Edelkrone's lawyers won't be happy - Pocket Rig clone goes on UK Sale

I'm not familiar with the patent application, but is there something special about this? It looks like a block attached to the camera with a telescopic arm that has a skeleton rifle stock (similar to guns) on the other end. The machining is quite different. The concept has been around for years on SLR cameras where rifle stock type braces were available a long, long time ago. Sure - one firm probably nicked the concept - but without the actual patent, it's hard to see what has been copied that is unique. It's obviously not a direct copy, so importation for sale is unlikely to be banned - no 'passing off' as the original product, so would the sales justify the legal action?
 
Personally before Edelkrone I'd not seen something this compact.

The entire configuration on the clone looks to me to be a total copy in every respect of functionality.

This collapses into a small block, you could carry it in a coat pocket, like so (this is the special bit):

 
Yeah, I'm with Paul on this - I don't see this as a "copy". It looks very different. Sure, it's the same idea and the same functionality, but I don't think you can patent a design idea (Apple went to trial against Microsoft over this and lost), and you sure as heck can't patent functionality. I think it's highly probably that these guys got "inspired" (ripped off) by edelkrone, but they didn't COPY. If you want to see copies, look at some Chinese stuff - now those are copies. If you put these two side to side you'd easily tell the difference - for copies you wouldn't. This is a non-story. As a matter of fact, good for them - brings prices down. I won't be buying, but I see nothing wrong here. As to "rip off" - designers (and artists) steal, borrow and are "inspired" by each other all the time - par for the course, and a great thing for consumers and indeed civilization... without such behavior, human civilization would not progress.
 
It's exactly the same other than cutting a few triangular holes in the frame, a total copy, I think it has come from China as most of these items stocked at this UK shop are Chinese.

I must confess I'd like to see Edelkrone stuff cheaper, but it'd be better to have an official UK supplier than clones.

It's copied so closely they've even kept one of the flaws which itself is a giveaway!
 
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Sorry, I see very little resemblance, and of course, if we just dismiss any differences as unimportant ("a few triangular holes"), then an elephant can be a flea too. A COPY means it's identical and you should not be able to tell them apart - but anyone can easily tell them apart. I see plenty, plenty differences, different placement of screws and so on - it's just ridiculous to claim it's a "copy".

But hey, I don't own either, nor plan on owning, so I don't care - but when people use words like "copy" I should not be able to tell them apart. This is NOT a copy.
 
Those hole are simply to make it lighter, they've used a heavier metal on the clone (they weigh about the same in the end), all the joint screws look to be in the same place. The functionality is the same, I suspect the dimensions will be too given they've ripped off the idea.

It's a mute point anyway as Edelkrone will make the call, they know the patents details, I've informed them so I guess time will tell.

Looks like another manufacturer is cloning them even cheaper too: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pocket-Rig-for-DSLR-and-small-Camera-/290853262957?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b834966d

Looks like clones have been doing the rounds on eBay for a while as it's already been posted on these forums but I missed it: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?284370-Edelkrone-Pocket-rig-copy
 
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OK, that Ebay thing IS a clone - no question... they even used a photo from the edelkrone websiste just blurred out the face a bit on the model, lol. There I agree 100%. But that's just it - "clone" means identical, you should not be able to tell them apart (like in the ebay case); that is NOT the case with the first one...

Anyhow, that's right, the lawyers will deal with it.
 
And this is why Patents are such a risky venture. If tried to patent my ideas, anyone could change the slightest bit and my $15k patent is null. Trying to patent something purely based on function is going to get you nowhere. And Design patents are riduculous. I changed the color, it no longer is the same design.

I really have a cynical outlook on the whole patent system. From the enormous cost to the ease of avoiding patent infringement. Not to mention how backlogged the system is. It takes years. end of rant...
 
I don't understand how tech patents are so often fought over in court, the patent system in the tech sector is really being abused, meanwhile when it comes to many manufactured goods, China, Indian and a handful of countries simply disregard intellectual property and often get away with it.
 
Have to say I have been scouting camera support patents for a while but I have to say I can not find any proof they have a patent application and its been patent pending for a few years now. And for what I can find that they have not applied for a patent as there is no patent application number to be found anywhere or any matching patents to their design. Plus there are expired camera support patents which included all the basics, meaning them adding extra functions of able to fold it does not mean its a new idea as the base as a single chest camera support already exist singe the 60's. For what they can do is patent the design but not the functions as the basic function as a camera support is already there which is a expired. As also there double shoulder support actually infringes a patent from 1997, but seem there patent pending statuses for everything they got seem to be fake as if they were real they have them granted fast as possible then just pending. I don't think you can have patent pending status for more than 2 years as first year application can get you patent pending status with 1 year for you to decide if you want to go further to get the real patent. And I doubt you need more than 1 year to get your patent granted nowadays as the research is pretty fast done digitally and possibly few months and not few years anymore.
 
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