Electros, Paintball and the Gardners

[LK-13]

OK the Gardners put a legal/patent choke hold on the electro market.
but Tippmann still has e-triggers.
Kingmann still has e-triggers.
companies like www.goapeonline.com still make boards and e-trigger supplies.

so have they all paid royalties to the Gardners?
i would think that Tippmann and Kingmann would be big enough that they can and would fight the Gardners if need be...

so anyone have any insight here?

Tom can you please share your thoughts on this one?

[garbageman705]

I think Kingman gets around the patent by being based oversees. Not sure about Tippmann.

[AGD]

There is some question about the Gardner's patent covering sear tripper electros. Strangely they have not gone after Tippman or Kingman but from what I understand, they have threatened some people who make replacement boards.

They do have a license price for sear trippers that is cheaper than the others by a significant amount. WGP indirectly paid a license fee by buying the egrips from England (they were paying).

So you ask a good question, I dont have a clear answer.

AGD

[custar]

I can be corrected if I am incorrect (it happens often enough I am used to it). I understood Tippmann did pay a royalty or licensing fee for its e-grips. LK, do you have a source that Tippmann isn't paying royalties to SP? I'm just curious; if Tippmann is not paying, why they aren't presents an interesting question.

As for boards, I have a hard time seeing how their "326" patent would cover a stand-alone board. Perhaps they are basing whatever claim they are advancing on some type of "facilitating" claim. I could see a claim if the electro switch was on the board itself, but how many of those are there?

custar

[questionful]

Oh man, I thought the whole SP thing just covered electropneumatics? Who invented the first elctric sear-tripper, what was it, and when?
And just how much are these licensing fees? Are they public information?

[50 cal]

How did SP get a patent for an electro sear tripper if the solenoid firing device for the M2HB machine gun has been around since WW2?

[d4m4don3]

From what I heard ape is fighting this, I know multiple board manufacturers have signed on with sp.

[ProblemKinder]

How did SP get a patent for an electro sear tripper if the solenoid firing device for the M2HB machine gun has been around since WW2?

because they patented it for the specific use of paintball markers

[LK-13]

to the best of my knowledge the Tippmann E-Trigger pre-dates SP as a company,
but i have no evidence that Tippmann is or is not paying SP to continue producing the products that the Gardners had nothing to do with.

can someone please hire some prostitutes then get the Gardners all liquored up and get some scandal pics/video to post on you tube!
sign the Gardners up on a ton of Gay German Nazi Porn sites so their email is spammed with stuff like "Der Veener Pookinz" and "Das Buttz"

[wetwrks]

How did SP get a patent for an electro sear tripper if the solenoid firing device for the M2HB machine gun has been around since WW2?

Because a patent expires after something like 10 or 20 years.

[warbeak2099]

can someone please hire some prostitutes then get the Gardners all liquored up and get some scandal pics/video to post on you tube!
sign the Gardners up on a ton of Gay German Nazi Porn sites so their email is spammed with stuff like "Der Veener Pookinz" and "Das Buttz"

I see you read the NY Times this morning lol. Funny article.

[B-Pow]

can someone please hire some prostitutes then get the Gardners all liquored up and get some scandal pics/video to post on you tube!
sign the Gardners up on a ton of Gay German Nazi Porn sites so their email is spammed with stuff like "Der Veener Pookinz" and "Das Buttz"

win.

I still want to send their factory a PETA care package, I have heard tale of a website somewhere where you can sign people up to have Mormons/jehovis witnesses visit their house. I must find this again and send them to SP headquarters...every few months.

[custar]

Because a patent expires after something like 10 or 20 years.

After a patent expires, the ideas become public domain; they cannot be patented again, or at least the Patent Office should not issue a new patent on pubic domain ideas.

custar

[punkncat]

Mmmmkayyy, so....you knew this was coming.

IF SP has no patent, or is using a lesser fee for sear trippers, and we know that mags are sear trippers......need I say more?

[B-Pow]

Mmmmkayyy, so....you knew this was coming.

IF SP has no patent, or is using a lesser fee for sear trippers, and we know that mags are sear trippers......need I say more?

Re-realse of the E-mag? I'd buy one...

[Spider-TW]

I am very curious how healthy Bob Long (inc) is. For a company that follows the SP model and pays their fees, I would like to know if they are marketing themselves enough to be successful or if they will be NEXT.

[Ruler_Mark]

anyone know the offical day that the sp nazi patent becomes public domain?

[thomas]

There is some question about the Gardner's patent covering sear tripper electros. Strangely they have not gone after Tippman or Kingman but from what I understand, they have threatened some people who make replacement boards.

They do have a license price for sear trippers that is cheaper than the others by a significant amount. WGP indirectly paid a license fee by buying the egrips from England (they were paying).

So you ask a good question, I dont have a clear answer.

AGD

Can you give us an idea of what those license fees are? Are they lump sum, per gun, both? Any light you can shed is appreciated.

[AGD]

I know what the fees are but I signed a non-dislcosure. Needless to say we were not selling enough e-guns to cover it at that time.

Tippman may very well be paying royalties, I could be out of the loop on that.

AGD

[tasker89]

I would keep my eye on Tippmann over the next 6-12 months...should be some very cool stuff coming from them.

[LK-13]

anyone know the offical day that the sp nazi patent becomes public domain?

i believe a patent can be re-newed or purchased and the dates adjusted... i think...

[Papa_Smurf]

I'm no patent lawyer, but that seems to be a very broad claim for a patent.

[questionful]

I would keep my eye on Tippmann over the next 6-12 months...should be some very cool stuff coming from them.
What do you know? :argh: