Overlay Applicator and Method of Using the Same

• US 20160288470A1
• Filed: 06/07/2016
• Published: 10/06/2016
• 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: Wadsworth, John F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,662,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: B29C 65/7808 in the form of holes or slots B29C65/7814 takes precedence; holding or clamping means cooperating with specially formed features of at least one of the parts to be joined B29C65/7844
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/342 Preventing air-inclusions
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/861 Hand-held tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3437 Cellular phones
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3475 Displays, monitors, TV-sets, computer screens
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/268 Release layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2367/00 Polyesters, e.g. PET, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/20 Displays, e.g. liquid crystal displays, plasma displays
• 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 37/10 characterised by the pressing technique, e.g. using action of vacuum or fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/26 with at least one layer which influences the bonding during the lamination process, e.g. release layers or pressure equalising layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1833 Positioning, e.g. registration or centering
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/06 permitting easy separation
• 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 overlay applicator that includes an overlay layer. The overlay layer includes a top side and a bottom side. The bottom side includes an adhesive configured to adhere the overlay layer to a screen of an electronic device. The overlay applicator also includes an adhesive release liner. The adhesive release liner includes a top side and a bottom side. The top side of the adhesive release liner is removably attached to the bottom side of the overlay layer. The adhesive release liner is configured to be removed from the bottom side of the overlay layer to expose the adhesive of the bottom side of the overlay layer. The overlay applicator additionally includes a pull tab layer. The pull tab layer is configured to remove the adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay layer to expose the adhesive and to adhere the overlay layer to the screen. Other embodiments are provided.

Claims

1. An overlay applicator, comprising:

an overlay layer, wherein the overlay layer includes a top side and a bottom side, wherein the bottom side includes an adhesive configured to adhere the overlay layer to a screen of an electronic device;

an adhesive release liner, wherein the adhesive release liner includes a top side and a bottom side, wherein the top side of the adhesive release liner is removably attached to the bottom side of the overlay layer, and wherein the adhesive release liner is configured to be removed from the bottom side of the overlay layer to expose the adhesive of the bottom side of the overlay layer; and

a pull tab layer, wherein the pull tab layer is configured to remove the adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay layer to expose the adhesive and to adhere the overlay layer to the screen.

2. The overlay applicator of claim 1, further comprising:

an alignment tab including an alignment mechanism, wherein the alignment mechanism is configured to be removably attached to a machine or a cradle, and wherein the alignment mechanism is configured to align the overlay applicator with the screen of the electronic device as the overlay layer is adhered to the screen.

3. The overlay applicator of claim 2, wherein the alignment mechanism of the alignment tab is configured to be removably attached to an alignment base of the machine or the cradle, and wherein the machine is configured to pull the pull tab layer to remove the adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay layer.

4. The overlay applicator of claim 2, wherein the alignment mechanism of the alignment tab is configured to be removably attached to an alignment base of the machine or the cradle, and wherein the machine or the cradle is configured to align the overlay applicator with the screen of the electronic device as the pull tab layer is pulled to remove the adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay layer.

5. The overlay applicator of claim 1, wherein the pull tab layer includes a wiper, and wherein the wiper is configured to wipe across and clean the screen of the electronic device as the pull tab layer is pulled to remove the adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay layer.

6. The overlay applicator of claim 5, wherein the wiper includes a slot configured to capture material as the wiper wipes across the screen.

7. The overlay applicator of claim 5, wherein the wiper includes a support portion between a surface of the wiper and the pull tab layer, and wherein the support portion is configured to apply pressure between the surface and the screen as the wiper wipes across the screen.

8. The overlay applicator of claim 1, wherein when the pull tab layer is pulled in a direction, the adhesive release liner is removed from the bottom side of the overlay layer to expose the adhesive and to adhere the overlay layer to the screen of the electronic device.

9. The overlay applicator of claim 8, wherein the direction in which the pull tab is configured to be pulled includes across the bottom side of the overlay layer.

10. The overlay applicator of claim 1, further comprising a protective layer, wherein a bottom side of the protective layer is removably attached to the top side of the overlay layer.

11. A method, comprising:

adhering an overlay layer of an overlay applicator to a screen of an electronic device, wherein the overlay layer includes a top side and a bottom side, wherein the bottom side includes an adhesive configured to adhere to the screen of the electronic device, wherein adhering the overlay layer includes pulling a pull tab layer of an overlay applicator, wherein the pull tab layer is configured to remove an adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay layer to expose the adhesive and to adhere the overlay layer to the screen, wherein the adhesive release liner includes a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the top side of the adhesive release liner is removably attached to the bottom side of the overlay layer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising attaching an alignment mechanism of the overlay applicator to a machine or a cradle, wherein the alignment mechanism is configured to align the overlay applicator with the screen of the electronic device as the overlay layer is adhered to the screen.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the alignment mechanism is attached to an alignment base of the machine or the cradle, and wherein the machine or the cradle is configured to align the overlay applicator with the screen of the electronic device as the pull tab layer is pulled to remove the adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay layer.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising operating the machine to pull the pull tab layer to remove the adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay layer.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the pull tab layer includes a wiper, and wherein the wiper is configured to wipe across and clean the screen of the electronic device as the pull tab layer is pulled to remove the adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay layer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the wiper includes a slot configured to capture material as the wiper wipes across the screen.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the wiper includes a support portion between a surface of the wiper and the pull tab layer, and wherein the support portion is configured to apply pressure between the surface and the screen as the wiper wipes across the screen.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising pulling the pull tab in a direction to remove the adhesive release liner from the bottom side of the overlay layer to expose the adhesive and to adhere the overlay layer to the screen of the electronic device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the direction includes across the bottom side of the overlay layer.

20. The method of claim 11, where the overlay applicator includes a protective layer, wherein a bottom side of the protective layer is removably attached to the top side of the overlay layer.