Chinese Knockoffs Roam U.S. Streets

[Amimoto]

Segway Owner Claims Chinese Knockoffs Roam U.S. Streets

Segway Inc., maker of the self-balancing “people mover” that has struggled to expand beyond a niche market since its splashy debut 13 years ago, is now taking to suing its growing number of imitators.

The Inmotion transporter, promoted heavily at consumer electronics shows, as well as the WindRunner, Ninebot, FreeGo and Robstep are being targeted in a U.S. trade complaint filed yesterday. Closely held Segway and a firm controlled by inventor Dean Kamen are seeking to halt what they call a “widespread pattern of infringement” by the Chinese manufacturers.

They “duplicate, in some cases extremely closely, the design and operation of these Segway personal transporters,” Segway and Kamen’s Deka Products LP said. The companies “intend their products to largely if not completely mimic Segways’s personal transporters in operation.”

The complaint filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington lists at least six manufacturers and three distributors that Segway claims are infringing two patents related to the transporter controls, and two for the design of the machines. If Segway wins the case, the government could block the competing products made overseas from the U.S. market.

Millard Jacobs of Laurel Hill, North Carolina, who runs the roboscooters.com website, was one of the distributors named. He said in an interview he was told that the makers of the scooters he sells -- Shenzhen Inmotion Technologies Co., Robstep Robot Co. and Ninebot Inc. -- had developed their own technology.

............and more, full article please follow link below

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-0...s-streets.html

[Civicsman]

It is about freakin' time that Segway started protecting its patents!

and... it's time that the Chinese manufacturers learned that they can get away with anything they want, in China, but their lack of respect for patents does not mean they can sell with impunity elsewhere in the world.

Sellers of self-balancing personal transport knockoffs, prepare to have your floor stock and incoming shipments seized by the federal government. Buyers of illegal knockoffs, prepare for no warranty, no service, and no parts.

Good riddance.

[Gihgehls]

I wonder, is it possible for another company to create what is legally considered an EPAMD.

"(46.04.1695) "Electric personal assistive mobility device"
(EPAMD) means a self-balancing device with two wheels not in
tandem, designed to transport only one person by an electric
propulsion system with an average power of seven hundred fifty
watts (one horsepower) having a maximum speed on a paved level
surface, when powered solely by such a propulsion system while
ridden by an operator weighing one hundred seventy pounds, of less
than twenty miles per hour. "

Is it possible for another company to create an EPAMD without infringing?

[jgbackes]

Originally Posted by Amimoto

Segway Owner Claims Chinese Knockoffs Roam U.S. Streets
<snip>
The complaint filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington lists at least six manufacturers and three distributors that Segway claims are infringing two patents related to the transporter controls, and two for the design of the machines. If Segway wins the case, the government could block the competing products made overseas from the U.S. market.
<snip>

I have been waiting for this hammer to fall for years.

jeff

[dale@thecoys.net]

Originally Posted by Gihgehls

Is it possible for another company to create an EPAMD without infringing?

Of course. That (by itself) isn't patented.

[Tritium]

Good!
Less idiots getting hurt on the clones and then going off and claiming they got hurt on a "Segway"

[Gihgehls]

Originally Posted by dale@thecoys.net

Of course. That (by itself) isn't patented.

I guess I'm wondering which aspects of the design they consider infringing, since the legal definition outlines several parts (two non-tandem wheels, width of 24 inches, max speed of 20 mph.)

[dale@thecoys.net]

Originally Posted by Gihgehls

I guess I'm wondering which aspects of the design they consider infringing, since the legal definition outlines several parts (two non-tandem wheels, width of 24 inches, max speed of 20 mph.)

Quoting from the article: "Segway claims are infringing two patents related to the transporter controls, and two for the design of the machines."

You can't patent number of wheels, width, or speed. But IANAL.

[airdale]

Originally Posted by Gihgehls

I guess I'm wondering which aspects of the design they consider infringing, since the legal definition outlines several parts (two non-tandem wheels, width of 24 inches, max speed of 20 mph.)

and why should you care? Are you not the one who only cares about capitalism and you get your product as cheap as possible? Not trying to be harsh but you could care less as long as you get what you want cheap....?

[jgbackes]

Originally Posted by airdale

and why should you care? Are you not the one who only cares about capitalism and you get your product as cheap as possible? Not trying to be harsh but you could care less as long as you get what you want cheap....?

Since when is the patent system anti-capitalist? It is a government granted Monopoly for a specified period of time. It is in place in order to maximize return on investment. What could possibly be more capitalistic?

jeff