EP4269125A1 - Method and device for embossing vehicle license plates - Google Patents

Abstract

Vehicle license plates are known which are provided with at least one data carrier (35) that can be read out with electromagnetic waves. The data carriers (35) are already present in the license plate blanks (20) to be embossed into vehicle license plates. Identifying data is stored in the data carriers (35) of the license plate blanks (20). The invention provides for at least part of the individual data stored in the data carriers (35) of the license plate blanks (20) to be used when embossing the license plate blanks (20) into vehicle license plates use and preferably integrate them into the embossing process. This simplifies the embossing process and does not require any additional stickers or similar information carriers with individual information on the respective license plate blanks (20).

Description

The invention relates to a method for embossing vehicle license plates according to the preamble of claim 1 and a device for embossing motor vehicle license plates according to the preamble of claim 11.

Motor vehicle license plates are embossed using embossing presses with the aid of embossing tools. Each embossing tool is designed to emboss a letter, a number or a symbol, for example a hyphen. By arranging appropriate embossing tools next to each other, the vehicle license plate is provided with the desired letters, numbers and/or symbols, which are hereinafter referred to together and each individually as a "number", thereby creating a character combination, which is also referred to as "alphanumeric", of the vehicle license plate educated.

The embossing tools imprint the desired character combinations by deforming a license plate blank made of aluminum or sheet steel. This usually creates an elevation embodying the respective digit, i.e. letter, number and/or symbol, on the visible front of the vehicle license plate, while a corresponding depression is embossed on the opposite underside of the vehicle license plate. There are mainly two types of embossing tools used. In one type, two corresponding embossing tools form the respective number. One embossing tool embosses a recess embodying the respective character on the back, while the other embossing tool forms the relevant character in a raised manner on the visible front of the license plate blank. In another type of embossing tool, two tool halves are hinged together at a narrow edge, forming a kind of clamp or beak. One half of the tool then stamps the respective recess in the back of the license plate blank and the other half of the tool stamps the elevation on the visible front of the license plate blank. Such beak-like embossing tools are known in technical jargon as clapper dies.

Vehicle license plates are known that are provided with at least one data carrier that can be read with electromagnetic radiation. The invention relates to vehicle license plates with such data carriers, in particular "electronic data carriers". Data carriers of this type are designed, for example, as RFID chips or near-field communication chips (NFC). They make it possible, for example, to read out the character combination of the vehicle license plate and/or other or additional data relating to the vehicle license plate and/or the vehicle equipped with it, electronically, without contact, using appropriate reading devices.

Based on the above, the invention is based on the object of simplifying the embossing of (electronic) vehicle license plates that can be read without contact using electromagnetic radiation.

A method for solving this problem has the measures of claim 1. Accordingly, it is provided to electronically read out at least selected electronically stored data from license plate boards provided with readable data carriers before embossing and to include this data in the embossing process of the vehicle license plate. This means that at least some of the information required for embossing can be taken from the data carrier that is already provided in the license plate blank in a simple manner and without additional aids.

The data carriers with which the license plate boards are provided are preferably electronic and/or electromagnetically readable data carriers on or in which the data is stored electronically and/or digitally.

It is preferably provided that the data read from the data carrier of the respective license plate blank is fed to a control of the embossing press. The data can be used to carry out the embossing process. Alternatively or additionally, it is conceivable to use the data read out from the data carrier of the respective license plate blank before embossing, in short electromagnetically, in a contactless manner via electromagnetic waves, to monitor or control the embossing process, for example by feeding it to a monitoring or control device and in the control - and/or monitoring process can be included. It is also conceivable to document the embossing process using this data. If the data to be read from the electronic data carrier of the respective license plate blank contains the character combination to be embossed into the license plate blank in encrypted or unencrypted form, the data can also be used to compile the embossing tools required for embossing the respective vehicle license plate. For this purpose, the embossing tools preferably also have data carriers which can optionally also be read out optoelectronically and contain at least the number, letter or symbol of the relevant embossing tool.

Each of the mentioned options for using the data read out from the data carrier of the respective license plate blank without contact using electromagnetic radiation simplifies the embossing process, avoids errors in the embossing process, makes the embossing process safer because manipulations are at least made more difficult and / or can be used to document the embossing process, in particular its Parameters and the embossing tools used including their order are used. This ensures error-free and, above all, tamper-proof embossing of vehicle license plates, especially motor vehicle license plates.

It is preferably provided that an individual serial number or identification number is stored in the electronic data carrier of each license plate blank, which identifies it and is assigned exclusively and uniquely for the license plate blank in question. For example, the format of the vehicle license plate to be produced from the license plate blank can then be read from this serial number, preferably directly before embossing or after decryption. Further electronically readable data can be found in the serial number in relation to the colors of the vehicle license plate. It is also conceivable, in states where a series of vehicle license plates with a consecutive character combination and/or line sequence is centrally assigned, this character combination or sequence, which is later to be embossed into the license plate blank, in the serial number or identification number stored in the respective data carrier stored encrypted or unencrypted. However, it is also conceivable to store this character sequence and/or character combination in addition to the serial number on the electronic data carrier of the license plate blank in question or to form the serial number from the combination of numbers that is to be embossed into the license plate blank in question. The electronic data explained above or some electronic data of the respective electronic data carrier of each license plate blank enable automated embossing of vehicle license plates without manually entering the character combination to be embossed into the license plate blank. This can prevent errors and manipulation when embossing the license plate blank.

The method can be designed in such a way that the data stored on the electronic data carrier of the respective license plate blank, for example a serial number or an identification number, is a character string consisting of only letters or only numbers or also combinations of letters, numbers and / or symbols . These can be fully or partially encrypted, for example by basing the relevant color of the license plate blank on a letter or a number, from which the relevant color can be derived after reading and/or similarly the format or material of the license plate blank and other identifying features of the same and /or the information for controlling the embossing process is stored in encrypted or unencrypted form.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, it is provided that before the vehicle license plate is embossed, the data required for this is read out from the electronic data carrier of the license plate blank to be embossed in a contactless manner using electromagnetic waves and/or electromagnetic radiation from a laser device, for example a scanner or a camera . This reading process can take place before or alternatively or additionally in the embossing press. The corresponding reading device is then arranged in front of or within the embossing press. For example, the reading device in question can be assigned to the embossing tools or a holder and/or holder for embossing tools.

The method can be designed in such a way that, based on data read from the electronic data carrier of the respective license plate blank before embossing, for example a serial number, an identification number and/or identification data, it is checked whether the embossing job to be carried out corresponds to the license plate blank, its data or numbers have been read out, can be carried out and/or the license plate blank whose data has been read out for the respective embossing order heard. Not only can incorrect embossing be prevented; Rather, the embossing process is made safer by preventing manipulation. It is also no longer necessary to manually provide the information required to control the embossing press.

The method according to the invention can also provide for the character combination to be embossed to be read out from at least part of the data, for example identification data or a serial number, from the electronic data carrier of the respective license plate blank in order to emboss vehicle license plates with a predetermined, continuous character combination. Other data is preferably also read out, for example the format of the license plate blank. The required embossing tools can then be compiled from this data and assembled in the appropriate order. This can be done automatically using the method according to the invention. Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible to select the embossing tools corresponding to the format of the license plate blank and to position them in relation to the format, for example according to whether a one- or two-line vehicle license plate is to be embossed from the license plate blank in question. The data read from the electronic data storage of the license plate blank to be embossed can also be used to check whether the correct embossing tools have been assigned to the license plate blank to be embossed, in compliance with their intended sequence and their relative arrangement. In addition, at least some of the data can be fed into a control of the embossing press and/or saved. The embossing process is then automatically controlled and/or can be automatically checked and/or documented based on the non-contact, electromagnetically read data on the electronic data carrier of the license plate blank to be embossed, in particular the serial number or identification data.

The method can also be developed in such a way that each embossing tool has an electronic data carrier, the data of which can be read without contact by a reading device, a scanner or the like using electromagnetic waves. In principle, the data carriers of the embossing tools can correspond to those of the license plate blanks. However, the data carriers of the embossing tools preferably have other data. At least the electronic data carrier of each embossing tool stores, encrypted or unencrypted, which letter, number or symbol can be embossed with it. By assigning electronic data carriers to the embossing tools, complete monitoring and/or Documentation ensures whether the combination of characters intended for this can or is correctly stamped into the respective license plate blank.

In an advantageous development of the method, it is provided to store data before, during and/or after the production of the license plate blank on the electronic data carrier of the same. This data or only a certain part of this data is preferably stored in an unchangeable and/or permanent storage area of the data carrier of the license plate blank. This storage can be encrypted or unencrypted.

Preferably, after embossing the license plate blank to form the vehicle license plate with an individual character combination according to the embossing order, the embossed character combination or data relating to the embossing process, especially quality-relevant data, is stored in the electronic data carrier of the license plate board that is only embossed for the vehicle license plate. This means that the electronic data carrier of the embossed vehicle license plate is linked to exactly the combination of characters embossed into the license plate blank. Exactly the character combination that was also embossed into the license plate blank of the vehicle license plate is then stored in the electronic data memory of the vehicle license plate, encrypted or unencrypted. The above applies in particular in the event that the embossing tools also have electronically readable data carriers. Then the data indicating the respective letter, the respective number or the respective symbol of the embossing tool are preferably read out and transferred to the electronic data carrier of the embossed vehicle license plate or at least compared with it. This ensures that the embossed character combination read contactlessly from the vehicle license plate actually matches the one that was mechanically embossed into the license plate blank, matches the data carriers of the embossing tools used and/or matches the visually perceptible three-dimensional character sequence of the embossed vehicle license plate.

It is also conceivable that after the embossing process has been completed, an image of the front of the finished embossed vehicle license plate is generated by an imaging device, for example a camera, and through a corresponding image evaluation, the imaged, actually existing character combination of the vehicle license plate with that in the electronic data carrier of this vehicle license plate electronically and/or digitally stored character combination is compared.

This makes it possible to ensure that the character combination physically present in the vehicle license plate matches the character combination stored electronically in at least one data carrier of the vehicle license plate.

A device for solving the problem mentioned at the beginning has the features of claim 11. This device is characterized by at least one electronic reading device for reading at least some data stored on an electronic data carrier of the license plate blank to be checked using electromagnetic waves and/or beams. It is then preferably a matter of reading out by electromagnetic means. As a result, the embossing process can be carried out using data stored on the electronic data carrier of the respective license plate and which individualizes and/or individualizes this license plate. This simplifies the embossing process and preferably also makes it tamper-proof.

A preferred development of the device is characterized by at least one intermediate plate with at least one reading and/or transmitting device for reading and/or transmitting data from the electronic data carrier of the respective license plate blank electronically using electromagnetic waves and/or for sending data in the data carrier of the respective license plate blank. As a result, information required for the embossing process, in particular electronically stored data, must be read out and/or into the embossing press from the electronic data carrier of the license plate blank to be embossed and/or sent to the data carrier in order to be stored in it.

According to an advantageous development of the device, the at least one electromagnetic reading and/or transmitting device is assigned to the intermediate plate, preferably arranged in the intermediate plate and/or embedded in the intermediate plate. For this purpose, the intermediate plate is preferably either formed entirely from an electrically non-conductive material, for example plastic, or the reading and/or transmitting device is accommodated in an electrically non-conductive part or region of the otherwise electrically conductive intermediate plate. As a result, the reading and/or transmitting device is electrically isolated in the respective intermediate plate. The at least one electromagnetic reading and/or transmitting device is accommodated in the intermediate plate in a protected manner and in such a way that the intermediate plate, even if it is at least partially formed from an electrically conductive material, the reading or sending of data with electromagnetic radiation from the electronic data carrier in the license plate blank or on the data carriers in the license plate blank is not disturbed.

The device can be developed in such a way that the reading and/or transmitting device is arranged at a location on the intermediate plate that is located outside the embossing tools located in the embossing position in the tool holding frame. As a result, metal embossing tools in particular do not interfere with the electromagnetic reading and sending process.

Finally, the device can be designed in such a way that the tool holding frame has an opening at least in the area of the at least one reading and/or transmitting device or is made of an electrically non-conductive material and/or the tool holder is located where the data carrier of the license plate blank and one of these possibly assigned antenna, has a breakthrough or is formed from an electrically non-conductive material. In this way, the tool holder or tool holding frame for holding the embossing tools required for embossing does not interfere with the transmission of data from the electronic data carrier of the respective license plate blank or to the data carrier by electromagnetic radiation.

Fig. 1

eine Draufsicht auf einen zum Prägen eines Fahrzeugkennzeichens dienenden Kennzeichenrohlings,

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Prägepresse mit einem Prägewerkzeug auf einem Werkzeugtisch vor einem Prägeraum im Inneren der Prägepresse,

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Explosionsdarstellung der am Prägevorgang beteiligten Komponenten einschließlich des Kennzeichenrohlings,

Fig. 4

einen Längsschnitt durch die Komponenten und den Kennzeichenrohling gemäß der Fig. 3,

Fig. 5

einen Längsschnitt durch die am Prägevorgang beteiligten Komponenten und des Kennzeichenrohlings im beim Prägevorgang zusammenliegenden Zustand,

Fig. 6

einen Querschnitt durch die am Prägevorgang beteiligten Komponenten und den Kennzeichenrohling gemäß der Fig. 5,

Fig. 7

eine Prägepresse zum Prägen des Kennzeichenrohlings gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,

Fig. 8

eine perspektivische Ansicht der am Prägevorgang beteiligten Komponenten einschließlich Prägewerkzeugen und dem Kennzeichenrohling,

Fig. 9

einen Längsschnitt durch am Prägevorgang beteiligten Komponenten, einschließlich Prägewerkzeuge, und dem Kennzeichenrohling im zusammengefahrenen Zustand, und

Fig. 10

einen Querschnitt in einer Darstellung analog zur Fig. 9.

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. In this show:

Fig. 1

a top view of a license plate blank used to emboss a vehicle license plate,

Fig. 2

a perspective view of an embossing press with an embossing tool on a tool table in front of an embossing room inside the embossing press,

Fig. 3

a perspective exploded view of the components involved in the embossing process including the license plate blank,

Fig. 4

a longitudinal section through the components and the license plate blank according to Fig. 3 ,

Fig. 5

a longitudinal section through the components involved in the embossing process and the license plate blank in the state that is together during the embossing process,

Fig. 6

a cross section through the components involved in the embossing process and the license plate blank according to Fig. 5 ,

Fig. 7

an embossing press for embossing the license plate blank according to a second embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 8

a perspective view of the components involved in the embossing process including embossing tools and the license plate blank,

Fig. 9

a longitudinal section through components involved in the embossing process, including embossing tools, and the license plate blank in the collapsed state, and

Fig. 10

a cross section in a representation analogous to Fig. 9 .

The Indian Fig. 1 License plate blank 20 shown is used by those in the Fig. 2 and 7 Embossing presses shown are embossed into a vehicle license plate that serves as a vehicle license plate. 20 letters, numbers and, if necessary, at least one symbol are embossed into the license plate blank. These are referred to below as “characters”. Motor vehicle license plates in different states have letters, numbers and/or symbols and different numbers and sequences of letters, numbers and/or symbols. The letters, numbers and/or at least one symbol, for example a hyphen, which are to be embossed into the respective license plate blank 20 by the embossing press are referred to below as a “character combination”.

Each character can be embossed into the license plate blank 20 using different embossing tools. In the exemplary embodiment Fig. 2 to 6 Each individual drawing is embossed with two corresponding embossing tools, which are not shown in the figures mentioned. One embossing tool has an elevation of the respective character and the associated second embossing tool has a corresponding depression of the same character. One embossing tool lies below the license plate blank 20 and the other embossing tool above it. The license plate blank 20 is usually inserted into the embossing press in such a way that its later Motor vehicle license plate visible top 21 is at the top. Then the embossing tool for each character that is assigned to the top 21 of the license plate blank 20 is provided with a recess to form the character embossed in a raised manner on the visible top 21. The embossing tool underneath has an elevation which imprints a depression corresponding to the symbol into the underside 22 of the license plate blank 20. The two embossing tools used to emboss the same character are opposite one another, preferably congruent.

Two corresponding embossing tools are required for each character, so that a total of sixteen embossing tools are involved in embossing a character combination of, for example, eight characters. All embossing tools required for embossing the license plate blank 20 are arranged in a tool holder 23 of the embossing press 24, in such a way that a number of embossing tools corresponding to the number of all characters in the character combination to be embossed are assigned next to each other at the same time to the underside 22 of the license plate blank 20 and also an equal one Number of embossing tools can be assigned to the top 21 of the license plate blank 20.

The exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 7 to 10 shows an embossing press 25 with a tool holder 26 and differently designed embossing tools 27. These are in the Fig. 7 to 10 shown. Each of these embossing tools 27 is designed as a double tool which, when viewed from the side, has a U-shaped, jaw and/or clamp-like base part 28, which has two slightly spaced parallel elongated legs 29, 30, which are secured on one side by a clamp arch 31 are preferably connected in one piece. At least each bracket sheet 31 is elastically deformable, whereby the legs 29, 30 can be moved together during the embossing process without plastic deformation of the base part 28, so that their distance can be reduced to carry out the embossing process. After the embossing process, the legs 29, 30 can be moved apart again due to the elastic clamp sheet 31, the exposed legs moving apart or the legs 29, 30 can also diverge slightly towards their free ends to open the base part 28.

The mutually facing inner sides of the legs 29 and 30 are assigned to plate-like shaped bodies 32 and 33 in the embossing tool 27. One molded body 32 or 33 is preferably formed in one piece on the inside of each leg 29, 30. But it is also conceivable that the shaped bodies 32, 33 represent separate parts that are connected to the insides of the legs 29, 30. If the license plate blank is 20 in respective embossing tool 27 is embossed with the visible side on top, the molded body 32 assigned to the top 21 of the license plate blank 20 has a recess for the respective character, which forms an elevation of the character on the visible side of the embossed motor vehicle license plate. The molded body 33 of the same embossing tool 27 assigned to the underside 22 of the license plate blank 20 has a corresponding elevation. The elevation of the shaped body 33 is then pressed into the underside 22 of the license plate blank 20 to form a depression therein. The embossing tool 27 described above therefore simultaneously serves to emboss the depression and elevation of the respective character. Such embossing tools 27 are referred to in technical jargon as “rattle dies”.

To emboss a motor vehicle license plate with a specific character combination, a number of embossing tools 27 is required that corresponds to the number of characters in the character combination to be embossed in the respective license plate blank 20.

The Fig. 1 shows a top view of the top 21 of the license plate blank 20, from which the desired motor vehicle license plate is formed by imprinting a predetermined combination of characters and / or numbers.

The license plate blank 20 shown has a relatively narrow strip of material 34. For motor vehicle license plates made of aluminum or steel, this is a sheet metal strip. The narrow material strip 34 shown is used to form so-called single-line motor vehicle license plates with a single row of characters arranged next to one another, which together have the desired character sequence and / or combination, which is also referred to in technical jargon as a "legend". Multi-line, especially two-line, vehicle license plates are also possible. To do this, license plate blanks are used with a different format that is higher but narrower than the one in the Fig. 1 License plate blank 20 shown. Different format tool holders are used for license plate blanks 20 of different formats.

In some states, vehicle license plates have an embossed border all around. This is either already stamped into the license plate blank 20 before the individual character sequence is stamped into it, or the surrounding edge is also stamped into the license plate blank 20 together with the stamping of the individual character combination. The Fig. 1 shows the license plate blank 20 without a previously embossed surrounding edge. The license plate blank 20 then still has the flat and/or flat shape formed by the material strip 34.

The Indian Fig. 1 License plate blank 20 shown has a preferably chip-like data carrier 35 which can be read out and/or written to electronically using electromagnetic waves; However, it can also have several identical or different data carriers. For example, this can be a passive RFID chip. But other data carriers 35 are also conceivable, for example data carriers designed as Near Field Communication Chips (NFC) or active data carriers 35.

The data carrier 35 is arranged in an elongated recess 36. The recess 36 can be an elongated slot, but also an elongated trough. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the elongated recess 36 is arranged at a short distance from a longitudinal edge of the license plate blank 20. Alternatively, the recess 36 can also be positioned at a slight distance from a shorter transverse edge of the license plate blank 20. When in the Fig. 1 In the license plate blank 20 shown, the data carrier 35 is arranged near one end of the recess 36. For this purpose, the data carrier 35 is embedded in an electrically non-conductive material, for example plastic. This embedding is such that the data carrier 35 has no contact with the outlines of the recess 36 in the usually electrically conductive material strip 34 of the license plate blank 20. As a result, the recess 36, which is several times longer in length than the data carrier 35, also serves as an antenna for the data carrier 35, which is preferably designed as a chip. The material that is used to embed the data carrier 35 in the recess 36 preferably fills the Recess 36 completely. As a result, the recess 36 is barely visible and in addition, the electrically non-conductive material 37, which at least partially fills the recess 36, is cast into the recess 36 for holding and fixing the data carrier 35, in such a way that the data carrier 35 is completely or at least largely covered by the non-conductive material 37 is cast and/or surrounded to fill the recess 36 and as a result there is no connection between the data carrier 35 and the outlines of the recess 36.

In the Fig. 2 The embossing press 24 is shown schematically for embossing each character using two correspondingly designed embossing tools (not shown). These embossing tools are assigned to the upper and lower tool holder 23 according to the intended number sequence. Then the tool holders 23 with the embossing tools positioned therein so that the license plate blank 20 to be embossed is located in between.

In the Fig. 2 The tool holders 23 prepared for an embossing process are shown on a press table 38 in front of the embossing room of the embossing press 24. In the embossing space of the embossing press 24 there is a lower press plate 39 and an upper press plate 40 located at a distance above it. Before the embossing process, the press plates 39 and 40 are moved apart. Embossing is carried out by moving the press plates 39 and 40 together. Usually, the press plates 39 and 40 are moved together by lowering the upper press plate 40. This also involves moving the upper and lower tool holders 23 together with the corresponding embossing tools (not shown) opposite them. Before the press plates 39 and 40 are moved together, a respective license plate blank 20 is pushed between the embossing tools of the upper and lower tool holders 23. When the press plate 39 and 40 are moved together, the raised and recessed contours are embossed into the license plate blank 20 lying between the tool holders 23 and embossing tools in accordance with the character and character combination to be embossed.

In the Fig. 3 The extended press plates 39 and 40, the upper and lower tool holders 23 and the license plate blank 20 located between them are shown spaced apart from one another for the sake of clarity. This representation shows recordings 41 for the embossing tools, not shown, of the upper and lower tool holder 23.

In the Fig. 3 An intermediate plate 42 provided between the upper press plate 40 and the upper tool holder 23 is also shown. This intermediate plate 42 serves to accommodate at least one reading device 43. The reading device 43 is positioned and designed in such a way that it can read data from the electronic data carrier 35 in a non-contact manner by electromagnetic means and/or by means of electromagnetic waves. If necessary, the reading device 43 can also be designed as a combined reading and writing device if data is to be transferable to the data carrier 35 without contact in the embossing press, in particular before, after or during the embossing process, and can be stored on the data carrier 35. Then the combined reading and writing device can not only read data from the data carrier 35 without contact; The data carrier 35 can also be written to with other data without contact.

If only the “reading device” is mentioned below, this can also apply to a combined reading and writing device or just a writing device.

The reading device 43 is arranged in an opening 44 in the intermediate plate 42. The reading device 43 can be fixed in the opening 44 by a hardenable casting compound. This casting compound is formed from an electrically non-conductive material, for example plastic, and as a result the reading device 43 is arranged and fixed in the intermediate plate 42 in an electronically insulated manner. Then the intermediate plate 42 can be formed from an electrically conductive material. Alternatively, it is also conceivable to form the intermediate plate 42 entirely from an electrically non-conductive material. Then the reading device 43 is arranged in an opening in the intermediate plate 42, which is completely made of a non-conductive material, and is fixed therein. With an intermediate plate 42 made of electrically non-conductive material, it is also conceivable to accommodate and fix the reading device 43 in a protected manner in a cavity inside the intermediate plate.

The reading device 43 is positioned at a location on the intermediate plate 42 that is at least approximately above the data carrier 35. The ones in the Fig. 3 The reading device 43 shown is designed to have a significantly larger area than the data carrier 35 and/or is provided with an antenna that is significantly larger than the data carrier 35. As a result, positional deviations of the data carrier 35 can be compensated for, especially when license plate blanks 20 of different formats are to be embossed alternately, where the data carriers 35 are located at different locations on the license plate blank 20. Alternatively, intermediate plates adapted to each format can be provided for license plate blanks of different formats. Then the position of at least the reading device is adapted to the position of the data carrier of the respective format of the license plate blank and the reading device, preferably also the antenna, can be smaller in that they are not significantly larger than the data carrier 35.

Different from that in the Fig. 3 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the intermediate plate 42 with the reading device 43 or a combined reading and writing device can also be provided below the lower tool holder 26. Then the reading device 43 and the opening 44 that receives it are located under the lower tool holder 26, specifically at a position below the data carrier 35 that corresponds to the data carrier 35. It is also conceivable to have one To arrange intermediate plate 42 with a reading device 43 both above the upper tool holder 23 and below the lower tool holder 26. A reading device can also be assigned to one intermediate plate and an electrical writing device can be assigned to the other intermediate plate.

The representations of the Fig. 3 to 6 show that, corresponding to the reading device 43, electrically non-conductive areas 45 are assigned to the upper and lower tool holder 23 in the intermediate plate 42. These prevent the reading device 43 from being shielded by the upper metal tool holder 23 arranged between it and the license plate blank 20.

Preferably, an electrically non-conductive area 46 is also assigned to the metallic tool holder 23 lying under the license plate blank 20. This electrically non-conductive area 46 lies opposite the upper electrically non-conductive area 45 and extends over the entire area of the elongated slot-like recess 36 for the data carrier 35 in the license plate blank 20.

Above all, the lower tool holder 23 is assigned an electrically non-conductive area 46 if, alternatively or additionally, an intermediate plate with a reading device and / or a writing device or combined reading and writing device is assigned between the lower tool holder 23 and the license plate blank 20.

The sizes of the electrically non-conductive areas 45 and 46 shown in the figures depend on the size of the reading device 43, the data carrier 35, the slot antenna in which the data carrier 35 is arranged, and/or the radiation characteristics of the data carrier 35 and/or the reading device 43 . For example, the electrically non-conductive areas 45 and 46 can extend over the entire recess 36 with the data carrier 35, as shown in the figures for the electrically non-conductive area 46, or only in the area of the data carrier 35 and/or only in the area of the reading device 43 are located, as shown in the figures for the upper tool holder 23. Alternatively, the electrically non-conductive areas of both the upper and lower tool holders 23 can be the same size, namely a size corresponding to the smaller electrically non-conductive area 45, or both can be as large as the longer electrically non-conductive area 46.

It may be possible to dispense with the electrically non-conductive areas 45 and 46 entirely if the respective tool holder 23 is made of an electrically non-conductive Material is formed, for example from austenitic steel, which is electrically non-conductive or plastic, in particular fiber-reinforced plastic.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the reading device 43 is provided with electrical conductors 47, which serve at least to supply the reading device 43 with energy. At least one data line can also be provided for the electrical transmission of the data read by the reading device 43. The electrical conductor 47 and/or the at least one data line are assigned to the intermediate plate 42 and in particular run insulated therein. Alternatively, it is conceivable to transmit the data read by the reading device 43 wirelessly via radio and/or telemetry, so that the electrical conductors 47 only serve to supply the reading device 43 with energy. A corresponding reading channel is then preferably provided in the metallic surroundings of the embossing press 24.

The Fig. 7 shows schematically the embossing press 25 for one-piece embossing tools 27, which are designed so that one embossing tool 27 embosses a character on the top 21 and in the bottom 22 of the license plate blank 20.

In the representation of the Fig. 7 The embossing tools 27, which are arranged next to one another according to the character sequence to be embossed, are arranged on a so-called drawer 48 on a press table 49. The license plate blank 20 to be embossed is inserted, in particular inserted, between the sufficiently spaced moldings 32 and 33 of the embossing tools 27 in a precise position. The drawer 48 is pushed from the press table 49 with all the required embossing tools 27 and the license plate blank 20 into the embossing space 50 of the embossing press 25 (with reference to the illustration of Fig. 7 to the left). Thereafter, the embossing tools 27 with the license plate blank 20 located between the molded bodies 32 and 33 are located between an upper press plate 51 of the embossing press 25 and the drawer 48 on the press table 49, as is particularly clear in the Fig. 10 is shown.

The upper press plate 51 is in the Fig. 7 to 10 an intermediate plate 52 is assigned to the embossing press 25 shown. This is preferably attached under the upper press plate 51.

As with the previously described embossing press 24, the intermediate plate 52 is also assigned a preferably active reading device 53. This can also be a combined reading and writing device. The Fig. 9 and 10 is removable, that the reading device 53 is also housed in a recess 54 in the intermediate plate 52. In the case of the intermediate plate 52 shown made of an electrically conductive material, the recess 54 is larger than the reading device 53, so that the reading device 53 is accommodated and/or embedded in an electrically insulated manner in an electrically non-conductive material 55, which preferably completely fills the recess 54.

In the embossing press 25 shown, the reading device 53 is arranged above the data carrier 35 of the license plate blank 20 located in the embossing tools 27. Since at least the bracket sheets 31 of the embossing tools 27 are made of an electrically non-conductive material, they do not shield the reading device 53, so that in contrast to the embossing tools of the exemplary embodiment Fig. 2 to 6 no electrically non-conductive areas 45 and 46 need to be provided. This applies in particular to the exemplary embodiment shown, where the recess 36 with the data carrier 35 in the license plate blank 20 lies next to the shaped bodies 32 and 33 of the embossing tools 27 and therefore only the electrically non-conductive bracket sheet 31 is between the data carrier 35 of the license plate blank 20 and the reading device 53 of the base part 28 of the respective embossing tool 27 is located ( Fig. 10 ).

Different from the Fig. 7 to 10 There can also be an intermediate plate made of an electrically non-conductive material on the drawer 48. Such an intermediate plate improves the reading properties of the reading device 53. However, the intermediate plate is not absolutely necessary. The intermediate plate is only required if the intermediate plate under the embossing tools 27 should be assigned a reading device or a combined reading and writing device or only a writing device.

If the upper intermediate plate 52 and/or the optional lower intermediate plate is or are formed from an electrically non-conductive material, the reading device 53 in the respective intermediate plate 52 does not need to be assigned an electrically non-conductive material 55. This could then be dispensed with.

The method according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the previously described devices, in particular embossing presses 24 and 25:

The description of the method is based on the embossing press 25 and the embossing tools 27 Fig. 7 to 10 . In principle, the process works in the same way with the embossing press 24, so that the following process applies to all embossing presses.

The method according to the invention is characterized in that at least certain data are read out electromagnetically without contact from electromagnetic data carriers 35 and/or data carriers 35 of the license plate blanks 20 that can be read out with electromagnetic waves before embossing. The data read out in this way is then included in the subsequent embossing process of the license plate blanks 20. In particular, data read from the electronic, preferably chip-like, data carriers 35 are included in the embossing process of the embossing press 25. This is preferably done in such a way that the respective embossing press 25 is at least based on the data read out before embossing or at least part of the data that is stored here on the data carrier 35 of the respective license plate blank 20 and was read out without contact before embossing or during embossing is partially controlled.

The data read from the data carriers 35 for embossing is either already present on the data carriers 35 when they are provided with the respective license plate blank 20. However, it is also conceivable that the data is only saved on the data carrier 35 when the data carrier 35 is connected to the respective license plate blank 20. In the simplest case, the data is an individual serial number and/or identification number of the license plate blank 20, which is only assigned once for a license plate blank 20 and thus individualizes it. The serial number can, for example, contain data about the size or format, the type, the color and / or width or other information required in particular for the production of the motor vehicle license plate from the license plate blank 20. This information is preferably stored encrypted in the serial number of the respective license plate blank 20. In addition to the serial number or further data contained in the serial number, the sequence of numbers or characters to be impressed into the respective license plate blank 20, the so-called license plate legend, can be contained in the license plate blank 20. This comes into consideration when a series of vehicle license plates are to be embossed with a predetermined, continuous combination of characters or sequence of numbers. If necessary, the data carrier 35 can contain further data identifying the license plate blank 20, functional and/or embossing specifications, documentation and/or quality data.

In terms of the method, before the start of the embossing process, either shortly before the embossing press 25 or already in the embossing space 50 of the embossing press 25 with the embossing tools 27, the license plate blank 20 is electromagnetically transferred from the reading device 43 in the intermediate plate 52 without contact from the respective, preferably chip-like, data carrier 35 of the license plate blank 20 to be embossed. These are in particular data that are required for the embossing process, for example the triggering of the embossing process, if the format of the license plate blank 20 read from the data carrier 35 is known to the control of the embossing press 25 and / or with the specifications of the license plate blank 20 to be embossed Vehicle registration number matches.

However, other or additional data can also be read out from the data carrier 35, which are required to identify the license plate blank 20 to be embossed, so that the method is not only limited to reading out identification data of the license plate blank 20 to be embossed, which is the embossing press 25 Provide information about the format of the license plate blank 20 to be embossed. For example, additional data can be read from the data carrier 35 in a non-contact electromagnetic manner by the reading device 43, which individualizes the motor vehicle license plate to be produced from the license plate blank 20. This can be the character combination to be embossed if a series of motor vehicle license plates with continuous character strings is to be embossed. The embossing tools 27 can then be removed from the tool storage and put together in the correct order according to the character combination to be embossed into the license plate blank 20.

If at least some data is read out from the data carrier 35 of the respective license plate blank 20 only after the embossing tools 27 required for embossing have been removed from the tool storage and put together, the character combination then read can be used to check whether the correct embossing tools 27 have been added to the license plate blank 20 have been assigned and their order corresponds to the specified combination of characters. In such a case, it is advantageous if the embossing tools 27 also have readable data carriers that make the respective character of each embossing tool 27 clearly identifiable. If necessary, this can be done with the same reading device 43, but also with a different reading device. In this case, the data read from the data carrier 35 serves to control and monitor not only the parameters of the embossing process, but also the embossing of the license plate blank 20 with the correct, specified character combination.

If data is not stored in the data carriers 35 before embossing, in particular before or during the production of the license plate blank 20, for example in the serial number and / or identification number of the respective license plate blank 20 with the individual data carrier 35 assigned to it, this is from the license plate blank 20 embossed motor vehicle license plates already have such identification features for which the data carriers 35 of the motor vehicle license plates are originally intended, namely for contactless, purely electronic identification of the respective motor vehicle license plate by electromagnetically reading out its data carrier 35.

It is also conceivable to store the character combination to be embossed or embossed into the data carrier 35 of each license plate blank 20, in particular the license plate blank 20 that has already been embossed for the motor vehicle license plate, before embossing, during embossing or even directly after embossing before or in the embossing press 25. For this purpose, the reading device 53 can be designed as a combined reading and writing device. It is also conceivable to assign a separate electronically or electromagnetically operating writing device to the intermediate plate 52 or a separate intermediate plate. This is particularly important when the embossing press has to emboss 25 individual character combinations, which are specified by an approval authority, for example. In this case, it can be provided that with the separate electronic writing device or one integrated into the reading device 53, not only the respective embossed character combination, but alternatively or additionally also characteristic data of the vehicle, for which the respective vehicle license plate is intended, are stored. For example, this can be owner data or chassis data of the respective vehicle. However, data documenting the embossing process can also be stored electromagnetically in the embossing press 25 during or after embossing in the data carrier 35 or other electronic data storage of the motor vehicle license plate, for example by sending electromagnetic waves from a writing device to the electronic and/or digital data Transmit and/or send the data carrier 35 or data storage provided.

List of reference symbols:

20 License plate blank 51 Press plate 21 Top 52 intermediate plate 22 bottom 53 Reading facility 23 Tool holder 54 recess 24 embossing press 55 electrically non-conductive material 25 embossing press 26 Tool holder 27 Embossing tool 28 Base part 29 leg 30 leg 31 bracket sheet 32 Shaped body 33 Shaped body 34 Strips of material 35 electromagnetically readable data carrier 36 recess 37 electrically non-conductive material 38 press table 39 Press plate 40 Press plate 41 Recording 42 intermediate plate 43 Reading facility 44 breakthrough 45 electrically non-conductive area 46 electrically non-conductive area 47 electrical conductor 48 Drawer 49 press table 50 Minting room

Claims (15)

Method for embossing vehicle license plates, wherein embossing tools (27) used to emboss a character combination of at least one number, at least one letter and/or at least one symbol are put together in an order corresponding to the respective vehicle license plate, and the character combination is produced by an embossing press (24, 25). are embossed by the embossing tools (27) into a license plate blank (20) positioned in or between the embossing tools (27), characterized in that data stored from an electronic data carrier (35) of the respective license plate blank (20) before embossing is stored contactlessly on an electromagnetic Paths can be read out and integrated into the embossing process. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the data read electromagnetically from the respective electronic data carrier (35) is fed to a control of the embossing press (24, 25) and/or a monitoring device thereof and the control and/or monitoring of the embossing process is based on this data and/or the embossing tools required for embossing the respective license plate blank (20) are put together. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the data is recorded before, during and/or after the respective license plate blank (20) is embossed or stored in the data carrier (35) of the license plate blank (20) in question, preferably in an unchangeable and/or permanent storage area of the respective electronic data carrier (35). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that data is stored in the data carrier (35) of the respective license plate blank (20) before or after its production, which individualizes the respective license plate blank and / or allows it to be identified. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that in the electronic data carrier (35) of each license plate blank (20) data that individualizes it are stored, preferably in encrypted form, and/or these data stored electronically in the data carrier (35) are data identifying the respective license plate blank (20), preferably This data contains at least the format of the respective license plate blank (20) and/or information about the embossing process and/or information about controlling the embossing press. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that before the respective license plate blank (20) is embossed, at least some data, preferably the data required for embossing, is read out contactlessly from the data carrier (35) of the license plate blank (20) to be embossed by an electromagnetic readout the data reading device (43) can be read out, preferably before and/or in the embossing press (24, 25). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that data read out from the electronic data carrier (35) of the respective license plate blank (20) before embossing, preferably data identifying the relevant license plate blank (20), is checked in particular as to whether a respective embossing order can be carried out with the license plate blank (20) and/or the license plate blank (20) is part of the embossing order. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for embossing motor vehicle license plates with a predetermined, continuous character combination and/or character sequence from the data, preferably identification data, of the electronic data carrier (35) of the respective license plate blank (20), the character sequence or Character combination is read out and / or stamped into the relevant license plate blank (20) and / or accordingly the required embossing tools (27) are assembled in the appropriate order and/or it is monitored whether the correct embossing tools (27) have been assembled in compliance with their intended order for embossing the license plate blank (20). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that every character which can be impressed into the license plate plate (20) by this embossing tool (27) or a pair of corresponding embossing tools is read out from the electromagnetic and/or electronic data carrier of each embossing tool (27) without contact and/or a comparison of the embossing tools (27) assembled in this way with the character combination stored in the data carrier (35) of the respective license plate blank (20) takes place. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after the license plate blank (20) has been embossed to form the vehicle license plate, the character combination embossed in the license plate blank (20) is stored in or on the electronic data carrier (25) of the embossed license plate blank (20). Device for embossing motor vehicle license plates, with an embossing press (24, 25) which has collapsible and extendable press plates (39, 40, 51) and embossing tools (27) that can be individually assembled according to a character combination intended for the respective motor vehicle license plate for embossing the characters in a license plate blank ( 20) of the motor vehicle license plate, characterized by at least one electronic and/or electromagnetically operating reading device (43, 53) for reading out at least some data stored electronically on or in an electromagnetically readable data carrier (35) of the license plate blank (20) to be embossed. Device according to claim 11, characterized by an intermediate plate (42, 52) which has the at least one electromagnetically operating reading device (43, 53) for reading out electronic data from the respective license plate blank (20) assigned to the electronic data carrier (35) and/or a transmitting device for sending electronic data to be stored in the data carrier (35) of the license plate blank (20) to the data carrier (35). Device according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the at least one electromagnetically operating reading device (43, 53) and/or transmitting device is arranged and/or at least largely embedded in the intermediate plate (42, 52), with either the respective intermediate plate (42 , 52) is formed from an electrically non-conductive, preferably insulating, material or the reading device (43, 53) or transmitting device is arranged in an electrically insulated manner in the intermediate plate (42, 52). Device according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the reading device (43, 53) and/or transmitting device are arranged at a location on the intermediate plate (42, 52) which is located outside of areas of the embossing tools (27). Device according to one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that tool holders (26) for the embossing tools (27) at least in the area of the at least one reading device (43, 53) and / or transmitting device are optionally completely or partially filled with an electrically non-conductive material Have a breakthrough or are formed from an electrically non-conductive material and / or the tool holder (26) where the electronic data carrier (35) of the respective license plate blank (20) is located during the embossing process and / or where there is an antenna for the data carrier (35 ) is located in the respective license plate blank (20), has an opening that is completely or partially filled with an electrically non-conductive material or is formed from an electrically non-conductive material.

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