Patent Publication Number: US-2013243994-A1

Title: Protection film for lens module and method for manufacturing same

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to protection films and, particularly, to a protection film for protecting a lens module and a method for manufacturing the protection film. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     To protect a lens modules from being scratched during an assembly of the lens modules into electronic products such as cell phones or cameras, a protection film is employed. The protection film usually includes a generally circular main portion having an adhesive layer adhered to the lens module and a generally strip-shaped non-adhesive handle portion extending from the main portion for conveniently removing the protection film from the lens module. In use, the protection film needs to be removed from the lens module, and is removed by pulling the handle portion. However, as the handle portion is pulled, the adhesive layer is readily broken at a joint between the main portion and the handle portion. A part of adhesive layer may remain on the lens module, which contaminates the lens module. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a protection film and a method for manufacturing the protection film which can overcome the above-mentioned problems. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a protection film, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled view of the protection film of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the protection film of  FIG. 2 , take along a line III-III. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a protection film, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is schematic view of the manufacturing method of  FIG. 4 , which is in a first stage. 
         FIG. 6  is schematic view of the manufacturing method of  FIG. 4 , which is in a second stage. 
         FIG. 7  is schematic view of the manufacturing method of  FIG. 4 , which is in a third stage. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 to 3  illustrate a protection film  100  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment for use to be adhered to an outer surface of a lens module (not shown), thus protecting the lens module from being scratched during the lens module is assembling. The protection film  100  includes a layer of base film  10 , a layer of adhesive  20 , and a layer of partition film  30 . 
     The base film  10  is made of electrostatic absorption material, for example, polyethylene (PE) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In the embodiment, the base film  10  is a transparent film and is made of PET. The base film  10  includes a substantially circular main portion  101  and a substantially rectangular handle portion  102  extending from a periphery of the main portion  101 . The main portion  101  and the handle portion  102  include a pair of opposite first surfaces  11 . 
     The adhesive  20  are uniformly coated on one of the first surfaces  11  of the base film  10 . In the embodiment, the adhesive  20  are continuously coated on the main portion  101  and the handle portion  102 . The adhesive  20  is made from acrylic acid ester and unsaturated hydrocarbon. An area of the adhesive  20  is less than an area of each first surface  11 , leaving a margin area  1011  surrounding the adhesive  20 . The margin area  1011  is not coated with the adhesive  20  and formed on the main portion  101  and the handle portion  102 . 
     The partition film  30  is also made of PET and includes a pair of opposite second surfaces  31 . An area of each second surface  31  is greater than an area of the adhesive  20  coated on the handle portion  102 . One of the second surfaces  31  is adhered to a portion of the adhesive  20  coated on the handle portion  102 . The other second surface  31  faces away from the adhesive  20  and defines a plurality of grooves  301 . The grooves  301  are uniformly distributed and parallel to each other. 
     During assembling the lens module to electronic products, the adhesive  20  coated on the main portion  101  is adhered to the lens module such that the main portion  101  can protect the lens module from being scratched. The partition film  30  can prevent the handle portion  102  from adhering to the lens module. After assembling, the handle portion  102  is clamped by a tool or fingers of an operator through pressing on the first surface  11  opposite to the adhesive  20  and the second surface  31  opposite to the adhesive  20 , then the handle portion  102  is pulled such the adhesive  20  coated on the main portion  101  can be separated from the lens module. 
     In alternative embodiment, the main portion  101  and the handle portion  102  do not form the margin portion  1011 . The adhesive  20  is completely coated on one of the first surface  11  of the main portion  101  and the handle portion  102 . 
     In the embodiment, the adhesive  20  is continuously coated on the main portion  101  and the handle portion  102 , namely a portion of the adhesive  20  coated on the main portion  101  is not separated from another portion of the adhesive  20  coated on the handle portion  102 . Therefore, when pulling the handle portion  102 , the adhesive  20  coating on the main portion  101  is prevented from leaving on the lens module. 
     In the embodiment, friction between the tool or the fingers of the operator and the second surface  31  opposite to the adhesive  20  increases when pulling the handle portion  102  because of the grooves  301 . In other embodiment, the second surface  31  facing away from the adhesive  20  can be ground. 
       FIGS. 4 to 7  illustrate a manufacturing method for the protection film  100 , in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The manufacturing method includes the following steps: 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in step S 1 , providing a piece of base film sheet  10   a  and stamping out a plurality of base films  10  on the base film sheet  10   a.  The base film sheet  10   a  is substantially rectangular and made of PET. Each base film  10  includes a substantially circular main portion  101  and a substantially rectangular handle portion  102  extending from a periphery of the main portion  101 . The main portion  101  and the handle portion  102  include a pair of opposite first surfaces  11 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , in step S 2 , uniformly coating a layer of adhesive  20  on one of the first surfaces  11  of each base film  10 . The adhesive  20  are continuously coated on the main portion  101  and the handle portion  102 . An area of the adhesive  20  is less than an area of each first surface  11 , leaving a margin area  1011  surrounding the adhesive  20 . The margin area  1011  is not coated with the adhesive  20  and formed on the main portion  101  and the handle portion  102 . In alternative embodiments, the main portion  101  and the handle portion  102  do not form the margin portion  1011 . The adhesive  20  is completely coated on the main portion  101  and the handle portion  102 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 7 , in step S 3 , providing a piece of partition film sheet  30   a  having a pair of opposite second surfaces  31 , adhering one of the second surfaces  31  to the adhesive  20  coated on the handled portion  102  of each base film  10 , cutting out a plurality of grooves  301  on the other second surface  31  facing away from the adhesive  20 , and stamping out a plurality of partition film  30  on the partition film sheet  30   a.  The partition film sheet  30   a  is substantially rectangular, which corresponds to the base film sheet  10   a  in shape. Each partition film  30  is adhered to and covers a portion of the adhesive  20  coated on the handle portion  102  of each base film  10 . 
     It will be understood that the above particular embodiments are shown and described by way of illustration only. The principles and the features of the present disclosure may be employed in various and numerous embodiment thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the possible scope of the disclosure but do not restrict the scope of the disclosure.