[Latitude] Latitude Overmolds

[PocketSand]

Has anyone seen this? Announcement on insta. Can't wait to hear you know who's opinion...

 

[brutalbrutus]

Good for them...

 

[jcassidy1990]

Now hopefully they'll make a grippy "rubber" like overmold.

My old non textured opaque Proton, Ion has a very grippy rim that noticeably enhances chain grabbing ability.

 

[alfonseski]

trilogy making overmolds, MVP making regular discs. I feel like I stepped over to a parallel universe. One which Will Schusterick Putts like Rocky Wysocki and Simon Lizotte plays Conservative golf.....

 

[Streets]

Lat64 will probably become the best selling overmold maker on the market.

 

[brutalbrutus]

trilogy making overmolds, MVP making regular discs. I feel like I stepped over to a parallel universe. One which Will Schusterick Putts like Rocky Wysocki and Simon Lizotte plays Conservative golf.....

 

[chevis]

opcorn::|opcorn:

 

[dwindacatcher]

The way they worded it makes it seem like they are going to switch to all overmolds.

 

[roggenb3]

Meh. I'm not impressed.

 

[Um...]

something... something... flattery.

 

[PocketSand]

Do you think we'll now see Innova expand their overmold lineup?

 

[Moose33]

I hope not. The innova molding points on the bottom are not great for my grip.

I wish them well in their new discs. I didn't think they had a lot of glaring holes anyway, but if they make a shallow, beardless, chain grabby putter in better plastic than electron, I'll try it.

 

[ThrowBot]

I'll be interested to see a fresh take on the overmold. Most of what's already on the market isn't that impressive, which is a bummer because I like the concept from an engineering perspective.

I guess the Nova is decent if you can get used to the grip...

 

[Halcón]

So what about MVP's patent? How long will it take to go into effect? Or will it even be granted? And what does that mean for Gateway discs that have higher density overmolds, and for these new Lats, if that's their plan?

 

[tampabay]

So what about MVP's patent? How long will it take to go into effect? Or will it even be granted? And what does that mean for Gateway discs that have higher density overmolds, and for these new Lats, if that's their plan?

Did they even have a patent? IIRC they didn't have the first overmolded disc anyways. Is the patent for a non affixed overmold? I know the innova ones have attachment points on the bottom

 

[eric40817]

The way they worded it makes it seem like they are going to switch to all overmolds.

For the fact that I throw Latitude and like the molds they have, I hope this is not the case. If they stop making these and go to an overmold, I'll won't be buying more of them. I dont think the overmold does anything for the flight of the disc, and I dont think this is a necessary move for the Latitude since their lineup is just fine...IMO. But what do I know. Overmolds seem to be the rave for some reason that I'll never understand.

 

[hugheshilton]

So here is MVP's patent application for anyone who is interested:

https://www.google.com/patents/US20120322336

Some thoughts (I'm not a patent lawyer but I've followed a few patent cases before):

1. Patents are always very specific. Don't assume that a "general case" is covered. It's only the very specific case(s) described in the patent.
2. This patent hasn't been granted yet and may never be. I think the average time it takes for a patent to be granted (if you're not a BigCo with money to throw at the patent office) is something like 7 years. If it does get granted, its affects will be back-dated to 2011 per the application. There are loads of reasons for a patent not being granted, so we have no idea when/if this will be. Other companies (like Quest) were doing overmolds before MVP and those overmolds may have had different densities (or "specific gravities" as the patent application says).
3. If the patent is granted and MVP chooses to sue, it's very unlikely to actually come to trial like Apple v Samsung. Patent cases nearly always settle fairly early because they are very expensive to litigate. In fact, it's often just a letter from a lawyer followed by some closed-door business negotiations over royalties and done. Latitude may be a big player in the small pond of disc golf, but neither they nor MVP has limitless cash like Apple/Samsung.
4. If there is a suit, Latitude will most likely attempt to either show their discs are different from the patent on some small technicality (see 1 above) or else get the patent itself invalidated based on prior art or other reasons (see 2). If that doesn't work out, they will probably settle and pay royalties (or pay back royalties and then stop producing the discs in question).

Anyway, I hope the patent does get granted, and there are some fireworks. I find it kind of fun to watch companies go at it over this type of thing.

 

[Halcón]

^Thanks for breaking it down. It would definitely be interesting to follow if (when?) the patent is granted.

 

[Streets]

Good for Lat64 to finally evolve disc technology! :thmbup::thmbup::thmbup:

 

[DanJon]

Conspiracy Theory: this is why MVP rolled out their single shot line up.