Patents by Inventor Alan Weir Bucher

Alan Weir Bucher has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20040066130
    Abstract: A color picture tube has a compliant tension mask frame assembly mounted within said tube. The tension mask frame assembly includes a peripheral frame including opposing side support frame members is attached to the peripheral frame at a single location and the mask is attached to longitudinal edges of the intermediate members. Further included are clips that serve as guides for holding the intermediate members. Further included are clips that serve as guides for holding the intermediate members to the frame while permitting expansion of the frame relative to the intermediate members and permitting compliance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Inventor: Alan Weir Bucher
  • Patent number: 6683401
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved tension mask frame assembly 10 in which mask support members 40 are provided with side walls 42, 46 and a back wall 44 that are held together primarily by means of either tabs formed along an edge of the back wall 48 received into respective apertures 50 in the side wall 42 or by means of a ridge 69 formed in the side wall 62 which abuts the back wall 64.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventors: Istvan Gorog, Walter David Masterton, Alan Weir Bucher
  • Publication number: 20030209965
    Abstract: A cathode ray tube includes an evacuated envelope having a substantially rectangular faceplate panel with two diagonal axes that extend between the opposing corners of the panel. The panel includes a mask-frame assembly having a frame with two opposing long sides and two opposing short sides forming a continuous mask support frame. The frame is mounted within the tube by brackets located near the corners of the frame. Each bracket is adjustably secured along the short sides of the frame and includes a flat surface section extending normal to the diagonal axes of the panel. A spring clip assembly is secured to the flat surface section of the bracket for engaging a stud affixed to the panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventor: Alan Weir Bucher
  • Patent number: 6639344
    Abstract: The present invention provides a focus mask and frame assembly for a cathode ray tube. The cathode ray tube includes an evacuated envelope enclosing a luminescent screen, a focus mask, and a support frame having at least two long sides for supporting the focus mask between the electron gun and the screen within the cathode ray tube. The focus mask has an active array area formed of a plurality of strands and cross wires separated by an insulating material and defining a plurality of focusing apertures within the array area. A border is attached to the strands opposite the insulating material along the upper and lower outer edges of the active array area. The borders extend into the active array area such that the cross wires overlie a portion of the borders and the borders form focusing apertures with the strands along the upper and lower edges of the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S. A.
    Inventors: Alan Weir Bucher, Edward Richard Garrity, Jr., Donald Walter Bartch, James Francis Edwards
  • Publication number: 20030111949
    Abstract: The present invention provides a focus mask and frame assembly for a cathode ray tube. The cathode ray tube includes an evacuated envelope enclosing a luminescent screen, a focus mask, and a support frame having at least two long sides for supporting the focus mask between the electron gun and the screen within the cathode ray tube. The focus mask has an active array area formed of a plurality of strands and cross wires separated by an insulating material and defining a plurality of focusing apertures within the array area. A border is attached to the strands opposite the insulating material along the upper and lower outer edges of the active array area. The borders extend into the active array area such that the cross wires overlie a portion of the borders and the borders form focusing apertures with the strands along the upper and lower edges of the array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2001
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: Alan Weir Bucher, Edward Richard Garrity, Donald Walter Bartch, James Francis Edwards
  • Patent number: 6573645
    Abstract: A detensioning mask frame assembly for a cathode-ray tube including a subframe constructed of support members that provide a support structure for mask holding blades is disclosed. The support members have different temperature coefficients of expansion, such that when heated, the support members are deflected with different thermal expansion rates causing the mask holding blades to move toward each other, and as such, relieve tension from the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventor: Alan Weir Bucher
  • Patent number: 6570312
    Abstract: The invention provides a tension mask support frame assembly having a pair of support blade members attached to a frame. The support blade members are attached to opposite sides of the frame at a central location whereby each support blade member has a pair of distal ends extending from the central attachment point. A damping scrubber is disposed in the space between the support blade member and the frame near a distal end of the support blade members. Vibrations in the tension mask are thereby reduced through the transfer of the vibrations to the frame through rubbing action of the damping scrubbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S. A.
    Inventors: Joey John Michalchuk, Alan Weir Bucher
  • Publication number: 20030048063
    Abstract: The invention provides a tension mask support frame assembly having a pair of support blade members attached to a frame. The support blade members are attached to opposite sides of the frame at a central location whereby each support blade member has a pair of distal ends extending from the central attachment point. A damping scrubber is disposed in the space between the support blade member and the frame near a distal end of the support blade members. Vibrations in the tension mask are thereby reduced through the transfer of the vibrations to the frame through rubbing action of the damping scrubbers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Joey John Michalchuk, Alan Weir Bucher
  • Publication number: 20030038579
    Abstract: A cathode ray tube includes a tension mask attached to a rectangular mask frame assembly that has two longs sides paralleling a central major axis thereof and two short sides paralleling a central minor axis thereof. A pair of support blade members are attached each to one of the long or short sides at a central location. Each support blade member includes an inner edge having of a plurality of first sides formed from a relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion material and an outer edge having a second side formed of a material having a relatively high coefficient of thermal expansion. Each edge having a centroid separated from each other along the minor axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2001
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Inventor: Alan Weir Bucher
  • Publication number: 20030006686
    Abstract: A cathode ray tube includes a tension mask attached to a rectangular mask frame assembly that has two long sides paralleling a central major axis thereof and two short sides paralleling a central minor axis thereof. The two long sides are disposed at generally a right angle with respect to the two short sides with each of the sides connected to form a continuous generally planar support frame having an inner and outer peripheral surface. The support frame is formed of a material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and includes a detensioning member formed of a second coefficient of thermal expansion on the peripheral surface of at least one side of the frame to facilitate detensioning of the mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventor: Alan Weir Bucher
  • Publication number: 20020190628
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved support blade structure 40 for use on a tension mask frame assembly 10. The support blade structure 40 is formed of a material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and includes fastening portions 51 and an insert member 60 connected at a generally central location to the support blade structure 40. The insert member 60 is formed of a material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion and has a plurality of apertures 62, 64 extending in a row along its length. The aperatures 62, 64 are dimensioned to be larger than the fastening portions 51 passing therethrough to loosely connect the insert member 60 to the support blade structure 40. This allows the insert member 60 to be connected at the center while it's ends are free to slide relative to the support blade structure 40 during thermal cycling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventor: Alan Weir Bucher
  • Publication number: 20020190627
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved tension mask frame assembly 10 in which mask support members 40 are provided with side walls 42, 46 and a back wall 44 that are held together primarily by means of either tabs formed along an edge of the back wall 48 received into respective apertures 50 in the side wall 42 or by means of a ridge 69 formed in the side wall 62 which abuts the back wall 64.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Istvan Gorog, Walter David Masterton, Alan Weir Bucher
  • Patent number: 6280276
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of attaching a tension mask to a frame to achieve desired tensions at a plurality of locations across the mask, wherein the frame has two opposite sides between which the mask is to be attached. Specific forces are applied from each of a plurality of separate actuators at positions, along each of the two opposite sides of the frame, that affect the mask tensions respectively at the plurality of locations across the mask. Each of the actuators is individually controlled to apply a specific force to a frame side that is directly related to the desired mask tension required at a particular mask location. While the specific forces are applied by the actuators, the mask is attached to the two opposite sides of the frame. Thereafter, the forces on the sides are released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventors: Alan Weir Bucher, Frank Rowland Ragland, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6157118
    Abstract: A cathode-ray tube has an internal magnetic shield and at least one contact spring attached to the shield. The shield includes a land with an outer edge and an inner edge. The spring includes two portions, a clasp portion attached to the shield at the land, and a contact leaf portion. The clasp portion includes a flat body with a reverse bend hook at a first end, and a latch at an end opposite to the first end. The hook engages the outer edge of the land, and the latch engages the inner edge of the land. The leaf portion is connected to and extends from the latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventor: Alan Weir Bucher