Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Old news from 2016, they "shipped" those already...
With a 41k sq ft site in lake forest not sure that is enough to handle HUGE orders, unless another facility is added. Now whoever attends open house and views production layout of site and floor usage of each machine could determine production capacity of the site.
You really think Apple would publicly invest in Liquidmetal, if it was trying to keep things secret?
For those of you interested in what Prometaltech has done in investing for "liquid metal"...
http://www.d-long.cn/eWebEditor/uploadfile/2015062409452668919040.pdf
You will need to translate but here is equipment list.
Rife I am not a legal expert so I can see both ways.
1.
The licenses granted to Eontec and LMT under this Agreement shall exclude the following products and fields of use:
The Apple MTA forbids CE to Liquidmetal unless written consent received. The license granted to Eontec by Liquidmetal which included IP approved through Apples security release back to CIP could imply that Eontec must abide by those rules as well if using any of Liquidmetal technology.
However, Eontec technology was not part of MTA, so I can see how they could do CE. However, I don't think it's that simple, as Apple will hold you by the Crown Jewels.
Here you go fellas...read up
"Field of Use Restrictions
The licenses granted under this Agreement shall be subject to the following exclusions, conditions, restrictions, and limitations:
1.
The licenses granted to Eontec and LMT under this Agreement shall exclude the following products and fields of use:
a.
Any Consumer Electronic Products (as defined below) or any components or sub-components suitable for use with any Consumer Electronic Products. For this purpose, “Consumer Electronic Products” means personal computers (portable and desktop); tablet or slate style computing devices; handheld electronic and/or communication devices (e.g., smartphones, digital music players, multi-function devices, etc.); any device whose function includes the creation, storage or consumption of digital media; any component or sub-component in any Consumer Electronic Product; and any accessory that is the same or similar (in the sole discretion of Apple, Inc.) to an accessory made or sold by or on behalf of Apple (regardless of when Apple sold or started to sell such accessory, including after date of the closing of the Proposed Transaction) that is suitable for use with any Consumer Electronic Product.
b.
Any watches or components for watches.
c.
Finished or semi-finished Jewelry, and also any other products that are sold under the name of a Luxury Brand or incorporated into products that are sold under the name of a Luxury Brand, including without limitation (a) buckles for belts, briefcases, handbags, and clothing; and (b) cigarette lighters and cigar cutters. For purposes hereof, the term “Jewelry” means rings, necklaces, pins, cufflinks, and other objects that are ornamental in nature and used for adornment of the human body. “Luxury Brands ” shall not include brands owned or used by Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, LG, Sony-Ericsson, Apple, RIM, HTC or similar companies that supply mobile phones and accessories to the mass-market. Otherwise, “Luxury Brands” consist of the following brands and any other similar, renowned luxury brand which is used as the sole or primary brand on a competitive product sold at similar price point:
LVMH Moet Hennessey
Rolex
Chanel
Bentley Motors
Chopard
Compagnie Financiere Richemont
Gucci Group
Hermes
IWC
Jaeger LeCoultre
Mercedes Benz
Porsche
ST DuPont
The Swatch Group
Tiffany & Co.
IWC
Cartier
Montblanc
TAG Heuer
Louis Vuitton
Bvlgari
CHANEL
Prada
Dunhill
Aspreys
Porsche
Ferrari
Sellita Group
Safilo Group
Luxottica Group
Ventura
Ellicot
2.
The license granted to Eontec shall exclude any LMT Patents or LMT Technical Information that LMT licenses from a third party (other than a third party that is an Affiliate of LMT) if and to the extent that the terms of the third party license would prohibit the sublicensing of such Intellectual Property to Eontec hereunder.
3.
The license granted to LMT shall exclude any Eontec Patents or Eontec Technical Information that Eontec licenses from a third party (other than a third party that is an Affiliate of Eontec) if and to the extent that the terms of the third party license would prohibit the sublicensing of such Intellectual Property to LMT hereunder.
4.
The exclusive license granted to Eontec herein shall be subject to the non-exclusive license rights of Visser Precision Cast, LLC (and its sublicensees) pursuant to that certain Amended and Restated VPC Sublicense Agreement, dated May 20, 2014, between LMT and Visser Precision Cast, LLC.
5.
The Eontec Field shall exclude any products or services that are intended for use in, or likely to be used in, military or weapons/munitions applications.
6.
The LMT Field shall exclude any products or services that are intended for use in, or likely to be used in, military or weapons/munitions applications.
7.
The licenses granted to Eontec hereunder shall be subject to and limited by (and shall contain any exclusions required by) any applicable state or federal legal or regulatory requirements of any state or federal governmental or regulatory body. Specifically, the licenses granted to Eontec hereunder, and the Eontec Field shall exclude, any Intellectual Property, products, or services that would require an export license under the United States Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR §§ 734.2(b)(2)(ii) and 734.2(b)(4)) or that would require any other consent or authorization of any United States federal or state governmental or regulatory body, unless and until the required export license or other governmental or regulatory consent or authorization is obtained. LMT agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all necessary export licenses upon the written request of Eontec.
8.
The licenses granted to LMT hereunder shall be subject to and limited by (and shall contain any exclusions required by) any applicable People's Republic of China governmental legal or regulatory requirements of Chinese government or regulatory body. Specifically, the licenses granted to LMT hereunder, and the LMT Field shall exclude, any Intellectual Property, products, or services that would require an export license under Chinese regulations or that would require any other consent or authorization of any Chinese governmental or regulatory body, unless and until the required export license or other governmental or regulatory consent or authorization is obtained. Eontec agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all necessary export licenses upon the written request of LMT."
The point is Engel and bot Eontec. Let's move along from this point.
That's my thought, that European customers will be their focus.
Read the post again...never inferred to that.
I wouldn't say Engel is out, I would say they will focus on more niche customers, especially in europe. Don't think they're out especially all the effort to integrate into design guide with both machine types.
Agreed with Josh on their own in process prosecution alloy, but they're still advertising Liquidmetal in their pieces. Until they don't they have to be producing royalties.
http://www.roctool.com/work/metal
"Wider Range of Castable Alloys
Thanks to higher heat on the molding surface, more viscous alloys can be injected. The Roctool technology is particularly well adapted to magnesium, aluminium and other special alloys such as amorphous metals."
Patent issued to IBM today, of which I had posted way back then when just an application. Interesting to note that Atakan Peker works for Big Blue.
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=%22Amorphous+metal%22&OS=%22Amorphous+metal%22&RS=%22Amorphous+metal%22
"Amorphous liquid 180 can take the form of any amorphous metal alloy that is characterized with high elasticity in order to facilitate the travel of magnet 185 within column 170, and thus maximize power generation from dynamos 165 due to energy arising from wave motion in water 120. Other properties that amorphous liquid 180 can have include high strength to reduce fractures so that it can continually store the kinetic energy and be non-magnetic in order to function with magnet 185. LIQUIDMETAL and VITRELOY are commercially available amorphous liquids that are suitable for use with dynamos 165. It is understood that these amorphous liquids are only examples, and are not meant to limit the scope of the various embodiments described herein. "
Interesting patent issued to Foxconn subsidiary today by USPTO:
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=3&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=%22Amorphous+alloy%22&OS=%22Amorphous+alloy%22&RS=%22Amorphous+alloy%22
"FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a pressure casting machine 100 configured to mold a molten material 200. In the illustrated embodiment, the molten material 200 can be made from a raw material of amorphous alloy. The pressure casting machine 100 can be a vertical compression molding machine, and can include a vacuum chamber 10, a pressure casting mechanism 30, a feeding mechanism 50, and a picking mechanism 70. "
Looks like Eon will be at show:
http://eventsh.com/event/ces-asia-2017-consumer-electronics-show-exhibitor-list-and-schedule/
Hall N2 2465
2467 Dongguan Eontec Co., Ltd.
11am slot
http://behrend.psu.edu/community-and-workforce-programs/business-industry/plastics/innovation-and-emerging-plastics-technologies-conference
Advances in Injection Molding of Metals, Paul Hauck, Liquidmetal Technologies
?Bringing more than three decades in metal injection molding (MIM) experience, Paul will offer a higher-level overview of the new “liquidmetal” technology, including its history, applications, capabilities, and more. This will include how liquidmetal has evolved thanks to molding technologies developed by the plastics industry. The latest commercialized process introduced by Liquidmetal Technologies for forming amorphous metals will also be covered.
http://www.prototypetoday.com/liquidmetal-technologies-paul-hauck-at-molding-2017
"We took this to Engel through another relationship of ours...."
Around the 1:24 mark...I totally missed that when I first posted video
The iphone sample is staring at everyone right in the first picture...look closely at words that reference amorphous and ceramic. I honestly think that the debacle with GTAT threw a wrench in Apples plans with sapphire and metallic glass.
http://www.e-ande.com/business.php?id=15
Great points DPP. Apple allowed the security release to CIP to allow for 50+ patents/applications. All for a cool $64 million to Liquidmetal? :)
Apple submitted changes to the following application on April 26th...
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2016/0252413.html
They already have one patent for this:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/9279733.html
Attorney Docket No. P11030USC1
Amendments to the Claims:
1-20.?Cancelled
21. (New) A switch, comprising: an actuator; and
a bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member positioned relative to the actuator and configured to experience a change in electrical resistivity in response to actuation of the actuator.
22. (New) The switch of claim 21, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member is a dome.
23. (New) The switch of claim 21, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member is a substantially rectangular member.
24. (New) The switch of claim 21, further comprising:
a first conductor electrically coupled to the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member at a first location; and
a second conductor electrically coupled to the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member at a second location different from the first location.
25. (New) The switch of claim 21, incorporated into a keyboard of an electronic
device.
26. (New) The switch of claim 21, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member can sustain strains of at least about 1.5% without experiencing permanent deformation or breakage.
27. (New) The switch of claim 21, wherein:
the actuation of the actuation causes deformation of the bulk-solidifying amorphous member; and
the switch further comprises a sensing system electrically connected to the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy member and configured to:
determine whether an electrical resistivity of the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member resulting from deformation of the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member satisfies a threshold; and
3
Attorney Docket No. P11030USC1
present a switch actuation indication in response to determining that the electrical resistivity satisfies the threshold.
28. (New) A switch, comprising:
a bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member;
an actuator configured to deform the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member in response to a user input; and
two conductors electrically coupled to the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member and configured to enable a resistivity measurement of the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member.
29. (New) The switch of claim 28, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member is configured to experience a change an electrical resistivity in response to the deformation.
30. (New) The switch of claim 28, further comprising a deformable film positioned over the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member and below the actuator.
31. (New) The switch of claim 28, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member electrically couples the two conductors when the switch is in an unactuated state and when the switch is in an actuated state.
32. (New) The switch of claim 28, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member is configured to deflect between about 0.075mm and 0.25mm.
33. (New) The switch of claim 28, further comprising a sensing system electrically connected to the two conductors and configured to:
determine whether an electrical resistivity of the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member resulting from the deformation of the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member satisfies a threshold; and
present a switch actuation indication in response to determining that the electrical resistivity satisfies the threshold.
34. (New) The switch of claim 28, wherein the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy member can sustain strains of at least about 1.5% without experiencing permanent deformation or breakage.
3
Attorney Docket No. P11030USC1
35. (New) A switch, comprising: an actuator;
a collapsible dome positioned relative to the actuator and comprising a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy material configured to experience a change in electrical resistivity when the collapsible dome is deformed;
a first conductor electrically coupled to the dome at a first location; and
a second conductor electrically coupled to the dome at a second location different from the first location.
36. (New) The switch of claim 35, wherein:
the actuator is configured to be movable between:
a first position in which the collapsible dome is uncollapsed; and a second position in which the collapsible dome is collapsed; and
the switch further comprises a sensing system configured to measure the electrical resistivity of the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy material to determine when the dome is collapsed.
37. (New) The switch of claim 36, wherein the sensing system is configured to present a switch actuation indication in response to determining that the electrical resistivity of the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy material satisfies a threshold.
38. (New) The switch of claim 36, wherein the sensing system is electrically coupled to the collapsible dome via the first and second conductors.
39. (New) The switch of claim 35, wherein the first and second conductors are coupled to the collapsible dome at substantially opposite edges of the collapsible dome.
40. (New) The switch of claim 35, wherein the collapsible dome electrically couples the first conductor to the second conductor regardless of an actuation state of the switch.
3
Very true...I'll give you a number after I relax a lil from my day at work, but I hope you didn't miss my original point.
Way more than Eontec :)
Just because it's posted doesn't Mean it's been granted patent rights. Like the Engel components, not all have been granted patent protection.
There is no comparison... Eontec has NOT been granted anything here in the US.
That's not granted...right? You said granted in the US, which the USPTO office would completely disagree with you. Filed and published application in public sphere two different things.
It has not been granted my friend. Examiners have not allowed anything yet. Still have to prove that it's patentable over what Liquidmetal and others have put there as granted patents - including the diecast IP. Plus remember that Eontec doesn't have the luxury of having Apple top notch assigned firms handle your IP work.
Common sense is that unless you are Tim Cook or anyone in the know at Apple, we don't know squat.
Yes and They issued a license to Apple back in 2013 to their IP. Based on reported $$$ through ex-employee i estimate they paid about 4-5 million for that license.
Maybe he will invest with Glassimetal who also tied to Eontec. :)
So who is Cook investing in? Liquidmetal or Eontec?
Interesting on page 9 about Eontec machine, concerning "granulated material"....
"Like the cold-crucible molding machine, the hot-crucible molding process
is automated to provide hands-free continuous production. Ingots, or granulated material, are loaded into the melt chamber using a servo-driven robot. After ingot insertion, the robot then removes the finished parts from the previous molding cycle within the same sequence, and places them onto a conveyor belt with integrated cooling fans."
New design guide
http://liquidmetal.com/design-guide-4/