Overlay applicator machine and method of providing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11420381-B2
Application number	US-202017005175-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2020
Priority date	Aug 8, 2013
Publication date	Aug 23, 2022
Grant date	Aug 23, 2022

Abstract

A machine can include a base including a first cradle. The first cradle can include a device slot being configured to securely hold a first electronic device. The machine also can include an alignment piece hingedly attached to the base at a hinge. The alignment piece can include an alignment base configured to engage with an alignment mechanism of an overlay applicator. The machine additionally can include a pulling piece movably attached to the base. The pulling piece can be configured to remove an adhesive release liner of the overlay applicator to expose an adhesive agent of an overlay of the overlay applicator when the alignment piece is rotated relative to the base around the hinge from a first alignment piece position to a second alignment piece position. Other embodiments are described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A machine comprising:
a base comprising a first cradle, the first cradle comprising a device slot being configured to securely hold a first electronic device;
an alignment piece hingedly attached to the base at a hinge, the alignment piece comprising an alignment base configured to engage with an alignment mechanism of an overlay applicator; and
a pulling piece movably attached to the base,
wherein:
the pulling piece is configured to remove an adhesive release liner of the overlay applicator to expose an adhesive agent of an overlay of the overlay applicator when the alignment piece is rotated relative to the base around the hinge from a first alignment piece position to a second alignment piece position.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the second alignment piece position of the alignment piece is proximate to the first cradle.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the alignment base of the alignment piece comprises multiple pins configured to engage with the alignment mechanism of the overlay applicator.

4. The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the machine is configured such that the alignment piece is lowered toward the first electronic device when the alignment piece is rotated from the first alignment piece position to the second alignment piece position.

5. The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the first cradle is removable from the base.

6. The machine of claim 5 , wherein:
the base is configured to hold a second cradle different than the first cradle; and
the second cradle is configured to securely hold a second electronic device having different dimensions than the first electronic device.

7. The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the machine is configured such that the pulling piece is located at a first pulling piece position proximate to the first cradle when the alignment piece is in the first alignment piece position.

8. The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the pulling piece is configured to move away from the hinge as the pulling piece removes the adhesive release liner.

9. The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the pulling piece is configured to rotate while removing the adhesive release liner.

10. The machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the machine is configured to position the overlay to be adhered to a screen of the first electronic device when the alignment piece is in the second alignment piece position.

11. The machine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a slider configured to move between a first end of the base and a second end of the base,
wherein:
the slider comprises a bar; and
the bar is configured to press the overlay of the overlay applicator toward a screen of the first electronic device to adhere the overlay to the screen of the first electronic device when the slider is moved between the first and second ends of the base.

12. A method of providing a machine, the method comprising:
providing a base comprising first cradle, the first cradle comprising a device slot being configured to securely hold a first electronic device;
providing an alignment piece hingedly attached to the base at a hinge, the alignment piece comprising an alignment base configured to engage with an alignment mechanism of an overlay applicator; and
providing a pulling piece movably attached to the base,
wherein:
the pulling piece is configured to remove an adhesive release liner of the overlay applicator to expose an adhesive agent of an overlay of the overlay applicator when the alignment piece is rotated relative to the base around the hinge from a first alignment piece position to a second alignment piece position.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the second alignment piece position of the alignment piece is proximate to the first cradle.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the alignment base of the alignment piece comprises multiple pins configured to engage with the alignment mechanism of the overlay applicator.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the machine is configured such that the alignment piece is lowered toward the first electronic device when the alignment piece is rotated from the first alignment piece position to the second alignment piece position.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the first cradle is removable from the base.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the base is configured to hold a second cradle different than the first cradle; and
the second cradle is configured to securely hold a second electronic device having different dimensions than the first electronic device.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the machine is configured such that the pulling piece is located at a first pulling piece position proximate to the first cradle when the alignment piece is in the first alignment piece position.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the pulling piece is configured to move away from the hinge as the pulling piece removes the adhesive release liner.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the pulling piece is configured to rotate while removing the adhesive release liner.

21. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the machine is configured to position the overlay to be adhered to a screen of the first electronic device when the alignment piece is in the second alignment piece position.

22. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
providing a slider configured to move between a first end of the base and a second end of the base,
wherein:
the slider comprises a bar; and
the bar is configured to press the overlay of the overlay applicator toward a screen of the first electronic device to adhere the overlay to the screen of the first electronic device when the slider is moved between the first and second ends of the base.

Assignees

• Belkin International Inc

Inventors

• Lane Steven
• Wadsworth John

Classifications

• B29K2995/0026

  Transparent · CPC title

• B32B38/10

  Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically · CPC title

• B32B2457/208

  Touch screens · CPC title

• B32B2307/582

  Tearability · CPC title

• B32B3/02

  characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions {(non-uniform thickness B32B3/263)} · CPC title