# US 2013/0153128 A1 · Methods of Joining Device Structures with Adhesive > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153128 A1 - Document ID: US20130153128A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/329,010 - Filed: 2011-12-16 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-16 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Inventors: James R. Krogdahl; James M. Cuseo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153128A1 ## CPC - B32B 37/003: {to avoid air inclusion} - B32B 37/1284: {Application of adhesive} - B32B 2305/34: Inserts - B32B 2457/00: Electrical equipment - Y10T 156/1002: with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Structures such as layers of material associated with an electronic device may be assembled using adhesive. The adhesive may be dispensed onto the surface of an electronic device layer in liquid form. The liquid adhesive material may be a liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material. Patterned structures such as touch sensor electrodes, black ink masking layers, and other structures may be formed on the electronic device layer. The use of liquid adhesive material may help the adhesive material flow over the edges of the patterned structures without forming bubbles or voids. Following application of the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material, the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material may be cured to form a solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive. The layer of material on which the solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive has been formed may then be vacuum laminated to an additional electronic device layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for assembling electronic device structures that include a first layer and a second layer, comprising: dispensing a liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material onto the first layer; curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material using a curing tool to create a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the first layer; and following creation of the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the first layer, laminating the first and second layers together with the pressure sensitive adhesive so that the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive is interposed between the first and second layers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein laminating the first and second layers comprises vacuum laminating the first and second layers using pressure sensitive adhesive vacuum lamination equipment. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method defined in claim 2 wherein the first and second layers comprise rigid layers and wherein laminating the first and second layers together comprises laminating the rigid layers together. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method defined in claim 2 wherein the first and second layers comprise first and second display layers in a display and wherein laminating the first and second layers together comprises laminating the display layers together. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method defined in claim 4 further comprising: forming a patterned layer of ink on the first layer, wherein dispensing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material comprises coating the first layer and the patterned layer of ink on the first layer with the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second layers comprise touch pad layers and wherein laminating the first and second layers together comprises laminating the touch pad layers together. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the first layer comprises a surface on which an array of touch pad electrodes is formed and wherein dispensing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material comprises coating the surface of the first layer and the touch pad electrodes on the surface of the first layer with the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second layers comprise rigid layers including at least one layer of glass, wherein laminating the first and second layers together comprises laminating the rigid layers together, wherein the curing tool comprises an ultraviolet light source, and wherein curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material using the curing tool to create the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the first layer comprises applying ultraviolet light to the layer of liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material using the ultraviolet light source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein the curing tool comprises an ultraviolet light source and wherein curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material using the curing tool to create the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the first layer comprises applying ultraviolet light to the layer of liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material using the ultraviolet light source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The method defined in claim 2 further comprising applying a dam structure to portions of the first layer, wherein the dam structure is configured to at least partly laterally confine the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method defined in claim 10 further comprising removing at least some of the dam structure using trimming equipment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method defined in claim 11 wherein removing the dam structure using the trimming equipment comprises removing the dam structure using laser trimming. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method defined in claim 10 further comprising applying a release liner to the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method defined in claim 13 further comprising flattening the release liner with a planar member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method defined in claim 14 wherein curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material using the curing tool comprises applying ultraviolet light to the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material through the planar member and the flattened release liner. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method defined in claim 15 further comprising removing the release liner before laminating the first and second layers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein dispensing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material onto the first layer comprises applying the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material using equipment selected from the group consisting of: a valve, spraying equipment, and screen printing equipment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 further comprising flattening the pressure sensitive adhesive before laminating the first and second layers together with the pressure sensitive adhesive. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method defined in claim 18 wherein flattening the pressure sensitive adhesive comprises applying heat to the dispensed liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method defined in claim 1 wherein dispensing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material onto the first layer and curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material using the curing tool to create the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the first layer comprises: dispensing multiple sublayers of liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material; and curing each of the sublayers of liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material to form the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the first layer. ### Claim 21 A method of assembling first and second electronic device layers, wherein at least the first electronic device layer has surface structures with edges that have step heights of 10 to 100 microns, the method comprising: applying a liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material onto the first layer over the surface structures; and curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material to form a solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive; and laminating the first and second layers together with the solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method defined in claim 21 wherein the first layer comprises a layer of glass and wherein curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material comprises applying ultraviolet light to the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method defined in claim 22 further comprising: applying a release liner to the solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on layer of glass. ### Claim 24 A method of assembling first and second electronic device structures, comprising: applying a liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material onto the first electronic device structure; and curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material to form a solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive; and attaching the first and second electronic device structures together using the solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method defined in claim 24 wherein the first electronic device structure comprises a portion of a display and wherein curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material to form the solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive comprises applying ultraviolet light to the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method defined in claim 24 wherein the first electronic device structure comprises a planar display cover layer having a surface on which patterned black ink is formed, wherein the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material at least partly covers the black ink, and wherein curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material to form the solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive comprises applying ultraviolet light to the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method defined in claim 24 wherein the first electronic device structure comprises a portion of a touch pad and wherein curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material to form the solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive comprises applying ultraviolet light to the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The method defined in claim 24 wherein the first electronic device structure comprises a touch pad layer covered with patterned touch sensor electrodes, wherein the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material at least partly covers the touch sensor electrodes, and wherein curing the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material to form the solid layer of pressure sensitive adhesive comprises applying ultraviolet light to the liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material.