SYSTEMS FOR SECURING PROTECTIVE FILMS TO SURFACES OF SUBSTRATES

摘要

Systems and films for protecting surfaces of various substrates, including electronic devices, such as portable electronic devices, include a liner with a strip liner and a main liner. The strip liner, which covers a small strip of adhesive on the back side of a protective film, is configured to be removed before the main liner. With the small strip of adhesive exposed, the protective film may be aligned with a substrate and, if necessary, removed from the substrates and repositioned thereon. Thereafter, the main liner may be removed to enable complete application of the protective film to the substrate. Methods for securing protective films to substrates are also disclosed.

主权项

1. A system for applying a protective film to an electronic device, comprising:
a protective film with a configuration that corresponds to a configuration of a surface of an electronic device on which the protective film is to be secured, the protective film including a lower surface that carries adhesive material for securing the protective film to the surface of the electronic device and an upper surface that is to be exposed when the protective film is secured to the surface of the electronic device; a liner secured to the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, the liner including:
a liner strip positioned at a first end of the protective film, the liner strip covering a strip of the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film at the end of the protective film, the liner strip including a first tab protruding beyond the first end of the protective film so as to enable removal of the liner strip from the strip of the adhesive material;a main liner covering a remainder of the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, between the strip of the adhesive material and a second end of the protective film, the main liner including a second tab protruding beyond the second end of the protective film; a cap shield over the upper surface of the protective film, the cap shield configured to distribute pressure applied thereto over the protective film so as to adhesively secure the lower surface of the protective film to the surface of the electronic device and to prevent damage to the protective film as pressure is applied to the cap shield; and a release layer positioned between the upper surface of the protective film and the lower surface of the cap shield, the release layer configured to enable removal of the cap shield from the upper surface of the protective film without removing the protective film from the surface of the electronic device.