Accessory brand Knog said it has won an intellectual property fight in Australia against a Chinese factory. The litigation involved Knog's Australian patent on a silicone-strap LED headlight.
Knog said the factory, which it did not name, will be paying royalties to Knog as it sells its remaining stock of the relevant lights, which includes lights marketed under the Tioga, Cassons XTech, PedalNation and Diamondback brands. Knog has an Australian Innovation Patent on the design. According to the Australian patent office web site, an innovation patent "lasts for 8 years and is designed to protect inventions that do not meet the inventive threshold required for standard patents."
"Knog's innovation in design and manufacturing has made us a target for companies looking for an easy path to market," said Malcolm McKechnie, Knog's COO. "As a result, our products have been the focus of many copies — both exact replicas of our product designs and also unlawful use of our patented technologies."
While the case involves only products sold in Australia, Knog's Sean Wilkinson said the ruling "sends a message to the global market that IP (intellectual property) protection is important to Knog and that Knog will defend its IP rights vigorously in whichever markets the IP rights apply."
