Gas discharge panel having gas flow barriers and evacuation method thereof

A gas discharge panel comprising:

• a pair of substrates defining an electric discharge space therebetween;
• a plurality of barrier ribs arranged parallel to each other in a striped configuration within a display area in the electric discharge space for partitioning the electric discharge space;
• a sealing member provided between the pair of substrates on the periphery thereof;
• and
• at least two gas flow barriers,
• wherein one of the substrates has a first vent hole and a second vent hole provided in a peripheral portion thereof for intercommunication between an inside and outside of the panel,
• wherein a cleaning electrode, which causes electric discharge to ionize a gas used to clean the electric discharge space, is provided adjacent to the first vent hole in a peripheral space defined between the sealing member and the barrier ribs,
• wherein the at least two gas flow barriers are provided between the sealing member and the barrier ribs located on opposite sides of an arrangement of the barrier ribs and positioned relative to the sealing member and the barrier ribs such that a space between the at least two gas barriers and an internal surface of the sealing member is smaller than an inter-rib spacing so that a gas introduced from the first vent hole flows through inter-rib spaces defined between adjacent pairs of barrier ribs and is expelled from the second vent hole, and
• wherein one of the substrates has address electrodes arranged parallel to the barrier ribs on an interior surface thereof, and the cleaning electrode is disposed perpendicularly to the barrier ribs on an interior surface of the other substrate, so that the electric discharge is caused between the cleaning electrode and the address electrodes to ionize the gas for the cleaning of the electric discharge space of the panel.

A gas discharge panel comprising:

• a pair of substrates defining an electric discharge space therebetween;
• a sealing member provided between the pair of substrates on the periphery thereof;
• a plurality of barrier ribs arranged parallel to each other in a striped configuration within a display area in the electric discharge space for partitioning the electric discharge space;
• and
• a gas flow barrier for hindering gas flow provided in a non-display area defined between the display area and the sealing member so that the non-display area has a smaller gas flow conductance than an elongated inter-rib space defined between each adjacent pair of barrier ribs.

An evacuation method for a gas discharge panel, wherein the panel comprises

• a pair of substrates defining an electric discharge space therebetween,
• a plurality of barrier ribs arranged parallel to each other in a striped configuration within a display area in the electric discharge space for partitioning the electric discharge space,
• a sealing member provided between the pair of substrates on the periphery thereof,
• at least two gas flow barriers, and
• a cleaning electrode, which causes electric discharge to ionize the gas for cleaning the electric discharge space, is provided adjacent to the first vent hole in a peripheral space defined between the sealing member and the barrier ribs,
• wherein one of the substrates has address electrodes arranged parallel to the barrier ribs on an interior surface thereof, and the cleaning electrode is disposed perpendicularly to the barrier ribs on an interior surface of the other substrate, so that the electric discharge is caused between the cleaning electrode and the address electrodes to ionize the gas for the cleaning of the electric discharge space of the panel,
• wherein one of the substrates has a first vent hole and a second vent hole provided in a peripheral portion thereof for intercommunication between an inside and outside of the panel, and the at least two gas flow barriers are provided between the sealing member and the barrier ribs located on opposite sides of an arrangement of the barrier ribs and positioned relative to the sealing member and the barrier ribs such that a space between the at least two gas barriers and an internal surface of the sealing member is smaller than an inter-rib spacing so that a gas introduced from the first vent hole flows through inter-rib spaces defined between adjacent pairs of barrier ribs and is expelled from the second vent hole, the method comprising:
• introducing the gas into the panel from the first vent hole while evacuating the panel;
• and
• causing electric discharge by the cleaning electrode to ionize the introduced gas for cleaning the electric discharge space in the panel.

A plasma display panel comprising:

• a pair of substrates defining an electric discharge space therebetween;
• a sealing member provided between the pair of substrates on the periphery thereof;
• a plurality of barrier ribs arranged parallel to each other in a striped configuration in a display area in the electric discharge space that partition the electric discharge space;
• and
• a gas flow barrier positioned in a non-display area defined between the display area and the sealing member such that the non-display area has a smaller gas flow conductance than an elongated inter-rib space defined between each adjacent pair of barrier ribs.

A gas discharge panel comprising:

• a pair of substrates defining an electric discharge space therebetween;
• a sealing member provided between the pair of substrates on the periphery thereof;
• a plurality of barrier ribs arranged parallel to each other in a striped configuration in a display area in the electric discharge space for partitioning the electric discharge space;
• and
• a gas flow barrier for hindering gas flow provided in a non-display area defined between the display area and the sealing member, wherein a space formed between the gas flow barrier and an interior surface of the sealing member is smaller than a space formed between adjacent barrier ribs.

A gas discharge panel comprising:

• a pair of substrates defining an electric discharge space therebetween, at least one of the substrates having two or more vent holes formed in a periphery area thereof;
• a sealing member provided between the pair of substrates on the periphery thereof;
• a plurality of barrier ribs arranged parallel to each other in a striped configuration within a display area in the electric discharge space, defining a gas flow passage within the electric discharge space;
• and
• at least two gas flow barriers arranged in a non-display area within the electric discharge space and being positioned relative to the vent holes, sealing member, and barrier ribs such that gas flow conductance in a section of the gas flow passage between adjacent barrier ribs is greater than gas flow conductance in a section of the gas flow passage between an interior side of the sealing member and an adjacent barrier rib.