YYR Draupnir and YYJ patents

and thats why so many people didn’t know why SPYY was ‘SPYY’.(right?)

Not to mention CLYW. :wink: Or the Canadian National Return Top Championship.

Yeah. Who owns ‘yoyo’ in Canada? (I believe the word ‘Sam’ is in the name of the owner… I can’t remember ???)

Or the fact that in general, CLYW and everyone in Canada (including MonkeyFinger) calls them “return tops”.

It’s all good though. Canada’s still awesome :wink:

Reasonably sure the current owner of the “Yoyo” (and “yo-yo”) trademark in Canada is Yomega.

I believe the trademark is owned by “Papa’s Toy Co.” Toronto.

I could me mistaken. I’ll google it :smiley:

Edit: with the power if google, I foun this:
"In 1965 the classic spinning toy became a generic trademark in the United States but Papa’s Toy Co. Ltd. still owns the trademark “yo-yo” in Canada.

This didn’t seem to be much of a problem because most of the retail locations only sold yo-yo’s from Papa’s Toy Co. in chain stores. (With a few exceptions.) But with the invention of modern yo-yoing spawning new yo-yo brands in Canada the use of the word “yo-yo” has been quite an up and down process. "

Last time I checked the Draupnir was just one material, the red with silver was just stylistic I believe. Someone correct me if I’m off.

They’re aluminum with stainless steel rims.

Yea I looked around on google and discovered that. I’m sure that Kengo is just trying to make quality yoyos. We can appreciate that :slight_smile:

I thought Canadians always called them Return-Tops.

Exactly. The trademark is why Canadians call them return tops…

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After playing my Draupnir for over a month, I feel I can safely say that this is clearly the direction that YYR as well as the industry will be going in the future. Why hasn’t YYR secured a license to use the YYJ patent so that the Draupnir and upcoming models can be sold in the USA?

Patents are not meant to stymie innovation; and clearly they do not. What they will do, however, is make it more difficult and expensive to get the models that we American consumers want. What is YYJ’s position on this? Is the existence of this patent going to be an impediment to yoyo innovation, or just a legal hurdle to be overcome for other manufacturers?

As an American consumer, I would be fine with paying any licensing fee that was reasonable.

From what I’ve read, it is two different versions of 7075. Do you have any more specifics on this? It’s not easy to find good information on YYR.

If you mean the materials used in the Draupnir? If so, I have read that it is a 7075 body with Stainless Steel rims. As I understand, its design infringes on the YYJ patent for multiple materials where the different weighted material is placed on the rims.

I am in no way complaining about the existence of the YYJ patent; that question is moot. What I am wondering is if this will mean that US based consumers will have to purchase these designs from retailers in countries that do not honor US patents? The design of the Draupnir is very simple. So much so; that it is easy to see an entire new line of YYR models coming to market over the next year, all will this rim-weighting. The existence of the US patent will not prevent manufacturers from producing and selling these designs; it will only result in increased cost and time for US consumers; as well as depriving US retailers the opportunity to sell YYR to US consumers.

The simple solution is for YYR to license the patent from YYJ. Is that an option? Is YYJ open to doing this? Is YYR open to doing this?

I think YYR will be just fine with US customers buying from overseas. Less expensive for them and US and Canada residents will still order from other places.

Sorry to post again, but an additional point came to mind:

The YYR Draupnir was made in Japan and is being sold there legally. Lets imagine an American manufacturer that wished to develop a multi-metal throw like the Draupnir. Where Kengo could manufacture and sell his designs in his country without fear of the YYJ patent, the American manufacturer would only be able to make protoypes that were not for sale because the YYJ patent will prevent any of these AMerican models coming to market.

In this case, the existence of the YYJ patent is clearly a detriment to innovation. Unfortunately, it is only American innovation that is prevented. Foreign manufacturers are not held hostage to this patent and can not only continue designing, experimenting and making these yo-yo’s, they can also sell them to the same American market that is currently off-limits to the domestic manufacturers because of the YYJ patent.

A bit ironic; no?

But that is my point. Is this good for consumers? Is this good for the industry?

I don’t see it having a negative effect on consumers. We can still get what we want. There is no telling what YYJ would want for use. There are many silly patents out there that hinder someone, in the US, from making great strides in whatever field. Basically, if we don’t know what we’re missing, it can’t be missed. :slight_smile:

Yes. How dare YYJ develop an original idea for a yoyo and not want someone else to take credit for it. How selfish.

I do hope you realize my sarcasm.