US 9,089,085 B2Granted

Protective material applicator device

AssigneeSuperior Communications, Inc.

InventorsShraddha Patel, Charlie LaColla, Thai Dinh, Vivian Chou

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Devices, methods and systems disclosed herein relate to the application of a protective film on a surface of an electronic device that instantly reduces air bubbles and eliminates the waiting time usually required when using a wet fluid solution. In one embodiment, a roller device may include a carriage or housing and one or more rollers coupled or integrated with the housing, configured to apply a protective material to a surface of the electronic device in a first orientation, and configured to function as a device stand in a second orientation. In addition or alternatively, a roller guide apparatus and/or a wedge may be utilized to assist the roller device in applying the protective material to the surface of the electronic device.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A film application system for applying a protective film to a screen of a mobile device, the system comprising:

an apparatus for receiving the mobile device, and including:
a cavity having a length, a width, and a depth, and four sides each extending from a bottom of the cavity to an upper boundary of the cavity to define the depth of the cavity, with a first pair of the four sides facing opposite each other, and a second pair of the four sides facing opposite each other, the cavity configured to receive the mobile device such that the mobile device is positioned between the first pair of the four sides and is positioned between the second pair of the four sides, and
a supporting surface extending outward from the upper boundary of the cavity and being positioned outside of the cavity;
a protective film having a backing portion and an application portion, and having a first end and a second end extending away from the first end of the protective film such that the protective film extends along the length of the cavity and extends over the screen of the mobile device when the mobile device is positioned in the cavity, the application portion configured to be applied to the screen of the mobile device to cover the screen of the mobile device when the mobile device is positioned in the cavity and the backing portion is separated from the application portion;
and
a tab having a first end and a second end, the first end of the tab attached to the supporting surface and the second end of the tab attached to the first end of the protective film to thereby attach the first end of the protective film to the supporting surface, the application portion being sandwiched between the second end of the tab and the backing portion, and
the tab being configured such that the first end of the tab and the application portion each remain attached to the supporting surface while the backing portion is being separated from the application portion.

4 more elements

A film application system for applying a protective film to a screen of a mobile device, the system comprising:

a substantially rectangular apparatus for receiving the mobile device, and sized to be held within a user's hand and including:
an inner wall defining a cavity having a length, a width, and a depth, with the inner wall extending from a bottom of the cavity to an upper boundary of the cavity to define the depth of the cavity, the cavity configured to receive the mobile device, the inner wall configured to prevent the mobile device from moving along the length of the cavity when the mobile device is positioned in the cavity, and the inner wall configured to prevent the mobile device from moving along the width of the cavity when the mobile device is positioned in the cavity, and
a supporting surface extending outward from the upper boundary of the cavity and being positioned outside of the cavity;
and
a protective film having a backing portion and an application portion, and having a first end and a second end extending away from the first end of the protective film such that the protective film extends along the length of the cavity and extends over the mobile device when the mobile device is positioned in the cavity, the application portion configured to be applied to the screen of the mobile device to cover the screen of the mobile device when the mobile device is positioned in the cavity and the backing portion is separated from the application portion;
and
a tab having a first end and a second end, the first end of the tab attached to the supporting surface and the second end of the tab attached to the first end of the protective film to thereby attach the first end of the protective film to the supporting surface, the application portion being sandwiched between the second end of the tab and the backing portion, and
the tab being configured such that the first end of the tab and the application portion each remain attached to the supporting surface while the backing portion is being separated from the application portion.

5 more elements

A method of applying a protective film to a screen of a mobile device, the method comprising:

inserting the mobile device into a cavity of an apparatus that is sized to be larger than the mobile device, the apparatus including:
an inner wall defining the cavity, which has a length, a width, and a depth, with the inner wall extending from a bottom of the cavity to an upper boundary of the cavity to define the depth of the cavity, the cavity configured to receive the mobile device, with the length of the cavity being sized substantially the same as a length of the mobile device such that the inner wall prevents the mobile device from moving along the length of the cavity when the mobile device is positioned in the cavity, and the width of the cavity being sized substantially the same as a width of the mobile device such that the inner wall prevents the mobile device from moving along the width of the cavity when the mobile device is positioned in the cavity, and
a supporting surface extending outward from the upper boundary of the cavity and being positioned outside of the cavity;
and
separating a backing portion of a protective film from an application portion of the protective film, the protective film having a first end and a second end, the first end of the protective film being attached to a tab, the tab being attached to the supporting surface to thereby attach the first end of the protective film to the supporting surface, the second end of the protective film extending away from the first end of the protective film such that the protective film may extend along the length of the cavity and extend over the mobile device when the mobile device is positioned in the cavity;
and
applying the application portion of the protective film to the screen of the mobile device while the mobile device is positioned in the cavity and the application portion remains attached to the tab and the tab remains attached to the supporting surface, to cover the screen of the mobile device, and
wherein separating the backing portion of the protective film from the application portion of the protective film includes starting to peel the backing portion away from the application portion in a direction away from the first end of the protective film while the application portion remains attached to the tab and the tab remains attached to the supporting surface.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/794,414Filed 11 Mar 2013 · continuation
Priority: 18 Feb 2011
Published: US 2013/0199714 A18 Aug 2013
Granted: 21 Jul 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

H05K 13/00
Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric
B29C 63/0004
Lining or sheathing, i.e. applying preformed layers or sheathings of plastics; Apparatus therefor: component parts, details or accessories;…
B29C 63/0047
Lining or sheathing, i.e. applying preformed layers or sheathings of plastics; Apparatus therefor: preventing air-inclusions
B29C 63/02
Lining or sheathing, i.e. applying preformed layers or sheathings of plastics; Apparatus therefor: using sheet or web-like material

Family

Application61/444,597Us provisional application · filed 18 Feb 2011
Application13/053,081Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 21 Mar 2011
Application13/208,264Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Aug 2011
US 8,393,377 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Mar 2013
US 2013/0199714 A1Pre-grant publication · published 8 Aug 2013
Application13/208,264Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2012/0211168 A1Published application
US 2012/0211170 A1Published application
US 8,905,107 B2Related patent
US 9,089,085 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.