GB2313102A - Holder for vehicle licence disc - Google Patents

Abstract

A holder for a vehicle licence disc, parking permit or other vehicle document comprises a transparent sheet member 1 having adhesive (optionally protected prior to use by a release sheet 2) on a surface to be adhered to the front of such a document so that the document cannot be removed without tamper-indicating damage. The holder has a second surface (including areas 3, 4) to face in the opposite direction to the previously-mentioned surface and bear adhesive (on those areas 3, 4) for adhering the holder to a vehicle window so that the document is visible through the window. The second surface may be on a backing member 9 which extends beyond the transparent member 1 and may be of card or plastics. The transparent member 1 may be of plastics and joined to the backing member along only one edge so that it can be pivoted to a raised position such as shown during attachment of the document.

Description

LICENCE HOLDER The present invention relates to devices for displaying documents through windows, especially vehicle documents such as, for example, licence discs or parking permits.

More particularly, the invention relates to vehicle licence disc holders.

Each year in the United Kingdom, in addition to about 400,000 vehicles being broken into for the purpose of stealing the vehicle, there are about 900,000 incidents of motor vehicles being broken into for the purpose only of stealing articles from the vehicle.

Whatever the purpose of the break-in, it takes only a matter of seconds for the criminal to remove the valuable vehicle licence disc. It is a matter of little difficulty to remove and alter the vehicle registration number from the stolen disc and to sell the stolen disc at a discounted but nonetheless profitable price for the purpose of it being used on another vehicle. It would be desirable to prevent such illicit "recycling" of vehicle licence discs at an acceptable cost. Of course, other vehicle documents, for example, parking permits, could also be attractive to the criminal fraternity.

The present invention, therefore, provides a vehicle licence disc holder or the like characterised by an adhesive-coated transparent sheet portion to be adhered to the front of a licence disc or the like. The transparent sheet portion causes tamperindicating defacement of the licence disc or the like if removed therefrom. The transparent sheet portion is most conveniently and desirably self-adhesive, i.e.

adherent to a licence disc or the like by the application of pressure, but alternatives such as, for example, heat-sensitive adhesives are not excluded.

Disc holders or the like are capable of being attached to a vehicle window, normally the front windscreen, for which purpose the disc holder or the like of the invention typically comprises attachment means comprising self-adhesive area(s) for removably adhering the holder to a vehicle window such that a licence disc or the like adhered to the transparent sheet portion may be seen through the window.

In another aspect, the invention provides a vehicle document display device, comprising a transparent sheet member having applied to a surface thereof adhesive for adhering said surface to a vehicle document. The device further includes a second surface at least capable of facing in the opposite direction to the surface to which adhesive is applied. The second surface also has adhesive applied thereto, in this case for adhering the device to a vehicle window such that the document may be visible through the window.

The second surface is preferably a surface of a backing sheet member to which the transparent sheet member is connected. The backing sheet member in this case preferably comprises opposed areas which extend beyond the transparent plastics sheet member when the device is adhered to a window. Each of the exposed areas has adhesive applied thereto for adhering the device to a vehicle window. The backing sheet member may be made of card or of other material, for example plastics of similar stiffness to card.

The adhesive or adhesives used in the device of the invention is/are normally pressure-sensitive adhesive which is typically protected by a release sheet.

In a third aspect, the invention provides a vehicle licence disc holder comprising a transparent sheet member having a surface coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive protected by a release sheet and to be adhered to the front face of a vehicle licence and means for attaching the holder to a vehicle window such that the licence may be visible through the window. Removal of the adhesive-coated plastics sheet from a licence disc to which it is adhered causes total or partial defacing of the licence disc, thereby serving to indicate or prevent tampering with the licence disc.

The attaching means of the third embodiment desirably comprises a backing sheet member to which the transparent plastics sheet is attached. The backing sheet member may be as described above.

The invention is further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which illustrates a licence disc holder of the invention.

The drawing shows a licence disc holder or the like (for example a parking permit holder) which has a transparent sheet portion 1 to be adhered to the front of a licence disc or the like. Removal of the transparent sheet portion 1 from the front of a licence disc or the like to which it has been adhered will result in total or partial defacement of the disc.

Considering the drawing in more detail, therefore, the drawing serves to illustrate a vehicle document display device which comprises a transparent sheet member 1, which normally consists of a thin and flexible sheet of plastics material. For the sake of clarity, the sheet 1 is shown in a partially raised position. The transparent sheet 1 has applied to a surface thereof adhesive for adhering the surface to a vehicle document. Looking at the illustrated device in the orientation shown in the drawing, the adhesive is applied to the lower surface of the transparent sheet 1. The adhesive is usually a pressure-sensitive adhesive, normally protected by a release sheet 2.

The display device or licence disc holder includes attachment means for attaching the device or holder to a vehicle window. The attachment means preferably comprises areas 3, 4 on surface areas which in use face in the opposite direction to the surface of the transparent sheet 1 to which adhesive is applied. The adhesive is desirably pressure-sensitive adhesive protected by respective release sheets 5, 6.

In the illustrated embodiment, the adhesive-coated areas 3 and 4 are on opposed areas 7, 8 of a backing sheet member 9 which, in use (when the transparent plastics sheet member 1 is lying on the backing sheet 9), extend beyond it. The backing sheet 9 is suitably made of card.

It will be seen, therefore, that preferred devices of the invention comprise a backing sheet 9 to which the transparent sheet 1 is connected such that a document, e.g. a licence disc, may be adhered to the surface of the transparent sheet 1 which in use is remote from the vehicle window and that said remote surface with its adhered document may lie on an intermediate or generally central portion of the backing sheet 9. In preferred embodiments an edge portion of the transparent sheet is adhered or otherwise connected to the backing sheet 9 at an area spaced from an edge region of the backing sheet 9, the remainder of the transparent sheet 1 being left free as a flap.

In order to use the illustrated licence disc holder, the release sheet 2 is removed from the self-adhesive transparent sheet 1. The transparent sheet 1 is then pressed against the front of the licence disc or other vehicle document and allowed to hang against the backing sheet member 9. The release sheets 5, 6 are removed from the self-adhesive areas 3, 4, which areas are pressed against a car window in order to adhere the disc holder to the window.

If the disc holder is stolen and an attempt is made to remove the transparent sheet 1 from the disc or other documents, the disc or other document will become totally or partially defaced.

The embodiment of the licence holder shown in the drawing is economical to manufacture and yet effective in use. Of course, many modifications may be made to the particular product shown. For example, in one embodiment a release sheet 2 is dispensed with and the backing sheet member 9 acts as a release sheet.

In other embodiments, the card or card-like backing sheet 9 may be replaced by a more flexible plastics construction; in this case the transparent sheet 1 may be made in one piece with the opposed areas 7 and 8 provided with the window-attachment adhesive areas 3 and 4.

It will be seen, therefore, that the invention includes a vehicle licence disc holder comprising a transparent sheet member 1 having a surface coated with pressuresensitive adhesive protected by a release sheet 2. The adhesive-coated surface is to be adhered to the front face of a vehicle licence and the holder comprises means 3, 4 for attaching the holder to a vehicle window, e.g. the windscreen, such that the licence may be visible through the window. Removal of the adhesive-coated transparent sheet 1 from a licence disc to which it is adhered causes total or partial defacing of the licence disc.

A device or holder of the invention preferably carries a clearly marked warning to the effect that it is tamper-proof, in order to deter breaking into a vehicle solely for the purpose of stealing its licence disc.

Claims (9)

1. A vehicle licence disc holder or the like characterised by a self-adhesive transparent sheet portion to be adhered to the front of a licence disc or the like and to cause tamper-indicating defacement of the licence disc or the like if removed therefrom.

2. A disc holder of claim 1, which further comprises an attachment means comprising self-adhesive area(s) for removably adhering the holder to a vehicle window such that a licence disc or the like adhered to the transparent sheet portion may be seen through the window.

3. A vehicle document display device, comprising a transparent sheet member having applied to a surface thereof adhesive for adhering said surface to a vehicle document, the device further including a second surface at least capable of facing in the opposite direction to said surface of the plastics sheet and having applied thereto adhesive for adhering the device to a vehicle window such that the document may be visible through the window.

4. A device of claim 3, wherein the second surface is a surface of a backing sheet member to which the transparent sheet member is connected, the backing sheet member comprising opposed areas which extend beyond the transparent plastics sheet member when the device is adhered to a vehicle window, each of which opposed areas has adhesive applied thereto for adhering the device to a vehicle window.

5. A device of claim 4, wherein the backing sheet member is made of card or of other material of similar stiffness.

6. A device of any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the adhesive is pressure-sensitive adhesive protected by a release sheet.

7. A vehicle licence disc holder comprising a transparent sheet member having a surface coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive protected by a release sheet and to be adhered to the front face of a vehicle licence and means for attaching the holder to a vehicle window such that the licence may be visible through the window, removal of the adhesive-coated transparent sheet member from a licence disc to which it is adhered causing total or partial defacing of the licence disc.

8. A holder of claim 7, wherein the attaching means comprises a backing sheet member to which the transparent plastics sheet member is attached, the backing sheet member comprising opposed areas which extend beyond the transparent plastics sheet member when the holder is attached to a vehicle window, each of which opposed areas has adhesive applied thereto for adhering the device to a vehicle window.

9. A vehicle licence disc holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, or as illustrated by, the accompanying drawing.