A.O. Smith Jin Gui Inner liner US patent China truth: a blank sheet of paper

Nanjing Hua News: In the past ten years, for American-funded water heater company A.O. Smith, the biggest competitive bargaining chip to participate in China's electric water heater market competition is its "American patent" Jin Gui liner technology.

But for those who engage in patented technology, American invention patents do look beautiful. However, the global patent application is not a filing system, but a review system. U.S. patented technology, if you do not apply for corresponding patented technology or protection in China, is just a piece of waste paper for the Chinese market.

According to Nanjing Huaxun, an article published in the home appliance circle, "the most storytelling enterprise in China's home appliance market is A.O. Smith", which has aroused heated discussion among home appliance manufacturers. A number of people in the industry engaged in patented technology bluntly pointed out that the patented technology of "Jin Gui Nei" applied by A.O. Smith in the United States has not applied for and obtained the corresponding patented technology in China, which is to deceive the market and users.

US patents do not enjoy the treatment of Chinese patents.

For many Chinese home appliance companies, having a national patent technology, especially an invention patent, is a recognition and affirmation of their technological research and development capabilities. Similarly, for many years, A.O. Smith has also used a U.S. patented technology to promote its electric water heater and demonstrate its technical strength.

However, for professionals, patent rights are the "legal exclusive right" granted by a country and the government to use its ruling power to grant inventions and creations. Therefore, the premise of the effectiveness of this power is within the scope of the country.

Therefore, any patent is a specific country patent, and it is only valid in that country. Anyone can use it free of charge in other countries. For example, the original patent of the balance car is only applied in the United States, so it is legal for Chinese enterprises to produce and sell the balance car in China. If exported to the United States, there will be infringement.

As a result, for A.O. Smith, the U.S. patented technology and products of its Jin Gui liner will not be protected by Chinese patent law. In fact, through the patent retrieval system of the National Patent Office of China, we can also see that A.O. Smith has not applied for a patent in China for this so-called US patent technology, and has not sought corresponding patent protection.

Is this technology unable to obtain an invention patent in China, or is A.O. Smith unwilling to apply for a Chinese patent for other commercial reasons? The reason is unknown to the outside world. At least one thing, this patent on the official website of the U.S. Patent Office, you can clearly see the corresponding content and technical principles, and there is no confidentiality.

A.O. Smith, Storytelling Using Information Asymmetry

Over the past decade or so, and even today, A.O. Smith has taken its "U.S. patents" as an important part of flaunting and highlighting the technological leadership of its products. Undoubtedly, it is the use of Chinese consumers' cognitive gaps in the professional information of patented technology, as well as the convenient conditions of information asymmetry between China and the United States, to achieve their commercial purposes.

Public publicity from A.O. Smith shows that the so-called Jingui liner technology is a liner coating that evenly coats the inner wall of the liner with special silicides. Public inquiries from the National Patent and Trademark Office of the United States can see that A.O. Smith, the patented technology of "Jin Gui Nei", was applied for in 1999 and used chemical coatings from DuPont of the United States.

Nanjing Huaxun US patent professionals further pointed out that in addition to confirming the fact that "US patents are invalid in China and must be reapplied", it is also necessary to further clarify the "purpose and path of patent technology realization". For example, from Beijing to Shanghai, it can be high-speed rail, plane or road. From this point of view, don't be fooled by the appearance of A.O. Smith's "US patent". You should also see that in addition to this method, there are actually other better technical methods for the anti-corrosion of the inner tank of the electric water heater.

A.O. Smith's Jin Gui liner uses DuPont paint to solve the long-term corrosion resistance problem of electric water heaters. So, for Chinese enterprises, also have a large number of electric water heaters can solve the long-term corrosion resistance, durable effect, the effect may be better. From this point of view, there is no need for consumers to pay hundreds of yuan, or even thousands of yuan, for the so-called "US patent" when buying A.O. Smith's electric water heater.

As an American enterprise with a history of 142 years, it has entered the Chinese market for 18 years. However, A.O. Smith has adopted the same strategy whether he has seized the Chinese electric water heater market in the past 10 years or has entered the water purifier and air purifier market across the border in the past five or six years, that is, to fully package and release his "US-funded attributes" and "US patents" and tell stories.

There is nothing wrong with telling stories to users in the market, it is just a means of marketing. However, in the Internet era when information is becoming more and more transparent and open, home appliance companies need to be more honest and sincere in storytelling and marketing, and refuse to cheat!