Dyson takes legal action over vacuum cleaner design

Dyson is taking legal action against rival vacuum cleaner manufacturer Vax over its Mach Zen model.

Dyson claims the product (pictured) infringes the overall design of its first cylinder vacuum, the DC02, which launched in 1995.

‘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.’

‘This instance is about the overall look of the product, which we feel is too close to our design,’ says a Dyson spokeswoman.

Dyson is expecting to receive a court date in March, possibly for autumn.

Vax says in a statement, ‘Vax’s solicitors have analysed the case and advised Vax that Vax has a good case and does not infringe Dyson’s rights. Vax will be vigorously defending the case and is confident of victory. Vax is surprised to be accused of flagrant copying by Dyson. 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.

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Comments
  • Marcus, Manchester November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Looks like a Dyson to me, case closed!

  • Wake up and support innovation! November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    TTI is 3 times bigger than Dyson ($3b annually) and in the knock-off business! They’ve knocked-off Dyson often and have knocked-off Miele too (a Hoover USA canister). TTI was a Chinese manufacturer only until recent years and has a long history of stealing from Dyson. When Amway stole the Dyson Dual Cyclone from then backyard-inventor James Dyson they contracted Bissell and Bissell contracted with TTI to knock-off this vacuum (called the Amway Cleartrak). Sir James won this lawsuit, but few know TTI was involved and few know TTI has a long demonstrable history of knocking-off others and I hope Sir James can get this message out.

    TTI has been going around America and buying up our companies and brands. They own Hoover USA, Dirt Devil, Royal, Milwaukee Tools and others. Few Americans realize these companies are no longer ours.

  • Vicki November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    So obvious a copy-cat!

  • Gavin Burnham November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    which Dyson does it look like exactly????

  • Anastasia November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Before reading the article, I assumed the picture shown was tha Dyson model which was copied, not the Vax model.

  • Unofficial Dyson Forum November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    It’s the DC02 which Dyson are claiming has been copied (although it looks like a cross between a DC02 and DC05 to me). See http://www.dysonforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=37

  • Unofficial Dyson Forum November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    It’s the DC02 which is supposed to have been copied but I think it looks like a cross between the DC02 and DC05.

  • Andrew, Oxfordshire November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    The fact it looks like a very close cousin if not a sibling to many of the exhisting Dyson models is surely evidence enough that without Dyson creating their vacuum designs then this product would never have exhisted in the first place. To say “The Vax product was independently designed by British designers at its headquarters in Droitwich Spa UK. Vax has no need to copy anyone” just might ever so slightly take the biscuit.

    Who ever got involved in this design have been pouring over every inch of James Dysons work, maybe more so to manipulate new parts almost identical to the Dyson inorder to work in a loop hole in the copyright.

    Even when I squint my eyes really hard at the above image I still cannot see anything else than a Dyson!

    Get some creativity and make something original. Rant over.

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