Comments on: More Blueprints!: Google Patents

By: Virtual Realm

Virtual Realm — Sat, 10 May 2008 05:58:05 +0000

Google Patents - Reference Diagrams…

When drawing objects in 3D many artists use Blue Prints of real items as reference digrams. Today on Blender Nation there is a post about Google Patents . "All patents available through Google Patent Search come from the United States Patent and Trade…

By: mzungu

mzungu — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:38:46 +0000

If you'd rather not have to model mechanical items yourself, there are many repositories of "standard" and custom components in 2D & 3D CAD formats online that are freely accessible. Many vendors of mechanical components (anything from ball bearings to servo motors to De-sta-co clamps) put basic models of their offerings online for the use of designers who might want to use them in their designs (helps to boost their sales.) Altho it may be a remote possibility, 3D artists may find such items useful as well. (?)

Some more commonly used (by me) sites include:
http://www.partspec.com (this place has a bunch of stuff in both 2D and 3D!)
http://www.mcmaster.com (not everything here is available in CAD, but there are a few gems!)
http://www.3dcontentcentral.com/ (this one requires registration, but it has good stuff, too.)

Of course, translation is required in order to get these models into blender, but that's often preferable to re-making them yourself, eh? Hope this is of use to someone!

By: RedTeam_Spartan

RedTeam_Spartan — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 18:52:49 +0000

I found a Les Paul (guitar) Cd holder LOL

http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPATD359647&id=F_InAAAAEBAJ&pg=RA1-PA3&dq=les+paul#PPA2,M1

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 23:49:54 +0000

This are some of the funniest things i've seen in Google patents http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6182661&id=SvQFAAAAEBAJ&pg=RA1-PA1&dq=Condoms

http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT2586674&id=OJNvAAAAEBAJ&pg=PP1

By: Kernon

Kernon — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 23:02:03 +0000

Also, I believe patents are restricted to protecting the design from being reproduced in another physically functioning object. Particularly if the other object competes with the original in the marketplace.

By: Kernon

Kernon — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 22:57:34 +0000

I wouldn't worry about the legalities because just about every real-world object that's ever been modeled is riddled with patents - iPods, PSP, computers, cars, planes, etc.

If patents were enforced to that degree, just about all 3d imagery would have to be of original designs or purely fictional.

By: atmmatt

atmmatt — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 22:37:45 +0000

I'm curious to the legality of making models of patents. I'm pretty sure it's fine to make it for yourself. I'm most curious is if you model something that looks like the actual object from the patent if that is patent infringement (if you try and sell any aspect of your 3D whatever you give, image, model, 2d ect)

By: me

me — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 22:06:06 +0000

Hmm, Blender patented by Kassenaar; interesting.

http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPATD525482&id=4Wt6AAAAEBAJ&pg=PR2&dq=blender#PPP1,M1

By: yo

yo — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 20:09:33 +0000

I always wanted to do a dvd holder

By: Animate1978

Animate1978 — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 19:44:13 +0000

HA! Never would have imagined finding a patent by my uncle! He is a professor at Georgia Tech.

http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6447718&id=LIgKAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=kenneth+cunefare