• Welcome to Elio Owners! Join today, registration is easy!

    You can register using your Google, Facebook, or Twitter account, just click here.

Elio Patents

floydv

Elio Addict
Joined
Nov 29, 2015
Messages
1,195
Reaction score
2,672
Location
California
Another thread on Facebook prompted me to do a patent search to see Paul Elio had patented the Elgin dash design. I couldn't find anything to support that. I did find, however, a number of patents relating to Paul. The man is prolific. Since his pre-Elio Motors background was in car seats, I guess it's not surprising to see a number of patents relating to car seats, rails, armrests, and recliner designs. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see the newer patents relate to side impact protection. Seems like the man has given a lot of thought to the Elio drivers' safety, as he has often said.

http://patents.justia.com/inventor/paul-a-elio
 
Last edited:

Ty

Elio Addict
Joined
Feb 28, 2014
Messages
6,324
Reaction score
14,759
Location
Papillion, NE
Cool find. It looks like he quit patenting back in 2011 but that's okay. The Elio is supposed to have nothing new* in it.

*in regards to technology only.
 

RSchneider

Elio Addict
Joined
Jan 6, 2017
Messages
2,792
Reaction score
1,912
Location
Hellertown, PA
I'm surprised that Elio Engineering or Elio Motors does not have any recent ones. Especially a design patent on his car. On the other hand, they might have tried that and it was either too general or just like a previous patent that expired.
 

Coss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
11,100
Reaction score
16,396
Location
Battle Ground WA
Since the Elio is made up of so many "off the shelf" parts there is no way to patent it.
We've all known for a very long time about the patents.
 

RSchneider

Elio Addict
Joined
Jan 6, 2017
Messages
2,792
Reaction score
1,912
Location
Hellertown, PA
You missed the point. I'm talking about design patents. This is the overall design. Currently, I could just copy the Elio and there's nothing they could do about it.

As for the off the shelf components, Elio has fallen off that shelf since they are specifically designing parts for the car that were not for something else. The original design intent to use mostly off the shelf parts, is not applying to that car today. There are many similar parts that many manufacturers use (i.e. the transmission for a BMW 335d is the same internally as a Ford F150). Since the Elio is such a unique vehicle, I don't see many parts that are an off the shelf part from another vehicle.
 

Coss

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
11,100
Reaction score
16,396
Location
Battle Ground WA
You missed the point. I'm talking about design patents. This is the overall design. Currently, I could just copy the Elio and there's nothing they could do about it.

As for the off the shelf components, Elio has fallen off that shelf since they are specifically designing parts for the car that were not for something else. The original design intent to use mostly off the shelf parts, is not applying to that car today. There are many similar parts that many manufacturers use (i.e. the transmission for a BMW 335d is the same internally as a Ford F150). Since the Elio is such a unique vehicle, I don't see many parts that are an off the shelf part from another vehicle.
Then I suggest you take that up with Paul.
Debating it any further would be an exercise in futility with your mindset on it.
 

Rob Croson

Elio Addict
Joined
Apr 28, 2015
Messages
1,384
Reaction score
2,279
Location
Ohio
I think the impression that the Elio has so many custom parts is that just about all the easily visible parts have to be customized, live the body panels, frame, etc. I know I've looked at it and wondered how they could claim so much off-the-shelf parts usage.

Most of the off-the-shelf stuff has got to be internal, or wrapped in custom bezels/lenses. The headlights, for example. I'ts almost certainly a standard bulb/internal design, but then wrapped in a custom housing. Things like wheels, rims, bearings, etc., all are probably standard parts. You just don't see them when you look at the outside of the vehicle. You just see this obviously custom body/frame. It's got to be deceptive.
 

voyager

Elio Addict
Joined
May 24, 2016
Messages
225
Reaction score
160
Location
Amsterdam
If someone else comes up with a three-wheeler that features a sleek 1+1 cabin the way Elio has done, I don't see how Elio would have a case against that fellow. The safety cage might be something.
 
Last edited:

Inigo93

Elio Addict
Joined
Mar 15, 2014
Messages
185
Reaction score
327
You missed the point. I'm talking about design patents. This is the overall design. Currently, I could just copy the Elio and there's nothing they could do about it.

Not a lawyer, but I don't believe the design is patentable unless there is something unique about it (there doesn't appear to be). You can *copyright* it, and that's a trivial process. But copyright is not the same thing as patent.
 
Top Bottom