Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

Is it TTI or still Panasonic?

Hertz wrote:

If I recall correctly SEVERUS answered your original question as posted on this thread.  I agree with SEVERUS. 

This is a new and differnt question than before: "More specifically, who makes the Kenmore Intuitiob? " The answer SEVERUS provided applies here too.  The Kenmore Intuition probably is sourced by another maker other than LG.

"is it possible TTI can still make them LOOK very similar to the older Panasonic-made ones and have that be "legal", and/or is it Kenmore can just hand out the plans to whoever company and have them build them still looking identical to each other? Just curious."

IMO, yes, TTI can copy design/style and keep it legal if it does not infringe on patented designs/features still under exclusive rights use by the maker/patent holder.  Additionally the patent holder/company can/may contractually agree to share the exclusive rights for compensation with SEARS/Kenmore in a legally binding agreement which spells out the terms of agreement.

Carmine D.

CarmineD wrote:

Right, I thought you might have been with-holding even more knowledge than what Severus said. Either way, I'm still curious for a definite answer. I might call Sears soon, haha.

Hertz wrote:

Might be better going in person and talking with a SEARS person, especially if you can gain a business relationship/friendship with him/her.  Oft times, the SEARS people are ill-informed and just don't know or have wrong information.  Worth corroborating what you are told for confirmation.

If you look at two successful sourced vacuums in recent years in the USA, you'll see EUREKA-ELECTROLUX was oner maker and TTI another.  Wal*Mart contracted with EUREKA-ELECTROLUX to produce, under the GE brand, a line of bagged/bagless uprights and canns.  Very popular sellers from 2000 up to recently.  In 2004 Wal*Mart contracted with HOOVER which sourced to TTI the Fusion and Fusion Plus, bagless uprights for $90-$130.  The contract ran 2 years.  Also very popular sellers.  I recall several, who no longer post here, threatening dyson would sue HOOVER over the shroud/see-thru bin as well as other features Fusion features supposedly copied from dyson.  HOOVER laughed it off and W*M all the way to the bank.  This was before TTI acquired HOOVER from Whirpool in 2007.

Carmine D.

Talking of Kenmore, does anyone have pictures or used the Sebo Kenmore that Sebo used to build? I believe it was an X1 but Ive never seen been able to find it.

Hertz;

LG barely has a foot in the door w/Kenmore vacuum cleaners.  Panasonic makes a majority of the Kenmore vacuum cleaner line.  There are two other makers for the Kenmore line. 

vacmanuk wrote:
I remember when these came out.  They looked nicer, IMHO, than the SEBO's, because of their color.  They were close to royal blue w/some gray trim.  There were two models.  They were alot different than other Kenmores Sears was offerning at the time.  I have to say that the demise of these Kenmores was that they cost alot more than other Kenmore uprights.

Mike_W wrote:

The legal binding agreement [aka contract] can state that any/all parties to the agreement can not disclose any of the details, including who is the maker, else be subject to a breach of the contract.  The contract can also specify a period of time after the contract is entered into by the parties when it is legally permissable to disclose details.

Carmine D. 

CarmineD wrote:
What in the world does your comment, to me, have to do w/ my comment to Hertz?  We are not talking about "legal binding agreement".  "Who makes Kenmore vacuum cleaners?"  You did not answer, but instead directed Hertz to Severus.  I answered Hertz. 

Mike_W wrote:
Thanks for your update.  I was hoping you would have the answer. 

Mike_W wrote:

If a vendor, like Pano, is in negotiations to source vacuums with more than one buyer at a time/time period, it will not want the details of any agreements made public for fear of limiting/adversely affecting the vendor's business terms. 

Carmine D.