Q: Arconic has a patent on the specific shape of a aluminium truck wheel. How can I find this?
We have a similar rim but want to ensure we dont infringe on any patents. My supplier tells me, the patent from ARCONIC / ALCOA has expired.
A:
It is very possible that a patent on a rim would be a design patent which might elude a text based search.
If you can view their truck rim in a store, it may have the patent number on the rim or on the packaging. That is the low tech and easy way to check.
A second good way to check is to look at the USPTO Assignment Database. https://assignment.uspto.gov/patent/index.html#/patent/search You can see what patents are assigned to Arconic. Good news is that they seem to hold patents in their own name. Bad news there are 111 of them listed. More bad news, some patent owners are not disciplined about registering their patents to this database.
You can search for relevant patents using tips in my slide set at http://bit.ly/Patent_Searching. Before investing a lot of time or money into this project, you may want to get a patent attorney to run a final search to make sure that you did not miss anything.
I hope this helps.
Kevin E Flynn
A:
Arconic has about 30 patents or patent applications in its own name, and about additional 80 assigned to it from its predecessor Alcoa. Some of these cases are in force, a few have expired, and some of them have not been granted yet.
Maybe the supplier is right and is referring to a patent that has expired, or maybe there are several patents that cover the rim.
If you wish, send me your contact information, drawings of the rim or proposed product literature, and I'll let you know what your options are.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
