The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 31, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 01, 1996
Shin-Puu Jeng, Plano, TX (US);
Johnson J Lin, Plano, TX (US);
Bruce E Gnade, Dallas, TX (US);
Dennis I Robbins, Richardson, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
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.