Luminous display with trough member and method of making same

A luminous display device is disclosed as including a transparent or translucent top body part having a rear surface; a bottom body part having a front side, a rear side, and a trough extending along at least part of the front side of the bottom body part to form a pre-defined pattern; in which the rear surface of the upper body part is in fused sealing relationship with the front side of the bottom body part to form a sealed discharge chamber between the trough and the upper body part; an ionizable gas filling the chamber; and two openings in the bottom body part each having a first end communicating with the chamber and a second end communicating with an electrode, the electrodes being energizable to ionize the gas in the chamber to produce light discharge of the pre-defined pattern.

This invention relates generally to luminescent display devices and to a method of manufacturing same. More particularly, the invention relates to gas plasma display devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known to produce light by passage of electricity through gases. This phenomenon has been used in lighted signs which display numerals, characters, symbols, graphics and the like, such as neon signs for example. Gases commonly used for this purpose are neon, argon, mercury vapour, or mixtures thereof.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,383,295, 5,126,632, 5,281,898 and 4,403,831 disclose various conventional display devices. U.S. Pat. No. 6,512,331 issued to the applicant herein discloses a luminous display device and a method of making the same in which a front member of transparent glass is fused to the rim area of a rear member having a recess therein and protuberances projecting from the base of the recess toward the front member. The protuberances are closely spaced with respect to each other and the front member to provide passages between the protuberances and a light discharge member between the front member and the recess. An opening extends through the rear member communicating with the chamber. A tubular member mounted on the rear member communicates with the opening for evacuating the chamber and filling it with an ionizable gas. An electrode device is mounted in the tubular member and is operatively connected to a power source for ionizing the gas in the chamber thereby producing light discharge fingers or streaks through the passages providing the desired display of light. The rear member is moulded to form the recess and protuberances integral therewith thus minimizing the number of parts of the display device. The content of U.S. Pat. No. 6,512,331 is fully incorporated herein by reference.

As the closely spaced protuberances in the device in U.S. Pat. No. 6,512,331 do not provide a pre-defined passage(s) along which the light discharge fingers or streaks are produced, but intersticial passages along which the light discharge fingers or streaks may be produced, neither the manufacturer nor the user can determine the light patterns produced by such a display, and in fact the light patterns generated by such a display are random and always differ.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a luminous display device and a method of manufacturing same in which the aforesaid shortcoming is mitigated, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the public.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a luminous display in which pre-defined light pattern(s) can be produced upon activation of the display.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a luminous display device comprising a non-opaque first member having a rear surface; a second member having a front side, a rear side, and at least a first trough member extending along at least part of said front side of said second member to form at least a first pre-defined pattern; wherein said rear surface of said first member is in fused sealing relationship with said front side of said second member to thereby form at least a first sealed discharge chamber between said first trough member and said first member; an ionizable gas filling said chamber; and at least a first opening in one of said first and second members having a first end communicating with said first chamber and a second end communicating with an electrode means, said electrode means being energizable to ionize said gas in said first chamber to produce light discharge of said at least first pre-defined pattern.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making a luminous display device, comprising the steps of providing a non-opaque first member having a rear surface; moulding a second member with a front side, a rear side, and at least a first trough member extending along at least part of said front side of said second member to form at least a first pre-defined pattern; fusing said rear surface of said first member with said front side of said second member to form at least a first sealed discharge chamber between said first trough member and said first member; producing at least a first opening in one of said first and second members having a first end communicating with said first chamber; evacuating said first chamber through said first opening; filling said first chamber through said first opening with an ionizable gas; and installing electrode means in communication relationship with a second end of said first opening, wherein said electrode means is energizable to ionize said gas in said first chamber to produce light discharge of said at least first pre-defined pattern.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In a first embodiment according to the invention, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, a luminous display100includes a top body part102and a bottom body part104. The top body part102is made of a non-opaque, e.g. transparent or translucent, material, e.g. glass or plastics. The top body part102has substantially flat upper and lower surfaces. As to the bottom body part104, and as shown in more detail inFIG. 1, a continuous recess106is formed, e.g. during the moulding stage, on an upper surface108of the bottom body part104to form a pre-defined pattern, e.g. a Christmas tree as now shown inFIG. 1. It should of course be understood that various other patterns can be formed. At each of two extremities of the recess106is an exhaust hole110, leading to a lower surface111of the bottom body part104.

During assembly of the luminous display100, the lower surface of the top body part102is fused together with the upper surface108of the bottom body part104to form a chamber between the recess106and the lower surface of the top body part102, leading on each side to one of the two exhaust holes110. Air in the chamber is then evacuated through one or both of the exhaust holes110. The chamber is then filled, again through one or both of the exhaust holes110, with an ionizable gas, e.g. neon, argon, mercury vapour, or mixtures thereof. An electrode112is then installed at and in communication with a respective exhaust holes110. The chamber formed between the recess106of the bottom body part104and the upper body part102is thus sealed. When the electrodes112, which are connected to an electrical power source, are energized to ionize the gas in the chamber, a coloured light discharge in the shape of the pre-defined pattern will be generated. When the device is assembled, the recess106that is filled with ionized gas and energized, operates as a discharge chamber. That is, it should be understood that once the device is assembled, the recess area106also serves as a discharge chamber.

The colour of the light discharge will depend in part on the ionizable gas filled in the chamber. Different types of phosphor coatings109may also be applied on different parts of the recess106so that different colours will be shown upon ionization of the gas. Pre-defined multi-colour patterns may thus be generated upon ionization of the gas.

In a second embodiment according to the invention, as shown inFIGS. 3 to 5, a luminous display200includes a top body part202, an intermediate body part203and a bottom body part204. As in the case of the luminous display100discussed above, the top body part202is made of a non-opaque material, and has substantially flat upper and lower surfaces. As to the intermediate body part203, and as shown in more detail inFIG. 3, a continuous recess206is formed, e.g. during the moulding stage, on an upper surface208of the intermediate body part203to form a pre-defined pattern, e.g. a Christmas tree as now shown inFIG. 3. At each of two extremities of the recess206is an opening210, leading to a lower surface of the intermediate body part203. As to the bottom body part204, two through holes212are provided.

During assembly of the luminous display200, the lower surface of the top body part202is fused together with the upper surface208of the intermediate body part203. The lower surface of the intermediate body part203is then fused together with the upper surface of bottom body part204, with the through holes212in communication with the openings210, so as to form a chamber, leading on each side to a respective through hole212. Air in the chamber is then evacuated through one or both of the through holes212. The chamber is then filled, again through one or both of the through holes212, with an ionizable gas. An electrode214is then installed at and in communication with a respective through hole212. The chamber formed between the recess206of the intermediate body part203, the upper body part202and the upper surface of the bottom body part204is thus sealed. When the electrodes214are energized to ionize the gas in the chamber, a coloured light discharge in the shape of the pre-defined pattern will be generated.

In a third embodiment according to the invention, as shown inFIGS. 6 to 8, a luminous display300includes a top body part302, an intermediate body part303and a bottom body part304. The top body part302is made of a non-opaque material, and has substantially flat upper and lower surfaces. As shown in more detail inFIG. 6, a continuous recess306is formed, e.g. during the moulding stage, on an upper surface308of the intermediate body part303to form a first pattern, e.g. a spider. At each of two extremities of the recess306is a through hole310a,310b. As to the bottom body part304, and as shown inFIG. 7, a continuous recess316is formed, e.g. during the moulding stage, on an upper surface318of the bottom body part304to form a second pattern, e.g. a spiral. At each of two extremities of the recess316is a through hole320a,320b. A further through hole322is also provided in the bottom body part304.

During assembly of the luminous display300, the lower surface of the top body part302is fused together with the upper surface308of the intermediate body part303to form a first chamber. The lower surface of the intermediate body part303is then fused together with the upper surface of bottom body part304, with the through hole310ain communication with the through hole320a, and the through hole310bin communication with the through hole322. Air in the chamber is then evacuated through one or both of the through holes320b,322. The chamber is then filled, again through one or both of the through holes320b,322, with an ionizable gas. An electrode314is then installed at and in communication with a respective through hole320b,322. The chamber formed between the recess306of the intermediate body part303, the upper body part302, the lower surface of the intermediate body part303, and the recess316of the lower body part is thus sealed. When the electrodes314are energized to ionize the gas in the chamber, two coloured light discharges in the shape of two pre-defined patterns will be generated. The two pre-defined coloured patterns, i.e. one of a spider and one of a spiral, will be shown upon activation of the electrodes314. The two coloured patterns are each of a different distance from the upper surface of the top body part302, thus creating an overall three-dimensional pattern.

In a fourth embodiment according to the invention, as shown inFIGS. 9A and 9B, a luminous display400includes a top body part402and a bottom body part404. A continuous trough408in the form of three conjoining straight recesses is provided on the bottom body part404. At each end of the trough408is installed a respective electrode406, which are energizable to ionize the gas in the sealed chamber formed between the trough408and the top body part402.

In a fifth embodiment according to the invention, as shown inFIGS. 10A and 10B, a luminous display500includes a top body part502and a bottom body part504. A main difference between the luminous display500and the luminous display400discussed above is that only one electrode506is provided, which is installed at a through hole at or adjacent to a mid-point between two extremities of a continuous trough508on the bottom body part504.

In a sixth embodiment according to the invention, as shown inFIGS. 11A and 11B, a luminous display600includes a top body part602and a bottom body part604. A main difference between the luminous display600and the luminous display500discussed above is that only one electrode606is installed, which is installed at a through hole at or adjacent to one of two extremities of a continuous trough608on the bottom body part604.

It should be understood that the above only illustrates and describes examples whereby the present invention may be carried out, and that modifications and/or alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the body parts may be curved in shape, e.g. undulating, or in a wave shape.