Patents Assigned to Shinoda Plasma Corporation
  • Patent number: 8816938
    Abstract: A large-scale display device having a plurality of display units which each include a plurality of elongated plasma tubes each filled with a discharge gas, and at least one pair of display electrodes disposed outside the plasma tubes, voltage applying means which applies a drive voltage to the display electrodes to cause electric discharge in the plasma tubes for display. Vertically adjoining ones of the display units respectively have adjoining portions which are offset thicknesswise from each other for prevention of contact between the plasma tubes of the vertically adjoining display units. The voltage applying means is disposed away from the adjoining portions of the vertically adjoining display units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Tamura, Hitoshi Hirakawa, Koji Shinohe, Yoshio Shibukawa, Takamitsu Bunno, Kenji Awamoto, Yoko Shinoda, Tetsuya Makino
  • Patent number: 8305292
    Abstract: A large-scale display device having a plurality of display units which each include a plurality of elongated plasma tubes each filled with a discharge gas, and at least one pair of display electrodes disposed outside the plasma tubes, voltage applying means which applies a drive voltage to the display electrodes to cause electric discharge in the plasma tubes for display. Vertically adjoining ones of the display units respectively have adjoining portions which are offset thicknesswise from each other for prevention of contact between the plasma tubes of the vertically adjoining display units. The voltage applying means is disposed away from the adjoining portions of the vertically adjoining display units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Tamura, Hitoshi Hirakawa, Koji Shinohe, Yoshio Shibukawa, Takamitsu Bunno, Tetsuya Makino, Kenji Awamoto, Yoko Shinoda
  • Patent number: 8076850
    Abstract: A light emitting tube array is provided which includes: front and rear plates; and a plurality of elongated light emitting tubes each filled with a discharge gas and disposed parallel to each other between the front and rear plates, the front plate being transparent and having an enough rigidity to support the light emitting tubes, the front plate including at least one pair of display electrodes provided thereon in contact with the light emitting tubes as extending perpendicularly to the light emitting tube, the rear plate having an enough flexibility to adapt to variation in sectional dimensions of the light emitting tubes, the rear plate including address electrodes provided thereon in contact with the respective light emitting tubes as extending longitudinally of the light emitting tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Shibukawa, Koji Shinohe, Hitoshi Hirakawa, Kenji Awamoto
  • Patent number: 8008847
    Abstract: A gas discharge tube is manufactured by closing an opening of a glass tube by forming a glass layer with outer peripheral shape identical to the outer peripheral shape of the glass tube on an end face of the glass tube. An open end face (opening) of the glass tube is pressure-welded to a dry film containing a low melting point glass powder and a binder resin, and then the glass tube is lifted up to transfer the dry film for closing the opening to the end face of the glass tube. A phosphor support member is inserted into the glass tube from a side opposite to the end face and then an end of the phosphor support member is caused to adhere to the dry film. The binder resin is burnt off, and the dry film is vitrified to produce a low melting point glass layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Tokai, Hitoshi Yamada, Kenji Awamoto
  • Patent number: 7746297
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of driving a gas discharge display apparatus for displaying gray-scale display levels finer than those achieved by the conventional methods, and also to provide a gas discharge display apparatus with a driver capable of performing such a driving method. An opposed discharge between the sustaining electrode and the address electrode in addition to the conventional surface discharge is generated for the light emission from the fluorescent material in light emitting tubes. The method and the apparatus effect improvements in finer gray-scale display levels than those by the conventional methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hirakawa, Manabu Ishimoto, Kenji Awamoto
  • Publication number: 20090278437
    Abstract: A light emitting string is produced by forming a fluorescent layer on a fluorescent layer support member having an opening and configured such as to protect the fluorescent layer, and inserting the fluorescent layer support member into a minute tube. Therefore, when the fluorescent layer support member is inserted into the minute tube, the fluorescent layer is prevented from contacting the interior wall of the minute tube. This prevents the chipping, the separation and the cracking of the fluorescent layer, thereby improving the yield in production of plasma light emitting strings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke Yamazaki, Kenji Awamoto
  • Publication number: 20090206725
    Abstract: A discharge tube array includes a plurality of elongated discharge tubes (10) each including an internal fluorescent layer. The discharge tubes (10), arranged in parallel, are sandwiched between paired substrates (20, 21). One of the substrate (20) is provided with a plurality of display electrodes (30) each extending across the discharge tubes (10). A plurality of connection terminals (14) are formed on the tube wall of the outermost one of the discharge tubes (10), to be connected with the display electrodes (30). The connection terminals (14) are primarily for electrical connection with the display electrodes of another discharge tube array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hirakawa, Manabu Ishimoto, Kenji Awamoto
  • Publication number: 20090134808
    Abstract: A discharge tube array includes a plurality of narrow discharge tubes (10) each provided with an internal fluorescent layer (13). The array also includes a holder (20) formed with a hollow portion (21) for holding the discharge tubes (10) in a mutually parallel state, where the discharge tubes (10) are removably inserted into the hollow portion (21). The holder (20) is provided with a plurality of first electrodes (23) disposed along the discharge tubes (10), and with a plurality of second electrodes (24A, 24B) opposing the first electrodes (23) across the hollow portion (21) and extending in a direction intersecting with the first electrodes (23).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Shinohe, Manabu Ishimoto, Kenji Awamoto
  • Publication number: 20090108725
    Abstract: A three-electrode surface discharge display (1) of the present invention includes: a plurality of parallel discharge tubes (10) to provide a panel-like effective display area (S); a plurality of display electrode pairs disposed on one surface-side of the discharge tubes (10) across the discharge tubes (10), with each display electrode pair composed of a pair of parallel electrodes (X, Y); and addressing electrodes (A) disposed along the discharge tubes on the other surface-side of the discharge tubes (10). A dummy electrode pair, provided outside the effective display area (S) and parallel to the endmost display electrode pair in the effective display area (S), is composed of dummy electrodes (DX, DY) corresponding to the sustaining electrode (X) and the scanning electrode (Y), respectively. The dummy electrode (DY) is electrically connected with the scanning electrode (Y(1)) of the endmost display electrode pair in the effective display area (S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: SHINODA PLASMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hirakawa, Manabu Ishimoto, Kenji Awamoto
  • Patent number: 7524229
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a gas discharge tube by closing an opening of a glass tube by forming a glass layer with outer peripheral shape identical to the outer peripheral shape of the glass tube on an end face of the glass tube. An open end face (opening) of the glass tube is pressure-welded to a dry film containing a low melting point glass powder and a binder resin, and then the glass tube is lifted up to transfer the dry film for closing the opening to the end face of the glass tube. A phosphor support member is inserted into the glass tube from a side opposite to the end face and then an end of the phosphor support member is caused to adhere to the dry film. The binder resin is burnt off, and the dry film is vitrified to produce a low melting point glass layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Tokai, Hitoshi Yamada, Kenji Awamoto
  • Patent number: 7479736
    Abstract: A display device capable of realizing a desired color temperature is provided. Phosphor layers 5a, 5b and 5c, which are excited by ultraviolet radiation produced by discharge and emit red, green and blue visible light, are formed inside a red, green and blue gas discharge tube 1a, 1b, and 1c, respectively. The height Yc of the phosphor layer 5c with respect to a rear support body 20 is higher than the heights Ya and Yb of the phosphor layers 5a and 5b with respect to the rear support member 20, and establishes the relationship Yc>Ya=Yb. Therefore, the distance from the phosphor layer 5c to the opposite discharge surface on a front support body is shorter than those from the phosphor layers 5a and 5b, the visible light emitted from the display device 10 is shifted toward blue, that is, the color temperature increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Shinohe, Manabu Ishimoto, Kenji Awamoto, Hitoshi Yamada, Akira Tokai, Yosuke Yamazaki, Hitoshi Hirakawa
  • Publication number: 20080297447
    Abstract: A display device (10) includes: a scan drive circuit (74) operating to apply scan voltages to respective ones of the display electrodes (2, Y1-Yn) during a first period of time, and apply sustain voltage pulses to the ones of the display electrodes (2, Y1-Yn) during a second period of time; a sustain voltage circuit (64) applying a potential for a sustain voltage pulse between two inputs of said scan drive circuit through two respective signal lines (SU, SD) during said second period of time; a switch (SW1) short-circuiting the two input terminals of said scan drive circuit during said second period of time; and a switch control circuit (604) causing said short-circuiting switch to operate. The switch control circuit provides a control signal (SW_CTRL) to operate said short-circuiting switch so as to short-circuit the two input terminals during said second period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: SHINODA PLASMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Awamoto, Manabu Ishimoto, Hitoshi Hirakawa, Koji Shinohe
  • Publication number: 20080224590
    Abstract: A gas discharge tube is manufactured by closing an opening of a glass tube by forming a glass layer with outer peripheral shape identical to the outer peripheral shape of the glass tube on an end face of the glass tube. An open end face (opening) of the glass tube is pressure-welded to a dry film containing a low melting point glass powder and a binder resin, and then the glass tube is lifted up to transfer the dry film for closing the opening to the end face of the glass tube. A phosphor support member is inserted into the glass tube from a side opposite to the end face and then an end of the phosphor support member is caused to adhere to the dry film. The binder resin is burnt off, and the dry film is vitrified to produce a low melting point glass layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Tokai, Hitoshi Yamada, Kenji Awamoto
  • Publication number: 20080079346
    Abstract: In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a color display device (10) includes a plurality of gas discharge tubes disposed side by side. The gas discharge tubes have respective phosphor layers (4R, 4G, 4B) of different materials for different colors disposed therein and containing discharge gas therein. Each of the gas discharge tubes has a plurality of light-emitting points disposed along the length thereof. The color display device further includes a plurality of display electrodes disposed on the display screen side of the gas discharge tubes, and a plurality of signal electrodes (3) disposed on the rear side of the gas discharge tubes. Voltage control layers (6R, 6G, 6B) are disposed between the phosphor layers and the signal electrodes. The voltage control layers are made of materials which change firing voltages applied between the display electrodes and the signal electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: SHINODA PLASMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manabu Ishimoto, Hitoshi Hirakawa, Kenji Awamoto, Hitoshi Yamada, Akira Tokai
  • Patent number: 7339312
    Abstract: A gas discharge tube includes a thin tube having a discharge space therein and an electron emissive coating formed within the thin tube. The thin tube has a display surface on which a pair of display electrodes is adapted to be disposed, and has a rear surface on which a signal electrode is adapted to be disposed. A surface portion facing toward the display surface is formed within the thin tube at a location nearer to the display surface from the midway between the display and rear surfaces. An electron emissive coating is formed on the surface portion. Thus the gas discharge tube can reduce its firing voltage without lowering the light-emission efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yamada, Akira Tokai, Kenji Awamoto
  • Patent number: 7335322
    Abstract: A photochromic includes a laminated film including a composite oxide film composed of at least two elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, and Sn, and the group consisting of Mg, Al, and Si, respectively, and a transparent conductive film, wherein the light transmission property is changed by UV irradiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nakazawa, Tsutae Shinoda
  • Patent number: 7336027
    Abstract: A plasma tube array according to the present invention includes plural light emitting tubes that have fluorescent material layers inside and are mutually lined up in parallel. The plasma tube array includes pairs of display electrodes that are formed along the respective fluorescent material layers. The fluorescent material layers are disposed in sequence in the longitudinal direction of the light emitting tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke Yamazaki, Manabu Ishimoto, Hitoshi Yamada, Hitoshi Hirakawa, Akira Tokai, Koji Shinohe, Kenji Awamoto
  • Publication number: 20080024049
    Abstract: A plasma tube array includes a front supporting substrate, a back supporting substrate, display electrode pairs and signal electrodes, and wirings. The front supporting substrate and the back supporting substrate overlap each other, with a discharge space formed therebetween. The display electrode pairs are formed on the inner surface of the front supporting substrate. The signal electrodes are formed on the back substrate. The plasma tube array displays an image by allowing light to be emitted by applying a voltage to the signal electrodes and the display electrode pairs. The wirings are formed on an outer surface of the front supporting substrate so as to correspond respectively to the display electrodes. The wirings extend parallel to the display electrodes, and are connected to the corresponding display electrodes, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: SHINODA PLASMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hirakawa, Manabu Ishimoto, Kenji Awamoto
  • Publication number: 20080007150
    Abstract: A plasma tube array in which a number of arc each including a phosphor layer inside are arranged. The plasma tube array displays an image by causing discharge inside the arc tubes so that the phosphor layers inside the arc tubes are allowed to emit light. This plasma tube array has a structure with which phosphor layers can be easily aligned in a predetermined direction. The plasma tube array includes alignment members, each of which is disposed at one end of a corresponding one of the arc tubes, and which regulate the postures in a rotational direction of the respective arc tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Applicant: SHINODA PLASMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yosuke Yamazaki, Akira Tokai, Kenji Awamoto
  • Patent number: 7315121
    Abstract: An arc tube array-type display device includes an arc tube array, a supporting member, a plurality of display electrodes, a plurality of scan electrodes, and a plurality of address electrodes. The arc tube array has a plurality of arc tubes arranged side by side. Each of the arc tubes has a discharging gas sealed therein. The supporting member supports the arc tube array. The plurality of display electrodes are arranged at an adjacent portion between the arc tubes, and generate an opposing discharge inside the arc tube by applying voltages to each of the arc tubes from both of the side faces. The plurality of scan electrodes are arranged on the display surface side of the arc tube in a stripe form in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the arc tube so as to form light-emitting areas at intersecting portions against the arc tubes. The plurality of address electrodes are used for selecting light-emitting areas arranged on the back surface side of the respective arc tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Shinoda Plasma Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hirakawa, Manabu Ishimoto, Kenji Awamoto