EP0973642B1 - Method for marking a gaming disk by pad printing and device for implementing same - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for marking a side of a straight-sided chip with a decoration by pad printing. The method comprises providing an ink plate with an image defined by radially deformed representation of the decoration of the straight side of the chip in a ring-shaped zone, moving a pad coaxially into contact with the ink plate such that the image transfers to the pad, and moving the pad coaxially into contact with the chip such that the image transfers to the side of the chip.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to marking by pad printing game chips of general shape disc or similar shaped object. By game token, also called casino token, we mean any element usable in playroom and representing a value nominal predetermined or not. Generally these tokens are made of rigid plastic and scratch resistant.

i) une fonction d'identification du jeton et/ou de valeur du jeton et/ou du casino et/ou de la table de jeu et/ou du joueur;

ii) une fonction de décoration à caractère esthétique et/ou de support publicitaire; et

iii) une fonction d'authentification du jeton et de sécurité contre les risques de falsification et/ou de reproduction frauduleuse.

The game tokens are almost systematically the subject of a decoration by marking on their faces and / or edges and which, according to the future uses of the tokens, can range from the simplest to the most complex. For the remainder of the presentation, the term decor extends in its broadest sense and includes in particular any drawing, sign, brand and character (for example letters, numbers, bar codes or various codings) capable of graphic representation and / or of visual or optical effect (for example by the use of UV ink). More precisely, the decoration of the tokens is capable of fulfilling at least one of the multiple functions presented quickly below:

i) a function for identifying the token and / or the value of the token and / or the casino and / or the gaming table and / or the player;

ii) an aesthetic decoration function and / or advertising medium; and

iii) a token authentication and security function against the risks of falsification and / or fraudulent reproduction.

PRIOR ART

Patent FR 2,730,392 in the name of the Applicant described the use of pad printing for marking in surface of the faces and / or the edge of the tokens (by comparison with volume marking by multi-injection of different plastics colors). In particular, this patent describes the marking by pad printing on each side of the token using a ink pad moved coaxially with the token with, for wafer tokens with a softened profile without wafer right, marking part of the edge corresponding to the chamfered or rounded edge of the face of the token. This technique satisfactory for the faces of the token is not always accepted by casinos for the installment as it leads to modify substantially the profile of the wafer and / or a marking incomplete of it.

Furthermore, still according to patent FR 2,730,392, the edge marking for right edge tokens is made by lateral marking using a stamp rotary (or rotary roller pad for marking multiple stacked tokens). This technique whose means of implementation are quite complex and expensive is not always satisfactory, especially when the edge decoration must be reproduced with great position accuracy on everything the circular periphery of the right edge (mention written, barcode and various coding, circular drawing periodic). In particular the principle of the roller rotary involving an origin point on the edge of the token for the actual marking operation, it this results in the formation of a "fitting" (white or covering) on the decoration after marking the edge on a full turn of the token, the "fitting" being all the more difficult to avoid as the tolerances of manufacturing tokens induce variations, small but very real, in the diameter of the chips.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

It follows from the above that there is a need for a new method for marking game tokens straight edge which eliminates or significantly reduces limitations and other disadvantages presented above.

To this end, the invention proposes a marking method by pad printing the edge of a game token in disc shape with a straight edge or a shaped object analogous, characterized by the use of a tampon inked moved coaxially to said token in association with a flat ink plate with a shaped area crown adapted to be arranged coaxially to the stamp and carrier of an image-decoration defined by a radially distorted representation of the decor of the right edge of the token.

So therefore, the use of a radially distorted compared to the edge decoration allows distribute the distortion effect on the final decor due to variations in token diameter all around circumference of the token edge and make this negligible effect.

According to a first variant of the invention, the image decoration is obtained by the combination of an operation of radial flap of the token edge around an edge facial included in the plan of the ink plate and a decoration contraction operation towards said edge facial, the sequential or chronological order of the two operations being indifferent.

In particular according to a first mode of implementation of the process of the invention the decor-image is obtained, at from an intermediate decoration produced by radial flap edge decoration in a reference plane corresponding to the plane of the ink plate and comprising one of the faces of the token (reference face), by a radial contraction transformation of the decor intermediate in the reference plane towards the center of the image-carrying crown.

Advantageously the position of the internal circular edge of the crown and the contraction coefficient of the radial transformation are determined, for a model given token with straight edge and a buffer given, by marking the token model using an ink plate positioning wedged on the axis of the token and carrier a target with close concentric circles.

Equally advantageously the characteristics of the radial transformation of contraction are chosen for obtain a reduction in the radial height of the decoration intermediate (dimension equal to the height of the decoration between 25 and 40%, i.e. a coefficient of radial contraction between 0.75 and 0.6.

In practice the extent of the radial contraction and the reduction in height of the associated edge decoration depend on the deformation of the pad on the surface of the token, in other words the model of the token to be marked, profile and type of stamp (material, hardness, condition surface) and to a lesser extent inks used.

Furthermore to remedy the clarification of colors of the decoration marked on the edge of the token due to the lengthening of the ink pad, we use two variants of the invention or an ink plate comprising a raster image decoration on one side of the token and an unframed edge-image decoration, i.e. a cliché inkpad with an image decoration of a face of the token and a deep engraved edge-decoration, the engraving of the edge image decoration then being more deep as the engraving of the decor-image of the face of the token.

On the other hand by matching the circular edge internal of the crown at the edge of the reference face of the token, it facilitates the positioning in height of the decor for token marking with full straight edge. Likewise it is advantageous in the radial transformation contraction to use for relative origin on each radius OR the corresponding point A of the edge of the reference face of the token.

It should be noted that the invention also applies with tokens with softened edges and comprising a slice central straight line extending substantially over a portion significant thickness of the token and connected to the two sides of it by two transition zones (small rounded or widened chamfer).

According to another variant of the invention, the marking of these central straight edge tokens is made in substantially matching the circular edge internal crown with the axial projection circle of the right edge on the reference face of the token.

According to yet another variant of the method according to the invention, a symmetrical deformable pad is used axial with a diameter at least equal to the diameter of the token increased by about five times the height of the slice of the token.

In addition to tokens and other objects with a straight edge of analogous shape with the right edge stamped according to the method of the invention defined above, the invention also relates to a device for pad printing suitable for implementing this process and comprising a base for the token, the base being equipped with means for centering the token coaxially with the buffer before the slice marking operation by pad printing, the centering means being retractable to allow the marking of the edge of the token when displacement of the buffer.

Advantageously, the retractable centering means of the slide or centering ring type are mounted sliding axially around the base.

Equally advantageously the device according to the invention includes means for holding in place the token on its base, especially when raising the buffer. In particular the means of holding in place of the token consist of at least one tablet adhesive in contact with the face of the token pressing on the base and / or by vacuum suction.

Other features and advantages of this invention will appear on reading the description which will follow with reference to the attached drawings.

SUMMARY PRESENTATION OF THE DRAWINGS

• Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a straight full slice game token with decor slice;
• Figure 2 shows a front view of the photo ink pad used to make the edge decoration of the token of Figure 1 according to the method of the invention;
• Figure 3 shows the block diagram of a pad printing installation allowing work of the method of the invention;
• Figures 4a and 4b show an operation of pad printing marking the edge of a token straight edge game using the illustrated device in Figure 3; and
• Figure 5 shows a schematic sectional view enlarged with a central right edge game token and the corresponding ink plate used for decorate the right edge of the token according to the method of the invention.

BEST MODES FOR IMPLEMENTING AND IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows in perspective a game token 10 in plastic (e.g. polybutylene PBT terephthalate) with a general form of disc with parallel faces 12 and 13 and full edge right 14 (only the upper face 12 is visible on Figure 1). The surface of the straight edge 14 is present in the form of a right cylinder with axis ZZ ' perpendicular to the token faces (height substantially equal to the thickness of the token) and delimited relative to the latter by edges 16 and 17 to right angle. By way of nonlimiting example, the token 10 has a diameter of 40 mm for a thickness or edge height of the order of 3.3 mm, being made note that in some cases edges 16 and 17 may have a very slight chamfer (of the order of 0.1 mm), which in particular has the effect of prolonging the buffer life.

Thus the upper face 12 and its edge 16 both belong to plane XX ', YY' perpendicular to the axis ZZ 'and chosen by convention as a Pref reference plane corresponding to the plane of the ink plate 11 (the origin point ○ being chosen at the intersection of the three axes). Slice 14 presents an edge decoration, in this case and by way of example nonlimiting, a crenellated line 15 consisting of sixteen symmetrical slots distributed around the perimeter circumferential of the token 10, the crenellated line 15 being also centered in height on edge 14.

Figure 2 shows the drawing of the plane ink plate 11 corresponding to the upper face 12 and to the edge 14 of token 10 and built directly into the plane of Preference reference Thus face 12 (reference face) which has a front decoration (for example a colored square 18) intended to be pad-printed with the edge decoration 15 appears in full size as the edge 16 (edge of reference) represented by a first circle of dashes. Around the tracing image of the face 12 appears an area in the form of a crown 20 delimited by the edge 16 and image 17 'of the lower edge 17 of the token 10 (represented by a second circle of dashes 17 'more large diameter). Between the two circles 16 and 17 ' appears as a crenellated circular curve the decor image 22 of the edge decor 15. The decor image 22 is obtained by radial deformation of the decoration of section 15 and preferably as follows.

Face 12 is first divided by a number of OR radii in equal sectors whose center angle between two successive rays OR (i) and OR (i + 1) is chosen by depending on the desired definition for the image set (in the species a corner sector at the center of 11.25 ° east sufficient to cover each niche of the decor 15). In each radial plane PR defined by the axis ZZ 'and a radius OR (for example the plane PR7 with the radius OR7) on realizes by rotation of 90 ° around the point of intersection A of edge 16 with radius OR (in the species point A7) a radial flap on the plane of reference Pref of the corresponding generator defined by the intersection of the radial plane PR (in this case the plane PR7) with the cylindrical edge 14 of the token (in the generator A7 B7). We build from this way on radius OR7 point B'7 image of point B7 and all intermediate points (in this case the segment C'7 D'7) folded down from the original decor points 15 located on the generator A7 B7 (in this case the segment C7 D7). We thus realize point by point in the plane of Pref reference, i.e. on each OR radius and ray after ray, the construction of the circle 17 'image of edge 17 and the construction of the intermediate decor 15 'which is in the form of a crenellated circle (partially illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2).

This radial flap operation is followed by a radial contraction transformation of the decor intermediate 15 '(illustrated by the current point P') towards the internal circular edge of the crown 20 (edge 16), the point-to-point radial displacement in the reference plane on each radius OR leading the more often a reduction in width (or height) radial of the intermediate decoration 15 '(equal to the height decoration 15) to end up in the reference plane at final decor 22 of the ink plate (illustrated by the current point P "). Preferably the coefficient of contraction K for the height of the edge decoration 15 is between 0.75 and 0.60 which gives a reduction of the height of the decoration between 25 and 40%. We thus determines on each radius OR with respect to the point of relative origin A (located at the intersection of the OR radius with edge 16) for each value of the distance AP ' a approximation coefficient k (P ') ≤K <1 allowing to calculate the distance AP "= k (P ') x AP' where AP" is the distance from the final image point P "(belonging to the decoration 22) at the origin point A, with k (B ') = K <1. In a manner general the magnitude of the total radial displacement P'P "towards the edge 16 of each intermediate point P 'located on the segment AB 'of radius OR is all the more important that the point P 'is distant from the point A. As a result that a circle with center ○ and radius OP 'is transformed by radial contraction in another circle of center ○ with smaller diameter of radius OP "= OA + (k (P ') x AP'). The reduction coefficient K and the coefficients of approximation k (P ') depend essentially on the buffer and token geometry and deformation of the stamp on the surface of the token, but also, to a lesser extent, however, the nature and the condition of the surfaces in contact and the properties of inks used. In practice k (P ') remains close to K and the choice of k (P ') = K = Constant is however often satisfactory.

It should be noted that these radial deformation operations the decoration of the edge of the token to obtain the image decoration plane (radial flap and radial transformation of contraction or conversely contraction on the edge of the original decoration towards the edge of the reference face then radial flap) are likely to be produced on a computerized workstation using design aided design software computer.

Of course without departing from the scope of the invention, the game token is replaced by an object of similar shape made of a material capable of receiving a decor by pad printing.

The implementation of the marking by pad printing of the edge of a straight edge game token incidentally with one of the faces of the token is likely to be performed by various types of devices, machines or installations. As nonlimiting example Figure 3 illustrates the principle of such an installation for implementing the invention allowing the simultaneous marking of one of the sides and edge of a game token shaped disc or similar object.

If we consider Figure 3, the reference 30 represents a horizontal base intended to serve as support token 10 with full straight edge. An ink pad 34 is mounted on a frame 31 so as to be movable according to alternative vertical movements. Stamp 34 has a deformable head 36 with axial axis symmetry ZZ 'made of synthetic material (e.g. rubber silicone synthetic with a Shore A hardness of order of 6), in this case conical tip 38. As it will appear below the deformable head 36 is adapted to wedge on face 12 and edge 16 of token 10 when marking the right edge 14. A plate holder 40 carrying a plane ink plate 11 integrating the image of a slice decoration (for example the image decoration 22 illustrated in Figure 2) is likely to reciprocating movements between the buffer 34 vertical (position 40) and the vertical of an ink tank 42 (position 40 '). The pad printing operation properly said is carried out in the following manner. After inking the plate 11 (position 40 ') the plate holder is moved in the position 40 coaxial with the buffer 34 so as to arrange the area in the form of a crown 20 of plate 11 coaxial with pad 34. A first vertical movement descending from buffer 34 makes it possible to recover the ink by one touch. After raising buffer 34 and removing of the plate holder (towards position 40 '), the buffer 34 undergoes a second vertical downward movement to deposit the ink by pressing first on side 12 of the token 10 then, by greater deformation of the head of pad 36, on edge 14. We thus realize the marking of a decoration (final or intermediate) monochrome. For multi-color, the final decor is constituted by complementarity and / or superposition of monochrome decorations, each of these intermediate decorations being engraved on separate plates. We use for multi-color marking, i.e. several plate holders mobile or a series of pad printing units monochrome associated with a mobile token holder base. Generally the ink plates are engraved with a depth between 18 and 20 µm. otherwise the various types of inks and / or varnishes suitable for pad printing can be used, in particular inks revealable in UV rays for discreet markings (e.g. for identification numbers and / or token coding).

• soit un cliché encreur comportant un décor-image de face tramé (par exemple à 130 points au pouce) et un décor-image de tranche non tramé ;
• soit un cliché encreur comportant un décor-image d'une face du jeton et un décor-image de tranche à gravure approfondie, la gravure du décor-image de tranche (de l'ordre de 25 µm) étant alors plus profonde que la gravure du décor-image de la face du jeton (de l'ordre de 18 µm). Un tel cliché est obtenu par l'utilisation d'un masque approprié.

It should be noted that, in the case of a face-and-edge marking, to remedy the lightening of the colors of the decoration marked in solid on the edge of the token (lightening due to the reduction in the amount of ink deposited per unit area due to the lengthening of the ink pad), one of the following two variants is used according to the invention:

• either an ink plate comprising a screen-like face decoration (for example at 130 dots per inch) and a non-screened edge-image decoration;
• or an ink-shot comprising an image decoration on one side of the token and a deep image decoration on the edge, the engraving of the edge image decoration (of the order of 25 μm) then being deeper than the engraving the decoration of the face of the token (around 18 µm). Such an image is obtained by the use of an appropriate mask.

As can be seen in Figures 4a and 4b, the token is centered on the ZZ 'axis of the buffer by retractable vertical centering slides 32 to curved internal walls complementary to section 14 of the token 10 and mounted in axial sliding on the around the base 30. This centering operation prior to the marking itself or in phase initial marking is important for good position the token 10 relative to the buffer 34, especially in this case so that the edge 16 matches well with its inked image on the tip conical 38 of buffer 34. After passing through the end taper 38 of the plane of the face 12, the sliders of centering 32 gradually retract (by through any mechanical arrangement known) to allow the head 36 of the pad 34 to deform along edge 14 by wedging on the edge 16 (the latter being sufficiently clear to avoid unwanted slippage from the face 12 at the level of the ridge) until the anchoring of the section 14 when the end 38 (conical at rest) of the deformable head 36 of pad 34 is compressed (with a slight protrusion of the rim of the head 36 beyond the plane of the edge 17 of the lower face 13 of the token 10). Finally to avoid raising the token 10 during removal of the pad 34 are provided means for holding the token 10 in place on its base 30, by example at least one adhesive pad 42 fixed to the base 30, the pad 42 being in contact with the face lower 13 of the token 10 resting on the base 30, and / or partial vacuum aspiration (not shown). It should be noted as a variant that the use of one or several pads 42 providing sufficient adhesion to ensure, once the token is centered by the sliders 32, keeping the token in place during marking the token, allows to retract slides 32 even before marking the token well said. Furthermore, the slides 32 can be replaced by a retractable ring (not shown) mounted on the periphery of the token base.

Preferably the pad 34 has a deformable head 36 with a substantially conical tip and having a diameter working Dt at least equal to the diameter of the token increased the token height by five times, for example a minimum diameter Dt of 55 mm for the token 10 40 mm in diameter and edge height 3.3 mm.

The invention is of course usable with other types of stamp of various shape and hardness chosen in the standard ranges of manufacturers. Among these one can cite buffers of cylindrical shape with tip convex whose diameter Dt meets the above criterion.

It is easily realized that by the marking method according to the invention, a small variation in the diameter of the token for example a few 1/10 mm is distributed over everything the periphery of the token without altering the continuity circumferential of the decoration thus marked.

As mentioned above, the invention applies also with tokens with softened edges and comprising a central straight edge extending substantially over a significant portion of the token thickness and related to two sides of it by two transition zones ( small rounded or enlarged chamfer). For exemple nonlimiting the token 60 shown diagrammatically at Figure 5 shows a diameter of 40 mm for a total slice height of 3.3 mm, of which approximately 2.5 mm right central slice and two rounds of radius transition between 0.4 and 0.5 mm (with a theoretical radius to the injection mold of 0.5 mm).

Of course, the invention as described under non-limiting example for token 10 at full straight edge, especially marking operations proper and its various variants, the marking device and its variants, the various stamps, the general principle of preparing snapshots by flap on the reference plane and contraction radial of the intermediate decoration and variations of engravings of clichés, is also applicable to the slice token central right, in particular with token 60 illustrated in figure 5. However from a certain dimension of rounding and / or enlarged chamfer (variable depending on specifics of the marking, the token and the stamp), the softened edge of the token results in a sliding of the pad at the softened edge often making necessary a correction in the placement of the edge internal image bearing crown and possibly the contraction coefficient K. So generally the internal edge of the crown 70 bearer of the image-decoration is close to the center ○ of token.

In Figure 5 has been shown in schematic section the token 60 of axis ZZ 'with its reference face 62 of center ○ included in the Pref reference plane (half-right OX) corresponding to plane ink plate 61, the peripheral circular edge of the face 62 being represented by point E. As illustrated in the figure 5, the right edge of the token 60 is constituted by a central straight edge 64 (consisting of a surface cylindrical with axis ZZ 'perpendicular to the Pref plane, projecting on the latter according to a circle of radius OJ, and represented by the FG segment) and two areas of transition, in this case two rounding 66 and 66 '(made up of shaped surfaces of revolution general of spherical crown or cone and represented by the quarter circles EF and GH, the point H being the equivalent on the other face 63 of the token 60 of point E of face 62).

The construction of the decor-image of decor 65 begins with that of the intermediate decoration 65 'represented on the segment F'G 'obtained by radial flap with development from point E of the portion of curve EFG on the radius OX and where EF '= 1.571 EJ and F'G' = FG. The decor intermediate is then contracted radially (in the species with K = 0.6) and the internal circular edge of the crown 70 represented by point F '' is close to the center ○, in this case made confused with point J, to obtain the final decor 72 on the crown 70 represented by F''G '' (with F''G '' = K x F'G '= K x FG).

To facilitate the development and installation of the image decoration, the position of the internal circular edge of the crown 70 and the contraction coefficient K of the radial transformation are determined, for a given model of token with a straight edge (for example the token 60 with edge profile EFGH) and a given buffer, by marking the token model with the aid of an inking positioning plate 80 centered on the axis of the token ZZ 'and carrying a test pattern 82 to close concentric circles. Represented schematically in FIG. 5 by the segment M1M23, the test pattern 82 is in the form of a crown of center ○ and the mean radius OM of which is chosen to be close to or equal to the radius OJ of the token model and the width of the order of 2 times the height h of the token. By way of nonlimiting example, the test pattern 82 used for the token 60 has 23 close concentric circles 84 numbered from M1 to M23 and in this case spaced 0.3 mm apart for a test pattern width of the order of 7 mm. Incidentally the target has segments (not shown) of 64 rays equally distributed and crossing the concentric circles 84 to assess the lateral enlargement of the image decoration with the distance to the center ○ and to detect possible lateral shifts of the buffer. Thus the positioning plate 80 is used to mark the right edge of the model of the token 60. We then locate by counting on the marked token the rank of the concentric circles Mi and Me corresponding to the points F '' and G '' (in the species rank 12 and rank 17 respectively illustrated by circles M12 and M17).
Of course the marking by pad printing of the central right edge of the token 60 is obtained by the use already described of the device illustrated in Figures 3, 4a and 4b (the token 60 replacing the token 10).

Claims (16)

1. Method of marking the side (14, 64) of a straight-sided disc-shaped gambling chip (10, 60) or an object of similar shape by pad printing, characterized by the use of an inked pad (34) which is moved coaxially with the said chip (10, 60) in conjunction with a flat ink plate (11, 61) having a ring-shaped zone (20, 70) suitable for being placed coaxially with the pad (34) and bearing a decoration image (22, 72) defined by a radially deformed representation of the decoration (15, 65) of the straight side (14, 64) of the chip (10, 60).
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the decoration image (22) is obtained by the combination of an operation of radially folding up the side (14) of the chip around a facial edge (16) included in the plane of the ink pad (11) and of an operation of contracting the decoration towards the said facial edge (16), the sequential order in which the two operations are performed being of no consequence.
3. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the decoration image (22, 72) is obtained from an intermediate decoration (15', 65') produced by radially folding up the side decoration (15, 65) into a reference plane (Pref) corresponding to the plane of the ink plate (11, 61) and including one (12, 62) of the faces of the chip, which face is hereafter designated the reference face, by means of a radial transformation of contraction of the intermediate decoration (15', 65') in the reference plane towards the centre of the ring (20, 70) bearing the decoration image.
4. Method according to Claim 3, characterized in that the position of the internal circular border of the ring (20, 70) and the contraction coefficient of the radial transformation are determined, for a given straight-sided chip model and a given pad, by marking the chip model using a positioning ink plate (80) centred on the axis ZZ' of the chip (60) and bearing a pattern (82) consisting of closely-spaced concentric circles (84).
5. Method according to either of Claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the characteristics of the radial contraction transformation are chosen in order to obtain a reduction in the radial height of the intermediate decoration (15', 65') of between 25 and 40%, i.e. a radial contraction coefficient of between 0.75 and 0.6.
6. Method according to one of Claims 3 to 5, used for marking solid-straight-sided chips, characterized in that the internal circular border of the ring (20) corresponds approximately to the edge (16) of the reference face (12) of the chip, which edge is hereafter designated the reference edge.
7. Method according to Claim 6, characterized in that the radial contraction transformation uses, as relative origin on each radius OR, the corresponding point A on the reference edge (16).
8. Method according to one of Claims 3 to 5, used for marking central-straight-sided chips, characterized in that the internal circular border of the ring (70) corresponds approximately to the circle of axial projection of the straight side (64) on the reference face (62) of the chip.
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the use of an axially symmetric deformable pad (34) having a diameter (Dt) at least equal to the diameter of the chip (10, 60) increased by about five times the height of the side of the chip.
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ink plate (11, 61) has a halftone decoration image for a face of the chip and a non-halftone side decoration image.
11. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the ink plate (11, 61) has a decoration image for a face of the chip and a side decoration image, the side decoration image being etched more deeply than the decoration image for the face of the chip.
12. Pad-printing device suitable for implementing the marking method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes a support (30) for the chip (10), the said support (30) being equipped with means (32) for centring the chip coaxially with the said pad before the operation of marking the side by pad printing, the said centring means (32) being retractable in order to allow the side (14) of the chip to be marked during movement of the pad.
13. Device according to Claim 12, characterized in that the said centring means (32) are progressively retractable with the movement of the pad during the operation of marking the side (14) of the chip.
14. Device according to either of Claims 12 and 13, characterized in that the retractable centring means, of the type consisting of slides (32) or of a centring ring, are mounted so as to slide axially over the perimeter of the support (30).
15. Device according to one of Claims 12 to 14, characterized in that it includes means for holding the chip (10) in place on the support (30), especially when raising the pad.
16. Device according to Claim 15, characterized in that the said means for holding the chip (10) in place consist of at least one adhesive patch (42), in contact with that face (13) of the chip which bears on the support (30), and/or of suction under vacuum.

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