Overlay for an electronic device

• US 10,782,746 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2017
• Issued: 09/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kleeman, David A., Nalwad, Vijendra, Otani, Kazuyoshi Raijin, Wadsworth, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nordmeyer, Patricia L.
• Application Number:
  US15/601,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20170253014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 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 63/02 using sheet or web-like material B29C63/26 and B29C63/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/003 PET, i.e. poylethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0026 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3437 Cellular phones
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3475 Displays, monitors, TV-sets, computer screens
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/00 Layered products essentially comprising sheet glass, or glass, slag, or like fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/02 2 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/50 having particular mechanical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/546 Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/582 Tearability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/732 Dimensional properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/748 Releasability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/70 Automated, e.g. using a computer or microcomputer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2405/00 Adhesive articles, e.g. adhesive tapes labels B32B2519/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/20 Displays, e.g. liquid crystal displays, plasma displays
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/208 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2571/00 : Protective equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/06 : as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a layer of a particular substance B32B9/045; next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/046; next to a water setting substance layer B32B13/12; next to a metal layer B32B15/08; next to a glass layer B32B17/10; next to a layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles B32B19/045; next to a wood layer B32B21/08; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/08; next to a natural or synthetic rubber layer B32B25/08
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 : of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 : comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/02 : characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions non-uniform thickness B32B3/263
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/266 : characterised by an apertured layer, the apertures going through the whole thickness of the layer, e.g. expanded metal, perforated layer, slit layer regular cells B32B3/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/003 : to avoid air inclusion
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/0046 : characterised by constructional aspects of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 : characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 : Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1841 : during laying up
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/06 : permitting easy separation
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 : using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 : Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 : Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/17 : Surface bonding means and/or assemblymeans with work feeding or handling means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1702 : For plural parts or plural areas of single part

Abstract

An apparatus including an overlay with a top side and a bottom side. The apparatus also can include an adhesive component with a top side and a bottom side. The top side of the adhesive component can be adhered to the bottom side of the overlay. The adhesive component can be configured to adhere the bottom side of the overlay to a screen of an electronic device in a single-use application of the overlay by adhering the bottom side of the adhesive component to the screen of the electronic device. The apparatus can be configured such that, when the overlay is removed from being adhered to the screen of the electronic device after the single-use application of the overlay, at least a portion of the adhesive component is detached from at least a portion of the overlay. Other embodiments are provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an overlay comprising a top side and a bottom side, the overlay comprising dimensions coterminous with a screen of an electronic device, and the overlay comprising at least one of glass, tempered glass, silica-infused plastic, or polyethylene terephthalate; and

an adhesive component comprising a top side and a bottom side, the top side of the adhesive component being adhered to the bottom side of the overlay, the adhesive component being optically clear, the adhesive component being configured to adhere the bottom side of the overlay to the screen of the electronic device in a single-use application of the overlay by adhering the bottom side of the adhesive component to the screen of the electronic device, and the apparatus being configured such that a display of the screen of the electronic device is viewable through the overlay and the adhesive component without noticeable distortion when the bottom side of the adhesive component is adhered to the screen of the electronic device,

wherein;

the apparatus is configured such that, while the overlay is being removed from being adhered to the screen of the electronic device after the single-use application of the overlay, at least a portion of the adhesive component is automatically being detached from at least a portion of the overlay.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the apparatus is configured such that the overlay cannot be re-adhered to the screen of the electronic device using the adhesive component after the single-use application of the overlay and after removal of the overlay from the screen of the electronic device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the apparatus is configured such that re-adhesion of the overlay to the screen of the electronic device using the adhesive component after the single-use application of the overlay and after removal of the overlay from the screen of the electronic device produces a distortion of at least a portion of the display of the screen of the electronic device that is seen through the overlay and the adhesive component.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the overlay comprises one or more curved portions that curve downward from a top plane of the screen of the electronic device to correspond to one or more curved areas of the screen of the electronic device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adhesive component comprises:

an adhesive carrier comprising a top side and a bottom side;

a first adhesive layer at the top side of the adhesive carrier and adhering the top side of the adhesive carrier to the bottom side of the overlay; and

a second adhesive layer at the bottom side of the adhesive carrier, the second adhesive layer being configured to adhere the bottom side of the adhesive carrier to the screen of the electronic device in the single-use application of the overlay.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

an adhesive strength of the second adhesive layer is stronger than an adhesive strength of the first adhesive layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the adhesive carrier comprises one or more perforations.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the one or more perforations each comprise a series of holes extending at least partially through the adhesive carrier; and

each hole of the series of holes has a diameter between approximately 0.001 mm and approximately 0.1 mm.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the adhesive component comprises a single layer of adhesive and is devoid of an adhesive carrier;

the overlay comprises one or more vulnerabilities to fracture; and

the single layer of adhesive has an adhesive strength such that the overlay fractures at the one or more vulnerabilities to fracture when the overlay is removed from being adhered to the screen of the electronic device after the single-use application of the overlay.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an overlay applicator comprising;

the overlay;

the adhesive component;

an adhesive release liner comprising a top side and a bottom side, the top side of the adhesive release liner being removably attached to the bottom side of the overlay using the adhesive component, the adhesive release liner being configured to protect the adhesive component at the bottom side of the overlay from contaminants;

an alignment mechanism configured to align the overlay with the screen of the electronic device as the overlay is adhered to the screen of the electronic device; and

a pull tab configured to facilitate removal of the adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay to expose the adhesive component to the screen of the electronic device.

11. A method comprising:

providing an overlay, the overlay comprising a top side and a bottom side, the overlay comprising dimensions coterminous with a screen of an electronic device, and the overlay comprising at least one of glass, tempered glass, silica-infused plastic, or polyethylene terephthalate; and

providing an adhesive component, the adhesive component comprising a top side and a bottom side, the top side of the adhesive component being adhered to the bottom side of the overlay, the adhesive component being optically clear, the adhesive component being configured to adhere the bottom side of the overlay to the screen of the electronic device in a single-use application of the overlay by adhering the bottom side of the adhesive component to the screen of the electronic device, and the apparatus being configured such that a display of the screen of the electronic device is viewable through the overlay and the adhesive component without noticeable distortion when the bottom side of the adhesive component is adhered to the screen of the electronic device,

wherein;

the overlay and the adhesive component are configured such that, while the overlay is being removed from being adhered to the screen of the electronic device after the single-use application of the overlay, at least a portion of the adhesive component is automatically being detached from at least a portion of the overlay.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the overlay and the adhesive component are configured such that the overlay cannot be re-adhered to the screen of the electronic device using the adhesive component after the single-use application of the overlay and after removal of the overlay from the screen of the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the overlay and the adhesive component are configured such that re-adhesion of the overlay to the screen of the electronic device using the adhesive component after the single-use application of the overlay and after removal of the overlay from the screen of the electronic device produces a distortion of at least a portion of the display of the screen of the electronic device that is seen through the overlay and the adhesive component.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the overlay comprises:

providing the overlay such that the overlay comprises one or more curved portions that curve downward from a top plane of the screen of the electronic device to correspond to one or more curved areas of the screen of the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the adhesive component comprises:

providing the adhesive component such that the adhesive component comprises;

an adhesive carrier comprising a top side and a bottom side;

a first adhesive layer at the top side of the adhesive carrier and adhering the top side of the adhesive carrier to the bottom side of the overlay; and

a second adhesive layer at the bottom side of the adhesive carrier, the second adhesive layer being configured to adhere the bottom side of the adhesive carrier to the screen of the electronic device in the single-use application of the overlay.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

an adhesive strength of the second adhesive layer is stronger than an adhesive strength of the first adhesive layer.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the adhesive carrier comprises one or more perforations.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the one or more perforations each comprise a series of holes extending at least partially through the adhesive carrier; and

each hole of the series of holes has a diameter between approximately 0.001 mm and approximately 0.1 mm.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein:

providing the adhesive component such that the adhesive component comprises providing the adhesive component such that the adhesive component comprises a single layer of adhesive and is devoid of an adhesive carrier;

providing the overlay comprises providing the overlay such that the overlay comprises one or more vulnerabilities to fracture; and

the single layer of adhesive has an adhesive strength such that the overlay fractures at the one or more vulnerabilities to fracture when the overlay is removed from being adhered to the screen of the electronic device after the single-use application of the overlay.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing an overlay applicator, the overlay applicator comprising;

the overlay;

the adhesive component;

an adhesive release liner comprising a top side and a bottom side, the top side of the adhesive release liner being removably attached to the bottom side of the overlay using the adhesive component, the adhesive release liner being configured to protect the adhesive component at the bottom side of the overlay from contaminants;

an alignment mechanism configured to align the overlay with the screen of the electronic device as the overlay is adhered to the screen of the electronic device; and

a pull tab configured to facilitate removal of the adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay to expose the adhesive component to the screen of the electronic device.