BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional flat field emission illumination module;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a flat field emission illumination module according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an anode shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a flat field emission illumination module according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a flat field emission illumination module according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an anode shown in FIG. 5; and
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an anode shown in a flat field emission illumination module according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Embodiment 1
Referring to FIG. 2, a flat field emission illumination module 200 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a top substrate 201, a bottom substrate 202, an anode 203 having a plurality of grooves 204, and illumination layers 205 each located inside the groove 204.
As shown in FIG. 2, according to this embodiment, a layer of indium tin oxide, as an electric conductive layer 206 and as a conductor for external connection, is formed underneath the top substrate 201 so that an external power source may provide, through the electric conductive layer 206, an appropriate voltage onto the anode 203. The bottom substrate 202 is provided at a surface thereof a plurality of elongated cathodes 207 on which electron emitters 208 are formed for the purpose of electron emission. In this embodiment, the cathodes 207 are made of silver paste, where the cathodes 207 are equidistantly spaced from and parallel with one another, and where each cathode 207 has the same width. The electron emitters 208 are made of carbon nanotube, where the electron emitters 208, after assembly of the flat field emission illumination module, are accommodated in the grooves 204.
References are also made to FIGS. 2 and 3. The grooves 204 of the anode 203 are each elongated and of a U-shaped cross-section. The grooves 204 are equidistantly spaced from and parallel with one another, where each of the grooves 204 has the same width. In this embodiment, the anode 203 is an aluminum plate 203 on which a black coating 209 is formed for radiation cooling purpose so as to enhance cooling of the anode 203. A fluorescent layer, as an illumination layer 205, is formed at the internal surface of the groove 204 on the anode 203.
After assembly of the flat field emission illumination module 200 according to this embodiment, electron emitters 208 are accommodated in the grooves 204. When the cathode 207 and the anode 203 are each provided with a voltage (the voltage applied to the anode 203 is higher than that of the cathode 207), the electrons emitted from the electron emitters 208 will be attracted by the voltage of the anode 203 and thus impinge on the illumination layers 205 at the internal surface of the grooves 204, so that the illumination layers 205 are excited and illuminated. The illumination from the illumination layer 205 will be reflected by the internal surface of the grooves 204, which then penetrates the bottom substrate 202 and is visible to the outside. Because the groove 204 has a U-shaped cross-section, the illumination from various directions will be dispersed and reflected, making more uniform the illumination of the flat field emission illumination module according to the present invention.
Besides, the flat field emission illumination module 200 comprises a sealant layer 210 located between the top substrate 201 and the bottom substrate 202 so as to provide an internal sealing space for increasing vacuum in flat field emission illumination module 200.
Embodiment 2
FIG. 4 shows a flat field emission illumination module 400 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment the structure of the flat field emission illumination module 400 is substantially identical with that of the embodiment 1, except for the anode 403.
According to this embodiment, a layer of indium tin oxide, as an electric conductive layer 406, is formed underneath the top substrate 401. The bottom substrate 402 is provided at a surface thereof a plurality of elongated cathodes 407 on which electron emitters 408 are formed for the purpose of electron emission. In this embodiment, the cathodes 407 are made of silver paste, where the cathodes 407 are equidistantly spaced from and paralleled with one another, and where each cathode 407 has the same width. The electron emitters 408 are made of carbon nanotube, where the electron emitters 408, after assembly of the flat field emission illumination module, are accommodated in the grooves 404.
Reference is made to FIG. 4. In the second embodiment the anode 403 is a concave/convex metal plate, wherein the metal is fabricated by a pressing process. Similarly, the grooves 404 of the anode 403 are each elongated and of a U-shaped cross-section. The grooves 404 are equidistantly spaced from and parallel with one another, where each of the grooves 404 has the same width. In this embodiment, the anode 403 is an aluminum plate 403 on which a black coating 409 is formed for radiation cooling purpose so as to enhance cooling of the anode 403. A fluorescent layer 405, as an illumination layer, is formed at the internal surface of the groove 404 on the anode 403.
Embodiment 3
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the flat field emission illumination module 500 according to the third embodiment of the present invention includes an anode 503 having a plurality of openings 504. In this embodiment the openings 504 are circular and each has a U-shaped cross-section. The openings 504 are equidistantly spaced from one another and each has the same dimension. The anode 503 is an aluminum plate 503 on which, as shown in FIG. 5, a black coating 509 is formed for radiation cooling purpose so as to enhance cooling of the anode 503. A fluorescent layer 505, as an illumination layer, is formed at the internal surface of the opening 504 on the anode 503.
As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment a layer of indium tin oxide, as an electric conductive layer 506, is formed underneath the top substrate 501. The bottom substrate 502 is provided at a surface thereof a plurality of elongated and discontinuous cathodes 507 which correspond to the openings 504 of the anode 503, where electron emitters 508 are formed on the surfaces of the cathodes 507. In this embodiment, the electron emitters 508, after assembly of the flat field emission illumination module 500, are accommodated in the openings 504. The cathodes 507 are made of silver paste, and the electron emitters 508 are made of carbon nanotube.
Embodiment 4
FIG. 7 shows an anode 703 of a flat field emission illumination module (not shown) according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, grooves 704 of the anode 703 may be of continuous zigzag band-like shape, and be equidistantly spaced from and parallel with one another, where the grooves 704 are each of equal width. In this embodiment, the groove 704 has a U-shaped cross-section. After assembling the anode 703 into the flat field emission illumination module according to this embodiment, the configuration and location of cathodes (not shown) need to correspond to the grooves 704 of the anode 703 so as to accommodate electron emitters (not shown) in the grooves 704.
Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Patent Application
20080036361
