BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproofing backing adhesive structure, especially a waterproofing backing adhesion for being adhered between the front cover and the display panel that prevents detachment of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure from the front cover or the display panel due to a bubble.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are two major methods of waterproof design for current electronic products. One is by using the installation of an O-type gasket. Though the O-type gasket has the advantage of reuse, it needs a larger space for installation, so it is not suitable for application in small lightweight electronic products. The other is by using a waterproof backing adhesive. A waterproof backing adhesive can be applied in small lightweight electronic products and can provide a good waterproofing effect as well; however, the following problems will occur while it is in use.
Please refer toFIG. 1, which is related to a waterproof backing adhesive structure whose technology has been previous disclosed. Usually in the assembly process of theelectronic device90, production workers will first remove the paper-film on thebottom surface14a of the backing adhesive1a, adhere it to thefront cover91 of theelectronic device90, and then remove the paper-film on theupper surface12a, after which the workers press and glue thedisplay panel92 of theelectronic device90 to theupper surface12a of the backing adhesive1a to make it adhere to the backing adhesive1a. However, in the process of adhering the backing adhesive1a, and in the instance of adhering the backing adhesive1a, if the process of adhesion is not smooth enough to fully expel all air from between the backing adhesive1a and thefront cover91 ordisplay panel92, the unexpelled air will be captured between the backing adhesive1a and thefront cover91 ordisplay panel92 and will form an bubble95 (as shown inFIG. 2). Although the existence of thebubble95 will not immediately affect the usage of theelectronic device90, thebubble95 will gradually expand and contract under air pressure due to expansion when it is hot, shrinkage when it is cold, or other factors of the backing adhesive1a, over a long period of use of the electronic device90 (as shown with an arrow in the figure). Therefore, if the width of the backing adhesive1a is not wide enough (especially for handheld devices such as mobile phones of small size—if the visible area of the display panel is to be expanded, the width of the backing adhesive needs to be shrunken), it could lead to a local opening between the backing adhesive1a and thefront cover91 ordisplay panel92, form a channel for leakage, allow water vapor to easily seep into the leakage, and cause the failure of the backing adhesive, which does not meet the requirements and standards of waterproof and dustproof of the IP (Ingress Protection).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe main purpose of the present invention is to provide a waterproofing backing adhesion structure that prevents the formation of a gap between the backing adhesive main body and the display panel or the backing adhesive main body and the front cover due to the expansion of bubbles between the backing adhesive main body and the display panel or the backing adhesive main body and the front cover.
Another major purpose of the present invention is to provide an electronic device which comprises the aforementioned waterproofing backing adhesion structure.
In order to achieve the purpose mentioned above, the waterproofing backing adhesive structure of the present invention can be applied to an electronic device. The electronic device includes a front cover and a display panel. The waterproofing backing adhesive structure is to be adhered between the front cover and the display panel, and the waterproofing backing adhesive structure includes a backing adhesion main body, an adhesive material, and a plurality of air chambers. The backing adhesive main body includes an upper surface and a bottom surface; the adhesive material is to be adhered to at least one surface of the upper surface and the bottom surface of the backing adhesive main body to adhere the backing adhesive main body between the front cover and the display panel; the plurality of air chambers are formed on at least one surface of an upper surface or a bottom surface of the backing adhesive main body where there is adhesive material for accommodating air in a bubble generated when the backing adhesive main body is attached to the front cover or the display panel; the plurality of air chambers are for releasing the pressure of the bubble.
In one of the embodiments of the present invention, the backing adhesive main body of the present invention includes a plurality of ribs, which form air chambers, wherein the upper surface and the bottom surface of the backing adhesive main body comprise the plurality of ribs installed in a parallel fashion and extending parallel to the direction of the length of the backing adhesive, and the plurality of parallel ribs on the upper surface and the bottom surface of the backing adhesive main body correspond to each other, and the heights of the plurality of ribs on the same surface are essentially the same.
In one of the embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of ribs of the backing adhesive main body of the present invention are installed in an interwoven fashion on the upper surface and on the bottom surface of the backing adhesive main body; the interwoven plurality of ribs on the upper surface and the bottom surface of the backing adhesive main body correspond to each other.
In one of the embodiments of the present invention, the backing adhesive of the present invention includes a plurality of sockets, and the plurality of air chambers is formed inside the space of the plurality of sockets.
In one of the embodiments of the present invention, the waterproofing backing adhesive structure further comprises at least one paper-film, and the at least one paper-film is adhered on the adhesive material of the surface of the backing adhesive main body.
In one of the embodiments of the present invention, the plurality of air chambers are independent of each other and are not connected with each other.
In order to achieve another purpose of the present invention, the electronic device of the present invention includes a front cover, a display panel, and the afore-mentioned waterproofing backing adhesive structure, wherein the waterproofing backing adhesive structure is adhered between the front cover and the display panel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 is a lateral cutaway perspective drawing of the electronic device of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure that has been previously disclosed.
FIG. 2 shows an illustration of the formation of the bubble in the backing adhesive main body and the front cover inFIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a break-down illustration of the electronic device of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an illustration of the appearance of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a lateral cutaway view drawing of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure attached between the front cover and the display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an illustration of the appearance of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a lateral cutaway perspective drawing of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure attached between the front cover and the display panel according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an illustration of the appearance of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a lateral cutaway perspective drawing of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure attached between the front cover and the display panel according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSIn order to make it easier to understand the purposes, features, and advantages of the present invention, hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention are presented below, with illustrations and descriptions in detail.
Please refer toFIG. 3, which is a break-down illustration of the electronic device of the present invention.
A waterproofing backing adhesive 1 structure of the present application can be adhered between a first object and a second object. As shown inFIG. 3, in one of the embodiments of the present invention, the waterproofing backingadhesive structure1 of the present invention is applied to anelectronic device90, especially a handheldelectronic device90 with an IP level of waterproof function, and the first object is afront cover 91 of theelectronic device 90, and the second object is the adisplay panel 92 of theelectronic device 90. However, application of the waterproofing backingadhesive structure 1 of the present invention dose not limit to thereto. Theelectronic device90 includes afront cover91 and a display panel92 (which can also be a touch screen display panel), and the waterproofing backingadhesive structure1 is for being adhered to and clamped between thefront cover91 and thedisplay panel92. In the embodiments of the present invention, theelectronic device90 is a touch control cellular phone; however, the present invention is not limited to this.
Please refer toFIG. 4 andFIG. 5, which are illustrations of the structure of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 4 is an illustration of the appearance of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 5 is a lateral cutaway view drawing of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure attached between the front cover and the display panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown inFIG. 4, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the waterproofing backingadhesive structure1 of the present invention includes a backing adhesivemain body10, anadhesive material20, a plurality ofair chambers30, and at least one paper-film40. The backing adhesivemain body10 includes anupper surface12, abottom surface14, and a plurality ofribs16, wherein the plurality ofribs16 are formed in a unitary piece and protrude slightly from theupper surface12 and thebottom surface14 of the backing adhesivemain body10. Due to the spacing of the plurality ofribs16 or interweaving among each of theribs16, a plurality ofair chambers30 can be formed. In the first embodiment of the present invention, there are a total of fourribs16; theribs16 are formed in pairs on theupper surface12 and on thebottom surface14 of the backing adhesivemain body10. Moreover, each of theribs16 is parallel to each other and is arranged such that it extends parallel to the length of the backing adhesivemain body10. The heights of theribs16 on the same surface are essentially the same, but the heights of each of theribs16 on different surfaces can be different; and the positions of the ribs on different surfaces can correspond to each other, or they can be otherwise arranged.
Theadhesive material20, which is attached to the backing adhesivemain body10, is used for adhering the backing adhesivemain body10 between thefront cover91 and thedisplay panel92. As shown inFIG. 4, in the first embodiment of the present invention, theadhesive material20 is attached to theribs16; however, the present invention is not limited to this; it can be attached to theupper surface12 or to thebottom surface14 of the backing adhesivemain body10 between anyribs16.
As shown inFIG. 4, the paper-film40 can be adhered to the backing adhesivemain body10. When the waterproofing backingadhesive structure1 of the present invention is used, the plurality of paper-films40 are to be removed from the backing adhesivemain body10. In the first embodiment of the present invention, the quantity of the paper-films40 is one on the top and another on the bottom; however, the quantity of the paper-films40 is not limited to this.
As shown inFIG. 5, in the first embodiment of the present invention, after the paper-film40 is removed, the waterproofing backing adhesive structure of the present invention is to be adhered between thefront cover91 and thedisplay panel92 of theelectronic device90 with theadhesive material20 on theribs16. After the adhesion, if anbubble95 is formed between a partial section of onerib16 of the tworibs16 and thefront cover91 or thedisplay panel92, then due to the gradual expansion of thebubble95, a gap appears in the same section of theribs16 and between theribs16 and thefront cover91 or thedisplay panel92. In this way, the air of thebubble95 is able to be transferred to the nearby air chamber30 (as shown with an arrow inFIG. 5) and will not form a large gap due to its having a complete horizontal opening between the waterproofing backingadhesive structure1 and thefront cover91 or thedisplay panel92 such that water vapor can easily enter via the large gap, and cause the failure of the backing adhesive eventually, as stated in the prior art. In addition, because air in thebubble95 enters theair chamber30, thebubble95 is prevented from continuously expanding to anotherrib16 due to the airtight pressure, so as to maintain close adhesion between anotherrib16 and thefront cover91 or thedisplay panel92 on the backing adhesivemain body10. Because of the close adhesion between anotherrib16 and thefront cover91 or thedisplay panel92, the waterproofing backingadhesive structure1 can continuously maintain the waterproofing function.
However, it can be noticed from the above description that once anbubble95 develops on the same corresponding location (the odds of having another bubble at the same spot are very low) of the anotherrib16 and expands as well and causes the failure of therib16, the problem of losing the waterproofing function of the waterproofing backingadhesive structure1 can arise, as mentioned in the prior art. Therefore, the quantity of theribs16 installed in the backing adhesivemain body10 of the present invention, within a certain range of the width, is not limited to two, as shown inFIG. 4.,more ribs16 can be installed to reduce the odds of the aforementioned problem as long as the sufficient adhesion is remained.
Next, please refer toFIG. 6 andFIG. 7.FIG. 6 is an illustration of the appearance of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 7 is a lateral cutaway perspective drawing of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure attached between the front cover and the display panel according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
As shown inFIG. 6, the second embodiment of the present invention differs from the first embodiment of the present invention in that the plurality ofribs16 are installed in an interwoven fashion, and each of theair chambers30 is formed in a square by the interwoven arrangement of theribs16. As shown inFIG. 7, similarly, in the second embodiment of the present invention, if anbubble95 forms between a partial section of one of theribs16 and thefront cover91 or thedisplay panel92 and causes separation of the surface of the partial section of therib16 and thefront cover91 or thedisplay panel92 due to expansion, the air in thebubble95 can leak into anearby air chamber30 to achieve a result similar to that aforementioned in the first embodiment. Because the waterproofing backingadhesive structure1 in the second embodiment of the present invention hasmore ribs16 with theadhesive material20, it can provide stronger adhesion than that in the first embodiment.
Finally, please refer toFIG. 8 andFIG. 9.FIG. 8 is an illustration of the appearance of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure according to the third embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 9 is a lateral cutaway perspective drawing of the waterproofing backing adhesive structure attached between the front cover and the display panel according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
As shown inFIG. 8, the third embodiment of the present invention differs from the first embodiment and the second embodiment of the present invention in that in the backing adhesivemain body10, protrudingribs16 are no longer used to form the plurality ofair chambers30; instead, the plurality ofair chambers30 are formed with inwardconcave sockets18. In this third embodiment of the present invention, the plurality ofsockets18 are round in shape, and the method of arrangement is similar to that of a matrix board, with both horizontal and vertical distribution of straight lines, but it can also be arranged with staggered spacing. However, the shape and the distribution of the plurality ofsockets18 of the waterproofing backingadhesive structure1 of the present invention are not limited to this. As shown inFIG. 8 andFIG. 9, in the third embodiment of the present invention, the waterproofing backingadhesive structure1 is adhered between thefront cover91 and thedisplay panel92 with theadhesive material20 of theupper surface12 and thebottom surface14 of the backing adhesivemain body10; if abubble95 develops between the backing adhesivemain body10 and thefront cover91 or thedisplay panel92 and expands to cause separation of one part of the backing adhesivemain body10 from thefront cover91 or thedisplay panel92, the air in thebubble95 will be exhausted to anearby air chamber30, as aforementioned in each of the previous embodiments, to achieve a result similar to that mentioned above.
It is to be noted that the above embodiments are only for illustration of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. In order to avoid redundancies, not all possible combinations are recorded in detail. However, those skilled in the art should understand that any implementations of the above-mentioned principles can be modified as needed; any designs that can formair chambers30 in the backing adhesivemain body10 can fall within the scope of the present invention. It is to be understood that the formations ofair chambers30 withribs16 and withsockets18 are actually the same in concept. In other words, from the viewpoint of the upper surface of theribs16, the spaces between each of theribs16 can be considered as thesockets18; on the other hand, from the viewpoint of the upper surface of theinner sockets18, the structures surrounding the upper surface of theinner sockets18 can be considered as each of theribs16. Thus, the two formations of theair chambers30 in the embodiments share the same relative concept. Additionally, it is preferable to have each of theair chambers30 independent and without connections, but it does not exclude the possibility of having local ornearby air chambers30 connected.
It is noted that the above-mentioned embodiments are only for illustration. It is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of the present invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.