Keyswitch patents?

[Spork829]

Just curious, why/how does Cherry let other clone switches like Kailh and Outemu exist? Wouldn't Cherry have patented their designs and squashed the clones, forcing other switch makers to add more variation rather than making cheaper clone MX switches?

[Bananasplit_00]

well the clones ARE changeing the design, some are even better then cherry seeing as they use different material. the vast majorety of them also come from china so a pattent wouldent even matter seeing as the copy right laws are weak AF there

[Spork829]

2 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

well the clones ARE changeing the design, some are even better then cherry seeing as they use different material. the vast majorety of them also come from china so a pattent wouldent even matter seeing as the copy right laws are weak AF there

Well that makes sense seeing as cheap clones of pretty much everything come out of China... should have thought of that  

[minibois]

I'm pretty sure Cherry MX' patent expired in 2013. They made the original patent in the 80's and they re-applied in 93 or 94 (the two numbers I read online) and the parents generally hold up for 20 years, so it expired in 2013/2014.

 

This is also about the time Kailh started to show up (Razer switched to Kailh from Cherry MX Blues in 2013 I think) and after Kailh got it's foot in the market, more Cherry MX 'clones' (Gateron, Automon, etc.) Started showing up too

[dtaflorida]

The patent only prevented the Chinese clones from ever being imported into countries that recognize and enforce patents. You can bet in China they'd copied the switch long before the patent expired. 

 

China has had the reputation of having knock off products of everything. Go to Shenzhen, you have anything at a bargain prices there, providing you speak chinese.

[demonix00]

As @Minibois has already stated the patent has already expired, so cherry doesn't have exclusivity over the switch and anyone can make a clone of it without being called in for patent violation.