GB2469283A

GB2469283A - Anti-theft non-transferablevehicle registration plates

Info

Publication number: GB2469283A
Application number: GB0905985A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Paul Richardson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-04-07
Filing date: 2009-04-07
Publication date: 2010-10-13
Also published as: GB2481362B; WO2010116178A1; GB2481362A; GB0905985D0; GB201118958D0

Abstract

A non-transferable anti-tamper proof vehicle registration mark which is designed to prevent the "identity theft" of the vehicle to which the registration mark is issued comprises a composite of three distinct panels, hermetically sealed together. The outer front panel is clear acrylic plastic. The middle panel consists of a moulded section that accommodates numbers and letters, which consist of thermo chromic properties. The rear panel is a double-sided adhesive. When the registration plate is forced away from the bodywork, the numbers and letters change to the colour of their respective reflective background. However the numbers and letters remain readable to the naked eye through perforations shaped to the letter or number.

Description

"Anti-Theft" Non-Transferable Vehicle Registration Plates.

An acrylic vehicle registration plate conforming to British Standards, that is a composite of three distinct panels, hermetically sealed together. The outer front panel is clear acrylic plastic. The middle panel consists of a moulded section that accommodates numbers and letters, which consist of thermo chromic properties. The rear panel is a double-sided adhesive. When the registration plate is forced away from the bodywork, the numbers and letters change to the colour of their respective reflective background. However the numbers and letters remain readable to the naked eye through perforations shaped to the letter or number.

This invention seeks to improve the security of a vehicles registration plates. At present it is a known problem to the motor industry, that registration plates are easily stolen by thieves and re-used almost immediately for criminal activity. The "Identity Theft" of a vehicles registration plate, causes the owner of the vehicle considerable anxiety and inconvenience. Police Forces throughout the country have noticed a considerable increase in the theft of number plates due to increases in the cost of petrol and other economic factors.

The ease, at which number plates are stolen, has caused a significant rise in minor offences especially the theft of petrol, whereby the stolen number plate is temporarily stuck onto the vehicle owned by the thief before entering a petrol station. Number plates are also stolen to avoid paying congestion charges. Plus historically, number plates are also stolen to order by organised criminal networks in order to "Clone" stolen vehicles with legally registered vehicles.

It is intended that this unique number plate will significantly reduce a criminals ability to utilise this type of registration plate for criminal purposes and significantly reduce vehicle crime throughout the United Kingdom.

o With reference to Figures 1, 2 & 3 they are sketch diagrams of a standard British Vehicle Registration plate, (Not to scale), built to British Standard measurements, BS AU 145D. Figures 4 & 5 represent a double-sided adhesive attached to the rear of the moulded middle section, Figure 3, and the bodywork of the vehicle.

Figure 1 consists of a clear acrylic plastic sheet with six holes on the perimeter to accommodate bolts if required Figure 2 is a thin acrylic plastic sheet, which has the vehicles black registration letters and numbers injection moulded on its surface, to a depth to accommodate the thermo chromic ink black letters. To the rear of these numbers and letters, are equally spaced perforations in the shape of the number or letter. The flat section is coloured with the reflective colours of white for a front number plate and yellow for the rear number plate.

Figures 1 & 2 are hermetically sealed together and the void where the numbers have been cut is filled with pressurised black thermo chromic ink or thermo chromic microcapsules, which are capable of changing their colour through polymerisation.

Alternatively, the numbers and letters in figure 2 can consist of thermo chromic plastic, again perforated to the rear.

Figure 4, is a double-sided adhesive panel that is hermetically adhered to Figure 3. It is applied directly onto the numbers and letters that are perforated to accommodate a chemical physical reaction. The strength of this adhesive panel Figure 4 is less than the rear of the adhesive panel Figure 5, which is attached to the bodywork of the vehicle.

The difference in adhesive strengths is essential to ensure that the adhesive panel remains on the bodywork of the vehicle, thus exposing figure 3 to oxygen and rupturing the polymers of the numbers and letters.

In the event of a thief attempting to remove the number plate from the bodywork of the vehicle, the adhesive panel, Figure 4, will rupture the consistency of the black numbers Figure 3 and a physical change will take place. Turning the numbers and letters to their respective background colour by a process of polymerisation. This colour change process is irreversible to the lettering and numbers. The vehicle registration mark would be rendered useless to the criminal and the owner of the vehicle protected from its misuse.

Because of the unique moulded section within the plate and its perforated numbers and letters, the outline of the numbers and letters would still be visible to the naked eye.

If the vehicle was involved in a road traffic accident, Police Officers attending the scene could satisfy themselves that the vehicle was lawfully displaying a registration mark before the accident.

Similarly, in the event of a thief attempting to steal the number plate, despite there not being a registration mark being displayed in black, a Police Officer would be able to trace the owner via the moulded perforated number.

With Government interest in taxing vehicles by their mileage, the current recession, cameras recording registration marks, the theft of number plates is likely to increase.

This new type of registration plate will protect the vast majority of law abiding vehicle owners and prevent criminal activity.

It is intended that this new registration plate will be issued by the motor industry to new vehicles and only be available through authorised MOT service garages, licensed by the Ministry of Transport.