DE102022112629A1 - Device for processing documents - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for processing documents (document processing system (10)), in particular security documents. The document processing system (10) according to the invention, in particular for processing security documents, has at least one document carrier device (12) with a document holder (121), configured to receive a document (51) to be processed and to transport it along a first spatial direction, and at least one document processing device, configured to edit the document (51) in a processing area (82a), so that a visible element (551) is created on the document (51). The document processing device has a radiation source (54) and at least one first mirror arrangement (21) and at least one second mirror arrangement (22), the mirror arrangements (21, 22) each being configured to generate radiation emitted by the radiation source (54). a visible element (551) at a certain angle and / or from a certain direction onto the document (51). The mirror arrangements (21, 22) are further designed to be moved into the processing area (82a, 82b).

Description

The invention relates to a device for processing documents (document processing system), in particular security documents. The document processing system is intended in particular for personalizing documents. The documents to be processed can in particular be card-like or book-like documents and in particular security documents, such as identification documents or credit cards, bank cards, membership cards and the like.

A variety of different types of personalized documents, particularly in card form or book form, are known from the prior art. This includes, for example, book-like passport documents or individual pages thereof (e.g. the so-called “passport holder page” or paper pages), ID cards and many types of personalized chip cards, such as bank cards, credit cards, ID cards, membership cards, access authorization cards, etc. or personal (usually card-shaped) labels each to the group of personalized documents.

“Personalization” or “personalized” means that the corresponding document contains or carries document-specific information that is typically assigned to an owner of the document. For example, in some cases the information may identify the holder, for example by means of their name, passport photo, an identity number or other features printed, otherwise applied or incorporated on the document or stored in it, in particular in the form of data. The personalization can in particular be individually related to a single person or also to a specific limited group of people, for example employees of a company.

The processing of the documents to provide them with document-specific and/or non-document-specific information can be done in particular by means of printing, by means of engraving or, in particular in the case of a plastic surface, by means of targeted local discoloration of the surface material of the document, in particular in shades of gray or shades thereof, by the action of energy , in particular using a suitable laser.

In the disclosure document DE 10 2006 031 024 A1 A document processing system and a method for printing security documents are described. The document processing system includes a printing unit for printing a security document located in a printing area and a feeding unit for feeding the security documents one after the other into the printing area. The feed unit has several movable document carriers (document carrier device) in order to pick up a security document to be printed and move it into and out of the printing area. The device also has a drive device in order to move the document carriers along a feed direction on different levels arranged perpendicular to the feed direction. It also has a control unit for controlling the drive device, so that the multiple document carriers are each moved alternately between a receiving position in which a security document is recorded and the printing area. This is done in such a way that the drive device guides the multiple carrier devices past each other on the different levels when moving in the feed direction.

In order to increase the security of security documents against forgery, security features are incorporated into the document. A widespread security feature is implemented by a so-called “tilt image”, which is also known by the abbreviations “MLI” or “CLI”. A tilt image that becomes visible when the document is tilted around the horizontal axis is called MLI, while a tilt image that becomes visible when the document is tilted around the vertical axis rotated by 90° is called CLI.

Such a tilting image generally has a lens structure along its lateral extent as an optically effective imaging structure and is implemented with an information structure stored in the lens structure. This means that the information introduced only becomes visible when light rays are refracted through the lens structure at the correct angle. Depending on the viewing direction, an image is visible or not or only visible to a very weak extent. Such tilting images are attached, for example, as security features on plastic cards and identification papers. The advantage is due to the relatively easy visual inspection of the tilt images, which is possible even in simple lighting conditions. Such a tilting image is, for example, in the patent specification EP 0 219 012 A2 disclosed. To increase protection against forgery, relief lenses can also be provided, as in the patent specification, for example EP 0 216 947 A1 disclosed.

To produce such tilt images, lasers are used in a document processing system, which can be directed onto the document via mirror arrangements in order to achieve the tilt image on the security document. In the event that several tilt images are to be applied to the document at different positions, or that both an MLI tilt image and a CLI tilt image are to be applied to the document, the document must first be removed from the document processing system and the corresponding mirror arrangement converted (position and/or or orientation change) to continue editing. A test run of the changed arrangement is often necessary to ensure functionality. The entire process is therefore time-consuming and cost-intensive.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a document processing system which ensures improved handling when processing documents, in particular when introducing security features in the form of tilt images. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for processing a document using the document processing system according to the invention.

This task is solved by the subjects of the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are contained in the subclaims.

The document processing system according to the invention has a document carrier device with a document holder. The document carrier device is designed to receive and transport a document to be processed, the transport taking place along a first spatial direction. In the context of this application, “taking up a document” means that it can be inserted into the document holder and, in particular, fixed by it. The document holder can in particular be provided as a recess in a surface, the dimensions of the recess corresponding exactly to the dimensions of the document to be recorded. Such a recess also fixes the document on the document carrier device against horizontal displacement. Other options for positive fixation or, for example, by negative pressure or by printing a mask placed on the document from above, which presses the document into the document holder, are also conceivable.

Furthermore, the document editing system has a document editing device which is configured to edit a document in a editing area so that a visible element is created on the document. As part of the registration process, the processing of a document is understood to mean the introduction of a visible element which includes personal document-related data such as name, date of birth or passport photo and/or visible security features, in particular tilt photos. The data to be applied can also be provided as a security feature.

The document processing device further has a radiation source, at least one first mirror arrangement and at least one second mirror arrangement. The mirror arrangements are each configured to direct radiation emitted by the radiation source onto the document at a specific angle and from a specific direction in order to produce the visible element. The mirror arrangements are further designed to be moved preferably along a second spatial direction into and out of the processing area in order to be able to redirect the emitted radiation from the radiation source there. Preferably, both mirror arrangements are firmly connected to one another within the processing device and/or arranged at a defined distance from one another on the processing device.

By moving different mirror arrangements into the processing area, different preset mirror arrangements can be used for processing without removing the document from the document processing system. Thus, for example, the first mirror arrangement may create a visible element on the document at one position and the second, differently configured mirror arrangement may create a visible element at another position. In the same way, a CLI tilt image can be applied to the document using one mirror arrangement and an MLI tilt image can be applied to the document using the other arrangement. This simplifies the processing of the document, since no conversion of the mirror arrangements has to be carried out between the application of different visible elements, but rather only one mirror arrangement has to be moved out of the processing area and the other mirror arrangement has to be moved into the processing area.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the second mirror arrangement is rotated about a vertical axis by 90 degrees to the first mirror arrangement. This means that the direction from which the radiation hits the document is also rotated by 90 degrees around the vertical axis. This means that the document processing device can be used to create tilt images in which the tilt effect is also rotated by 90 degrees. This is particularly true when creating MLI and CLI elements are essential, since an MLI flip image is also rotated by 90 degrees to a CLI flip image. If a CLI element is generated based on the radiation redirected by the first mirror arrangement, an MLI element is generated on the document based on the radiation redirected by the second mirror arrangement and vice versa. Preferably, the second mirror arrangement, like the first mirror arrangement, is designed to be alignable

Preferably, the two mirror arrangements are designed to be moved along a second spatial direction into the processing area. In particular, both mirror arrangements are provided on a device which can be moved along the second spatial direction in such a way that either one or the other mirror arrangement is in the processing area.

In an advantageous development of this embodiment of the invention, the first spatial direction along which the document is transported does not correspond to the second spatial direction in which the mirror arrangements are moved. The first and second spatial directions are therefore not identical. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the first spatial direction is perpendicular to the second spatial direction. Through such an embodiment, the document can be positioned on the document carrier device in the processing area in such a way that a visible element can be generated by the processing device at any position on the document without removing the document from the document processing system. It is also possible to apply several visible elements to several positions on the document. The change in the position of the visible element to be produced along the first spatial direction is carried out by moving the document carrier device, while the change in the position of the visible element along the second spatial direction can be carried out by moving the mirror arrangements.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the first spatial direction along which the document is transported by means of the document carrier device corresponds to the second spatial direction in which the mirror arrangements are moved. The two spatial directions are therefore identical. Consequently, both the mirror arrangements and the document carrier device move along the same spatial direction. This leads to a particularly narrow design of a document processing system.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the mirror arrangements are designed to be alignable in such a way that the position of the visible element on the document is shifted. In the context of the application, aligning the mirror arrangement does not mean the method of the mirror arrangements, but rather a rotation of at least one mirror of the arrangement in such a way that the radiation through the mirrors hits the document in a different position or a change in the height of the mirror, i.e a change in the distance from a mirror of the mirror arrangement to the document in the vertical direction. The alignment allows small changes to the image position on the document to be made without having to move a different mirror arrangement into the processing system. Alignability of the mirror arrangements is particularly advantageous in embodiments in which the first and second spatial directions are identical, i.e. in which the document carrier device and the mirror arrangements can be moved in the same direction. The alignment can also be used to change the position of the visible element on the document in a direction that deviates from this direction. This can significantly increase the flexibility when selecting the position of the visible element on the document.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the processing device further has other processing tools. Like the mirror arrangements, these can be moved along a second spatial direction into the processing area. Processing of the document within the document processing system is therefore also conceivable, which, for example, applies visible elements or security features to the document using other processing methods. Other processing methods can include embossing, engraving or printing.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the document carrier device has a heating device which is designed to give off heat to the document received by the document carrier device.

By introducing heat, for example, drying processes can be accelerated or better controlled, which can improve both the processing speed and the processing quality of the document processing device.

Such an embodiment is particularly preferred if the heating device has an actuator which is set up for this purpose is to cause a relative movement between a heated heat-conducting element and the document holder. The relative movement makes it possible to switch between two operating modes, with the heat-conducting element extending through one or more recesses in the document holder in a first operating mode in order to transfer heat generated by the heating device to the document at least in sections. In the second operating mode, the heating element is at a greater distance from the document than in the first operating mode, so that no or only an insignificant amount of heat is transferred to the document.

In this way, the heating element can remain permanently heated and can be placed in the first operating mode for processing steps in which heating is required and can switch to the second operating mode in processing steps in which no heating is required. This means that heating and cooling phases can be skipped and document processing can be accelerated.

The method according to the invention for processing a document by a document processing system according to the invention has several steps. First, the document carrier device of the document processing system is moved into a receiving position in which a document to be processed is placed on the document holder. The document carrier device is then moved along a first spatial direction into a processing position within a processing area of the document processing system. Furthermore, a first mirror arrangement is moved into the processing area, so that radiation emitted from a radiation source in the processing area is directed onto the document via the first mirror arrangement to create a visible element. After the visible element has been created on the document, a second mirror arrangement is moved into the processing area, so that radiation emitted by the radiation source in the processing area is directed onto the document via the second mirror arrangement to create a further visible element. After processing, the document carrier device is moved to an output position in which the document is removed from the document holder.

The features of advantageous embodiments of the device described with regard to the device according to the invention also apply as features of advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention.

• 1 zeigt eine schematische Abbildung einer Dokumententrägervorrichtung 12 von oben
• 2a zeigt eine schematische Abbildung eines Ausschnitts eines Dokumentenbearbeitungssystems 10 gemäß dem Stand der Technik in einer ersten Konfiguration.
• 2b zeigt eine schematische Abbildung eines Dokuments 51 mit einem ersten sichtbaren Element 551a.
• 3a zeigt eine schematische Abbildung eines Ausschnitts eines Dokumentenbearbeitungssystems 10 gemäß dem Stand der Technik in einer zweiten Konfiguration.
• 3b zeigt eine schematische Abbildung eines Dokuments 51 mit einem zweiten sichtbaren Element 551b.
• 4a zeigt eine schematische Abbildung einer zweiten Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Dokumentenbearbeitungssystems 10 in einer ersten Konfiguration.
• 4b zeigt eine schematische Abbildung der zweiten Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Dokumentenbearbeitungssystems 10 in einer zweiten Konfiguration.

Embodiments and advantageous aspects of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures. They show:

• 1 shows a schematic illustration of a document carrier device 12 from above
• 2a shows a schematic illustration of a section of a document processing system 10 according to the prior art in a first configuration.
• 2 B shows a schematic illustration of a document 51 with a first visible element 551a.
• 3a shows a schematic illustration of a section of a document processing system 10 according to the prior art in a second configuration.
• 3b shows a schematic illustration of a document 51 with a second visible element 551b.
• 4a shows a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of a document processing system 10 according to the invention in a first configuration.
• 4b shows a schematic illustration of the second embodiment of a document processing system 10 according to the invention in a second configuration.

1 shows a schematic illustration of a document carrier device 12 of a document processing system 10 (not shown in 1 ) from above. It has a document holder 121, which is provided in particular in the form of a recess in the document carrier device 12. In these defined areas there is a document 51 to be processed (not shown in 1 ) for processing in a document processing system 10 (see 4a until 4b) to place. The entire large rectangle in the figure is to be understood as document holder 121. In the document holder 121, on the left side in the drawing plane, there is a processing area 122, which is shown as a hatched area. In this area, a visible element is introduced into the document 51 to be processed through processing in a document processing system 10.

In the present case, the document holder 121 is designed in such a way that a book-shaped document 51, such as a passport, can be recorded by it. It can also have a gap in the middle into which the spine of a book-like document 51 can be accommodated. On the left side of the document holder 121 is a card position 124 indicated. This card position 124 can be provided, for example, by a further depression in the document holder 121. It has the standardized format of common credit cards, ID cards, membership cards or the like. Through the corresponding recesses provided, the card or the book-shaped document can be fixed on the document holder 121 at least in the lateral direction and thus secured against slipping.

Depending on the document to be processed, it is inserted either into the card position 124 or the document holder 121, whereby the processing can only be carried out in the processing area 122.

In an advantageous embodiment, a book-shaped document is placed on the document holder 121 and pressed from above onto the document holder 121 through a mask (not shown), which has a recess for the processing surface 122 of the document, until the mask snaps into a certain position and so the document is fixed flat on the document holder 121. Both sides of the document holder 121 are sprung independently of one another. Depending on the number of pages of the book-shaped document, one side of the document holder 121 may be subject to greater stress due to the application of the mask, but this can be compensated for by the independent storage of the two pages so that the surface of the document is at a defined height for processing.

In order to clamp a card-shaped document into the document carrier device, a card adapter is required. This has the external dimensions of the book-shaped document and, like this, is clamped onto the document holder 121. The card-shaped document is now inserted into this adapter. Slight errors when inserting documents are corrected using software. A camera measures possible rotation and incorrect position and forwards it to the software. This compensates for the inaccuracies and passes the corrected data on to the processing system.

A heating element 126 is indicated within the processing surface 122, which is designed to apply heat locally to the document to be processed. This can be beneficial for individual processing steps, for example for drying ink or similar. Therefore, the heating element 126 is preferably provided in the areas where ink is applied during processing. This is usually the case for security-critical documents to display a passport photo. Thus, the heating element 126 is preferably located at the location of a passport photo of a document.

The 2a and 3a show an embodiment of a document processing system 10 according to the prior art in two different configurations. A first mirror arrangement 21 is arranged in a processing area 82, which directs the laser beams 81 of a radiation source (not shown) onto a document 51 to be processed. For the sake of clarity, the depiction of the attachment of the mirror arrangement 21 is omitted.

The mirror arrangement 21 is in the first configuration 2a arranged such that the laser beams 82 produce a first visible element 551a on a specific position on the surface of the document 51. The corresponding document 51 is included 2 B shown in a plan view (view from above), where the first visible element 551 a is indicated at the defined position. The horizontal axis of the document 51 runs from top to bottom in the drawing plane, while the vertical axis runs from left to right in the drawing plane.

In contrast, the arrangement of the first mirror arrangement 21 in 3a modified according to the second configuration in such a way that the laser beams 82 are now directed to a different position on the surface of the document 51 than in the figure in 2a arrangement shown, whereby a second visible element 551b becomes visible on the document 51, such as 3b shows.

Changing the arrangement of the mirror arrangement 21 involves some effort in document processing systems 10 according to the prior art. The document 51 must first be removed before the arrangement of the mirror arrangement 21 can be changed. In order to check the new arrangement, an additional calibration or test run often has to be carried out, which means that the processing and creation of two different visible elements 551a, 551b at two different positions often becomes a lengthy process.

The 4a and 4b show an embodiment of a document processing system 10 according to the invention in different configurations. The embodiment according to 4a and 4b has a processing area 82a, 82b. The document processing system 10 has a document processing device 10 with a radiation source 54 in the form of a laser. The radiation emitted by the radiation source 54 (laser beams 81) is in the in 4a shown The first configuration is directed from a first mirror arrangement 21 to the document (not shown), which is placed on a document holder 121 of a document carrier device 12. This process applies a visible element 551 to the document.

In the embodiment shown, the document carrier device 12 can be moved along a first spatial direction and the first mirror arrangement 21 can be moved along a second spatial direction, the two spatial directions being perpendicular to one another. The position of the visible element 551 on the document is therefore determined in one spatial direction (into the drawing plane) by the position of the document carrier 12 and in the other spatial direction (in the drawing plane from left to right) by the position of the first mirror arrangement 21. This means that the visible element can be applied to any position on the document.

The document processing device 11 also has a second mirror arrangement 22, which can also be moved into the processing area. According to the drawings, the processing area is provided with the reference number 82a, provided that the first mirror arrangement 21 is in the processing area ( 4a) and provided with the reference number 82b when the second mirror arrangement 22 is in the processing area ( 4b) . The position of the processing area 82a, 82b and thus also of the radiation source 54 does not change. Only the mirror arrangements 21, 22 are moved in and out of the processing area 82a and 82b. The distance between the two mirror arrangements 21, 22 is fixed.

The two mirror arrangements 21, 22 are arranged rotated by 90 degrees about a vertical axis, whereby the emitted radiation is also directed onto the document rotated by 90 degrees. Thus, in the embodiment of the invention shown, both CLI and MLI elements can be applied to the document. By different positioning of the mirror arrangements 21, 22 in the processing area 82a, 82b in one spatial direction and by different positioning of the document by the document carrier device 12 in the other spatial direction, the visible elements can be applied to the document at different positions. The mirror arrangements 21, 22, as in the 4a , 4b shown also have different distances in the vertical direction from the document, i.e. different heights.

Advantageously, the mirror arrangements 21, 22 can be aligned, that is, either changed in height (vertical distance from the document) or, for example, rotated about their vertical or horizontal axes.

The processing device 11, or the mirror arrangements 21, 22 contained therein, can also be moved in such a way that the radiation emitted by the radiation source 54 is directed directly onto the document. This would correspond to a third configuration, not shown, in which the first mirror arrangement 21 is located on one side and the second mirror arrangement 22 on the other side of the processing area 82a, 82b. Embodiments are also conceivable in which other processing tools such as engraving tools or the like are contained in the processing device 11, which can also be moved into the processing area 82.

A heating device 126 is provided in the document holder 121 of the document carrier device 12, which is in the 4a is indicated by holes in the surface of the document holder 121. In this embodiment, the heating device 126 is provided by a heating element, parts of which can be moved out of the holes by an actuator in order to give off heat to a document 51 located thereon. If no heat supply is required, the heating element is lowered again so that heat supply is largely prevented.

Due to the embodiment shown, different tilting images can be applied to the document using the process option of the mirror arrangements 21, 22 and the document carrier 12 without complex changes to the arrangement and the position of the tilting images within the processing surface 122 can be freely selected.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

10

Document processing system

11

Document processing facility

12

Document carrier device

121

Document recording

122

Processing surface

123

recess

124

Map position

126

Heating device

21

first mirror arrangement

22

second mirror arrangement

51

document

54

Radiation source

551

visible element

551a

first visible element

551b

second visible element

54

Radiation source

81

Laser beams

82

Editing area

82a

first processing area

82b

second processing area

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102006031024 A1 [0005]
• EP 0219012 A2 [0007]
• EP 0216947 A1 [0007]

Claims (8)

Document processing system (10), in particular for processing security documents, comprising, at least one document carrier device (12) with a document holder (121), configured to hold a document (51) to be processed and to transport it along a first spatial direction, at least one document processing device, configured to process the document (51) in a processing area (82a, 82b), so that a visible element (551) is created on the document (51), wherein the document processing device has a radiation source (54) and at least one first mirror arrangement (21) and at least one second mirror arrangement (22), the mirror arrangements (21, 22) each being configured to generate radiation emitted by the radiation source (54). to guide the visible element (551) onto the document (51) at a certain angle and/or from a certain direction, wherein the mirror arrangements (21, 22) are further designed to be moved into the processing area (82a, 82b). Document processing system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the second mirror arrangement (22) is arranged rotated by 90 degrees to the first mirror arrangement (21). Document processing system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mirror arrangements (21, 22) are designed to be moved along a second spatial direction into the processing area (82a, 82b). Document processing system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the first spatial direction is identical to the second spatial direction. Document processing system (10) according to the preceding Claim 3 , wherein the first spatial direction is different from the second spatial direction and in particular the first spatial direction is perpendicular to the second spatial direction. Document processing system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the document carrier device (12) has a heating device (126) which is designed to give off heat to the document (51) received by the document carrier device (12). Document processing system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the heating device (126) has an actuator which is designed to cause a relative movement between a heat-conducting element and the document holder (121) in order to switch between a first operating mode and a second operating mode of the document carrier device (12 ) to change, wherein in the first operating mode the heat-conducting element extends through one or more recesses in the document holder (121) in order to be able to transfer heat generated by the heating device (126) to the document (51) at least in sections; and wherein in the second operating mode the heat-conducting element has an increased distance from the document (51) compared to its position in the first operating mode. Method for processing a document (51) in a document processing system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps, Moving a document carrier device (12) into a receiving position in which a document (51) is placed on a document holder (121) of the document carrier device (12), Moving the document carrier device (12) along a first spatial direction into a processing area (82a, 82b) of the document processing system (10), Moving a first mirror arrangement (21) into the processing area (82a, 82b), so that radiation emitted from a radiation source (54) in the processing area (82a, 82b) is transmitted via the first mirror arrangement (21) to create a visible element (551) on the document (51) is directed, Moving a second mirror arrangement (21) into the processing area (82a, 82b), so that radiation emitted by the radiation source (54) in the processing area (82a, 82b) is transmitted via the second mirror arrangement (21) to create a further visible element (551). Document (51) is directed, Moving the document carrier device (12) into an output position in which the document (51) is removed from the document holder (121).

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