- Jurisdiction
- California
Hi. There was company started in 1980s that sold a specific shaped product. The actual ornamental shape was patented around that time.
The company went bankrupt in 1993. The family members of the owner of the company are happy with me bringing back the product to life but the owner of the company passed away and they have no information on who obtained the company after the bankruptcy or who owns the rights to the trademark or patents. Patent info does not show any other owner past the original inventor/owner.
i did a search it does not show who owns the patent or if the fees were paid. It just says Dead/Expired-lifetime for both. Called the uspto office and they said they do not have info. They said i have to look into a patent attorney. I'd figured If i can get info here before hiring an attorney.
Am I safe to reproduce the product legally or is the shape protected still?
any information is deeply appreciated.
The company went bankrupt in 1993. The family members of the owner of the company are happy with me bringing back the product to life but the owner of the company passed away and they have no information on who obtained the company after the bankruptcy or who owns the rights to the trademark or patents. Patent info does not show any other owner past the original inventor/owner.
i did a search it does not show who owns the patent or if the fees were paid. It just says Dead/Expired-lifetime for both. Called the uspto office and they said they do not have info. They said i have to look into a patent attorney. I'd figured If i can get info here before hiring an attorney.
Am I safe to reproduce the product legally or is the shape protected still?
any information is deeply appreciated.