Protective systems for electronic devices

Abstract

A system for protecting a surface of a substrate includes a protective film, which is configured to be applied and secured to the surface, as well as a backing on an adherent surface of the protective film and an application tape over an exterior surface of the protective film. Protruding features, such as tabs, adjacent to different peripheral edges of the protective film may enable removal of the backing and the application tape from the protective film, and may include features that indicate the order in which each protruding feature is to be grasped to peel its corresponding element away from the protective film.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system for protecting a surface of a substrate, comprising:
 a protective film including an adherent surface and an exterior surface opposite from the adherent surface;   a backing located adjacent to the adherent surface of the protective film and including a protruding feature that extends beyond a peripheral extent of the protective film; and   an application tape located adjacent to the exterior surface of the protective film and including a protruding feature that extends beyond a peripheral extent of the protective film.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the protruding feature of the application tape and the protruding feature of the backing extend beyond different peripheral edges of the protective film. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the protruding feature of the backing and the protruding feature of the application tape are located adjacent to opposite peripheral edges of the protective film. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the application tape further includes another protruding feature superimposed with the protruding feature of the backing to enable the backing to be pulled away from the application tape. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the protruding feature of the application tape and the protruding feature of the backing extend beyond the same peripheral edge of the protective film. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the protruding feature of the application tape and the protruding feature of the backing are superimposed. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the protruding feature of the backing enables manipulation of the backing and removal of the backing from the protective film. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the protruding feature of the application tape enables manipulation of the application tape and removal of the application tape from the protective film. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the application tape is substantially transparent. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the backing is substantially transparent. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the backing and the application tape are substantially superimposed with respect to one another. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the backing extends laterally beyond the protective film; and   the application tape extends laterally beyond the protective film.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the backing extends laterally beyond the protective film; and   the application tape extends laterally beyond the protective film.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein each peripheral edge of the application tape and each peripheral edge of the backing is positioned laterally beyond a corresponding peripheral edge of the protective film. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a release layer between the exterior surface of the protective film and an adherent surface of the application tape, the release layer configured to minimized adhesion of the application tape to the protective film.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the release layer has substantially the same lateral dimensions as the protective film. 
     
     
         17 . A system for protecting a surface of a substrate, comprising:
 a protective film including an adherent surface and an exterior surface opposite from the adherent surface;   a backing located adjacent to the adherent surface of the protective film, a protruding feature of the backing extending beyond a peripheral extent of the protective film; and   an application tape located adjacent to the exterior surface of the protective film, a protruding feature of the application tape extending beyond a peripheral extent of the protective film.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the protruding feature of the backing comprises an integral part of the backing; and   the protruding feature of the application tape comprises an integral part of the application tape.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the backing extends laterally beyond the protective film; and   the application tape extends laterally beyond the protective film.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the backing and the application tape are substantially superimposed with respect to one another.