Zenith Electronics Corporation

Zenith Radio Corporation

Miner Enterprises, Inc.

Paul Strauss

Robert J Adler

James R Fendley

Charles J Prazak

Johann Steiner

Howard G Lange

Lawrence W Dougherty

John M Jarosz

William A Rowe

Richard J Duchek

John H Coult

Kazimir Palac

Leonard Dietch

Richard L Hockenbrock

Johan Steiner

Karl H Horn

Direct contact printing methods and apparatuses are disclosed for applying screen elements to cathode ray tube (CRT) faceplates. A black-surround, or grille, is first applied to the faceplate, followed by deposition of light-emissive phosphors thereon. Means for repeatable positioning of the screen elements on the faceplate, means for registration of the screen elements with each other, and means for maintaining screen element shape and size are also disclosed. Effective pivot axes for the collector are arranged to lie in the plane of the printing substrates.

Method and apparatus for direct contact printing screens on CRT

A localized grinder is traversed in series over flat tension mask support rails affixed to a CRT front panel to produce a constant 'Q'-height on the mask support surface above the rails. A local measuring device is used to develop point-specific rail height information relative to the screen edges for operation of the grinder in order to ascertain an effective 'Q'-height measurement from the panel surface.

Rail following 'Q'-height grinder

A production system is disclosed for registering flat tension masks to screen bearing face panels in the manufacture of cathode ray tubes. Both the panel and mask are supported in modules with identical registration features at loading stations and alternately conveyed to an assembly station with a top mounted laser welder for welding the mask to panel rails. A lift assembly up loads the modules into the assembly station where they are registered with the same registration elements. Screen location on the panel is interrogated by panel module associated cameras that view spaced fiducial marks on the panel previously located with respect to the screen. Mask interrogation is also accomplished by a camera array. Early screen interrogation enables the mask to be preliminarily positioned very close to final positioning.

System for registering and assembling tension masks and CRT faceplates

An apparatus and method for differentially stretching a flat tension mask to register apertures in the mask with an undedicated screen on a CRT faceplate. Stretching is accomplished biaxially on the mask with a plurality of separate clamping elements along all four sides of the mask. Various methods and means are disclosed for applying a fixed ratio of forces to the clamps to maintain strain in the mask substantially uniform across the entire mask, such as a 'wiffle tree' linkage and selected spring rate springs. Growth of the mask during stretching is accommodated by allowing the clamps to move laterally or perpendicular to the stretching forces. Fragile slit aperture masks are stretched with clamps having tangential component stretching forces. Individual and/or groups of clamps can be controlled independently of others to correct for localized mask or screen defects. The clamps move in unison toward the mask to a clamp engagement position where they are precisely aligned in a starting position. With the mask precisely located and held, the clamps are engaged. The clamps and mask are then released by their aligning devices and stretching begins.

Method and apparatus for stretching interchangeable tension masks in

An anvil having a uniquely configurable support surface is provided for use in the manufacture of a face panel for a tension mask color cathode ray tube. The anvil is uniquely configurable for the panel and provides for contacting and conformably supporting the panel and preserving its intrinsic contour against gravitational deflection or other loading.

Conformable anvil for supporting in-process face panels of tension mask

Process and apparatus are disclosed for use in the manufacture of a color cathode ray tube having a shadow mask with a central pattern of apertures mounted in tension on a transparent flat front panel. The mask aperture pattern is registered with a cathodoluminescent screen pattern of corresponding geometry and position on an inner surface of the panel. The shadow masks and front panels are respectively interchangeable. In a preferred arrangement, signals are developed which are indicative of the positions of a mechanically stretched mask aperture pattern and an associated front panel screen pattern relative to a reference or to each other. Responsive to such signals, there is effected a relative positioning of the mask and screen until registration between the patterns is achieved.

Method and apparatus for making flat tension mask color cathode ray tubes

A method is disclosed for use in the manufacture of a color cathode ray tube having a foil tension mask with a central pattern of apertures. A transparent flat front panel has a cathodoluminescent screen pattern on its inner surface. A plurality of mask support means, located on opposed sides of the screen pattern, have respective mask-receiving surfaces for receiving a shadow mask in tension. Q-height error data is developed according to the invention, and the aperture pattern of the mask in expanded and positioned in response to the error data to compensate for errors in Q-height to bring the mask apertures into registry with the screen pattern. Apparatus for measuring Q-height is also disclosed.

A mounting arrangement for a foil shadow mask includes a plurality of elongated, generally linear spacers affixed to an inner surface of the flat glass faceplate of a color cathode ray tube (CRT) and arranged in a generally rectangular array. Attached to each spacer substantially along the length thereof is a respective elongated mounting spring. Each mounting spring includes a first portion attached to its associated spacer and a second flexible, resilient U-shaped portion to which a mask anchor is securely attached. Each peripheral edge portion of the foil shadow mask is attached to a respective mask anchor for maintaining the foil shadow mask in registration with light emitting phosphor elements on the CRT's faceplate. The mounting springs allow the glass faceplate as well as glass-based spacers to which the mounting springs are attached to expand during high temperature processing encountered in CRT fabrication without exceeding the foil shadow mask's tensile stress limits while maintaining the foil shadow mask in registration with the phosphor elements during lower temperature operation. Another embodiment contemplates a monolithic bi-metallic structure attached to the glass faceplate as well as to the foil shadow mask which is inflexible at lower operating temperatures to maintain the foil shadow mask in registration yet flexes at higher CRT processing temperatures during manufacture to allow for expansion of the glass faceplate without exceeding mask tensile stress limits.

Foil shadow mask mounting with low thermal expansion coefficient

Process and apparatus are disclosed for use in the manufacture of a color cathode ray tube having a shadow mask with a central pattern of apertures mounted in tension on a transparent flat front panel. The mask aperture pattern is registered with a catholdoluminescent screen pattern of corresponding geometry and position on an inner surface of the panel. The shadow masks and front panels are respectively interchangeable. Signals are developed which are indicative of the positions of a mechanically stretched mask aperture pattern and an associated front panel screen pattern relative to a reference or to each other. Responsive to such signals, there is effected a relative positioning of the mask and screen until registration between the patterns is achieved.

A slit-type foil tension mask and associated front assembly for a color cathode ray tube comprise a series of parallel strips separated by slits. The strips are loosely coupled by widely spaced ties, the wide tie spacing being such as to produce a strip coupling which promotes handleability of the mask during mask and tube fabrication and facilitates damping of strip vibration when mounted in a tube, but which is insufficient to induce unacceptable Poisson contraction of the mask when uniaxially tensed along the direction of the strips in the plane of the mask, or to permit an unacceptable thermal expansion perpendicular to said strips.

Method of manufacturing a tied slit mask CRT

Tied slit mask for color cathode ray tubes

A reusable factory fixture frame is disclosed for use in the manufacture of a color cathode ray tube having a flat faceplate and a tensed foil shadow mask. The frame provides for mounting an in-process shadow mask during photoexposure of an in-process faceplate in a lighthouse. The frame includes a generally rectangular frame structure having grooves thereabout for receiving an edge of the shadow mask. Quick-release mechanical spring clips are provided for temporarily and removably supporting the in-process shadow mask in tension in the grooves. The shadow mask is heated and allowed to expand prior to being temporarily and removably supported on the frame, and the shadow mask is allowed to cool and shrink in tension while so being supported to effect tensing of the shadow mask in clamped condition on the frame.

Factory fixture frame with means for temporarily and removably

This disclosure describes method and apparatus useful in the manufacture of shadow mask color cathode ray tubes of the flat tension mask type, wherein the shadow masks and associated glass front panels are respectively interchangeable during mask-panel assembly.

Methods and apparatus for making flat tension mask color cathode ray

A front assembly is disclosed for a tension mask color cathode ray tube. The assembly comprises a faceplate having a tensed foil shadow mask supported by mask support means, and means for shielding the faceplate from a high-energy beam used to trim waste material from the mask following its attachment to the mask support means.

Front assembly for a tension mask color cathode ray tube having a

Improved bonding in a cathode ray tube (CRT) between its glass funnel and glass faceplate is achieved by applying a thin base layer of a priming agent to an aft portion of the faceplate adjacent to the periphery thereof as well as to the forward edge of the funnel prior to positioning of the CRT components in contact. An intermediate layer of sealing glass frit is then deposited upon either of the aforementioned layers of the priming agent and adheres to the two priming agent layers without forming a re-entrant geometry. By 'priming' the two abutting glass surfaces over an area which extends beyond the area of high loading with the priming agent prior to joining these surfaces, bond integrity is ensured and high stress concentration in the seal is avoided. The sealing glass frit may be comprised of a conventional glass cement paste and is also used as the priming agent in a preferred embodiment. The improved bonding method may also be used to bond a shadow mask support structure to the faceplate's inner surface or other CRT components to each other. Improved CRT components and assemblies made by the disclosed method are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Chicago, IL, United States of America

Paul Strauss