Abstract: A thermal insulator comprises an expanded resin body having embedded therein an evacuated powder insulation portion which consists of fine powder and a container of film-like plastics or a film-like composite of plastics and metal for enclosing the powder. The resin body has been expanded by a Freon gas as a blowing agent. Since a Freon gas has a larger molecular diameter than the constituent gases of air, it is less likely to permeate through the container than air. Thus present invention provides a novel composite insulator which fully utilizes the benefits of vacuum insulation without necessitating a strong and costly material for a vacuum container.

Abstract: A panel for a liquid crystal display device has a ceramic substrate, lead conductors on the ceramic substrate, an insulating glass layer over the lead conductors and the ceramic substrate, rear segment electrodes on the glass layer which are electrically connected to the respective lead conductors, a transparent glass plate spaced from the rear segment electrodes by a spacer enclosing the space, and transparent front electrodes on the transparent glass plate and facing the rear segment electrodes. The front and the rear segment electrodes are energized for exciting a liquid crystal within the space. This invention also provides a method of making the panel. The main feature of this invention is to use the ceramic substrate and to form the lead conductors on the ceramic substrate, which conductors are electrically connected to the rear segment electrodes on the glass layer, thereby enabling easy manufacturing and contributing to uniform and efficient display.