i copied the fallowing from airsoftmechanics, it was posted today by metallicafatcat.
Quoted from Spartan Imports:
August 11, 2011
Dear Spartan Authorized Dealer:
We wish to inform you of a situation that may or may not affect your Airsoft business. On July 19, 2011, FN Herstal was granted a design patent on the SCAR assault rifle (Design Patent number D641,284S) by the US Patent and Trademark Office. This means that the look of the SCAR is now a protected trade dress and may only be used exclusively by FN Herstal and its designated parties.
Additionally, given the SCARs protected design, the US Customs and Border Patrol is now legally entitled to seize any unauthorized imports of SCAR replica rifles, regardless of the markings on the gun.
Spartan Imports has previously sold the Classic Army SCAR/Mk16/Mk17. While Spartan Imports does not expect any action to be undertaken by FN Herstal on past sales, Spartan is concerned about existing advertising of the Classic Army SCAR and current inventories.
As such, Spartan Imports respectfully requests that in order to forestall any possible legal liability, your business remove any advertising in print or electronic form that shows the Classic Army SCAR. If your business has remaining inventory of new-in-box Classic Army SCARs, Spartan Imports will gladly accept return of these products for full credit or refund.
FN Herstal entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Cybergun S.A. on June 25, 2010 for manufacture, distribution, sale, and intellectual property enforcement in the Airsoft, airgun, and paintball markets. As a member of the Cybergun group of companies, Spartan Imports will do its best to bring to you a selection of FN Airsoft replicas at competitive prices, including the reintroduction of the fully authorized Classic Army SCARs. We appreciate your understanding that with licensing royalties and increased overseas manufacturing costs, there may be significant increases in the prices of these goods.
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Hope you all got your SCARs, not sure if other companies will be affected, but they probably will, except for maybe G&G who already has licensing.... I think...
saw this and thought it should be passed on.
