27 yr ford guy

i think that picture says it all ,an ecoboost washer and a pick up truck cant be confused , the washer doesnt drive very well and pickup trucks dont wash clothes but come to think of it i think ford may have a pre-soak cycle ive financed with them before
im happy , i got mine today

gone postal

I doubt anyone would ever confuse a pistol and a Chevy 2-door, but Beretta sued Chevy over the use of the name and won.

p38fln

In another case, Apple Computer was sued by Apple Records - Both companies got to keep being called Apple because in the early 1980's Apple hadn't made the iPod yet. Probably be a totally different story if it happened today.

varithms

Now you need a "Powered by Whirlpool" sticker.

obusnizzle

i think whirpool should file a patent infringement suit. protection of private and intellectual property rights is important, it doesnt matter if its the difference between a washer and an engine, the script is similar, the leaf device is identical, go for it.

pfbz

If the trademarked name becomes ubiquitous or so commonly known as to cause confusion if used by any other party for any purpose, then you can protect it for all uses.

For example you couldn't make a "Pepsi Surfboard" and argue that nobody would confuse a surfboard with a soft drink... Beretta argued this same exception, as did Apple records. But it would be difficult for Whirlpool to argue that "ecoboost" has ubiquitous meaning and is so commonly known as to cause confusion. Now if Ford named their engine the "Whirlpool" and tried to trademark or use it, different story.

bb37

This a trademark issue, not a patent issue. You get patents on products, processes, formulas, and other tangible items. The names of those products, processes, formulas, etc., can be trademarked. Ford didn't copy Whirlpool's washing machine product or it's process for washing clothes. Ford may have copied Whirlpool's trademark or vice versa.

Ghosthex13

Thats a great Idea lol. Then she would say now march your *** back out with your new truck and buy me my ecoboost washer. Then she would throw in that doing laundry is now your job all the time lol !!!

the_slug

mrpositraction

Worth it