Protective adhesive film, method of adhering protective adhesive film to a device, and device comprising protective adhesive film

A method of protecting a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

• providing a protective film product comprising:
• a protective film having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, the first major surface and the second major surface being defined by a perimeter, the protective film being air permeable to permit diffusion of gases,
• an adhesive layer disposed on the first major surface of the protective film, the adhesive layer comprising an adhesive that provides tack sufficient to securely adhere the protective film to a surface portion of the portable electronic device without addition of a liquid during installation of the protective film,
• a backing layer that covers the adhesive layer to protect the adhesive layer prior to installation of the protective film onto the surface portion of the portable electronic device, the backing layer being removable to expose the adhesive layer to the surface portion of the portable electronic device during the installation of the protective film onto the surface portion of the portable electronic device,
• a removable cap sheet disposed on the second major surface of the protective film;
• wherein micro air pockets are formed in gaps between a textured surface of said cap sheet and said second major surface of said protective film, and
• a first tab extending outward near a first edge of the protective film and a second tab extending outward near a second edge of the protective film opposite the first edge, the first tab and the second tab each being sized to form a grab handle to allow a user to position the first major surface of the protective film during installation of the protective film onto the surface portion of the portable electronic device, the first tab and the second tab being removable from the protective film product;
• removing the backing layer from the adhesive layer of the protective film;
• positioning the protective film relative to the portable electronic device via manipulation of at least one of the first and second tabs to align the protective film to the surface portion;
• contacting, by an adhesive area of the adhesive layer, the protective film to the surface portion of the portable electronic device, the adhesive area corresponding to the removed backing layer;
• applying pressure on the removable cap sheet of the protective film when contacting the surface portion of the portable electronic device by the adhesive area of the adhesive layer, such that the adhesive area of the protective film is adhered to the surface portion of the portable electronic device;
• and
• removing air bubbles trapped between the adhesive layer and the surface portion of the portable electronic device, in which air bubbles exceeding approximately 2 mm are removed by pressure applied on the removable cap sheet toward the perimeter of the protective film, the remaining air bubbles being diffused through the protective film within a predetermined time.

A method of applying a protective film to a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

• providing protective film product comprising:
• a protective film having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface,
• an adhesive layer disposed on the first major surface of the protective film, the adhesive layer comprising an adhesive that provides tack sufficient to securely adhere the protective film to a surface portion of the portable electronic device without the necessity of a liquid during installation of the protective film and further allows one or more of positioning and repositioning during said installation,
• a backing layer that covers the adhesive layer to protect the adhesive layer prior to installation of the protective film onto the surface portion of the portable electronic device, the backing layer being removable to expose the adhesive layer to the surface portion of the portable electronic device during the installation of the protective film onto the surface portion of the portable electronic device,
• a removable cap sheet disposed on the second major surface of the protective film;
• wherein micro air pockets are formed in gaps between a textured surface of said cap sheet and said second major surface of said protective film,
• a first tab extending outward at a first edge of the protective film and a second tab extending outward at a second edge of the protective film, wherein the first edge is opposite the second edge, the first tab and the second tab each being sized to form a grab handle to allow a user to perform one or more of positioning or repositioning of the first major surface of the protective film during installation of the protective film onto the surface portion of the portable electronic device, and
• first and second sets of perforations, the first set of perforations removably dividing the first tab from at least one of the protective film and the removable cap sheet, and the second set of perforations removably dividing the second tab from at least one of the protective film and the removable cap sheet, the first set of perforations allowing removal of the first tab after positioning and installation of the protective film onto the surface portion of the portable electronic device, and the second set of perforations allowing removal of the second tab after positioning and installation of the protective film onto the surface portion of the portable electronic device;
• holding the protective film product by at least one of the first and second tabs;
• peeling the backing layer off of the adhesive layer of the protective film;
• performing one or more of positioning and repositioning of the protective film to align with the surface portion of the portable electronic device via manipulation of at least one of the first tab and the second tab of the protective film product;
• contacting an adhesive area of the adhesive layer, exposed by the peeling of the backing layer, to the surface portion of the portable electronic device;
• applying pressure to an outer surface of the removable cap sheet to press the exposed adhesive area of the adhesive layer against the surface portion of the portable electronic device, and continuing to apply pressure such that a given target area of the surface portion of the portable electronic device is adhesively covered by the protective film;
• forcing air bubbles that are trapped between the adhesive layer and the surface portion of the portable electronic device to the first, second, or another edge of the protective film by applying pressure to the outer surface of the removable cap sheet, wherein the removable cap sheet is formed from a rigid material;
• removing the removable cap sheet from the protective film to expose the second major surface of the protective film, wherein removing the removable cap sheet from the protective film does not reduce the optical clarity of the protective film;
• and
• allowing any remaining air bubbles that are trapped between the adhesive layer and the surface portion of the portable electronic device to diffuse through the adhesive layer and the protective film.