1 of 6 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT NOVEL EASY TO POSITION SCREEN PROTECTOR The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 of 6 NOVEL EASY TO POSITION SCREEN PROTECTOR [001] The present invention relates to an easy to position screen protector for an electronic device, wherein the screen protector may be placed on the screen of the electronic device and moved into correct position before initiating adhesive attachment to the screen. [002] Methods have been proposed for protecting the screen of an electronic device that involves the step of fixing a transparent film screen protector to a screen, wherein the screen protector adhesively fixes to a screen when it is placed on it. [003] One principle disadvantage of these proposed constructions is the difficulty in precisely placing the screen protector on the screen of the electronic device. [004] Such problems are overcome by the present invention, which provides a novel easy to position screen protector that allows the screen protector to be placed on the screen of an electronic device and correctly positioned before initiating adhesion of the screen protector to the screen. [005] The easy to position screen protector of the present invention comprises of a transparent film layer, adhesive layer and backing layer that covers the adhesive layer (Figs. 1 & 1A). Optionally, a protective layer may cover the surface of the film layer. [006] The transparent film layer comprises of a thin transparent or semi-transparent material known to experts in the field, which preferably include such materials as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), Acrylic Glass or Glass. [007] The adhesive layer comprises of a clear adhesive material known to experts in the field, which may include glue based adhesive methods and non-glue adhesion methods such as electro-static adhesion. Preferably, silicone based adhesives are used in the present invention.
3 of 6 [008] In the present invention, the backing layer is cut from one edge to another edge, wherein the cut does not fully extend the full thickness of the backing layer, thereby preserving the state of the adhesive layer and film layer of the screen protector, however the cut is sufficient to snap off a section of the backing layer along the said cut (Figs. 2 & 2A). The backing layer comprises of a material that is able to be snapped off along the said cut. The backing layer of the present invention may be constructed of plastic material, preferably PET. [009] One piece of the backing layer is snapped off and removed in the first step of the installation process (Figs. 3 & 3A). Following removal of the first part of the backing layer, the screen protector is then placed on the screen of the electronic device and moved or slide into correct alignment on the screen, then the exposed adhesive area is fixed to the screen by manually pressing down the screen protector in relation to the exposed adhesive area (Figs. 4 & 4A). [010] The remaining piece of the backing layer is then removed to complete the installation. The backing layer pieces may be removed with the use of adhesive stickers that are attached to the backing layer, or the use of tabs that are formed by a section of the backing layer extending beyond the film layer (Fig. 5). The backing layer may also be removed by directly grasping the backing layer, without the use of tabs or stickers. [011] Known screen protectors commonly have a PET backing layer with a thickness of 0.03mm to 0.05mm, which does not provide sufficient stiffness or elevation of the adhesive area to allow the screen protector to freely move on the screen of an electronic device after a section of the backing layer has been removed. Due to the thin backing layer of these known screen protectors, cutting the backing layer disrupts the adhesive layer, leaving a visible line. [012] The backing layer of the present invention comprises of a plastic material with a thickness of more than 0.05mm. Preferably, the backing layer comprises of PET with a thickness of between 0.06mm to 0.30mm, providing sufficient stiffness and sufficient elevation of the adhesive area, allowing the screen protector to freely move on the screen of an electronic device without adhesion of the screen protector, after a section 4 of 6 of the backing layer has been removed. The thickness of between 0.06mm to 0.30mm also allows measured cutting of the backing layer without damaging the adhesive or film layer. [013] The optional protective layer of the screen protector enables the surface of the screen protector to remain clean and unscratched prior to installation. The optional protective layer may comprise of a thin plastic or paper based material that is fixed to the transparent film layer. When employing a scratch proof transparent film layer, the use of the optional protective layer becomes less vital. [014] Electronic devices that may be used in conjunction with the present invention include mobile phones, watches, cameras, music devices, electronic game devices, laptop computers, tablet computers, electronic book readers, computer monitors, navigation screens, LCD screens, LED screens, televisions and the like. [015] The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following illustrations taken in conjunction with the description in which: [016] FIGS. 1&1A are examples of the components of a screen protector. FIGS. 2&2A are examples of an easy to position screen protector of the present invention. FIGS. 3&3A are examples of an easy to position screen protector with backing layer section removed. FIGS. 4&4A are examples of installing a screen protector of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an example of an easy to position screen protector with backing layer extending beyond the film layer to form tabs. [017] Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which illustrates a front view of a screen protector. The said screen protector 1 has transparent film layer 2 facing upwards. FIG. 1A is a magnified side view showing a section of a screen protector 1A, which comprises of film layer 2A, backing layer 3 and adhesive layer 4. [018] Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which illustrates a front view of an easy to position screen protector. The said screen protector 5 has transparent film layer 6 facing upwards, and cut 7, which extends from one edge of the backing layer to another edge 5 of 6 of the backing layer. FIG. 2A is a magnified side view showing a section of an easy to position screen protector 5A, which comprises of film layer 6A, backing layer 8 and adhesive layer 9. The cut 7A can be seen as not fully cutting the thickness of the backing layer 8. The present invention is not limited to horizontal or linear cuts in the backing layer and the cut or cuts may be at any angle or length to allow removal of a section of the backing layer. The present invention is also not limited to the depth of the cut shown, and the depth of the cut may be any depth sufficient to snap off a section of the backing layer. [019] Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which illustrates a front view of an easy to position screen protector with upper section of the backing layer removed. The said screen protector 10 has transparent film layer 11 facing upwards, and cut 12, which extends from one edge of the backing layer to another edge of the backing layer. The backing layer above cut 12 has been removed. FIG. 3A is a magnified side view of a section of an easy to position screen protector with upper section of the backing layer removed, showing screen protector 10A, which comprises of film layer 11A, backing layer 13 and adhesive layer 14. The backing layer above cut 12A has been removed by snapping off the upper section of the backing layer. [020] Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which illustrates an easy to position screen protector 15 with exposed adhesive area 16, and a mobile phone 17 facing screen up. The easy to position screen protector 15 is lowered onto the screen of the mobile phone 17. FIG. 4A illustrates the easy to position screen protector 15A on the screen of the mobile phone 17A. The figure shows the adhesive area 16A not touching the screen of mobile phone 17A, as a result of the stiff flat backing layer with sufficient thickness. The screen protector 17A may be moved or slide on the screen of mobile phone 17A until correctly aligned. To attach the screen protector 15A, the exposed adhesive area 16A is firmly pressed thereby attaching said screen protector 15A to the screen of mobile phone 17A. While holding the upper section of the screen protector in place on the screen, the remaining backing layer piece may then be grasped directly and removed, or removed with the use of tabs.
6 of 6 [021] Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which illustrates easy to position screen protector 18, the transparent film layer 19 facing up with the backing layer 20 behind. The backing layer 20 is shown extending beyond the film layer 19. The backing layer 20 has a horizontal cut 21 not fully extending the thickness of the backing layer 20. When the backing layer is snapped apart along the cut line 21, upper and lower tabs are formed, which may be used to remove the sections of the backing layer 20. [022] It is appreciated that these are just a limited number of examples of easy to position screen protectors, which may be constructed and operative in accordance with the present invention and the invention is not limited to these examples. AUSTRALIAN SCIENCES PTY LTD 16 OCTOBER 2013