DÜSSELDORF—A German district court ruled that the parent company of sex toy brand Lelo infringed on patents owned by the parent company of competitor Satisfyer. According to a press release from Satisfyer, the Düsseldorf District Court agreed that several products sold by Lelo infringe on the patents owned by EIS GmbH, which is the German company that owns and operates Satisfyer in the United States and throughout Europe.
The district court handed down its decision over the summer. On July 25, the district court pointed out that Lelo's Sona, Sila and Enigma clitoral vibrators violate EIS patents that are used in Satisfyer's line of pressure wave vibrators. Per the ruling, Lelo must cease distribution of products that infringe on the EIS patents within the court's jurisdiction. Lelo is also required to pay damages to EIS for distributing the infringing products.
Such a ruling builds on an additional determination reached in 2022 by the European Patent Office. Lelo Europe filed opposition to the EIS patent. However, the Patent Office rejected the filing. This gives a strong legal grounding against Lelo in other cases pending in other countries, argues Satisfyer's parent company. Litigation is pending in Sweden, Australia, Canada and other European countries, according to the press release.
"Lelo has appealed both the decision of the European Patent Office and the Düsseldorf District Court," reads the same press release provided to AVN. "However, our patent and legal attorneys remain confident that the clear decisions already issued will be upheld on appeal."
The press release goes on to say, "We feel more than validated by the ... decision and are now offering former dealers of our competitor Lelo, and other providers who refrain from infringing our patents, the opportunity to cooperate with us regarding our Satisfyer products."
Lelo had not responded to AVN's request for comment on the ruling as of post time.
