1911 patent?

[spyshot]

got into a discussion with someone the other day about 1911's and ar-15's. why is it that so many manufacturers are allowed to produce these designs without patent infringement? glock sues smith and wesson over the design of the sigma pistol.

why is this not an issue with 1911's and ar's?

i have my own idea as to why but i want to consult the ingo community to hopefully prove my point.
adam

 

[melensdad]

Patent law only protects a patent for a specific period of time, the patents on the 1911 and the AR have expired.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

That's why people get all up in arms about the price of pharmaceuticals, when generics come out so much cheaper. The company developing something original has to slap a patent on a compound as soon as it shows promise. Then they have 17 years (or less, for example in the case of Prozac because of some judge) to recoup the huge expense of developing that one, plus the ones they abandoned, plus the huge liability coverage. Most of that time is eaten up by the development, testing and approval, so they pretty much have to bend you over while they have the chance.

Sorry to threadjack, but as a pharma brat it's kind of a sore spot.

 

[Rob377]

Up until 1995, the term for patents was 17 years. It's now 20.