Continuation patent applications allow an applicant/inventor the opportunity to pursue new/additional claims for an existing patent application (a “parent” application). This can be valuable for many reasons: Strategic Flexibility: Continuation applications offer flexibility in the patenting process by allowing inventors to refine their claims, respond to changes in technology or market demands, or address [...]
Mavic's new ebike motor patents are what the company is looking to for regaining its footing, after a tumultuous few years. The iconic French brand recently opened and staffed a new US office in Vermont – and of course, they’re looking to make inroads with the product they’re most known for: wheels. Yet Mavic’s [...]
Technology for new wireless shifting from SRAM is in the works, according to patent applications on file. Existing electronic bicycle shifting from SRAM is configured with a switch and transmitter in both right and left levers. There are various programing options possible, such as the right lever controlling rear derailleur upshifts, and the left lever [...]
Campagnolo wireless shifting was revealed by Alan Cote well before the official product introduction. Read on to see how I found out the details via published patent applications. No one from Vicenza is talking, but the rumors have been flying: is Campagnolo finally introducing wireless shifting? In 2021, Shimano went semi-wireless (no shift lever [...]
Published applications for new bicycle derailleur patents to the major component companies suggest that rear derailleurs could be headed the way of bottom brackets in terms of bike-specific compatibility. Rear derailleurs have mounted to frames with near-universal fit since they first evolved into the basic swinging parallelogram design in the 1950s. The days of [...]
When a product is covered by a patent, exactly what sort of exclusivity does a patent holder have -- for instance, with US patent law and bicycles? Under US law, a patent provides the right to exclude others from making, using or selling the invention throughout the United States, as well as the right to [...]
Herein, I review 2022 bicycle industry patents. If you want a sneak peek at the future of where bicycle technology is headed, consider patent applications. Applications for utility patents publish (with some exceptions) 18 months after their filing date* – often before news of a related product is publically released . Patent filings also may [...]
Expiring patents and new inventions can be a hot topic in business. Patents are often mentioned as limiting the release of a new product from more than one manufacturer. Which of course, is exactly how the patent system is intended to work. Does it follow that when a patent expires, the floodgates open and [...]
The rise of design patents means that bike and accessory companies are increasingly using the US patent system to protect the appearance of their new products. In the US, patents come in two flavors: utility patents, and design patents– with the latter gaining popularity as a form of intellectual property in many industries, including [...]
In the last decade, helmet companies patent MIPS alternatives, which has has seen a surge in new technology for bicycle helmets. Much of the development has focused on systems that address rotational-type forces, which may be a factor with head injuries in some bicycle crashes. Those who work showroom floors in bike shops likely know [...]
