DEVICE FOR PROCESSING DOCUMENTS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for processing documents (document processing system (10)), in particular security documents. The document processing system (10) according to the invention comprises at least one document carrier device (12) with a document receptacle (121) configured to receive and transport a document (51) to be processed, and a document processing device configured to process the document (51) in a specific processing area (82), wherein the document carrier device (12) is configured to move the document (51) in two spatial directions.

Claims

1. A document processing system (10), in particular for processing security documents, comprising, at least one document carrier device (12) with a document receptacle (121), configured to receive and transport a document (51) to be processed, a document processing device configured to process the document (51) in a specific processing area (82), wherein the document carrier device (12) is configured to move the document (51) in two spatial directions within the document processing system (10).

2. The document processing system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the document processing device comprises at least one radiation source (54) and is in particular designed to apply tilt images onto the document (51).

3. The document processing system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the radiation source (54) emits laser beams (81) in a quadrangular processing area (82) and the document (51) also has a quadrangular shape, wherein furthermore the processing area (82) is rotated relative to the document (51) by a defined angle, in particular 45 degrees.

4. The document processing system (10) according to any one of the two preceding claims, wherein the document processing device comprises at least one first mirror arrangement (21) which is designed to direct the radiation emitted by the radiation source (54) onto the document (51) in each case at a first defined angle and/or from a first defined direction.

5. The document processing system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the document processing device has a second mirror arrangement (22) which is designed to direct the radiation emitted by the radiation source (54) onto the document (51) in each case at a second defined angle and/or from a second defined direction, wherein the second defined direction of the second mirror arrangement (22) is offset by 90 degrees with respect to the first defined direction of the first mirror arrangement (21).

6. The document processing system (10) according to any one of the two preceding claims, wherein the first mirror arrangement (21) and/or the second mirror arrangement (22) are designed such that they can be modified during operation of the document processing device in such a manner that the position at which the radiation impinges on the document can be changed.

7. The document processing system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims 2 to 6, wherein the document processing system (10) comprises an adjustment device (112) designed to change the position and alignment of the at least one first mirror arrangement (21) and/or the at least one second mirror arrangement (22) such that the corresponding defined angle at which the radiation emitted by the radiation source (54) impinges on the document (51) is changed without changing the position of impingement of the radiation on the document (51).

8. The document processing system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the adjusting device (112) comprises receptacles, in particular in the form of openings, which are designed to receive corresponding counter elements (113) arranged on the at least one first mirror arrangement (21) and the at least one second mirror arrangement (22), respectively, for fastening the corresponding mirror arrangement (21, 22).

9. The document processing system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the document carrier device (12) is arranged on a cross table which is designed to move the document carrier device (12) in two spatial directions which are in particular perpendicular to one another, wherein in particular linear motors are provided for moving the cross tables.

10. The document processing system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the document carrier device (12) comprises a heating device (126) which is designed to dissipate heat to the document (51) received by the document carrier device (12).

11. The document processing system (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the heating device (126) comprises an actuator configured to effect a relative movement between a heat conducting element and the document receptacle (121) in order to change between a first operating mode and a second operating mode of the document carrier device (12), wherein in the first operating mode, the heat conducting member extends through one or more recesses in the document receptacle (121) in order to be able to transfer heat generated by the heating device (126) to the document (51) at least in sections; and wherein in the second operating mode, the heat conducting element is spaced from the document (51) at a distance that is greater compared to its location in the first operating mode.

12. A method for processing a document (51) in a document processing system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: moving a document carrier device (12) to a receiving position in which a document (51) is placed on a document receptacle (121) of the document carrier device (12), moving the document carrier device (12) along a first spatial direction and a second spatial direction to a first processing position within a processing area (82) of the document processing system (10) in which the document (51) is processed, wherein the first spatial direction and the second spatial direction are not identical, moving the document carrier device (12) to an output position in which the document (51) is removed from the document receptacle (121).

Description

[0030] In the following, embodiments and advantageous aspects of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a document carrier device 12 from above.

[0032] FIG. 2a shows a schematic illustration of a detail of a prior art document processing system 10 in a first configuration.

[0033] FIG. 2b shows a schematic illustration of a document 51 having a first visible element 551a.

[0034] FIG. 3a shows a schematic illustration of a detail of a prior art document processing system 10 in a second configuration.

[0035] FIG. 3b shows a schematic illustration of a document 51 having a second visible element 551b.

[0036] FIG. 4a shows a schematic illustration of an embodiment of a document processing system 10 according to the invention in a first configuration.

[0037] FIG. 4b shows a schematic illustration of an embodiment of a document processing system 10 according to the invention in a second configuration.

[0038] FIG. 5a shows a second embodiment of a document processing system 10 according to the invention in a perspective view.

[0039] FIG. 5b shows the processing area 82 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5a.

[0040] FIG. 5c shows a side view of the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5a in a first configuration.

[0041] FIG. 5d shows a side view of the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5a in a second configuration

[0042] FIG. 5e shows another illustration of a side view of the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5a.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a document carrier device 12 of a document processing system 10 (not shown in FIG. 1) from above. It has a document receptacle 121 which is provided in particular in the form of a recess in the document carrier device 12. A document 51 (not shown in FIG. 1) to be processed is to be placed in these defined areas for processing in a document processing system 10 (see FIGS. 4a to 5b). The document receptacle 121 is to be understood as the entire large rectangle in the figure. In the document receptacle 121 in turn, on the left side in the drawing plane is a processing face 122, which is shown as a shaded area. In this area, the processing in a document processing system 10 inserts a visible element into the document 51 to be processed.

[0044] The document receptacle 121 is designed in the present case such that a book-shaped document 51, such as a passport, can be received by it. It can also have a gap in the center into which the spine of a book-like document 51 can be received. A card position 124 is indicated on the left side of the document receptacle 121. This card position 124 can be provided, for example, by a further recess in the document receptacle 121. It has the standardized format of common credit cards, identification cards, membership cards and the like. By means of the corresponding recesses provided, the card or the book-shaped document can be fixed on the document receptacle 121, at least in the lateral direction, and can thus be secured against slipping.

[0045] Depending on the document to be processed, it is inserted either into the card position 124 or the document receptacle 121, wherein the processing can be carried out only in the processing face 122.

[0046] In an advantageous embodiment, a book-shaped document is placed on the document receptacle 121 and pressed from above onto the document receptacle 121 by a mask (not shown) which has a recess for the processing face 122 of the document, until the mask engages in a specific position, thus fixing the document flat on the document receptacle 121. Both sides of the document receptacle 121 are independently spring-loaded. Depending on the number of pages of the book-shaped document, one side of the document receptacle 121 is possibly more heavily loaded by the application of the mask, but this can be compensated for by the independent mounting of the two sides, so that the surface of the document lies flat at a defined height for processing.

[0047] In order to clamp a card-shaped document in the document carrier device, a card adapter is required. The latter has the outer dimensions of the book-shaped document and is also clamped onto the document receptacle 121. The card-shaped document is then inserted into this adapter. Slight errors when inserting the documents are compensated for by software. In the course of this, a camera measures any possible twisting or incorrect position and forwards it to the software. The software compensates for the inaccuracies and forwards the corrected data to the processing system.

[0048] Within the processing face 122, a heating element 126 is indicated which is designed to apply heat locally to the document to be processed. This can be beneficial for individual processing steps, for example for drying ink or the like. Therefore, the heating element 126 is preferably provided in the areas where ink is applied during processing. This is usually the case for security-critical documents when displaying a passport photo. Thus, the heating element 126 is preferably located at the place of a passport photo of a document.

[0049] FIGS. 2a and 3a show an embodiment of a prior art document processing system 10 in two different configurations. A first mirror arrangement 21 which directs laser beams 81 from a radiation source (not shown) onto a document 51 to be processed is arranged in a processing area 82. The illustration of the attachment of the mirror arrangement 21 is omitted for the sake of clarity.

[0050] In this case, the mirror arrangement 21 is arranged in the first configuration of FIG. 2a in such a manner that the laser beams 82 generate a first visible element 551a on a specific position of the surface of the document 51. The corresponding document 51 is shown here in FIG. 2b in a top view (view from above), where the first visible element 551a is indicated at the defined position. Here, the horizontal axis of the document 51 runs in drawing plane from top to bottom, while the vertical axis runs in drawing plane from left to right.

[0051] In contrast, the arrangement of the first mirror arrangement 21 in FIG. 3a is modified according to the second configuration in such a manner that now the laser beams 82 are directed to a different position on the surface of the document 51 than in the arrangement shown in FIG. 2a, as a result of which a second visible element 551b becomes visible on the document 51, as FIG. 3b shows.

[0052] In this regard, changing the arrangement of the mirror arrangement 21 involves some effort in prior art document processing systems 10. For example, the document 51 must first be removed before the arrangement of the mirror arrangement 21 can be changed. Often, an additional calibration or test run must be carried out to verify the new arrangement, often making the processing and creation of two different visible elements 551a, 551b at two different positions a lengthy process.

[0053] FIG. 4a shows a document processing system 10 according to the invention in a first configuration. The document processing system 10 has a document carrier device 12, which in turn has a document receptacle 121 corresponding to the schematic illustration of FIG. 1. In the document receptacle 121 in which the document 51 to be processed is placed, a heating device 126 is provided, which is indicated in FIG. 4a by holes in the surface of the document receptacle 121. In this embodiment, the heating device 126 is provided by a heating element which can be moved in parts out of the holes by an actuator to dissipate heat to a document 51 placed thereon. If no heat supply is required, the heating element is lowered again so that a heat supply is largely prevented.

[0054] The document processing system 10 further has a document processing device 11 which comprises a first mirror arrangement 21, a second mirror arrangement 22, and a radiation source 54, in the form of a laser. Laser beams 81 emitted by the laser are directed onto the surface of the document 51 (not shown) lying on the document receptacle 121 to produce a visible element 551 in the form of a tilt image. To produce a tilt image, the laser beams 81 must impinge on the surface of the document 51 at a specific angle. The two mirror arrangements 21, 22 are used for this purpose.

[0055] Here, the mirror arrangements 21, 22 are arranged rotated at an angle of 90 degrees to each other. Thus, the laser beams guided by them also impinge on the surface at an angle of 90 degrees offset from each other. While the first mirror arrangement 21 produces a tilt image which becomes visible when the document 51 is tilted about the horizontal axis (MLI element, see FIG. 4a), a tilt image which becomes visible when the document 51 is tilted about the vertical axis can be introduced into the document 51 by the second mirror arrangement 22 (CLI element, see FIG. 4b).

[0056] Thus, by the described arrangement it is possible to insert both MLI elements and CLI elements in one arrangement into the document without converting the system.

[0057] FIG. 4a shows the document carrier device 12 in a first processing position. This corresponds to the first configuration of the document processing system 10. The processing position is the position of the document carrier device 12 where processing is to take place, thus, where the visible element 551 is to be applied onto the document 51.

[0058] FIG. 4b shows the same arrangement as FIG. 4a, in which only the position of the visible element 551 in the form of the tilt image to be produced has changed, and the laser beams 82 guided by the second mirror arrangement are shown. This becomes also apparent from the fact that the visible element 551 is rotated by 90 degrees compared to FIG. 4a. In order to change the position of the visible element 551 to be produced on the document 51, it is possible according to the invention that the document carrier device 12 can be moved in two spatial directions under the document processing device 11 so as to change the processing position. Thus, the change in position of the visible element 551 to be applied results from the change in position of the document carrier device 12 together with the document 51 arranged thereon in relation to the document processing device. Comparing both FIGS. 4a and 4b, it is clear that the processing position has changed and thus the position of the visible element 551 to be applied on the document 51 has also changed. Due to the change in the position of the document carrier device 12, the document processing system in FIG. 4b is in the second configuration.

[0059] The movement of the document carrier device 12 is implemented here by a cross table. This cross table comprises the document carrier device 12 which is arranged on a first rail and can be moved thereon in a spatial direction. The first rail in turn is arranged on a slide which itself can be moved on a second rail along a second spatial direction. Thus, the document carrier device 12 can be moved by means of the two rails in a plane which is spanned by the two spatial directions. In this case, the movement is preferably implemented by corresponding actuators such as linear motors or the like.

[0060] FIG. 5a shows a second embodiment of a document processing system 10 according to the invention in a perspective view. Here, it comprises a document processing device 11 and a document carrier device which, however, is not illustrated in the figure shown. A document 51 is shown on the document carrier device. As in the previously described embodiment, the document carrier device is designed as a cross table which can move the document 51 in the plane so as to change the position of the document 51 relative to the document processing device 11.

[0061] Furthermore, a radiation source 54 is provided which is capable of emitting laser beams within a processing area 82. The processing area 82 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape, in particular a square cross-sectional shape in the embodiment shown, and is indicated by the dashed lines.

[0062] The radiation emitted in the processing area 82 can further be directed to the document 51 by two mirror arrangements 21, 22 (see also FIGS. 5c and 5d). The mirror arrangements 21, 22 each consist of two mirrors facing each other and are arranged between carrier elements 111 of the document processing device 11. The mirror arrangements 21, 22 are each arranged parallel to the longitudinal or transverse direction of the square, in particular parallelogram-shaped document 51. The carrier elements 111 each have openings into which corresponding counter elements arranged on the mirrors engage. The mirrors can be removed from the openings and inserted into other openings provided for this purpose in order to change the position of the corresponding mirror and, at the same time, the orientation thereof. The openings are thus to be understood as an adjustment device 112.

[0063] First, the processing area will be discussed in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 5a and 5b. FIG. 5b shows the processing area 82 of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5a in a plan view. The processing area 82 is rotated by 45 degrees relative to the document 51. This makes it possible to position the mirror arrangements 21, 22 further out so that they are still located in the processing area 82 but do not block the direct path between the radiation source 54 and the document 51, so as to create the possibility of performing personalizations on the document 51 using the radiation source (without using the mirror arrangements 21, 22) without converting the mirror arrangements 21, 22. Accordingly, by rotating the processing area 82, the processing area can be fully utilized. Alternatively, a radiation source 54 with a larger processing area 82 could also be used, which, however, would result in greater hazards from the radiation that can be generated (in particular laser radiation), which would have to be contained in a correspondingly complex manner.

[0064] FIGS. 5c and 5d show a side view of the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5a in a first configuration and a second configuration, respectively. The configurations differ in that the illustrated first mirror arrangement 21 is positioned differently. It should be noted at this point that the figure could also represent a side view with the second mirror arrangement 22.

[0065] A radiation 81 emitted by the radiation source 54 in the processing area 82 is directed through the first mirror arrangement onto the document 51. The mirrors of the first mirror arrangement 21 are arranged symmetrically, that is, they are located at the same height (position) above the document 51 and reflect the radiation 81 at the same angle onto the surface of the document 51. This angle is referred to as the first defined angle ? and determines at which angle a first visible element 551a imprinted in this manner can be seen. The choice of the angle depends in particular on the choice of the material of the document 51 as well as the specific customer requirements. Comparing the two configurations shown in FIGS. 5c and 5d, it is noticeable that the first mirror arrangement 21 in the first configuration shown in FIG. 5c is arranged higher than in the second configuration shown in FIG. 5d, and thus the angle ? at which the radiation is directed onto the document 51 is different. The height adjustment is carried out by the adjustment device 112. A configuration is thus defined by a defined position of the first mirror arrangement 21. The alignment of the mirrors is also determined by the corresponding definition of the openings, that the angle ? in which the radiation impinges on the document 51 is reproducibly linked to a position of the mirrors. Preferably, for ease of understanding, the openings are labeled to facilitate operation and adjustment of the configurations. The change of the angle ? at which the radiation impinges on the document 51 can thus be adjusted by the different configurations, with the mirrors of a mirror arrangement always being adjusted symmetrically. The adjustment device can be implemented in an automated manner or rely on manual execution of the change of configuration.

[0066] In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, the position of the visible element 551a, 551b to be created is carried out by changing the position of the document 51 using the document carrier device 12. Thus, the visible element 551a, 551b to be created is always produced at the same position in relation to the document processing device 11. The position of the visible element 551a, 551b to be created on the document 51 is set by the document carrier device 12. In doing so, the visible element 551a, 551b to be produced is produced centrally below the document processing system 10. In this manner, it can be achieved that no adjustment of the software is necessary when the mirror alignment and position are changed. As a result, a simple changeover of the document processing system 10 to different documents 51 with different requirements and materials can be implemented.

[0067] With reference to FIG. 5e, the adjusting device 112 of the mirror arrangements is described in more detail below. FIG. 5e shows the arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 5c and 5d, with the second mirror arrangement 22 also being shown in addition to the first mirror arrangement 21 and with each mirror of the mirror arrangement 22 being fastened to two carrier elements 111. The fastening is carried out by means of the adjusting device 112. For this purpose, counter elements 113 in the form of pins are inserted into openings, in particular fitting holes provided for this purpose on the carrier elements 111, in the drawing plane of the figure from right to left. The correspondingly fastened mirror can thus be mounted with a high degree of accuracy. The counter elements 113 are fixed by means of a clamping by spring pressure pins located in a contact plate arranged on the rear side of the mirror. These pins fix the counter elements in the assembled state. Here, the counter elements 113 extend from one side through the first carrier element 111 through the contact plate of the mirror to the second carrier element 111. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention are possible in which corresponding counter elements 113 are inserted from both sides. In both embodiments, the counter elements 113 can be provided with a thread to enable a screw connection in one of the carrier elements, or they can be configured as smooth pins.

[0068] By means of the described embodiment of the adjusting device 112, the corresponding mirror can thus be positioned at the correct height and also with the correct angle since the orientation can also be influenced by the predetermined openings.

REFERENCE LIST

[0069] 10 document processing system [0070] 11 document processing device [0071] 111 carrier element [0072] 112 adjusting device [0073] 113 counter element [0074] 12 document carrier device [0075] 121 document receptacle [0076] 122 processing face [0077] 123 recess [0078] 124 card position [0079] 126 heating device [0080] 21 first mirror arrangement [0081] 22 second mirror arrangement [0082] 51 document [0083] 54 radiation source [0084] 551 visible element [0085] 551a first visible element [0086] 551b second visible element [0087] 81 laser beams [0088] 82 processing area [0089] ? first defined angle