Patents by Inventor Kanji Imai

Kanji Imai 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).

  • Patent number: 6825610
    Abstract: The invention presents a carbon ink with high electric field emission efficiency that can be applied in an inexpensive printing process suitable for mass production, an improved electron-emitting element for an image display device, and a method for manufacturing the electron-emitting element. The invention also presents an image display device with high image quality and efficiency using this electron-emitting element. The image display device includes a patterned conductor on a substrate, and electron-emitting elements made by applying, to predetermined positions of the conductor, a carbon ink made into a paste with an organic binder and a solvent, the ink comprising (i) carbon particles having a 6-membered carbon ring, and (ii) support particles for supporting the carbon particles, and firing the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanji Imai, Kohji Matsuo, Tomohiro Sekiguchi, Mitsunori Yokomakura
  • Publication number: 20040051433
    Abstract: The invention presents a carbon ink with high electric field emission efficiency that can be applied in an inexpensive printing process suitable for mass production, an improved electron-emitting element for an image display device, and a method for manufacturing the electron-emitting element. The invention also presents an image display device with high image quality and efficiency using this electron-emitting element. The image display device includes a patterned conductor on a substrate, and electron-emitting elements made by applying, to predetermined positions of the conductor, a carbon ink made into a paste with an organic binder and a solvent, the ink comprising (i) carbon particles having a 6-membered carbon ring, and (ii) support particles for supporting the carbon particles, and firing the ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kanji Imai, Kohji Matsuo, Tomohiro Sekiguchi, Mitsunori Yokomakura
  • Patent number: 6692327
    Abstract: An electron emission element includes a substrate, a cathode electrode formed on the substrate, an anode electrode disposed so as to be opposed to the cathode electrode, an electron emission member disposed on the cathode electrode, a control electrode disposed between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode, and an insulating layer. The electron emission member includes a first member having a hole and a second member filling the hole, wherein the second member is more likely to emit electrons than the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Deguchi, Makoto Kitabatake, Kanji Imai, Tomohiro Sekiguchi, Hideo Kurokawa, Keisuke Koga, Tetsuya Shiratori, Toru Kawase
  • Patent number: 6653366
    Abstract: The invention presents a carbon ink with high electric field emission efficiency that can be applied in an inexpensive printing process suitable for mass production, an improved electron-emitting element for an image display device, and a method for manufacturing the electron-emitting element. The invention also presents an image display device with high image quality and efficiency using this electron-emitting element. The image display device includes a patterned conductor on a substrate, and electron-emitting elements made by applying, to predetermined positions of the conductor, a carbon ink made into a paste with an organic binder and a solvent, the ink comprising (i) carbon particles having a 6-membered carbon ring, and (ii) support particles for supporting the carbon particles, and firing the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanji Imai, Kohji Matsuo, Tomohiro Sekiguchi, Mitsunori Yokomakura
  • Patent number: 6630782
    Abstract: An image display apparatus comprises, in a vacuum container formed by a rear container and a front glass container, a fluorescent layer, an electron emission source, electrodes to control electron beams emitted from the electron emission source. The electrodes are formed by stringing wires on frames made of a resilient material, and the frames on which the wires are strung have respectively pairs of opposing sides that are flat plates formed on the same surface. The electrodes that are free from waviness or warping have high flatness, control the focusing and deflection of the electron beams appropriately, and prevent deviation of the landing positions of the electron beams and errors including error irradiation. Such an image display apparatus can provide excellent images and high resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Nakatani, Takatsugu Kurata, Kanji Imai
  • Patent number: 6400091
    Abstract: An electron emission element of the present invention includes a substrate, a cathode formed on the substrate, an anode opposed to the cathode, an electron emission member disposed on the cathode, and a control electrode disposed between the cathode and the anode. During operation, the electric field intensity immediately above the electron emission member is lower than that between the control electrode and the anode. Alternatively, the spatial average of an electric field intensity between the electron emission member and the control electrode is smaller than that between the control electrode and the anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Deguchi, Makoto Kitabatake, Kanji Imai, Tomohiro Sekiguchi, Hideo Kurokawa, Keisuke Koga, Tetsuya Shiratori, Toru Kawase
  • Patent number: 6320310
    Abstract: In an image display apparatus comprising a fluorescent layer formed on the inner surface of a vacuum container, an electron emission source, and a supporting member sandwiched between the fluorescent layer and the electron emission source so that the fluorescent layer and the electron emission source are kept in parallel, a displacement preventing system is provided to prevent displacement of the electron beams emitted from the electron sources caused by the charging of the supporting member. More specifically, the supporting member may be composed of an insulating portion contacting with the electron emission source and a conducting portion contacting with the fluorescent layer. An electrode portion may be provided between the insulating portion and the conductive portion. Electron sources are arranged on the insulating substrate so that the electron beams emitted from the electron sources will be landed on the fluorescent layer with an equal pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kanji Imai, Michiaki Watanabe, Hiroshi Aono, Yasuhiko Sakai
  • Patent number: 6236381
    Abstract: An image display apparatus comprises, in a vacuum container whose inside is kept under vacuum, a fluorescent layer, an electron emission source having a plurality of electron sources, a deflecting electrode to deflect electron beams emitted from the electron emission source, and an ultrafocusing electrode to focus the electron beams and land the focused electron beams on predetermined positions of the fluorescent layer. The ultrafocusing electrode is arranged between the electron emission source and the fluorescent layer while the deflecting electrode is arranged between the electron emission source and the ultrafocusing electrode, so that the fluorescent layer is illuminated by the electron beams. If the landing position of the electron beam is deviated because of errors such as manufacturing errors in assembling the components into the image display apparatus, the deviation is minimized and an image display apparatus with high resolution can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Takatsugu Kurata, Michio Ohsugi, Hironari Taniguchi, Koji Matsuo, Kanji Imai
  • Patent number: 6208072
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a vacuum container whose inside is kept under vacuum, a fluorescent layer, an electron emission source having an electron source which is arranged in a matrix and electrodes having a function for focusing and deflecting electron beams, and the fluorescent layer is illuminated by the electron beam. The average electric field strength between the fluorescent layer and the electrodes is set to be stronger than that between the electrodes and the electron emission source. Consequently, electron beams can be deflected in predetermined directions, and electron beams that land on the fluorescent layer can be focused to be a predetermined size. As a result, electron beams can be landed exactly at predetermined positions of the fluorescent layer having an arrangement whose number is more than the number of the electron emission source, and an image display apparatus having high resolution can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Michiaki Watanabe, Mitsunori Yokomakura, Makoto Kawachi, Kenji Fujishiro, Kanji Imai
  • Patent number: 5655942
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an electrode unit for use in a flat type image display apparatus, wherein the flat type image display apparatus includes a plurality of flat sheet-shaped electrodes, comprises the steps of mounting in position a first electrode on a second electrode via an insulative bonding material, temporarily fixing the first electrode to the second electrode via a pair of opposing temporary fixing parts formed in each of the first and second electrodes, permanently fixing the first electrode to the second electrode via the insulative bonding material, and removing the pair of temporary fixing parts. The step of temporarily fixing is performed using a temporary fixing spacer disposed between the temporary fixing parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Nakatani, Kanji Imai, Tomohiro Sekiguchi, Makoto Inada
  • Patent number: 5603650
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a rear electrode for controlling a first quantity of electrons in an electron beam. Also included is an electron beam generating source for generating the electrons which travel in parallel with each other and an extraction electrode for extracting the electron beams from the generated electrons. A control electrode is also included for selectively controlling a second quantity of electrons in the electron beams which have passed through the extraction electrode and a horizontal deflection electrode for electrostatically deflecting the electron beams. A vertical deflection electrode is provided for deflecting the electron beams which have passed through the horizontal deflection electrode. The vertical deflection electrode has a first comb-shaped conductive sheet having first parallel members and a second comb-shaped conductive sheet having second parallel members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsunori Yokomakura, Kyouichi Uematsu, Kanji Imai, Tomohiro Sekiguchi, Toshifumi Nakatani
  • Patent number: 5581148
    Abstract: A novel electrode unit includes a plurality of linear cathodes and a plurality of flat-shaped electrodes. Each of the electrodes has a plurality of identification holes. The relative positional relationship of the identification holes is uniform with regard to each of the electrodes. However, the positions of the identification holes are shifted from those of adjacent electrodes by a predetermined interval so that a line connecting centers of the ID holes is parallel or perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the linear cathodes when the electrodes are piled up and evenly aligned. The identification holes allow the electrodes to be accurately positioned with respect to each other when assembling the electrodes into the electrode unit. Each of the electrodes also includes a temporary fixing part at an area indented from an outer circumference of the electrode. During assembly of an electrode unit, the temporary fixing part is fixed to a temporary fixing part of an adjacent electrode via a spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Nakatani, Kanji Imai, Tomohiro Sekiguchi, Makoto Inada
  • Patent number: 5461396
    Abstract: In a flat-type picture display apparatus having a back electrode, plural linear cathodes, an electron beam extraction electrode, a signal electrode, a focusing electrode, a pair of horizontal deflection electrodes and a pair of vertical deflection electrodes which are disposed in a space between a front glass plate and a back glass plate, vertical deflection electrodes, horizontal deflection electrodes and/or focusing electrode are/is provided to extend beyond the border line of the electron beam passing area of a television picture screen to produce same equipotential surface on each unit for one picture element in the television picture screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Nakatani, Kanji Imai, Tomohiro Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 5446337
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an electron beam generating source for generating the electrons which travel in parallel with each other and an extraction electrode for extracting the electron beams from the generated electrons. A control electrode is also included for selectively controlling a second quantity of electrons in the electron beams which have passed through the extraction electrode and a horizontal deflection electrode for electrostatically deflecting the electron beams. A vertical deflection electrode is provided for deflecting the electron beams which have passed through the horizontal deflection electrode. The vertical deflection electrode has a first comb-shaped conductive sheet having first parallel members and a second comb-shaped conductive sheet having second parallel members. The first members and the second members are alternatively formed adjacent to each in the horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsunori Yokomakura, Kyouichi Uematsu, Kanji Imai, Tomohiro Sekiguchi, Toshifumi Nakatani
  • Patent number: 5300857
    Abstract: An image display device displays an image based on visible fluorescent radiation caused by electron beams emitted from a plurality of parallel spaced filamentary cathodes that extend over a substrate. A pair of support bars fixed to opposite sides of the substrate has a pair of spaced arrays of through holes defined therein, and supports a pair of spaced arrays of electrically conductive pins extending through through holes, with a plurality of electrically insulating bodies disposed around the electrically conductive pins and fitted in the through holes, respectively. Each of the filamentary cathodes has opposite ends secured to the support member and held against outer circumferential surfaces of one pair of electrically conductive pins of the spaced arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanji Imai, Seiichi Taniguchi, Mitsunori Katano, Fumio Yamazaki, Toshifumi Nakatani
  • Patent number: 5272413
    Abstract: An electrode structure including a plurality of beam control electrodes, a plurality of electrically insulating spacers disposed between each pair of neighboring members of the beam control electrodes, an electrode substrate, a plurality of metallic pins planted on the beam control electrode so as to extend therefrom through the electrode substrate, and a fixing member mounted on each of the metallic pins from behind the electrode substrate for retaining the beam control electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Yamazaki, Yuichi Moriyama, Toshifumi Nakatani, Kanji Imai
  • Patent number: 5247225
    Abstract: There is disclosed a display apparatus including a rear electrode unit, electron beam generating sources, a front electrode unit including a plurality of electron beam control electrodes laminated together with insulating spacers therebetween, and a face plate formed with a fluorescent screen. The front electrode is coupled together by first metallic coupling pins fixed on the electron beam control electrode arranged to confront the fluorescent screen. The rear electrode unit is coupled with the electrode unit by second metallic coupling pins fixed to one of the electron beam control electrodes other than the electron beam control electrode confronting the fluorescent screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Nakatani, Fumio Yamazaki, Yuichi Moriyama, Kanji Imai
  • Patent number: 5232389
    Abstract: An electrode structure comprising a plurality of beam control electrodes, a plurality of electrically insulating spacers disposed between each neighboring members of the beam control electrodes, an electrode substrate, a plurality of metallic pins planted on the beam control electrode so as to extend therefrom through the electrode substrate, and a fixing member mounted on each of the metallic pins from rear of the electrode substrate for retaining the beam control electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Yamazaki, Yuichi Moriyama, Toshifumi Nakatani, Kanji Imai
  • Patent number: 5192892
    Abstract: A picture display device using direct heating type linear cathodes as electron beam sources. Inorganic material vibration prevention elements having a hole thereon are provided. The linear cathodes penetrate the vibration prevention elements at one end part or both end parts of respective linear cathodes. This damps vibrations occurring at the time when an external force is applied and cuase them to cease rapidly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Aono, Mitsunori Yokomakura, Keiji Nagata, Takatsugu Kurata, Kanji Imai
  • Patent number: 5175467
    Abstract: A flat display panel assembly includes an evacuated glass envelope having a faceplate, a source of electron beams, a control electrode assembly including a stack of electrode substrates each having a predetermined pattern of electrode holes defined therein, and anodes formed by depositing phosphor material on the faceplate in correspondence with the electrode holes in the electrode substrates. At least one of the electrode substrates is made of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion different from that of the remaining electrode substrates. The electrodes holes in such one of the electrode substrates are so defined and so arranged as to be offset from the corresponding electrode holes in the other electrode substrates by an increasing as a distance increases from a center portion of the electrode assembly towards the perimeter of the electrode assembly. With the electrode holes so defined and so arranged, the electrode substrates are movably supported to accomodate the thermal expansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumio Yamazaki, Toshifumi Nakatani, Seiichi Taniguchi, Tetsuya Shiratori, Kiyoshi Hamada, Kanji Imai