Touch screen protector
First Claim
1. A method for protecting a touch screen of a hand held electronic device having a front face that includes a touch screen having a touch screen portion and a non-functional outer perimeter, which method comprises:
- providing a touch screen protector comprising a film having front and back sides, an outer perimeter that essentially corresponds to the outer perimeter of the touch screen of the front face of the device, and a transparent window that essentially corresponds in size to that of the touch screen portion;
micro-particles present on the back side of the film at a density which prevents visible interference patterns and provides an anti-static effect between the film and touch screen portion without adversely affecting quality of images viewed through the transparent window when the transparent window is pressed by the user'"'"'s finger(s) against the touch screen portion of the electronic device during operation;
a spacer provided on the back side of the film along the outer perimeter thereof and substantially continuously surrounding the transparent window to prevent trapping dust between the window and touch screen, with the spacer having a thickness sufficient to space the film near but not in contact with the touch screen;
an exposed adhesive on one side of the spacer that faces the touch screen, with the exposed adhesive having sufficient adhesiveness to mount the touch screen protector onto the touch screen and to enable its removal without leaving adhesive residue on the touch screen; and
a joining adhesive for adhering the spacer to the back side of the film, wherein the joining adhesive has an adhesive strength that is stronger than that of the exposed adhesive so that the spacer is not removed from the film when the protector is removed from the front face of the device; and
removably attaching the touch screen protector upon the touch screen of the device via the exposed adhesive to form a space between the transparent window of the film, the spacer and the touch screen portion of the device, wherein the touch screen protector is attached without causing bubble formation or static cling between the transparent window of the film and the touch screen portion of the device;
wherein the transparent window can be pressed against the touch screen portion of the device for operation of the device while preventing direct contact of a user'"'"'s fingers with the touch screen portion of the device and without generating static cling between the film and touch screen portion or producing visible interference patterns during use.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for protecting a touch screen of a hand held electronic device having a front face that includes a touch screen portion and a non-functional band. The method of the invention comprises providing a touch screen protector comprising a film having front and back sides, an outer perimeter that corresponds to that of the device, and a transparent window; and an exposed adhesive along the outer perimeter of the film surrounding the transparent window; and removably attaching the protector upon the outer perimeter of the front face of the device via the exposed adhesive to form an enclosed air space between the transparent window of the film, the adhesive and the touch screen portion of the device.
68 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for protecting a touch screen of a hand held electronic device having a front face that includes a touch screen having a touch screen portion and a non-functional outer perimeter, which method comprises:
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providing a touch screen protector comprising a film having front and back sides, an outer perimeter that essentially corresponds to the outer perimeter of the touch screen of the front face of the device, and a transparent window that essentially corresponds in size to that of the touch screen portion;
micro-particles present on the back side of the film at a density which prevents visible interference patterns and provides an anti-static effect between the film and touch screen portion without adversely affecting quality of images viewed through the transparent window when the transparent window is pressed by the user'"'"'s finger(s) against the touch screen portion of the electronic device during operation;
a spacer provided on the back side of the film along the outer perimeter thereof and substantially continuously surrounding the transparent window to prevent trapping dust between the window and touch screen, with the spacer having a thickness sufficient to space the film near but not in contact with the touch screen;
an exposed adhesive on one side of the spacer that faces the touch screen, with the exposed adhesive having sufficient adhesiveness to mount the touch screen protector onto the touch screen and to enable its removal without leaving adhesive residue on the touch screen; and
a joining adhesive for adhering the spacer to the back side of the film, wherein the joining adhesive has an adhesive strength that is stronger than that of the exposed adhesive so that the spacer is not removed from the film when the protector is removed from the front face of the device; andremovably attaching the touch screen protector upon the touch screen of the device via the exposed adhesive to form a space between the transparent window of the film, the spacer and the touch screen portion of the device, wherein the touch screen protector is attached without causing bubble formation or static cling between the transparent window of the film and the touch screen portion of the device; wherein the transparent window can be pressed against the touch screen portion of the device for operation of the device while preventing direct contact of a user'"'"'s fingers with the touch screen portion of the device and without generating static cling between the film and touch screen portion or producing visible interference patterns during use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for protecting a touch screen of a hand held electronic device having a front face that includes a touch screen having a touch screen portion and a non-functional outer perimeter, which method comprises:
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providing a touch screen protector comprising a film having front and back sides, an outer perimeter that essentially corresponds to the outer perimeter of the touch screen of the front face of the device, and a transparent window that essentially corresponds in size to that of the touch screen portion;
micro-particles present on the back side of the film at a density which prevents visible interference patterns and provides an anti-static effect between the film and touch screen portion without adversely affecting quality of images viewed through the transparent window when the transparent window is pressed by the user'"'"'s finger(s) against the touch screen portion of the electronic device during operation; and
a spacer adhered to the back side of the film upon at least a portion of the outer perimeter of the film substantially continuously surrounding the transparent window to prevent trapping dust between the window and touch screen, the spacer having a thickness sufficient to space the film near but not in contact with the touch screen portion, with an exposed adhesive on one side of the spacer that faces the touch screen to mount the touch screen protector onto the touch screen and to enable its removal without leaving adhesive residue on the touch screen, and a joining adhesive on the other side of the spacer for adhering the spacer to the back side of the film, with the joining adhesive having an adhesive strength that is stronger than that of the exposed adhesive so that the spacer is not removed from the film when the protector is removed from the touch screen of the front face of the device; andremovably attaching the touch screen protector upon the outer perimeter of the front face of the device via the exposed adhesive to form a space between the transparent window of the film, the spacer and the touch screen portion of the device, wherein the touch screen protector is attached without causing bubble formation between the transparent window of the film and the touch screen portion of the device; wherein the transparent window can be pressed against the touch screen portion of the device for operation of the device while preventing direct contact of a user'"'"'s fingers with the touch screen portion of the device and without producing static cling or visible interference patterns between the transparent window of the film and the touch screen portion of the device during use. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for protecting a touch screen of a hand held electronic device having a front face that includes a touch screen having a touch screen portion and a non-functional outer perimeter, which method comprises:
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removably attaching a touch screen protector to the touch screen of the hand held electronic device, the touch screen comprising a film having front and back sides, an outer perimeter that essentially corresponds to the outer perimeter of the touch screen of the front face of the device, and a transparent window that essentially corresponds in size to that of the touch screen portion; micro-particles present on the back side of the film at a density which prevents visible interference patterns and provides an anti-static effect between the film and touch screen portion without adversely affecting quality of images viewed through the transparent window when the transparent window is pressed by the user'"'"'s finger(s) against the touch screen portion of the electronic device during operation; a spacer provided on the back side of the film along the outer perimeter thereof and substantially continuously surrounding the transparent window, with the spacer having a thickness sufficient to space the film near but not in contact with the touch screen and form a space between the transparent window of the film, the spacer and the touch screen portion of the device; an exposed adhesive on one side of the spacer that faces the touch screen, with the exposed adhesive having sufficient adhesiveness to mount the touch screen protector onto the touch screen and to enable its removal without leaving adhesive residue on the touch screen; and
a joining adhesive for adhering the spacer to the back side of the film, wherein the joining adhesive has an adhesive strength that is stronger than that of the exposed adhesive so that the spacer is not removed from the film when the protector is removed from the front face of the device;wherein the touch screen protector is attached without causing bubble formation or static cling between the transparent window of the film and the touch screen portion of the device, wherein the transparent window can be pressed against the touch screen portion of the device for operation of the device while preventing direct contact of a user'"'"'s fingers with the touch screen portion of the device and without generating static cling between the film and touch screen portion or producing visible interference patterns during use.
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Specification