Homebrew PCBs

On Mon, 24 May 2004 06:07:40 -0000, ballendo <ballendo@...> wrote:

> Stefan,
>
> That patent IMO is pure BS... It's scary what the patent examiners
> allow to be patented these days. I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that
> this wouldn't hold up in court. AND wouldn't work in anyones shop. I
> thought patents required "reduction to practice" (which is a fancy
> way  of saying thay have to really work!)  It is quite obvious that
> the method described doesn't really work, and this is a
> shotgun/scattershot attempt to pre-empt anby subsequent similar
> method which DOES work... (I'd like to hear from Ed who received the
> patent...)
>

I thought it is necessary to provide a sample of the patented unit, or to
show a certain procedure works with several witnesses watching.

But i slowly get the impression the US patent office allows a used piece 
of loo paper.
(i hope saying this is no federal offence in your country ;-) )


> The ONE interesting item (IMO) is the idea that using a dc voltage of
> 5-300v (applied to the board copper) will allow for direct printing
> to the copper on the board. Maybe that part is worth checking out?
>
> Anyway, to answer your question: I used "Avecia" and others in the
> INK business as patent search terms to try and find useful info.
> There WERE some useful patents going that route, but I didn't save
> them once I realised that registration with a laser printer (for 2
> sided boards) was not really likely...
>
> Ballendo
>
> P.S. That patent you linked is worth reading just for the BS of it
> all<G> (skip the first few claims pages!)