Self contained gas discharge display device

1. A gas discharge apparatus, comprising:

A. a discharge chamber including a dielectric wall member enclosing a discharge region containing an ionizable gas, said wall member having a dome portion, and a base portion,

B. an electrode disposed adjacent to or within said discharge region and opposite said dome portion of said discharge chamber,

C. means for coupling ac electrical energy between said electrode and a point of potential reference, external to the discharge chamber,

D. field shield including preventing means substantially preventing the establishment of an ac electric field from said discharge region and extending through said base portion of said discharge chamber to said point of potential reference.

2. A gas discharge apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said preventing means includes a conductive sheet member, said sheet member being electrically coupled to said electrode.

3. A gas discharge apparatus comprising:

A. a discharge chamber including a dielectric wall member enclosing a discharge region containing an ionizable gas, said discharge chamber having a base portion and a transparent dome portion extending from the periphery of said base portion, said base portion including an electrode portion extending inwardly into said discharge region, said electrode portion including a conductive layer on at least a portion thereof,

B. a cup-shaped base member defining an interior region therein and having a peripheral edge,

C. means for coupling the peripheral edge of said cup-shaped member to said periphery of said base portion of said discharge chamber,

D. a power supply and discharge excitation network disposed substantially within said interior region of said base member and including:

i. a power supply including a pair of electrical terminals and voltage means for coupling a dc potential difference across said terminals, said terminals and said voltage means being disposed within said interior region of said base member,

ii. an electrical oscillator network electrically connected to said terminals and powered thereby, said oscillator including a relatively high turns-ratio output transformer having a high voltage secondary lead extending to and electrically coupled to said conductive layer on said electrode portion of said discharge chamber,

iii. a field shield disposed within said base member and between said terminals and said base portion of said discharge chamber and including shield means for substantially preventing the establishment of an electric field extending from said electrode portion of said discharge chamber and within portions of said interior region of said cup-shaped member between said base portion of said discharge chamber and said terminals, said shield means including an electrically conductive sheet member, said sheet member being electrically coupled to said conductive layer on said electrode region of said discharge chamber,

whereby said power supply and discharge excitation network establish a plasma discharge in the gas within said discharge chamber, said discharge extending in the direction of an electric field established by said power supply and excitation network between said electrode portion of said discharge chamber and through said dome portion of said discharge chamber to an effective ground electrode exterior to said discharge chamber.

4. A discharge apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the surface defined by the outer surface of said dome portion and said base member is substantially spherical.

5. A discharge apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said sheet member extends about said high voltage secondary lead and is substantially annular.

6. A discharge apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said sheet member extends about said high voltage secondary lead and includes a plurality of elongated portions extending outwardly from said lead.

7. A discharge apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said sheet member further includes a circumferentially extending portion connected to the distal ends of said outwardly extending portions.

8. A discharge apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said sheet member is disposed between a pair of substantially planar dielectric members.

9. A discharge apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said sheet member is adjacent to a substantially planar dielectric member.

10. A discharge apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said sheet member extends about said high voltage secondary lead and is substantially annular.

11. A discharge apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said sheet member extends about said high voltage secondary lead and includes a plurality of elongated portions extending outwardly from said lead.

12. A discharge apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said sheet member further includes a circumferentially extending portion connected to the distal ends of said outwardly extending portions.

13. A discharge apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the outer surface of said dome portion is substantially hemispherical.

14. A discharge apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said conductive layer on said electrode portion of said discharge chamber is nickel oxide.

15. A discharge apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising an electrically conductive layer on at least a portion of the outer surface of said base member.

16. A discharge apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said conductive layer on the outer surface of said base member is nickel oxide.

17. A discharge apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said dome portion is characterized by a substantially uniform thickness.

18. A discharge apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said wall member is vitreous glass.

19. A discharge apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said voltage means is a battery.

20. A discharge apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said battery comprises at least one rechargeable battery cell.

21. A discharge apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said sheet member extends about said high voltage secondary lead and is substantially annular.

22. A discharge apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said sheet member extends about said high voltage secondary lead and includes a plurality of elongated portions extending outwardly from said lead.

23. A discharge apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said sheet member further includes a circumferentially extending portion connected to the distal ends of said outwardly extending portions.