Flash Electronics Files Suit Against Royal Enfield For Patent Infringement; RE Refutes Claims

Domestic electronic and electric component maker Flash Electronics India Ltd has filed a law suit against motorcycle maker Royal Enfield in the US. The suit has been filed for patent infringement of the regulator rectifier device that Flash claims was its invention and has been used by RE on its vehicles. Royal Enfield though has refuted the claims by the electronics maker and released a statement saying that the said component is sourced from an independent supplier which independently develops and owns the IP rights of this component, and has denied these claims vehemently.

Commenting on the incident, Sanjeev Vasdev, Founder and MD, Flash Electronics India said "We have been trusted suppliers to leading auto manufacturers across India and overseas and it's unfortunate to have to deal with such an unexpected and unprecedented act on the part of Royal Enfield, one of the most prestigious names in the automotive sector. This incident is highly objectionable and has dented the credibility of the brand, at least with us as a partner".

The infringement involves the "Regulator Rectifier Device and the method of Regulating an Output Voltage of the same" that Flash says it received the patents to by the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) on February 20, 2018. The component is said to be an invention by the company's R&D team from 2014, and has since been supplied to a number of motorcycle makers in India and several other markets.

Besides the US, Flash has been granted patent in other countries including Germany, France, Italy, UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Austria, Switzerland as well as Turkey. The parts supplier would be filing similar suits in the respective jurisdictions soon, as per its press release.

In a response, Royal Enfield issued a statement saying it that the bike maker has not receive an official communication on the mateter. "We are actively evaluating the issue internally and seeking legal advice from our US counsels. Royal Enfield is a responsible company that has been working with various suppliers for over 60 years, in a manner that meets all legal and regulatory requirements."
 
The component at the centre of this infringement is the regulator-rectifier that essentially converts the AC (Alternating Current) voltage into DC (Direct Current) voltage that then charges the batteries, powers the headlight, instrument console, electrical system and more.

Vasudev has further alleged that three senior officials of Royal Enfield had approached Flash Electronics on October 12, 2018 in Delhi to "settle the issue amicably and not to file any suit on the matter." The electric parts supplier says it waited for the outcom of the meeting but RE did not address the issue. Vasudev further commented that Flash will take the necessary to ensure that Royal Enfield stops infringing the patent and pays compensation for the violation which would run into millions of dollars.



from NDTV CarAndBike - Latest News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Harley-Davidson Streetfighter Spotted In Flesh For The First Time

Image
Harley-Davidson unveiled a range of new motorcycles last year that included an adventure tourer, streetfighter and Custom range. This, along with the LiveWire electric motorcycle defines the new-age 21st century offerings from the manufacturer as it taps into newer markets and caters to an evolving customer base. Now, giving a glimpse of the new models out in the open, the new Harley-Davidson Streetfighter was spotted in the prototype version at what seems to be a trade show in the US, giving a good glimpse at motorcycle looks like in flesh. While board says 'Styling Prototype', the production-spec version of the Streetfighter is likely to stay identical to the model showcased here. In addition to the Streetfighter, the Pan America was also showcased at the same event. The production spec versions of both bikes could be unveiled at EICMA this year. Also Read: Harley-Davidson Livewire To Be Unveiled In India In August The Harley-Davidson Streetfighter is a completely new mot
Read more

Brixton 1200 To Rival Triumph Bonneville T120

Image
A 1200 cc modern classic with similar design lines as Triumph's iconic Bonneville series, has reportedly been cleared for production. The bike was showcased as a concept at last year's EICMA motorcycle show, and from the looks of it, this is a model developed in China with the Triumph Bonneville T120 in its sights. The Brixton brand though is part of Austria's KSR Group, which imports bikes from several Chinese manufacturers, including CF Moto. And while the new Bonneville rival will be manufactured in China, the design and engineering has been created at KSR's design centre in Krups, Austria. Also Read: Triumph Bonnville T120 First Ride Review The Brixton 1200 cc motorcycle has not been named yet, or a launch timeline announced So far, the company has not committed to a launch date yet, but says that it will eventually make it to production. And from the looks of it, that may well be sometime later this year, maybe even at the EICMA 2020 show in Milan, Italy, in
Read more

Zongshen Cyclone RX6 Based On Norton 650 Nearing Completion

Image
While there still doesn't seem to be a buyer for iconic British brand Norton Motorcycles which went into administration in January this year, the firm's 650 cc parallel-twin seems to be finding life in China. While Norton apparently sold off the engine rights of its 961 engine to China's Jinglang just before the brand went into administration, the deal for the 650 cc engine was finalized way back in 2017 with Chinese giant Zongshen. The 650 cc parallel-twin engine was due to be used in Norton's Atlas and Superlight models, but now it looks like that engine platform will make its debut in a Zongshen motorcycle, called the Cyclone R6. Also Read: How Much Is Norton Motorcycles Worth Now? One of the patent designs shows the Cyclone RX6 with full touring accessories and luggage Two prototypes fitted with the 650 cc parallel-twin engine were shown in China late last year, on the Zongshen Cyclone RX6 adventure bike and the RX6 sport tourer. Both bikes used Zongshen-made
Read more