Installation and Handling Guidelines for Portable Electronic Vents

The following guidelines are based on Gore’s best practices for handling and installing GORE® Portable Electronic Vents. Please follow the guidelines to maximize the performance of the vent for the lifetime of your product.

Storage Recommendations

• Store unused vents for a maximum of one year in the original packaging with the item/lot number attached, keeping the packaging sealed when possible.
  • Notes: Contact your local Application  Engineer to discuss any special cases, like HAF etc.
• Store vents in a clean, cool, dark environment at approximately 20–25 °C with 40–65 percent relative humidity ambient conditions.
   

Handling Guidelines

• Although all GORE® Vents are quality-inspected before shipment, please inspect all parts upon receipt. If you suspect your parts were damaged during shipping, notify your local Gore representative immediately.

• Wear new, clean, powder-free gloves or finger cots when handling adhesive vents, being sure to change into clean ones if the gloves or finger cots become dirty. Avoid direct contact with the active venting area (Figure 1) or adhesive ring to avoid contaminating or damaging the vent before installation.
   

Preparing the Surface

• Inspect the mounting surface for any defects, such as sharp edges, knit lines, parting lines, and flash. If any defects are found, do not apply the vent, or you could damage the vent or impact adhesion to the surface.

• The surface roughness of the mounting area will be suggested as “VDI 15–21”.

• While wearing clean gloves, prepare the mounting surface with an appropriate cleaning agent, such as isopropyl alcohol, and a clean lint-free, non-particulating cloth to remove any oils or contaminants that might prevent the vent from adhering to the mounting surface. Be sure the surface has been wiped dry or allowed to air dry before applying the vent.
   

Separating the Vent from Liner

• Be sure to use blunt-edged, round, or rubber-tipped tweezers to remove the vent from the liner. DO NOT USE pointed tweezers because they can damage the vent.

• Use one of the following methods shown below to remove the vent from the liner:

  • Roll the base liner slowly over a 90 degree (Figure 2a) or preferably greater edge (Figure 2b) until the leading edge of the vent lifts off the base liner (Figures 2a and 2b). The leading edge of the vent can then be grabbed by the tweezers to remove the vent from the base liner.

  • If applicable, gently tear the perforation in the liner to separate the liner from the vent (Figure 3).

  • If the vent has a pull tab, use tweezers to pick up the vent from the base liner by grabbing the pull tab after bending the liner (Figure 4 ). Do not pick up the part with the pull tab without bending the liner.

Positioning the Vent

• Before mounting the vent, confirm the water entry direction and ensure the waterproof adhesive is facing the external environment.

• It is recommended to install vents on flat surfaces and not to install them on curved surfaces or this could impact sealing to the device and the acoustic performance of microphone vents.

• If the vent has a pull tab, position holes can be used to assist with alignment and positioning in the device during installation (Figure 5).

• If the vent is not positioned correctly during installation, do not re-use or reposition the vent. Remove the vent from the housing, clean the mounting surface again, and install a new vent.
   

Mounting the Vent and Compression

• It is important to ensure that the vent is firmly and evenly attached on the device during installation.

• To apply uniform compression of the adhesive area of the vent only and to prevent contact with the active area, use a compression aid with the following specifications (Figure 6):

  • Perpendicular alignment to ensure correct positioning with target installation area.

  • Rubber or similar compliant material will be recommended as a compression aid, with a durometer of Shore A 70.

  • Relieved area to prevent contact with active area.

• Compression force and time may vary based on part construction. 2–5 Newtons / 6–15 seconds (ID 1.6 mm / OD 3.2 mm) is recommended as a baseline for an online DOE, to determine the best force/time combination based on device functional test results, like waterproofness, acoustics, air-leaking etc.

• Allow the vent to set for 24 hours before using or testing.
   

Removing the Pull Tab

• If applicable, carefully remove the pull tab to avoid damaging the vent. Grab the pull tab area close to the part and remove the tab in a circular motion (Figure 7).

• If the pull tab has a slit, remove the pull tab at the slit, and continue to remove the rest of the tab in a circular motion (Figure 8).

• If the pull tab has a releasing layer attached on the back of the pull tab, remove the pull tab from the side in which the releasing layer is extended a bit under the part area (Figure 9).

Note: W. L. Gore & Associates Quality Assurance Procedure dictates removal of some vents from the liner prior to shipment. Sufficient extra length of liner and vents is provided to make a full product count. This procedure assures that all parts are handled minimally to avoid contamination and/or Damage.

For additional questions about handling and installation, please contact a Gore representative.