Method and article for mounting a touch screen

• US 20070059520A1
• Filed: 09/13/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Hager, Roger, Hatin, Paul, Palomino, Manuel
• Application Number:
  US11/225,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20070059520A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/343
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0444 using a single conductive element covering the whole sensing surface, e.g. by sensing the electrical current flowing at the corners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer

Abstract

A method of removably mounting a touch screen assembly, including a glass substrate-based touch screen, to a display panel assembly of a touch screen display system. The method includes providing at least one double-sided, stretch releasable adhesive strip and adhering the strip to the touch screen and the display panel assembly to attach the touch screen to the display panel assembly. The strip is stretch releasable from the screen and the panel assembly to facilitate removal of the touch screen. In one embodiment, the strip includes an adhesive segment defining a longitudinal axis and a non-tacky pull tab extending from the adhesive segment in an angular fashion relative to the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. A method of removably mounting a touch screen assembly, including a glass substrate-based touch screen, to a display panel assembly of a touch screen display system, the method comprising:

providing at least a first double-sided, stretch releasable adhesive strip; and

adhering the strip to the touch screen and the display panel assembly to attach the touch screen to the display panel;

wherein the strip is configured to be releasable from the touch screen and the display panel assembly via a stretch release operation to facilitate removal of the touch screen from the display panel assembly.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch screen forms a major surface defining a perimeter having opposing side edges and opposing end edges, and further wherein adhering the strip to the touch screen includes:

extending the strip along at least a portion of the major surface such that a segment of the strip projects outwardly beyond the perimeter.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the strip includes an adhesive segment and a non-tacky pull tab segment, and further wherein extending the strip is characterized by the pull tab projecting outwardly beyond the perimeter.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising removing the touch screen from the display panel assembly, including:

applying a pulling force on to the pull tab at a pull angle of not more than 45°

to cause the strip to stretch release from the touch screen and the display panel assembly; and

lifting the display screen from the display panel assembly.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the pull tab extends from the adhesive segment in a co-linear fashion relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the adhesive segment, and further wherein extending the strip includes:

positioning the strip adjacent to and substantially parallel with a first one of the side edges such that the pull tab projects outwardly from a corresponding one of the end edges.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the pull tab extends from the adhesive segment in an angular fashion relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the adhesive segment, and further wherein extending the strip includes:

positioning the strip adjacent to and substantially parallel with a first one of the side edges such that the pull tab projects outwardly from the first side edge.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein positioning the strip is characterized by the pull tab being laterally spaced from the both of the opposing end edges.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing a second double-sided, stretch releasable adhesive strip including an adhesive segment and a non-tacky pull tab segment extending in an angular fashion from the adhesive segment of the second strip in an angular fashion relative to a longitudinal axis thereof; and

positioning the second strip adjacent to and substantially parallel with the first side edge such that the first and second strip are arranged in an end-to-end manner.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the first strip is positioned adjacent to and substantially parallel with a first side edge of the touch screen, the method further comprising:

extending a second double-sided, stretch releasable adhesive strip along the major face of the touch screen adjacent to and substantially parallel with a second side edge;

extending a third double-sided, stretch releasable adhesive strip along the major face of the touch screen adjacent to and substantially parallel with a first end edge; and

extending a fourth double-sided, stretch releasable adhesive strip along the major face of the touch screen adjacent to and substantially parallel with a second end edge.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a plurality of double-sided, stretch releasable adhesive strips; and

attaching the touch screen to the display panel assembly with the plurality of strips;

wherein the plurality of strips are positioned to establish a dust barrier relative to a perimeter of the touch screen.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of strips includes an adhesive segment and a non-tacky pull tab segment, and further wherein the plurality of strips are positioned such that each of the respective pull tabs extends outwardly from the perimeter.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch screen includes a major face having a perimeter edge defining a length, and further wherein providing at least a first strip includes providing a plurality of strips of identical length that is less that the length of the perimeter edge, the method further comprising:

determining a difference between a sum of the lengths of the plurality of strips and the length of the perimeter edge;

cutting the first strip to a reduced length based upon the determination; and

applying the plurality of strips in a end-to-end fashion adjacent to and substantially parallel with the perimeter edge such that the plurality of strips combine to substantially encompass the perimeter edge.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of strips includes an adhesive segment, defining a leading end and a trailing end, and a non-tacky pull tab segment extending from the trailing end in an angular fashion relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the corresponding adhesive segment, and further wherein cutting the first strip includes:

cutting the adhesive segment along a longitudinal length thereof at a point opposite the trailing edge.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein applying the plurality of strips is characterized by each of the respective pull tabs extending outwardly from the perimeter edge.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch screen assembly includes connective circuitry extending from the touch screen, and the display system includes a computer, the method further comprising:

electronically coupling the connective circuitry to the computer.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first strip exhibits a 180°

peel strength on a glass substrate at 98% relative humidity of at least about 5.47 N/dm.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein adhering the first strip to the touch screen and the display panel assembly is characterized by the first strip remaining adhered to the touch screen and the display panel assembly at temperatures in the range of −

40°

C. to 60°

C.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein adhering the first strip to the touch screen and the display panel assembly is further characterized by the first strip remaining adhered to the touch screen and the display panel assembly at 90% relative humidity.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the display panel assembly includes a display panel and an outer frame, and further wherein the first strip is disposed between the touch screen and the outer frame.

20. A touch screen system for use as part of a touch screen display system including a display assembly, the touch screen system comprising:

a touch screen assembly including;

a glass substrate-based touch screen,

connective circuitry extending from the touch screen; and

a double-sided, stretch releasable adhesive strip configured to removably attach the touch screen to a display assembly.

21. The touch screen system of claim 20, further comprising:

a plurality of double-sided, stretch releasable adhesive strips.

22. The touch screen system of claim 20, wherein the strip includes an adhesive segment and a non-tacky pull tab segment extending from the adhesive segment in an angular fashion relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the adhesive segment.

23. The touch screen system of claim 20, wherein the strip includes a backing layer coated on opposing faces thereof with an adhesive composition such that the strip is provided apart from the touch screen for subsequent assembly thereto.

24. The touch screen system of claim 20, wherein the strip includes an adhesive composition and is characterized by the absence of a backing layer such that the strip is coated on to the touch screen.

25. A kit for removably mounting a glass substrate-based touch screen, to a display panel assembly, the kit comprising:

a plurality of double-sided, stretch releasable adhesive strips.

26. The kit of claim 25, further comprising:

an instruction manual outlining instructions on how to use the plurality of strips to removably mount a touch screen to a display panel assembly.

27. The kit of claim 25, wherein the plurality of strips each include an adhesive segment and a non-tacky pull tab segment extending from the adhesive segment in an angular fashion relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the adhesive segment.

28. A double-sided, stretch releasable adhesive strip for mounting a first, glass substrate-based object to a surface of a second object, the strip including an adhesive segment and a non-tacky pull tab segment extending from the adhesive segment in an angular fashion relative to a longitudinal axis defined by the adhesive segment.

29. The strip of claim 28, wherein extension of the pull tab defines an extension axis, and further wherein the extension axis and the longitudinal axis combine to define an extension angle of less than 170°

.

30. The strip of claim 29, wherein the extension angle is greater than 90°

.

31. The strip of claim 28, wherein the pull tab is shaped to visually indicate a desired pull direction for performing a stretch release operation.