snorkle ideas

[Zekester]

wow, yeah this is back from the dead. "Safari Snorkel"'s post in interesting though, I hope that isn't what killed the project. The idea that the shape of a piece of plastic tubing is internationally copyrighted is... hilarious. Almost hilarious enough for me to make a knockoff just to piss them off.

You so have me grinning....

 

[roscoFJ73]

wow, yeah this is back from the dead. "Safari Snorkel"'s post in interesting though, I hope that isn't what killed the project. The idea that the shape of a piece of plastic tubing is internationally copyrighted is... hilarious. Almost hilarious enough for me to make a knockoff just to piss them off.

I think it did killl the project.
The shape is what its all about. If its that easy to make a nice shape,why would you copy someone elses design?

I dont think anyone really cares if you make a one off,but when you market it as a copy of the original and start producing them for sale,its understandabe that all hell will break loose.

 

[amaurer]

I think it did killl the project.
The shape is what its all about. If its that easy to make a nice shape,why would you copy someone elses design?

I dont think anyone really cares if you make a one off,but when you market it as a copy of the original and start producing them for sale,its understandabe that all hell will break loose.

If you're selling a product that people can imitate, then intrinsically its not valuable. If you think there is $500 of material or labor in each and every snorkel then I have a $500 keychain to sell you

I just thought it was poor form for them to come on here and make threats that they couldn't possibly keep - they may think its a little ocean, but legally I suspect they'll find its ENORMOUS. ARB certainly doesn't own a patent on "plastic air sucking devices", and if they have a design patent or trademark on the shape (which, if they do, they're not saying so anywhere on the 'net that I can find) then its certainly not an international instrument.

Honestly, I'm just being cantankerous, as I'm not about to take on another project out of spite. However I can say with certainty now that ARB employs at least one total dick, and they were just trying to intimidate you here.

 

[Zekester]

I would think if a propitery process was used to make the snorkle, and thet process was copied to make another, then maybe there is an issue, but I have to agree with AM, the bottom line is the requirements of a snorkle inherently affect it's design, air has to get from A to B, in a certain way...

To say they own that "design" is saying whomever invented a car having 4 wheels should be suing everyone else who used the same "design"...

 

[roscoFJ73]

If you're selling a product that people can imitate, then intrinsically its not valuable. If you think there is $500 of material or labor in each and every snorkel then I have a $500 keychain to sell you

I just thought it was poor form for them to come on here and make threats that they couldn't possibly keep - they may think its a little ocean, but legally I suspect they'll find its ENORMOUS. ARB certainly doesn't own a patent on "plastic air sucking devices", and if they have a design patent or trademark on the shape (which, if they do, they're not saying so anywhere on the 'net that I can find) then its certainly not an international instrument.

Honestly, I'm just being cantankerous, as I'm not about to take on another project out of spite. However I can say with certainty now that ARB employs at least one total dick, and they were just trying to intimidate you here.

i wouldnt treat it so lightly. I read an article that said overseas companies operating in the US often engage an American legal team when they start doing business there .
You wont be dragged into an Australian court but an American one which is a country that is also trying hard to protect patents from the Chinese.
ARB and other 4wd suppliers have been fighting a largely successful war aginst cheap chinese knock offs for some years.
Someone in North America would be a much easier fish to fry for a company with a $300000000 turnover and a regional office there.
They have a design patent on everything they sell that is unique.
As I said before,it maybe only a plastic shape,but they come up with it 1st and that gives them legal rights around the world for 25 years(or maybe 30 years) in participarting countries.

This is not only their right but for all manufacturers.
Who owns the rights to the Frisbee logo and name? Just a bit of plastic too ,but they thought of it 1st
Hungry Jacks(burger king in oz) just won against Burger King head office who tried to take them for $10m over a fast food recipe. Its ony a piece of various foods joined together,but its their idea
Im surprised you find this so untasteful but its quite normal in the business world.

Oh ,and by the way,this was something largely pushed by American countries after WW2 to protect their own.