Los Angeles, CA asked in Copyright, Intellectual Property and Patents (Intellectual Property) for California

Q: Hello. I would like to ask if the japanese red bean cake's shape(somewhat thin cylinder) is patented? Thank you.

The cake has a little bit of similarities with pancakes or waffles. It can be seen on youtube. I think there are patented red bean cake makers/machines out there. I would also like to ask if can I make my own red bean cake maker/machine that makes the same shape of a regular red bean cake(thin cylinder)? Thank you.

1 Lawyer Answer
Robert P. Cogan
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Answered
  • Intellectual Property Lawyer
  • San Diego, CA
  • Licensed in California

A: If you are doing this as a hobby, there is a possibility that this might not matter. If you are going to invest money in a new business, it is likely that consulting an attorney would be a good idea. The few facts given in the question seem to indicate that there may be issues involved in addition to patent law.

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