chinese 7x7.....

[Wacky]

http://www.faqs.org/rulings/rulings2006HQW480158.html

AFAIK trademark is only over a 3x3x3 with the standard colour scheme, and so the knock-off cubes with random colour schemes are fine.

However, that might imply that the people stickering their diys in the usual colour schemes or making youtube videos might be breaking copyright...? Not sure how fair use may/may not apply...

But back on topic there is obviously a current patent on the V-7 so a direct copy like this is clearly not legal.

 

[Stefan]

there is obviously a current patent on the V-7 so a direct copy like this is clearly not legal.

According to this page there are actuall 51 national patents:
http://www.v-cubes.com/inventor.php

Why do you suppose that is? Maybe because you need to get patents for each country where you want copying to be illegal? But then some countries could be missing and copies would be legal there.

 

[Ethan Rosen]

Theres a big difference there. 3x3 "clones" sold by cube4you and other vendors are not knockoffs. They are modifications on an expired patent, so not only is it legal for them to be produced, but a lot of the moral arguments to buying them are null since the differences are enough to make a signifigant increase in turning.

First many clone 3x3 are excellent products, but to Rubik they all violate Copyrights. It is illegal to import them e.g to Europe even if they do not use any brand. Wallmart made a big mistake in the past to produce a cube like in your argument....Now they sell them as Rubik..... ..

Although Rubik may think that those violate laws, the simple fact is that the patent for the 3x3 is expired. They hold only the rights to the trademark, which the DIYs (usually) don't violate. Although the morality of them is up for debate, 3x3 DIYs are legal.

 

[Ton]

Theres a big difference there. 3x3 "clones" sold by cube4you and other vendors are not knockoffs. They are modifications on an expired patent, so not only is it legal for them to be produced, but a lot of the moral arguments to buying them are null since the differences are enough to make a signifigant increase in turning.

First many clone 3x3 are excellent products, but to Rubik they all violate Copyrights. It is illegal to import them e.g to Europe even if they do not use any brand. Wallmart made a big mistake in the past to produce a cube like in your argument....Now they sell them as Rubik..... ..

Although Rubik may think that those violate laws, the simple fact is that the patent for the 3x3 is expired. They hold only the rights to the trademark, which the DIYs (usually) don't violate. Although the morality of them is up for debate, 3x3 DIYs are legal.

Huh , the cube is the trademark ,as Wallmart knows now , copy of a cube is a voilation of the trademark. But I guess you do not believe me.

 

[Stefan]

Wallmart made a big mistake in the past to produce a cube like in your argument....Now they sell them as Rubik..... ..

Do you have more information about this? News article or wikipedia article or something? Also, when they sell their clones as Rubik now, isn't that even worse?

 

[Mike Hughey]

Theres a big difference there. 3x3 "clones" sold by cube4you and other vendors are not knockoffs. They are modifications on an expired patent, so not only is it legal for them to be produced, but a lot of the moral arguments to buying them are null since the differences are enough to make a signifigant increase in turning.

First many clone 3x3 are excellent products, but to Rubik they all violate Copyrights. It is illegal to import them e.g to Europe even if they do not use any brand. Wallmart made a big mistake in the past to produce a cube like in your argument....Now they sell them as Rubik..... ..

Although Rubik may think that those violate laws, the simple fact is that the patent for the 3x3 is expired. They hold only the rights to the trademark, which the DIYs (usually) don't violate. Although the morality of them is up for debate, 3x3 DIYs are legal.

Huh , the cube is the trademark ,as Wallmart knows now , copy of a cube is a voilation of the trademark. But I guess you do not believe me.

I tried Googling for the trademark dispute with Walmart, but I couldn't find it. Do you have any link to the case between them?

 

[Deleted member 2864]

walmart made knok-offs??? 0.o Lol were they any better or were they crappy ones?

 

[AvGalen]

Theres a big difference there. 3x3 "clones" sold by cube4you and other vendors are not knockoffs. They are modifications on an expired patent, so not only is it legal for them to be produced, but a lot of the moral arguments to buying them are null since the differences are enough to make a signifigant increase in turning.

First many clone 3x3 are excellent products, but to Rubik they all violate Copyrights. It is illegal to import them e.g to Europe even if they do not use any brand. Wallmart made a big mistake in the past to produce a cube like in your argument....Now they sell them as Rubik..... ..

Although Rubik may think that those violate laws, the simple fact is that the patent for the 3x3 is expired. They hold only the rights to the trademark, which the DIYs (usually) don't violate. Although the morality of them is up for debate, 3x3 DIYs are legal.

Huh , the cube is the trademark ,as Wallmart knows now , copy of a cube is a voilation of the trademark. But I guess you do not believe me.

I don't understand what you mean by "the cube is the trademark" and "copy of a cube is a violoation of the trademark".

The link about the Magic Cubes was very enlightning, especially the conclusion:

Because the four Magic Cube samples consist of different colors from the protected mark, both on the cube itself as well as on almost all of their faces, they are unlikely to confuse consumers. Therefore, none of the four Magic Cube samples infringe the protected Rubik’s Cube trademark.

 

[Ethan Rosen]

Theres a big difference there. 3x3 "clones" sold by cube4you and other vendors are not knockoffs. They are modifications on an expired patent, so not only is it legal for them to be produced, but a lot of the moral arguments to buying them are null since the differences are enough to make a signifigant increase in turning.

First many clone 3x3 are excellent products, but to Rubik they all violate Copyrights. It is illegal to import them e.g to Europe even if they do not use any brand. Wallmart made a big mistake in the past to produce a cube like in your argument....Now they sell them as Rubik..... ..

Although Rubik may think that those violate laws, the simple fact is that the patent for the 3x3 is expired. They hold only the rights to the trademark, which the DIYs (usually) don't violate. Although the morality of them is up for debate, 3x3 DIYs are legal.

Huh , the cube is the trademark ,as Wallmart knows now , copy of a cube is a voilation of the trademark. But I guess you do not believe me.

I believe that there was a dispute with walmart, and I believe that Seven towns has a trademark. This trademark though, only applies to a 3x3 cube with black plastic, a Rubik's logo, their color scheme, and it must be confusingly similar to tho Rubik's Cube to be illegal. I don't know enough about the walmart situation, but for the most part, DIY cubes are legal.

 

[qqwref]

For me the difference between a 3x3 knockoff and a V-7 knockoff is in respect towards the official company.

I respect Rubik for inventing the original 3x3 mechanism, but this was decades ago and the patent has expired. He and Seventowns have already made many millions of dollars from this and I don't think they need more money any more than I need more air. I don't respect Seventowns as far as helping out or supporting the cubing community, because they really haven't put a lot of effort into trying to make their cubes better. As far as I can tell they think we are "fans" of the company itself. So I don't really mind if a few knockoff cubes are sold, especially if they are better than official storebought cubes, which in my opinion they certainly are.

On the other side, we have V-cubes. Verdes invented the mechanism and has patents which still apply. As a small business owner rather than a large corporation, the money from buying a cube really does affect him and his family. And in addition he helps out and supports the cubing community: V-cubes tries to improve their cubes however they can, is working on coming out with the remaining cubes, agreed to produce cubes in both white and black plastic, and has made friends with quite a few of the fastest bigcube solvers. I really do respect Verdes for this and that's the main reason why it saddens me so much more to see a knockoff V-7 than to see a knockoff Rubik's cube.


About trademarks and DIYs: I have heard that the Rubik company has trademarked the 'image' of the Rubik's cube. So this means their intellectual property is of a cube with 9 stickers on each of the 6 sides, and the color scheme on black plastic. However, even if this is true, unassembled DIYs do not fall under this trademark! Nobody is going to buy a package of cube parts and sticker sheets and think it is an official Rubik's cube. It may look like a Rubik's cube once it is assembled, but if it is not sold that way the trademark does not affect it. As far as the mechanism, the patent for that is expired, so there is no problem with that.

 

[JTW2007]

I don't think they need more money any more than I need more air.

Either Rubik's needs cash or you don't breathe.

 

[daniel0731ex]

just to let you guys know, that erno rubik no longer have the control of the rubik's brand.....

 

[Wacky]

there is obviously a current patent on the V-7 so a direct copy like this is clearly not legal.

According to this page there are actuall 51 national patents:
http://www.v-cubes.com/inventor.php

Why do you suppose that is? Maybe because you need to get patents for each country where you want copying to be illegal? But then some countries could be missing and copies would be legal there.

Ah, didn't know about that. I thought that the there was some kind of international treaty that allowed for it to apply around the world but I guess that's not the case.

But on your list, it's patented in China which should mean that Verdes has the legal right to prevent production of copies there?

 

[masterofthebass]

"Hi Dan,

thanks for the info.
Plz inform me of anything else you find.

We will get them if that is true."

This is an e-mail from Konstantinos I got in response to my e-mail notifying him. I hope he succeeds in what he should be able to do.

 

[mazei]

I wonder if Rubik's will do anything when the V-3 comes out. As far as I know, it has a different mechanism and all so that would be interesting.

 

[AvGalen]

qqwref: Just because you think a company has made enough money doesn't mean anything. And I haven't seen any improvements on the V5/V6/V7 since they came out. I do agree that the Verdes-family seems much more involved in the cubing community, but I have also met the Seven Towns people and they are much more involved then you seem to think. I think you have an excellent point in the "DIY isn't assembled logic"

 

[Ton]

qqwref: Just because you think a company has made enough money doesn't mean anything. And I haven't seen any improvements on the V5/V6/V7 since they came out. I do agree that the Verdes-family seems much more involved in the cubing community, but I have also met the Seven Towns people and they are much more involved then you seem to think. I think you have an excellent point in the "DIY isn't assembled logic"

Without the support of Seventowns speedcubing was not this big, it is the team effort of Ron and Dave and Chrissie (Seventowns) that made cubing big. Verdes family are just starting so it is expected that I noticed only support in sponsoring T-shirts and cubes, compared to Seventowns -who organized many big competitions - it is a small contribution
As for the DIY I come back with an official statement

 

[daniel0731ex]

there's the in-box verson now

So weird! It says TYPE B on the packaging


http://www.wretch.cc/album/show.php?i=freecomic101&b=8&f=1593791216&p=0

what is funny is that on the box it says "all-rights reserved"




PS: i heard that type D is going to make their own 9x9 now, and it's coming out in May

 

[daniel0731ex]

BTW, the cube is said to have ADJUSTABLE SCREWS!! looks like they pays more attention to our wishes...

 

[ThePizzaGuy92]

chinese puzzles never have rivets.

someone with a v-7 should buy the knockoff and try it out. [only someone who already has a v-7, so it doesn't really screw the v-cube company, haha]