GB2195484A - Vehicle number plate - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle number plate has a main area 10 on which the registration number 12 is displayed and a smaller area 14 which is connected to the main area. A boundary separates the main and smaller areas from one another. An advertising message can be written on the smaller area. The plate may be made of plastics and the boundary may be a groove or perforations to permit the area 14 to be snapped off when not required. Alternatively, the area 14 may be manufactured separately and attached by adhesive when required. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A vehicle number plate This invention relates to vehicle number plates which carry, in addition to a vehicle registration number, an advertising message.

It is known for vehicle number plates to have included, permanently, a short message identifying the motor dealer who has sold the car giving perhaps his name and address and telephone number. This serves as a small advertisement for the dealer.

According to the present invention, there is provided a vehicle number plate comprising a primary area on which the vehicle registration number is marked, and a secondary area separated from the primary area, and on which an advertising message can be written.

In a preferred embodiment, the secondary area is detachable from the primary area. This is useful because some vehicle users object to carrying the motor dealer's advertisement about with them, and in this case, the advertising message can be simply detached and discarded.

The invention is particularly applicable to number plates constructed with a smooth Perspex (Registered Trade Mark) exterior face on the back of which the registration number is mounted, and with a, normally reflective, backing behind the numbers. In this case, the perspex panel can include a secondary area separated from the primary area on which the registration number is mounted, by forming a linear groove in the perspex and/or by forming a line of apertures in the perspex.

Preferably the line is a straight line which extends horizontally across the top or the bottom of the plate.

The secondary area part of the plate may be thicker, or thinner than the primary area of the plate. The two areas are clearly differentiated from one another.

Alternatively, the secondary area can be produced separately from the primary area and can be stuck on to the primary area using adhesive.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is therefore provided a device for attachment to a vehicle number plate, the device comprising a lip adapted to overlie a peripheral portion of the number plate, an adhesive coating on the lip by means of which the device can be attached to the number plate, and a display area which, in use, will lie generally parallel to the plate and which can show an advertising message.

The lip may be a continuous lip running the whole length of the device, or there may be a number of separate lips spaced along the length of the device.

The device is preferably adapted to fit along one of the long edges of the plate, and will normally have a length equal to that of the plate.

The lip will preferably overlie a peripheral portion of the back of the plate, but if it is transparent, it may overlie a peripheral portion of the front of the plate.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a number plate in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view from the front of the plate of Figure 1; Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 show alternative cross sectional configurations through various number plate constructions, all in accordance with the invention; and Figures 8 and 9 show further alternative cross sectional configurations.

The plate shown in Figure 1 has a primary area 10 on which the registration letters and numerals 12 are displayed. The plate also has a secondary area 14, smaller than the primary area and, on which another message can be displayed, for example as shown in Figure- 1.

The perspective view of Figure 2 shows that there is a step 16 between the primary and secondary areas 10 and 14, and that the secondary area 14 is generally thinner than the primary area 10.

The number plate construction is illustrated in Figure 3. A sheet 26 of transparent plastics material such as Perspex (Registered Trade Mark) has mounted on its rear face 18 the individual digits 30 which make up the registration numbers. A backing sheet 20 with a self-adhesive reflective coating is then stuck on the rear face of the sheet 26 over the digits 12.

As can be seen in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the rear face 18 of the plate is flat, so that a single-sheet 20 of reflective material can provide the necessary backing for both the primary area 10 and the secondary area 14.

A primary object of the present invention is to differentiate the two areas 10 and 14 of the number plate, so that the message displayed on the area 14 does not interfere with the recognition or recognisability of the registration number itseif. This may be done by making the secondary area 14 either thinner, as shown in Figure 7, or thicker (as shown in Figure 6) than the main part 10. Additionally, or alternatively, a groove 11 can separate the two parts and this is shown in Figures 3 and 5.

An additional advantage is the possibility of separating the primary and secondary areas, after production of a completed number plate so that the advertising message can be removed in those cases where it is objected to.

By a suitable construction of the groove 22 shown in Figures 3 and 5, the secondary area can be easily snapped off. Alternatively, slots 24 as shown in Figure 4 can be formed right through the material of the front panel with the two parts remaining connected by thin bridges of material which will allow the two parts to be neatly and accurately detached from one another.

It is aiso possible for the secondary area to be produced separately from the primary area, and to be stuck on when its presence is required. This is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 8 shows an auxiliary component 28 which has a lip 30 fitting against the rear face 18 of the plate 10 and held there by adhesive 32. The component presents a secondary, display area 14 in the same way as for the number plates in the previous figures.

Figure 9 shows an alternative construction, where the component 28a is stuck to the front face of the plate 10. In this instance, the lip 30a is transparent.

The component 28 or 28a can be manufactured independently from the number plate itself and can be of the same or a different material. The component could for example be manufactured in long, extruded lengths which are cut to size.

The component can extend the full length of the number plate, either above or below the plate, or could extend over only part of the length. It could be thinner than the number plate itself, as shown, or of the same thickness, so that the front faces of the plate and the component are in the same plate.

With this embodiment, the number plate itself needs no modification and can be made in the conventional way, with the auxiliary component 28 or 28a being added only at the point of sale.

The invention thus provides a number plate which can satisfy current or pending aesthetic or legislative requirements for a separation of the registration number from the advertising message, as well as being able to satisfy the requirements of vehicle users who object to advertising, whilst using a method of construction which is exactly the same as that currently used and will require no additionaloutlay apart from the production of a new, preferably moulded, transparent sheet 26 (for the embodiments of Figures 1 to 7) or an auxiliary component 28, 28a (for the embodiments of Figures 8 and 9).

Claims (12)

1. A vehicle number plate comprising a primary area on which the vehicle registration number is marked, a secondary area-separated from the primary area and on which an advertising message can be written, and a boundary between the first and second areas.

2. A number plate as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the secondary area is detachable from the primary area.

3. A number plate as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, formed by a transparent plastics panel with a smooth exterior face, digits making up the registration number mounted on the back of the panel, and a reflective backing behind the digits.

4. A number plate as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the panel includes a secondary area separated from the primary area on which the registration number is mounted, by forming a linear groove in the plastics panel.

5. A number plate as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the panel includes a secondary area separated from the primary area on which the registration number is mounted, by forming a line of apertures in the perspex.

6. A number plate as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the line is a straight line which extends horizontally across the plate.

7. A number plate as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 6, wherein the secondary area part of the plate is of a different thickness to the primary area part of the plate.

8. A number plate as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the secondary area is produced separately from the primary area and can be stuck on to the primary area using adhesive.

9. A device for attachment to a vehicle number plate, the device comprising a lip adapted to overlie a peripheral portion of the number plate, an adhesive coating on the lip by means of which the device can be attached to the number plate, and a display area which, in use, will lie generally parallel to the plate and which can show an advertising message.

10. A device as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the lip is a continuous lip running the whole length of the device.

11. A device as claimed in Claim 9, with a number of separate lips spaced along the length of the device.

12. A vehicle number plate substantially as herein described with reference to any one embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.