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You can patent software concepts, so patenting a physical concept like a removable battery for a mech is perfectly reasonable. Shimano themselves have multiple patents granted so they play the game themselves. They can’t copy what SRAM did unless they agree a license with them, but I’m sure there are Shimano patents that SRAM would like access too, so a cross licensing patent agreement should be possible. That’s how it works in other industries.
andyp-
so a cross licensing patent agreement should be possible
Interesting, do you think it's likely to actually happen though?
I prefer Shimano through using it pretty much since day one, Shimano shifting does, to me, feel better than Sram in road and mountain bike. (I say this as someone who currently runs sram on road bike and mtb)
Edit - I think the shifting is down to Shimano cassettes being superior and having decades more r&d behind them. If Sram sorted cassettes I might think differently.Wouldn't sram be shooting themselves in the foot if they licensed it? It might impact sales of their own etap/axs stuff.
Do you know of any cross licensing patent agreements that currently exist between Sram and Shimano in other areas? Would be interesting to know if they do co-operate in some areas.
TotalShanner
I know, right?!
I don't have any knowledge of how patents work really, but wonder if it's a time limited thing and will eventually expire?
Or Shimano will somehow get around it with some clever key difference? Or just ignore it and go with removable batteries on the mech?
I find it hard to believe such a thing can be patented.
I cant find any solid info on it all online, googling leads me to folk arguing about it here on weight weenies https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=156208&start=825