Dyson may appeal court’s decision over design infringement
Published: 11 August 2010
Dyson is being advised to seek permission to appeal against a High Court ruling that a rival’s vacuum cleaner did not copy a Dyson design.
As reported on diyweek.net last week, the court decided that Vax's Mach Zen cylinder vacuum cleaner did not infringe the registered design of the DC02.
However, Dyson still believes that the large wheels, the angle of the clear bin and the line of the handle on the Vax machine too closely resemble Dyson's design.
Engineered in 1994, DC02 was Dyson's first cylinder machine, and its distinctive appearance caused it to be noticed across the world. Examples can even be found in New York's Museum of Modern Art and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
"What is the point of UK registered design law if not to protect novel and striking designs such as the DC02 design?" Dyson said.
Dyson is the second highest UK patent filer after Rolls Royce. It may now seek leave to appeal.