MASK-FRAME ASSEMBLY FOR CATHODE RAY TUBE

Abstract

A mask-frame assembly for a cathode ray tube includes a mask frame having a front portion and a side portion perpendicularly extending from the edge of the front portion and having notches, and a shadow mask having a front screen portion and a skirt portion welded to non-notched parts of the side portion of the mask frame. A portion of the skirt portion is not welded to the mask frame but exposed outside the mask frame so as to improve a thermal exchange.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a cathode ray tube and, more particularly, to a mask-frame assembly that can solve problems caused by a doming of a shadow mask of the cathode ray tube.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Generally, a cathode ray tube is a display device that can display an image by the landing of electron beams, emitted from an electron gun, on phosphors formed on a face panel through a shadow mask.

[0005] The shadow mask is suspended inside the face panel by a mask frame. A mask-frame assembly is classified into two types depending on welding position of the shadow mask on the mask frame: a MIFA type and a MOFA type.

[0006] In the MIFA type, the shadow mask is welded on an outer surface of the mask frame, while in the MOFA type, the shadow mask is welded on an inner surface of the mask frame.

[0007] FIG. 3 shows a conventional mask-frame assembly.

[0008] A mask frame 2 comprises a front portion 6 which has an opening through which electron beams pass and a side portion 8, normal to the plane of the front portion 6, at the periphery of the front portion 6.

[0009] A shadow mask 10 can be welded on the inner or outer surface of the side portion 8 of the mask frame 2 as mentioned above.

[0010] The shadow mask 10 comprises a front screen portion 14 on which a plurality of electron beam converging apertures 12 are formed and a skirt portion 16 perpendicularly extending from the front screen portion 14. The curvature of a front screen portion is the same as the inner curvature of a face panel.

[0011] In the above described conventional mask frame assembly, it is well known that 15-18% of the electron beams pass through the apertures 12 of the shadow mask 10, while 82-85% strike the surface of the shadow mask 10.

[0012] The striking of the electron beams on the shadow mask 10 causes the shadow mask to be heated. As a result, doming of the shadow mask occurs, deteriorating color purity and white characteristics. Accordingly, the mask frame has been designed to compensate for the doming of a shadow mask.

[0013] However, this can not sufficiently solve the problems caused by doming. Particularly, when the mask-frame assembly is designed in the MIFA type, since the side portion of the mask frame restricts the thermal expansion of the skirt portion of the shadow mask, the problems caused by doming are worse.

[0014] Furthermore, in case of the large-screen cathode ray tube, i.e., more than 25 inches diagonally, deterioration of display quality caused by doming is more serious.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems.

[0016] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a mask frame assembly that can improve display quality of a cathode ray tube by rapidly transmitting heat throughout a shadow mask.

[0017] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a mask-frame assembly for a cathode ray tube comprising a mask frame having a front portion and a side portion perpendicularly extending from the edge of the front portion and having notches, and a shadow mask having a front screen portion and a skirt portion welded to non-notched parts of the side portion of the mask frame.

[0018] The skirt portion of the shadow mask has indents at locations corresponding to the non-notched parts of the mask frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention:

[0020] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a mask-frame assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a plane view of the mask-frame assembly depicted in FIG. 1 when it is assembled; and

[0022] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional mask-frame assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a mask-frame assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] As shown in the drawing, the inventive mask-frame assembly comprises a mask frame 22 and a shadow mask 20 welded to the mask frame 22. The mask frame 22 comprises a rectangular front portion 24 and a side portion 26 perpendicularly extending from the edge of the rectangular front portion 24.

[0026] An electron beam passing opening 28 is formed in the rectangular front portion 24 of the mask frame 22, and a plurality of notches 30 are defined on the side portion 26. The notches 30 are formed by cutting away parts of the side portion 26 on each side except for at the corner and at the middle.

[0027] Accordingly, only the middle portions and corners of the side portion 26 remain. The remaining portions 26′ are welded to the shadow mask 20.

[0028] The shadow mask 20 comprises a front screen portion 32 having a curvature identical to that of an inner surface of a face panel (not shown) and a skirt portion 34 vertically extending from the front screen portion 32.

[0029] The front screen portion 32 includes an aperture portion 36 on which a plurality of apertures 40 are formed and electron beams emitted from an electron gun (not shown) strike, and a non-aperture portion 38 formed on an outer portion of the aperture portion 36.

[0030] The skirt portion 34 is provided with a plurality of indented portions 34a on locations corresponding to the remaining portion 26′. That is, the remaining portion 26′ of the mask frame 22 are welded on the indented portions 34a of the skirt portion 34, while non-indented portions 34b of the skirt portion 34 are fitted in the opening portions 30 of the side portion 26.

[0031] In the above-described mask-frame assembly of the present invention, when 82-85% of the electron beams emitted from the electron guns strikes the front screen portion 32 of the shadow mask 20, the front screen portion 32 is heated, and then the heat is gradually transmitted to the skirt portion 34.

[0032] At this point, since the non-indented portions 34b of the shadow mask 20 are not welded to the mask frame 22, the heat transmitted to the skirt portion 34 can be dissipated at a faster rate because the greater part of the skirt portion 34 of the shadow mask 20 is exposed to the air rather than welded to the mask frame 22.

[0033] While this invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A mask-frame assembly for a cathode ray tube comprising: a mask frame having a front portion and a side portion perpendicularly extending from an edge of the front portion and having notches; and a shadow mask having a front screen portion and a skirt portion welded to non-notched parts of the side portion of the mask frame.

2. The mask-frame assembly of claim 1 wherein the skirt portion of the shadow mask has indents at locations corresponding to the non-notched parts of the mask frame.