因而,汽車維修零件製造商和保險公司就嘗試推動修法,降低汽車製造商的設計專利保護期間。其中,在2015年時,有美國議員提出「促進汽車維修、貿易和銷售法案」(Promoting Automotive Repair, Trade, and Sales Act,簡稱PARTS法案)。該法案的重點在於,原廠汽車在全球銷售首日起30個月後,其他汽車零件維修廠就為了汽車外觀維修之目的,可以開始銷售汽車外觀維修零件[3]。其採取的模式比較近似於希臘模式。
這個法案因為美國第114屆國會結束,第115屆國會開始,於2017年重新提案,送入美國參議院與眾議院。2017年4月4日,由參議員Orrin G. Hatch和Sheldon Whitehouse共同以參議院法案第812號,提出於美國參議院,目前於司法委員會審查中[4]。另外同一日,由眾議員Darrell E. Issa為首,並有其他五位眾議員支持,以眾議院法案第1879號,向美國眾議院提出,目前於眾議院司法委員會下法院、智財、網路小組審查中[5]。
該定義為(7) “motor vehicle” means a vehicle driven or drawn by mechanical power and manufactured primarily for use on public streets, roads, and highways, but does not include a vehicle operated only on a rail line. 相當於我國民法第191條之2的「汽車、機車或其他非依軌道行駛之動力車輛」。
35 U.S.C.§289(“Whoever during the term of a patent for a design, without license of the owner, (1) applies the patented design, or any colorable imitation thereof, to any article of manufacture for the purpose of sale, or (2) sells or exposes for sale any article of manufacture to which such design or colorable imitation has been applied shall be liable to the owner to the extent of his total profit, but not less than $250, recoverable in any United States district court having jurisdiction of the parties.”).
This section shall not apply to an act described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) if that act would not be considered an act of infringement under section 271(j)”.
Lothar Determann & Bruce Perens, supra note 1, at 971.
Lothar Determann & Bruce Perens, supra note 1, at 971.