Patents by Inventor Masafumi Ookawa

Masafumi Ookawa 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: 20040053555
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a gas discharge panel according to the invention can reduce the amount of water and gaseous molecules, which are absorbed into the first and the second substrates, to a minimum by keeping the both substrates under a reduced pressure, and therefore can prevent a degradation of a discharge gas filling the finished panel. As a result, problems in the finished panel such as increase in a discharge starting voltage and generation of an abnormal discharge can be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Yoshiki Sasaki, Junichi Hibino, Hiroyoshi Tanaka, Akira Shiokawa, Masafumi Ookawa
  • Patent number: 6692325
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas discharge panel on which color images are accurately displayed and which is easy to manufacture. The first and the second substrates face each other across an interval, forming a discharge space in between, which is filled with a discharge gas. Pairs of electrodes for sustaining discharge are provided on at least one of the two substrates, and phosphor layers are formed on the first substrate, arranged along the electrode pairs to form a matrix of discharge cells. An image is displayed by selectively illuminating discharge cells. Gap members having a given shape are provided between the first and second substrates at locations corresponding to the boundaries between discharge cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Hibino, Yoshiki Sasaki, Katuyoshi Yamashita, Masafumi Ookawa, Tetsuo Hori
  • Publication number: 20030077972
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus for a PDP includes a unit for forming a protective layer protecting a dielectric layer on a first plate, a unit for baking a phosphor layer applied on a second plate, a unit for sealing the first and second plates arranged so that the protective layer faces the phosphor layer, and a unit for baking the first and second plates while exhausting a space between them. The four units are placed in one or more closed chamber. When the apparatus is driven, spaces in and between the closed chambers each contain a gas atmosphere with vapor partial pressure of 10 mPa or lower, or with a pressure of 1 Pa or lower, where the protective layer and the phosphor layer exhibit less water-absorbing property, preventing degradation of the PDP performances. The protective layer does not contact with atmospheric carbonic acid gas, preventing alteration thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventors: Akira Shiokawa, Hiroyosi Tanaka, Yoshiki Sasaki, Masafumi Ookawa, Junichi Hibino
  • Publication number: 20030076039
    Abstract: To provide a display panel, such as a PDP, that can reduce noise caused by a collision sound which occurs when a front panel member and a back panel member vibrate while the display panel is being driven. Projections (21) are provided on a surface of a first panel member facing a second panel member. The first panel member and the second panel member are connected to each other by a connecting material in areas (23) where the projections intersect barrier ribs (18). In this way, noise (noise level) caused by a collision sound which occurs when the front panel member and the back panel member vibrate while the display panel is being driven can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventors: Masafumi Ookawa, Junichi Hibino, Yoshiki Sasaki, Katuyoshi Yamashita