What is Thermaltronics 'color band' patent?

[zapta]

Thermaltronics' solder cartridges have a 'patented color band'.



http://www.thermaltronics.com/datasheet/M7WV300

Anybody knows what this patent is about? I presume that it has more depth than just  'let's add a color band to identity the cartridge'. Is it about the process of making this temperature stable color band? Is it about the handle detecting it somehow?

[PA0PBZ]

To aid in the selection of the correct temperature profile, Thermaltronics solder cartridges are color coded for easy identification. This unique and patented feature has additional benefits in both inventory management and quality control.

 

[mcinque]

A patent is "simply and only" a technical solution for a problem; in this case, soldering cartdrige identification.
The identification of a cartdrige by a color band is a Termatronics solution, and they have patented it, so that no other brand (depending on the patent/country limitations) can use their solution without paying them royalties.

It's dead simple, but many smart solutions are this way!

[zapta]

To aid in the selection of the correct temperature profile, Thermaltronics solder cartridges are color coded for easy identification. This unique and patented feature has additional benefits in both inventory management and quality control.

 

This sounds to obvious for a patent. Do you happen to have the patent number?  I couldn't find it in a patent search.

[PA0PBZ]

To aid in the selection of the correct temperature profile, Thermaltronics solder cartridges are color coded for easy identification. This unique and patented feature has additional benefits in both inventory management and quality control.

 

This sounds to obvious for a patent. Do you happen to have the patent number?  I couldn't find it in a patent search.

This came from a leaflet, I tried to find the patent but failed also.

[EEVblog]

A patent is "simply and only" a technical solution for a problem; in this case, soldering cartdrige identification.
The identification of a cartdrige by a color band is a Termatronics solution, and they have patented it, so that no other brand (depending on the patent/country limitations) can use their solution without paying them royalties.
It's dead simple, but many smart solutions are this way!

What a crock! 
Colour coding bands have been used to identify countless objects, there is nothing the least bit innovative about this 

[EEVblog]

This came from a leaflet, I tried to find the patent but failed also.

They probably applied for the patent and got 

[mcinque]

Colour coding bands have been used to identify countless objects
there is nothing the least bit innovative about this 

I never used the term "innovative" in my post; of course a patent MUST be innovative to be accepted, but maybe this patent covers only the thermal resistent coloured varnish for example, not the use itself to identify things, who knows?

[amyk]

Has anyone tried to patent the resistor colour code? I see various patents on methods of applying those bands though.

[zapta]

I found this one

http://www.google.com/patents/US20110168686

The main claim is

A cartridge soldering iron assembly comprising
a sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end is adapted to couple to a tip; and
a color indicator indicating a setting temperature of the tip, being disposed on an outer surface of the sleeve and being associated with the sleeve at a predetermined position between the proximal and distal ends.

So it's looks obvious after all. Basically just slapping a color mark on an existing Metcal cartridge.

Dealing with patents in the past, I am surprised that this patent was granted.

[Monkeh]

I found this one

http://www.google.com/patents/US20110168686

The main claim is

A cartridge soldering iron assembly comprising
a sleeve having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end is adapted to couple to a tip; and
a color indicator indicating a setting temperature of the tip, being disposed on an outer surface of the sleeve and being associated with the sleeve at a predetermined position between the proximal and distal ends.

So it's looks obvious after all. Basically just slapping a color mark on an existing Metcal cartridge.

Dealing with patents in the past, I am surprised that this patent was granted.

As I understand it, that patent hasn't been granted, it's just an application.

[zapta]

As I understand it, that patent hasn't been granted, it's just an application.

I think you are right.  Makes more sense.

Edit: it was granted in China  http://www.google.com/patents/CN201871843U  so if this is not Thermaltronics' patent they will have hard time manufacturing in China.

An electric iron core, including tip and connecting rod, characterized in that said connecting rod housing has a color-coded.

[Sigmoid]

Let's imagine that I'm selling live monkeys... and my company uses bicycle couriers to deliver the monkeys in the city I operate in...

Then I'd apply a patent for "using bicycle couriers for the delivery of live monkeys", and get it, because nobody had done that before. Now even though delivering things by bicycle courier is a perfectly regular thing, anyone who wants to deliver live monkeys with bicycle couriers owes me a royalty.

That just sounds so failed on so many levels.

[zapta]

Remember those old days metal pen refillfs with color marking on them?  They should easily cause a rejection due to prior art, though I doubt if that patent will be approved in the US anyway, due to obviousnes.

[nitro2k01]

Inductive heating for a soldering iron, using the Curie effect for temperature control is a relatively new idea. So at first I thought Thermaltronics were just trying to figure out something novel they could patent to get a lead over the pioneer in the field, Metcal. (Because remember, before Curie points soldering irons, a tip did not have a specific temperature like that.) Then when doing a bit of research, I found this on Thermaltronics' about page:

In this respect Thermaltronics is fortunate that 2 of the founders of the company, Michael Gouldsmith and Zen Lee, were previously long time employees of Metcal®/OK International, the only other company utilizing the Curie Point Technology. Michael held the position of President & CEO of OK International Inc. and Zen was Managing Director of OK China, responsible for product development, production and sales activities in S E Asia. In addition, almost 50% of the employees in Thermaltronics today come from the original OK China factory in Beijing, thereby providing a solid foundation of knowledge and experience.

So it seems like some higher-ups left Metcal and started Thermaltronics. I wonder if we're going to see lawsuits issued in the near future.

[miguelvp]

So it seems like some higher-ups left Metcal and started Thermaltronics. I wonder if we're going to see lawsuits issued in the near future.

As I recall Metcal patents expired not too long ago allowing other players to get in the game.
It's somewhere in this forum that I read about it.

Found some looking for "metcal patent expired" and placed links from older to newer.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/metcal-tips/msg423498/#msg423498

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/soldering-station-dilemma-pace-(prc-2000)-vs-some-other-(metcal-jbc-xytronic)/msg42930/#msg42930

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/metcal-mx-5251/msg417681/#msg417681

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/thermaltronics-tmt-9000s-review/msg95343/#msg95343

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/diy-metcal-13-56-mhz-rf-supply/msg243349/#msg243349

[G7PSK]

Let's imagine that I'm selling live monkeys... and my company uses bicycle couriers to deliver the monkeys in the city I operate in...

Then I'd apply a patent for "using bicycle couriers for the delivery of live monkeys", and get it, because nobody had done that before. Now even though delivering things by bicycle courier is a perfectly regular thing, anyone who wants to deliver live monkeys with bicycle couriers owes me a royalty.

That just sounds so failed on so many levels.

That's only if you start delivering live monkeys after the patent is granted, if you were in the business beforehand you can continue without any problems.Its called grandfather rights here in the UK.

[Sigmoid]

Remember those old days metal pen refillfs with color marking on them?  They should easily cause a rejection due to prior art, though I doubt if that patent will be approved in the US anyway, due to obviousnes.

The US patent office is a stamp factory, you pay the fee, they stamp your document - no questions asked. The US patent system is flooded with thousands of obvious (and ridiculous) patents.

The US is the country where Amazon patented saving your payment information so you can check-out in a webshop with a single click. Or where Microsoft patented double-clicking a mouse. It's the holy land of patent trolls and blood-sucking lawyers.

That's only if you start delivering live monkeys after the patent is granted, if you were in the business beforehand you can continue without any problems.Its called grandfather rights here in the UK.

Well... that's still failed, in that case (if someone other than the patent owner is already delivering monkeys with bicycles), the patent shouldn't have been granted on basis of prior art.

Anyway, "using (obvious solution) A for (generic random use-case) B" is not a technical solution. I'd argue it's not even an idea.

"Using salt to make soylent green taste better" should not be patentable in any sane system, even if nobody had done it before.

[zapta]

The US patent office is a stamp factory, you pay the fee, they stamp your document - no questions asked.

That's not my experience. I found that they often reject with frivolous arguments and you need to appeal to get it through.

I will be very surprised in the first claim in the Themartronics' US application will be approved. The fact that that 2011 application is still pending is encouraging.

The US is the country where Amazon patented saving your payment information so you can check-out in a webshop with a single click. Or where Microsoft patented double-clicking a mouse. It's the holy land of patent trolls and blood-sucking lawyers.

Obviousness is determined by the time of filling, not by the practice 10 years later when it becomes a common practice.

[Mechanical Menace]

Obviousness is determined by the time of filling, not by the practice 10 years later when it becomes a common practice.

The double click patent was issued in 2004.

[zapta]

Obviousness is determined by the time of filling, not by the practice 10 years later when it becomes a common practice.

The double click patent was issued in 2004.

When was it filed?

Do you have the patent number so we can see what is exactly claims?

[miguelvp]

It wasn't just double click but how you doubled clicked:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn5072-microsoft-gains-doubleclicking-patent.html

[Mechanical Menace]

"A method and system are provided for extending the functionality of application buttons on a limited resource computing device. Alternative application functions are launched based on the length of time an application button is pressed. A default function for an application is launched if the button is pressed for a short, i.e., normal, period of time. An alternative function of the application is launched if the button is pressed for a long, (e.g., at least one second), period of time. Still another function can be launched if the application button is pressed multiple times within a short period of time, e.g., double click."

It was applied for in 99, "a limited resource computing device" covers all computers without infinite resources...

Though I've got to admit I think this is one, unlike the later patent on double clicking owned by Honeywell, was MS covering it's arse and not planning to use it to go after competition. I do know there's a couple of times MS have applied for patents just to demonstrate how unfit for purpose the system now is.

[zapta]

"A method and system are provided for extending the functionality of application buttons on a limited resource computing device. Alternative application functions are launched based on the length of time an application button is pressed. A default function for an application is launched if the button is pressed for a short, i.e., normal, period of time. An alternative function of the application is launched if the button is pressed for a long, (e.g., at least one second), period of time. Still another function can be launched if the application button is pressed multiple times within a short period of time, e.g., double click."

It was applied for in 99, "a limited resource computing device" covers all computers without infinite resources...

Though I've got to admit I think this is one, unlike the later patent on double clicking owned by Honeywell, was MS covering it's arse and not planning to use it to go after competition. I do know there's a couple of times MS have applied for patents just to demonstrate how unfit for purpose the system now is.

This one seems to be about short vs long press rather than double click. IIRC double clicks were common prior art at 1999.

Also, it shouldn't be too difficult to workaround this one. For example  there are easy ways to distinguish between short and long presses without "(b) determining the length of time the application button has been pressed"

[Ian.M]

The question is: does "limited resource computing device" cover dedicated embedded systems as well?  if so various Garmin and other GPSes implemented that sort of button functionality way back in the '90s.  If not, a trawl through the world of old gaming systems would probably invalidate it as well.