CPH parts kit - Can I sell it?

[carbonate]

Will Hasbro come after me if I sell in kits of pre-cut PVC pipes and rubber tubing to fourm members in an all-ready assemble kits? except it will be no more than pieces of plastic pre-cuts that are user-ready assemble?

[Neptune]

As long as it isn't assembled you can't say you're breaking any patents I think. People on Nerf forums sell home mades all the time though.

[HBWW]

If they did anyway, you could make the story explode on the web and Anonymous would probably be all over them.

All kidding aside, I wouldn't worry too much about it, since 1. it's small scale, and 2. it's not to the public or available on any public market, and 3. it's not assembled anyway.

[Drenchenator]

I'm going to preface this by noting that I'm not a patent lawyer, so take what I'm saying with a grain of salt.

The patent Hasbro has is for using rubber bladders as pressure chambers in water guns. Assembled or not, you can't include a rubber bladder and sell it as a water gun. That violates the patent. If you exclude the rubber bladder, you're in the clear. But the bladder is what creates the problem.

Bear in mind that Hasbro did sue Buzz Bee Toys over CPS in their guns, and they won. Hasbro bothered to do all that because Buzz Bee was making a lot of money. But I don't imagine you'd be making enough money for Hasbro to care.

Personally, I wouldn't sell CPH kits because I don't think there's a lot of money in the game. But that's unrelated to the patent issue. If you'd like to sell the kits, go ahead. Unless you plan on making millions, Hasbro will most likely leave you alone.

[marauder]

Completely agree with Drenchenator. Aditionally, I disassembled my Vindicator at DX's house one night and we were shocked how similar the PC was to the 2100s we were working on. The bladders were nearly identical. I will eventually get around to posting the pics.

[Neptune]

If you did have this, what would your pricing be for a kit? Get enough people you could save a few bucks buying in bulk maybe.

[carbonate]

Yes I got bored thinking about this maybe have 2 folks first sell plastic another ship the rubber in separate venture (maybe the gun will be easily modded to accept rubber attachment from Mcmaster Carr). User assembles = you get high powered stuff not Nerf guns. I was thinking about bulk stuff also. Pricing would be not sure yet, but if bought in bulk cut parts probably aim for 30 bucks point (need to find cheaper check-valves). Just looking at possibilities - I am no patent lawyer: warning: discussion in this form is not a legal advice folks. Anyways if I was 3-4 years younger I would be doing this, but around 3-4 years ago there were half-decent stock soakers to grab like FF, hydra pack, vindicator, etc. I was just curious what would happen if readily available high-power soakers were injected into the community. Anyways if Hasbro could have sold their stuff disassembled, shouldn't shelf-space be no concern?

[Fishfan]

People wouldn't buy them, because most people don't want to have to deal with PVC primer. Anyways, you could sell it as a convert-able from AP to CPS, and give them all the part necessary to to make the CPH except the bladder, and tell them to order it off of mcmaster.

[Neptune]

http://www.sscentral.org/homemade/check_valves.html
Are some cheaper check valves if you're still looking.

[soakinader]

What about the spring? I would worry about it rusting, and all the bad things that entails.

While I'm here, has anyone tried to use an air pressure bladder from something like a Magstrike or RF 20 nerf gun for a water PC? They look simlar enough, I imagine they would work, just maybe not as well.