Tt going overboard?

[acaurora]

If you guys look @ the Thermaltake page on their CNPS7700 look alike, the Blue Orb II, you'll find:

Patent Radian Crotched Fin -
provides superior air flow

So if they patent it, isn't that already patented by Zalman? Could this be a BIG mistake made by TT/Zalman? o.o?

[Shadowknight]

A TT rep has explained on ocforums that THEY were the ones that originated the circular style heatsink with their blueorb chipset cooler several years ago. While Zalman applied the concept to a CPU cooler first, they had to alter the design to avoid patent infringement, hence the reason the heatsink looks like it's split in half; otherwise they would be open to a lawsuit from TT.

Kind of ironic, isn't it.

[FrankDC]

That's the dumbest claim I've ever heard. Circular heatsinks with embedded fans have been around longer than TT has existed as a company. E.g. anyone remember the old VGA chipset coolers? I bought one back in '97 or '98. Still have it.


TT can claim they were the first to patent the idea, but they sure as hell weren't the ones who originated it.

[Gojira-X]

that vga cooler was proberly either an early tt orb cpu cooler or somat like a vantec iceberg, but iirc the vantec iceberg came out much later.
dansdata had a revew of some of the early tt orb coolers.

[Tibors]

So if they patent it, isn't that already patented by Zalman?

No, because if you look at the way the heatsinks are constructed, then you'll see they are way different. The end result might look alike, but that is not what the patents are about.

Remember that in most countries you can't patent vague ideas. (Like you can in the US.) But you'll need a thorough appliable design before you can patent something. So that includes the details.

[acaurora]

Wow, got a lot of feedback. Very interesting...

[wwenze]

The fins of cnps-7k and orb are clearly different, but it's the end performance that counts, and especially in extreme low airflow condition, we know the winner, and we know which design "provides superior airflow".

And so what if they patented the idea:

www.pccooler.cn

[ceraf]

imo, i wouldn't see how you could patent a basic design idea of a heatsink, (unless you're copying it and claiming it as your own "invention"). Like, many companies used the basic parallel fin heatsink, as well as the heatpipe tower design...why not a radial design?


just my thoughts..