Protective sheet sticking unit

Abstract

To provide a protective sheet sticking unit which can appropriately stick a protective sheet to an appropriate position of a portable electronic device while reducing the number of components and preventing entry of dust and occurrence of air bubbles.SOLUTION: A protective sheet sticking unit 10 has a protective sheet 12 and a sticking supporting jig 14. The protective sheet 12 has a protective sheet body 122, a release sheet 124, a drawn sheet 126, and a position fixing sheet 128. The sticking supporting jig 14 has a protective sheet supporting part 142, a side wall part 144, and a positioning part 146 for providing a gap between the protective sheet body 122 and a portable electronic device 100. In a state in which the protective sheet body 122 is stored in an opening 148, the position fixing sheet 128 is releasably stuck to the protective sheet body 122 and the protective sheet supporting part 142.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a protection sheet application unit having a protection sheet to be applied to a portable electronic device and an application assisting tool for assisting the application of the protection sheet to the portable electronic device. [Background technology]

[0002] Portable electronic devices (mobile devices) such as smartphones and tablet PCs are frequently carried around, and therefore have a high risk of being damaged by being dropped, etc. For this reason, users of portable electronic devices often use cases or covers to protect the portable electronic devices. In particular, transparent protective sheets are often used to protect the display screens of portable electronic devices.

[0003] However, transparent protective sheets for protecting display screens need to be attached in the correct position while preventing the intrusion of dust and the generation of air bubbles. If dust gets in, air bubbles form, or the sheet is attached at an angle, it can cause inconveniences such as marring the appearance of the portable electronic device or making it difficult to see the display screen.

[0004] In response to this, various tools and the like have been developed in recent years to assist in the task of attaching a protection sheet to an appropriate position on a portable electronic device (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 5). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-043283 [Patent Document 2] JP 2023-007871 A [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 7008351 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 6984934 [Patent Document 5] Patent No. 6693623 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the conventional technologies including the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 to 5 use many parts, such as a lower support member for supporting from below the portable electronic device to which the protective sheet is to be attached, and a cover member for covering the upper side of this lower support member, which has the disadvantage of requiring a large number of parts.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a protective sheet application unit that enables a protective sheet to be properly applied to an appropriate position on a portable electronic device while keeping the number of parts to a minimum and preventing the intrusion of dust and the generation of air bubbles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A protection sheet application unit according to the present invention includes a protection sheet to be applied to a portable electronic device, and an application assisting tool for assisting the application of the protection sheet to the portable electronic device.

[0009] The protective sheet has a protective sheet body, a release sheet, a pull-out sheet, and a position fixing sheet. These components are preferably made of transparent materials and have high transparency (transparency). Examples of materials for the protective sheet body include glass, acrylic resin, polyethylene terephthalate resin, etc.

[0010] The protective sheet main body has an adhesive surface to be attached to a portable electronic device (usually the display surface of a portable electronic device), and the release sheet is configured to cover the adhesive surface of the protective sheet main body in a releasable state.

[0011] The pull-out sheet is in a strip shape, and is connected to the release sheet in order to peel off the release sheet, and is configured so that a part of the pull-out sheet is exposed to the outside of the application support tool. With this configuration, the part of the pull-out sheet exposed to the outside of the application support tool can be pinched with the fingers to easily peel off the release sheet.

[0012] The position fixing sheet is removably attached to the surface opposite the adhesive surface of the protective sheet body. The position fixing sheet is used to fix the position of the protective sheet, and is usually designed to have a larger area than the protective sheet.

[0013] On the other hand, the application assisting tool has a protective sheet supporting part, a side wall part, and a positioning part. Examples of materials for the application assisting tool include polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, ABS resin (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin), etc. The protective sheet supporting part has a frame shape in a plan view with an opening capable of accommodating the protective sheet main body. The protective sheet supporting part only needs to have a frame part that surrounds most of the periphery of the protective sheet main body, and does not necessarily need to have a frame part that surrounds the entire periphery of the protective sheet main body.

[0014] The side wall portion is connected to the protective sheet support portion and configured to be engageable with the side surface of the portable electronic device. Typically, the side wall portion is configured to extend perpendicularly from an end portion of the protective sheet support portion to firmly hold the side surface of the portable electronic device.

[0015] The positioning portion is a component for providing a gap between the protective sheet main body and the portable electronic device. An example of the configuration of the positioning portion is a spacer member arranged to abut against an end of the contact surface of the portable electronic device.

[0016] In the above-mentioned protective sheet application unit, when the protective sheet main body is housed in the opening, the position fixing sheet is removably attached to the protective sheet main body and the protective sheet support part, that is, the protective sheet and the protective sheet support part are covered by the position fixing sheet.

[0017] By adopting such a configuration, the position fixing sheet for fixing the position of the protective sheet covers the application work area, making it less likely that foreign matter such as dust will enter between the protective sheet body and the portable electronic device.

[0018] Furthermore, after peeling off the position fixing sheet to release the positional fixation of the protective sheet main body, the entire protective sheet main body is released to the outside, making it possible to press any part of the protective sheet main body with fingers, etc. As a result, air bubbles are less likely to get in between the protective sheet main body and the portable electronic device, and even if air bubbles do get in, they can be easily expelled by appropriate pressure from fingers.

[0019] Furthermore, when the release sheet is peeled off to expose the adhesive surface of the protective sheet body, a gap (e.g., approximately 1 to 3 mm) is provided between the protective sheet body and the portable electronic device by the positioning portion, making it possible to finally check the condition and positional relationship of the protective sheet body and the portable electronic device before proceeding to the application work. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to this invention, it is possible to properly attach a protective sheet to an appropriate position on a portable electronic device while keeping the number of parts to a minimum and preventing the intrusion of dust and the generation of air bubbles. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a protection sheet application unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing an example of use of a protection sheet application unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing an example of use of a protection sheet application unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 13A to 13C are diagrams showing schematic configurations of variations of the protection sheet application unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] 1(A) and 1(B), the protective sheet application unit 10 includes a protective sheet 12 and an application support tool 14. The protective sheet 12 is made of a transparent material and is configured to be applied to a portable electronic device 100 such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. The application support tool 14 is configured to support the application of the protective sheet 12 to the portable electronic device 100.

[0023] 1(B), protective sheet 12 includes protective sheet main body 122, release sheet 124, pull-out sheet 126, and position fixing sheet 128. Protective sheet main body 122 has an adhesive surface to be attached to portable electronic device 100. Release sheet 124 is configured to cover the adhesive surface of protective sheet main body 122 in a peelable state.

[0024] The pull-out sheet 126 has a strip shape, is connected to the release sheet 124 in order to peel off the release sheet 124, and is configured so that a part of it is exposed to the outside of the application assistance tool 14.

[0025] The position fixing sheet 128 is removably attached to the surface opposite the adhesive surface of the protective sheet main body 122. The position fixing sheet 128 is slightly larger than the protective sheet main body 122 so that it can be properly attached to both the entire area of ​​the protective sheet main body 122 and to the protective sheet support section 142 described below. In addition, part of the contour shape of the position fixing sheet 128 spreads outward so that it can be easily picked up with the fingers.

[0026] The application assistance tool 14 includes a protective sheet support portion 142, a side wall portion 144, and a positioning portion 146. The protective sheet support portion 142 has an opening 148 capable of accommodating the protective sheet main body 122, and has a frame-like shape in plan view. Here, frame-like means a shape having a frame portion that surrounds most of the periphery of the opening 148.

[0027] The side wall portion 144 is connected to the protective sheet supporting portion 142 and configured to be engageable with a side surface of the portable electronic device 100. The positioning portion 146 is provided to provide a gap between the protective sheet main body 122 and the portable electronic device 100, as shown in Fig. 2(C).

[0028] In this embodiment, the positioning portion 146 functions as a spacer member provided in a convex shape at the connection portion between the protective sheet support portion 142 and the side wall portion 144. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 2(D), a surface perpendicular to the surface for positioning the portable electronic device 100 functions as a guide surface when attaching the protective sheet main body 122 to the portable electronic device 100. Note that the arrangement position and configuration of the positioning portion 146 are not limited to those shown in Figs. 2(C) and 2(D).

[0029] 2(A) to 2(D), an overview of the protective sheet application operation using the protective sheet application unit 10 will be described. Before using the protective sheet application unit 10, it is preferable to thoroughly clean the top surface, etc. of the portable electronic device 100 to remove dust, oil stains, and the like.

[0030] The protective sheet application unit 10 is usually designed to have an optimal size for each model of the target portable electronic device 100. Therefore, when the protective sheet application unit 10 is placed over the portable electronic device 100 of a suitable size as shown in Fig. 2(A), the portable electronic device 100 fits snugly into the application assistance tool 14, and the side wall portion 144 engages with the portable electronic device 100 as shown in Fig. 2(B).

[0031] 2(C), when the portable electronic device 100 is fitted snugly into the application assistance tool 14, the positioning portion 146 comes into contact with an end of the top surface of the portable electronic device 100, thereby providing a gap between the top surface of the portable electronic device 100 and the protective sheet 12. While a larger gap is preferable for smooth operation of the pull-out sheet 126, a smaller gap is preferable from the viewpoint of preventing dust from entering between the top surface of the portable electronic device 100 and the protective sheet 12 during application. In this embodiment, the size of the positioning portion 146 is designed so that the gap is about 1 mm.

[0032] Once it has been confirmed that the portable electronic device 100 fits snugly into the application assistance tool 14 and the side wall portion 144 is engaged with the portable electronic device 100, first, as shown in FIG. 3(A), the release sheet 124 attached to the adhesive surface of the protective sheet main body 122 is peeled off by slowly pulling the pull-out sheet 126.

[0033] 3(B), the adhesive surface of the protective sheet main body 122 is exposed. At this time, since the protective sheet main body 122 is fixed to the protective sheet support part 142 side by the position fixing sheet 128, the adhesive surface of the protective sheet main body 122 does not come into contact with the portable electronic device 100. This makes it possible to make a final check before attaching the protective sheet main body 122 as to whether or not the protective sheet main body 122 has shifted in position, and whether or not any foreign matter has adhered to the portable electronic device 100 or the protective sheet main body 122.

[0034] If, as a result of the final check, it is decided to continue with the attachment operation, the operation proceeds to slowly peeling off the position fixing sheet 128 from the protective sheet support part 142, as shown in Fig. 3(C). When the peeling off operation of the position fixing sheet 128 is completed, it becomes possible to press the protective sheet main body 122 against the mobile electronic device 100, as shown in Fig. 3(D).

[0035] At this time, since the upper side of the protective sheet main body 122 is completely open, any part of the entire surface of the protective sheet main body 122 can be pressed with a finger to attach it to the mobile electronic device 100. The protective sheet main body 122 is appropriately guided toward the mobile electronic device 100 by the guide surface of the positioning portion 146 shown in Fig. 2(D), so that no positional deviation occurs in the final stage. Moreover, since any part of the entire surface of the protective sheet main body 122 can be pressed with a finger, even if air bubbles occur between the protective sheet main body 122 and the mobile electronic device 100, the air bubbles can be removed immediately by pressing with an appropriate finger.

[0036] As described above, the protective sheet application unit 10 is capable of engaging with the portable electronic device 100 and fixing the position of the protective sheet main body 122 as a single unit, and since the configuration is complete as a single unit that is placed over the display surface side of the portable electronic device 100, the number of parts can be reduced compared to conventional products.

[0037] In addition, due to the clearance suitably provided between the portable electronic device 100 and the protective sheet main body 122, the operation of pulling out the pull-out sheet 126 can be carried out smoothly, and furthermore, since a final check of the position and any foreign objects can be made before proceeding to the final stage of the application operation, failure of the application operation almost never occurs.

[0038] Furthermore, after the final check, until the protection film body 122 reaches and is attached to the display surface of the portable electronic device 100, the guide surface of the positioning portion 146 appropriately prevents misalignment from occurring.

[0039] In the above-mentioned protective sheet application unit 10, for example, as shown in Fig. 4(A), the side wall portion 144 may have a double structure. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to further improve the holding performance of the mobile electronic device 100 by the application assisting tool 14.

[0040] 4(B), the protection sheet application unit 10 may have a bottom structure that fits snugly against a work table when placed over the mobile electronic device 100. By adopting such a configuration, the application work can be performed in a more stable state.

[0041] 4(C), a configuration may be adopted in which the frame portion of the protection sheet supporting portion 142 completely surrounds the periphery of the protection sheet main body 122. By adopting this configuration, the fixing force of the position fixing sheet 128 for the protection sheet main body 122 can be further strengthened, and the occurrence of inconveniences such as the protection sheet main body 122 accidentally coming into contact with the portable electronic device 100 does not occur.

[0042] The above-mentioned description of the embodiment should be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not by the above-mentioned embodiment. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 10-Protection sheet attachment unit 12-Protection Sheet 14-Application support tool 100-Portable Electronic Devices 122-Protection sheet body 124-Release Sheet 126-Drawer sheet 128-position fixed sheet 142-Protection sheet support part 144-Side wall 146-Positioning part 148-Opening

Claims

1. A protection sheet application unit having a protection sheet to be applied to a portable electronic device and an application assisting tool to assist in the application of the protection sheet to the portable electronic device, The protective sheet is A protective sheet body having an adhesive surface to be attached to the portable electronic device; A release sheet configured to cover the adhesive surface of the protective sheet body in a releasable state; A strip-shaped pull-out sheet is connected to the release sheet in order to peel off the release sheet, and a part of the pull-out sheet is exposed to the outside of the application assisting tool; a position fixing sheet releasably attached to a surface of the protective sheet body opposite to the adhesive surface; having The application assisting tool is a protective sheet support portion having a frame shape in a plan view and having an opening capable of accommodating the protective sheet main body; a side wall portion connected to the protective sheet support portion and engageable with a side surface of the portable electronic device; a positioning portion for providing a gap between the protective sheet main body and the portable electronic device; having A protective sheet application unit, characterized in that, when the protective sheet body is accommodated in the opening, the position fixing sheet is releasably attached to the protective sheet body and the protective sheet support portion.

2. The protection sheet application unit according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning portion has a contact surface that contacts the portable electronic device and a guide surface that guides the movement of the protection sheet main body toward the portable electronic device.

3. 3. The protection sheet application unit according to claim 1, wherein a part or all of the side wall portion has a double structure.

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