Newbie question about Brother MFC-5910DW

[JSR]

I was under the impression that US patents expired after 20 years, but who knows anything about the patent outside the US?

The thing is that no one other than Sawgrass really has a clue about it, so it's going to be a brave supplier that first tries selling other branded dye-sub ink for desktop printers in Europe or the US.

[Justin]

I've got 25 years in my head but someone mentioned it was expiring soon so I'm not sure.

[Justin]

Just read 20 years for International patents and cannot be renewed...now when was the patent taken out...

[JSR]

According to the document linked to above, the patent was registered in 1996. However, I think it was applied for in 1994 which might be the important date. According to the document, it refers to other much earlier patents, but I don't know what that has to do with anything.

I'm sure Sawgrass have many other patents under their belt that they'll use if this specific one expires.

Can't we ask Sawgrass for the specific details/facts now that they're part of this forum? That would help clear up a lot of confusion, and would help to reassure people that they're not doing "illegal" things.

[Justin]

This is my intention, I'd like to ask them the questions 'on the forum ' rather than feed the information back, so everyone can hear first hand. At the moment Sawgrass haven't actually joined so I will chase this and talk to them about the questions section again.

[Ian M]

This is from the US Patent Office which should make things a bit more clear.

How long does patent protection last?

For applications filed on or after June 8, 1995, utility and plant patents are granted for a term which begins with the date of the grant and usually ends 20 years from the date you first applied for the patent subject to the payment of appropriate maintenance fees. Design patents last 14 years from the date you are granted the patent. No maintenance fees are required for design patents.
Note: Patents in force on June 8, 1995 and patents issued thereafter on applications filed prior to June 8, 1995 automatically have a term that is the greater of the twenty year term discussed above or seventeen years from the patent grant.

The patent was issued to Sawgrass on the 1st September 1994. Looks like we have just 2 more years to wait unless they pull another fast one like they did with the original patent. Sawgrass never said they had taken someone else's design which they should have which means they shouldn't have been issued with a patent in the first place.

[JSR]

This is my intention, I'd like to ask them the questions 'on the forum ' rather than feed the information back, so everyone can hear first hand. At the moment Sawgrass haven't actually joined so I will chase this and talk to them about the questions section again.

If would be good to have a Q&A on this subject for clarity. I bet there'll be a whole bunch of legal reasons why it can't be done, though.

[Ian M]

This makes very interesting reading on the subject of patents. http://www.inventorbasics.com/Patent%20Pros%20&%20Cons.htm