said electrons drawn out from said
cathodes by voltages applied between said cathodes and anodes by
said first and second selector means are accelerated by a voltage
impressed on said transparent electrode and impinge on said
phosphor dots of the same color of light emission.
2. A color display device as defined in claim 1 wherein said
electron sources are interconnected so that said constituent
elements corresponding to each pattern are reproduced in number
equal to the number of different colors of phosphor dots
provided.
3. A color display device as defined in claim 1 wherein said anodes
have the configuration of the pattern formed by the constituent
elements with which they are operatively associated.
4. A color display device as defined in claim 1 further including
means for applying an accelerating voltage to said transparent
electrode to create an accelerating field between said anodes and
said phosphor dots.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color display device for
providing a color display of letters, numerals, etc., and more
particularly to a device which adequately selects for each letter,
numeral, etc., a desired color from a plurality of colors to
produce selected color display letters, numerals, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As means for effecting letter display, there has heretofore been
provided a device, such as the Nixie tube, which produces light
emission attendant on gaseous discharge, a device which produces
light emission of a fluorescent material based on the impingement
of an electron beam with the material, a device which produces
electroluminescence, a device which produces changes in the
intensity of reflected light due to electric fields applied to a
liquid crystal, and a device which produces light emission of a
luminescent diode attendant on current injection. In all of these
devices, however, the light emission has been in a single color.
There has not yet been realized a device capable of altering the
color of letters. This has resulted from the fact that gas within a
closed envelope cannot be simply exchanged and that multicolored
elements for the light emission cannot be arranged in a minute
area. It is apparent that, since the prior-art various display
devices cannot arbitrarily select a plurality of display colors in
this manner, the indicating function cannot help but be
insufficient.
If a plurality of colors are selected for the display, the
indicating function will be enhanced. For example, if the display
color is changed in accordance with the transfer of codes or with
the relation in magnitude to a suitably set threshold value in the
indication of numerals, or with the contents of words such as
"caution" by red and "preparation" by green, then the meaning of
the display can be more sufficiently impressed on an observer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the desireability of such a feature, the present
invention has as its principle object the provision of a display
device for letters, numerals, etc., which is capable of
multicolored indication.
In order to accomplish such an object, according to the present
invention, field emission type electron sources are employed as
cathodes; phosphor dots are arranged in opposition to the electron
sources which emit differed colored light from one another when
bombarded and caused to luminesce by electrons released from the
electron sources, and the cathodes opposite to those of the
phosphor dots which are of the same color of light emission are
electrically connected to form a single constituent element in the
form of letters, numerals, etc., by the use of the phosphor dots of
the same luminescent color.
The present invention will be described in detail hereunder with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1a is a cross-sectional view and FIG. 1b is a fragmentary view
partly in section of an embodiment of the present invention;
and
FIG. 2 is a detail view of the construction of essential portions
for explaining the operation of another embodiment of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1a and 1b are views showing an embodiment of the present
invention; wherein, FIG. 1a is a sectional view of the structure of
the embodiment, and FIG. 1b illustrates the construction of the
embodiment as assembled. Reference numeral 1 designates a substrate
which also serves as a partition wall for defining a vacuum space
12. Each of the cathodes 2 formed on the substrate 1 has a
projection which is sufficiently sharp at its tip to generate
electrons by field emission. An anode 3 serves to draw out field
emission electron currents from the respective cathodes. Numeral 4
indicates an insulator for supporting the anode 3 and for providing
the necessary electrical insulation between the cathodes and the
anode. Shown at 4' are apertures which are provided in the anode 3
in opposition to the respective cathode projections. An insulator 5
functions to define the vacuum space in which the electron beams
which have passed through the apertures 4' are accelerated. A
transparent partition wall 6 functions to define the vacuum space,
and is made of an insulator. Numeral 7 denotes phosphor dots of
various colors applied on that surface of the transparent partition
wall 6 which is located on the side of the vacuum space 12. A
transparent electrode 7' is formed between the phosphor dots 7 and
the transparent partition wall 6.
With such a construction, a voltage which is positive or the anode
side is applied between the cathodes 2 and the anode 3 (the power
source being omitted from the drawing in this figure), to impress
an electric field of sufficient intensity on the tips of the
projections of the cathodes 2 to cause emission. Thus, field
emission currents are generated from the pointed ends of the
projections of the cathodes. When the material of the cathodes is,
for example, tungsten, molybdenum or the like, the field emission
arises at an electric field strength of approximately 10.sup.7
(volts/cm). Therefore, assuming that the radius of curvature of the
tip of each cathode projection is 1,000 (A), a voltage of 100 (V)
or so may be applied between the cathode 2 and the anode 3.
Subsequently, the electron beams from the cathode projections pass
through the corresponding apertures 4' which are provided in the
anode 3. Thereafter, they are accelerated by an accelerating
voltage (whose power source is not shown) applied between the anode
3 and the surface with the phosphor dots 7 applied thereon, namely,
the transparent electrode 7'. After thus acquiring energy enough to
stimulate the phosphor 7 so as to bring it into luminescence, the
electron beams impinge on the corresponding phosphor dots opposite
to the cathode projections and cause them to emit light. Of course,
the space in which the electron beams permeate may be kept at a low
pressure in this case.
Further, according to the present invention, the cathodes opposing
the phosphor dots of the same color of light emission are
electrically connected in the respective patterns of the letters,
numerals, etc., to make groups of cathodes, so that they may be
simultaneously operable. Thus, a single constituent element of
letters, numerals, etc., is formed in conjunction with groups of
phosphor dots having the same luminescent color. Display colors can
accordingly be selected in dependence on the colors of the groups
of phosphor dots which oppose the cathode groups that are operated.
More specifically, the anode corresponding to the single
constituent element of letters, numerals, etc., formed by each
respective cathode group is electrically connected so that an
electric field may be applicable at the same time to the group of
cathode projections belonging to the particular constituent element
of letter, numerals, etc., as will be explained in conjunction with
FIG. 2. In this way, the selective operation of the letter elements
is made possible in dependence on which letter elements the anodes
applied with the voltages correspond to.
For example, as seen in FIG. 1b, three cathode groups of similar
configuration are associated with each anode 3 so that each letter,
numeral, etc., formed by a cathode group may effect illumination of
respective groups of phosphor dots arranged in a corresponding
pattern providing illumination in one of three select colors
depending upon which cathode group associated with a given anode is
energized.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the selection
of the display color and the selection of the letter element as
stated above. The figure typically illustrates the structure of the
cathodes as well as an anode of one constituent element of letters,
numerals, or the like, and the electrical connection therefor. In
FIG. 2, numeral 2 indicates the cathode projections, among which
projections 2 - 1 and 2 - 4 are opposite phosphor dots having the
same luminescent color. Similarly, a set of the projecting cathodes
2 - 2 and 2 - 5 are opposite phosphor dots having the same color of
light emission, which is different from the color of the light
emission, the phosphor dots opposite the protruding cathodes 2 - 1
and 2 - 4.
The cathode projections 2 - 3 and 2 - 6 are similarly opposite to
phosphor dots which are of the same luminescent color to each
other, but which differ from the aforesaid two sets of phosphor
dots.
As shown in the figure, the perspective cathode projections of the
sets, namely, projections 2 - 1 and 2 - 4, projections 2 - 2 and 2
- 5 and projections 2 - 3 and 2 - 6 are electrically connected in
common, and the respective sets are selected by means of a switch
9. Since, in the case of FIG. 2, only the single element is
representatively shown, the anode 3 is common to the cathodes.
While the switch 9 is for the selection of the display color, a
switch 10 serves to select the particular element. The switch 10 is
adapted to close a single contact, or a plurality of contacts at
the same time. As apparent from the foregoing explanation, the
voltage of a power source 11 is selectively applied between the
anode 3 selected by the switch 10 and the group of cathode
projections selected by the switch 9. In consequence, letters or
numerals represented by the combination of the respective
constituent elements of the letters or numerals as prescribed by
the selection of the contacts of the switch 10 are displayed in the
color selected by the switch 9.
The above description has been made of a mere example of structure.
By way of example, it is, of course, possible to reverse the
relation of the electric connections between the anodes and the
cathodes as for the selections of the elements and colors of the
letters, numerals or the like, or to additionally provide control
electrodes for the intensity modulation of the electron beams.
As described above in detail, in accordance with the present
invention, the multicolored indication of letters, characters,
numerals, etc., which has hitherto been impossible is easily
attained. In particular, if the modern technique of integrated
circuits in the production of semiconductor devices is applied to
the present invention, the cathode protrusions can be manufactured
with sufficient density, for example, at intervals of several tens
(.mu.m). Thus, changes in the position of a light emitting portion
as attendant on the selections of the display colors can be made
sufficiently small. In addition, owing to an increase in the number
of letter or character elements, letters or characters can be
indicated in their natural form, and even complicated letters or
characters can be displayed. Furthermore, owing to the utilization
of the field emission type electron sources, the time response for
lighting and extinction becomes extremely quick, and it is also
realized to reduce required power and to prolong life.
* * * * *