Method and device for providing a licence plate, preferably a motor vehicle licence plate, with a data carrier

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for providing a license plate, preferably a motor vehicle license plate, with at least one contactless readable data carrier according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] DE 32 03 801 A1 discloses a device for producing conventional vehicle license plates. This device embosses letter and number combinations into a material web according to a predefined program to form the body of the vehicle license plate to be produced.

[0003] DE 10 2013 109 850 A1 discloses a process for producing conventional vehicle license plates. This process is characterized by applying a coating of ink consisting of a large number of small ink portions to recessed or raised letters or numbers.

[0004] License plates, especially motor vehicle license plates, are increasingly being provided with data carriers that can be read without contact and, preferably, also written without contact.

[0005] WO 2016 / 050054 A1 deals with a PVC tag in which an RFID chip is embedded.

[0006] US 2009 / 0265966 A1 describes a vehicle license plate with a transponder. The transponder is embedded in a plastic frame of the license plate body. For this purpose, the plastic frame is initially partially open. The transponder is positioned in the open area and then overmolded with plastic.

[0007] A vehicle license plate with a contactless readable electronic data carrier and a manufacturing method for such a vehicle license plate are known from WO 99 / 19170 A1. Here, a license plate body of the vehicle license plate is provided with a receiving opening into which the data carrier is inserted. The receiving opening on the back of the license plate body is then closed with a cover, thereby securing the data carrier in the receiving opening. How the data carrier is inserted into the receiving opening of the license plate body is not disclosed.

[0008] Finally, US 2008 / 042848 A1 discloses a vehicle license plate with a transponder mounted on a plastic insert. The plastic insert, in turn, is attached to the body of the vehicle license plate via a slot serving as an antenna. This is to be done using a handling device.

[0009] The data carriers must be precisely positioned on or in a designated receptacle in the body of the license plate or in consecutive receptacles of a material web from which the license plate bodies are punched to ensure trouble-free operation, especially readability. The ever-increasing demand for license plates equipped with data carriers requires the automation of the application of the license plate bodies or material webs with the data carriers. No corresponding processes or devices are currently known.

[0010] In view of all the foregoing, the object of the invention is to create a fully automatic method by which license plates, preferably motor vehicle license plates, or blanks and / or material webs for forming the same, can be precisely supplied with contactless readable data carriers.

[0011] A method for achieving the stated object comprises the measures of claim 1. Accordingly, a single data carrier or, if appropriate, several data carriers are specifically detected by a handling device, and the position of the respective data carrier held by the handling device is then determined by an imaging device in order to insert the respective data carrier into the respective receptacle of the identification body or material web held ready in a specific position relative to the handling device based on the data obtained in this way, in particular position data, on the handling device. By detecting the position of the data carrier by the imaging device after it has been detected by the handling device, the exact position of the data carrier on the handling device is known from the time of detection by the imaging device.From this known position, the handling device can then precisely insert the data carrier into the holder or place it on the holder. The position of the holder is known by holding the marking body containing the holder or the continuous, continuous material web at a specific position relative to the handling device, with successive holders located at defined points thereon. This process enables extremely precise positioning of the data carrier on or in the respective holder.

[0012] The method is designed such that, before the handling device loads the receptacle for the data carrier in or on the license plate body or the material web to be provided with a data carrier, the position of the data carrier in or on the license plate body or the material web is determined, preferably by a measuring device or imaging device. In particular, this is a separate imaging device. As a result, the handling device can transfer the data carrier from the known position of the data carrier or each data carrier held by it exactly to the position or location that the data carrier is intended to have in the respective receptacle of the license plate body or the material web. The handling device holding the data carrier can therefore load the license plate body or the material web with the at least one data carrier exactly at the intended location in the receptacle.

[0013] According to a possible further development of the method, it is provided that the preferably targeted detection of preferably a single data carrier, but possibly also of several data carriers simultaneously, from a plurality of data carriers, which are preferably provided lying flat on a level surface, is supported, preferably controlled, by an imaging device of the handling device. This allows the handling device to reliably move to the position of a particularly conveniently positioned data carrier in the stock and reliably detect the selected data carrier or each data carrier whose position is determined. Thus, one or each data carrier is "picked out" by the handling device from a stock of several data storage devices, supported by the imaging device.

[0014] One possible refinement of the method involves checking the data carrier held by the handling device after it has been picked up. This ensures that no holder is loaded with a non-functional data carrier.

[0015] A further development of the method provides for, after each data carrier has been captured by the handling device, at least individual or specific data to be read from the respective data carrier held by the handling device and preferably stored in a memory. This allows for logging of the data carrier assigned to a particular license plate. For example, a complete manufacturing log of the license plate can be created. If necessary, a functional check of the respective data carrier can be performed simultaneously with the reading of at least some of the data.

[0016] It can be provided that the data carrier is pre-fixed in the position in which it is placed on the holder or inserted into the holder by at least one adhesive point that has been previously applied in or on the holder. This simultaneously pre-fixes the data carrier inserted into the holder by the handling device in or on the holder. This means that the data carrier retains the position in which it was fed into the holder. The data carrier cannot slip in the holder or on the holder during any further transport to a subsequent workstation and / or during the final, complete fixation on the holder or in the holder.

[0017] Another advantageous embodiment of the method provides that the data carrier is pre-fixed in the receptacle, which is designed as a recess or opening, for example, when the handling device inserts it into the receptacle, preferably by placing it on at least one adhesive point previously assigned to the receptacle. The data carrier is then placed or pressed onto the at least one adhesive point by the handling device at the exact position relative to the receptacle. The data carrier thereby forms an adhesive bond with the adhesive point, which pre-fixes the data carrier to the at least one adhesive point in a precisely positioned and immovable manner on or in the license plate body or the material web. The license plate body or the material web and the at least one pre-fixed data carrier can then be subjected to further treatment without any change in the position of the data carrier relative to the receptacle occurring during or on the way there.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the handling device inserts the data carrier into a respective receptacle, preferably designed as an opening in the identification body or material web, such that the data carrier, preferably a peripheral edge thereof, is spaced from the outline of the opening. The data carrier is preferably inserted into the opening such that a peripheral edge thereof is evenly spaced from the outline of the opening and / or a peripheral gap remains or is formed between the outline of the opening and the edge of the data carrier. This prevents contact between the data carrier and the identification body or material web, which is preferably formed from a conductive material. In other words, the data carrier in the opening is electrically insulated from the conductive identification body or the conductive material web.This is an important prerequisite for reliable and error-free reading of the data stored on the storage medium, even from a relatively large distance.

[0019] Another advantageous embodiment of the method provides for the license plate body or the material web to be provided with at least one adhesive point from a rear side and / or to be equipped with at least one data carrier and / or to be cast or encapsulated in its receptacle. The aforementioned measures are thus carried out from the rear side of the license plate body or the material web. From here, the opening is accessible and covered by the film on the front side of the license plate body, which is visible to the viewer after the license plate has been mounted. The license plate body or the material web is thus equipped with at least one data carrier in a virtually inverted state.However, if the mount is not a continuous cutout but a recessed recess extending from the front of the license plate, the license plate can be fitted with the respective data carrier the right way up, i.e., with the front facing up. In this case, the film, if required or provided, must be subsequently applied to the front of the license plate, once the recess has been fitted with the data carrier and, if necessary, filled.

[0020] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. These show: Fig. 1a perspective view of a vehicle registration plate (not yet covered with a film), Fig. 2a partial cross section through the vehicle registration plate of the Fig. 1on an enlarged scale, Fig. 3 a perspective overall view of the device according to the invention, Fig. 4 a first work station of the device of the Fig. 3 in a side view, Fig. 5 a top view of the workstation of the Fig. 4 , Fig.6 a side view of a second work station of the device of Fig. 3 , and Fig. 7 a plan view of the workstation of the Fig. 6 .

[0021] The Fig. 3 The device shown as a whole has three workstations 10, 11, and 12, each of which is assigned different individual functions. In the illustrated embodiment, the three workstations 10, 11, and 12 are linked by two parallel, preferably identical conveyors 13, which are designed as belt conveyors. However, the invention can also be implemented with other conveyors, conveyors with different paths, more than two conveyors, and / or just a single conveyor 13.

[0022] The device is used to provide, preferably load, license plates, in particular motor vehicle license plates, with contactless readable and / or writable data carriers 14. These can be RFID chips operating in different frequency ranges, but also NFC (near field communication) chips, for example. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that each license plate is to be equipped with a single data carrier 14. However, the invention is also suitable for equipping license plates with multiple identical or different data carriers 14.

[0023] In the exemplary embodiment shown here, a license plate body 15 of the license plate made of an electrically conductive material, for example aluminum or alternatively at least partially conductive plastic, is provided with, in particular connected to, the data carrier 14. For this purpose, the license plate body 15 has a receptacle for the data carrier 14. In the present exemplary embodiment, the receptacle is formed as, for example, a punched opening 16 in the license plate body 15. However, the receptacle can also be a recess in the license plate body 15. The opening 16 extends continuously with the same cross-section from a front side 37 to the rear side 39 of the license plate body 15 ( Fig. 2). The opening 16 has a base area corresponding to the outline of the data carrier 14. However, the opening 16 is somewhat larger than the base area of ​​the data carrier 14, so that after the data carrier 14 has been inserted into the opening 16, the outer edge 17 of the data carrier 14 is spaced all around from the outline 18 of the opening 16, preferably evenly. This creates a circumferential gap 19 between the data carrier 14 and the opening 16. The annular gap 19 is preferably approximately the same width throughout.

[0024] In the license plate shown, the license plate body 15 has an elongated slot 38. The slot 38 opens into the opening 16 on a narrow side, so that the slot 38 merges into the opening 16. The slot 38 forms, in particular, at least part of an antenna for the data carrier 14.

[0025] The data carrier 14 is permanently connected to the identification body 15 in the opening 16 by encapsulation with a pourable, non-conductive encapsulation compound, for example, a pourable plastic and / or synthetic resin compound that preferably solidifies or cures under UV radiation. The data carrier 14 can be completely embedded in the encapsulation compound, so that the encapsulation compound not only fills the circumferential gap 19, but also completely covers the front 37 and / or back 39 of the data carrier 14. If necessary, one side of the data carrier 14 may not be covered by the encapsulation compound or the encapsulation material.

[0026] In the embodiment shown, the license plate body 15, namely the one visible in the mounted state of the license plate (in the Fig. 2The front side 37 of the license plate body 15 (the upper side) is covered or laminated with a thin film 20, for example a self-adhesive film. The film 20 extends at least over the surface of the opening 16 and a peripheral edge region thereof. If necessary, the film 20 covers the entire underside of the license plate body 15 ( Fig. 2 ).

[0027] The first workstation 10 is designed to apply a single adhesive point 21, but possibly also multiple adhesive points 21. The adhesive point 21 can be, for example, a small-area potting compound or adhesive point. The adhesive point 21 is applied within the outline of the opening 16, or alternatively, a recess, preferably at the center of the area. The application of the adhesive point 21 in the opening 16 or the recess results in the adhesive point 21 being positioned exposed on the film 20 in the area of ​​the opening 16. The adhesive point 21 is then located within the opening 16 on the film 20. The adhesive point 21 can be formed, for example, from a hot-melt adhesive or a solidifiable casting material, which, after application, still has adhesive properties for pre-fixing the data carrier 14.

[0028] The first work station 10 can be omitted if the adhesion point 21 is formed by the adhesive layer on the underside facing into the opening 16 ( Fig. 2 ) of the film 20 is formed, because then no separate adhesive point 21 needs to be applied.

[0029] In the transport direction 22 of the conveyor 16, the first work station 10 - unless this can be omitted - is followed by the second work station 11. In this work station 11, the identification body 15 is equipped with the data carrier 14 by automatically inserting the data carrier 14 into the opening 16. The underside of the data carrier 14 is placed on the adhesive point 21 in the opening 16 or directly on the film 20 and, if necessary, pressed on to pre-fix the data carrier 14 in the opening 16 of the identification body 15.

[0030] The third work station 12 following the second work station 11 in the transport direction 22 serves to embed and / or cast the data carrier 14 in the opening 16 of the license plate body 15, whereby the data carrier 14 is protected in the opening 16 and is permanently fixed in the opening 16 for the connection of the data carrier 14 to the license plate body 15 in a way that cannot be removed without damage. In addition, the casting or embedding of the data carrier 14 in the opening 16 leads to the data carrier 14 being insulated from the electrically conductive license plate body 15.

[0031] In front of the first workstation 10 there is a magazine (not shown in the figures) containing a supply of several marking bodies 15. The magazine can be designed such that it can accommodate marking bodies 15 of different formats in batches. From the magazine, individual marking bodies 15 are gradually and automatically deposited, for example by a corresponding feeding device, onto upper runs 23 of the conveyors 13, preferably alternately. Depending on the design of the device, this can take place at specific positions on the upper run 23, for example defined by stops and / or marking body carriers, or alternatively in an approximate position. The orientation of the marking body 15, particularly with regard to its opening 16, should preferably always be the same.

[0032] The identification bodies 15 are positioned upside down, namely with the rear side 39 facing upward, on the upper run 23 of the conveyor 13, so that the openings 16 in the identification bodies 15, which are covered by the film 20 on the front side 37 of the identification body 15, are freely accessible from the rear side 39 of the identification body 15. Through the freely accessible, open openings 16 in the identification bodies 15, adhesive points 21 can be introduced into the openings 16, and the openings 16 can be equipped with data carriers 14. Furthermore, the openings 16 open at the rear can be cast in this way.

[0033] The first workstation 10 has a handling device 24, which carries a dispensing device 25 at the end of its arm. The dispensing device 25 is designed to selectively dispense a drop of a flowable casting material to form the bonding point 21. A storage device and, if the glue or adhesive is a hot melt adhesive, are assigned to the dispensing device 25.

[0034] The first workstation 10 further comprises an imaging device 26, for example a camera, which may be a two- or three-dimensional camera, specifically a black-and-white camera or a color camera. The imaging device 26 detects the position of the aperture 16 of the marking body 15 held ready on the upper run 23 of the respective conveyor 13 in the first workstation 10. Image data recorded by the imaging device 26 are transmitted to a controller of the handling device 24, where the position of the aperture 16 relative to the handling device 24 and / or the dispensing device 25 is calculated from the data. Based on the position thus calculated, the handling device 14 can then move the dispensing device 25 into the position intended for applying the adhesive point 21 to the aperture 16, and the adhesive point 21 can be applied to the film 20, preferably centrally in the aperture 16.

[0035] The second workstation 11 also has a central handling device 27. At the free end of a gripper arm 28 of the handling device 27, there is at least one suction device 29 with an elastically deformable suction cup, which can be subjected to negative pressure. The suction device 29 is designed and dimensioned such that it holds a flat side, specifically the top side, of a data carrier 14 with negative pressure.

[0036] The handling device 27 is arranged in the second work station 11 shown approximately between the inner of the two parallel, side-by-side conveyors 13 and a pre-conveyor 30 of a storage device 31. The storage device 31 contains a supply of a plurality of preferably identical data carriers 14. From this supply, data carriers 14 are gradually transferred to an upper run 32 of the pre-conveyor 30, which is designed as a belt conveyor. A plurality of data carriers 14 are always located on the upper run 32 in any desired orientation. The upper or lower sides of the data carriers 14 can be randomly positioned at the top or bottom. The conveyor belt of the pre-conveyor 30 can preferably be driven continuously at low speed, so that the upper run 32 of the conveyor 13, with the data carriers 14 lying thereon, continues to move counter to the transport direction 22.

[0037] The second workstation 11 has a first imaging device 33 in the area of ​​the pre-conveyor 30 above its upper run 32. This device captures images of all data carriers 14 on the upper run 32, or at least those within the range of influence of the gripper arm 28 of the handling device 27. The imaging device 33 also captures which side of the data carrier 14 is on top. After evaluating the data transmitted from the imaging device 33 to the control unit of the storage device 31, at least one suction cup 29 of the handling device 27 is moved to the position of such a data carrier 14, determined from the data of the imaging device 30, that can be easily gripped and is suitable for loading the license plate body 15 because it is positioned correctly on the upper run 32 of the pre-conveyor 30, i.e., with the top side actually facing up, which should also be facing up after loading the license plate body 15.

[0038] Data carriers 14 lying upside down on the upper run 32 of the pre-conveyor 30 are not grasped and are transported back by the pre-conveyor 30 to the beginning of the pre-conveyor 30 or the storage device 31. They then return to the beginning of the pre-conveyor 30 with a circuit and, if applicable, the correct orientation.

[0039] For image capture of the data carriers 14 and for suctioning a selected data carrier 14 onto the suction cup 29 of the handling device 24, the drive of the pre-conveyor 30 can be temporarily stopped. Preferably, the pre-conveyor 30 is driven continuously, always at a constant speed, which the control of the handling device 27 can take into account or compensate.

[0040] A reading station 34 is preferably assigned to the handling device 27, preferably near the pre-conveyor 30. This reading station 34 serves to contactlessly read at least one piece of information already stored in the data carrier 14 after the suction cup 29 of the handling device 27 has grasped a data carrier 14. This can be, for example, a serial number of the data carrier 14, but alternatively or additionally at least one other piece of information, such as an address. Based on this, the license plate can be identified after the data carrier 14 has been loaded onto the license plate body 15.

[0041] The second workstation 11 may further comprise a testing device which checks the data carrier 14 gripped by the handling device 27 to determine whether it is in order, in particular whether it can be read.

[0042] The inspection station is preferably integrated into the reading station 34, so that the reading of at least one piece of information from the grasped data carrier 14 is simultaneously linked to the inspection of the same. For example, the unreadability of the desired information indicates a malfunction of the data carrier 14. Such a data carrier 14 is unusable and is rejected by the handling device 27 upon release.

[0043] After, or possibly even during, the reading of the desired data from the data carrier 14, the data carrier 14 held under the suction cup 29 of the handling device 27 is recorded by a second imaging device 35 with regard to its exact position under the suction cup 29, i.e., on the handling device 27. This imaging device 35 is arranged between the pre-conveyor 30 and the conveyor 13 opposite it, specifically below the suction cup 29. In this way, the data carrier 14 held by the suction cup 29 of the handling device 27 passes the imaging device 35 on its way to the conveyor 13. While moving past the imaging device 35 or briefly remaining there, the imaging device 35 measures the relative position of the data carrier 14 held by the suction cup 29.This makes it possible, for example, to determine at which point in a coordinate system extending, for example, through the vertical longitudinal center axis of the suction cup 29, the data carrier 14 is held by the handling device 27. The data from the second imaging device 35 transmitted to a controller of the handling device 27, specifically the position values ​​obtained therefrom, provide the handling device 27 with first reference values ​​for the precise insertion of the data carrier 14 into the opening 16 of the license plate body 15.

[0044] The second workstation 11 has at least one further imaging device 36. In the device shown with two conveyors 13, each conveyor 13 is assigned its own imaging device 36. Each of the two imaging devices 36 is arranged above one of the two parallel conveyors 13. The respective imaging device 36 visually records the position of the opening 16 of the license plate body 15 lying upside down on the respective conveyor 13. The license plate body 15 that was first brought into a position ready for receiving a data carrier 14 by the respective conveyor 13 is primarily loaded with the data carrier 14 currently held by the handling device 27 ("first in - first out" principle). If, for example, this is a license plate body 15 on an outer conveyor 13, the opening 16 is recorded by the imaging device 36 assigned to it.The image data is then transmitted to the control system of the handling device 27, which calculates the exact position of the opening 16 in the license plate body 15. The position of the opening 17 calculated in this way provides the handling device 27 with the second position required for loading. The handling device 27 then positions the data carrier 14 held by it exactly over the opening 16 in the license plate body 15 on the outer conveyor 13 and inserts it into the opening 16. This occurs in such a way that the data carrier 14 is precisely positioned and, if necessary, pressed onto the opening 26 previously inserted at the first workstation 10, namely onto the adhesive point 21 on the film 20 lying directly on the conveyor 13 under the license plate body 15 lying upside down on the conveyor 13, whereby the adhesive point 21 pre-fixes the data carrier 14 in the position inserted by the handling device 27.

[0045] When the identification body 15 is fitted with the data carrier 14 in the second work station 11, the data carrier 14 is pre-fixed to the identification body 15, in particular by the at least one adhesive point 21. In addition, the automatic fitting is carried out in a targeted manner such that the circumferential, preferably equally wide, gap 19 is created between the edge of the data carrier 14 and the outlines 18 of the opening 16, and as a result the data carrier 14 has no contact with the conductive identification body 15.

[0046] The third workstation 12 following the second workstation 11 serves to permanently fix the data carrier 14 in the opening 16 of the license plate body 15. For this purpose, in the third workstation 12, the space in the opening 16 not filled by the license plate body 15 is filled with a flowable insulating material, for example, a plastic or synthetic resin compound that cures under UV radiation. The space left free by the data carrier 14 in the opening 16 is thereby filled, preferably completely. At least the circumferential gap 19 between the edge 17 of the data carrier 14 and the outline 18 of the opening 16 is filled. This creates a circumferential bridge-like connection between the data carrier 14 and the license plate body 15.At the same time, the electrically non-conductive potting material serves to form circumferential insulation around the data carrier 14 in the gap 19 so that the data carrier does not have any electrically conductive contact with the identification body 15. In particular, the potting material also fills the gap between the film 20 and the underside of the data carrier 14 formed by the adhesive point 21 applied to the film 20 for pre-fixing in the area of ​​the opening 16 at the first work station 10. As a result, the entire underside of the data carrier 14 is also wetted and covered with potting material. When the data carrier 14 is poured into the opening 16, the top side of the data carrier 14 can also be completely and fully covered by the potting compound. As a result, the data carrier 14 is enclosed on all sides by potting compound and fixed in the opening 16. Furthermore, the data carrier 14 is completely embedded in the electrically non-conductive potting compound.The casting compound can be flush with the back 39 of the license plate body 15.

[0047] The encapsulation of the data carrier 14 in the third workstation 12 is carried out by a handling device assigned to it. For this purpose, the handling device, like the handling device 24 of the first workstation 10, has a dispensing device that can be supplied from a supply of flowable and / or pourable compound or another electrically non-conductive substance.

[0048] The third workstation 12 also has an imaging device. This imaging device records image data, from which the position of the identification body 15 on the respective conveyor 13 and / or the opening 16 and / or the data carrier 14 inserted therein is calculated. The handling device then moves the dispenser for pourable potting compound, or potting compound made flowable by heating, arranged thereon to the position determined by the imaging device over the data carrier 14 in the opening 16 of the identification body 15, and a precisely measured amount of the potting compound used to fill or pour out the data carrier 14 in the opening 16 is dispensed from the dispenser. The potting compound then flows into the cavities between the opening 16 and the data carrier 14 and fills them completely before it solidifies and / or hardens, e.g., through exposure to light.

[0049] Finally, the label body 15, equipped with the data carrier 14 and potted, is transported by the respective conveyor 13 to a stacking and / or packaging device for the label bodies 15 equipped with data carriers 14. If necessary, the conveyors 13 can be extended downstream of the third work station 12 to form a production line. This ensures that the potting compound can sufficiently harden and, if necessary, also cool down, so that the final fixation of the data carrier 14 in the opening 16 of the label body 15 cannot come loose.

[0050] Instead of all or only some of the imaging devices 26, 33, 35 or 36, differently designed measuring devices can be used, which do not necessarily have to be cameras.

[0051] The invention is also not limited to three consecutively linked workstations. The number of workstations can be greater or fewer. For example, the first workstation can be omitted if the film 20 is self-adhesive on its side facing the opening 16, because then the application of at least one adhesive point 21 on the film 20 in the area of ​​the opening 16 is no longer necessary. It is also conceivable, for example, to combine the second workstation 11 and the third workstation 12 and / or to form several workstations in a connected manner.

[0052] The number of conveyors 13 can also vary. There can be more than two conveyors 13 or just a single conveyor 13. Likewise, the conveyors 13 do not necessarily have to be belt conveyors. They can also be pocket conveyors, functional roller conveyors, or similar.

[0053] A second embodiment of the invention, not shown in the drawings, provides for a continuous and / or band-shaped material web made of the material of the license plate body, in particular aluminum or another electrically conductive material, to be equipped with data carriers and permanently connected to the material webs. In the longitudinal direction of the material web, license plate bodies linked by the material web follow one another, preferably closely adjacent to one another, to form a license plate. The material webs have a width that corresponds to or is slightly wider than the width of the license plate. The material web can be unwound endlessly and / or continuously from a supply roll.

[0054] The material web has receptacles, either perforations or recesses, at specific defined locations, each for a data carrier. For this purpose, the material web preferably has a single receptacle for each label body or label to be punched out, but may also have multiple receptacles if necessary.

[0055] After the holders of the material web have been successively fitted with data carriers and attached to them, blanks, specifically so-called blanks, are successively punched out of the material web for the license plate body of each license plate. Simultaneously or subsequently, the license plate body can be provided with a circumferential edge embossing. The designated numbers, specifically letters and / or numbers, and any symbols that individualize the respective license plate are later embossed into the license plate bodies, each equipped with at least one data carrier.

[0056] In the following, it is assumed that license plates, preferably motor vehicle license plates, are to be produced from the material web with only a single data carrier each, without the invention being limited to this.

[0057] The material web with a holder for the data carrier of each identification mark is moved along the individual successive workstations, preferably three workstations according to the previously described embodiment, preferably discontinuously with short downtimes at the individual workstations. For this purpose, the individual workstations can be linked to a common conveyor, as in the first embodiment described above. However, it is also conceivable to provide only one support passing all workstations, for example a roller conveyor with non-driven rollers. The material web is then transported further by pulling the material web along the base, support, or roller conveyor. In this case, a supply of the material web is preferably drawn off from a roll or the like at the same time.

[0058] The loading of the holders of the material web with data carriers at the second work station is like the pre-fixing at the first work station and the final fixing, in particular pouring out of the holders, namely the area of ​​the holders left free on the respective data carrier at the third work station, takes place in the device of this embodiment in principle in the same way as in the previously described embodiment, for which reference is made to the previous description of the device and the method of the first embodiment shown in the figures.

[0059] In contrast to the previously described embodiment of the invention, the cutouts for the data carriers are made in the material web or material strip or applied to it at exactly the intended positions that they are to have on the license plates or license plate bodies to be punched out laterally. As the material web or material strip moves past the individual workstations, it is guided laterally, i.e. transversely to the direction of travel or transport, using stops, for example. This ensures that the cutouts reach the individual workstations with an exact alignment transversely to the longitudinal direction of the strip-like material web. Using the precisely positioned cutouts in the longitudinal direction of the material web, its further transport from workstation to workstation can be stopped at exactly the right position at each workstation.This can be done by measuring devices, such as light barriers or position sensors on the drive for further moving the strip-shaped material web. This ensures that the openings in the material web or strip are positioned precisely, preferably at all workstations. To apply the data carriers to the openings, the handling devices can then move to the precisely specified positions of the data carriers in the material web.

[0060] Preferably, the individual work stations are arranged one after the other at such intervals that when the material web is stopped at a specific position determined, for example, by a measuring device, the activities intended for them, namely at least the application and simultaneous pre-fixing of the respective data carrier in or on the holder and the final fixing of the data carrier by pouring in and / or encapsulating, can be carried out at all work stations simultaneously.

[0061] When applying the data carriers in or on the holders of the continuous material web, it is not absolutely necessary for imaging devices at at least some workstations to determine the position of the holder at which the holders are to be provided with data carriers and / or the data carriers are to be potted in the holders. Because the holders are inserted into the material web at precisely specified positions, the simple measuring devices described above are also sufficient for positioning the material web at the workstations, preferably simultaneously at all workstations, in order to position the data carriers correctly and precisely on or in the holders or to finally fix the data carriers in or on the holders permanently with potting compound. In this case, handling devices do not necessarily have to be provided at least in the first and / or third workstation.

[0062] If the material web is already coated on the underside with a self-adhesive film and the receptacle is formed as a continuous opening in the material web, the application of at least one adhesive point at the first workstation according to the first embodiment described above may be omitted. In this case, the first workstation does not need to be present in this second embodiment.

[0063] If, in this exemplary embodiment, a first workstation is also provided for applying at least one bonding point made of an adhesive or potting compound, the at least one bonding point does not necessarily need to be applied by a handling direction. Because the receptacle in the material web is always provided at the same location at the workstation, it may be sufficient to provide at least one dispensing device for the material of the respective bonding point at this location of the first workstation, preferably in a stationary manner.

[0064] The third workstation or - if there is no first workstation - the last workstation does not necessarily need to have a handling device for encapsulating the data carrier applied at the previous workstation, because at this last workstation, too, the material web is stopped in such a way that the respective holder with the already applied data carrier is always located at exactly the same position. In this case, no handling device is necessarily required at this last workstation. It may be sufficient to provide at least one, preferably stationary, dispenser for the encapsulating compound at this last workstation. List of reference symbols:

[0065] 10First workstation 11Second workstation 12Third workstation 13Conveyor 14Data carrier 15License plate 16Breakthrough 17Edge 18Outline 19Gap 20Foil 21Adhesive point 22Transport direction 23Upper run 24Handling device 25Dispensing device 26Imaging device 27Handling device 28Gripper arm 29Suction cup 30Pre-conveyor 31Storage device 32Upper run 33Imaging device 34Reading station 35Imaging device 36Imaging device 37Front 38Slot 39Rear

Claims

1. A method for providing a registration plate, preferably a motor vehicle licence plate, with at least one data carrier (14) which can be read contactlessly, wherein the at least one data carrier (14) is gripped by a handling device (27) in a targeted manner, and the or the respective data carrier (14) is positioned in a receptacle, provided for this purpose, of a plate body (15) or of a material web for the formation of plate bodies of the registration plate, characterized in that the position of the or each of the data carriers (14) held by the handling device (27) is determined by a measuring or imaging device (35), wherein before the handling device (27) fits the plate body (15) or the material web for the formation of plate bodies with the respective data carrier (14), the position of the plate body (15) or of the material web and / or of the receptacle in or on the plate body (15) or of the material web is determined by at least one measuring or imaging device (36), and the plate body (27) or the material web is then fitted with at least one data carrier (14) on the basis of the obtained position of the data carrier (14) on the handling device (27).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, supported by a measuring or imaging device (33), one or simultaneously a plurality of data carriers (14) is / are gripped by the handling device (27) from a plurality of data carriers (14), in particular a plurality of data carriers (14) lying on a level surface and / or after the respective data carrier (14) has been gripped by the handling device (27) the relevant data carrier (14) is tested, for example by a test of the readability of at least some data on the data carrier (14).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that after the at least one data carrier (14) has been gripped by the handling device (27) at least individual data are read from the data carrier (14) and preferably stored in a memory.

4. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data carrier (14) is pre-fixed in the receptacle of the plate body (15) when it is inserted by the handling device (27) into the receptacle of the plate body (15) or the respective receptacle in the material web for the formation of plate bodies, preferably by being placed on at least one adhesion site (21) on or in the respective receptacle.

5. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the respective data carrier (14) is inserted in such a manner by the handling device (27) into the receptacle, which is realised in particular as an opening (16) in the plate body (15) or material web for the formation of the plate body, that the data carrier (14), preferably a circumferential edge (17) of same, is spaced apart, preferably uniformly, from the contours of the opening (16) and / or a circumferential gap (19) is formed between the contour (18) of the opening (16) and the edge (17) of the data carrier (14).

6. The method as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the plate body (15) is provided, from its rear side (39), with the at least one adhesion site (21) and / or is fitted with the at least one data carrier (14) and / or the respective data carrier (14) is cast or recast in its respective receptacle.