Smith and Koroyd filed a patent infringement action against Burton Corp. in the United States District Court for the District of Utah accusing Burton of infringing US Patent No.10,736, 373 (jointly owned by Smith & Koroyd) by selling and importing Anon-branded Logan and Merak snow helmets that incorporate WaveCel technology.
According to the lawsuit, Burton was informed of Smith’s and Koroyd’s patent rights and was asked to respect those rights by not making or selling the Anon-branded Wavecel helmets. Burton, however, moved forward with the launch of the Anon helmets, leaving Smith and Koroyd no choice but to pursue legal action to protect their intellectual property rights.
A second lawsuit brought by Koroyd against Burton in Germany also alleges IP violations based on WaveCel helmets.
As a market leader in protective eyewear and multisport headwear for more than 56 years, Smith values its commitment to creating reliable, durable and trusted gear for snow sports, cycling and outdoor endeavors. Since 2013, Smith has partnered with Koroyd – creators of the iconic green, open cell technology using welded tubes that crumple instantly on impact – within its helmets to continue the legacy of innovation and design while providing consumers advanced impact protection and superior performance.
Together, Smith and Koroyd have invested almost a decade of time and resources into research and development to integrate Koroyd material into Smith products under a unique, patented method.
Koroyd is committed to providing advance protective solutions to reduce the risk of injury to its users. Koroyd and Smith have partnered to provide technology solutions across sport disciplines born out of Koroyd’s R&D efforts.
Smith and Koroyd believe when intellectual property rights are disregarded flagrantly it creates confusion in the market, limits consumer choices and threatens future advancements for all.
There has been no statement regarding the suit from Burton Corp., a private snowboard-manufacturing company that specializes in products aimed at snowboarders, such as snowboards, bindings, boots, outerwear, and accessories.
