Very few people have even seen the machines that have made the Dart family mega-rich.

Scroll down to the section entitled:
'A Styrofoam Fortune'

Tom

> They only give you protection for a certain
> number of years (14 years from memory).

> So after that time, if you haven't made your
> fortune, anyone can take your precious
> patent and run with it.

> My mechanic has a patent hanging on his
> wall. It's for four wheel steering. The very
> same four wheel steering method H____ used
> in their cars.

> The mechanic got NO royalties. And as far as
> he can figure, H____ discovered his patent,
> got a copy and began working on it. By the
> time they had it ready to go into production
> the patent had expired and they were free to
> sell cars with four wheel steering.

> That's why companies like Coke and KFC have
> "trade secrets" and not patents.
> Anyone can read a patent and it only
> protects you for a certain number of years.

> Michael Ross




Dart Container opted out of the patent process