Quote Originally Posted by Dragons_Blood View Post
Makerbot has 2 choices here. Either patent these designs which aren't already patented, or allow another company to do so. If another company patents these designs, then they can prohibit Makerbot from ever using them on any of their future 3d printers. However, if Makerbot patents them, they ensure that another competitor (i.e. 3d systems with cubify) doesn't patent it and hold them out of the market.
https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/black-or-white

Though it may simply be the honest mistake of not understanding the patent system.