STOCKHOLM — LELO company officials said Friday that it will contest Standard Innovation Corp.'s claims that it has violated intellectual property rights over marketing and distributing U-shaped "couple device" vibrators.
Ottawa-based Standard Innovation Corp., which sells We-Vibe products, has filed two actions relating to alleged infringement of U.S. Patent No. 7,931,605 — a lawsuit at federal court and a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) seeking an order that would halt shipments of several LELO products into the U.S.
Standard Innovation's suit cited LELO's Manaha and Tiana couples massagers as examples.
In a statement to XBIZ on Friday, LELOi AB, the Swedish parent company to LELO brands, said it would "vigorously defend" against Standard Innovation's charges.
"LELOi AB will respond to this aggressive action by SIC and will protect its right and the rights of its valued retailers to market LELO’s high-quality, innovative products to customers in the U.S.," the company said.
Standard Innovation seeks monetary damages and injunction from the suit filed at U.S. District Court in Houston. The USITC complaint, which seeks to block the products from retail shelves, names scores of top adult retailers as respondents.
Companies listed as respondents to the USITC complaint include Natural Contours Europe, Bushman Products, Evolved Novelties Inc., Nalpac Enterprises Ltd., Eldorado Trading Company Inc., Williams Trading Co. Inc., Honey's Place Inc., Lover's Lane & Co., Adam & Eve, Castle Megastore Group, Shamrock 51 Management Company Inc., Paris Intimates, Drugstore.com, Peekay Inc., Lion's Den Adult, Fascinations, Deja vu and Toys in Babeland.
