Systems for securing protective films to surfaces of substrates
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.
1. A method for applying a protective film to an electronic device, comprising:
providing 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;
removing a liner secured to the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, including:
separating a liner strip of the liner from a main liner of the liner to enable the liner strip to be removed from the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film without removing the main liner from the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, the separating comprising cracking the liner strip of the liner apart from the main liner of the liner to enable the liner strip to be removed from the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film without removing the main liner from the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film;
removing the liner strip from 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 first 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;
applying the strip of the adhesive material to a corresponding location on the surface of the electronic device;
gradually removing the main liner from the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, the main liner covering a remainder of the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, from a location adjacent to the strip of the adhesive material to a second end of the protective film, the main liner including a second tab protruding beyond the second end of the protective film; and
while gradually removing the main liner from the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, securing the adhesive material previously covered by the main liner to the surface of the electronic device, from the location adjacent to the strip of the adhesive material to the second end of the protective film;
applying pressure to a cap shield over the upper surface of the protective film, the cap shield distributing the 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
after applying pressure to the cap shield, removing the cap shield from the upper surface of the protective film, a release layer positioned between the upper surface of the protective film and a lower surface of the cap shield enabling 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.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
before applying pressure to the cap shield, pre-lifting the cap shield at the second end of the protective film and re-adhering the cap shield to the second end of the protective film, but not pre-lifting the cap shield the first end of the protective film, to enable a second end of the cap shield at the second end of the protective film to be more easily removed from the protective film than a first end of the cap shield at the first end of the protective film, and to prevent removal of the cap shield instead of the liner strip from the first end of the protective film.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein removing the cap shield comprises grasping the second end of the cap shield or a tab protruding from the second end of the cap shield and pulling the second end of the cap shield away from the protective film and the surface of the electronic device.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
aligning the release layer, having a color making it visible through the cap shield, with the surface of the electronic device before or while applying the strip of adhesive material to the corresponding location on the surface of the electronic device.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein aligning the release layer comprises:
grasping a first tab protruding beyond the first end of the protective film and superimposed with the first tab of the liner strip;
grasping a second tab protruding beyond the second end of the protective film and superimposed with the second tab of the main liner; and
moving the first tab and the second tab until the release layer is aligned with the surface of the electronic device.
6. A method for applying a protective film to an electronic device, comprising:
providing 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;
cracking a liner strip of a liner secured to the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film apart from a main liner of the liner to enable the liner strip to be removed from the adhesive material without removing the main liner from the adhesive material;
removing the liner secured to the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, including:
removing the liner strip from a strip of the adhesive material;
applying the strip of the adhesive material to a corresponding location on the surface of the electronic device; and
removing the main liner from a remainder of the adhesive material; and
applying pressure to the upper surface of the protective film so as to adhesively secure the lower surface of the protective film to the surface of the electronic device.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein removing the liner strip from the strip of the adhesive material includes removing the liner strip positioned at a first end of the protective film, the liner strip covering the strip of the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film at the first end of the protective film.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein removing the liner strip from the strip of adhesive material comprises grasping 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.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein removing the main liner from the remainder of the adhesive material comprises gradually removing the main liner from the remainder of the adhesive material.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein removing the main liner comprises grasping a second tab protruding beyond a second end of the protective film and, while grasping the second tab, pulling the second tab to pull the main liner away from at least a portion of the adhesive material.
11. The method of claim 6 , wherein removing the main liner from the remainder of the adhesive material comprises gradually removing the main liner from the remainder of the adhesive material and, while gradually removing the main liner, securing the adhesive material previously covered by the main liner to the surface of the electronic device, from the location adjacent to the strip of the adhesive material to the second end of the protective film.
12. The method of claim 6 , wherein applying pressure to the upper surface of the protective film comprises applying pressure to a cap shield over the upper surface of the protective film, the cap shield distributing the 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.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
after applying pressure to the cap shield, removing the cap shield from the upper surface of the protective film, a release layer positioned between the upper surface of the protective film and a lower surface of the cap shield enabling 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.
14. A method for applying a protective film to an electronic device, comprising:
providing 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;
pre-lifting a cap shield over the upper surface of the protective film at a second end of the protective film and re-adhering the cap shield to the second end of the protective film, but not pre-lifting the cap shield from a first end of the protective film, to enable a second end of the cap shield at the second end of the protective film to be more easily removed from the protective film than a first end of the cap shield at the first end of the protective film, and to prevent removal of the cap shield instead of a liner strip of a liner from the first end of the protective film;
removing the liner secured to the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, including:
removing the liner strip positioned at the 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 first 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;
applying the strip of the adhesive material to a corresponding location on the surface of the electronic device;
gradually removing a main liner from the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, the main liner covering a remainder of the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, from a location adjacent to the strip of the adhesive material to the second end of the protective film, the main liner including a second tab protruding beyond the second end of the protective film; and
while gradually removing the main liner from the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, securing the adhesive material previously covered by the main liner to the surface of the electronic device, from the location adjacent to the strip of the adhesive material to the second end of the protective film;
applying pressure to the cap shield, the cap shield distributing the 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
after applying pressure to the cap shield, removing the cap shield from the upper surface of the protective film, a release layer positioned between the upper surface of the protective film and a lower surface of the cap shield enabling 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.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
aligning the release layer, having a color making it visible through the cap shield, with the surface of the electronic device before or while applying the strip of adhesive material to the corresponding location on the surface of the electronic device.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein aligning the release layer comprises:
grasping a first tab protruding beyond the first end of the protective film and superimposed with the first tab of the liner strip;
grasping a second tab protruding beyond the second end of the protective film and superimposed with the second tab of the main liner; and
moving the first tab and the second tab until the release layer is aligned with the surface of the electronic device.
17. A method for applying a protective film to an electronic device, comprising:
providing 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;
pre-lifting a cap shield over the upper surface of the protective film at a second end of the protective film and re-adhering the cap shield to the second end of the protective film, but not pre-lifting the cap shield from a first end of the protective film, to enable a second end of the cap shield at the second end of the protective film to be more easily removed from the protective film than a first end of the cap shield at the first end of the protective film, and to prevent removal of the cap shield instead of a liner strip of a liner on the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film from the first end of the protective film;
removing the liner from the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film; and
applying pressure to the upper surface of the protective film so as to adhesively secure the lower surface of the protective film to the surface of the electronic device.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein removing the liner includes:
removing the liner strip positioned at the 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 first 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; and
applying the strip of the adhesive material to a corresponding location on the surface of the electronic device.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein removing the liner further includes:
gradually removing a main liner from the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, the main liner covering a remainder of the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, from a location adjacent to the strip of the adhesive material to the second end of the protective film, the main liner including a second tab protruding beyond the second end of the protective film.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
while gradually removing the main liner from the adhesive material on the lower surface of the protective film, securing the adhesive material previously covered by the main liner to the surface of the electronic device, from the location adjacent to the strip of the adhesive material to the second end of the protective film.