CSWL concept patent pending?

I have found recently that the entire concept or idea of mounting a high intensity hand held flashlight in a quick connecting /disconnecting base, such as the picatini rail, enabling dual use as a portable flashlight and as a mounted searchlight, had been approved as world wide patent (PCT) and had been applied for US patent already 4 years prior to US military CSWL RFI.
It may be, that all product manufacturers and distributers, who offer and sell CSWL's such as Xenonics, may be subject to patent infringement lawsuits.


does anyone has any additional info on this issue?

KESHEV said:

I have found recently that the entire concept or idea of mounting a high intensity hand held flashlight in a quick connecting /disconnecting base, such as the picatini rail, enabling dual use as a portable flashlight and as a mounted searchlight, had been approved as world wide patent (PCT) and had been applied for US patent already 4 years prior to US military CSWL RFI.
It may be, that all product manufacturers and distributers, who offer and sell CSWL's such as Xenonics, may be subject to patent infringement lawsuits.

does anyone has any additional info on this issue?

Click to expand...

The mechanism of mounting would fall into category of "design patent",
i.e. can only patent a particular design/method of mounting. Even if patent is approved, others simply can just change the method of mounting & get around it.

US Patents filed & still not approved after 4 yrs probably already got rejected. As it usually takes 2-3 yrs for patent to go through & get granted.

What makes you think that such patent can only refer to the mounting mechanism and not to the whole concept of dual use of a portable (flashlight look alike) superlight, also as a vehicle or mounted searchlight or other mounts and quick disconnect base ?
Regarding your time table for patents approval: The process may take more then 4 years since you first file and register the application which grants you 1 year before the application process takes place and only then you may or may not file for the patent which depends on changes which may or may not required in the various claims within the application.
only after this process that may take more the 3-4 years you may or may not be granted with the patent.
Considering the fact that the actual legal date of validity for the patent is the date in which you have filed the first application i.e sometimes 4 years prior to the actual grant of patent, requires from you to look at the industry 4-5 years ago and not of today's products.
Have you ever seen, prior to the CSWL project, or for that matter 4-5 years ago, any HID or short arc xenon, portable flashlight mounted on to anything? Or specifically a mounting base which enables the user to use it both as a flashlight and as a mounted searchlight? I wonder.
At that time to best of my recollection, (and collection What makes you think that such patent can only refer to the mounting mechanism and not to the whole concept of dual use of a portable (flashlight look alike) superlight, also as a vehicle or mounted searchlight or other mounts and quick disconnect base ?
Regarding your time table for patents approval: The process may take more then 4 years since you first file and register the application which grants you 1 year before the application process takes place and only then you may or may not file for the patent which depends on changes which may or may not required in the various claims within the application.
only after this process that may take more the 3-4 years you may or may not be granted with the patent.
Considering the fact that the actual legal date of validity for the patent is the date in which you have filed the first application i.e sometimes 4 years prior to the actual grant of patent, requires from you to look at the industry 4-5 years ago and not of today's products.
Have you ever seen, prior to the CSWL project, or for that matter 4-5 years ago, any HID or short arc xenon, portable flashlight mounted on to anything? Or specifically a mounting base which enables the user to use it both as a flashlight and as a mounted searchlight? I wonder.
At that time to best of my recollection, (and collection ) the only players in the superlight markets where Peakbeam, Xenonics, Shonan Japan, Reva int'l, German Trebelight (Kenrad in USA) and a first version of 50w short arc Kumkang Korea (the current producer of the Polarions).
None of which was offering such an option.

Keshev, Are you, by chance the patent applicant or do you have a vested interest in the application?

Why?
Do you ?

Nope, just wondering. You seem very passionate about the subject and it's an unusual first post.

As a flashoholic like yourself, I am with the opinion that the CSWL project is the "indy 500" of all flashlights, Especially considering its potential in terms of market size and the client. This project boosted somewhat, this old fashion dated industry, and even brought in at least 3 new players into this market Kumkang – Polarion , surefire and lemax (I am taking in account all the HID garbage coming out of china).
Since I have heard from a friend who is a patent researcher who knows about my passion, about a patent issued in Europe for a similar concept, I was thinking it an interesting issue to be raised in this forum.