Mervin Response to Never Summer Reverse Camber Patent

Never Summer announced this week that they had received a patent for their reverse camber technology.

http://neversummer.com/rocker-camber-snowboard-patent-goes-to-ns/

This would have big implications for the whole industry. I know that Mervin Manufacuring (makers of Lib Tech, Gnu & Roxy boards) had applied for a patent awhile ago.

Anyway this is apparently their response to the Never Summer patent.Makes for interesting reading.

1. What is the status of Mervin’s patent?

We have officially been given an “Allowance” for our reverse camber Banana patent! That means that within several weeks, we’ll have our official patent with a ribbon on it in our hands. This is big news for the whole industry because our patent actually is relevant to many of the rocker combos on market. This is big!

2. How did Never Summer get a patent first?

Never Summer applied for their patent almost 2 years after we began our patent process. They lucked into an examiner that was much quicker than ours and possibly less thorough in the examination process. This is not uncommon for different patent exams to extend over varied durations of time. The most important factor in this case, is who applied for the patent first……………that would be Mervin by a fat margin.

3. How does Never Summer’s patent affect our C2 boards and our patent?

Not at all other than the quick dose of hysteria from people who don’t understand how patents work(and people shouldn’t understand how patents work). We all must do our part to proactively educate the dealers, public, media etc. of the facts.

4. What is Never Summer’s patent all about?

Patents are not fun to read and we don’t expect you to try to decipher them. They are full of the world’s longest run-on sentences. In summary, Never Summer has patented something that is very different than C2 or even their own rocker/camber boards. We believe they tried to navigate around what was anticipated in our patent application that was not available for public viewing at that time.

Our best shot at interpreting their patent reveals a funny looking contraption that is popping a wheelie and might not slide so well. For fun, try reading “Claim 1″ which is their only independent claim, which is what counts in their patent. It is not remotely similar to C2.

5. So their patent isn’t really relevant to their own boards?

Not in our interpretation. For fun, hit the Google, and find their patent images. Them are some f’ugly snowboard drawings……………flat between the feet with croquet wickets on the ends.

7. Is Mervin’s patent relevant to NS and other brands with rocker between the feet?

Yes!

!0. So when did Mervin actually start making boards with C2 rocker/camber combo?

Mervin actually put C2 boards in the mix from the beginning of Banana production in 2007. At our first Banana tradeshow, we sold Skatebananas, TRS Bananas, and Cygnus Bananas. All of the TRS Bananas and many of the 159cm Skatebananas had C2. We didn’t think the world was ready to comprehend different Banana blends yet, so we planned to not market names for the different blends for several more years. At the time, we called C2 blends the “Pickled W.” This is where the Park Pickle name evolved from. Make sure to tell the retailers this fact in history, and feel free to hit up some blogs and spew the facts to the N.S. disciples.

So in summary, our “Pickled W C2″ was prior art to Never Summer’s patent application by 2 selling seasons!

11. What can everyone tell retailers?

All of the above. Everyone can continue to have pride and confidence in Mervin’s Banana technology and patent. Congratulations everyone, the Banana patent has been approved!

13. So, is Never Summer going to follow their own patent images and start making boards that are flat between the bindings with croquet wickets on the ends?

We hope so! The world needs more ways to play croquet.

Mervin invented “Banana Tech and C2″ reverse camber and began the patent process almost 2 seasons before Never Summer applied for a patent. Werd!