"GW minis 'swivel' heads?" Topic

Does anyone *know* if GW have a patent on their multi part minis 'swivel' heads – necks which consist of a round hole and seperate heads which have a matching 'bump' (stop me if I'm being too technical). It is such a nice solution for attaching heads to multi part minis so that they can look in many directions.

Alternatively – does anyone know of a prior use of this design on minis?

I seriously doubt it.

There are lots of figures out there with separate heads that have posts to stick in holes. If GW has a bump rather than a post I can't imagine that is a big enough difference to warrant a patent.

Yeah but they'll try and defend it anyway.

Check the packaging. If they have a patent it will give the patent numbers you can look up.

Try here:
link

They own some injection mold patents.

Those are really bizarre patents for GW to have??? And reading them, I don't see any difference from common injection molding techniques??

they are almost all off patent too.

they talk about inserts into injection molds allowing them to do undercuts in a better way that was possible before.

I'm curious why you need to know.

The Falklands figures I did for Mo-Fo have a ball and socket type joint a la GW plastics rather than a post. Makes it easier for the punter to add character to their minis. If they have got it patented I'm boned…

Did you actually copy the one from the GW figure? If not isn't it sort of your own idea?

I just thought it was the easiest way to do things. I couldn't see how to get figures with seperate heads to be actually sighting down their weapons otherwise.

I saw a problem and came up with a solution. Your right, I'm probably safe. :>)

Soaps.