Patent · US Expired

Method of forming spacers for a flat display apparatus

US5733160A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
18References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 1, 1996
Grant dateMar 31, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 1, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2329/8625
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method disclosed herein for making a spacer 30 useful for maintaining a fixed spacing between the cathode 12 and anode 10 structures of a flat display. The method includes the steps of melting an end of a glass filament 40 held in the bore of a capillary 42, urging the melted end 46 against the surface 23 of the cathode structure 12 to form a bond thereon, and severing the filament 40 at a fixed distance h from the surface 23 to thereby form an upright spacer 30. The severing step may be accomplished by tilting or twisting the capillary 42 until the filament 40 is severed, or by cutting the filament 40 with a torch flame 54. The bonding process may be enhanced by preheating the cathode structure 12 and/or by subjecting the cathode structure 12 to ultrasonic vibration during bonding.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.