Protective film for an electronic device

Abstract

A screen protector for a screen of an electronic device is provided. The screen protector may include a protective film, a tab, an adhesive layer, and a backing layer. The protective film may include major surfaces and an edge. The tab may be removable and may extend from the edge of the protective film to form a grab handle for positioning the protective film. The adhesive layer may be on a first major surface of the protective film and include an adhesive having tack sufficient to permit repositioning of the protective film during installation of the protective film onto the screen. The backing layer may cover the adhesive layer to protect the adhesive prior to the installation of the protective film onto of the screen. The backing layer may be removable from the adhesive layer prior to the installation to expose the adhesive to the screen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A screen protector for protecting a screen of an electronic device, the screen protector comprising:
 a protective film including a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, and an edge;   a tab extending from the edge of the protective film, the tab sized to form a grab handle for positioning the protective film relative to the screen of the electronic device during installation of the protective film onto the screen of the electronic device, the tab being removable from the protective film after the positioning and the installation of the protective film onto the screen of the electronic device;   an adhesive layer on the first major surface of the protective film, the adhesive layer including an adhesive providing tack sufficient to adhere the first major surface of the protective film to the screen of the electronic device and permitting repositioning of the protective film during the installation of the protective film onto the screen of the electronic device; and   a backing layer covering the adhesive layer to protect the adhesive of the adhesive layer prior to the installation of the protective film onto of the screen of the electronic device, the backing layer removable from the adhesive layer prior to the installation.   
     
     
         2 . The screen protector of  claim 1  further comprising a cap sheet adjacent to the second major surface of the protective film, the cap sheet sized based on the screen of the electronic device, the cap sheet withstanding a pressure applied by a mechanical smoothing device during the installation of the protective film onto the screen of the electronic device. 
     
     
         3 . The screen protector of  claim 1 , wherein the protective film comprises polyurethane. 
     
     
         4 . The screen protector of  claim 1 , wherein the protective film comprises a polycaprolactone based aliphatic thermoplastic urethane. 
     
     
         5 . The screen protector of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises an acrylate polymer and a silicon monomer. 
     
     
         6 . The screen protector of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a copolymer of an acrylate polymer and a silicone macromer side chain. 
     
     
         7 . The screen protector of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second major surface of the protective film comprises a micro-matte surface finish. 
     
     
         8 . The screen protector of  claim 2 , wherein the cap sheet comprises polyester. 
     
     
         9 . The screen protector of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of a surface of the cap sheet adjacent to the second major surface of the protective film comprises a micro-matte surface finish. 
     
     
         10 . The screen protector of  claim 2 , wherein the cap sheet is between about 24 microns and about 254 microns in thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The screen protector of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer adheres to the screen of the electronic device without application of a liquid to the adhesive layer or to the screen of the electronic device. 
     
     
         12 . The screen protector of  claim 1 , further comprising an opening in the protective film to provide access to a component of the electronic device after the installation of the protective film onto the screen of the electronic device. 
     
     
         13 . The screen protector of  claim 1 , wherein the protective film is at least partially air permeable. 
     
     
         14 . The screen protector of  claim 1 , wherein the protective film is between about 150 microns and about 400 microns in thickness. 
     
     
         15 . The screen protector of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer is between about 12 microns and about 150 microns in thickness. 
     
     
         16 . A protective film for protecting a surface of an electronic device, the protective film comprising:
 a protective film layer including a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, and an edge;   a tab extending from the edge of the protective film layer, the tab for positioning the protective film layer relative to the surface of the electronic device during installation of the protective film on the surface of the electronic device, the tab being removable from the protective film layer after the positioning and the installation of the protective film on the surface of the electronic device;   an adhesive on the first major surface of the protective film layer, the adhesive having sufficient tack to adhere the first major surface of the protective film layer to the surface of the electronic device and allowing repositioning of the protective film layer on the surface of the electronic device during the installation of the protective film on the surface of the electronic device; and   a backing layer over the adhesive to protect the adhesive prior to the installation of the protective film on the surface of the electronic device, the backing layer removable from the adhesive prior to the installation to expose the adhesive to the surface of the electronic device.   
     
     
         17 . The protective film of  claim 16  further comprising a cap sheet adjacent to the second major surface of the protective film layer, the cap sheet withstanding a pressure applied by a mechanical smoothing device during the installation of the protective film on the surface of the electronic device. 
     
     
         18 . The protective film of  claim 16  wherein the adhesive includes a pressure sensitive adhesive. 
     
     
         19 . The protective film of  claim 16  further comprising an ultraviolet (UV) light absorber. 
     
     
         20 . The protective film of  claim 16 , wherein the adhesive adheres to the surface of the electronic device without application of a liquid to the adhesive or to the surface of the electronic device.