SP-462 1 Line x 4 Character Alphanumeric Gas Discharge Display ‘The Baboock Plasmaflex™ $P-402 is abright, easly read, 36-segment, alphanumeric, dc gas discharge display. It has four, two-inchshigh characters, plus periors, commas, and colon, Its 16-segment format provides a display set of 64 commonly used ASCII characters including ten numerals, the upper case alphabet, and many special symbols. Due {o its stacking capability, the SP-462 is easily expanded {nto wider fields of uniformly spaced characters. The Adaptable One. PLASMAFLEX” GAS DISCHARGE DISPLAYS ‘The unsurpassed readability, oven in direct sunlight, of the SP-462 is derived from its wide viewing angle, 2inch high characters, and bright neon-orange color. Easily read from 100 feet or more, the SP-462 display is ideally suited for applications anywhere bright and easily readable mes sages are needed. The SP-462 isthe latest addition to Bab: ock’s 2-inch Plasmaflex™ product family which includes, the numeric clock displays, Models SP-431 and SP-431-001, +2 in, Character Height *# 150° Viewing Angle #175 fl Brightness * 100 ft. (20 m) Viewing Distance + Stackable—Horizontally and Vertically © 16-Segment Format + Single-In-Line Flexible Leads * Neon—Orange Color * Electronically Controlled Signs ‘Timing Systems * Communications Systems * Alert indicators * Machine Control Indicators ‘Industrial Clocks * Counters and Timers = * Status Boards BABCOCK TECHNICAL BULLETIN DISPLAY PRODUCTS GROUPSP. A462 1 Line x 4 Character Alphanumeric RELIABILITY Cas discharge displays havea proven record of leg ifs ad operate cont ‘When multiplexing, use cathode and anode off-ias resistors cnd design the Cathode drive circuit to have an output voltage swing of about 90 volts and ‘The keop-alive must be connected through a current limiting resistor when multiplex addressing to ensure thatthe keep-alive remains conducting during nly and dependably Nominal service lief fve years, The displays require no external heat fink Brightness e maintained a elther igh or iow embient temperatures. They Assipate relatively lite power for their Sends cool comparnon a ober {ypesof displays. They are influence by neither strong electric or magnetic fields, nor nuclear radiation, They are resistant to alack in most corrosive bnvironments APPLICATION GUIDELINES. Mechanic: “The display is constructed ofa thin, hhormetically sted, plase package, with single dine lvl lend Th simple 2eelement structure fs inherently ru and reliable and will tolerate high ttt= poratures, Because the leads are sol ered to thick-film termination pads 4nd relnforced with epoxy which softens above 85°C, the parts should be mounted ‘with minimam stress on the leads befor ‘wave soldering. Room temperature cleaning may be accomplished with Freon E35 or 'P35, Ethanol, Isopropanol or wator with a rlld deiergent Contrast Enhancement Recommended contrast enhancement tore for those displays include the circular polarizing amber or neutral dionsty types offered by the Polaroid Corporation. For a complete discussion ‘of contrast enhancement and visual haractristicsof Babcock gas discharge ‘splays, request Design Note 10 (DN0}. Electrical ‘The SP-462 screened image display is designed for multiplexed operation. tis also suitable for multiplexed addressing Using pulsed de, where high brightness-— Upto Lis desired. Steady state {rect eurront must be used to operate thekeepalive. Like segments of re electrically to forma 16 xN array where N is the number of characters in dpe. :xpected operating voltage betwoen any anode and cathode may be calculsted “sing the following model: Vuu= 120-4 241, J, TYP)] +200 b(n =1) whore mis the number of active cathodes ‘on por anode. an enlire sean. (See Figure 1) adequate switching speed to elirainate the possibilty of off cathodes conduct- ing when the anode voltage has been turned off (See Figure 2) Keep the average cathode current don- sity constant in each cathode to assure uniform brightness and maximum ser- Vico life, Minimize the number of differ. fnfcurentrato, and thus sistor values, by grouping segments and using the mid-range value as the group ratio. For example: ‘Ata eee FIGURE 1. Keep-Alive Schematic “ * oso e ‘ 5 This keep-slive is essential to assure an Le ample supply of free electrons in the Colon play to lonize te gas and isimize 3 3 798 felonization ine: Use S0 nA de bth é Evepalives and connect as nated ine e Figure, (Do not comes bts keopalive & cathode together) Each keopelie mest e inves owe current hing sonteroe ‘ tated The recoramonded aioe oes ' omen anode resistor and sopaate 8 Cathode resistors are 220K anc 7OK wi = = hms respectively Atornatvely tho : tnodes my be connected trough sop rate 470K ohm resistors to the anode ‘ANNUN. Decimal 027 supply voltage. Comma ! FIGURE? Typical Timing Digrom or Multiplex Adresing, > ' PLASMAFLEX™ |’ GAS DISCHARGE DISPLAYS‘Tables 1 through 4 contain electrical, optical, and environmental characteristics Maximum/minimum ratings are limiting operating conditions which, if exceeded, could result in permanent damage tothe component, or in severely reduced life. ‘TABLE 1. MAXIMUM/MINIMUM RATINGS. Eo ‘Anode Votage,istantaneous | ‘Anode Current, instantaneous Cathode Current Density, porting Temperature Storage Temporature ‘Lead Soldering Temperature (260°C) ‘Thermal Gyele(~ 10°C 10 70°C) rm ‘Anoce Supply Voltage ‘Anode Voltage Swing ‘Anode On-Time olesh Period Interdigt Blanking Time KeopeAlive Curt Cathode Voltage Swing (Anode Voltage = 180 ¥) Cathode (Ot State) Bias (On-Anode 19 Of-Cathode Votlage) " 6 59 fnode-Cathode Votage Drop tea | 158 | Vac feoprAive Garon 5 so | 95 | a Ina foceaton Fe = RocurenttumOn Delay 44on) 20 ‘@ Ugh Output 7 | “0 178 it - [ Senic tte 6 wre | | dK} | ns mu as Rolative Humility 240, 70°C Altitude 70,000 Vibration 10-50 Hz 1Bin.da 29 Shock 509 Definitions a. Interigt Blanking Timo: A time interval inert Beton soccosale trode or catbode pues in segura Scan to ensure thet glow extinction has occurred +b. Turn-On Delay, T4(ON): The time Interval Between the application of anode and cathode drive and the begin fing of current flow in the display. Operating Voltage, Vig: The voltage Seg hrom shoderGeathode m peed cathode current (See Figure 3) 4. Initial onization Time. The elapsed Are tom the first application of voltage tothe daplay ater along oftime ype Cally overnight ma totally dark ene Fonment, tothe fia light output. . Anode Firing Voltage, Ve The mint mum voltage required to sart ionization the display (See Figure 3.) E Threshold Valtage, Va (OFF: The anode to cathode veltage at which the aisplay conduction drops bolow 10 nA ‘when moving left slong the operation ‘curve. [See Figure 3) Rise and fall times (and tare mea- Sured between the 10% and 80% points. Both anode and cathodet, and t should not exceed § ns 1, Anode Supply Voltage: Voltage avail on sno cathode to neste Notes: 1. Current density isthe cathode current Aivided by the cathode area, The mint. map cathode current denly she ‘current density that just causes 4 segment to have a uniform glow See Figure 3. 2. The anode supply voltage must be Current limited to the maximum speci fied anode current. Cathode resistors or current limited anode drivers are recommended 3. The anode on-time isthe actual conduction time. ts maximum value Should not exceed one-fourth the refresh period, T, 4. Operating the device at refresh rates 80 Hz or higher will help ensure flicker free performance. 5. Use ofthe keep-alive eathode is rec- oramended in all mutipexed and dim. ming applications. The koep-alive urea pust be dc and net pulsed ac 6. All segment currents must be ratioed {in accordance with the tabulation shown in Figure 4. All cathodes should have individual means of current limiting (resistor ot current sink} 7, Light output is measured on a Pr chard spectrophotometer using @2- ‘minute aperture, photoptic filter at 25% duty cycle and typical eathode currents ‘The keepralive current is 50 nA do. Light output luminance) in footlamberts can be calculate L=120 LRT) here Ijpis the peak cathode current in MA, Rye the ratio of the cathode area to the b'segment area, ais the anode on-time, and T, is the refresh period. 8. Service life is a strong Lis operating temperature nd cathode caren dena A Mannie To Fallre (MTF specication is typical for amb {51 operating conditions ad typical cathode currents Service lifes defined 4 the length of tino it takes forthe display to reach half brightness 9. The cited blanking ime assumes typical b-segment cathode current with 180 Vde supply: Actual planking require- ‘monts may vaty depending on the node Of multiplex operation, th segroent Eurrent Usd andthe supp ope53 gaedaates2eecvennous gag BSe Yea, ANOOE-CxTHODE VOLAGE Ve FIGURE 4, SP.462 Pin Assignments and FIGURE 3. ypleal Vt Chorecteristios Cathode Area Ratios Ordering information Limited Warranty “The $P-462 display can be ordered by "The SP-462 display has ¢ one year lim contacting yout local representative or ited warranty. Disassembly o alteration distributor who handles Babcock Dis- of the product will void the warranty play Products, Inc Ifyou do not know Damaged displays should be returned Your represenative or distributor con- tthe actoryfor analysis. Contact the {act Babcock Display Products directly. factory for further details “This dcamen is designed to asi purchase lo make an independent determination esto the tity of {hota produce for hs oplcoion.Threor perfarmance under ey usconitions must be bated upon the _urcosers independent conclusions, ord na conclusion, rprcetoin or werranty lama er mpc to hesitality of ny of ne devin fora puta requirement vw dato te wide vari of sso ‘oppieation, andor condone beyond our ctrol wat ion Ls FIGURE 6. Outline and Mounting. Lesa a 90698 552 BABCOCcCK ‘phone (714) 994.6500 « sales fax (714) 994-3013 RIE A SRoeoe Ta arcu