1. Futaba Europe GmbH November 2009
Futaba Presentation
Good Evening & Welcome
we appreciate that all of you could find time within this busy Electronica show to follow our invitation
As you may be tired after the second exhibition day, we will try to make this evening as pleasant as possible, and will not bother you with to many figures or statistics
Nevertheless we have a number of important and positve news to inform , so we outline the following Agenda
Futaba Europe GmbH
November 2009

2. VFD Operation Principle
- applied voltage heats up filament
which causes thermionic emission
- when positive voltage is applied to
grids, electrons are accelerated
towards anodes
- when positive voltage is applied to
phosphor coated anode, electrons
collide with anodes and excite
phosphor resulting in light emission

3. Function of Grids and Anodes
Light Emmision
(Grid + & Anode +)
Non Light Emmision
(Grid - & Anode +/-)
Non Light Emmision
(Grid + & Anode -)

4. VFD Construction Exhaust Tip Getter Filament Lead Contact Lead Anode
The VFD has a triode structure in which the front and base plate constitute a vacuum envelope, in which the filament cathode, grid and anode are arranged to form electrodes.
Figure above shows:
The Aluminium wiring pattern.
The Carbon insulation layer printed onto the base plate.
The anode pattern printed onto the carbon layer.
Grid mesh photo etched from stainless steel & placed over the anodes.
Grid & anodes are connected to the pins via the wiring on the base plate.
Filament wires (Cathodes) are stretched above the grids & anodes and anchored at each end.
The complete structure is then sealed at 500°C & evacuated to torr, to ensure free electron movement.
Anode
Insulation
Layer
Grid
Glass
Substrate
Anode
Wiring

5. CIG (Chip-in-Glass) VFD Construction
Driver
GND
Grid
Anode
CLK
LAT SI BK
VDD VH
Filament
ＶＦＤ
Driver Chip
Base Glass
15-U
IC Input Lead
Filament Lead
Filament Lead

6. How to drive a Graphic CIG VFD ?

7. CIG Shift Registor Operation
15-U
Driver
Block Diagram
Driver
Timing Chart

8. Grid Scan Timing

9. Anode & Grid Construction (e.g. GP1184AI)

10. Anode & Grid Timing (e.g. GP1184AI)

11. Anode & Grid Timing Sequence

12. Anode & Grid Timing Sequence

13. Anode & Grid Timing Sequence

14. Anode & Grid Timing Sequence (e.g. GP1184AI)

15. Anode & Grid Timing Sequence

16. Anode & Grid Timing Sequence

17. Shift Register Block Diagram
Anode Data (128bit)
Grid Data (64 bit)

18. Shift Register Assignment
Anode Data
Grid Data

19. Dimming

20. VFD Power Supply Methods

21. Power Supply Solution 1: Royer circuit
Advantage: low component cost & high input voltage possible
Disadvantage: custom designed transformer required

22. Power Supply Solution 2:
For small Displays
(high voltage)
LM9022
Advantage:
only standard
components required
MC34063
Disadvantage:
higher component cost
& max. 5Vdc input

23. Cut-off Bias Requirement (Ek)
Background: Electron Leakage