Carrier card apparatus and method for installation and removal of lens protectors

An apparatus for installation and removal of a lens protector to and from a lens, the apparatus comprising:

• a carrier comprising a substantially rigid body having a front face and a back face, and defining a plurality of chambers formed therein;
• a front film layer applied over the front face of the carrier;
• a back film layer applied over the back face of the carrier and removable therefrom;
• a plurality of lens protectors, each lens protector positioned in a corresponding one of the plurality of chambers, and releasably retained therein between the front film layer and the back film layer in a delivery position configured for installation of the lens protectors onto corresponding lenses of a device, and configured to release the lens protectors from the carrier upon engagement of the lens protectors onto the lenses of the device, whereby the lens protectors remain engaged onto the lenses of the device and separate from the carrier upon application and removal of the carrier to and from the device;
• and
• a removal tool comprising a portion of the carrier and configured for removal of the lens protectors from the lenses of the device, the removal tool comprising a cutout section at a corner region of the carrier defining a concave arcuate sidewall configured with a size and shape conforming to an external curvature of the lens protectors, and a removal flange projecting outwardly from the concave arcuate sidew al configured for engagement between the lens protectors and the device for removal of the lens protectors from the lens of the device.

A method of installation and removal of a lens protector to and from a lens of a device, the method comprising:

• providing a lens protector installation and removal apparatus having a carrier body, a lens protector retained in detachable connection with the carrier body, and a removal tool comprising a portion of the carrier body;
• wherein the lens protector is configured for installation onto a lens of a device by placement of the carrier body with the lens protector aligned with the lens, engagement of the lens protector onto the lens, and detachment of the lens protector from the carrier body, whereby the lens protector remains engaged onto the lens of the device and separates from the carrier body u application and removal of the carrier body to and from the device;
• and
• wherein the removal tool portion of the carrier body comprises a cutout section at a corner region of the carrier body defining a concave arcuate sidewall configured with a size and shape conforming to an external curvature of the lens protector, and a removal flange projecting outwardly from the concave arcuate sidewall for engagement between the lens protector and the device to remove the lens protector from the lens.