Axis Lock Patent Expires In July?

E

EDCanAdamas

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Sep 8, 2013
Messages
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Is it true that the Axis lock patent expires on or around July 12th 2016? If so, what does that mean for Benchmade, as the Axis lock has always been "their thing"?

Perhaps more non-Axis Benchmades will be produced, or more, depending on how the company is going to deal with this, if it is true.
 
EDCanAdamas said:
Is it true that the Axis lock patent expires on or around July 12th 2016? If so, what does that mean for Benchmade, as the Axis lock has always been "their thing"?

Perhaps more non-Axis Benchmades will be produced, or more, depending on how the company is going to deal with this, if it is true.
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I don't know how it will affect Benchmade. I don't think it will mean less Axis knives as it is their "bread and butter" in a lot of ways. I imagine it more likely simply means that we will see more non-BM Axis locks as other companies will be free to use it unless Benchmade manages to find another way to protect it.
 
Depending on your interpretation of patent law, it should be safe for some time.
 
jonearlt said:
I would imagine they could renew the patent.
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It doesn't work quite like that. Once a patent has reached the end of it's term (around 20 years) the invention becomes public domain. You can get a new patent that sort of extends the original if you modify the design enough to qualify for a new patent. Benchmade, for example, has gotten patents for things that technically already existed by modifying the design to make it better (their "modified locking liner" and monolock are two examples of this).
 
Hence, the Ambidextrous Push Button, which, when you open it up, is as modified Axis lock.
 
MaxFisher said:
It doesn't work quite like that. Once a patent has reached the end of it's term (around 20 years) the invention becomes public domain. You can get a new patent that sort of extends the original if you modify the design enough to qualify for a new patent. Benchmade, for example, has gotten patents for things that technically already existed by modifying the design to make it better (their "modified locking liner" and monolock are two examples of this).
Click to expand...

The company I worked for renewed them for another 10 years... You just have to pay the fee.
 
Browsing the ganz website I see rip offs of the rat 1, sog, Benchmade lionsteel basically a selection of ripoff from a lot of popular brands , not cool.

Even IF others could use the axis lock it still wouldn't be the axis lock IMO .I'd still pick a Benchmade unless the axis lock was put on a knife with permission and credit given to Benchmade for the lock like how spyderco does in giving credit to the makers .

Just because a cheapie knife has an axis type lock on it doesn't make it perform like the real deal .
 
If and when the Axis lock expires I believe a few custom makers would experiment with it, however, most makers would of coarse contact Benchmade for their permission and give credit where credit is due.
 
AmosPaul said:
It would be really cool to see a Spyderco Sage Axis-Lock.
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Maybe Spyderco and BM/Mchenry Williams should get together and do it. However, if Ganzo does it that would be yet another black mark on their record and also one on anybody who boasts about it here...
 
China rips off everyone. They just do, sadly it's unavoidable. And Chinese laws and courts protect the counterfeiters. They rip off clothing, knives, electronics, luxury watches, automobiles, even theme parks. It's outrageous, and it's pretty much like the wild west of copyright law over there. Companies can try to pursue them legally, but it's pretty much good luck chuck. The nation runs on knock offs.
 
Apparently Will Moon is trying to patent the axis lock now? anyone got any more info. this is a bit of a turn off since his problems producing work with issues for customers.

he's calling it the "Moon Spindle Lock"
 
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