Image display apparatus, disassembly processing method therefor, and component recovery method

A flat panel display disassembly processing method for a flat panel display having a structure in which a face plate and a rear plate that mainly contain glass are airtightly joined via a frame with frit glass, characterized by comprising the step of separating the face plate and the rear plate from remaining portions at portions joined to the frame with frit glass.

A flat panel display disassembly processing method for a flat panel display having a structure in which a face plate and a rear plate that are mainly containing glass are airtightly joined via a frame with frit glass, characterized by comprising:

• the step of dissolving the frit glass with nitric acid.

A rear plate recycling method for an image display apparatus constituted by at least a rear plate having a plurality of electron-emitting elements each formed from a pair of element electrodes and a conductive film, a face plate having an image forming member on which an image is formed by electrons emitted by the electron-emitting elements, and a support frame which connects the rear plate and the face plate and maintains an internal pressure, the rear plate being recovered and reused in scraping the image display apparatus constituted by welding the face plate, the rear plate, and the support frame with frit glass, characterized by comprising:

• the step of dipping the welded portion in a nitric acid solution to dissolve the frit glass, thereby recovering the face plate;
• and
• the step of forming a conductive film on the recovered rear plate by an ink-jet method.

A spacer recovery method in a flat display which has at least a rear plate with a plurality of electron-emitting elements, a face plate that is arranged to face the rear plate and has an image display portion, a frame portion, and spacers for holding an interval between the rear plate and the face plate against an atmospheric pressure, the rear plate, the face plate, the frame portion, and the spacers being welded with frit glass, characterized in that a spacer recovery jig for avoiding contact between the spacers or between the spacers and a peripheral member is used in dipping welded portions between the spacers and the rear plate or the face plate in a nitric acid solution to dissolve frit glass.

A spacer recovery apparatus in a flat display having at least a rear plate with a plurality of electron-emitting elements, a face plate, a frame portion, and a spacer, characterized by comprising:

• a nitric acid solution bath for dissolving a welded portion between the spacer and the rear plate or the face plate;
• and a spacer recovery jig for preventing contact between the spacer and a peripheral member.

A method of recovering fluorescent substances from a display apparatus in which fluorescent substances are applied to a substrate, and caused to emit light, thereby obtaining display, characterized in that the fluorescent substances applied to the substrate are recovered by both a brush and a suction unit.

An image display apparatus characterized by comprising display means for displaying an image, an airtight container, and means for gradually changing an interior of said airtight container close to a pressure outside said airtight container as needed.

An image display apparatus characterized by comprising display means for displaying an image, an airtight container for maintaining an external pressure, an atmospheric pressure-resistant structure member in said airtight container, means connected to an exhaust device for evacuating an interior of said airtight container, and means for gradually changing the interior of said airtight container close to a pressure outside said airtight container as needed.

A flat display having at least a rear plate with a plurality of electron-emitting elements, a face plate which is arranged to face the rear plate and has an image display portion, a support frame, and a spacer for holding an interval between the rear plate and the face plate, the rear plate, the face plate, the support frame, and the spacer being welded with frit glass, characterized in that

• joining of the rear plate and the support frame, and joining of the face plate and the support frame use frit glasses having different softening temperatures, and joining of the spacer and the substrate uses a frit glass having a softening temperature not less than a higher softening temperature of the frit glass among the two types of frit glasses.

A flat display having an airtight container storing at least a substrate with a plurality of electron-emitting elements, and a substrate which is arranged to face the substrate and has an image display portion, characterized in that

• joint portions between the substrates and the airtight container are joined with frit glasses having different softening temperatures corresponding to a disassembly order.

A flat display having as constituent members at least a rear plate with a plurality of electron-emitting elements, a face plate which is arranged to face the rear plate and has an image display portion, and a support frame for supporting the substrates, the constituent members being welded with frit glass, characterized in that

• joining of the rear plate and the support frame, and joining of the face plate and the support frame use frit glasses having different softening temperatures.

A flat display having an envelope storing an electron-emitting element, characterized in that

• a joint portion between a rear plate and a support frame constituting the envelope, and a joint portion between a face plate and the support frame use two types of frit glasses having different softening temperatures, and a joint portion between a spacer for supporting an interval between the substrates and at least one of the substrates is joined using a frit glass having a softening temperature higher than the softening temperatures of the two types of frit glass or equal to the softening temperature of either type of frit glasses.

A flat panel display disassembly apparatus for disassembling and recycling a flat panel display in which a frame member is interposed between a rear plate and a face plate to constitute a flat vacuum container, and a spacer for holding a gap between the plates against an atmospheric pressure is fixed to both or either one of the plates, characterized by comprising:

• first support means for applying a pull-up force to a plate fixed to the spacer to support the plate in order to perform the step of separating the frame member from the vacuum container, second support means for receiving and supporting an edge of the plate fixed to the spacer after the frame member is separated, and spacer recovery means for performing the step of separating the spacer from the plate received and supported by said second support member.

A scrapped flat panel display disassembly processing method for a flat panel display having a structure in which two substrates, i.e., face plate and rear plate mainly containing glass are airtightly joined via a frame with lead-containing frit glass, characterized by comprising the step of separating and extracting a portion including the face plate and a portion including the rear plate from the flat panel display to be scrapped, and the step of separately collecting pluralities of extracted portions including face plates and extracted portions including rear plates, separately charging the portions in processing baths at once, and executing submergence processing.

A flat panel body fixing apparatus for fixing a flat panel body constituted by joining a pair of panels facing each other via a frame, characterized by comprising:

• a fixing jig disposed to be retractable with respect to the flat panel body so as to surround the flat panel body placed on a base,
• wherein said fixing jig swings and comes into contact with the flat panel body from around the flat panel body, thereby fixing the flat panel body.

A substrate processing apparatus for disassembling a substrate mainly constituted by a pair of glass substrates airtightly joined via a frame, characterized by comprising:

• a plurality of support members disposed in parallel with each other at a predetermined gap, separated substrates being held between said support members so as to stand substantially vertically.

A glass substrate processing method of detecting a surface state of a glass substrate and processing a substrate surface in accordance with a detection result, characterized by comprising:

• the detection step of irradiating the glass substrate surface with a primary X-ray, and detecting a generated fluorescent X-ray to detect an element present on the glass substrate surface;
• and
• the removal step of removing an element other than a glass constituent element from the glass substrate surface in accordance with a detection result of the detection step.

A glass substrate recycling processing apparatus in a flat display including a rear plate having a plurality of electron-emitting elements formed on a glass substrate, a face plate having an image display portion formed on a glass substrate, and a support frame which joins the plates so as to face each other, characterized by comprising:

• a mechanism of irradiating with an X-ray a surface of the glass substrate constituting the separated/extracted rear plate or face plate, and detecting a generated fluorescent X-ray to detect an element present on the glass substrate surface;
• and a mechanism of removing an element other than a glass constituent element from the glass substrate surface.