Overlay applicator and method of using the same

• US 9,662,860 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2016
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nordmeyer, Patricia L
• Application Number:
  US15/175,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20160288470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 357 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: 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 an overlay layer top side and an overlay layer bottom side, wherein the overlay layer has a first length, and wherein the overlay layer has a perimeter corresponding to an outer boundary of the overlay layer;

an adhesive positioned on the overlay layer bottom side and configured to adhere the overlay layer to a screen of an electronic device;

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

a pull tab layer connected to the adhesive release liner, wherein the pull tab layer is configured to remove the adhesive release liner from the overlay layer bottom side to expose the adhesive and to adhere the overlay layer to the screen, wherein the pull tab layer has a third length that is greater than the first length or the second length so that the pull tab layer is extendable across and beyond the first length of the overlay layer or the second length of the adhesive release liner; and

an alignment tab connected to the overlay layer, wherein the alignment tab includes an alignment mechanism positioned outside of the perimeter of the overlay layer, wherein the alignment mechanism is configured to removably engage with an alignment base of an applicator machine or a cradle supporting the electronic device, and wherein the alignment mechanism is configured to align the overlay layer with the screen of the electronic device as the overlay layer is adhered to the screen.

2. The overlay applicator of claim 1, wherein the alignment mechanism corresponds to one or more alignment slots or holes in the alignment tab, and wherein the one or more alignment slots or holes in the alignment tab are configured to engage with one or more protrusions of the applicator machine or cradle corresponding to the alignment base.

3. The overlay applicator of claim 1, wherein the adhesive release liner extends outside of the perimeter of the overlay layer and includes a second alignment mechanism positioned outside of the perimeter of the overlay layer.

4. The overlay applicator of claim 1, wherein the adhesive release liner and the pull tab layer are integral with each other.

5. The overlay applicator of claim 1, wherein the pull tab layer includes a wiper covering a portion of the pull tab layer, 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 overlay layer bottom side.

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, further comprising a protective layer, wherein a protective layer bottom side is removably attached to the overlay layer top side.

9. The overlay applicator of claim 8, wherein the alignment tab is positioned in contact with or connected to the protective layer.

10. The overlay applicator of claim 9, further comprising a joining sticker positioned to connect the alignment tab to the protective layer.

11. The overlay applicator of claim 8, wherein the alignment tab is integral with the protective layer.

12. The overlay applicator of claim 11, wherein a slit is positioned between the protective layer and the alignment tab.

13. The overlay applicator of claim 1, wherein the adhesive release liner includes an interface slit between a device portion of the adhesive release liner and another portion of the adhesive release liner, wherein the device portion of the adhesive release liner is removably attached to the overlay layer by the adhesive.

14. The overlay applicator of claim 1, wherein pull tab layer includes a pulling aid corresponding to one or more slots or holes in the pull tab layer for pulling the pull tab layer, and wherein the pulling aid is positioned at an end of the pull tab layer.

15. A method, comprising:

adhering an overlay layer of an overlay applicator to a screen of an electronic device, wherein the overlay applicator comprises;

the overlay layer, wherein the overlay layer includes an overlay layer top side and an overlay layer bottom side, wherein the overlay layer has a first length, and wherein the overlay layer has a perimeter corresponding to an outer boundary of the overlay layer,

an adhesive positioned on the overlay layer bottom side and configured to adhere the overlay layer to the screen of the electronic device,

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

a pull tab layer connected to the adhesive release liner, wherein the pull tab layer is configured to remove the adhesive release liner from the overlay layer bottom side to expose the adhesive and to adhere the overlay layer to the screen, and wherein the pull tab layer has a second length that is greater than the first length or the second length so that the pull tab layer is extendable across and beyond the first length of the overlay layer or the second length of the adhesive release liner, and

an alignment tab connected to the overlay layer, wherein the alignment tab includes an alignment mechanism positioned outside of the perimeter of the overlay layer, wherein the alignment mechanism is configured to removably engage with an alignment base of an applicator machine or a cradle supporting the electronic device, and wherein the alignment mechanism is configured to align the overlay layer with the screen of the electronic device as the overlay layer is adhered to the screen;

wherein adhering the overlay layer includes aligning the overlay layer over the screen of the electronic device and pulling the pull tab layer of the overlay applicator to remove the adhesive release liner from the overlay layer bottom side to expose the adhesive and to adhere the overlay layer to the screen of the electronic device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein adhering includes attaching the alignment mechanism to an alignment base of the applicator machine or the cradle, and wherein the applicator machine or the cradle is configured to align the overlay layer with the screen of the electronic device as the pull tab layer is pulled to remove the adhesive release liner from the overlay layer bottom side.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein pulling the pull tab layer includes operating the applicator machine to pull the pull tab layer to remove the adhesive release liner from the overlay layer bottom side.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the pull tab layer includes a wiper covering a portion of the pull tab layer, 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 overlay layer bottom side.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the wiper includes a slot configured to capture material as the wiper wipes across the screen.

20. The method of claim 15, where the overlay applicator includes a protective layer, wherein a protective layer bottom side is removably attached to the overlay layer top side.