I'm curious if selling pieces of puzzles such as V-cubes, Rubik's, and Eastsheen is legal to do, because I don't really know how patent/copyright stuff with that actually works.
And I also wonder how you think interest in those parts would actually go, if people would be willing to buy given that the pieces were cheap.

Thanks,
NightHawk

Cubesmith sells pieces. As long as they are real(not casted copies), it's fine. It is the same thing as if you were selling the whole puzzle.

As long as you buy the legitimate original puzzle then you can do what you want with it, including breaking it apart and selling its individual pieces. However, you probably shouldn't sell cast-copies of the original pieces as this *might* be deemed to breach copyright (it's a grey area), even if you don't breach any patent by selling copies of the complete puzzle.

On the other hand, you probably could design and sell your own compatible replacement parts to improve the overall appearance and/or movement of the puzzle, like funky stickers, or re-shaped edge and corner pieces, etc., as long as they are not direct copies of the original parts.

So its ok to cut the corners of a puzzle, cast them, and then sell them as a kit, right?

I think if you sell ALL the parts together in ONE kit to make a complete puzzle that is protected by patent, then you're treading on thin ground legally, and already way over the line ethically.

I think/hope that's fine. I'm working on selling edges for 4x4x4s that allow the edges to twist. My thinking is, they need to buy a legal 4x4x4 to use the edges so it should be legal.

That should be fine because: (1) you're effectively designing and selling your own original parts; (2) people would have to buy the original puzzle from a legitimate source; and (3) the patent for the 4x4x4 has expired, so point 2 is irrelevant in any case.

If that patent is expired, then why this concern?

I guess the question here is whether someone has copied the V-cube mechanism (which is STILL patented), not the concept of the 4x4x4 puzzle per se, where the patent for the original mechanism has expired. I haven't seen the mechanism in question, so can't make any judgement.

Not to take over the topic, but for now my puzzle is just designed for Rubik's 4x4x4/crazy 4x4x4.

Thanks everyone, how do you think interest would be in this though?

You can not call the maru 4x4 a ko unless it exactly meets the patent drawings by verdes. I do not know if it does but it looks like it dosen't.

The funniest thing in that thread is when witeden yells ko when they are one of the biggest offenders.

Just my 2 cents