Once Illegal but now Legal Ram Air Scoops

Scooba_Steve said:
I've just had a look and I can only see patent pending references on the RPI website.
While a patent is pending you can make and sell exact copies as you like. Once it is granted that's when you have to stop or pay up.
I don't see any references to any overseas patents, a US patent has no effect overseas.

I'm not legally qualified so happy to be corrected by someone who is.

Crack on Dan :thumbs up:
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Great, thanks for the info. I did try looking but didn't seem to be able to find the patent info, will have another look. It's hardly cutting edge design, so I'm not sure which part is patentable. A piece of metal, folded, welded and painted.

I planned on making them a bit wider and a bit longer anyway, which would mean they're not copies anyway.
 
If they have been operating since 2006 and don't have any patents then they're either stupid or not able to get them issued because they're so general.

Like I said, my words are not legal advice so do a bit more digging to satisfy yourself.

Edit: Here's the reference I found.

http://raceprecision.com/p_pages/ra_z4_m.htm

I'm not bashing RPI but can't imagine that serious fluid mechanics research has gone into this scoop. Pretty expensive bit of kit that doesn't really cost the earth to produce.
 
Scooba_Steve said:
ben g said:
There's always one moron ready to stick their beak in and make themselves feel important.
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I'm offended :P
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:lol: you were actually being very helpful, rather than Vanne who just decided to brown nose the company with no explanation of the issue.
 
At the moment the protection on the RPI product is copyright of the drawing used to manufacture, as I recall you used a different plus thicker material than the original, both would be referenced on the fabrication drawing. As there is sufficient difference to give risk to any action, which after all you are not some corporation trying to move in on their business, makes me think its not really worth their while.

As for the patent I would need to see it to see what aspect of their ram scoop is different to those that have gone before, it is after all not a new technology
 
ben g said:
Scooba_Steve said:
ben g said:
There's always one moron ready to stick their beak in and make themselves feel important.
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I'm offended :P
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:lol: you were actually being very helpful, rather than Vanne who just decided to brown nose the company with no explanation of the issue.
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I would like to add trying to be helpful. If Dan ends up in a Turkish prison my shoulders are Teflon.

Crap, was that a trademark...
 
Mmmmm......seems to be a storm in a teacup. US wording of what patent pending means:

"A patentee who makes or sells patented articles, or a person who does so for or under the patentee is required to mark the articles with the word "Patent" and the number of the patent. The penalty for failure to mark is that the patentee may not recover damages from an infringer unless the infringer was duly notified of the infringement and continued to infringe after the notice.
The marking of an article as patented when it is not in fact patented is against the law and subjects the offender to a penalty. Some persons mark articles sold with the terms "Patent Applied For" or "Patent Pending". These phrases have no legal effect, but only give information that an application for patent has been filed in the Patent and Trademark Office. The protection afforded by a patent does not start until the actual grant of the patent. False use of these phrases or their equivalent is prohibited". [5]
 
The idea of patent pending is to discourage people copying by effectively saying you're taking a big risk as it could be granted soon.
 
Scooba_Steve said:
The idea of patent pending is to discourage people copying by effectively saying you're taking a big risk as it could be granted soon.
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So I'm assuming from the quote I posted further up tha page that as its patent pending, the protection is only valid once granted?

So until it's granted there's nothing they can do?

Added to the fact that a US patent would mean nothing in the UK?
 
I have a similar but opposite side of the fence problem with a UK based Manufacturer/Retailer at work.
Every single item this manufacturer sell is a direct copy of another UK manufacturer's product.
Despite many attempts, so far the manufacturers of the original versions of the product have been unable to find any laws to prevent them from doing such, despite being in the UK.

Another good case for this is CTS Turbo.
They directly copy APR and Neuspeed products and sell cheaper quality versions of their products.
Despite copyright on all of their products APR and Neuspeed have not been able to stop CTS doing what they do...

So... If a UK company can't stop a UK company copying their product
And... An American company can't stop an American company copying their product
Then... There is absolute Zero chance that an American company can stop a British Individual from producing a Similar product.
 
Well that seals it for me, thank you. I didn't think I was in the wrong legally, but when people are messaging you at 6am on a Saturday, it does get you thinking!
 
Also - legally speaking, get rid of any links you have posted on here to RPI's site, or any reviews of the RPI intake that you have utilised to help people's decisions towards buying your scoops.
 
Anyone notice that Vanne has refrained from posting on this thread?

If and when you do Vanne, make sure it's by way of an apology to Dan for sticking your nose into business that does not concern you.

Afterwards, do me a favour and end your forum membership as tools like you don't deserve to have access to such a friendly and helpful forum as this.
 
This has backfired spectacularly on Vanne.
All this seems to have done is put your scoops back in the spotlight and now you will probably receive orders for a shed load more! :thumbsup:

They say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but I think even Max Clifford would disagree with that these days! :rofl:
 
nfbr said:
Do me a favour Dan and edit out the quote. I'd rather not be screwed for Slander.

Also - legally speaking, get rid of any links you have posted on here to RPI's site, or any reviews of the RPI intake that you have utilised to help people's decisions towards buying your scoops.
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and don't forget to get all the posters to edit their posts inferring there was ever a link to another site.
Boll**ks to it, email them yourself, you probably made more than they ever will, they may buy you out. :thumbsup:
 
nb67 said:
Anyone notice that Vanne has refrained from posting on this thread?

If and when you do Vanne, make sure it's by way of an apology to Dan for sticking your nose into business that does not concern you.

Afterwards, do me a favour and end your forum membership as tools like you don't deserve to have access to such a friendly and helpful forum as this.
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His location shows as Dubai, he will be tucked up in bed playing with his patents pending.
 
MACK said:
This has backfired spectacularly on Vanne.
All this seems to have done is put your scoops back in the spotlight and now you will probably receive orders for a shed load more! :thumbsup:

They say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but I think even Max Clifford would disagree with that these days! :rofl:
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Yep, the odd thing is that I assumed he had done his homework on the patents etc, to be PMing me but clearly he hadn't.

As for me putting the entire forums future existence into jeapordy?! WTF
 
dans6490 said:
MACK said:
This has backfired spectacularly on Vanne.
All this seems to have done is put your scoops back in the spotlight and now you will probably receive orders for a shed load more! :thumbsup:

They say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but I think even Max Clifford would disagree with that these days! :rofl:
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Yep, the odd thing is that I assumed he had done his homework on the patents etc, to be PMing me but clearly he hadn't.

As for me putting the entire forums future existence into jeapordy?! WTF
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Yes the bit about ending the forum did make me laugh. :rofl:
Can't think what this guy was thinking, maybe he thought snitching you out to whoever would get him some freebies! :poke:
Either that or he has shares in the company concerned.
 
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