Protective material applicator device

• US 10,021,818 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2015
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Superior Communications (Sinclair Broadcast Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Superior Communications (Sinclair Broadcast Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Patel, Shraddha, LaColla, Charlie, Dinh, Thai, Chou, Vivian
• Primary Examiner(s): Osele, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US14/804,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20150321416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2063/0008 Registering, centering the lining material on the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/0004 Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/0047 Preventing air-inclusions
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/0056 Provisional sheathings
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/02 using sheet or web-like material B29C63/26 and B29C63/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0046 characterised by constructional aspects of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1168 Gripping and pulling work apart during delaminating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1195 Delaminating from release surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/17 Surface bonding means and/or assemblymeans with work feeding or handling means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1788 Work traversing type and/or means applying work to wall or static structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1978 Delaminating bending means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1994 Means for delaminating from release surface

Abstract

Devices, methods and systems disclosed herein relate to the application of a protective film on a surface of an electronic device that instantly reduces air bubbles and eliminates the waiting time usually required when using a wet fluid solution. In one embodiment, a roller device may include a carriage or housing and one or more rollers coupled or integrated with the housing, configured to apply a protective material to a surface of the electronic device in a first orientation, and configured to function as a device stand in a second orientation. In addition or alternatively, a roller guide apparatus and/or a wedge may be utilized to assist the roller device in applying the protective material to the surface of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A system for applying a screen protector to a mobile device, the system comprising:

a body defining a cavity configured to receive the mobile device, and including a surface positioned outside of the cavity;

a screen protector having a first portion and a second portion and a length therebetween, with the second portion configured to extend away from the first portion such that the length of the screen protector extends along a length of the cavity, the screen protector having a backing layer and an application layer, the backing layer being separable from the application layer, with the application layer being sized to fit within the cavity, and the application layer configured to be applied to a screen of the mobile device when the backing layer is separated from the application layer; and

a tab having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the tab configured to couple to the surface of the body and the second portion of the tab configured to couple to the screen protector to thereby couple the screen protector to the surface of the body and sandwich the application layer between the second portion of the tab and the backing layer, and

the tab configured to couple to the surface of the body such that the first portion of the tab and the application layer each remain coupled to the surface of the body while the backing layer is being separated from the application layer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more side surfaces define a depth of the cavity.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more side surfaces define a perimeter of the cavity.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more side surfaces include four side surfaces defining a rectangular shape of the cavity.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more side surfaces extend from a bottom of the cavity to an upper boundary of the cavity, and the surface positioned outside of the cavity extends outward from the upper boundary of the cavity.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the screen protector is sized such that the screen protector may move in and out of the cavity when the mobile device is not positioned in the cavity.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the screen protector is configured such that the backing layer is positioned between the application layer and the mobile device when the mobile device is positioned in the cavity and the screen protector extends over the mobile device.

8. A system for applying a screen protector to a mobile device, the system comprising:

a body for receiving the mobile device and including;

one or more side surfaces defining an area for receiving the mobile device and extending from a bottom of the area to an upper boundary of the area to define a depth of the area, and

a surface being positioned outside of the area;

a screen protector having a first portion and a second portion and a length therebetween, with the second portion configured to extend away from the first portion such that the length of the screen protector extends along a length of the area, the screen protector having a backing portion and an application portion, with the application portion being sized to fit within the area, and the application portion configured to be applied to a screen of the mobile device when the backing portion is separated from the application portion; and

a tab having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the tab configured to be coupled to the surface of the body positioned outside of the area, and the second portion of the tab configured to be coupled to the screen protector to thereby couple the screen protector to the surface of the body positioned outside of the area and sandwich the application portion between the second portion of the tab and the backing portion, and

the tab configured to couple to the surface of the body positioned outside of the area such that the first portion of the tab and the application portion each remain coupled to the surface of the body positioned outside of the area while the backing portion is being separated from the application portion.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a film applicator device for being pressed against the screen protector to apply the application portion to the screen of the mobile device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the film applicator device includes at least one splitter configured to separate the backing portion from the application portion.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more side surfaces include four side surfaces defining a rectangular shape of the area.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the surface of the body positioned outside of the area includes an indented area for receiving the first portion of the tab.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the tab is configured to couple to the surface of the body positioned outside of the area to align the screen protector over the screen of the mobile device when the mobile device is positioned in the area.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the tab is configured to couple to the screen protector such that the tab separates from the backing portion when the backing portion is separated from the application portion.

15. A method of applying a screen protector to a screen of a mobile device, the method comprising:

providing a body having one or more side surfaces defining an area for receiving the mobile device, the area having a depth;

inserting the mobile device into the area of the body;

providing a screen protector attached to a tab, the screen protector including a backing portion and an application portion sandwiched between the backing portion and the tab;

separating the backing portion from the application portion while the application portion remains attached to the tab; and

applying the application portion to the screen of the mobile device while the mobile device is positioned in the area and the application portion remains attached to the tab, to cover the screen of the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising aligning the application portion on the screen of the mobile device while the application portion remains attached to the tab.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein applying the application portion to the screen of the mobile device includes sandwiching the application portion between the tab and the screen of the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein applying the application portion to the screen of the mobile device includes pressing the application portion to the screen of the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein applying the application portion to the screen of the mobile device includes covering the entirety of the screen of the mobile device with the application portion.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising separating the tab from the application portion after the application portion has been applied to the screen of the mobile device.