CA1185791A - Display device using a discharge lamp - Google Patents
Display device using a discharge lampInfo
- Publication number
- CA1185791A CA1185791A CA000392360A CA392360A CA1185791A CA 1185791 A CA1185791 A CA 1185791A CA 000392360 A CA000392360 A CA 000392360A CA 392360 A CA392360 A CA 392360A CA 1185791 A CA1185791 A CA 1185791A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- discharge lamp
- signals
- display unit
- glass tube
- display
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
- G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
- G09F13/00—Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising
- G09F13/26—Signs formed by electric discharge tubes
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Control Of Indicators Other Than Cathode Ray Tubes (AREA)
- Electroluminescent Light Sources (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Display device using a discharge lamp for displaying a series of message formed of characters, numerals or symbols by combining various kinds of discharge lamps which are different in shape and size. Inert gas is charged in a glass tube of the discharge lamp, one of the electrodes is provided within the glass tube and the other is provided outside of the glass tube. Pulse signal or AC signal generator is provided and serves to supply such signals to both electrodes. The various kinds of discharge lamps are combined and arranged on the surface plate of a display unit.
A plurality of display units are combined and magnetically connected to a display panel. A plurality of electrically conductive segments mounted on the back portion of the display unit are electrically connected to a plurality of feeder plates. Additionally, there are provided in the dis-play unit a boosting transformer for boosting pulse signals or AC signals to be supplied, a transistor, and power supply. Furthermore, the present device includes a control means for on-off controlling the firing of the discharge lamp alternately at every given period of time and/or a switch-ing means for continuously firing the discharge lamp or on-off controlling the firing of the discharge lamp by continuously or intermittently supply-ing pulse signals or AC signals through the control means to the transistor.
Display device using a discharge lamp for displaying a series of message formed of characters, numerals or symbols by combining various kinds of discharge lamps which are different in shape and size. Inert gas is charged in a glass tube of the discharge lamp, one of the electrodes is provided within the glass tube and the other is provided outside of the glass tube. Pulse signal or AC signal generator is provided and serves to supply such signals to both electrodes. The various kinds of discharge lamps are combined and arranged on the surface plate of a display unit.
A plurality of display units are combined and magnetically connected to a display panel. A plurality of electrically conductive segments mounted on the back portion of the display unit are electrically connected to a plurality of feeder plates. Additionally, there are provided in the dis-play unit a boosting transformer for boosting pulse signals or AC signals to be supplied, a transistor, and power supply. Furthermore, the present device includes a control means for on-off controlling the firing of the discharge lamp alternately at every given period of time and/or a switch-ing means for continuously firing the discharge lamp or on-off controlling the firing of the discharge lamp by continuously or intermittently supply-ing pulse signals or AC signals through the control means to the transistor.
Description
7~
The present invention relates to a display device using a discharge lamp, and particularly to a display device which is compact in size and light in weight and suitable for displaying characters, numerals, symbols, etc.
Conventionally, since the discharge voltage and current for discharge lamps utilizing a glow-discharge tube such as neon tube are relatively low, such discharge lamps have been widely used for pilot lamps or beacon lamps.
As is well known in the art, since this type of glow-discharge lamps is constructed to generate glow-discharge between two electrodes provided w~thin a glass tube, the area of electroluminescence is limited to the vicinity of the electrodes.
To employ this type of discharge lamps for a display device and permit discharge with electroluminescence substantially throughout the 1~ length of the glass tube, the electrodes provided within the glass tube must be made large o~ formed to a special shape, whereupon the discharge starting voltage becomes remarkably high or the discharge lamp becomes remarkably large, In addition to the above type of discharge lamps, there is a ~0 well known type of discharge lamps, where both of two electrodes are pro-vided outside of the glass tube and the gas charged within the glass tube is indirectly driven to display various information.
To drive the gas charged within a glass tube indirectly and carry out effective electroluminescence, it is necessary to cover the area proximate to the electrodes with a material having high dielectric constant ~L~L~3~j7 ~L
and also necessary to supply AC power having high frequency and voltage.
The display device utilizing discharge lamps such as neon discharge lamp develops a relatively high luminance upon discharging and various colored lights by suitably selecting gases to be charged in the discharge tube or fluorescent paints to be applied to the inner wall of the discharge tube, and thus it has been widely employed ;n a display field.
As is well known in the art, since the display device utiliz-ing discharge lamps requires an AC power supply having high voltage of several thousand volts or more9 and high frequency of several ten kilo hertz or more, for example, it is essential to provide a power supplying system ;ncluding a starting circuit~ and further to provide means for preventing an electric shock due to high voltage. As a result, this type of display devices using a discharge lamp is usually disposed outdoors and 1~ utilized ~or purposes of advertisement.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a unique display device for displaying any characters, numerals or symbols which is compact and lightweight, wherein one of the two elec-trodes is provided within and along the length of a discharge tube, and ZO the other is provided on the outer wall of the discharge tube and opposite to the former electrode, and substantially entire area of the glass tube can be uniformly flashed by an AC power supply having relatively low volt-age and frequency.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a dis-play device utilizing a discharge lamp which develops various colored `;
lights by suitably selecting gases to be charged in a discharge tube or fluorescent materials to be applied to the inner wall of a discharge tube and may be formed in any desired shape such as a straight tube or curved tube.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a display device which improves displaying effect of such a display device installed in or out of vehicles for purposes of advertisement.
It is still a further object of the present invention to pro-vide a display device for displaying various information by suitably combin;ng and disposing a plurality of display units on a display panel and for utili~ing discharge lamps which are mounted on a display unit to be flashed in response to the control signals supplied intermittently.
Such two or more display units suitably arranged are adapted to carry out alternate flashing display or sequential flashing display.
1~ The display device, in accordance with the present invention, lncludes a discharge lamp mounted on a surface plate of a display unit which is detachably mounted on the display panel; a plurality of feeder plates arranged on the display panel and electrically conductive segments arranged on the display unit which are electrically connected to the feeder plates through which DC power and control signals are supplied from a flashing power supply means, for example, power supply means and control signal generating means, to the display unit; and a boosting transformer enclosed in the display unit for boosting DC intermittent wave form signals according to the control signals and supplying such signals to the dis-charge lamp, wherein the control signals controlled intermittently at ~l~S7~
every given period of time are supplied through the feeder plates and electrically conductive segments to the boosting transformer. The display device is capable of selectively supplying control signals which have a constant phase relationship and are intermittently turned on and off at every given period of time.
These and other objects and many of the a~tendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when con-sidered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Figures 1 to 5 are cross-sectional views of the discharge lamps P applied to the display device according to the present invention;
Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of the display unit 5;
Figures 8(a), 8(b), and 8(c) are plan views of various char-acters, numerals and symbols to be displayed by the display unit;
1~ Figure 8(d) is a plan view of various shapes of discharge lamps using display patterns illustrated in Figures 8(a), 8(b), and 8(c);
Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views of the display device utilizing a discharge lamp;
Figure 11 is a schematic diagram oF the circuit enclosed in ~a the display device;
Figures 12 and 13 are perspective views of the display unit 5' applied to the display device according to the present invention, Figures 14 and 15 are a perspective and a plan view of the display panel 7', respectively;
Figure 16 is a partially sectional view of the display unit 35~
5' engaged with the display panel 7';
Figure 17 is a partially sectional view of the electrically conductive segments 8' and 9i mounted on the display unit 5' in Figures 12 and 13;
Figures 18 and 19 are schematic diagrams of the circuits en-closed in the display device;
Figure 20 shows wave forms of the output signals of the diagram in Figure 19;
Figure 21 shows a state of intermittent flashing control or continuous lighting control in response to the control signals;
Figures 22 and 23 show wave forms of the output control signals;
Figure 24 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the display unit shown in Figure 13;
Figure 25 is a partially sectional view of the electrically 1~ conductive segments 9c' and 9d' of the display unit 5" shown in Figure 24;
and Figures 26 and 27 show schematic diagrams of the circuits en-closed in the display device of an alternative embodiment according to the present invention.
~0 In the following description, a discharge lamp applied to the display unit is relatively small in size, for example, the diameter of the discharge tube P ranges from about 2 mm to 10 mm and the length ranges from about 10 mm to 100 mm, but any discharge lamps which are larger in size may be employed in response to the uses of the display system.
Figure 1 shows a basic construction of the discharge lamp P
7~
to be applied to the display system in the preferred embodiment. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a glass tube 1 which is made of soft glass such as transparent soda glass, or hard glass such as borosilicate glass, and formed in an arbitrary shape, for example, straight or curved shape as shown in the drawings. Inert gas such as neon3 krypton or xenon gas is charged in the glass tube 1 under pressure from about several mmHg to several hundred mmHg. A linear electrode 2 is provided within the glass tube 1 and along the length thereof as shown in the drawing. In the case that the glass tube 1 is made of soft glass, Dumet wire may be used for the electrode 2; in the case that the glass tube 1 is made of hard glass, a tungsten wire may be used for the electrode 2. Additionally, the elec-trode 2 may be provided at its appropriate part with a known getter material such as titanium, tantalum or zirconium which is highly eFfective to absorb a harmful d;scharged substance such as harmful gas or impurity 1~ to further lengthen the lifetime of the discharge lamp. An electrode 3 is provided outside of the glass tube 1 and along the length thereof, and in opposing relationship with the electrode 2. The electrode 3 is formed by spraying an aqueous solution of tin halide under the atomized condition onto the surface of the glass tube 1 heated at 500 to 700C to deposit a
The present invention relates to a display device using a discharge lamp, and particularly to a display device which is compact in size and light in weight and suitable for displaying characters, numerals, symbols, etc.
Conventionally, since the discharge voltage and current for discharge lamps utilizing a glow-discharge tube such as neon tube are relatively low, such discharge lamps have been widely used for pilot lamps or beacon lamps.
As is well known in the art, since this type of glow-discharge lamps is constructed to generate glow-discharge between two electrodes provided w~thin a glass tube, the area of electroluminescence is limited to the vicinity of the electrodes.
To employ this type of discharge lamps for a display device and permit discharge with electroluminescence substantially throughout the 1~ length of the glass tube, the electrodes provided within the glass tube must be made large o~ formed to a special shape, whereupon the discharge starting voltage becomes remarkably high or the discharge lamp becomes remarkably large, In addition to the above type of discharge lamps, there is a ~0 well known type of discharge lamps, where both of two electrodes are pro-vided outside of the glass tube and the gas charged within the glass tube is indirectly driven to display various information.
To drive the gas charged within a glass tube indirectly and carry out effective electroluminescence, it is necessary to cover the area proximate to the electrodes with a material having high dielectric constant ~L~L~3~j7 ~L
and also necessary to supply AC power having high frequency and voltage.
The display device utilizing discharge lamps such as neon discharge lamp develops a relatively high luminance upon discharging and various colored lights by suitably selecting gases to be charged in the discharge tube or fluorescent paints to be applied to the inner wall of the discharge tube, and thus it has been widely employed ;n a display field.
As is well known in the art, since the display device utiliz-ing discharge lamps requires an AC power supply having high voltage of several thousand volts or more9 and high frequency of several ten kilo hertz or more, for example, it is essential to provide a power supplying system ;ncluding a starting circuit~ and further to provide means for preventing an electric shock due to high voltage. As a result, this type of display devices using a discharge lamp is usually disposed outdoors and 1~ utilized ~or purposes of advertisement.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a unique display device for displaying any characters, numerals or symbols which is compact and lightweight, wherein one of the two elec-trodes is provided within and along the length of a discharge tube, and ZO the other is provided on the outer wall of the discharge tube and opposite to the former electrode, and substantially entire area of the glass tube can be uniformly flashed by an AC power supply having relatively low volt-age and frequency.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a dis-play device utilizing a discharge lamp which develops various colored `;
lights by suitably selecting gases to be charged in a discharge tube or fluorescent materials to be applied to the inner wall of a discharge tube and may be formed in any desired shape such as a straight tube or curved tube.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a display device which improves displaying effect of such a display device installed in or out of vehicles for purposes of advertisement.
It is still a further object of the present invention to pro-vide a display device for displaying various information by suitably combin;ng and disposing a plurality of display units on a display panel and for utili~ing discharge lamps which are mounted on a display unit to be flashed in response to the control signals supplied intermittently.
Such two or more display units suitably arranged are adapted to carry out alternate flashing display or sequential flashing display.
1~ The display device, in accordance with the present invention, lncludes a discharge lamp mounted on a surface plate of a display unit which is detachably mounted on the display panel; a plurality of feeder plates arranged on the display panel and electrically conductive segments arranged on the display unit which are electrically connected to the feeder plates through which DC power and control signals are supplied from a flashing power supply means, for example, power supply means and control signal generating means, to the display unit; and a boosting transformer enclosed in the display unit for boosting DC intermittent wave form signals according to the control signals and supplying such signals to the dis-charge lamp, wherein the control signals controlled intermittently at ~l~S7~
every given period of time are supplied through the feeder plates and electrically conductive segments to the boosting transformer. The display device is capable of selectively supplying control signals which have a constant phase relationship and are intermittently turned on and off at every given period of time.
These and other objects and many of the a~tendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when con-sidered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Figures 1 to 5 are cross-sectional views of the discharge lamps P applied to the display device according to the present invention;
Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of the display unit 5;
Figures 8(a), 8(b), and 8(c) are plan views of various char-acters, numerals and symbols to be displayed by the display unit;
1~ Figure 8(d) is a plan view of various shapes of discharge lamps using display patterns illustrated in Figures 8(a), 8(b), and 8(c);
Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views of the display device utilizing a discharge lamp;
Figure 11 is a schematic diagram oF the circuit enclosed in ~a the display device;
Figures 12 and 13 are perspective views of the display unit 5' applied to the display device according to the present invention, Figures 14 and 15 are a perspective and a plan view of the display panel 7', respectively;
Figure 16 is a partially sectional view of the display unit 35~
5' engaged with the display panel 7';
Figure 17 is a partially sectional view of the electrically conductive segments 8' and 9i mounted on the display unit 5' in Figures 12 and 13;
Figures 18 and 19 are schematic diagrams of the circuits en-closed in the display device;
Figure 20 shows wave forms of the output signals of the diagram in Figure 19;
Figure 21 shows a state of intermittent flashing control or continuous lighting control in response to the control signals;
Figures 22 and 23 show wave forms of the output control signals;
Figure 24 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the display unit shown in Figure 13;
Figure 25 is a partially sectional view of the electrically 1~ conductive segments 9c' and 9d' of the display unit 5" shown in Figure 24;
and Figures 26 and 27 show schematic diagrams of the circuits en-closed in the display device of an alternative embodiment according to the present invention.
~0 In the following description, a discharge lamp applied to the display unit is relatively small in size, for example, the diameter of the discharge tube P ranges from about 2 mm to 10 mm and the length ranges from about 10 mm to 100 mm, but any discharge lamps which are larger in size may be employed in response to the uses of the display system.
Figure 1 shows a basic construction of the discharge lamp P
7~
to be applied to the display system in the preferred embodiment. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a glass tube 1 which is made of soft glass such as transparent soda glass, or hard glass such as borosilicate glass, and formed in an arbitrary shape, for example, straight or curved shape as shown in the drawings. Inert gas such as neon3 krypton or xenon gas is charged in the glass tube 1 under pressure from about several mmHg to several hundred mmHg. A linear electrode 2 is provided within the glass tube 1 and along the length thereof as shown in the drawing. In the case that the glass tube 1 is made of soft glass, Dumet wire may be used for the electrode 2; in the case that the glass tube 1 is made of hard glass, a tungsten wire may be used for the electrode 2. Additionally, the elec-trode 2 may be provided at its appropriate part with a known getter material such as titanium, tantalum or zirconium which is highly eFfective to absorb a harmful d;scharged substance such as harmful gas or impurity 1~ to further lengthen the lifetime of the discharge lamp. An electrode 3 is provided outside of the glass tube 1 and along the length thereof, and in opposing relationship with the electrode 2. The electrode 3 is formed by spraying an aqueous solution of tin halide under the atomized condition onto the surface of the glass tube 1 heated at 500 to 700C to deposit a
2~ transparent electrically conductive film of tin oxide on the surface. An electrically conductive wire 4 serves to apply voltage to the electrode 3.
Figures 2 and 3 show similar discharge lamps P, except that in Figure 2, one end portion of the glass tube 1 is bended downwardly and in Figure 3, both end portions are bended downwardly, and also end portion 2a of the electrode 2 and the electrically conductive wire 4 extend down-.
35'79~
wardly. According to the present embodiment, end portion 2a of the elec-trode 2 and the electrically conductive wire 4 can be embedded into the surface plate 6 of the display unit 5 (refer to Figures 6 and 7), so that the mounting of the discharge lamp P to the surface plate 6 and the volt-age supplied to the discharge lamp P is more readily carried out. Further, since only electrode 3 on the ground is exposed to the surface plate 6, there is no possibility of causing an electric shock even if a human body directly contacts with the electrode 3.
Figure 4 shows a discharge lamp employing an electrically con-ductive wire coiled around the glass tube 1 for the electrode 3. According to this type of discharge lamps~ the electrode 3 itself can be readily formed so that it is advantageously employed for a discharge lamp having a long configuration.
Figure 5 shows a curved d;scharge lamp in which the electrodes 1~ 2 and 3 can be formed in the same manner as described in Figures 1 to 4.
Figure 6 shows a display unit 5 for displaying an alphabetical character "E" by positioning four straight discharge lamps P on the surface plate 6 thereof.
Figure 7 shows a back portion of the display unit 5 illustrated in Figure 6. There are shown magnets 8 as a connector means for connecting the display unit 5 to a display panel (see Figures 10 and 11) and elec-trically conductive segments 9 for repeating AC power to be supplied to the discharge lamp P.
Figures 8~a), 8(b), and 8(c) respectively illustrate different types of displaying patterns which are formed to display various kinds of ~s~
alphabetical characters, numerals and symbols by suitably combining and positionîng fifteen differently shaped discharge lamps P1-P15 as shown in Figure 8(d). Referring to Figure 8(d~9 there are shown eight straight dis-charge lamps P1-P89 which are different in length, a raindrop-like discharge lamp P9, and six curved discharge lamps P10-P15, which are different in rad;us of curvature and length of straight portion thereof. The preferred sizes of the discharge lamps P1-P15, as shown in Figure 8(d)9 are listed below. By changing the diameter, length and radius of curvature of the discharge lamp appropriately in proportional relation to these sizes9 various patterns of different sizes as desired may be displayed.
_ DISCHARGE LAMP _ L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 R
P5 25 - _ P9 ~ 4 10 Pl 1 - - - ~ 4 10 P12 - - - 1-2 1 -2 12.5 P13 - - - 7 7 12.5 ~ ~5~9~
DISC~IARGE LAMP Ll L2 L3 L~ L5 R
.
P14 - - - 1-2 27.5 12.5 (mm: glass tube diameter is 4 mm).
Figure 9 shows a display panel 7 on which the display unit 5 is mounted. There is provided on the surface of the display panel 7 a pair of feeder plates 11 for supplying voltage from an AC power supply 10 (see Figure 11) to the discharge lamp P on the display unit 5. The AC
power supply 10 generates AC power9 the voltage of which is several ten volts, for example, about 20 to 40 V and the frequency of which is several kilo hertz, for example, about 3 to 30 KHz. Since the magnets 8 as a con-nector means and the electrically conductive segments 9 as a repeater means to a power supply are arranged at substantially the same position, this permits power supplying from the display pane1 7 to the display unit 5 and also connection of the display unit 5 to the display panel 7 without re-quiring a specific magnetizing means by utilizing an electrically conductive and magnetizable material such as a galvanized sheet or tin plate for a feeder plate 11.
As can be appreciated from Figure 9, various kinds of characters and symbols which can be displayed are combined and fourteen display units 5 are arranged to display a message of "TODAY'S SPECIAL".
Figure 10 shows an alternative embodiment of the display device using a discharge lamp in which a pair of rails 7b having a groove 7a as a connecting means are mounted on the display panel 7 for connecting the dis-~s~
play unit 5 to the display panel 7. According to the present embodiment, the display unit 5 is successively received ;nto the groove 7a defined by the rails 7b mounted on the display panel 7 to display information in the same manner as in Figure 9. As shown in Figure 10, a feeder plate 12 is provided on the side wall of the rail 7b on -the display panel 7 to be brought into contact with the electrically conductive segment 9 attached on the rear surface of the display unit 5, and the feeder plate 12 is pre-ferably made of electrically conductive and resilient material, so that it serves as a power supply means and a connecting means.
Figure 11 shows a schematic diagram of the circuit enclosed in the display device using a discharge lamp as hereinbefore described.
In the display unit 5, a boosting transformer 13 is accommodated for rais-ing AC voltage supplied from the AC power supply 10 through the feeder plates 11, 12 and the electrically conductive segments 9 to the extent 1~ that the voltage may be maintained to permit electroluminescence by the dlscharge lamp P. When the above described lamp P is being used, the AC
vo1tage may be preferably raised to the extent of 200-2000 V by the boost-ing transformer 13.
Figure 12 shows an alternative embodiment of the display unit 5' for displaying an alphabetical character "E" by positioning four straîght discharge lamps P on the surface plate thereof. The discharge lamp P may be formed as discussed in the preceding paragraphs~ namely, one relatively longer or shorter electrode P-1 is provided in the glass tube and the other transparent electrode P-2 is provided around the outer sur-face of the glass tube. This type of discharge lamp P can be flashed with ~57~ ^
substantially uniform luminance at a lower voltage and a lower frequency than the discharge lamp such as neon lamp normally having two electrodes disposed at both opposed ends of the glass tube.
Figure 13 shows a back portion of the display unit 5' illus-trated in Figure 12. The display unit 5' is provided on its back portion with a connector means 8' such as magnets for connecting the display unit 5' to the display panel 7' as will be hereinafter described (see Figure 15), electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, and switches 14a, 14b.
When the display unit 5' is disposed on the display panel 7', these elec-trically conductive segments 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, serve to repeat the DC voltage supplied from a power supply means (as will be hereinafter described) and the control signals supplied from a control signal generating means. The power supply means and the control signal generating means are included in the means for flashing the discharge lamp P. Switches 14a, 14b, serve to on-off control the control signals applied through the electrically con-ductive segments 9c, 9d, to the display unit 5'.
Figures 14 and 15 show a display panel 7' on which are provided feeder plates 11a, llb, llc, 11d, directly attached to the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d of the display unit 5' for supplying the DC voltage from the power supply 10' and the control signal from the control signal generator 15. The power supply 10' serves to supply a low DC voltage, for example, about 3-12 VDC through the pair of feeder plates lla, 11b to the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b of the display unit 5', and the control signal generator 15 serve to supply a control signal having a low frequency of 3-20 KHz, for example, through the pair ~1L~3S~7~L
of feeder plates llc, 11b, or 11d, 11b, and in turn through the electrically conductive segments 9c, 9d~ or 9d, 9b, respectively.
Figure 16 shows a display panel 7' combined to the display unit 5'. The electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b, and the feeder plates 11a, 11b, llc, 11d, are made of electrically conductive and magnetizable material such as a galvanized sheet or tin plate. Thus, the display unit 5' may be connected to the display panel 7' by a magnetizing effect of the magnets 8' as a connecting means integrally combined with the electrically conductive plates 9a, 9b.
In this arrangement, for purposes of preventing the display unit 5' from rotating or dropping by external force such as vibration or impact, the feeder plates 11a, llb, connecting to the electrically con-ductive segments 9a, 9b, are preferably received in the grooves 16, 17 which are slightly wider than the height of the electrically conductive 1~ se~ments 9a, 9b. As shown in Figure 17, the electrically conductive seg-ments 9c, 9d, contacting with the feeder plates llc, 11d, are preferably biased in the direction depicted by the arrow A by the resilient force of a spring 20 so as not to inhibit the adsorption state of the feeder plates 11a, 11b, and the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b through the mag-nets 8'.
Figure 18 shows a schematic diagram of the circuit enclosed in the display device according to the present embodiment. The control signal generator 15 serves to generate a control signal to be supplied through the feeder plates llc, lld of the display panel 7' to the display unit 5'. As shown in Figures 19 and 20, the control signal generator 15 3L~l~3~'7~ ~
is comprised of a first pulse signal generator 21 for generating pulse signals having several kilo hertz (see Figure 20(a)), a second pulse signal generator 22 for generating pulse signals which are 180 out-of-phase and less than several hertz (see Figure 20(b) and 20(c)), and AND
Gate circuits 23, 24 for inputting both pulse signals from the pulse sig-nal generators 21, 22 and generating pulse signals alternately and inter-mittently at every given period of time (see Figure 20(d) and 20(e)). In Figure 19, input terminals 25, 26 are power input terminals connected to the pcwer supply 10' in Figure 18, and output terminals 27, 28 are control signal output terminals connected to the feeder plates llc, lld of the display panel 7' in Figure 18.
Control signals from the control signal generator 15 are supplied through the electrically conductive segments 9c, 9d mounted on the display unit 5', selectively operable switches 14a, 1~b (see Figure 1~ 13) and diodes 29, 30 to transistor 31. A boosting transformer 32 serves to ra1se the voltage of control signals supplied through the transistor 31 to the extent that the voltage may be maintained to permit electro-luminescence by the discharge lamp P. A pulse signal which is in the peak voltage range of about 200-2000 V and in the frequency range of about 3-20 ZO KHz is applied to both electrodes P-1, P-2 of the discharge lamp P.
Diode 33, enclosed in the circuit of Figure 18, serves as a reverse flow preventing diode for preventing failure of a circuit element such as transistor 31 if the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b of the display unit 51 are connected to the feeder plates lla, 11b on the display panel 7', respectively.
t~
Figure 21(a) shows a wave form of control output signal applied through electrically conductive segment 9c, switch 14a and diode 29 to transistor 31 of the display unit 5' in Figure 18, and Figure 21(b) shows a wave form of control output signal applied through electrically conductive segment 9d, switch 14b, and diode 30 to transistor 31 of the display unit 5' in Figure 18. Figure 21(c) shows a state in which the discharge lamp P is activated at every period of T1 in response to the control signal as shown in Figure 21(a) when only the switch 14a is on.
Figure 21(d) shows a state in which the discharge lamp P is activated at every period of T1 in response to the control signal as shown in Figure 21(b) when only the switch 14b is on. Figure 21(e) shows a state in which the discharge lamp P continues to be activated in response to the control signal as shown in Figures 21(a) and 21(b) when both switches 14(a), 14(b) are on. In Figure 21(c), 21(d), and 21(e), the activated state of the discharge lamp P is illustrated by the shadowed portion.
Figure 22 shows in detail the wave form of output signal of control pulse signal (see Figure 20(a)) generated by the first pulse signal generator 21 as shown in Figure 19. Figure 22(b) shows a wave form of output signal of pulse signal in the case that a pulse width t is halved so as to decrease the luminance of the discharge lamp P to save energy.
Figure 22(c) shows a wave form of output signal of pulse signal in the case that a pulse width t is doubled so as to increase the luminance of the discharge lamp P.
Figure 23 shows in detail wave forms (see Figures 20(d), 20(e), and Figures 21(a), 21(b)) of output signals generated by the control signal ~s~
generator 15 as shown in Figure 19. Figures 23(c) and 23(d) show a wave form of output signal illustrated in Figures 23(a) and 23(b) in the case that the period T1 intermittently controlled by the second pulse signal generator 22 (see Figure 19) is halved, namely T1/2 so as to decrease the on-off period of the discharge lamp P.
Figure 24 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the display unit 5' as shown in Figure 13, which is similar to the display unit 5' as shown in Figure 13 except that the electrically conductive segments 9c', 9d' corresponding to the conductive segments 9c, 9d, respectively may be retracted from the display unit 5" as is shown in FigurPs 25(a) and 25(b).
Referring to Figures 24 and 25(a), when the electrically conductive segments 9c', 9d' are urged in the reverse direction of an arrow A against a resil-ient force of a spring 20 and in turn operably rotated, pins 34 on the electrically conductive segments 9c', 9d' are brought into engagement with a hook plate 35 as shown in Figure 25(b). In Figure 25(b) 9 the electrically 1~ conductive segments 9c', 9d' are retracted by the distance L in constrast with the state in Figure 25(a). As a result, even if the display unit 5"
ls attempted to be mounted on the display panel 7', the electrically con-ductive se~ments 9c', 9d' are not electrically connected to the feeder plates llc, 11d, thereby making it impossible for control signals to be supplied to the display unit 5". According to the embodiment of Figures 24 and 25, the electrically conductive segments 9c', 9d' serve as a switch and thus, it is not necessary to provide switches 14a, 14b which are required in the prior embodiment of Figure 13.
In the preferred embodiment of Figures 1 to 5, the distance between the electrodes 2 and 3 is substantially constant and relatively ~ '7~3 ~
short which is not dependant upon the length of the glass tube 1 and it is not necessary to provide a starting circuit, but substantially the entire area of the glass tube 1 can be flashed with a uniform luminance by supply-ing to both electrodes 2 and 3 an AC power having a voltage of about 200-2000 V and a frequency of about 3 KHz and more, for example. In the case that the glass tube is charged by neon gas, the discharge lamp may be flashed into orange color~ while in the case that the glass tube is charged by krypton or xenon gas, the discharge lamp may be flashed into blue color.
If fluorescent material is applied by the inner wall of the discharge lamp, the discharge lamp may be flashed into a desired color, for example, if cadmium borate is utilized for the fluorescent material, the discharge lamp is flashed into red color, and if zinc silicate and calciurn tungstate are utilized, the discharge lamp is flashed into green and blue color, respectively.
When the electrode 3 is formed on the outer longitudinal sur-Face of the glass tube 1 at a suitable interval and width, only the su;table portion of the length of the glass tube 1 can be flashed.
The electrode 3 may be a plurality of spiral electrodes, and the fluorescent material to be applied to the inner surface of the glass tube 1 may be varied according to each spiral electrode 3 by switching current flow through each spiral electrode 3. As a result, various colors of electroluminescence in accordance with the spiral electrode of the glass tube are suitably obtained.
According to the present invention~ firing voltage and dis-charging voltage may be lowered, and thus, it is not necessary to provide ~LlL8S7~31.
a starting circuit, and a discharge lamp can be simple in construction and small in size to be safely flashed. Further, since power consumption at discharging may be minimized, the discharge lamp, according to the present invention may be widely employed for an energy-saving type of pilot lamps or beacon lamps.
Electrodes 2 and 3 may be formed of a flexible material so as not to affect electroluminescence even if a portion of the electrodes are brought into contact with a glass tube 1.
In one experiment, 1 mmA of discharging current allows a dis-charge lamp to be flashed more than a hundred thousand hours.
According to the present invention, the setting of frequency to about 10 KHz permits discharging operation to be more stabilized and the setting of frequency to the range of about 15 KHz to 20 KHz avoids adverse influence to audio instruments.
1~ To display desired information, a display unit 5 is first selected for displaying a required character, numeral or symbol. There-after, as shown in Figures 3 and 10, the selected display unit 5 is successively arranged on the display panel 7. At this moment, AC power is supplied from the AC power supply 10 to the feeder plates 11 and 12, and in turn, is supplied through the electrically conductive plate 9 of each display unit 5 to the boosting transformer 13. As a result, AC volt-age requi.red for discharge with electroluminescence is applied to both electrodes 2 and 3 of the discharge lamp P and the desired information displaying can be carried out by the electroluminescence of the discharge lamp P. Since the display unit 5 of the present embodiment is simply attachable to or detachable from the display panel 7, it is extremely ad-vantageous whenever any alteration in displayed information is necessary.
In the present embodiment, there is described feeder plates 11, 12 to which low AC voltage is supplied, however, if DC-AC converter including a oscillator for generating signals in the frequency range of about 3-30 KHz is enclosed in the display unit 5, in addition to the boost-ing transformer 13~ the discharge lamp is capable of being flashed by supplying DC voltage enough to drive the oscillator, for example, about
Figures 2 and 3 show similar discharge lamps P, except that in Figure 2, one end portion of the glass tube 1 is bended downwardly and in Figure 3, both end portions are bended downwardly, and also end portion 2a of the electrode 2 and the electrically conductive wire 4 extend down-.
35'79~
wardly. According to the present embodiment, end portion 2a of the elec-trode 2 and the electrically conductive wire 4 can be embedded into the surface plate 6 of the display unit 5 (refer to Figures 6 and 7), so that the mounting of the discharge lamp P to the surface plate 6 and the volt-age supplied to the discharge lamp P is more readily carried out. Further, since only electrode 3 on the ground is exposed to the surface plate 6, there is no possibility of causing an electric shock even if a human body directly contacts with the electrode 3.
Figure 4 shows a discharge lamp employing an electrically con-ductive wire coiled around the glass tube 1 for the electrode 3. According to this type of discharge lamps~ the electrode 3 itself can be readily formed so that it is advantageously employed for a discharge lamp having a long configuration.
Figure 5 shows a curved d;scharge lamp in which the electrodes 1~ 2 and 3 can be formed in the same manner as described in Figures 1 to 4.
Figure 6 shows a display unit 5 for displaying an alphabetical character "E" by positioning four straight discharge lamps P on the surface plate 6 thereof.
Figure 7 shows a back portion of the display unit 5 illustrated in Figure 6. There are shown magnets 8 as a connector means for connecting the display unit 5 to a display panel (see Figures 10 and 11) and elec-trically conductive segments 9 for repeating AC power to be supplied to the discharge lamp P.
Figures 8~a), 8(b), and 8(c) respectively illustrate different types of displaying patterns which are formed to display various kinds of ~s~
alphabetical characters, numerals and symbols by suitably combining and positionîng fifteen differently shaped discharge lamps P1-P15 as shown in Figure 8(d). Referring to Figure 8(d~9 there are shown eight straight dis-charge lamps P1-P89 which are different in length, a raindrop-like discharge lamp P9, and six curved discharge lamps P10-P15, which are different in rad;us of curvature and length of straight portion thereof. The preferred sizes of the discharge lamps P1-P15, as shown in Figure 8(d)9 are listed below. By changing the diameter, length and radius of curvature of the discharge lamp appropriately in proportional relation to these sizes9 various patterns of different sizes as desired may be displayed.
_ DISCHARGE LAMP _ L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 R
P5 25 - _ P9 ~ 4 10 Pl 1 - - - ~ 4 10 P12 - - - 1-2 1 -2 12.5 P13 - - - 7 7 12.5 ~ ~5~9~
DISC~IARGE LAMP Ll L2 L3 L~ L5 R
.
P14 - - - 1-2 27.5 12.5 (mm: glass tube diameter is 4 mm).
Figure 9 shows a display panel 7 on which the display unit 5 is mounted. There is provided on the surface of the display panel 7 a pair of feeder plates 11 for supplying voltage from an AC power supply 10 (see Figure 11) to the discharge lamp P on the display unit 5. The AC
power supply 10 generates AC power9 the voltage of which is several ten volts, for example, about 20 to 40 V and the frequency of which is several kilo hertz, for example, about 3 to 30 KHz. Since the magnets 8 as a con-nector means and the electrically conductive segments 9 as a repeater means to a power supply are arranged at substantially the same position, this permits power supplying from the display pane1 7 to the display unit 5 and also connection of the display unit 5 to the display panel 7 without re-quiring a specific magnetizing means by utilizing an electrically conductive and magnetizable material such as a galvanized sheet or tin plate for a feeder plate 11.
As can be appreciated from Figure 9, various kinds of characters and symbols which can be displayed are combined and fourteen display units 5 are arranged to display a message of "TODAY'S SPECIAL".
Figure 10 shows an alternative embodiment of the display device using a discharge lamp in which a pair of rails 7b having a groove 7a as a connecting means are mounted on the display panel 7 for connecting the dis-~s~
play unit 5 to the display panel 7. According to the present embodiment, the display unit 5 is successively received ;nto the groove 7a defined by the rails 7b mounted on the display panel 7 to display information in the same manner as in Figure 9. As shown in Figure 10, a feeder plate 12 is provided on the side wall of the rail 7b on -the display panel 7 to be brought into contact with the electrically conductive segment 9 attached on the rear surface of the display unit 5, and the feeder plate 12 is pre-ferably made of electrically conductive and resilient material, so that it serves as a power supply means and a connecting means.
Figure 11 shows a schematic diagram of the circuit enclosed in the display device using a discharge lamp as hereinbefore described.
In the display unit 5, a boosting transformer 13 is accommodated for rais-ing AC voltage supplied from the AC power supply 10 through the feeder plates 11, 12 and the electrically conductive segments 9 to the extent 1~ that the voltage may be maintained to permit electroluminescence by the dlscharge lamp P. When the above described lamp P is being used, the AC
vo1tage may be preferably raised to the extent of 200-2000 V by the boost-ing transformer 13.
Figure 12 shows an alternative embodiment of the display unit 5' for displaying an alphabetical character "E" by positioning four straîght discharge lamps P on the surface plate thereof. The discharge lamp P may be formed as discussed in the preceding paragraphs~ namely, one relatively longer or shorter electrode P-1 is provided in the glass tube and the other transparent electrode P-2 is provided around the outer sur-face of the glass tube. This type of discharge lamp P can be flashed with ~57~ ^
substantially uniform luminance at a lower voltage and a lower frequency than the discharge lamp such as neon lamp normally having two electrodes disposed at both opposed ends of the glass tube.
Figure 13 shows a back portion of the display unit 5' illus-trated in Figure 12. The display unit 5' is provided on its back portion with a connector means 8' such as magnets for connecting the display unit 5' to the display panel 7' as will be hereinafter described (see Figure 15), electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, and switches 14a, 14b.
When the display unit 5' is disposed on the display panel 7', these elec-trically conductive segments 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, serve to repeat the DC voltage supplied from a power supply means (as will be hereinafter described) and the control signals supplied from a control signal generating means. The power supply means and the control signal generating means are included in the means for flashing the discharge lamp P. Switches 14a, 14b, serve to on-off control the control signals applied through the electrically con-ductive segments 9c, 9d, to the display unit 5'.
Figures 14 and 15 show a display panel 7' on which are provided feeder plates 11a, llb, llc, 11d, directly attached to the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d of the display unit 5' for supplying the DC voltage from the power supply 10' and the control signal from the control signal generator 15. The power supply 10' serves to supply a low DC voltage, for example, about 3-12 VDC through the pair of feeder plates lla, 11b to the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b of the display unit 5', and the control signal generator 15 serve to supply a control signal having a low frequency of 3-20 KHz, for example, through the pair ~1L~3S~7~L
of feeder plates llc, 11b, or 11d, 11b, and in turn through the electrically conductive segments 9c, 9d~ or 9d, 9b, respectively.
Figure 16 shows a display panel 7' combined to the display unit 5'. The electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b, and the feeder plates 11a, 11b, llc, 11d, are made of electrically conductive and magnetizable material such as a galvanized sheet or tin plate. Thus, the display unit 5' may be connected to the display panel 7' by a magnetizing effect of the magnets 8' as a connecting means integrally combined with the electrically conductive plates 9a, 9b.
In this arrangement, for purposes of preventing the display unit 5' from rotating or dropping by external force such as vibration or impact, the feeder plates 11a, llb, connecting to the electrically con-ductive segments 9a, 9b, are preferably received in the grooves 16, 17 which are slightly wider than the height of the electrically conductive 1~ se~ments 9a, 9b. As shown in Figure 17, the electrically conductive seg-ments 9c, 9d, contacting with the feeder plates llc, 11d, are preferably biased in the direction depicted by the arrow A by the resilient force of a spring 20 so as not to inhibit the adsorption state of the feeder plates 11a, 11b, and the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b through the mag-nets 8'.
Figure 18 shows a schematic diagram of the circuit enclosed in the display device according to the present embodiment. The control signal generator 15 serves to generate a control signal to be supplied through the feeder plates llc, lld of the display panel 7' to the display unit 5'. As shown in Figures 19 and 20, the control signal generator 15 3L~l~3~'7~ ~
is comprised of a first pulse signal generator 21 for generating pulse signals having several kilo hertz (see Figure 20(a)), a second pulse signal generator 22 for generating pulse signals which are 180 out-of-phase and less than several hertz (see Figure 20(b) and 20(c)), and AND
Gate circuits 23, 24 for inputting both pulse signals from the pulse sig-nal generators 21, 22 and generating pulse signals alternately and inter-mittently at every given period of time (see Figure 20(d) and 20(e)). In Figure 19, input terminals 25, 26 are power input terminals connected to the pcwer supply 10' in Figure 18, and output terminals 27, 28 are control signal output terminals connected to the feeder plates llc, lld of the display panel 7' in Figure 18.
Control signals from the control signal generator 15 are supplied through the electrically conductive segments 9c, 9d mounted on the display unit 5', selectively operable switches 14a, 1~b (see Figure 1~ 13) and diodes 29, 30 to transistor 31. A boosting transformer 32 serves to ra1se the voltage of control signals supplied through the transistor 31 to the extent that the voltage may be maintained to permit electro-luminescence by the discharge lamp P. A pulse signal which is in the peak voltage range of about 200-2000 V and in the frequency range of about 3-20 ZO KHz is applied to both electrodes P-1, P-2 of the discharge lamp P.
Diode 33, enclosed in the circuit of Figure 18, serves as a reverse flow preventing diode for preventing failure of a circuit element such as transistor 31 if the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b of the display unit 51 are connected to the feeder plates lla, 11b on the display panel 7', respectively.
t~
Figure 21(a) shows a wave form of control output signal applied through electrically conductive segment 9c, switch 14a and diode 29 to transistor 31 of the display unit 5' in Figure 18, and Figure 21(b) shows a wave form of control output signal applied through electrically conductive segment 9d, switch 14b, and diode 30 to transistor 31 of the display unit 5' in Figure 18. Figure 21(c) shows a state in which the discharge lamp P is activated at every period of T1 in response to the control signal as shown in Figure 21(a) when only the switch 14a is on.
Figure 21(d) shows a state in which the discharge lamp P is activated at every period of T1 in response to the control signal as shown in Figure 21(b) when only the switch 14b is on. Figure 21(e) shows a state in which the discharge lamp P continues to be activated in response to the control signal as shown in Figures 21(a) and 21(b) when both switches 14(a), 14(b) are on. In Figure 21(c), 21(d), and 21(e), the activated state of the discharge lamp P is illustrated by the shadowed portion.
Figure 22 shows in detail the wave form of output signal of control pulse signal (see Figure 20(a)) generated by the first pulse signal generator 21 as shown in Figure 19. Figure 22(b) shows a wave form of output signal of pulse signal in the case that a pulse width t is halved so as to decrease the luminance of the discharge lamp P to save energy.
Figure 22(c) shows a wave form of output signal of pulse signal in the case that a pulse width t is doubled so as to increase the luminance of the discharge lamp P.
Figure 23 shows in detail wave forms (see Figures 20(d), 20(e), and Figures 21(a), 21(b)) of output signals generated by the control signal ~s~
generator 15 as shown in Figure 19. Figures 23(c) and 23(d) show a wave form of output signal illustrated in Figures 23(a) and 23(b) in the case that the period T1 intermittently controlled by the second pulse signal generator 22 (see Figure 19) is halved, namely T1/2 so as to decrease the on-off period of the discharge lamp P.
Figure 24 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the display unit 5' as shown in Figure 13, which is similar to the display unit 5' as shown in Figure 13 except that the electrically conductive segments 9c', 9d' corresponding to the conductive segments 9c, 9d, respectively may be retracted from the display unit 5" as is shown in FigurPs 25(a) and 25(b).
Referring to Figures 24 and 25(a), when the electrically conductive segments 9c', 9d' are urged in the reverse direction of an arrow A against a resil-ient force of a spring 20 and in turn operably rotated, pins 34 on the electrically conductive segments 9c', 9d' are brought into engagement with a hook plate 35 as shown in Figure 25(b). In Figure 25(b) 9 the electrically 1~ conductive segments 9c', 9d' are retracted by the distance L in constrast with the state in Figure 25(a). As a result, even if the display unit 5"
ls attempted to be mounted on the display panel 7', the electrically con-ductive se~ments 9c', 9d' are not electrically connected to the feeder plates llc, 11d, thereby making it impossible for control signals to be supplied to the display unit 5". According to the embodiment of Figures 24 and 25, the electrically conductive segments 9c', 9d' serve as a switch and thus, it is not necessary to provide switches 14a, 14b which are required in the prior embodiment of Figure 13.
In the preferred embodiment of Figures 1 to 5, the distance between the electrodes 2 and 3 is substantially constant and relatively ~ '7~3 ~
short which is not dependant upon the length of the glass tube 1 and it is not necessary to provide a starting circuit, but substantially the entire area of the glass tube 1 can be flashed with a uniform luminance by supply-ing to both electrodes 2 and 3 an AC power having a voltage of about 200-2000 V and a frequency of about 3 KHz and more, for example. In the case that the glass tube is charged by neon gas, the discharge lamp may be flashed into orange color~ while in the case that the glass tube is charged by krypton or xenon gas, the discharge lamp may be flashed into blue color.
If fluorescent material is applied by the inner wall of the discharge lamp, the discharge lamp may be flashed into a desired color, for example, if cadmium borate is utilized for the fluorescent material, the discharge lamp is flashed into red color, and if zinc silicate and calciurn tungstate are utilized, the discharge lamp is flashed into green and blue color, respectively.
When the electrode 3 is formed on the outer longitudinal sur-Face of the glass tube 1 at a suitable interval and width, only the su;table portion of the length of the glass tube 1 can be flashed.
The electrode 3 may be a plurality of spiral electrodes, and the fluorescent material to be applied to the inner surface of the glass tube 1 may be varied according to each spiral electrode 3 by switching current flow through each spiral electrode 3. As a result, various colors of electroluminescence in accordance with the spiral electrode of the glass tube are suitably obtained.
According to the present invention~ firing voltage and dis-charging voltage may be lowered, and thus, it is not necessary to provide ~LlL8S7~31.
a starting circuit, and a discharge lamp can be simple in construction and small in size to be safely flashed. Further, since power consumption at discharging may be minimized, the discharge lamp, according to the present invention may be widely employed for an energy-saving type of pilot lamps or beacon lamps.
Electrodes 2 and 3 may be formed of a flexible material so as not to affect electroluminescence even if a portion of the electrodes are brought into contact with a glass tube 1.
In one experiment, 1 mmA of discharging current allows a dis-charge lamp to be flashed more than a hundred thousand hours.
According to the present invention, the setting of frequency to about 10 KHz permits discharging operation to be more stabilized and the setting of frequency to the range of about 15 KHz to 20 KHz avoids adverse influence to audio instruments.
1~ To display desired information, a display unit 5 is first selected for displaying a required character, numeral or symbol. There-after, as shown in Figures 3 and 10, the selected display unit 5 is successively arranged on the display panel 7. At this moment, AC power is supplied from the AC power supply 10 to the feeder plates 11 and 12, and in turn, is supplied through the electrically conductive plate 9 of each display unit 5 to the boosting transformer 13. As a result, AC volt-age requi.red for discharge with electroluminescence is applied to both electrodes 2 and 3 of the discharge lamp P and the desired information displaying can be carried out by the electroluminescence of the discharge lamp P. Since the display unit 5 of the present embodiment is simply attachable to or detachable from the display panel 7, it is extremely ad-vantageous whenever any alteration in displayed information is necessary.
In the present embodiment, there is described feeder plates 11, 12 to which low AC voltage is supplied, however, if DC-AC converter including a oscillator for generating signals in the frequency range of about 3-30 KHz is enclosed in the display unit 5, in addition to the boost-ing transformer 13~ the discharge lamp is capable of being flashed by supplying DC voltage enough to drive the oscillator, for example, about
3-10 VDC to the feeder plates 11, 12.
In this case, because only low DC voltage is required, the dis-play device is available for vehicles, and since a small battery as a DC
power source may be enclosed in the display unit 59 the display device may be widely used for a portable displaying means. If the discharge lamps P, arranged in accordance with various characters or numeral patterns, are 1~ fortned with or embedded in the surface plate 6 by transparent acrylic resin, the discharye unit 5 rnay become more safe and convenient to use.
In the preferred embodiment of Figures 12 to 27, to display desired information, a display unit 5' is first selected for displaying a required character, numeral or symbol. Thereafter, the selected display ~0 unit 5' is successively arranged on the display panel 7' as shown inFigures 14 and 15. At this moment, the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b are brought into engagement with the feeder plates 11a, 11b on the display panel 7' through the adsorption force by a magnetizing effect of the magnets 8' integrally formed with the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b. As a result, the display unit 5' is adapted to be disposed on the .3~ 35 7 ~
display panel 7'. At the same time, the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d on the display unit 5' are brought to contact with the feeder plates lla, llb, llc, lld on the display panel 7', respectively as shown in Figure 16. When both of the switches 14a, 14b in Figures 13 and 18 are on, DC voltage from the power supply 10' is supplied through the feeder plates lla, llb, and the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b, which are in contact with feeder plates lla, llb, to transistor 31 of the display unit 5', while the control signal (see Figure 20(a), 20(e) and Figure 21(a), 21(b~) from the control signal generator 15 are alternately supplied at every given period of time Tl through the feeder plates llc, lld, the electrically conductive segments 9c, 9d, which are in contact with the feeder plates llc, lld, the switches l~a, 14b, and diodes 29, 30 in the display unit 5' to the base of transistor 31. Namely, the control signal is successively supplied to the primary winding of the boosting lh transformer 32 in Figure 18, and power having voltage and frequency required for discharge is supplied betweer, the electrodes P-l and P-2 of the discharge lamp P, thereby permitting the discharge lamp P to successive-ly flash as illustrated in Figure 2(e) and to display suitable information.
When one of the switches 14a, 14b, mounted on the display unit 5' in Figure 13 is on and the other is off, either of the control signals, as shown in Figure 21(a) and 21(b) is applied to the base of transistor 31 at every given period of time Tlg thereby permitting the discharge lamp P
to flash intermittently as shown in Figure 21(c) or Figure 21(d) and to display information which can be distinguished from other information successively displayed. Since phase of the control signal applied to the 7~3 boosting transformer 32 in the case that the switch 14a is on and the switch 14b is off is reversed when the switch 14a is on and the switch 14b is off, the discharge lamp P alternately flashes with electrolumines-cence at every given period of time T1. Accordingly, the selective operation of the switches 14a, 14b causes the flash timing of display to be varied. When both of the switches 14a, 14b are off, no control signals are supplied to the display unit 5', and as a result, the discharge lamp P is maintained at off and displays no information.
As shown in Figure 22(b) and 22(c), the pulse width (the duty ratio) of the pulse signal generated from the first pulse signal generator 21 of the control signal generator 15 may be suitably changed so as to control the luminance of the display lamp P upon flashing.
Similarly, as shown in Figure 23(c), 23(d), 23(e), 23(f), the pulse width of the pulse signal generated from the second pulse generator 1~ 22 of the control signal generator 15 may be suitably changed so as to control the flashing period of the discharge lamp P.
It should be apparent that in the display unit 5" of Figures 2~ and 25 where the conductive segments 9c', 9d' are retractably mounted on the display unit 5" in such a manner that the conductive segments 9c', ~0 9d' are urged into the display unit 5" and in turn, rotated, the conductive segments 9c', 9d' is selectively operated so as to obtain the aforemen-tioned effect.
In the present embodiments, the control signal is rectangular pulse, but it should be apparent that any forms of control signals such as triangular pulse, sawtooth pulse, or sine wave signals may be used.
Furthermore, the present embodiments show the system to control the flashing at every given period of time, or the alternate flashing by two couples of feeder plates and conductive segments, but increase in the number of feeder plate and conductive segment enables the manner of control of electroluminescence to become more variable.
Figure 26 is an electrical circuit of an alternate embodiment according to the present invention, in which AC power with the phase being reversed on each other, as illustrated by the wave forms over the feeder plates llc, 11d, 11b in Figure 26 is supplied from the power supply 10' to the feeder plates 11a, llc, lld, 11b by the on-off control of switching elements 37, 38, 39 through a ring counter 36. Then, the AC power is supplied through the conductive segments 9a, 9c, 9d, 9b to the display units 40 arranged on the display panel 7', respectively, and in turn, is selectively supplied by the switches 41, 42, 43 on the display units 40 to 1~ DC-AC inverter 44 which is a self-excited oscillator including transistor 45 and primary winding of the boosting transformer 46, while power having enough frequency (3-30 KHz) and enough voltage (200-2000 V) to continually maintain the electroluminescence of the discharge lamp P is supplied from the boosting transformer 46. As a result, the discharge lamp P is capable of flashing, continually turning on, or turning off at an appropriate phase angle according to the selection of the switches 41, 42, 43. This embodi-ment is similar to the aforementioned embodiments except that the number of the feeder plates 11a, llc, 11d, 11b to which power having different phases is supplied is especially decreased.
Figure 27 also shows an electrical circuit of an alternate . .
5~7~l embodiment according to the present invention, in which AC power supply 10" is substituted for the DC power supply 10" in Figure 26, and DC-AC
inverter 44 in Figure 26 is obviated to form a display unit 40'.
If the voltage applied from the AC power supply 10" -is enough to continually maintain the electroluminescence of the discharge lamp P, the boosting transformer 46 may be obviated from the display units 40'.
It is further understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing description is a preferred embodiment of the disclosed device and that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.
~0
In this case, because only low DC voltage is required, the dis-play device is available for vehicles, and since a small battery as a DC
power source may be enclosed in the display unit 59 the display device may be widely used for a portable displaying means. If the discharge lamps P, arranged in accordance with various characters or numeral patterns, are 1~ fortned with or embedded in the surface plate 6 by transparent acrylic resin, the discharye unit 5 rnay become more safe and convenient to use.
In the preferred embodiment of Figures 12 to 27, to display desired information, a display unit 5' is first selected for displaying a required character, numeral or symbol. Thereafter, the selected display ~0 unit 5' is successively arranged on the display panel 7' as shown inFigures 14 and 15. At this moment, the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b are brought into engagement with the feeder plates 11a, 11b on the display panel 7' through the adsorption force by a magnetizing effect of the magnets 8' integrally formed with the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b. As a result, the display unit 5' is adapted to be disposed on the .3~ 35 7 ~
display panel 7'. At the same time, the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d on the display unit 5' are brought to contact with the feeder plates lla, llb, llc, lld on the display panel 7', respectively as shown in Figure 16. When both of the switches 14a, 14b in Figures 13 and 18 are on, DC voltage from the power supply 10' is supplied through the feeder plates lla, llb, and the electrically conductive segments 9a, 9b, which are in contact with feeder plates lla, llb, to transistor 31 of the display unit 5', while the control signal (see Figure 20(a), 20(e) and Figure 21(a), 21(b~) from the control signal generator 15 are alternately supplied at every given period of time Tl through the feeder plates llc, lld, the electrically conductive segments 9c, 9d, which are in contact with the feeder plates llc, lld, the switches l~a, 14b, and diodes 29, 30 in the display unit 5' to the base of transistor 31. Namely, the control signal is successively supplied to the primary winding of the boosting lh transformer 32 in Figure 18, and power having voltage and frequency required for discharge is supplied betweer, the electrodes P-l and P-2 of the discharge lamp P, thereby permitting the discharge lamp P to successive-ly flash as illustrated in Figure 2(e) and to display suitable information.
When one of the switches 14a, 14b, mounted on the display unit 5' in Figure 13 is on and the other is off, either of the control signals, as shown in Figure 21(a) and 21(b) is applied to the base of transistor 31 at every given period of time Tlg thereby permitting the discharge lamp P
to flash intermittently as shown in Figure 21(c) or Figure 21(d) and to display information which can be distinguished from other information successively displayed. Since phase of the control signal applied to the 7~3 boosting transformer 32 in the case that the switch 14a is on and the switch 14b is off is reversed when the switch 14a is on and the switch 14b is off, the discharge lamp P alternately flashes with electrolumines-cence at every given period of time T1. Accordingly, the selective operation of the switches 14a, 14b causes the flash timing of display to be varied. When both of the switches 14a, 14b are off, no control signals are supplied to the display unit 5', and as a result, the discharge lamp P is maintained at off and displays no information.
As shown in Figure 22(b) and 22(c), the pulse width (the duty ratio) of the pulse signal generated from the first pulse signal generator 21 of the control signal generator 15 may be suitably changed so as to control the luminance of the display lamp P upon flashing.
Similarly, as shown in Figure 23(c), 23(d), 23(e), 23(f), the pulse width of the pulse signal generated from the second pulse generator 1~ 22 of the control signal generator 15 may be suitably changed so as to control the flashing period of the discharge lamp P.
It should be apparent that in the display unit 5" of Figures 2~ and 25 where the conductive segments 9c', 9d' are retractably mounted on the display unit 5" in such a manner that the conductive segments 9c', ~0 9d' are urged into the display unit 5" and in turn, rotated, the conductive segments 9c', 9d' is selectively operated so as to obtain the aforemen-tioned effect.
In the present embodiments, the control signal is rectangular pulse, but it should be apparent that any forms of control signals such as triangular pulse, sawtooth pulse, or sine wave signals may be used.
Furthermore, the present embodiments show the system to control the flashing at every given period of time, or the alternate flashing by two couples of feeder plates and conductive segments, but increase in the number of feeder plate and conductive segment enables the manner of control of electroluminescence to become more variable.
Figure 26 is an electrical circuit of an alternate embodiment according to the present invention, in which AC power with the phase being reversed on each other, as illustrated by the wave forms over the feeder plates llc, 11d, 11b in Figure 26 is supplied from the power supply 10' to the feeder plates 11a, llc, lld, 11b by the on-off control of switching elements 37, 38, 39 through a ring counter 36. Then, the AC power is supplied through the conductive segments 9a, 9c, 9d, 9b to the display units 40 arranged on the display panel 7', respectively, and in turn, is selectively supplied by the switches 41, 42, 43 on the display units 40 to 1~ DC-AC inverter 44 which is a self-excited oscillator including transistor 45 and primary winding of the boosting transformer 46, while power having enough frequency (3-30 KHz) and enough voltage (200-2000 V) to continually maintain the electroluminescence of the discharge lamp P is supplied from the boosting transformer 46. As a result, the discharge lamp P is capable of flashing, continually turning on, or turning off at an appropriate phase angle according to the selection of the switches 41, 42, 43. This embodi-ment is similar to the aforementioned embodiments except that the number of the feeder plates 11a, llc, 11d, 11b to which power having different phases is supplied is especially decreased.
Figure 27 also shows an electrical circuit of an alternate . .
5~7~l embodiment according to the present invention, in which AC power supply 10" is substituted for the DC power supply 10" in Figure 26, and DC-AC
inverter 44 in Figure 26 is obviated to form a display unit 40'.
If the voltage applied from the AC power supply 10" -is enough to continually maintain the electroluminescence of the discharge lamp P, the boosting transformer 46 may be obviated from the display units 40'.
It is further understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing description is a preferred embodiment of the disclosed device and that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.
~0
Claims (10)
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Display device using a discharge lamp comprising:
- a discharge lamp formed by a glass tube in which inert gas is charged, said discharge lamp having a pair of electrodes one of which is provided within said glass tube and the other is formed of transparent electrically conductive film deposited on the exterior surface of and extending over the length of said glass tube; and - a pulse signal or AC signal generating means for supplying pulse signals or AC signals to both electrodes of said discharge lamp and discharging said lamp.
- a discharge lamp formed by a glass tube in which inert gas is charged, said discharge lamp having a pair of electrodes one of which is provided within said glass tube and the other is formed of transparent electrically conductive film deposited on the exterior surface of and extending over the length of said glass tube; and - a pulse signal or AC signal generating means for supplying pulse signals or AC signals to both electrodes of said discharge lamp and discharging said lamp.
2. Display device using a discharge lamp as defined in Claim 1 wherein one of said pair of electrodes comprises a linear electrode provided within said glass tube and along the length thereof.
3. Display device using a discharge lamp as defined in Claim 1 including a fluroescent film coated on the inner sur-face of said glass tube.
4. Display device using a discharge lamp comprising:
- a discharge lamp formed by a glass tube in which inert gas is charged, said discharge lamp having a pair of electrodes one of which is provided within said glass tube and the other is provided outside of said glass tube;
- a display unit for displaying characters, numerals or symbols comprising a surface plate including a back portion having at least two electrically conductive segments, a boost-ing transformer mounted within said display unit for boosting pulse signals or AC signals, and one or more discharge lamps arranged on said surface plate;
- a display panel for displaying at least a display unit;
- said display panel comprising at least two electric-ally conductive and magnetizable feeder plates adapted to be connected to an external power supply for connecting said boosting transformer to the external power supply, said feeder plates being arranged in each position corresponding to said electrically conductive segments mounted on the back portion of said display unit, said feeder plates being electrically connected to said electrically conductive segments when at least a display unit is engaged with said display panel; and - means for magnetically engaging said display unit with said display panel with the conductive segments contacting the feeder plates;
- whereby pulse signals or AC signals from a pulse signal or AC signal generating means being supplied through said feeder plates, electrically conductive segments and boosting transformer in said display unit to both electrodes of said discharge lamp cause said discharge lamp to be discharged.
- a discharge lamp formed by a glass tube in which inert gas is charged, said discharge lamp having a pair of electrodes one of which is provided within said glass tube and the other is provided outside of said glass tube;
- a display unit for displaying characters, numerals or symbols comprising a surface plate including a back portion having at least two electrically conductive segments, a boost-ing transformer mounted within said display unit for boosting pulse signals or AC signals, and one or more discharge lamps arranged on said surface plate;
- a display panel for displaying at least a display unit;
- said display panel comprising at least two electric-ally conductive and magnetizable feeder plates adapted to be connected to an external power supply for connecting said boosting transformer to the external power supply, said feeder plates being arranged in each position corresponding to said electrically conductive segments mounted on the back portion of said display unit, said feeder plates being electrically connected to said electrically conductive segments when at least a display unit is engaged with said display panel; and - means for magnetically engaging said display unit with said display panel with the conductive segments contacting the feeder plates;
- whereby pulse signals or AC signals from a pulse signal or AC signal generating means being supplied through said feeder plates, electrically conductive segments and boosting transformer in said display unit to both electrodes of said discharge lamp cause said discharge lamp to be discharged.
5. Display device using a discharge lamp comprising:
- a discharge lamp formed by a glass tube in which inert gas is charged, said discharge lamp having positive and negative electrodes one of which is provided within said glass tube and the other is provided outside of said glass tube;
- a pulse signal or AC signal generating means for supplying pulse signals or AC signals to both electrodes of said discharge lamp and discharging said lamp;
- a display unit for displaying characters, numerals or symbols including a surface plate, a back portion having at least three elctrically conductive segments, a boosting trans-former for boosting said pulse signals or AC signals through transistor, and one or more discharge lamps which are different in shape and length arranged on said surface plate;
- means for supplying electrical power to transistor in said display unit; and - a display panel for displaying a series of message indicated by the combination of characters, numerals or symbols including at least three feeder plates arranged in each position corresponding to said electrically conductive segments mounted on the back portion of said display unit, said feeder plates being electrically connected to said electrically conductive segments when a plurality of said display units being combined and arranged, electrical power from said power supply means being supplied through said feeder plates, electrically con-ductive segments and boosting transformer to said transistor, while pulse signals or AC signals from said pulse signal or AC
signal generating means being supplied through said feeder plates, electrically conductive segments, transistor and boost-ing transformer to both electrodes of said discharge lamp causing said discharge lamp to be discharged.
- a discharge lamp formed by a glass tube in which inert gas is charged, said discharge lamp having positive and negative electrodes one of which is provided within said glass tube and the other is provided outside of said glass tube;
- a pulse signal or AC signal generating means for supplying pulse signals or AC signals to both electrodes of said discharge lamp and discharging said lamp;
- a display unit for displaying characters, numerals or symbols including a surface plate, a back portion having at least three elctrically conductive segments, a boosting trans-former for boosting said pulse signals or AC signals through transistor, and one or more discharge lamps which are different in shape and length arranged on said surface plate;
- means for supplying electrical power to transistor in said display unit; and - a display panel for displaying a series of message indicated by the combination of characters, numerals or symbols including at least three feeder plates arranged in each position corresponding to said electrically conductive segments mounted on the back portion of said display unit, said feeder plates being electrically connected to said electrically conductive segments when a plurality of said display units being combined and arranged, electrical power from said power supply means being supplied through said feeder plates, electrically con-ductive segments and boosting transformer to said transistor, while pulse signals or AC signals from said pulse signal or AC
signal generating means being supplied through said feeder plates, electrically conductive segments, transistor and boost-ing transformer to both electrodes of said discharge lamp causing said discharge lamp to be discharged.
6. Display device using a discharge lamp as defined in claim 5 further including means for on-off controlling the firing of said discharge lamp by intermittently supplying pulse signals or AC signals through said feeder plates and electric-ally conductive segments to said transistor.
7. Display device using a discharge lamp as defined in Claim 5 further including:
- a pulse signal or AC signal generating means for supplying pulse signals or AC signals to said pair of elec-trodes of said discharge lamp for discharging said lamp;
- said boosting transformer being supplied through transistor means;
- means for supplying electrical power to said tran-sistor in said display unit; and - said display panel being constructed for displaying a plurality of said display units to present a message indicated by the combination of characters, numerals or symbols repre-sented by said display units and including at least three feeder plates arranged in each position corresponding to said elec-trically conductive segments mounted on the back portion of said display unit.
- a pulse signal or AC signal generating means for supplying pulse signals or AC signals to said pair of elec-trodes of said discharge lamp for discharging said lamp;
- said boosting transformer being supplied through transistor means;
- means for supplying electrical power to said tran-sistor in said display unit; and - said display panel being constructed for displaying a plurality of said display units to present a message indicated by the combination of characters, numerals or symbols repre-sented by said display units and including at least three feeder plates arranged in each position corresponding to said elec-trically conductive segments mounted on the back portion of said display unit.
8. Display device using a discharge lamp as defined in Claim 7 further including a switching means for continuously firing said discharge lamp by continuously or intermittently supplying pulse signals or AC signals through said control means to said transistor, said switching means being arranged between said control means and transistor.
9. Display device using a discharge lamp as defined in Claim 8 further including:
- a pulse signal or AC signal generating means for supplying pulse signals or AC signals to both electrodes of said discharge lamp for discharging said lamp;
- control means for supplying pulse signals or AC
signals alternately at every give period of time, said means being connected to said pulse signal or AC signal generating means; and - said display panel being constructed for displaying at least two different messages at every given period of time.
- a pulse signal or AC signal generating means for supplying pulse signals or AC signals to both electrodes of said discharge lamp for discharging said lamp;
- control means for supplying pulse signals or AC
signals alternately at every give period of time, said means being connected to said pulse signal or AC signal generating means; and - said display panel being constructed for displaying at least two different messages at every given period of time.
10. Display device using a discharge lamp as defined in claim 7 further including means for on-off controlling the firing of said discharge lamp by intermittently supplying pulse signals or AC signals through said feeder plates and electric-ally conductive segments to said transistor.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP12784280A JPS5763756A (en) | 1980-09-12 | 1980-09-12 | Discharge lamp |
| JP15284580U JPS6120615Y2 (en) | 1980-10-24 | 1980-10-24 | |
| JP10475481A JPS5810789A (en) | 1981-07-04 | 1981-07-04 | Display unit |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1185791A true CA1185791A (en) | 1985-04-23 |
Family
ID=27310311
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000392360A Expired CA1185791A (en) | 1980-09-12 | 1981-12-15 | Display device using a discharge lamp |
Country Status (7)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US4471350A (en) |
| AU (1) | AU553724B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1185791A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3135972A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2490378B1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2087137B (en) |
| NL (1) | NL192160C (en) |
Families Citing this family (22)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2164189A (en) * | 1984-09-05 | 1986-03-12 | Dr Khodayar Rashidi | Modular-display-system |
| GB2180383A (en) * | 1985-09-14 | 1987-03-25 | Paul William Baker | Illuminated display panel |
| CA1293765C (en) * | 1986-07-15 | 1991-12-31 | Yoshinori Satou | Rare gas discharge lamp with an external electrode |
| US4949487A (en) * | 1988-11-03 | 1990-08-21 | Fadil Kibarer | Illuminated display |
| US4988986A (en) * | 1988-12-22 | 1991-01-29 | Inventio Ag | Display module and multiple unit display constructed of such display modules |
| US5003233A (en) * | 1989-01-03 | 1991-03-26 | Gte Laboratories Incorporated | Radio frequency powered large scale display |
| DE3912299A1 (en) * | 1989-04-14 | 1990-11-29 | Joerg Michael Uhl | Modular mounting for fluorescent HV display tubes - has plug-in unit construction and easily substituted discharge tube suitable for signs |
| CA2107987A1 (en) * | 1992-10-08 | 1994-04-09 | David R. Pacholok | Reduced tension modular neon sign system |
| DE4233861A1 (en) * | 1992-10-08 | 1994-04-14 | Aqua Signal Ag | Control appts. for high voltage gas discharge lamps - has high frequency circuit with transformer secondary having resonance circuit allowing variable frequency |
| US6069444A (en) * | 1992-12-16 | 2000-05-30 | Durel Corporation | Electroluminescent lamp devices and their manufacture |
| WO1994014180A1 (en) * | 1992-12-16 | 1994-06-23 | Durel Corporation | Electroluminescent lamp devices and their manufacture |
| US5598065A (en) * | 1994-01-25 | 1997-01-28 | Lakosky; Allen J. | Lighting system for snowmobiles and the like |
| US5565741A (en) * | 1994-03-16 | 1996-10-15 | Osram Sylvania Inc. | Method of operating a neon discharge lamp particularly useful on a vehicle |
| US6414650B1 (en) | 1996-04-15 | 2002-07-02 | Addco | Sign system with field changeable screen size and message |
| US6150996A (en) * | 1998-08-26 | 2000-11-21 | Addco, Inc. | Changeable message sign system with reconfigurable sign screen |
| US5914698A (en) * | 1996-04-15 | 1999-06-22 | Addco Manufacturing, Inc. | Modular message board |
| US6175342B1 (en) * | 1996-04-15 | 2001-01-16 | Aadco, Inc. | Enhanced modular message board |
| US6305110B1 (en) * | 1998-11-13 | 2001-10-23 | Sheldon Chang | Interchangable modular programmable neon sign |
| US6836259B2 (en) * | 2002-03-26 | 2004-12-28 | Visson Ip, Llc | Electrooptical display with changeable pictures |
| US7467486B2 (en) * | 2006-05-22 | 2008-12-23 | Kaoh Andy K F | Method and apparatus for simulating the appearance of a neon sign |
| GB2473639A (en) * | 2009-09-18 | 2011-03-23 | Litelogic Ip Ltd | Display with multiple PCBs mounted to bus-bars |
| CA2844551C (en) * | 2011-08-08 | 2019-04-09 | Ilight Technologies, Inc. | Apparatus pertaining to physically-discrete sign components |
Family Cites Families (13)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3124712A (en) * | 1964-03-10 | Luminous high tension indicator | ||
| FR403208A (en) * | 1908-06-30 | 1909-10-28 | Farbenfab Vorm Bayer F & Co | Process for the production of disazo dyestuffs and the resulting products |
| US2068741A (en) * | 1933-11-11 | 1937-01-26 | Radio Patents Corp | Gas-filled discharge tube |
| GB457797A (en) * | 1934-06-08 | 1936-12-07 | Rene Andre Coustal | Improvements in electric lamps for lighting purposes |
| GB490415A (en) * | 1937-02-05 | 1938-08-05 | Ilse Barasch | Improvements in luminous signs |
| US2291467A (en) * | 1941-01-21 | 1942-07-28 | Floray Corp | Luminescent sign |
| US2488169A (en) * | 1946-02-20 | 1949-11-15 | Benjamin B Schneider | Neon-type sign |
| US2731585A (en) * | 1951-06-15 | 1956-01-17 | Andres Soriano | Luminous display apparatus |
| US2801483A (en) * | 1954-12-29 | 1957-08-06 | Mercu Ray Ind Inc | Luminous signs |
| US3157823A (en) * | 1962-01-09 | 1964-11-17 | Etzon Corp | Luminous bodies energized by standing waves |
| US3947722A (en) * | 1974-06-19 | 1976-03-30 | Control Data Corporation | Electronic scan methods for plasma displays |
| US4153861A (en) * | 1977-10-17 | 1979-05-08 | Warner Arthur R | Electric discharge tube apparatus |
| US4277728A (en) * | 1978-05-08 | 1981-07-07 | Stevens Luminoptics | Power supply for a high intensity discharge or fluorescent lamp |
-
1981
- 1981-09-04 NL NL8104100A patent/NL192160C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1981-09-04 US US06/299,613 patent/US4471350A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1981-09-04 GB GB8126893A patent/GB2087137B/en not_active Expired
- 1981-09-08 DE DE19813135972 patent/DE3135972A1/en active Granted
- 1981-09-11 FR FR8117203A patent/FR2490378B1/fr not_active Expired
- 1981-12-03 AU AU78245/81A patent/AU553724B2/en not_active Expired
- 1981-12-15 CA CA000392360A patent/CA1185791A/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| US4471350A (en) | 1984-09-11 |
| GB2087137B (en) | 1984-08-30 |
| AU7824581A (en) | 1983-06-09 |
| FR2490378A1 (en) | 1982-03-19 |
| FR2490378B1 (en) | 1985-02-22 |
| NL8104100A (en) | 1982-04-01 |
| NL192160C (en) | 1997-02-04 |
| DE3135972C2 (en) | 1991-06-27 |
| NL192160B (en) | 1996-10-01 |
| DE3135972A1 (en) | 1982-04-29 |
| GB2087137A (en) | 1982-05-19 |
| AU553724B2 (en) | 1986-07-24 |
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| MKEX | Expiry |