Questions about lava lamps and manufacturing?

[Ezra]

I am new to the site sooo...hello!

I am really looking for information on the patent for lava lamps. I read about the ones posted on the site. My question is, is there more than one company in the united states that designs and manufactures lava lamps? Are there multiple patents from multiple companies. I can't seem to find any results by myself honestly. I figured I would ask the community here!

The reason I ask this is because I am trying to prototype a new lava lamp here in pittsburgh, PA out of techshop. I need to be able to bypass the patent and create my own and I figured out a way. I love Lava lamps and I would like to create a new generation of them for people to enjoy. The goal is not money, it is to create something new and exciting out of something that already exists.

Please give me your feed back! 

Thank you.

Ezra

[Keith]

Not a law expert here by any means but here it one thing I KNOW, the classic "lava lamp" shape IS patented, trademarked etc. and is, or has been, vigorously defended.  This also pertains to the phrase "lava lamp".

What I THINK but not sure of, as long as you avoid these two no-no's you will be ok.

This may be helpful:    http://www.lavalamp.com/TermsConditions

[Critter]

The patents on lava motion lamps expired a couple decades ago.  The shape of Lava Lite ' s bottle and lamp is trademarked, but who cares?  Make a  new shape.  Who is not just bored to death that the only globe shape Lava Lite makes is that same one?

There are some other individual patents on some of the  newer heating and lighting systems in modern lamps (M.T. has a few).  But a light bulb driven lava lamp in a non-trademarked shape should be a safe bet. But always do your homework thoroughly before spending and investing.

[Ezra]

Thank you very much for the replies. This really helps me out a lot so thank you. I aim to be very informed before I proceed ahead with my product. Being well informed on this is the best way to offer something that everyone will enjoy. 

[Jeff]

Sounds interesting, good luck!!  If you need anyone to "beta test" lamps I'm also in PA, about 4 hrs from Pittsburg :)

[Tim Gill]

As the others have said the shape of the globe and lamp is paintainted or trademarked so that cant be copied but then again surly its a good thing as some variation on shape would be a good thing.

I think that the formula is paintented, I am quite sure that Mathmos / Cretsworth paintainted there formula so that cant be copied as well (even if you discover the entire formula). 

However there is still plenty of scope to design and make your own lamps - it has been done by the likes of MT and the people who make the arourous glow lamps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq779yS1Xjo

[Cowmatian]

I can't wait to see what you come up with! I am not satisfied with Lava Lite's current quality, Mathmos is great but they're hard to get in the US.  I assume you would be manufacturing them in Pittsburgh, so you would be the only US manufacturer of lava lamps (I know MT, but they don't make small lamps)! I'm an hour from Pittsburgh, so I could pick up any lamps I would buy, so no shipping damage.  I wish you the best with this project!  One more thing, it would be great to have easily removable screw caps, so servicing the lamps would be simple. I'm interested regardless of how they're sealed, though.

[Ezra]

Thank you very much. I appreciat ethe suggestion cowmatian! That is a really great idea and I would love to add that in as a feature. The formula is patented but the patent on the lamps by cretsworth is very specific and I don't know if it is exclusive to just the uk or the united states as well. The patent states clearly that it is 2 substances that are similar in density but do not mix. I plan to add a 3rd substance possibly to get around this patent perhaps.