Apparatus for mounting laminates on substrates and methods thereof
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorRobert J. Reuter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method, apparatus, and kit utilize a film mounting tool for sizing, shaping, and supporting a laminate, such as window film, that is to be installed on a substrate, such as a transparent panel. The film mounting tool is used for: conforming the laminate to the size and shape of the film mounting tool, delaminating the laminate placed on the film mounting tool so as to expose an adhesive layer thereof, and for supporting and carrying the laminate during an installation process so that the adhesive layer can be pressed onto the substrate by the film mounting tool.
Claims55
A method of installing a laminate on a substrate, the method comprising:
- generating a film mounting tool by cutting a blank sheet to generally match the size and shape of the substrate;
- providing a laminate;
- joining mutually opposing major surfaces the laminate to the film mounting tool so that both are in a generally juxtaposed and coextensive relationship with each other whereby the mounting tool supports the laminate;
- cutting the laminate so that its shape and size generally conforms to that of the film mounting tool;
- and applying the laminate by using the film mounting tool to press the laminate against the substrate.
A method of forming an apparatus adapted for sizing, shaping, and supporting a laminate on a substrate, the method comprising:
- providing a foldable blank sheet;
- forming one or more folds in the blank sheet for generally matching a size and shape of a boundary of the substrate;
- and generating the apparatus by cutting the blank sheet adjacent the one or more folds so that its size and shape generally conform to the boundary of the substrate.
The method of claim 28, wherein the blank sheet provided is made of a material that will not break in response to being creased or folded.
A film mounting tool apparatus adapted for sizing, shaping, and supporting a laminate to be applied on a substrate, the apparatus comprising:
- a blank sheet, that is made of a material that is foldable and able to be cut to conform it to the size and shape of a boundary of the substrate;
- the blank sheet includes one or more adhesive surfaces that are releasably attachable to the substrate to facilitate folding and cutting the blank sheet into the tool apparatus so that the tool apparatus matches generally to the boundary of the substrate;
- the one or more adhesive surfaces facilitate joining the tool apparatus to the laminate whereby the latter can be more precisely cut to match the size and shape of the tool apparatus, and the blank sheet material supports and controls movement of the cut laminate while the latter is applied to the substrate.
The film mounting tool apparatus of claim 36, wherein the blank sheet is relatively stiffer than the laminate and is generally coextensive with the laminate to thereby reduce the likelihood of the laminate folding in on itself while being installed.
The film mounting tool apparatus of claim 37, wherein the blank sheet has a thickness in a range of about 5 mil to about 10 mil.
A kit comprising:
- a blank sheet that is made of a material that is foldable and able to be cut to conform it to the size and shape of a boundary of the substrate;
- the blank sheet includes one or more adhesive surfaces that are releasably attachable to the substrate to facilitate folding and cutting the blank sheet into a film mounting tool apparatus that matches generally the boundary of the substrate;
- the one or more adhesive surfaces facilitate joining the tool apparatus to the laminate whereby the latter can be more precisely cut to match the size and shape of the tool apparatus, and the blank sheet material supports and controls movement of the cut laminate while the latter is applied to the substrate;
- and
- a thin laminate to be mounted on the substrate and joinable thereto so as to be sized and shaped to match the size and shape of the tool apparatus.
The kit of claim 42, further comprising:
- a tool for cutting the blank sheet and the laminate.
A method of installing a laminate, the method comprising:
- sizing and shaping a foldable blank sheet to the size and shape of a substrate;
- generating a film mounting tool by cutting the blank sheet to the size and shape of the substrate;
- providing a thin laminate:
- joining mutually opposing major surfaces of the laminate to the film mounting tool in a close juxtaposed and generally coextensive relation for allowing sizing and shaping of the laminate to the film mounting tool;
- delaminating a release sheet from the laminate while joined so as to expose an adhesive layer of the laminate;
- and directly pressing the pressure-sensitive layer to the window by the film mounting tool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.