Tension mask registration and supporting system

A color cathode ray tube comprising:

• a funnel having a sealing land;
• a flat glass panel having a pattern of luminescent primary color elemental phosphor deposits thereon,
• said panel further including a sealing land circumscribing said target area, and
• registration affording means comprising means defining a first plurality of cavities each comprising an elongated portion, individually formed at selected locations upon the target area side of said panel, with each said elongated portion aligned along a radial extending from the geometric center of said panel;
• a color selection electrode assembly affording selection of said phosphor deposits by a scanning beam of electrons comprising:
• a frame defining a central opening dimensioned to enclose said target area of said panel,
• said frame comprising first and second substantially flat, spaced-apart parallel surfaces,
• said frame further including registration affording means comprising means defining a second, like plurality of cavities, each also comprising an elongated portion, individually formed at selected locations upon said first surface of said frame with each said elongated portion aligned along a radial extending from the geometric center of said frame,
• said plurality of panel cavities and said plurality of frame cavities being arranged so that, collectively, the axes of said elongated portions of said panel cavities exhibit substantially the same radial geometry as that collectively exhibited by the axes of said elongated portions of said frame cavities;
• a color selection electrode comprising a planar tensed foil having a predetermined pattern of apertures, the peripheral portion thereof being bonded to said second surface of said frame;
• indexing means comprising a similar plurality of spherical elements individually receivable between an assigned one of said panel cavities and an adjacent, oppositely disposed confronting one of said frame cavities,
• so that, when said panel and frame cavity radial geometries are disposed in an overlying near coincident relation, said spherical elements are caused to urge a precise transverse registration between said foil and said target area;
• means for bonding said panel sealing land to said first surface of said frame with said spherical elements in situ;
• and
• means for bonding said funnel sealing land to said second surface of said frame.

A color cathode ray tube comprising:

• a flat glass panel comprising a target area having a pattern of luminescent primary color elemental phosphor deposits thereon,
• said panel further including a sealing land circumscribing said target area, and
• registration affording means comprising means defining a first plurality of cavities, each comprising an elongated portion, individually formed at selected locations upon said sealing land of said panel, with each said elongated portion aligned along a radial extending from the geometric center of said panel;
• a color selection electrode assembly affording selection of said phosphor deposits by a scanning beam of electrons comprising:
• a frame defining a central opening diminsioned to enclose said target area of said panel,
• said frame comprising first and second substantially flat, spaced-apart parallel surfaces,
• said frame including registration affording means comprising means defining a second, like plurality of cavities, each also comprising an elongated portion, individually formed at selected locations upon said first surface of said frame with each said elongated portion aligned along a radial extending from the geometric center of said frame,
• said first plurality of panel cavities and said second plurality of frame cavities being arranged so that, collectively, the axes of said elongated portions of said panel cavities exhibit substantially the same radial geometry as that collectively exhibited by the axes of said elongated portions of said frame cavities;
• said frame further including additional registration affording means comprising means defining a third, like plurality of cavities, each also comprising an elongated portion, individually formed at selected locations upon said second surface of said frame with each said elongated portion aligned along a radial extending from the geometric center of said frame;
• a color selection electrode comprising a planar tensed foil having a predetermined pattern of apertures, the peripheral portion thereof being bonded to an assigned area of said second surface of said frame;
• a funnel having a bell portion comprising a sealing land symmetrically disposed relative to the geometric center of said bell portion;
• said funnel including registration affording means comprising means defining a fourth, like plurality of cavities, each also comprising an elongated portion, individually formed at selected locations upon said bell portion sealing land with each said elongated portion aligned along a radial extending from said geometric center of said bell portion;
• indexing means comprising a first plurality of spherical elements individually receivable between an assigned one of said panel cavities and an adjacent, oppositely disposed confronting one of said cavities formed on said first surface of said frame,
• so that when said panel and frame cavity radial geometries are disposed in an overlying near coincident relation, said first plurality of spherical elements are caused to urge and establish a precise transverse registration between said foil and said target area;
• a second, similar, plurality of spherical elements individually receivable between an assigned one of said cavities formed on said second surface of said frame and an adjacent oppositely disposed confronting one of said cavities formed on said bell portion sealing land,
• so that when said frame and said bell portion cavity radial geometries are disposed in an overlying near coincident relation, said second plurality of spherical elements are caused to establish a precise transverse registration between said frame and said bell portion;
• means for frit sealing said panel sealing land to said first surface of said frame with said first plurality of spherical elements in situ;
• and
• means for frit sealing said bell portion sealing land to said second surface of said frame with said second plurality of spherical elements in situ.

A method of utilizing a color selection apparatus as a stencil for forming a patterned screen of luminescent primary color elemental phosphor deposits upon a substrate utilizable as a constituent of a color cathode ray tube, said apparatus comprising:

• a flat glass panel comprising a target area serviceable as a substrate for receiving said screen,
• said panel further including registration affording means comprising means defining a first plurality of cavities each comprising an elongated portion and individually formed at selected locations upon the target area side of said panel, with each said elongated portion aligned along a radial extending from the geometric center of said panel;
• a frame defining a central opening dimensioned to enclose said target area of said panel,
• said frame comprising first and second substantially flat, spaced-apart parallel surfaces, and
• registration affording means comprising means defining a second, like plurality of cavities, each also comprising an elongated portion and individually formed at selected locations upon said first surface of said frame with each said elongated portion aligned along a radial extending from the geometric center of said frame;
• a tensed foil having a predetermined pattern of apertures, bonded to an assigned area of said second surface of said frame;
• and
• indexing means comprising a similar plurality of spherical elements individually receivable between an assigned one of said panel cavities and an adjacent, oppositely disposed confronting one of aid frame cavities;
• said method comprising the following steps:
• (a) applying a photosensitive coating to said target area of said panel;
• (b) registering said frame with said panel to enable said foil to serve as a stencil by inserting said plurality of spherical elements individually between an assigned one of said frame cavities and the adjacent oppositely disposed confronting one of said panel cavities to enable said foil to seek and effect a precise, repeatable registration with said target area;
• (c) selectively locating a source of actinic light rays to expose said photosensitive coating through the pattern of apertures in said foil, said light source being so located as to effectively approximate the position to be occupied by the electron beam subsequently employed to scan the to be developed pattern of phosphor deposits;
• (d) removing said frame;
• (e) retaining said spherical elements in one of said panel or said frame plurality of cavities;
• (f) processing said exposed coating to establish a pattern of elemental phosphor deposits upon said panel target area corresponding to the aperture pattern of said tensed foil, and
• (g) repeating said steps (a) through (f) each pattern of elemental phosphor deposits to be established.

In a color cathode ray tube, the apparatus comprising:

• an envelope section having a peripheral sealing area with a plurality of first substantially radially oriented registration-affording V-grooves selectively located thereon;
• a faceplate comprising a target surface having a pattern of luminescent phosphor areas deposited thereon and a sealing area circumscribing said target surface and geometrically matching said envelope section sealing area, said faceplate sealing area having a like plurality of second substantially radially oriented registration-affording V-grooves selectively located in alignment with said first V-grooves on said envelope section;
• a foil color selection electrode supported in tension by said envelope section and having a pattern of color selection apertures related to said pattern of phosphor areas;
• and
• a like plurality of free-floating spherical balls disposed between the mated first and second registration-affording V-grooves of said faceplate and said envelope section for establishing precise registration between said faceplate and said envelope section.

For use in a color cathode ray tube having a face panel for receiving a patterned screen of luminescent primary color elemental phosphor deposits, the apparatus comprising:

• a tube envelope section supporting in tension a shadow mask confronting said patterned screen and defining a central opening dimensioned to enclose said screen;
• indexing means for indexing said screen to said mask, including:
• means located beyong the periphery of said screen defining a first plurality of cavities presenting an oval entrance;
• means located in the periphery of said frame defining a second, like plurality of geometrically similar cavities disposed in confronting and aligned relationship to said first plurality of cavities;
• ball means individually seated between assigned ones of said first plurality of said cavities, and in adjacent, oppositely disposed confrontation to ones of said second plurality of cavities such that said indexing means urge and establish a precise, repeatable kinematic registration between said screen and said mask.