Gas dischargeable panel

Abstract

A gas discharge panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate. A plurality of display electrode pairs which are each made up of a sustain electrode and a scan electrode are formed on the first substrate, and the first substrate and the second substrate are set facing each other with a plurality of barrier ribs in between so as to form a plurality of cells. In this gas discharge panel, at least one of the sustain electrode and the scan electrode includes: a plurality of line parts; and a discharge developing part which makes a gap between adjacent line parts smaller in areas corresponding to channels between adjacent barrier ribs than in areas corresponding to the barrier ribs.

1. A gas discharge panel in which phosphor layers corresponding to three colors of red, green, and blue are formed one by one in a plurality of cells, with a plurality of display electric pairs made up of a sustain electrode and a scan electrode arranged so as to cross the plurality of cells, the improvement said panel comprising:
 the sustain electrodes having a plurality of separated line parts in each cell; 
 the scan electrodes having a plurality of separated line parts in each cell; and 
 a connector part connecting at least two line parts of the plurality of line parts of the sustain electrode and scan electrode in each cell; 
 wherein the plurality of line parts, with adequate connector part in each cell are relatively spaced to form a main discharge gap that only requires a single peak discharge current waveform for driving the sustain electrode and scan electrode. 
 
     
     
       2. The gas discharge panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a width of each of the plurality of cells, measured in the same direction that each of the plurality of line parts extend, is determined according to luminance of a phosphor layer formed in the cell. 
 
     
     
       3. The gas discharge panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have at least three line parts, and 
 a distance between two adjacent line parts decreases as a distance from the main discharge gap increases. 
 
     
     
       4. The gas discharge panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein in each cell which requires a lowest discharge firing voltage among the plurality of cells, the connector part is positioned between two adjacent line parts that are closest to each other. 
 
     
     
       5. The gas discharge panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein in each cell which requires a highest discharge firing voltage among the plurality of cells, the connector part is positioned between two adjacent line parts that are farthest from each other. 
 
     
     
       6. The gas discharge panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sustain electrode and the scan electrode are each formed using a metal material. 
 
     
     
       7. The gas discharge panel of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the metal material includes Ag. 
 
     
     
       8. The gas discharge panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sustain electrode and the scan electrode occupy less than 40% of a cell area of each of the plurality of cells. 
 
     
     
       9. The gas discharge panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have at least three line parts, and 
 a distance between the connector part and the main discharge gap increases in an order of red, green, and blue. 
 
     
     
       10. The gas discharge panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have at least three line parts, and in each cell which requires a lower drive voltage among the plurality of cells, the connector part is positioned farther from the main discharge gap. 
 
     
     
       11. The gas discharge panel of  claim 1 ,
 wherein projections are formed on facing sides of two adjacent line parts that are closest to the main discharge gap among the plurality of line parts. 
 
     
     
       12. A gas discharge display device comprising:
 the gas discharge panel of  claim 1  wherein a first substrate on which the plurality of sustain electrodes and the plurality of scan electrodes are formed is set facing a second substrate on which a plurality of address electrodes are formed; and 
 a drive circuit which drives the plurality of sustain electrodes, the plurality of scan electrodes, and the plurality of address electrodes. 
 
     
     
       13. The gas discharge display device of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the drive circuit applies a voltage whose waveform has a gentle slope, in a set-up period. 
 
     
     
       14. A gas discharge panel in which a plurality of display electrode pairs made up of a sustain electrode and a scan electrode are arranged to cross a plurality of cells, the improvement comprising:
 the sustain electrode having a plurality of separated line parts in each cell; 
 the scan electrode having a plurality of separated line parts in each cell; and 
 a discharge accelerating part located between line parts of the sustain electrodes and/or the scan electrodes in a plurality of cells;,  
 wherein the plurality of line parts, with the discharge accelerating part are spaced relatively to form a main discharge gap in each cell so that only a single peak discharge current waveform is needed for driving the sustain electrode and scan electrode in each cell. 
 
     
     
       15. The gas discharge panel of  claim 14 ,
 wherein size of each of the plurality of cells is determined according to luminance of a phosphor layer formed in the cell. 
 
     
     
       16. The gas discharge panel of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the discharge accelerating part is shaped like any one of a triangle, a quadrilateral, a cannon-ball, and a letter T. 
 
     
     
       17. The gas discharge panel of  claim 14 ,
 a distance between adjacent line parts decreases as a distance from the main discharge gap increases. 
 
     
     
       18. The gas discharge panel of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the sustain electrode and the scan electrode are each formed using a metal material. 
 
     
     
       19. The gas discharge panel of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the metal material includes Ag. 
 
     
     
       20. A gas discharge display device comprising:
 the gas discharge panel of  claim 14 ;  
 wherein a first substrate on which the plurality of sustain electrodes and the plurality of scan electrodes are formed is set facing a second substrate on which a plurality of address electrodes are formed; and 
 a drive circuit which drives the plurality of sustain electrodes, the plurality of scan electrodes, and the plurality of address electrodes. 
 
     
     
       21. The gas discharge display device of  claim 20 ,
 wherein the drive circuit applies a voltage whose waveform has a gentle slope, in a set-up period. 
 
     
     
       22. A gas discharge panel in which a plurality of display electrode pairs that are each made up of a sustain electrode and a scan electrode are arranged so as to cross a plurality of cells arranged along a longitudinal direction of the gas discharge panel, a main discharge gap existing between a sustain electrode and a scan electrode in each pair, wherein:
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have (a) a plurality of line parts and (b) a connector part which connects at least two line parts out of the plurality of line parts in each of the plurality of cells.   
     
     
       23. The gas discharge panel of claim 22, wherein
 a plurality of barrier ribs are provided to separate the display electrodes in the longitudinal direction, and   each connector part is provided in a cell sandwiched between two adjacent barrier ribs.   
     
     
       24. The gas discharge panel of claim 22, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode occupy less than 40% of a cell area of each of the plurality of cells.   
     
     
       25. The gas discharge panel of claim 22, wherein
 in each sustain electrode and each scan electrode each, line parts other than a line part that is closest to the main discharge gap are wider than the line part that is closest to the main discharge gap.   
     
     
       26. The gas discharge panel of claim 22, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have two, three or four line parts.   
     
     
       27. A gas discharge display device comprising the gas discharge panel of claim 22, wherein
 a first substrate and a second substrate have been set to face each other, the plurality of display electrode pairs being formed on the first substrate, a plurality of address electrodes being formed on the second substrate, and   a drive device, which drives the plurality of display electrode pairs and the plurality of address electrodes, has been connected to the gas discharge panel.   
     
     
       28. The gas discharge display device of claim 27, wherein
 a voltage whose waveform has a gentle slope is applied to the scan electrode in a set-up period.   
     
     
       29. The gas discharge display device of claim 28, wherein
 a voltage change of the slope is in a range of ±10 V/μs.   
     
     
       30. A gas discharge panel in which a plurality of display electrode pairs that are each made up of a sustain electrode and a scan electrode are arranged so as to cross a plurality of cells, a main discharge gap existing between a sustain electrode and a scan electrode in each pair, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have (a) a plurality of line parts and (b) one or more projections each of which projects toward the main discharge gap from a side of a line part that faces toward the main discharge gap.   
     
     
       31. The gas discharge panel of claim 30, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have at least two projections that face each other via the main discharge gap.   
     
     
       32. The gas discharge panel of claim 30, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have a connector part which connects at least two adjacent line parts out of the plurality of line parts in each of the plurality of cells.   
     
     
       33. The gas discharge panel of claim 32, wherein
 phosphor layers of red, green, and blue are formed one by one in a plurality of cells,   the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have at least three line parts, and   a distance between the connector part and the main discharge gap in each cell increases in an order of red, green, and blue.   
     
     
       34. The gas discharge panel of claim 32, wherein
 some of the plurality of cells differ from the remaining cells in a cell width along the longitudinal direction,   the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have at least three line parts, and   in each cell, the connector part is closer to the main discharge gap as the cell width is smaller.   
     
     
       35. The gas discharge panel of claim 32, wherein
 phosphor layers of red, green, and blue are formed one by one in a plurality of cells,   the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have at least three line parts, and   in cells corresponding to phosphor layers of one of red, green, and blue, the connector part is closer to the -main discharge gap as a luminance of phosphor is smaller.   
     
     
       36. The gas discharge panel of claim 32, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have at least three line parts, and   in each cell which requires a lower drive voltage if the connector is not provided, the connector part is positioned farther from the main discharge gap.   
     
     
       37. The gas discharge panel of claim 32, wherein
 a plurality of barrier ribs are provided to separate the display electrodes in the longitudinal direction, and   each connector part is provided in a cell sandwiched between two adjacent barrier ribs.   
     
     
       38. The gas discharge panel of claim 32, wherein
 the connector part is provided in a central part of a cell.   
     
     
       39. The gas discharge panel of claim 32, wherein
 the plurality of display electrode pairs are arranged along a row direction of the panel, and   a line part of a scan electrode or a sustain electrode in each of two display electrode pairs that are adjacent in the row direction is shared by the two display electrode pairs.   
     
     
       40. The gas discharge panel of claim 32, wherein
 in each sustain electrode and in teach scan electrode, the connector part branches as the connector part is farther from the main discharge gap.   
     
     
       41. The gas discharge panel of claim 32, wherein
 in each sustain electrode and in each scan electrode, the connector part includes a discharge developing part that is provided along a longitudinal direction of the display electrodes in a cell.   
     
     
       42. The gas discharge panel of claim 32, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have at least three line parts, and   the line parts are connected by the connector part in a straight line along a width direction thereof.   
     
     
       43. The gas discharge panel of claim 30, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have a projection that projects from a side of a line part toward a side of another line part among the plurality of line parts.   
     
     
       44. The gas discharge panel of claim 30, wherein
 in each cell, a length of the projection in the longitudinal direction of the line parts is 50% or less of a cell width in the longitudinal direction.   
     
     
       45. The gas discharge panel of claim 30, wherein
 in each cell, a length of the projection in the longitudinal direction of the line parts is 20% or less of a cell width in the longitudinal direction.   
     
     
       46. The gas discharge panel of claim 30, wherein
 the projection is in a shape of a triangle, a quadrilateral, wave, or a letter T.   
     
     
       47. The gas discharge panel of claim 30, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have at least three line parts, and   a line part among the line parts has two projections that project from two sides thereof toward sides of adjacent line parts that face the two sides thereof, respectively.   
     
     
       48. The gas discharge panel of claim 43, wherein
 a distance between the projection and a line part facing the projection is equal to or less than the main discharge gap.   
     
     
       49. The gas discharge panel of claim 43, wherein
 a distance between the projection and a line part facing the projection is equal to or less than a half of the main discharge gap.   
     
     
       50. The gas discharge panel of claim 43, wherein
 a plurality of barrier ribs are provided to separate the display electrodes in the longitudinal direction, and   each projection is provided in a cell sandwiched between two adjacent barrier ribs.   
     
     
       51. The gas discharge panel of claim 43, wherein
 a plurality of barrier ribs are provided to separate the display electrodes in the longitudinal direction,   the line parts are arranged so as to cross the barrier ribs, and one or more line parts among the line parts have a wide projection which is larger than each barrier rib in width, and each wide projection is provided at a region where a line part crosses a barrier rib such that each wide projection overlaps with the barrier rib and protrudes into a cell.   
     
     
       52. The gas discharge panel of claim 32, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each are a metal electrode.   
     
     
       53. The gas discharge panel of claim 52, wherein
 the metal electrode either has a layered structure of Cr/Cu/Cr or is made of one or more materials selected from a group consisting of Ag, Pt, Au, Al, Ni and Cr.   
     
     
       54. The gas discharge panel of claim 53, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode occupy less than 40% of a cell area of each of the plurality of cells.   
     
     
       55. The gas discharge panel of claim 54, wherein
 in each sustain electrode and each scan electrode each, line parts other than a line part that is closest to the main discharge gap are wider than the line part that is closest to the main discharge gap.   
     
     
       56. The gas discharge panel of claim 55, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have two, three or four line parts.   
     
     
       57. The gas discharge panel of claim 56, wherein
 the sustain electrode and the scan electrode each have at least three line parts, and   a distance between any two adjacent line parts is narrower as the two adjacent line parts are farther from the main discharge gap.