As Seen On TV marketers TeleBrands and Emson are embroiled in dueling patent infringement lawsuits involving recently released tactical flashlights.
TeleBrands and Emson recently announced retail rollouts of their respective DRTV-supported tactical flashlights.
TeleBrands and Brite-Strike Technologies, which licensed Brite-Strike’s Atomic Beam tactical flashlight to TeleBrands, struck first by suing E. Mishan and Sons (Emson), alleging Emson’s Bell & Howell Taclight infringes a Brite-Strike patent for the Atomic Beam flashlight.
Brite-Strike develops tactical illumination and personal protection products. The Atomic Beam flashlight features Cree-branded LED illumination.
The Brite Strike/TeleBrands lawsuit against Emson, filed in the Massachusetts U.S. District court in Boston, alleges Emson’s Taclight infringes U.S. Patent No. 7,866,841 held by Brite-Strike. The suit seeks damages and an injunction preventing Emson from selling allegedly infringing products.
“Brite-Strike has made substantial investments to develop its patented technology and has partnered with TeleBrands to expand its technology’s reach into the As Seen On TV market with the introduction of the Atomic Beam tactical flashlight,” according to a press release by Brite-Strike. “Brite-Strike and TeleBrands are committed to protecting their valuable intellectual property rights.”
Emson subsequently filed a patent infringement lawsuit against TeleBrands Corp. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, asserting that TeleBrands’ Atomic Beam flashlight infringes U.S. Patent No. 7,434,955 owned by Emson (the “Emson ‘955 Patent”). Emson seeks damages and an injunction that enjoins TeleBrands from offering for sale and selling any products, including the Atomic Beam, that allegedly infringe the Emson ‘955 Patent.
The Emson ‘955 Patent was applied for on October 13, 2004 and issued on October 14, 2008, according to an Emson press release.
“Emson has made significant investments in advertising the Bell + Howell Taclight flashlight, including a nationally broadcast infomercial which began running in early May 2016,” according to the Emson press release.
