Look Pivot patent(s)

[burrito]

Anyone happen to have PDFs for (or at least know the numbers of) the patents surrounding the Pivot heel? I've always been curious to read what they actually claim utility-wise, and I would have thought they'd be listed in the fine print of the tech manuals but can't seem to find them anywhere.

[waxloaf]

I’m not an IP lawyer but I suspect it probably has a number of patents for different pieces. This one looks like it might be for the turntable plate: https://patents.justia.com/patent/4077653

[burrito]

I’m not an IP lawyer but I suspect it probably has a number of patents for different pieces. This one looks like it might be for the turntable plate: https://patents.justia.com/patent/4077653

That's definitely one of them - from the looks of it from the N77. Thanks!

[burrito]

I managed to find a bunch of patents with the PX series heel piece, so I need to do some more digging into their citations. From the looks of it most modern Look binding patents are assigned to "Look Fixations S.A." or "Look Fixations SA"

[GoldMember]

Here's one that sounds like Pivot.

https://patents.justia.com/patent/6244617

[burrito]

Here's one that sounds like Pivot.

https://patents.justia.com/patent/6244617

That was one of the ones I found, too (with illustrations https://patents.google.com/patent/US...n?oq=US6244617) It seems like there's no specific utility patent covering the current Pivot, which I guess makes sense given that the basic setup has existed in any number of forms since the early '60s with the N17.

I also found this one from 1984 that appears to be the basic setup for the current heel bottom assembly https://patents.google.com/patent/US...oq=EP0159203A1

[alfajores]

I definitely know one patent expert here on the forum. I will alert him to your search!

[halliday]

That was one of the ones I found, too (with illustrations https://patents.google.com/patent/US...n?oq=US6244617) It seems like there's no specific utility patent covering the current Pivot, which I guess makes sense given that the basic setup has existed in any number of forms since the early '60s with the N17.

I also found this one from 1984 that appears to be the basic setup for the current heel bottom assembly https://patents.google.com/patent/US...oq=EP0159203A1

It sounds like you are getting ready to sue someone or trying to avoid a copyright infringement lawsuit.

[burrito]

It sounds like you are getting ready to sue someone or trying to avoid a copyright infringement lawsuit.

Haha. I've always just been curious about these things. I'm a designer in the industry and find myself going down rabbit holes like these fairly often. A little research can do wonders to stoke your creativity.

[halliday]

I hear that.. I was just busting your balls.

[MtnG0at]

Anyone happen to have PDFs for (or at least know the numbers of) the patents surrounding the Pivot heel? I've always been curious to read what they actually claim utility-wise, and I would have thought they'd be listed in the fine print of the tech manuals but can't seem to find them anywhere.

Look seems to have some relationship with Rossignol but I didn't dig very far to see if I should include Rossi as an assignee in the patent search. Here's a link to an excel sheet with 127 patent families listed. Link expires in a month because reasons, so download the file if you want to keep it. It's a sortable list, click the little down arrows in the top row. If the application date for any of the results is >20 years ago, the patent is 100% not in force and that is public information to be used as you please. <20yrs could also be expired patents, it just depends. And that's not to say they didn't cover a current product another way, that's why people like me exist to figure that out.

Also a note: "patent families" means that there are possibly more than one patent application for different aspects, but I reduced the results to families only because they are typically required to have the exact same original disclosure (just the claims can change). Think of it like a new aspect of a binding has an patent/application in four countries, then there'd be four patents in that family but only one listed here. Same if they claimed different aspects of the same binding in the same country.

Anyway, I do work in patents as my career - currently in aerospace but have done plenty consumer and outdoor gear IP work. If you're looking for this info because you think you might have a new idea that's similar, PM me. Happy to talk to you about the path that lay ahead of you in a somewhat-crowded field of patents, many owned by big-ass corporations. Goes for anyone else if you think you have a good idea, hit me up.

b

[GoldMember]

Look is owned by Rossignol along with Lange, Dynastar, and Kerma.

[alfajores]

Anyway, I do work in patents as my career - currently in aerospace but have done plenty consumer and outdoor gear IP work. If you're looking for this info because you think you might have a new idea that's similar, PM me. Happy to talk to you about the path that lay ahead of you in a somewhat-crowded field of patents, many owned by big-ass corporations. Goes for anyone else if you think you have a good idea, hit me up.

And I got B to join the thread. There ya have it!

[burrito]

Look seems to have some relationship with Rossignol but I didn't dig very far to see if I should include Rossi as an assignee in the patent search. Here's a link to an excel sheet with 127 patent families listed. Link expires in a month because reasons, so download the file if you want to keep it. It's a sortable list, click the little down arrows in the top row. If the application date for any of the results is >20 years ago, the patent is 100% not in force and that is public information to be used as you please. <20yrs could also be expired patents, it just depends. And that's not to say they didn't cover a current product another way, that's why people like me exist to figure that out.

Also a note: "patent families" means that there are possibly more than one patent application for different aspects, but I reduced the results to families only because they are typically required to have the exact same original disclosure (just the claims can change). Think of it like a new aspect of a binding has an patent/application in four countries, then there'd be four patents in that family but only one listed here. Same if they claimed different aspects of the same binding in the same country.

Anyway, I do work in patents as my career - currently in aerospace but have done plenty consumer and outdoor gear IP work. If you're looking for this info because you think you might have a new idea that's similar, PM me. Happy to talk to you about the path that lay ahead of you in a somewhat-crowded field of patents, many owned by big-ass corporations. Goes for anyone else if you think you have a good idea, hit me up.

b

That’s awesome. Thank you. No ideas at the moment, but you never know what might spring up while pouring over these. Thanks for the help.

[MtnG0at]

No prob!