Dyson takes legal action over vacuum cleaner design

Now, I don't know much about the mechanic of these two vacuums and how different or similar they are, but I do know a bit about the aesthetics. On the left we have a Dyson, on the right, a Vax. Would your average consumer be able to identify thet these are made by two DIFFERENT companies...um, not very likely! I would assume that one is a newer model by the same manufacturers. So, quite rightly so Dyson is taking legal action against rival vacuum cleaner manufacturer Vax over its Mach Zen model.

'Vax’s Chinese owners have flagrantly copied a Dyson design,’ says Dyson founder James Dyson. ‘We defend our intellectual property and design rights, protecting our inventions and setting a precedent on behalf of other designers. After all, plagiarism is a form of theft.’

While Vax's spokesperson says '...Although copying is technically not a relevant legal issue in the court action Dyson has launched, the fact is that Vax did not copy Dyson. The Vax product was independently designed by British designers at its headquarters in Droitwich Spa UK. Vax has no need to copy anyone.’

Four years ago, Dyson won a claim against Qualtex for selling vacuum cleaner parts that infringed Dyson’s design rights.

(via Designweek)