Custom pillars

[Aethiar]

Originally Posted by L0B5T3R

I literally logged in today after getting outbid on those pillars! Lucky to have found this thread. If you would consider selling privately I would be very interested!

Thanks for your interest! If you PM Isak, we can see what we can work out. The lead time on custom orders is getting pretty high though.

[TREX]

I'm not sure what all the excitement is about then. If the tiles are patented and the objects on top of them are patented, then its still kind of a gray road isn't it. Well good luck with your project, the columns are nice, people have been doing them on here for years with wedding cake columns as have I. Welcome to the boards.

[Aethiar]

Originally Posted by TREX

I'm not sure what all the excitement is about then. If the tiles are patented and the objects on top of them are patented, then its still kind of a gray road isn't it. Well good luck with your project, the columns are nice, people have been doing them on here for years with wedding cake columns as have I.

The difference is that their utility patent was rejected, so they got ornamental design patents instead. Ornamental design patents only protect the pieces themselves, but not the interlock or stacking mechanisms of the tiles, so customs can be a lot more compatible with the board now.

[Aethiar]

Originally Posted by TREX

Welcome to the boards.

Thanks.

[Tornado]

So you could not make a single, two hex, three hex, or a seven hex but could make a 4 hex piece. Is that right?

A 7-hex with the middle hex missing would be very cool.

[srmalloy]

Originally Posted by Aethiar

The difference is that their utility patent was rejected, so they got ornamental design patents instead. Ornamental design patents only protect the pieces themselves, but not the interlock or stacking mechanisms of the tiles, so customs can be a lot more compatible with the board now.

Going back to the USPTO, design patents D536390, D536391, and D536392 are the relevant patents. D536390 covers the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 7-hex tiles, D536392 covers the 24-hex tile, and D536391 covers all five as a set. Since design patents issued before 5/13/2015 have a term of 14 years, D536390 will expire on August 25 of next year; the other two won't expire until 2020.

Originally Posted by Tornado

So you could not make a single, two hex, three hex, or a seven hex but could make a 4 hex piece. Is that right?

A 7-hex with the middle hex missing would be very cool.

The illustrations in design patent D536390 show both the 'official' cracked-surface and blank tile faces, so reproductions of those tiles, even with different faces, could readily be determined to be "substantially similar" for purposes of infringement. A three-hex tile with the hexes in a straight line, as well as larger tiles excluding the seven-hex 'round' tile, I believe, would fall outside the limits of the patent (but, then, IANAL).

[Aethiar]

Originally Posted by srmalloy

The illustrations in design patent D536390 show both the 'official' cracked-surface and blank tile faces, so reproductions of those tiles, even with different faces, could readily be determined to be "substantially similar" for purposes of infringement. A three-hex tile with the hexes in a straight line, as well as larger tiles excluding the seven-hex 'round' tile, I believe, would fall outside the limits of the patent (but, then, IANAL).

I agree. I would worry about reproducing hexes of the same dimensions, even if the pattern on top were changed. As far as what is substantial change, That's why patent lawyers get payed so much. You might read up on ornamental design patents and really look at the patents in question. It's pretty gray when I've looked into it.

[TREX]

Ill enjoy what you guys post but I will not indulge in it myself.

[srmalloy]

Originally Posted by Aethiar

I agree. I would worry about reproducing hexes of the same dimensions, even if the pattern on top were changed. As far as what is substantial change, That's why patent lawyers get payed so much. You might read up on ornamental design patents and really look at the patents in question. It's pretty gray when I've looked into it.

I believe, though, that design patents issued since 1995 have a fourteen-year term, which means that the patent on all the tiles but the 24-hex tile should be coming up to expire next year, based on a 2004 filing date. Assuming that the design patent was filed at the same time the utility patent was.

[Porkins]

Interesting stuff...all these years we've believed that there were utility patents preventing the use of the interlock feature, but nobody ever realized that the applications were rejected. Oh, what could have been!!

[Isak]

Originally Posted by Porkins

Interesting stuff...all these years we've believed that there were utility patents preventing the use of the interlock feature, but nobody ever realized that the applications were rejected. Oh, what could have been!!

Look at it this way, what will be, HeroScape is about to have more life than it has had for a while.

[Leaf_It]

Hello. I am the guy that won the 4 pillars at the Utah Monthly. I also have some custom Pillars from another person on ebay that I purchased about a year ago for around $60. Their design is different, and didn't have a hex on the top for a figure to stand on. I'll post pictures if you are interested.