Shadow-mask color cathode ray tube

Abstract: To provide a shadow-mask color cathode ray tube produces high-quality image by preventing the slot width or slot length from increasing when a shadow mask is press-molded. The shadow mask in which the opening shape of an electron-beam passing hole formed in an effective area is the slot type 53 and it is press-molded and formed into an approximately rectangular approximately domed shape so that the inequalities S3<S2 and S3<S2' are satisfied, where S3 is the width of a slot 533 located at the horizontal-scanning-direction corner section in the effective face area, S2 is the width of a slot 532, S2' is the width of a slot 532'.

Description: The present invention relates to a shadow mask for a color cathode ray tube and to a color cathode ray tube having such a mask according to the preambles of the independent claims. Such masks or tubes are known from JP-A-3-62436. In general, a color cathode ray tube used for a television receiver or a monitoring terminal comprises a vacuum envelope comprising a panel section for forming an image screen, a neck section for accommodating an electron gun, and a funnel section for connecting the panel section with the neck section; a centering and purity correcting magnetic device externally set to the neck section; and a deflection yoke externally set to the border between the funnel and neck sections. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a shadow-mask color cathode ray tube for explanation in which symbol 1 represents a panel section, 2 represents a neck section, 3 represents a funnel section, 4 represents a phosphor layer, 5 represents a mask frame, 6 represents a shadow mask, 7 represents a panel pin, 8 represents a suspension spring, 9 represents a magnetic shield, 10 represents an electron gun, 11 represents a centering and purity correcting magnetic device, 12 represents a deflection yoke, Bc represents a central electron beam, and Bs represents a side electron beam. In FIG. 2, a phosphor layer 4 is made of a three-color phosphor mosaic formed on the inner surface of the panel section 1, and a shadow mask structure is suspended from the panel pin 7 embedded in the inner wall through the suspension spring 8. The shadow mask structure comprises the mask frame 5, the shadow mask 6 whose margin is spot-welded to the mask frame, and the magnetic shield 9 for shielding the space of the funnel 3 from external magnetism. The funnel section 3 has the neck section 2 for accommodating the electron gun 10 at its small-diameter end and constitutes a vacuum envelope by frit-welding the open margin of the panel 1 to the large-diameter end margin. The deflection yoke 12 is externally set to the neck transition portion of the funnel and an image is reproduced by two-dimensionally scanning the phosphor layer 4 formed on the inner surface of the panel section 1 by the electron beam 13 emitted from the electron gun 10. The centering and purity correcting magnetic device 11 externally set to the neck section 2 is correction means for controlling the hue by adjusting the alignment of the electron-gun and tube axes and adjusting the mutual arrangement between three electron beams. The shadow mask has the so-called color selecting function for correctly landing three electron beams emitted from an electron gun on a three-color phosphor mosaic constituting the phosphor layer 4 respectively. The shadow mask is constituted by forming a flat plate into an approximately rectangular semi-finished product having an approximately rectangular effective face area in which a plurality of slot-like electron-beam passing holes are formed in the horizontal and vertical scanning directions of an electron beam and an ineffective area surrounding the effective area, and thereafter forming a skirt section by press-molding the semi-finished product to bend the ineffective area upward at the margin and forming the effective area into an approximately rectangular dome and welding the dome to a mask frame. FIG. 3a is an illustration of a shadow mask, which is a top view of the shadow mask viewed from the electron gun. FIG. 3b is a cross sectional view of the shadow mask in FIG. 3a, taken along the line X-X of FIG. 3a. In FIGS. 3a and 3b, symbol 5 represents a shadow mask, 51 represents a boundary (effective border) present at a transition portion between an effective area and a skirt section, 52 represents an effective area in which a slot is formed as an electron-beam passing hole, 53 represents a slot, and 54 represents a shadow-mask developed outline. The shadow mask is suspended inside the panel section by spot-welding the four corners of the shadow mask to a mask frame (not shown). FIGs. 4(A) to 4(D) are schematic process diagrams for explaining the outline of a shadow mask manufacturing method in which a shadow mask curved like a dome is formed in the sequence of (A)→(B)→(C)→(D). First, a number of shadow mask patterns are formed on the low-carbon steel plate 1 shown in FIG. 4(A) by means of photography. In the case of the shadow mask pattern, a shadow mask unit comprising the effective area 52 in which electron-beam passing holes (slots) are formed and the shadow-mask developed outline 54 having the outer periphery to form a skirt section by bending an ineffective area upward at the margin after press-molding are continuously formed on the low-carbon steel plate 1 and etched to form the slot 53 serving as an electron-beam passing hole. After annealing, leveling, or surface treatment the shadow mask with the slots 53 is cut along the shadow-mask developed outline 54 to form a semi-finished shadow mask 5' and sent to the press molding process. In the press molding process (D), the semifinished shadow mask 5' is press-molded by a mold having a domed external form of the shadow mask to obtain the shadow mask 5 shown in FIG. 4(D). Etched slots formed in the shadow mask for passing the electron beam have their widths increasing or decreasing continuously as they are away from the center. The continuous increase or decrease of the slot width corresponds to the continuous expansion of the electron-beam cross section due to the increase of the deflection angle of an electron bean or the continuous change of the interval between a phosphor layer and a shadow mask tube. When the shadow mask arranged as described above is press-molded, slots closer to the effective border have larger increase rate of the width or length than those in the central portion of the shadow mask. That is, because the deformation force applied to a slot formed at the effective border when it is press-molded is larger than that at the central portion, slots located at the effective border, particularly at the corner section have larger increase rates of the width or length than those at the central portion due to the deformation force. A color cathode ray tube having a shadow mask structure as described has a problem of the so-called decrease of landing tolerance in which the diameter of an electron beam is increased particularly at a corner section and thereby an electron beam is deviated from a predetermined phosphor constituting phosphor mosaic to excite even an adjacent phosphor. As a result, the color purity is deteriorated and therefore a reproduced image with a high image quality cannot be obtained. JP-A-3-62436 discloses a shadow mask where consideration is paid to the slot width of slots in corner regions of the shadow mask. The present invention is made to solve the problems of the prior art and its object is to provide a shadow mask that prevents the abnormal increase in width or length of slots at corners in an effective area. It is another object of the present invention to provide a shadow-mask cathode ray tube that produces a high quality image. This object is solved in accordance with the features of the independent claims. Dependent claims are directed on preferred embodiments of the invention. What is given is a proper relation to the slot shape at the outermost line and slot shapes at lines inside of the outermost line along the horizontal scanning direction among the slots formed in an effective area. Specifically, the above objects are achieved by the following constitutions. 1. The slot width at the outermost line and slot widths at lines inside of the outermost line are set to a proper relation particularly at a corner section. 2. The slot height at the outermost line and slot heights at lines inside of the outermost line are set to a proper relation particularly at a corner section. 3. The width of the so-called bridge for connecting the slot at the outermost line and slots at lines inside of the outermost line in the vertical scanning direction is set to a proper relation particularly at a corner section. By using at least one of the above constitutions or a combination of them, it is possible to prevent the width and length of slots of a shadow mask particularly at its corner section from extremely increased due to the deformation force under press-molding and keep the size of the slot at the corner section after press-molded at a proper value. Therefore, it is possible to adequately secure the landing tolerance of an electron beam and provide a reproduced image with a high quality. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the main portion of a semi-finished shadow mask before press-molded for explaining an embodiment of the shadow mask of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a shadow-mask color cathode ray tube for explanation; FIG. 3a is an illustration of a shadow mask viewed from the electron gun side; FIG. 3b is a cross sectional view of the shadow mask in FIG. 3a, taken along the line X-X of FIG. 3a; and FIGs. 4(A) to 4(D) are schematic process diagrams for roughly explaining a shadow mask manufacturing method. Embodiments of the present invention are described below by referring to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the main portion of a semi-finished shadow mask before press-molded for explaining an embodiment of the shadow mask of the present invention, in which symbol 5' represents a semi-finished shadow mask, 51 represents an effective border, 53 represents a slot, and 54 represents a shadow-mask developed outline. In FIG. 1, the semi-finished shadow mask 5' is already etched as described above in FIG. 4. A plurality of slots 53 are formed in the internal area surrounded by the effective border 51 and the area present between the effective border 51 and the shadow-mask developed outline 54 is a portion serving as the skirt section 50 (FIG. 3) for press-molding. First Embodiment In FIG. 1, slots 53 are formed so that S3<S2, S3<S2' and S3<S1 may be satisfied, where S3 is the slot width of a first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 located at the end of the vertical-scanning-directional outermost line at the corner section in the horizontal scanning direction X-X in the effective area, S2 is the slot width of a second-end electron-beam passing hole 532 located at the end of the line in the vertical scanning direction Y-Y adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the horizontal scanning direction, S2' is the slot width of a third-end electron-beam passing hole 532' adjacent to the second-end electron-beam passing hole 532 in the vertical scanning direction, S1 is the slot width of a fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the vertical scanning direction, B2 is the slot height of the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533, and B1 is the slot height of the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole in the vertical scanning direction. By press-molding the semi-finished shadow mask 5' on which slots are formed, it is possible to obtain an approximately rectangular domed shadow mask in which the slot width at the corner section is set to a proper value. As the result of examining the slot width and slot height of a press-molded shadow mask, it is found that the relation between slot width and slot height same as the case of the semi-finished shadow mask 5' still frequently appears though the slot width and slot height are more uniformed than the case of the semi-finished shadow mask 5'. Thereby the landing tolerance of an electron beam is adequately secured, and it is possible to provide a reproduced image with a high quality. Second Embodiment In Fig. 1, the slot 53 is formed so that the opening shape of an electron beam formed in the effective area is the slot type having a major axis in the vertical scanning direction and the inequality S1<S0 is satisfied, where S3 is the slot width of the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 located at the end of the vertical-scanning-directional outermost line at the horizontal-scanning-directional corner section in the effective area, S2 is the slot width of the second-end electron-beam passing hole 532 located at the end of a vertical-scanning-directional line adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the horizontal scanning direction, S2' is the slot width of the third-end electron-beam passing hole 532' adjacent to the second-end electron-beam passing hole 532 in the vertical scanning direction, S1 is the slot width of the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the vertical scanning direction, S0 is the slot width of a fifth-end electron-beam passing hole 530 located at the central portion of the vertical-scanning-directional outermost line at the center of the effective face area in the horizontal scanning direction, B2 is the slot height of the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533, and B1 is the slot height of the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the vertical scanning direction. Thus, by press-molding the semi-finished shadow mask 5' on which slots are formed, an approximately rectangular domed shadow mask in which the slot width at the corner section is set to a proper value is obtained. A preferable result is obtained by adding the constitution of the first embodiment to the above constitution. As the result of examining the slot width and slot height of a press-molded shadow mask, it is found that the relation between slot width and slot height same as the case of the semi-finished shadow mask 5' still frequently appears though the slot width and slot height are more uniformed than the case of the semi-finished shadow mask 5'. Thereby the landing tolerance of an electron beam is adequately secured, and it is possible to provide a reproduced image with a high quality. Third Embodiment The slots 53 are formed so that the inequality B2<B1 may be satisfied, where S3 is the slot width of the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 located at the end of the vertical-scanning-directional outermost line at the horizontal-scanning-directional corner section in the effective area, S2 is the slot width of the second-end electron-beam passing hole 532 located at the end of a vertical-scanning-directional line adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the horizontal scanning direction, S2' is the slot width of the third-end electron-beam passing hole 532' adjacent to the second-end electron-beam passing hole 532 in the vertical scanning direction, S1 is the slot width of the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the vertical scanning direction, B2 is the slot height of the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533, and B1 is the slot height of the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the vertical scanning direction. Thus, by press-molding the semi-finished shadow mask 5' on which slots are formed, it is possible to obtain an approximately rectangular domed shadow mask in which the slot width at the corner section is set to a proper value. A preferable result is obtained by adding the constitution of the first embodiment to the above constitution. As the result of examining the slot width and slot height of a press-molded shadow mask, it is found that the relation between slot width and slot height same as the case of the semi-finished shadow mask 5' still frequently appears though the slot width and slot height are more uniformed than the case of the semi-finished shadow mask 5'. Thereby the landing tolerance of an electron beam is adequately secured, and it is possible to provide a reproduced image with a high quality. Fourth Embodiment The slots 53 are formed so that the inequalities S3<S2, S3<S2', S3<S1, S1<S0, and B2<B1 may be satisfied, where S3 is the slot width of the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 located at the end of the vertical-scanning-directional horizontal-scanning-directional outermost line at the corner section in the effective area, S2 is the slot width of the second-end electron-beam passing hole 532 located at the end of a vertical-scanning-directional line adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the horizontal scanning direction, S2' is the slot width of the third-end electron-beam passing hole 532' adjacent to the second-end electron-beam passing hole 532 in the vertical scanning direction, S1 is the slot width of the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the vertical scanning direction, S0 is the slot width of the fifth-end electron-beam passing hole 530 located at the central portion of the vertical-scanning-directional outermost line at the center of the effective area in the vertical scanning direction, B2 is the slot height of the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533, and B1 is the slot height of the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the vertical scanning direction. Thus, by press-molding the semi-finished shadow mask 5' on which slots are formed, it is possible to obtain an approximately rectangular domed shadow mask in which the slot width at the corner section is set to a proper value. As the result of examining the slot width and slot height of a press-molded shadow mask, it is found that the relation between slot width and slot height same as the case of the semi-finished shadow mask 5' still frequently appears though the slot width and slot height are more uniformed than the case of the semi-finished shadow mask 5'. Thereby the landing tolerance of an electron beam is adequately secured, and it is possible to provide a reproduced image with a high quality. A slot whose width and height are set is no necessarily restricted to the above first- to fifth-end electron-beam passing holes but it can be applied to each of the above electron-beam passing holes and a slot adjacent to each of them. Fifth Embodiment A portion for connecting slots of each line in the vertical scanning direction is defined as a bridge. The slot 53 is formed so that the opening shape of an electron-beam passing hole formed by having a bridge in the effective area is the slot type having a major axis in the vertical scanning direction and the inequality C2<C1 may be satisfied, where S3 is the slot width of the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 located at the end of the vertical-scanning-directional outermost line at the horizontal-scanning-directional corner section in the effective area, S2 is the slot width of the second-end electron-beam passing hole 532 located at the end of a vertical-scanning-directional line adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the horizontal scanning direction, S2' is the sloth width of the third-end electron-beam passing hole 532' adjacent to the second-end electron-beam passing hole 532 in the vertical scanning direction, S1 is the slot width of the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 in the vertical scanning direction, B2 is the slot height of the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533, B1 is the slot height of the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 adjacent to the first-end electron beam passing hole 533 in the vertical scanning direction, C1 is the bridge width between the first-end electron-beam passing hole 533 and the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 by having a sixth electron-beam passing hole 531' adjacent to the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 in a vertical scanning direction different from the direction of first-end electron-beam passing hole, and C2 is the bridge width between the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole 531 and the sixth-end electron-beam passing hole 531'. Moreover, a preferable result is obtained by adding the relation between slot width and slot height shown in the embodiments 1, 2, 3, and 4 to the relation of the above bridge width. Thus, by press-molding the semi-finished shadow mask 5' on which slots are formed, it is possible to obtain an approximately rectangular domed shadow mask in which the slot width at the corner section is set to a proper value. As the result of examining the slot width and slot height of a press-molded shadow mask, it is found that the relation between slot width and slot height same as the case of the semi-finished shadow mask 5' still frequently appears though the slot width and slot height are more uniformed than the case of the semi-finished shadow mask 5'. Thereby the landing tolerance of an electron beam is adequately secured, and it is possible to provide a reproduced image with a high quality. As described above, the present invention makes it possible to provide a shadow-mask color cathode ray tube for producing a preferable quality image free from color mixture by preventing the width or length of a slot from extremely increasing when a shadow mask is press-molded and thereby controlling the landing diameter of an electron beam to a proper value.

Claims: A shadow mask for a color cathode ray tube, the mask having a substantially rectangular effective area in which a plurality of slot-like electron-beam passing holes are formed in the horizontal and vertical scanning directions of an electron beam and an ineffective area surrounding the effective area, wherein the electron-beam holes formed in the effective area have a slot-like shape and have their major axis directed in the vertical scanning direction, characterized in that the inequations S3 < S2, S3 < S2' and S3 < S1 are satisfied, where S3 is the slot width of a first-end electron-beam passing hole located at the end of an outermost line in vertical scanning direction in the corner section of the effective area, S2 is the slot width of a second-end electron beam passing hole located close to the first-end electron-beam passing hole at the end of a line in vertical scanning direction adjacent to the outermost vertical line, S2' is the slot width of a third-end electron-beam passing hole adjacent to the second-end electron-beam passing hole in the vertical scanning direction, and S1 is the slot width of a fourth-end electron-beam passing hole adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole in the vertical scanning direction. A shadow mask for a color cathode ray tube, the mask being of substantially rectangular shape having a substantially rectangular effective area in which a plurality of slot-like electron-beam passing holes are formed in the horizontal and vertical scanning directions of an electron beam and an ineffective area surrounding the effective area; wherein the electron beam passing holes formed in the effective area have a slot-like shape and have their major axis directed in the vertical scanning direction, characterized in that the inequation C2 < C1 is satisfied, where an electron-beam passing hole located at the end of the outermost vertical line in the corner section of the effective face area defines a first-end electron-beam passing hole, and electron-beam passing hole adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole in the vertical direction defines a fourth-end electron-beam passing hole, an electron-beam passing hole adjacent to the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole in a vertical direction different from the direction of the first-end electron-beam passing hole defines a sixth-end electron-beam passing hole, C1 is the bridge width between the first-end electron-beam passing hole and the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole, and C2 is the bridge width between the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole and the sixth-end electron-beam passing hole. The shadow mask according to claim 2, characterized in that the inequations S3 < S2, S3 < S2', and S3 < S1 are satisfied, where S3 is the slot width of a first-end electron-beam passing hole located at the end of an outermost line in vertical scanning direction in the corner section of the effective area, S2 is the slot width of a second-end electron-beam passing hole located close to the first-end electron-beam passing hole at the end of a line in vertical scanning direction adjacent to the outermost vertical line, S2' is the slot width of a third-end electron-beam passing hole adjacent to the second-end electron-beam passing hole in the vertical scanning direction, and S1 is the slot width of a fourth-end electron-beam passing hole adjacent to the first-end electron-beam passing hole in the vertical scanning direction. The shadow mask according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the inequation S1 < S0 is satisfied, where S0 is the slot width of a fifth-end electron-beam passing hole located at the central portion of the outermost line in vertical scanning direction. The shadow mask according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that the inequation B2 < B1 is satisfied, where B2 is the slot height of the first-end electron-beam passing hole and B1 is the slot height of the fourth-end electron-beam passing hole. A shadow mask color cathode ray tube having a shadow mask for selectively passing a plurality of electron beams coming from an electron gun to land them on their corresponding phosphors of different colors constituting a screen, characterized in that the shadow mask is as defined in one of the claims 1 to 5.

Inventors: HOSOTANI NOBUHIKO, HOSOTANI, NOBUHIKO
Applicants: HITACHI LTD, HITACHI, LTD.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: H01J29
IPC codes: H01J31, H01J29