Cole's Customs Posted February 4, 2019 Report Share Posted February 4, 2019 I’m thinking about getting the zoom fluke style mold as well as the kietech swing impact fat style mold. Do these baits have patents on them? I have searched but can’t find anything but saw where zoom had patents on everything. If they do, how do I search for these patents better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferree Posted February 4, 2019 Report Share Posted February 4, 2019 You can do a patent search at uspto.gov Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cole's Customs Posted February 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2019 I have gone there and searched "zoom fluke" and "Kietech swing impact FAT" and have not gotten anything. So I searched up "Yamamoto Senko" because I know they have a patent on their senkos, and still did not get anything. I don't know if I'm searching them wrong or what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallmouthaholic Posted February 4, 2019 Report Share Posted February 4, 2019 Seach under the name of William E. Chambers Sr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferree Posted February 4, 2019 Report Share Posted February 4, 2019 just use "zoom" in the search they have about 10 patents and 5 are expired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowFISH Posted February 4, 2019 Report Share Posted February 4, 2019 USUALLY - they print the patent number on the package.... might be an easy place to start if you have a few packs lying around. J. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMc1 Posted February 4, 2019 Report Share Posted February 4, 2019 Stick to the USA mold makers, they are very aware of their designs and are good about making sure they don't violate any patents (if they do they are on the hook just as much as you are for making the baits) whereas the offshore mold guys don't care. USA patents don't apply to them and they just pass the buck on to the buyer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cole's Customs Posted February 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2019 sorry for late reply, busy day yesterday, but thank you guys for the good information! will look it up now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cole's Customs Posted February 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2019 from what I have found, the only patent they still have up to date is their fluke, am I right in this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallmouthaholic Posted February 6, 2019 Report Share Posted February 6, 2019 https://patents.justia.com/patent/D334966#history Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMc1 Posted February 6, 2019 Report Share Posted February 6, 2019 (edited) Their frog has 2 active design patents on it (D509278, D502981 - expected expiry late 2019 and early 2019) as well as their Speed Worm/Craw has 2 active utility patents (if I am reading that right) US6843017B1, US7168203B2 - expected expiry 2023 Edited February 6, 2019 by DaveMc1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cole's Customs Posted February 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 Man I have no clue what I'm missing lol, Ill just stick to the usa distributors, that sounds like my safest bet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BBK Posted February 8, 2019 Report Share Posted February 8, 2019 (edited) https://patents.justia.com/assignee/zoom-bait-company-inc You can search the patent numbers here to get the images and more detail. https://patents.google.com/ Edited February 8, 2019 by BBK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munkin Posted February 11, 2019 Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 From what I understand like someone mentioned the senko bait is not patent but the name is. As long as you do not use the senko name you are fine. Now the Zoom and Keitech ones I have no idea? If you find a patent on the Keitech fat impact let me know as I just bought some molds that are very similar to that bait. Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsworms Posted February 11, 2019 Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 On 2/8/2019 at 4:31 PM, CNC Molds N Stuff said: I don't think Gary ever patented the Senko. Just trademarked the name. I'm pretty sure everybody who says they are making or selling their own "Senkos" is violating his trademark. I started using the term "stick worm" instead of Senko (tm) a long time ago unless I was talking about an actual OEM Senko. Back when I was trying to be an outdoor writer I figured I needed to have generic terms for baits pretty quick unless I actually WANTED to plug somebody. I called mine an Alsenko, and was shocked when I got a cease and desist letter from Yamamoto. Mine were hand pours and I sold VERY few. LOL Anyway, changed the name to Stick Bait. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cole's Customs Posted February 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 Yea and that's where I'm struggling. I can find the patent, but I can not find when it was patented, when it ended or should end, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckeyeFishing Posted February 11, 2019 Report Share Posted February 11, 2019 Are they exact copies of the companies molds? Are you getting them from Baitmold.com? I have heard that their molds are not exact copies, very similar, but not exact. I could be totally wrong about that though, thats just what I have heard. That may not mean a damn thing though if its close enough. Like Vanilla Ice stealing the riff from Under Pressure, he said it was slightly different but it wasn't and he lost. There are tons of jerk bait molds and ripper style molds out there. I would be careful of straying too close to a big manufactures design. Its probably not worth the headache in the end. Thats just my .02 though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigmouth Posted February 14, 2019 Report Share Posted February 14, 2019 On 2/10/2019 at 9:02 PM, Cole's Customs said: Yea and that's where I'm struggling. I can find the patent, but I can not find when it was patented, when it ended or should end, etc. That info should be right on the front page, near the top. The application date comes first, then the patent approval date. The anticipated expiration date should be at the bottom of this list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
