The LED filament lamp market began 2019 with a patent lawsuit. Taiwan-based flexible LED filament developer Liquidleds filed a patent infringement lawsuit against French lighting company GIRARD SUDRON, requesting a halt of further sale of patent-infringing products.

(Image: Liquidleds)

Liquidleds on December 20, 2018 filed with the Mannheim Court of Germany a lawsuit accusing European lighting company GIRARD SUDRON of manufacturing and selling products that infringe Liquidleds’ patents in regard to flexible LED filament and filament bulb technology.

Three series of GIRARD SUDRON LED filament products are claimed to infringe Liquidleds’ patents. The plaintiff pointed out the design of bulb housings and the flexible LED filaments inside highly resembles, some of them are even identical to, its patented inventions. In the complaint, up to 98 models of the defendant are found patent-infringing. The infringement acts were, as the complaint suggested, ‘committed with knowledge of the legal situation but in any case in grossly negligent ignorance.’ That shows trading activities of Liquidleds and its distributor partners in Europe are deeply impacted by the French lighting manufacturer.

Liquidleds claimed for damages to GIRARD SUDRON and required instant halt of manufacturing, importing, and/or selling patent-infringing filament lamps. The lawsuit is under the support of Liquidleds’ distributor partners across Europe from Germany, France, the UK to Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The investigation of infringement is likely to expand in the region.

With high flexibility, flexible LED filaments are open to more design options and thus able to present more delicate lighting experience. Acknowledging this as the biggest advantage of flexible LED filaments, Liquidleds has invested in related development for over a decade. It now holds over a hundred of LED filament patents.

In fact, this is not the first time Liquidleds has taken legal actions against infringing companies. In March 2018, LEDinside witnessed at Lighting + Building 2018 in Frankfurt, Germany, anther lamp manufacturer being caught on spot by German custom officers for displaying patent-infringing lamps. Those exhibits were confiscated and their information in catalogues was crossed out. It shows Liquidleds is already aware of that its technology has been used by others without permission.

In recent years, more and more LED companies have risen their awareness to protect their intellectual properties. Some of them, when spotting infringement acts at lighting fairs, on the market, or even online, send warning notices; and some of them file lawsuits. Because of this, it is suggested retailers choose LED lamp suppliers more carefully and make sure products they import to sell are under full patent protection in case of potential risks of infringement.

Read also:
Light + Building 2018: LED Filament Patent Infringement Caught Red-Handed